cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Persistent individual differences in the bacterial flora of the skin of the forehead: numbers of propionibacteria.

The bacterial flora of the central area of the forehead of 48 adults was examined by a standardized swabbing procedure to determine the extent of individual variation. Propionibacteria were the most abundant organisms on most subjects. Their numbers per cm 2 of skin ranged from fewer than 6 to 1,100,000. Seventeen subjects had more than 100,000, and 16 subjects yielded fewer than 10,000. Six had fewer than 1,000. Differences with respect to sex and age were not statistically significant. Coagulase-negative cocci numbered from 25 to 75,000 per cm 2 . There was no statistically significant correlation between numbers of propionibacteria and numbers of cocci. In order to distinguish trivial or transient individual differences from those of a more fundamental nature, 16 subjects were examined four times at intervals of several months with a total elapsed time of from 329 days to 523 days and a median of 385 days. Eight subjects were representative of the upper third and 8 the lower third of the population with respect to numbers of propionibacteria in the initial survey. Geometric mean values for propionibacteria per cm 2 of skin in the measurements of subjects with a rich population ranged from 152,686 to 280,867. Corresponding figures for the subjects with a sparse population were 1,215 to 3,639. Comparing geometric means by the t -test yielded p values of It is concluded that a rich or a sparse population of propionibacteria is a stable individual characteristic of the skin of the forehead.
Studies of biological factors associated with the inheritance of schizophrenia: A selective review

Abstract Although a familial component to schizophrenia has been established through several familial, twin and adoption studies, an inherited biological factor has yet to be established. Efforts to define clinical familial subtypes of schizophrenia have generally been unsuccessful, although recent data from our study population of pairs of siblings with schizophrenia suggests that schizophrenia with recurrent episodes of major depression may define one such group. There have only been a few biological traits consistently found to be associated with schizophrenia and also found to be heritable. These findings (e.g. measures of monomine metabolism, brain structural morphology, neurophysiological markers, and protein polymorphisms) are reviewed in the present chapter. The proportion of patients with any of the noted abnormalities never approaches 100%, nor have any been found to be specific to schizophrenia. Research into the biogenetics of schizophrenia is clearly just beginning.
BRCA1 induces DNA damage recognition factors and enhances nucleotide excision repair.

Inheritance of a mutation in the gene BRCA1 confers on women a 50‐85% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer 1,2 . Mutations in the TP53 tumor-suppressor gene are found in 70‐80% of BRCA1-mutated breast cancer but only 30% of those with wildtype BRCA1 (ref. 3). The p53 protein regulates nucleotide excision repair (NER) through transcriptional regulation of genes involved in the recognition of adducts in genomic DNA. Loss of p53 function results in deficient global genomic repair (GGR), a subset of NER that targets and removes lesions from the whole genome 4‐6 . Here we show that BRCA1 specifically enhances the GGR pathway, independent of p53, and can induce p53-independent expression of the NER genes XPC, DDB2, and GADD45. Defects in the NER pathway in BRCA1associated breast cancers may be causal in tumor development, suggesting a multistep model of carcinogenesis.
The thermodynamic modeling of multicomponent phase equilibria

Enormous progress has been made in the calculation of phase diagrams during the past 30 years. This progress will continue as model descriptions are improved and computational technology advances. Improvement has been made in the model descriptions in the CALPHAD method, the coupling of phase diagrams with kinetic process modeling, computer programs for easy access to phase diagram information, and the construction of databases used for calculating the phase diagrams of complex commercial alloys.
Bombesin and litorin inhibit ethanol intake.

Abstract Twenty-three hr water-deprived rats received access to 5% ethanol solution for 30 min daily. Intraperitoneal injection of bombesin (4.0–16.0 μg/kg) or litorin (16.0 μg/kg) significantly inhibited ethanol intake. Litorin (32.0 μg/kg) equivalently suppressed the intakes of 5% ethanol and 8.9% dextrose solutions. The results are consistent with previous reports that administration of bombesin-like peptides selectively inhibits caloric intake in the rat. Injection of bombesin-like peptides may affect ethanol and dextrose intake by eliciting a satiety signal that governs caloric intake.
Is defective electron transport at the hub of aging

Summary The bulwark of the mitochondrial theory of aging is that a defective respiratory chain initiates the death cascade. The increased production of superoxide is suggested to result in progressive oxidant damage to cellular components and particularly to mtDNA that encodes subunits assembled in respiratory complexes. Earlier studies of respiration in muscle mitochondria obtained from large cohorts of patients supported this notion by showing that either singly or in combinations, the respiratory complexes exhibited decreased activity in the elderly. The following critique of the most cited publications over the past decade points out the systematic errors that put earlier work at odds with recent findings. These later investigations indicate that aging has no overt effect on either the electron transport system or oxidative phosphorylation.
Creating an Index of Manufacturing Climates in the US: An Application of Multi-level Fuzzy Rule-Based System

When industrial corporations look for locations to expand or relocate operations they will look to either in-house locations experts or consulting firms for assistance in identifying potential sites. Many consulting firms have used location indexes to rank states according to their attractiveness to manufacturers and use these indexes as a quick means for comparing the relative standing for potential sites. One such index was developoed by the accounting firm of Grant Thornton and published annually. The index utilized information related to state and local government fiscal policies, state regulated employment costs, labor costs, and productivity of services. The index scales each of the criteria measures and calculates a weighted average of all scaled measures. Weighted averages are not conducive for evaluating the interactions between factors or for making different judgements based on the context of a situation. Fuzzy Rule-based systems have been shown to be effective tools for performing evaluations and rankings in the areas of state financial and economic attributes. This paper illustrates how fuzzy rule-based systems can be utilized to incorporate the necessary expert judgment into ranking business climates. The resulting rankings are compared to those produced by weighted averages. In addition, the paper illustrates the system's ability to decompose the final rankings and identify critical factors in each case.
Current diagnosis and treatment of cholecystitis.

Cholecystitis, 1of the most frequent problems evaluated by general surgeons, is diagnosed by history, physical examination, laboratory test evaluation, and imaging studies. In turn, these factors also contribute to surgical decision making. In this article, we will review briefly the origin, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic considerations, and treatment options for this disease process.
THE EFFECTS OF SOME SPECIAL TREATMENTS IN THE DEGREENING OF FLORIDA ORANGES AS MEASURED BY RESPIRATION RATE

For many years it has been customary to treat certain varieties of citrus fruits, especially early oranges, with ethylene gas for the purpose of removing the green color from the rinds. This process is referred to by the trade as "coloring" but should more properly be termed "degreening." That the term "coloring" is ill-chosen may be seen from the fact that though the maximum amount of yellow rind pigments (carotenoids) is not reached by the time that oranges are mature green, present degreening methods serve only to remove the green pigments (chlorophylls) and do not increase the yellow pigments already present (20). (A special process of adding natural vegetable dyes to the peel is commonly used today and fruits so treated must be stamped "color added.") The procedure now followed for degreening (28) is to stack field crates of oranges in rooms which are equipped with means for heating, introducing ethylene, maintaining proper humidity, and circulating fresh air. The fruit is kept at approximately 85? F (29.4? C), 80 to 100% relative humidity and is treated with ethylene in low concentrations. Under these conditions a fruit which is quite green may require as much as 60 hours to degreen whereas a fruit in which chlorophyll has begun to decompose while on the tree requires proportionately less time. This method is essentially the same as it was 20 years ago, with improvements being found only in construction of rooms and mechanical equipment. The need for degreening arises solely from a consumer preference for "orange" colored oranges, for in Florida (29) and in other regions having semitropical and subtropical climates some of the early orange varieties mature before losing their green color. Citrus fruits of any variety growing as an "inside" crop on densely foliated trees often retain much of their greenness long after maturity. It is common knowledge (12) that "maturity" refers to a stage of development and "ripening" refers to the process by which a mature fruit becomes edible or desirable as food. Apples, bananas, and pears, which contain a starch reserve, may become mature before harvest but may not ripen until the action of enzymes and life processes have hydrolyzed the starches to sugars, produced a certain amount of softening, and effected other changes such as rendering bitter principles insoluble.
The Chilean Model Fact and Fiction

For those mesmerized by the magic of the marketplace and the "end of history" (Fukuyama, 1989), contemporary Chile constitutes a remarkable demonstration of the inevitable triumph of economic and political liberalism. Democracy and capitalism seem to flourish. Official circles as far away as Eastern Europe, establishment intellectuals, and the mainstream media have praised the country as a model for Latin America, the developing world, and beyond (Kandell, 1991; Whelan, 1995). However, as with Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s or, more recently, the Asian "tigers," the Chilean model is more a semantic construction than a concrete reality: a global showcase and in many ways a precursor of the New World Order. In this sense, it has become another decontextualized North American ideological export. Understanding the country's path to modernization since the early 1990s (Silva, 1991)' requires attention to the continuity with the 16-year-long dictatorial period. Despite ostensible differences in political discourse, the democratic government of the center-left alliance known as the Concertaci6n is in many respects the new management of an establishment whose origins, fundamental orientation, structure, and officialdom and even many aspects of its modus operandi have been inherited from the Pinochet era.
Democratic mass matrices from five-dimensions

We reconstruct the standard model quark masses and the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix from a five-dimensional model, with the fifth dimension compactified on an ${S}^{1}{/Z}_{2}$ orbifold. Fermions are localized only at the orbifold fixed points and the induced quark mass matrices are almost democratic. Two specific versions of our model with 15 and 24 parameters are presented, and for both versions we can reproduce the quark mass spectrum and CKM matrix correctly to the level they are observed in current experiments.
The Role of Dislocations at the Catalyst−Wall Interface in Carbon Nanotube Growth

Ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) performed on catalytically grown multiwall carbon nanotubes identified two types of catalyst−nanotube wall interfaces. The interfaces consisted of crystalline domains with different orientations: twist and twin boundaries in correspondence with quasi-spherical particles closer to the nanotube base and tilt boundaries in correspondence with high aspect ratio, tapered particles further from the base. TEM suggests that the domain boundaries maintain a rather steady position coupled to the catalytic particles, whereas the carbon atoms precipitate along the nanotube axis away from the particles. It is concluded that the relative movement of the carbon atoms with respect to the dislocations comprising the nanotube domain boundary located at the catalyst−wall interface is a significant elementary process in nanotube crystal growth driven by surface diffusion. The results appear consistent with the concurrence of base and tip growth for the catalytic synthesis of ca...
Retinal Targets for Calmodulin Include Proteins Implicated in Synaptic Transmission

Ca2+ influxes regulate multiple events in photoreceptor cells including phototransduction and synaptic transmission. An important Ca2+ sensor in Drosophila vision appears to be calmodulin since a reduction in levels of retinal calmodulin causes defects in adaptation and termination of the photoresponse. These functions of calmodulin appear to be mediated, at least in part, by four previously identified calmodulin-binding proteins: the TRP and TRPL ion channels, NINAC and INAD. To identify additional calmodulin-binding proteins that may function in phototransduction and/or synaptic transmission, we conducted a screen for retinal calmodulin-binding proteins. We found eight additional calmodulin-binding proteins that were expressed in the Drosophila retina. These included six targets that were related to proteins implicated in synaptic transmission. Among these six were a homolog of the diacylglycerol-binding protein, UNC13, and a protein, CRAG, related to Rab3 GTPase exchange proteins. Two other calmodulin-binding proteins included Pollux, a protein with similarity to a portion of a yeast Rab GTPase activating protein, and Calossin, an enormous protein of unknown function conserved throughout animal phylogeny. Thus, it appears that calmodulin functions as a Ca2+ sensor for a broad diversity of retinal proteins, some of which are implicated in synaptic transmission.
A multi-modality attributes representation scheme for Group Activity characterization and data fusion

Proper characterization of human Group Activity (GA) interactions can help to detect and prevent certain pertinent threats efficiently. In this paper, we present a model-based scheme for robust group activity characterization. The proposed approach takes advantage of synergy of multi-sensors data to track and identify key individual and group activity events based on fusion of imagery and acoustic sensors data. Each activity event is attributed by a set of tagged features. By matching and correlating attributes of events, the model attempts to associate sensory observations to a priori known ontology. The proposed model benefits from a fusion process that achieves perceptual grouping of activities by spatiotemporal correlation and association of fragmented perceptions extracted from attributed events. In this paper, we present the results of our experimental work and demonstrate the effective and robustness of the decision fusion technique in terms of properly classifying group activities and generating semantic messages describing dynamics of human group activities that, in turn, improves situational awareness.
Effects of selection and drift on the dynamics of finite populations : IV. Gene frequency dependent selection.

A genetic model of a two allelic locus involving gene frequency dependent selection with overdominance or underdominance was investigated with regard to the probability of and the expected time to fixation of an allele in the face of stochastic variations arising from finite population size. Results showed the following: 1. If the probability of fixation is larger than for no selection, the case of fequency dependent selection with overdominance at equilibrium gave rise to the highest probability of fixation. If, however, the probability of fixation is less than for no selection, the case of frequency dependent selection and underdominance at equilibrium gives rise to the highest probability of fixation. 2. The expected time to fixation is largest for the case of overdominance at equilibrium and smallest for the case of underdominance at equilibrium if 0.2< p < 0.8. 3. For equilibrium gene frequencies (p) above 0.8 or below 0.2 there was acceleration in the time to fixation. This acceleration occurred over a wide range of initial gene frequencies that includes the p value.
Etching of 10 Boron with SF 6 -based Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasmas for Pillar-Structured Thermal Neutron Detectors

Isotopically enriched 10boron for use in pillar-structured neutron detectors was successfully etched in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma using SF6-based plasmas. The effects of radio frequency (RF) power, ECR power, gas flow rate, H2 and O2 incorporation into the plasma, and gas mixture ratios were examined. Etch rates up to approximately 1.35 μm/min were realized. In addition, etch morphology was examined, and the final shape of 10boron-coated pillars could be controlled through the etch gas mixture utilized. Selectivity to the underlying Si structure was apparent from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of completed etches.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT FOR THE MARITIME INDUSTRY: THE INTERNATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT CODE

ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that more than 80 percent of all high-consequence marine disasters have been the result of human error (for example, the Exxon Valdez, Amoco Cadiz, and Braer incidents). In the wake of such accidents, it has become apparent that many of these human errors are the result of problems rooted in organizational errors. Though historically it has been a requirement that ship crews be properly certificated before going to sea, owners and operators have not been subject to regulatory requirements that certify their ability to safely manage the operations of their ships. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed and recently adopted the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (the International Safety Management Code, or ISM Code), as a mandatory requirement under Chapter IX of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS). The ISM Code is the result of the IMO's commitment to addressing the human element in all aspe...
Stereotactic angiography: an inadequate database for radiosurgery?

Abstract Stereotactic angiography has long been the imaging database for the radiosurgical treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The following analysis reveals systematic shortcomings in the methodology, resulting in errors in determining target shape, errors in determining target size, and errors in the identification of the true AVM “nidus.”
Cold pre-compression of membrane electrode assembly for PEM fuel cells

Direct compression from the land structure of bipolar plate in a PEM fuel cell is considered as an important factor for the higher performance under the land than under the channel areas. Therefore the objective of this study is to determine if a cold pre-compression treatment on the whole membrane electrode assembly (MEA) area may have a significant positive effect on the overall performance of the cell. Five different levels of cold pre-compression have been applied and the experimental results show that the overall performance of the cell first increases with the level of compression to a maximum, and then decreases. These results clearly show that cold pre-compression of the MEA can significantly enhance the performance of the entire cell and there exists an optimal level of compression. Results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) show that the cold pre-compression results in a significant reduction in charge transfer resistance, especially in the high current density region. Further study by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows that the electro-chemical area (ECA) is changed with the different cold pre-compressed MEAs and there exists an optimal compression that results in the maximum ECA.
On handling uncertainty in the fundamental matrix for scene and motion adaptive pose recovery

The estimation of the fundamental matrix is the key step in feature-based camera ego-motion estimation for applications in scene modeling and vehicle navigation. In this paper, we present a new method of analyzing and further reducing the risk in the fundamental matrix due to the choice of a particular feature detector, the choice of the matching algorithm, the motion model, iterative hypothesis generation and verification paradigms. Our scheme makes use of model-selection theory to guide the switch to optimal methods for fundamental matrix estimation within the hypothesis-and-test architecture. We demonstrate our proposed method for vision-based robot localization in large-scale environments where the environment is constantly changing and navigation within the environment is unpredictable.
Exploration and engineering of biosynthetic pathways in the marine actinomycete Salinispora tropica

In recent years, members of the marine actinomycete genus Salinispora have proven to be a precious source of structurally diverse secondary metabolites, including the potent anticancer agent salinosporamide A and the enediyne-derived sporolides. The tremen- dous potential of these marine-dwelling microbes for natural products biosynthesis, however, was not fully realized until sequencing of the Salinispora tropica genome revealed the pres- ence of numerous orphan biosynthetic loci besides a plethora of rare metabolic pathways. This contribution summarizes the biochemical exploration of this prolific organism, high- lighting studies in which genome-based information was exploited for the discovery of new enzymatic processes and the engineering of unnatural natural products. Inactivation of key genes within the salinosporamide pathway has expanded its inherent metabolic plasticity and enabled access to various salinosporamide derivatives by mutasynthesis. New insights into the biosynthesis of the sporolides allowed us to increase production titers of these structurally complex molecules, thereby providing the means to search for the DNA cleaving pre- sporolide enediyne.
Depositional Facies and Aqueous-Solid Geochemistry of Travertine-Depositing Hot Springs (Angel Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A.)

Petrographic and geochemical analyses of travertine-depositing hot springs at Angel Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, have been used to define five depositional facies along the spring drainage system. Spring waters are expelled in the vent facies at 71 to 73 degrees C and precipitate mounded travertine composed of aragonite needle botryoids. The apron and channel facies (43-72 degrees C) is floored by hollow tubes composed of aragonite needle botryoids that encrust sulfide-oxidizing Aquificales bacteria. The travertine of the pond facies (30-62 degrees C) varies in composition from aragonite needle shrubs formed at higher temperatures to ridged networks of calcite and aragonite at lower temperatures. Calcite "ice sheets", calcified bubbles, and aggregates of aragonite needles ("fuzzy dumbbells") precipitate at the air-water interface and settle to pond floors. The proximal-slope facies (28-54 degrees C), which forms the margins of terracette pools, is composed of arcuate aragonite needle shrubs that create small microterracettes on the steep slope face. Finally, the distal-slope facies (28-30 degrees C) is composed of calcite spherules and calcite "feather" crystals. Despite the presence of abundant microbial mat communities and their observed role in providing substrates for mineralization, the compositions of spring-water and travertine predominantly reflect abiotic physical and chemical processes. Vigorous CO2 degassing causes a +2 unit increase in spring water pH, as well as Rayleigh-type covariations between the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon and corresponding delta 13C. Travertine delta 13C and delta 18O are nearly equivalent to aragonite and calcite equilibrium values calculated from spring water in the higher-temperature (approximately 50-73 degrees C) depositional facies. Conversely, travertine precipitating in the lower-temperature (< approximately 50 degrees C) depositional facies exhibits delta 13C and delta 18O values that are as much as 4% less than predicted equilibrium values. This isotopic shift may record microbial respiration as well as downstream transport of travertine crystals. Despite the production of H2S and the abundance of sulfide oxidizing microbes, preliminary delta 34S data do not uniquely define the microbial metabolic pathways present in the spring system. This suggests that the high extent of CO2 degassing and large open-system solute reservoir in these thermal systems overwhelm biological controls on travertine crystal chemistry.
Approximate simulation of CO2 and H2s absorption into aqueous alkanolamines

Rigorous and approximate methods are compared for the simulation of CO2 absorption into aqueous alkanolamine mixtures of methyldiethanolamine and diethanolamine. In addition, data for the mixtures containing monoethanolamine and the simultaneous absorption of CO2 and H2S are presented. For the rigorous approach, the simplified eddy diffusivity theory is used to simulate the liquid-phase hydrodynamic characteristics. The approximation methods examined are the pseudo-first-order approximation, the interpolation approximation of Wellek et al. (1978), the algebraic combined flux (ACFLUX) approximation and the modified combined flux (MCFLUX) approximation. The latter approximation utilizes the reaction zone concept to determine the kinetic preference of the absorbing gas at the gas-liquid interface. Under the range of conditions studied, the MCFLUX approximation predicts very accurately the CO2 and H2S flux rates in mixed amine systems, as compared with the rigorous solution of the differential equations.
Phosphoprotein phosphatase activity of sea urchin spermatozoa.

Spermatozoa of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus were shown to contain phosphoprotein phosphatases capable of dephosphorylating phosphohistones and phosphorylase a. The phosphohistone phosphatase was purified approximately 400-fold by DEAE Sephacel, histone-Sepharose and high-pressure liquid-gel permeation chromatography to a specific activity of 0.3 μ moI phosphate formed per mm per mg of protein. The apparent molecular weight of this form was in excess of 300,000, but it could be converted to a 35,000 Mr form by treatment with organic solvents. The enzyme did not resemble alkaline phosphatases from liver or intestine since phospho-Ser-histones were more effective substrates than phospho-Tyr-histones. When the supernatant fluid from the sperm homogenate was first treated with acetone to extract phosphatase activity, subsequent chromatography resulted in a nearly homogeneous, 35,000 Mr protein phosphatase and none of the larger molecular weight form. The specific activity of the highly purified, low molecular weight phosphatase was 4.0 μ mol phosphate formed per mm per mg of protein. It was strongly inhibited (>85%) by fluoride (50 mM), zinc (0.2 mM) and pyrophosphate (2 mM). A fucose sulfate rich factor obtained from the jelly coat of S. purpuratus eggs (F-SP) caused approximately 3-fold increases in protein phosphatase activity in intact spermatozoa; the amount of released activity represented about 4% of the total cell phosphatase activity. Extracellular Ca2+ was required for the F-SP effect with half maximal responses at approximately 4 mM. Nigericin, an ionophore known to induce the sperm acrosome reaction, also caused apparent release of, or exposure of, phosphoprotein phosphatase activity in intact spermatozoa, while speract, a peptide known to stimulate the respiration of spermatozoa, failed to increase protein phosphatase activity. These results suggest that sea urchin spermatozoa contain phosphoprotein phosphatase activity similar to that found in many vertebrate cells and at least a part of this activity may reside in the sperm acrosomal region.
Confidence intervals for ratios of proportions: implications for selection ratios

Summary The selection ratio (proportional resource use divided by proportional availability) is often used by ecologists to measure the degree to which individuals and populations are selective in their food sources and habitats. Yet, confidence interval approaches for this metric are scarce and poorly evaluated. In this paper, we compare 13 methods that can be used to construct simultaneous confidence intervals for selection ratios. Seven of the methods are applicable when availabilities are unknown. These are bootstrapping and six methods adapted from relative risk (Katz-log, adjusted-log, Bailey, inverse hyperbolic sine, Koopman and Noether). The other six approaches are applicable when availabilities are known. These are bootstrapping, two existing methods for relative risk (Wald-adjusted, Noether-fixed) and three straightforward new methods (fixed-log, Agresti–Coull-adjusted and Bayes-beta). None of the 13 approaches have been previously evaluated in the context of selection ratios. In simulations with unknown availabilities, the Koopman method performed best, and the currently recommended Noether method performed worst. In simulations with fixed availabilities, the new Agresti–Coull-adjusted, fixed-log, Bayes-beta methods all outperformed the currently recommended Wald-adjusted method. In the context of real ecological data sets, the Noether and Wald-adjusted methods produced anomalous results that putatively would alter management decisions. We note that our findings, including those for new methods, are directly conferrable to relative risk, allowing extension of our work to the many branches of biology that rely on this measure. The poor performance of the Noether and Wald-adjusted methods is troubling because these are currently the most widely used procedures for calculating confidence intervals for type I resource-selection designs. Based on our findings, we recommend that the Noether method be replaced with the Koopman method, and the Wald-adjusted method be replaced with the Agresti–Coull-adjusted method.
The Impact of Corporate Culture, the Reward System, and Perceived Moral Intensity on Marketing Students' Ethical Decision Making:

An experiment was conducted to study how marketing students' ethical decision making was influenced by their perceived moral intensity (PMI), corporate culture, and the reward system. The findings ...
10 Reaction mechanisms

This review places an emphasis on papers reporting polar reaction mechanisms in 2002, predominantly in aqueous solutions, where substantial new mechanistic knowledge is presented. Theoretical studies are not generally considered to be within the scope of this review.
The relation of lipoprotein[a] concentrations and apolipoprotein[a] phenotypes with asymptomatic atherosclerosis in subjects of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Plasma levels of lipoprotein\[a\] (Lp\[a]) are associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease and show an inverse correlation with apolipoprotein[a\] (apo[a]) molecular weight. We determined Lp[a] levels and apo[a] phenotypes in 171 cases with preclinical extracranial carotid atherosclerosis as ascertained by B-mode ultrasound and in 274 control subjects free of carotid atherosclerosis. Lp[a] protein levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ranged from 4 to 361 micrograms/mL in cases and from 2 to 392 micrograms/mL in controls, but median levels of Lp[a] were higher in cases than in controls (51 micrograms/mL versus 33 micrograms/mL, P < .003). In both groups, all 11 apo[a] polymorphs that are resolved by the procedure used were present, resulting in 43 and 39 different apo[a] phenotypes in cases and controls, respectively. An inverse relation between apo[a] polymorph size and Lp[a] level was observed in both cases (r = -0.49, P < .001) and controls (r = -0.34, P < .001). Apo[a] phenotype distributions were similar in cases and controls. However, in 17 phenotypes with three or more subjects per group, the difference of mean Lp[a] concentrations between cases and controls was 32 +/- 36 micrograms/mL (mean +/- SD). Thus, the higher Lp[a] levels in cases were not associated with a greater prevalence of small apo[a] polymorphs. Stepwise logistic regression analyses of known risk factors for coronary heart disease showed that plasma Lp[a] concentration was an independent predictor of case-control status, while Lp[a] phenotype was not, irrespective of the presence or absence of Lp[a] concentration in the model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Perceptions of Commonality and Latino–Black, Latino–White Relations in a Multiethnic United States:

This study examines the extent that Latinos’ sense of social, economic, and political power shapes their perceptions of commonality with blacks and whites. In accordance with my theory, which builds on the racial threat and group position theories, I find that Latinos’ sense of power structures their perceptions of blacks and whites. When nativeborn Latinos feel economically threatened, they are less likely to perceive commonality with blacks. When nativeborn Latinos gain some political influence, they identify less with whites. Among Latino immigrants who perceive discrimination, residing in a high-threat economic setting is negatively related to perceiving commonality with whites.
Evidences from Action Spectra for a Specific Participation of Chlorophyll b in Photosynthesis

Rate of oxygen evolution in photosynthesis was measured as the current from a polarized platinum electrode covered by a thin layer of Chlorella. The arrangement gave a reproducibly measurable rate of photosynthesis proportional to light intensity at the low levels used and gave rapid response to changes in illumination. Two phenomena have been explored. The Emerson effect was observed as an enhancement of photosynthesis in long wavelength red light (700 mµ) when shorter wavelengths were added. Two light beams of wavelengths 653 and 700 mµ when presented together gave a photosynthetic rate about 25 per cent higher than the sum of the rates obtained separately. Large and reproducible transients in rate of oxygen evolution were observed accompanying change in illumination between two wavelengths adjusted in intensity to support equal steady rates of photosynthesis. The transients were found not to be specifically related to long wavelength red light. Both enhancement and the transients have identical action spectra which are interpreted as demonstrating a specific photochemical participation of chlorophyll b.
Human Resources in Physical Therapy: Opportunities for Service in a Rapidly Changing Health System

This article illuminates major considerations having an impact on the utilization of human resources in physical therapy. The current and potential impacts of health system forces and trends and health care reform, in general, and scope of practice, team care, supply and demand, and managed care, in particular, are cited and discussed. The manner in which physical therapists perceive and respond to health care needs and access issues and in turn the manner in which the public and policymakers acknowledge physical therapy's growing role in this defining of health and health care are both likely to create new opportunities for service.
Late Cardiac Complications of Chronic, Severe, Refractory Anemia with Hemochromatosis

Four fifths of 49 patients with chronic, severe anemia from birth have manifested, usually during the second decade, signs of hemochromatosis with cardiac involvement. Nineteen patients had 33 attacks of pericarditis. Congestive cardiac failure with arrhythmias developed in 26 patients, and all but one died with this complication. Four others died of sepsis before heart failure was evidenced. Postmortem examination showed hemochromatosis with severe myocardial involvement.
THE YEAR OF THE ELEPHANT—1994: REALIGNMENT AND/OR PUNCTUATED CHANGE?

One of the most discussed and anticipated events in American politics is the occurrence of a national partisan realignment. Since the New Deal, analysts have predicted the imminent arrival of a realignment that would establish the Republican Party as the dominant party. The evidence suggests that a traditional realignment has occurred in the South, but that nationally Burnham's concept of “punctuated change” provides a more accurate framework for analyzing electoral behavior. Nationally, we are firmly in a Post-Party, Post-Industrial era of persistent divided government reflecting conflicting popular majorities on clusters of issues.
The relationship between sex role characteristics, couple satisfaction and couple problem-solving skills

Abstract This study explored the association between sex roles and relationship adjustment and communication skills. Baucom's (1976) sex role inventory was administered to couples who also reported on their relationship satisfaction and engaged in problem-solving exercises. Stepwise multiple regression analyses showed a significant positive relationship between femininity and satisfaction as well as between femininity and positive problem-solving behavior, and a significant negative relationship between femininity and aversive problem-solving strategies. Additional tests revealed no significant relationship between androgyny and either relationship satisfaction or problem-solving strategies. Results suggest that clinical interests might be better served by studies less focused on attempts to validate Bem's model of androgyny.
A linear approximation method for optimum calculation in image processing

A novel modified linear approximation method (MLAM) is introduced for fast optimal calculation in image processing. The analytical properties of this new algorithm is discussed and its proof of convergence is given. Simulations have been conducted and experimental results show that, in terms of the solution seeking speed, MLAM can perform as much as 60% better than the bisection method, a typical method commonly used. >
GOTree Machine (GOTM): a web-based platform for interpreting sets of interesting genes using Gene Ontology hierarchies.

Background Microarray and other high-throughput technologies are producing large sets of interesting genes that are difficult to analyze directly. Bioinformatics tools are needed to interpret the functional information in the gene sets.
Surveillance and expected outcome of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and adolescents: An experience from Eastern India

Objective: Research in Eastern India especially among children and adolescents for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have not been well documented until recently when it was conducted at a cancer institute of tertiary care with primary objectives of examining and correlating different cell surface markers involved with respect to disease surveillance thereby highlighting it as a strong prognostic marker for future diagnosis and treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 consecutively selected ALL patients were diagnosed and treated according to National Cancer Institute protocol (MCP 841) for a period of 24-88 months during this hospital-based study. Results: Of the total, 50.4% had a higher incidence of T-ALL and 47.6% had pro-B, B-cell precursor ALL. Disease free survival and event free survival were remarkably higher in B-ALL adolescent patients as compared to T-ALL, who had significantly lower overall survival ratio. Prevalence of T-ALL was also observed in relapse cases for adolescent patients. Conclusions: We conclude that there is an increased prevalence of T-ALL among adolescents in Eastern India. Immunophenotypic analysis might help in proper evaluation and prediction of treatment outcomes with an increased thrust on studying age-specific incident rates enabling well planned future treatments for improved and better outcome.
Congenital cardiac malformations in Iceland from 1990 through 1999.

Introduction and Background: About 1% of live-born children have congenital malformations of the heart. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of such defects in children born in Iceland during a period of 10 years, extending from 1990 through 1999. Materials and Methods: Information about the patients was obtained from medical records from two hospitals that cover the whole country, a private clinic of pediatric cardiologists, an echocardiography database, autopsy reports, and death certificates. We investigated the distribution of specific malformations, the age at diagnosis, the symptoms leading to the diagnosis, the source of referral, and treatment and quality of life. Results: Between 1990 and 1999, there were 44,013 live births in Iceland, of which 740 patients were diagnosed with congenital cardiac malformations, accounting for 1.7% of the live-born children. The distribution was made up of 338 patients with ventricular septal defect (45.7%), 90 with atrial septal defect (12.2%), 85 with patency of the arterial duct (11.5%), 48 with pulmonary valvar stenosis (6.5%), 38 with a bicuspid aortic valve (5.1%), 28 with aortic coarctation (3.8%), 22 with tetralogy of Fallot (3.0%), 14 with transposed great arteries (1.9%), 11 with aortic stenosis (1.5%), 10 with atrioventricular septal defect and common atrioventricular orifice (1.4%), 9 with mitral valvar regurgitation (1.2%), 7 with sub-aortic stenosis (0.9%), and 5 with hypoplasia of the left heart (0.7%). Extracardiac anomalies were seen in 89 patients (12.0%). Chromosomal defects were seen in 36 patients, of whom 28 had Down's syndrome. Discussion: The annual incidence of diagnosis of patients with congenital cardiac malformations increased during the period of study. This was noted for minor defects, but the incidence of the major anomalies did not alter. Our observed yearly incidence, at 1.7%, was higher than noted in a previous study covering the years 1985 through 1989, and is also higher than in other population-based studies. The most likely explanation is the fact that access to pediatric cardiologists in Iceland is very good. Diagnosis, registration, and follow-up are conducted by only a few cardiologists, and take place at a single center for pediatric cardiology.
Serial Attention as Strategic Memory

Serial attention is the process of focussing mentally on one item at a time. This process has two phases: attention switching and attention maintenance. Attention switching involves rapidly building up the activation of a new item to dominate old items. Attention maintenance involves letting the current item decay while in use to prevent it from intruding on the next item later on. SASM, a model based on this analysis, suggests that this balance of high initial activation followed by gradual decay reflects a strategic adaptation to task demands on one hand and principles of memory on the other. The model makes novel and accurate predictions about response times and error rates, integrates past use and current context as memory activation sources, and integrates attention switching and attention maintenance into one unified account.
State or Process Requirements

In his ‘Wide or Narrow Scope?’, John Broome questions my contention in ‘Why Be Rational?’ that certain rational requirements are narrow scope. The source of our disagreement, I suspect, is that Broome believes that the relevant rational requirements govern states, whereas I believe that they govern processes. If they govern states, then the debate over scope is sterile. The difference between narrowand wide-scope state requirements is only as important as the difference between not violating a requirement and satisfying one. Broome’s observations about conflicting narrow-scope state requirements only corroborate this. Why, then, have we thought that there was an important difference? Perhaps, I conjecture, because there is an important difference between narrowand wide-scope process requirements, and we have implicitly taken process requirements as our topic. I clarify and try to defend my argument that some process requirements are narrow scope, so that if there were reasons to conform to rational requirements, there would be implausible bootstrapping. I then reformulate Broome’s observations about conflicting narrow-scope state requirements as an argument against narrow-scope process requirements, and suggest a reply.
Experiments on the beam breakup instability in long-pulse electron beam transport through RF cavity systems

Experiments have been performed to investigate the beam breakup-up (BBU) instability in high current electron beams transported through RF cavity systems. Experiments utilized long-pulse electron beam accelerators operating with the following parameters: energy = 0.3-0.8 MeV, current=0.1-1 kA, and pulselength=0.3-1.5 mu s. The transport system consists of 10 RF cavities separated by tubes which are cut off to the RF. Each cavity has a microwave probe to detect growth of e-beam emission in the TM/sub 110/ mode at 2.5-GHz, corresponding to the BBU. Solenoidal magnetic fields of 0.8-5kG are applied. Experiments show that 40% of the injected current was transported through the cavity system. The growth of the 2.5-GHz RF was found to be 4.4 dB per cavity, which compares well with the theoretical growth of 3.9 dB per cavity. >
Comparative Evaluation of Three Commercial Quantitative Cytomegalovirus Standards by Use of Digital and Real-Time PCR

The recent development of the 1st WHO International Standard for human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and the introduction of commercially produced secondary standards have raised hopes of improved agreement among laboratories performing quantitative PCR for CMV. However, data to evaluate the trueness and uniformity of secondary standards and the consistency of results achieved when these materials are run on various assays are lacking. Three concentrations of each of the three commercially prepared secondary CMV standards were tested in quadruplicate by three real-time and two digital PCR methods. The mean results were compared in a pairwise fashion with nominal values provided by each manufacturer. The agreement of results among all methods for each sample and for like concentrations of each standard was also assessed. The relationship between the nominal values of standards and the measured values varied, depending upon the assay used and the manufacturer of the standards, with the degree of bias ranging from +0.6 to -1.0 log10 IU/ml. The mean digital PCR result differed significantly among the secondary standards, as did the results of the real-time PCRs, particularly when plotted against nominal log10 IU values. Commercially available quantitative secondary CMV standards produce variable results when tested by different real-time and digital PCR assays, with various magnitudes of bias compared to nominal values. These findings suggest that the use of such materials may not achieve the intended uniformity among laboratories measuring CMV viral load, as envisioned by adaptation of the WHO standard.
Economic Education and Government Reform in the Republic of Georgia

Abstract The author describes public education through the media and training for government officials and for journalists undertaken as part of economic reform efforts in the Republic of Georgia of the former Soviet Union. The article concludes with a discussion of the necessary conditions for success of these broad-based educational efforts.