cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast: Examining Diabetes Self-Care

“I dare say you haven’t much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour per day. Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” —Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass Judging from the quote above, Lewis Carroll’s White Queen from Through the Looking Glass is clearly a very smart lady who knows something about diabetes, because the advice she gives to Alice could also apply to diabetes. When it comes to diabetes, though, we not only ask people to believe impossible things, we actually ask them to do impossible things. We know that diabetes is associated with serious complications. It has complicated treatment prescriptions and demanding lifestyle requirements. Furthermore, daily care for diabetes is done by people with diabetes and their family members. It is not surprising that diabetes self-care can affect family relationships. And, unfortunately, a person’s lifestyle and life priorities may conflict with the treatment prescription, putting that person in a very difficult position. Our broad goal for diabetes care is to maximize the health and quality of life of people with diabetes, while preventing complications and minimizing costs. Once complications occur, the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (1) showed us that their progression can be slowed; thus, we can focus on maximizing our patients’ health while striving to maintain their quality of life. Diabetes education and the people who provide it play an important role by helping people with diabetes and their families find information about diabetes and, importantly, helping them learn how to use that information. The education process also supports people as they learn the skills necessary to understand their treatment, integrate diabetes self-care into their lives, and adapt to the unexpected events and changes that life may bring. We learned from meta-analyses …
Desistance From Sexual Offending: Behavioral Change Without Cognitive Transformation

The treatment and management of sexual offenders has long been focused on risk and recidivism. As a consequence, the phenomenon of desistance from sexual offending has only recently gained research attention. Unsurprisingly, the area of theory building to account for this empirical reality has been slow. Although a number of psychological theories of behavioral change and criminological theories of desistance exist, a comprehensive theoretical understanding of desistance from sexual offending is lacking. A theme common across a number of theories of internal desistance is cognitive transformation and specifically, one’s readiness for and willingness to change. This study tested the relevance of that particular theme for a sample of 45 men convicted of sexual offenses who are living offense-free lives in the community. In contrast to this theme, long-term desistance was observed in most cases in the absence of any initial desire for intervention. The impact of current approaches such as mandatory treatment...
AID targeting: old mysteries and new challenges

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) mediates cytosine deamination and underlies two central processes in antibody diversification: somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination. AID deamination is not exclusive to immunoglobulin loci; it can instigate DNA lesions in non-immunoglobulin genes and thus stringent checks are in place to constrain and restrict its activity. Recent findings have provided new insights into the mechanisms that target AID activity to specific genomic regions, revealing an involvement for noncoding RNAs associated with polymerase pausing and with enhancer transcription as well as genomic architecture. We review these findings and integrate them into a model for multilevel regulation of AID expression and targeting in immunoglobulin and non-immunoglobulin loci. Within this framework we discuss gaps in understanding, and outline important areas of further research.
Comparison of non-linear MESFET models

The objective of this paper is to investigate the non-linear performance of some of the most widely used GaAs MESFET models. DC, AC and intermodulation (IMD) measurements were carried out on 300 /spl mu/m devices, and equivalent circuit parameters were extracted and optimized. Model predictions of IMD were investigated through several figures of merit: gain, IMD3, IMD5, compression points and intercept points. No clear cut "winner" among the models was observed, but Statz and Advanced Materka have the best overall performance.
Neighborhood Safety and Overweight Status in Children

Objective To determine if there is a relationship between parental perception of neighborhood safety and overweight at the age of 7 years. Design Cross-sectional analysis of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Setting Ten urban and rural US sites. Participants A total of 768 children selected via conditional random sampling with complete data at follow-up. Main Outcome Measures Parents reported demographics and perception of neighborhood safety by standardized questionnaire. Child overweight status was defined as a body mass index greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for age and sex from measured anthropometrics at the age of 7 years. The base model included relationship of the safety reporter to the child, sex, and baseline body mass index z score at the age of 4.5 years. Covariates tested included maternal marital status, education, and depressive symptoms; child race/ethnicity; participation in structured after-school activities; Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment total score; and neighborhood social cohesiveness. Results The sample was 85% white, and 10% of the children were overweight. Neighborhood safety ratings in the lowest quartile were independently associated with a higher risk of overweight at the age of 7 years compared with safety ratings in the highest quartile (adjusted odds ratio, 4.43; 95% confidence interval, 2.03-9.65). None of the candidate covariates altered the relationship between perception of neighborhood safety and child overweight status. Conclusions Perception of the neighborhood as less safe was independently associated with an increased risk of overweight at the age of 7 years. Public health efforts may benefit from policies directed toward improving both actual and perceived neighborhood safety.
Schizophrenic speech, slips of the tongue, and jargonaphasia: a reply to Fromkin and to Lecours and Vanier-Clément.

Abstract Chaika (1974, Brain & Language , 1 , 257–276) raised the possibility that speech judged “schizophrenic” by researchers results from an intermittent, cyclical aphasia. Fromkin (1975, Brain and Language , 2 , 498–503) judged such speech as no different from normal error and even as proof of intactness of linguistic competence. These claims are examined. Lecours and Vanier-Clement (1976, Brain and Language , 3 , 516–565), on the other hand, found it not normal, but different from jargonaphasia, a claim not wholly substantiated. Schizophrenic speech is found to be different from that of normals on both formal and intuitive grounds, contributing to new understanding of the differences between normal, pathological, and artistic language.
Phosphorylation of neurofilaments is altered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

We used a library of monoclonal antibodies (Mab) that distinguish phosphorylated (P+) and non-phosphorylated (P-) neurofilament (NF) epitopes to examine phosphorylation of NF in lower motor neurons of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), of neurologically normal controls of different ages, and of patients with central chromatolysis due to injuries to motor root axons. Monoclonal antibodies directed to P+ NF immunostained five to ten times more neuronal perikarya in ALS than in age-matched controls. Spheroids, which are NF containing axonal enlargements, found in significantly greater number in proximal axons in ALS, were also intensely immunostained with Mab to P+ NF. Moreover, anterior root axons in five of eleven cases of ALS reacted only with the Mab to P+ NF, while both P- and P+ NF were present in motor roots from controls. In control groups, the number of neuronal perikarya and spheroids that immunoreacted with the Mab to P+ NF increased moderately with age. Chromatolytic lower motor neurons were recognized by Mab to P+ NF. Our results show that the process of phosphorylation is altered in ALS. We propose that phosphorylation of NF in ALS occurs prematurely and that it is more likely to be associated with an impairment of NF transport than to be part of a chromatolytic reaction of lower motor neurons.
A single nucleotide polymorphism melt curve assay employing an intercalating dye probe fluorescence resonance energy transfer for forensic analysis

The characterization and use of DNA sequence polymorphisms are an important aspect of forensic analysis. A number of approaches are being explored for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, but current detection methods are subject to limitations that adversely impact their utility for forensic analysis. We have developed a novel method for genotyping both single and multiple SNPs that uses an intercalating dye and a probe labeled with a single fluorophore to affect a fluorescence energy transfer. Melting curve analysis is then used to distinguish true alleles from mismatched alleles. We term the new method dye probe fluorescence resonance energy transfer (dpFRET). In the current work, development proceeded at first with synthetic DNA template testing to establish proof of concept for the chemistry involved, followed by the design of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genomic DNA assays to demonstrate potential forensic applications. The loci chosen for testing included both nuclear (MHC DRB) and mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b) genes. A preliminary assessment of the sensitivity limits of the technology indicated that dpFRET was capable of accurately genotyping DNA from one single diploid cell equivalent. This technology could also potentially impact a wide range of nonforensic disciplines to aid in discovery, screening, and association of DNA sequence polymorphisms.
The expressive power of indeterminate dataflow primitives

Abstract We analyze the relative expressive power of variants of the indeterminate fair merge operator in the context of static dataflow. We establish that there are three different, provably inequivalent, forms of unbounded indeterminacy. In particular, we show that the well-known fair merge primitive cannot be expressed with just unbounded indeterminacy. Our proofs are based on a simple trace semantics and on identifying properties of the behaviors of networks that are invariant under network composition. The properties we consider in this paper are all generalizations of monotonicity.
An Sn algorithm for the massively parallel CM-200 computer

A parallel three-dimensional Sn algorithm is described for performing eigenvalue calculations on rectangular meshes using the Thinking Machines Connection Machine model CM-200 computer. By using a ...
Image Structure at the Center of Gaze during Free Viewing

It is generally believed that the visual system is adapted to the statistics of the visual world. Measuring and understanding these statistics require precise knowledge of the structure of the signals reaching fovea during image scanning. However, despite the fact that eye movements cause retinal stimulation to change several times in a second, it is implicitly assumed that images are sampled uniformly during natural viewing. By analyzing the eye movements of three rhesus monkeys freely viewing natural scenes, we report here significant anisotropy in stimulus statistics at the center of gaze. We find that fixation on an image patch is more likely to be followed by a saccade to a nearby patch of similar orientation structure or by a saccade to a more distant patch of largely dissimilar orientation structure. Furthermore, we show that orientation-selective neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) can take advantage of eye movement statistics to selectively improve their discrimination performance.
Delivery strategies for women with a previous classic cesarean delivery: A decision analysis

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare four strategies for treating patients with a previous classic cesarean delivery by medical outcomes and quality-adjusted life years. Study Design: A decision tree was designed that compared four strategies for a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 women with a previous classic cesarean delivery: (1) delivery at 39 weeks of gestation, (2) delivery at 36 weeks of gestation without amniocentesis, (3) amniocentesis at 36 weeks of gestation with delivery if the fetus was mature and antenatal corticosteroids if the fetus was immature, and (4) weekly amniocentesis starting at 36 weeks of gestation with delivery when mature. Results: Strategy 2 provided the greatest maternal quality-adjusted life years. Comparing strategy 1 with strategy 2, it was determined that 27 cesarean deliveries must be performed at 36 weeks of gestation with one associated case of respiratory distress syndrome to prevent one case of uterine rupture. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the uterine rupture rate must be below 0.36% for any strategy to surpass strategy 2 (elective cesarean delivery at 36 weeks of gestation without amniocentesis). Conclusion: A 36-week delivery may be preferable because it provides a lower risk of severe adverse outcomes and higher maternal quality of life. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1203-8.)
Cultural influences on adoption of SMS advertising: A study of American and Taiwanese consumers

This study examines whether cultural differences between countries have a significant impact on consumers’ adoption of SMS advertising. Hofstede's cultural individualism/collectivism dimension is used to investigate whether culture is an important determinant of people's intentions to accept SMS advertising; Taiwan and the US, representing two different cultures, are selected in this study. The propositions presented in this study provide preliminary evidence that consumers’ cultural orientations embedded in their belief systems may play an influential role in their decision-making processes. The findings of this study reveal that American consumers’ decisions on accepting SMS ads via their mobile phones are solely based on attitudinal considerations whereas Taiwanese consumers’ intentions to act are influenced by social norms as well as attitudinal factors.
A murine leukemia virus yield-reduction semi-microassay for interferon

Abstract Interferon (IF) treatment of murine cells chronically producing infectious leukemia virus results in a decreased yield of extracellular virus. We have utilized this principle to develop a useful semi-micro assay for IF. The assay incorporates the desirable features of both virus yield-reduction and plaquereduction assays, yet has few of the undesirable features associated with many IF assays. Being a semimicro assay, it is amenable to the screening of multiple samples for IF and is economical with respect to cell culture materials, reagents and amount of sample required for testing.
The mechanism by which the light chain of cleaved HMW-kininogen augments the activation of prekallikrein, factor XI and Hageman factor.

Abstract HMW-kininogen binds prekallikrein and factor XI to form two bimolecular complexes in plasma; upon addition of certain negatively charged surfaces, it functions as a coagulation cofactor and facilitates the activation of Hageman factor, prekallikrein and factor XI. We have investigated the mechanism by which HMW-kininogen functions in each of these steps. HMW-kininogen was found to augment the binding of prekallikrein and factor XI to kaolin in a plasma system suggesting that the prekallikrein-HMW kininogen complex and the factor XI-HMW kininogen complex are attached to surfaces via HMW-kininogen. The attachment was shown to be mediated by the light chain derived from cleaved HMW-kininogen and is consistent with previous data demonstrating that the light chain is the coagulant part of the molecule. Prekallikrein can be readily activated when bound to the surface by this HMW-kininogen linkage; however, when an equal quantity of prekallikrein was bound directly to the surface, it was not activatable even after the addition of HMW-kininogen. Thus, binding of prekallikrein (and factor XI) to the surface via HMW-kininogen appears to place them in a conformationally favorable position for activation by activated Hageman factor. This appears to be the major function of HMW-kininogen as a coagulation cofactor. In addition, HMW-kininogen attachment of prekallikrein (kallikrein) to the surface is a reversible interaction which is not the case when direct binding to the surface occurs. In this fashion, a portion of the kallikrein formed can dissociate and interact with other Hageman factor molecules. These data suggest that the effect of HMW-kininogen upon Hageman factor activation is indirect and acts to increase the effective concentration of kallikrein available for Hageman factor cleavage.
When do self-discrepancies predict negative emotions? Exploring formal operational thought and abstract reasoning skills as moderators

Individual differences in higher-order cognitive abilities may be an important piece to understanding how and when self-discrepancies lead to negative emotions. In the current study, three measures of reasoning abilities were considered as potential moderators of the relationship between self-discrepancies and depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants (N = 162) completed measures assessing self-discrepancies, depression and anxiety symptoms, and were administered measures examining formal operational thought, and verbal and non-verbal abstract reasoning skills. Both formal operational thought and verbal abstract reasoning were significant moderators of the relationship between actual:ideal discrepancies and depressive symptoms. Discrepancies predicted depressive symptoms for individuals with higher levels of formal operational thought and verbal abstract reasoning skills, but not for those with lower levels. The discussion focuses on the need to consider advanced reasoning skills when examining self-d...
Reversal of experimental renal fibrosis by BMP7 provides insights into novel therapeutic strategies for chronic kidney disease

Bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP7) is a morphogen that is important for kidney development and which is also an integral part of the kidney’s physiological response to repair of acute kidney injury. Several studies demonstrate that preexisting renal BMP7 pathways can be utilized by administering recombinant BMP7 to protect the kidney in experimental models of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Effectiveness of recombinant BMP7 in animal studies raises the possibility that the BMP7 pathway could be equally utilized to treat patients with CKD and interstitial fibrosis. However, regulation of BMP7 activity in the kidney is complex. BMP7 activity in the kidney is not only determined by availability of BMP7 itself, but also by a balance of agonists, such as Kielin/chordin-like protein (KCP) or BMP receptors, and antagonists including gremlin, noggin, or uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 (USAG-1). Presence of BMP7 agonists and antagonists has to be considered when recombinant BMP7 is supplemented to treat injured kidneys. Here we summarize recent insights into the role of BMP7 in acute and chronic kidney injury and discuss the implications for future directions of antifibrotic therapies.
Alvin Plantinga on the ontological argument

By taking ‘existence in reality’ to be a great-making property and ‘God’ to be the greatest possible being, Plantinga skillfully presents Anselm’s ontological argument. However, since he proves God’s existence by virtue of a premise, “God (a maximally great being) is a possible being”, that is true only if God actually exists; his argument begs the question of the existence of God.
The Mach-Dvorak Phenomenon and Binocular Fusion of Moving Stimuli

Abstract The Mach-Dvořak phenomenon may be used for marking the location in time of the “disparate contour” in the neural processing of sequential, dichoptic stimulation. The phenomenon involves repetitive, sequential, intermittent views of a moving stimulus by the two eyes. The resulting perception is that of depth displacement of the moving stimulus as a function of delay of the eye views. The exposure to one eye was made short, and was used to index points of no depth displacement in equal and longer exposures to the other eye. Control conditions used filters to achieve equivalent retinal illuminance levels both with continuous viewing of two eyes and with intermittent viewing of one eye. The subjects made magnitude judgments of the apparent depth displacement. Judgments were made to random ordered delays presented in discrete exposure. Reduced illuminance to one eye affected, oppositely, (a) the response to equal and unequal viewing duration, and (b) the latency of the simultaneous and alternate points of no depth displacement. It was concluded that at least two neural mechanisms are needed to explain the results.
An experimental investigation of the close procedure as a measure of program understanding

The cloze procedure consists of systematically replacing tokens from a computer program with blanks. The cloze score, the number of blanks filled in correctly, has been used as a measure of program understanding in many experiments because it is easy to construct and score. However, little is known about the process by which the subjects fill in the blanks. This paper describes a program that collects information about the process. The program allows the subject to take a cloze test on the computer; it records the keystrokes and time as the subject fills in the blanks. Use of the program in a program comprehension experiment provided insight about differences between the subjects, order of insertion of tokens, and possible chunking strategies used by the subjects.
Host-pathogen interactions IV. Studies on the polysaccharide-degrading enzymes secreted by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

Abstract When grown in liquid culture containing 1% isolated cell walls from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) stems as the sole carbon source, Fusarium oxysporum secretes a variety of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. These include a polygalacturonase, a cellulase, α- and β-galactosidases, an α- l -arabinofuranosidase, and a β-xylosidase. These enzyme activities appear in the culture fluid in a definite order: the polygalacturonase in first to reach maximal activity, followed by the glycosidases, with the cellulase reaching a peak after the other enzyme activities have diminished. A small fraction of the tomato stem cell wall, which contains a polysaccharide rich in galacturonic acid, has been shown to be a better inducer of the Fusarium oxysporum polygalacturonase than walls from which the inducer has been extracted. The ability of the Fusarium oxysporum culture filtrate enzymes to degrade cell walls isolated from tomato stems has also been demonstrated. Approximately 80% of the galacturonic acid present in tomato stem cell walls is removed in 6 h of enzymolysis with dialyzed Fusarium oxysporum culture filtrates. A group of proteins, isolated from the cell walls of tomato stems, bean hypocotyls and suspension-cultured sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) cells, has been shown to inhibit the action of the Fusarium oxysporum polygalacturonase and, in doing so, to prevent cell wall degradation by the mixture of fungal enzymes present in dialyzed culture filtrates.
Survival of the Sickest

What connects the Black Death to a bizarre medical condition that causes people to rust to death? Evolutionary biologist Sharon Moalem has a theory
Measurements of Nonlinear Growth of Ion-Acoustic Waves in Two-Ion-Species Plasmas with Thomson Scattering

We report the first Thomson-scattering measurements of the growth of ion-acoustic waves in well-characterized multi-ion-species plasmas consisting of gold and beryllium. We observe that only the berylliumlike mode grows, verifying linear kinetic theory. In addition, a twofold increase in ion temperature is measured when ion-acoustic waves are excited to large amplitudes by stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). This increase in ion temperature is a strong indication of hot ions due to trapping. We explain the measured SBS reflectivity by nonlinear detuning of the SBS instability due to these trapping effects.
Contribution of cardiac-induced brain pulsation to the noise of the diffusion tensor in Turboprop diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Purpose To assess the effects of cardiac-induced brain pulsation on the noise of the diffusion tensor in Turboprop (a form of periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction [PROPELLER] imaging) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Materials and Methods A total of six healthy human subjects were imaged with cardiac-gated as well as nongated Turboprop DTI. Gated and nongated Turboprop DTI datasets were also simulated using actual data acquired exclusively during the diastolic or systolic period of the cardiac cycle. The total variance of the diffusion tensor (TVDT) was measured and compared between acquisitions. Results The TVDT near the ventricles was significantly reduced in cardiac-gated compared to nongated Turboprop DTI acquisitions. Furthermore, the effects of brain pulsation were reduced, but not eliminated, when increasing the amount of data collected. Finally, data corrupted by cardiac-induced pulsation were not consistently detected by the step of the conventional Turboprop reconstruction algorithm that evaluates the quality of data in different blades. Thus, the inherent quality weighting of the conventional Turboprop reconstruction algorithm was unable to compensate for the increased noise in the diffusion tensor due to brain pulsation. Conclusion Cardiac-induced brain pulsation increases the TVDT in Turboprop DTI. Use of cardiac gating to limit data acquisition to the diastolic period of the cardiac cycle reduces the TVDT at the expense of imaging time. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:1164–1168. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Air concentrations of PBDEs on in-flight airplanes and assessment of flight crew inhalation exposure.

To address the knowledge gaps regarding inhalation exposure of flight crew to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on airplanes, we measured PBDE concentrations in air samples collected in the cabin air at cruising altitudes and used Bayesian Decision Analysis (BDA) to evaluate the likelihood of inhalation exposure to result in the average daily dose (ADD) of a member of the flight crew to exceed EPA Reference Doses (RfDs), accounting for all other aircraft and non-aircraft exposures. A total of 59 air samples were collected from different aircraft and analyzed for four PBDE congeners-BDE 47, 99, 100 and 209 (a subset were also analyzed for BDE 183). For congeners with a published RfD, high estimates of ADD were calculated for all non-aircraft exposure pathways and non-inhalation exposure onboard aircraft; inhalation exposure limits were then derived based on the difference between the RfD and ADDs for all other exposure pathways. The 95th percentile measured concentrations of PBDEs in aircraft air were 1% of the defined exposure limit were zero for all congeners with published RfDs.
TAQ: enhancing fairness and performance predictability in small packet regimes

TCP congestion control algorithms implicitly assume that the per-flow throughput is at least a few packets per round trip time. Environments where this assumption does not hold, which we refer to as small packet regimes, are common in the contexts of wired and cellular networks in developing regions. In this paper we show that in small packet regimes TCP flows experience severe unfairness, high packet loss rates, and flow silences due to repetitive timeouts. We propose an approximate Markov model to describe TCP behavior in small packet regimes to characterize the TCP breakdown region that leads to repetitive timeout behavior. To enhance TCP performance in such regimes, we propose Timeout Aware Queuing (TAQ), a readily deployable in-network middlebox approach that uses a multi-level adaptive priority queuing algorithm to reduce the probability of timeouts, improve fairness and performance predictability. We demonstrate the effectiveness of TAQ across a spectrum of small packet regime network conditions using simulations, a prototype implementation, and testbed experiments.
ETIOLOGY OF YELLOW FEVER : I. SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS OF THE YELLOW FEVER PREVALENT IN GUAYAQUIL.

The clinical and pathological features of the yellow fever prevalent in Guayaquil conform with those described by other investigators of this disease as it has occurred elsewhere, both epidemically and endemically.
Chemical evolution of the citric acid cycle: Sunlight and ultraviolet photolysis of cycle intermediates

Sunlight or laboratory ultraviolet photolyses of oxalacetic, succinic, fumaric, malic and citric acids were carried out on 0.1 M aqueous solutions. The nonvolatile products were isolated and identified by GC-MS analysis of derived methyl esters. Several conversions corresponding to modern citric acid cycle reactions were observed. Notably, oxalacetic acid gave citric as the major product of sunlight photolysis. Other identified products relate to chemical evolution and further support the important role of succinic acid in the origin of life.
Formation of group 11 trifluoromethyl derivatives by reaction of Cd(CF3)2·glyme with representative Au, Ag, and Cu complexes: isolation of Au(CF3)3(PMe3), Au(CF3)3(PEt3), AuI(CF3)2(PMe3), AuCF3(PMe3), AuCF3(PEt3) and AgCF3(PMe3); observation of CuCF3(PMe3)

Abstract The reaction of Cd(CF 3 ) 2 · glyme, glyme = CH 3 OCH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 , with AuBr(PMe 3 ) forms AuCF 3 (PMe 3 ) in 51% yield; that with AuCl(PEt 3 ) results in AuCF 3 (PEt 3 ) in 67% yield. Trifluoromethyl iodide immediately oxidizes AuCF 3 (PMe 3 ) to AuI(CF 3 ) 2 (PMe 3 ), 98% cis , 2% trans , by means of a radical pathway. The interaction of AuI(CF 3 ) 2 (PMe 3 ) with AuCF 3 (PMe 3 ) slowly generates Au(CF 3 ) 3 (PMe 3 ). The radical reaction between CF 3 I and AuCF 3 (PEt 3 ) eventually (12 d) forms Au(CF 3 ) 3 (PEt 3 ) and AuI(PEt 3 ), but, at ambient temperature, the exposure of AuCF 3 (PEt 3 ) to C 2 F 5 I yields the pentafluoroethyl gold(I) complex, AuC 2 F 5 (PEt 3 ), along with CF 3 I and AuI(CF 3 ) 2 (PEt 3 ). No reaction between AuBr(PEt 3 ) and CF 3 I was observed. If PMe 3 is added to solutions that initially contained AgOAc and Cd(CF 3 ) 2 · glyme, AgCF 3 (PMe 3 ), 36%, is formed. Although observed by 19 F NMR, CuCF 3 (PMe 3 ) could not be isolated. In all cases examined the group 11 PMe 3 adducts were substantially more stable than the PEt 3 adducts. In the absence of light, the stabilities of the group 11 CF 3 complexes fall in the order AuCF 3 > AgCF 3 > CuCF 3 .
Approximation of multipath planar shapes in pattern analysis

The concept of multipath approximation of two-dimensional images is introduced and an algorithm for the functional approximation of multipath curves is given. It is shown that application of this algorithm results in a significant reduction in storage requirements and an increase in the preservation of important features of the image.
Relationships among moral distress, level of practice independence, and intent to leave of nurse practitioners in emergency departments: results from a national survey

The aims of this research study were to investigate moral distress among emergency department (ED) nurse practitioners (NPs) and examine relationships between moral distress and level of practice independence as well as intent to leave a position. Moral distress has been studied regarding registered nurses and physicians (MDs) but less so in NPs. It is important to explore moral distress in NPs because they tread a unique path between nursing and physician roles. Moral distress may play a significant role in staff nurses' intention to leave practice, and level of practice independence is found to have a relationship with NPs' intention to leave. A convenience sample of ED NPs was obtained from a mailing list of a national nursing specialty organization, the Emergency Nurses Association. Using a correlational design, survey methods assessed moral distress with the Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R), level of practice independence with the Dempster Practice Behavior Scale, and intent to leave with self-report. Correlational and regression analyses of data were conducted to characterize moral distress among ED NPs and associations between moral distress, level of practice independence, and intent to leave. Results found ED NPs do experience moral distress with poor patient care results from inadequate staff communication and working with incompetent coworkers in their practice. The MDS-R was a significant predictor of intention to leave among respondents. This study is the first of its kind to explore moral distress in ED NPs. Results suggest moral distress influences ED NPs' intent to leave their position. Further studies are needed to explore the findings from this research and to formulate interventions to alleviate moral distress in ED NPs and improve retention in the clinical setting.
Prostaglandin receptors coupled to adenylyl cyclase in the iris-ciliary body of rabbits, cats and cows

Abstract Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by prostaglandin (PG) receptor agonists was examined in the iris-ciliary body of rabbits, cats and cows. Iris-ciliary bodies were incubated with or without agonists in Krebs pyruvate buffer containing protease and cyclooxygenase inhibitors. The formation of cAMP in a 15-min period in response to the agonists was measured. In the rabbit iris-ciliary body, all PG receptor agonists at concentrations of 0·062-10·0 μM with the exception of sulprostone stimulated adenylyl cyclase. In this species, 17-phenyl trinor PGE2 and PGF2α stimulated adenylyl cyclase but only at high concentrations (> 5 μM). The order of potency of the agonists was dimethyl PGE2 > PGE2 > 11-deoxy PGE1 = PGD2 > iloprost > PGF2α. The DP receptor antagonist BWA868C had no effect on EP agonist responses, indicating that PGE2, dimethyl PGE2 and 11-deoxy PGE1 were not stimulating DP receptors. In the cat, PGE2, dimethyl PGE2 and 11-deoxy PGE1, were all equally potent in stimulating adenylyl cyclase. The order of potency in the cow was PGE2 > dimethyl PGE2 > 11-deoxy PGE1. However, PGD2, iloprost, 17-phenyl trinor PGE2 and PGF2α were inactive in this species. The results of this study indicate that EP receptor agonists stimulate adenylyl cyclase in the iris-ciliary body of the three species: stimulation by other agonists depends on the species. In the rabbit, the EP2 receptor subtype appears to predominate; such a predominance of EP2 receptors was not observed in the cat and cow.
On the value of commitment

In game theory, it is well known that being able to commit to a strategy before other players move can be beneficial. In this paper, we analyze how much benefit a player can derive from commitment in various types of games, in a quantitative sense that is similar to concepts such as the value of mediation and the price of anarchy. Specifically, we introduce and study the value of pure commitment (the benefit of committing to a pure strategy), the value of mixed commitment (the benefit of committing to a mixed strategy), and the mixed versus pure commitment ratio (how much can be gained by committing to a mixed strategy rather than a pure one). In addition to theoretical results about how large these values are in the extreme case in various classes of games, we also give average-case results based on randomly drawn normal-form games.
Assessing Knowledge Integration in Science: Construct, Measures, and Evidence.

In response to the demand for sound science assessments, this article presents the development of a latent construct called knowledge integration as an effective measure of science inquiry. Knowledge integration assessments ask students to link, distinguish, evaluate, and organize their ideas about complex scientific topics. The article focuses on assessment topics commonly taught in 6th- through 12th-grade classes. Items from both published standardized tests and previous knowledge integration research were examined in 6 subject-area tests. Results from Rasch partial credit analyses revealed that the tests exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties with respect to internal consistency, item fit, weighted likelihood estimates, discrimination, and differential item functioning. Compared with items coded using dichotomous scoring rubrics, those coded with the knowledge integration rubrics yielded significantly higher discrimination indexes. The knowledge integration assessment tasks, analyzed using know...
Investigating the role of stereochemistry in the activity of anticancer acylfulvenes: synthesis, reductase-mediated bioactivation, and cellular toxicity.

Acylfulvenes comprise a family of semisynthetic natural product derivatives with potent antitumor activities. Previous studies indicated that acylfulvenes are bioactivated by NADPH-dependent alkenal/one reductase (AOR), presumably generating intermediates with the capacity to alkylate cellular targets, such as DNA, proteins, and glutathione. This process is thought to induce apoptosis, and the chemical and biochemical pathways involved are topics of current investigation. In this study, four acylfulvene analogues were synthesized: (-)-acylfulvene, (+)-acylfulvene, (-)-(hydroxymethyl)acylfulvene, and (+)-(hydroxymethyl)-acylfulvene. These compounds were synthesized by a chiral-resolution method, described for the first time in this report, and by asymmetric synthesis using a method formally demonstrated previously. Cell toxicity studies indicate a positive correlation between AOR level and acylfulvene sensitivity. The absolute configuration of acylfulvene analogues has a significant influence on cytotoxicity. (-)-(Hydroxymethyl)-acylfulvene is 25 times more potent than (+)-(hydroxymethyl)acylfulvene in cells transfected with an AOR overexpression vector. Based on kinetic parameters, the rates of AOR-mediated activation are more strongly dependent on acylfulvene substitution than on absolute stereochemistry. These data support the role of AOR-mediated metabolism and indicate the involvement of other stereochemically dictated pathways, such as transport and biomolecule binding, in contributing to the cytotoxicity of acylfulvenes.
Turbulent Heat Transfer in a Duct With Periodic Wall-Attached Round-Edge Ribs

A computational effort was undertaken to study the effect of rounding of protruding edges of rectangular ribs on turbulent heat transfer and pressure drop in a duct. The computations were focused on turbulent flow with Reynolds number ranging from 5000 to 50,000. Three different fluids — air, water, and ethylene glycol — were considered in this investigation. This allowed Prandtl number to vary from 0.707 to 150.5. In this study, the edge radius of curvature was varied from zero (sharp edge) to 1/2 of the rib height. The computations were performed using the control-volume approach, SIMPLE algorithm, and QUICK scheme. The results for the round-edge ribs with constant wall heat flux indicated a slight enhancement of the rib-average heat transfer coefficient. The maximum and average enhancements were 8.6% and 2.6%, respectively, with a standard deviation of 2.3% for 75 computational data points. The total rate of heat transfer, however, decreased by 8.6% due to lower surface area of the round-edge ribs. The heat transfer results were correlated in terms of Reynolds number, Prandtl number, and radius of curvature. Pressure drops were also computed and are reported in this paper.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Development of a direct-binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as an alternate assay for anti-hepatitis B core.

. Anti-hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) screening is now used in some countries as a surrogate test to reduce the incidence of posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis. The purpose of this study was to develop and standardize an alternate assay, for the detection of anti-HBc, based on a direct-binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (db-ELISA). Microtiter plates were coated with recombinant DNA hepatitis B core antigen. Patient antibody was detected spectrophotometrically using a goat, anti-human immunoglobulin conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. The db-ELISA was compared to a standard competitive-binding ELISA (cb-ELISA). A competitive-binding radioimmunoassay (cb-RIA) was used as the reference assay for this study. The specificity of the cb-ELISA was 50% and the positive predictive value was 64% when compared to the cb-RIA. The specificity and positive predictive value of the db-ELISA were both 97% when compared to the cb-RIA. Based on titration studies, the sensitivity of the db-ELISA is at least equal to the cb-RIA. Based on the data generated in this study, the db-ELISA appears to be an acceptable screening test for anti-HBc.
FEEDING EXPERIMENTS WITH BACTERIUM PULLORUM. THE TOXICITY OF INFECTED EGGS

The problem of eradicating ovarian infection in the domestic fowl assumes still greater importance than heretofore, in the light of data recently acquired. Not only is it of great significance to eliminate the permanent carriers of Bacterium pullorum from all flocks of fowls from the standpoint of successful poultry breeding, but also because they constitute a possible source of danger to man. Eggs which harbor Bacterium pullorum in the yolk in large numbers may produce abnormal conditions, when fed, not only in young chicks, but in adult fowls, young rabbits, guinea pigs, and kittens. The toxicity for young rabbits is most pronounced, the infection usually resulting in the death of the animals. In kittens the most prominent symptoms are those of severe food-poisoning with members of the paratyphoid group of bacteria. The possibility of infected eggs causing serious disturbances in young children and in the sick and convalescent of all ages must therefore receive serious consideration. Ovarian infection of fowls is very common throughout this country. Hence, a large proportion of the marketed eggs are infected with Bacterium pullorum. When such eggs are allowed to remain in nests under broody hens, or in warm storage places, for comparatively few hours, they contain large numbers of the organism. Soft boiling, coddling, and frying on one side only do not necessarily render the yolks free from viable bacteria; therefore, eggs which have gone through these processes may, like raw eggs, be the cause of serious disturbances in persons who are particularly susceptible to such influences, and especially to infants. That no well authenticated instances of egg-poisoning of this kind are on record does not warrant the assumption that there have been no cases. The etiology of infantile stomach and intestinal disturbances is as yet too little understood; in fact, it may be said that many of these disorders have no known cause, and almost as much may be said regarding gastro-intestinal diseases in later life. Furthermore, since the ailments caused by infected eggs would not make themselves felt presumably until several days after their ingestion, little or no suspicion would fall upon the eggs. It may be said, too, that the wide distribution of ovarian infection in the domestic fowl has come about only in the last few years, hence its possible danger to man is one of recent development.
Molecular Alligator Clips for Single Molecule Electronics. Studies of Group 16 and Isonitriles Interfaced with Au Contacts

A density-functional-theory treatment has been carried out on chalcogenide- and isonitrile-containing molecular systems (alligator clips) involved at the interface of molecule/Au-electrode contacts. The B3PW91 functional was used with effective core potentials provided within the LANL2DZ potentials and basis set. An extended basis set, LANL-E, was implemented by combining the valence, diffuse, and polarization basis from the 6-311++G** for H, C, N, S, and Se and by adding polarization and diffuse functions for Te and Au atoms. Results, including bond lengths and angles, ionization potentials, electron affinities, and binding energies for small systems containing Au atoms, were obtained with acceptable precision for those systems with available experimental information. Predicted quantities are reported for other systems that, as yet, have no experimental information available. This study indicates that, of the alligator clips studied, S would provide the best embodiment followed closely by Se- and Te-term...
Chromatic shifts in the fluorescence emitted by murine thymocytes stained with Hoechst 33342

Background Many methods in flow cytometry rely on staining DNA with a fluorescent dye to gauge DNA content. From the relative intensity of the fluorescence signature, one can then infer position in cell cycle, amount of DNA (i.e., for sperm selection), or, as in the case of flow karyotyping, to distinguish individual chromosomes. This work examines the staining of murine thymocytes with a common DNA dye, Hoechst 33342, to investigate nonlinearities in the florescence intensity as well as chromatic shifts. Methods Murine thymocytes were stained with Hoechst 33342 and measured in a flow cytometer at two fluorescence emission bands. In other measurements, cells were stained at different dye concentrations, and then centrifuged. The supernatant was then used for a second round of staining to test the amount of dye uptake. Finally, to test for resonant energy transfer, we measured fluorescence anisotropy at two different wavelengths. Results The fluorescence of cells stained with Hoechst 33342 is a nonlinear process that shows an overall decrease in intensity with increased dye uptake, and spectral shift to the red. Along with the spectral shift of the fluorescence to the longer wavelengths, we document decreases in the fluorescence anisotropy that may indicate resonant energy transfer. Conclusions At low concentrations, Hoechst 33342 binds to the minor groove of DNA and shows an increase in fluorescence and a blue shift upon binding. At higher concentrations, at which the dye molecules can no longer bind without overlapping, the blue fluorescence decreases and the red fluorescence increases until there is approximately one dye molecule per DNA base pair. The ratio of the blue fluorescence to the red fluorescence is an accurate indicator of the cellular dye concentration. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.