cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The experiential basis of serial position effects.

Abstract Subjects studied eight lists in preparation for single-trial, free recall tests, but were tested only on four lists. They later received a recognition test over all lists and judged items as “old” or “new” and, when old, judged whether they actually remembered the occurrence of the word or knew that it occurred on some other basis. The chief findings were that (1) recall benefited later recognition of items at the end of the list; (b) recall increased “remember” responses; (c) serial position effects occurred in later recognition for both tested and non-tested lists; and (d) serial position effects were reflected in “remember” responses. Interpreted within Tulving’s (1983; 1985) framework, primacy and recency effects in final recognition are episodic memory phenomena.
Flagellar necklaces: freeze-etch observations.

Through use of the freeze-etch technique, the presence of a 3-stranded particulate necklace is demonstrated for spermatozoa of the earthworm. It is located in the region of the flagellum adjacent to the mitochondria; the component particles are ca. 100 A in diameter, and the 3 strands are spaced ca. 250–300 A from one another.
Clinicotherapeutic Potential of Leptin in Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease

Chronic neurodegenerative diseases are a group of devastating neurological disorders that result in significant morbidity and mortality in the elderly population worldwide. Recent researches have shown some interesting associations of the classical antiobesity hormone leptin with two most important neurodegenerative diseases—Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although several clinical studies have found the procognitive and memory-enhancing role of this peptide hormone in leptin-deficient patients, surprisingly it has not been used in any clinical trials involving patients with developing or full-blown neurodegenerative conditions. This review article is an attempt to bring together the existing information about the clinical associations of leptin with AD and PD. It starts with the basic understanding of leptin action in the brain and its derangements in these diseases and eventually discusses the potential of this hormone as a neuroprotective agent in clinical scenario.
Simple Kinetic Theory of the Liquid Viscosity

The viscosity of a liquid generally decreases exponentially with the rise in temperature. A simple-kinetic theory of this behavior is given in terms of the momentum transfer by vacancies. The present theory is mainly developed for a simple liquid but the main ideas should be applicable to a general liquid.
Long-Term Changes of a Coastal Bird Breeding Community on a Small Island – Does Natural Succession Compromise Conservation Values?

Limited spatial resources available for conservation lead to controversy about whether to apply single-species management or ecosystemary approaches in order to maintain biodiversity. In this study I analyse changes in a community of breeding coastal birds over a 90-year period, in order to examine whether natural processes on an unmanaged island are in accordance with requirements to save endangered species. Both diversity and species richness of the community increased significantly over time, and evenness increased after having been severely reduced by human impact. Diversity, evenness and species richness seemed to approach an equilibrium in the past decade, but number of breeding pairs declined as a consequence of altered natural disturbance regime. Species identity changed over time, with two initially very common species recently becoming locally extinct. These species are of high conservation concern, and their disappearance causes a problem for the concept of naturalness on islands. I conclude that natural processes need to be applied to the entire landscape in order to maintain dynamic processes that are essential for the survival of these species. The natural changes on the island should not be interrupted, but rather demonstrated to the public in order to increase conservation mindedness and gain support for changes in anthropogenic influences on a larger spatial scale.
Mixed-handed persons are more easily persuaded and are more gullible: Interhemispheric interaction and belief updating

Research has shown that persons with mixed hand preference (i.e., who report using their non-dominant hand for at least some manual activities) display an increased tendency to update beliefs in response to information inconsistent with those beliefs. This has been interpreted as reflecting the fact that the left hemisphere maintains our current beliefs while the right hemisphere evaluates and updates those beliefs when appropriate. Belief evaluation is thus dependent on interhemispheric interaction, and mixed-handedness is associated with increased interhemispheric interaction. In Experiment 1 mixed-handers exhibited higher levels of persuasion in a standard attitude-change paradigm, while in Experiment 2 mixed-handers exhibited higher levels of gullibility as measured by the Barnum Effect.
Different loads can produce similar bone density distributions

Finite element models of a generic long bone and the proximal femur were used to identify important load characteristics and to determine whether small changes in load affect bone adaptation simulations. We also examined the effect of implants on the sensitivity of bone adaptation simulations to changes in loads. For each model, a primary load set was selected and incorporated in a bone adaptation simulation to generate a primary density distribution. A density-based load estimation method was used to determine a secondary set of loading conditions for each model. Each secondary load set was incorporated in a bone adaptation simulation and the resulting density distribution was compared to the corresponding primary density distribution. Nearly identical density distributions were produced for the natural generic long bone model (average nodal density difference 0.02 g/cm3). For the natural proximal femur model, the density distributions were very similar, but differences were apparent (average nodal density difference 0.07 g/cm3). The same primary and secondary load sets were used for bone adaptation simulations with implant models. For the proximal femur model, density distribution differences with the implant were very slightly less than those of the natural model. For the generic long bone model, the implant amplified differences between density distributions (average nodal density difference 0.14 g/cm3). Thus, variations in loading conditions may partially explain variations in long-term total joint outcome. The total equivalent stimulus load magnitudes for the two load sets for the generic long bone model were within 1 %, and the stimulus-weighted average load directions were within 1°. The similarity of these parameters and the natural generic long bone density distributions indicate that the overall magnitude and average load direction are key factors affecting bone adaptation.
Partner Selection for Personality Characteristics: A Couple-Centered Approach

Both personality similarity and complementarity have been hypothesized to underlie mate selection. However, neither hypothesis has received strong and consistent empirical support. This study examined personality matching in couples by taking within-couple similarity as the basic unit of analysis. On the assumptions that individuals seek in another what they value in themselves but that they cannot always get what they want, it was hypothesized (a) that the similarity of partners' self-descriptions is positively related to self-liking, (b) that there is assortative mating for self-liking, (c) that there is significant similarity between subjects' ideal self-descriptions and their perceptions of their partners, and (d) that participants bias their perceptions of their partners in the direction of their ideal self-conceptions. The authors examined and found support for the four hypotheses by analyzing California Q-set ratings provided by both partners of couples, who described themselves, their ideal selves...
Leadership in Health Services Management

Dr. Karien Jooste, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Rand Afrikaans University, has edited this outstanding book, published in 2003. She is listed as the editor, although she has also written a number of its chapters. In addition to herself, ten other individuals have authored various chapters. They are authorities in their fields and represent several institutions from three countries in the region. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.
Ion scattering studies of modified metal surfaces

Abstract The technique of ion backscattering and channeling provides valuable information about the structure of solid surfaces, both clean and as modified by adsorbed atoms. Analysis of the backscattering data is based on the concepts of shadowing and blocking. Because the theory of Rutherford scattering is well understood, it is possible, using comparisons between experiment and computer simulations for model structures, to extract information about the geometry and dynamics of atoms on solid surfaces. Studies of the structure of clean W(110) and Nb(110) surfaces, and the modification of these surfaces with H adsorption/absorption will be presented. Ion scattering also provides structural information about solid-solid interfaces. Results for Pd deposited on A1(111), and for Ni on W(110) will be discussed.
PTSD, emotion dysregulation, and dissociative symptoms in a highly traumatized sample

Exposure to multiple traumas has been shown to result in many negative mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dissociation, which involves disruptions in memory, identity, and perceptions, may be a component of PTSD, particularly among individuals who have experienced childhood trauma. Emotion regulation difficulties are also strongly associated with childhood trauma and emotion dysregulation may be a particularly important factor to consider in the development and maintenance of dissociative symptoms. The goal of the present study was to determine whether emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and dissociation in a sample of 154 (80% female, 97% African-American) adults recruited from a public, urban hospital. PTSD was measured using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, emotion dysregulation was measured using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and dissociation was measured using the Multiscale Dissociation Inventory. A linear regression analysis showed that both PTSD and emotion dysregulation were statistically significant predictors of dissociation even after controlling for trauma exposure. Alexithymia and an inability to use emotion regulation strategies in particular were predictive of dissociation above and beyond other predictor variables. Using bootstrapping techniques, we found that overall emotion dyregulation partially mediated the effect of PTSD symptoms on dissociative symptoms. Our results suggest that emotion dysregulation may be important in understanding the relation between PTSD and dissociative symptoms. Treatment approaches may consider a focus on training in emotional understanding and the development of adaptive regulation strategies as a way to address dissociative symptoms in PTSD patients.
Brief Image-Based Health Behavior Messages for Adolescents and Their Parents

ABSTRACT This study tested the efficacy of brief image-based print-mediated parent/caregiver and adolescent messages integrating physical activity with alcohol use avoidance. A total of 684 high school students were randomly assigned to either the parent postcard or adolescent flyer arm, with baseline and four-month postintervention data collections. A significant repeated measures interaction (group × time) was found (F(4,344) = 2.48, p = .04), with univariate tests showing less alcohol use frequency and problems (ps < .05) among adolescents exposed to parent materials. Repeated measures factorial MANOVAs for group × time × prior current drug use were significant, with drug using adolescents receiving parent print messages showing less alcohol initiation and frequency and marijuana initiation and frequency (ps < .05). Very brief print materials sent to parents/caregivers may hold some promise for influencing substance use among adolescents, particularly those already using drugs.
The effect of daunomycin on human cells in vivo and in vitro

Cytogenetic and morphologic abnormalities in bone marrow and peripheral blood and biochemical changes in peripheral blood leukocytes were studied after in-vivo and in-vitro treatment with daunomycin. Seven patients with acute lymphocytic or granulocytic leukemia were studied; the total dose varied from 80 to 420 mg/m2. The highest percentage of major chromosomal aberrations (80 to 90%) appeared right after treatment in vivo. These aberrations disappeared within 1 or 2 weeks and consisted of chromatid breaks, fragments, chromatid exchanges, ring chromosomes, dicentrics or extensive fragments. Prominent morphologic abnormalities included megaloblastic transformation of both the myeloid and erythroid series and increased cytoplasmic vacuolization. Aneuploid cells lines from two patients showed less change after daunomycin treatment than did normal diploid cells. The daunomycin dose threshold in vitro was narrow: 3 pg/ml of culture caused death of the entire cell population, while 0.03 pg/ml of culture produced little chromosomal damage. The in-vitro studies on normal human lymphocytes indicate that daunomycin affects RNA and DNA synthesis and that it interferes with the cell cycle during the G2 period. This drug appears to have the unique capacity to delay the onset of mitosis in cells which have already synthesized DNA.
MFIX-DEM simulations of change of volumetric flow in fluidized beds due to chemical reactions

Abstract This study attempts to investigate the effect of gas volume change caused by chemical reactions on the flow hydrodynamics in a fluidized bed reactor. Various 2D simulations of ozone decomposition and the reverse reaction are conducted with a Eulerian–Lagrangian code-MFIX-DEM for a small-scale bubbling fluidized bed. The effect of particle size is studied by simulating two types of bed material with different sizes. Both transient and time-averaged flow behaviors are analyzed. The influences of gas volume change due to chemical reactions are studied with respect to bed expansion, superficial gas velocity, bubble characteristics including bubble size and frequency. The fluidized bed is then divided into bubble, shell and emulsion phases to further analyze the behavior of emulsion phase and gas flow distribution in different phases. A profound impact on the flow hydrodynamics by the gas volume change is found. For the small systems studied, the volume change in gas flow demonstrates the most significant influence on the gas flow in the shell phase for coarse particles and the bubble phase for fine particles.
The But Not All: A Partitive Account of Plural Definite Descriptions

: A number of authors in favor of a unitary account of singular descriptions have alleged that the unitary account can be extrapolated to account for plural definite descriptions. In this paper I take a closer look at this suggestion. I argue that while the unitary account is clearly onto something right, it is in the end empirically inadequate. At the end of the paper I offer a new partitive account of plural definite descriptions that avoids the problems with both the unitary account and standard Russellian analyses.
Effect of R(-)2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine on uterine and umbilical blood flow in conscious pregnant sheep.

Pregnant sheep and their fetuses were instrumented between 110 to 120 days of gestation (term, 145 days) for monitoring maternal and fetal arterial blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow in the maternal uterine and fetal intra-abdominal umbilical arteries. The administration of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM, a 5-HT2 agonist) i.v. to the ewe in doses ranging from 1 to 20 micrograms/kg of ewe body weight produced dose-dependent decreases in the blood flow of the uterine and umbilical arteries. This was accompanied by an increase in the arterial blood pressure of the mother and fetus and a decrease in the fetal heart rate. DOM significantly increased the vascular resistance to blood flow in the uterine and umbilical arteries. The maximal increase in the vascular resistance of the uterine and umbilical arteries was 19.6- and 2.6-fold, respectively. Ketanserin, a 5-HT2 antagonist (1 mg/kg), administrated 30 min prior to DOM significantly inhibited the reduction in blood flow in the uterine and umbilical arteries to DOM and blocked the increased vascular resistance in these vessels. The inhibitory effects of ketanserin on the responses to DOM in the uterine and umbilical arteries were surmountable. Our results indicate that DOM is a potent constrictor of the uterine and umbilical vasculature which may lead to fetal distress as evidenced by a decrease in fetal heart rate and arterial blood PO2. 5-HT2 receptor stimulation by DOM may be involved in these effects since they were blocked by ketanserin.
Dynamic particle system for mesh extraction on the GPU

Extracting isosurfaces represented as high quality meshes from three-dimensional scalar fields is needed for many important applications, particularly visualization and numerical simulations. One recent advance for extracting high quality meshes for isosurface computation is based on a dynamic particle system. Unfortunately, this state-of-the-art particle placement technique requires a significant amount of time to produce a satisfactory mesh. To address this issue, we study the parallelism property of the particle placement and make use of CUDA, a parallel programming technique on the GPU, to significantly improve the performance of particle placement. This paper describes the curvature dependent sampling method used to extract high quality meshes and describes its implementation using CUDA on the GPU.
Crossover Scaling Functions in One Dimensional Dynamic Growth Models.

The crossover from Edwards-Wilkinson to Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) type growth is studied for the body-centered solid-on-solid model. The time needed to reach the stationary state ${l}_{t}$ is expected to be proportional to the growth parameter $s$, ${l}_{t}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\simeq}\frac{\mathrm{As}}{{N}^{\mathrm{zkpz}}}$, with $N$ the system size and $A$ a universal amplitude. This implies that the crossover exponent is equal to the change in the dynamic exponent. We predict the general form of the crossover scaling function. The mass gaps at $N\ensuremath{\le}18$ confirm this within 0.5% for all values of $s$. We also point out that KPZ type growth is equivalent to a phase transition in mesoscopic metallic rings where attractive interactions destroy the persistent current, and to end points of facet ridges in equilibrium crystal shapes.
A Direct Method for Identifying the Optimal Power Factor Correction in Nonsinusoidal Systems

This paper presents a new method employing the Golden Section search algorithm to determining the capacitor value for optimal power factor correction in a nonsinusoidal system. The major attribute of the method is that it, unlike conventional approaches, guarantees convergence to the optimal solution. This accomplishment is a direct result from the improvement in (1) the algorithm in which provisions are made to identify and to avoid capacitor values which would create resonant conditions, and (2) the problem formulation in which the effect of the transmission line impedance on the load voltage is included while calculating the optimal capacitor value. Finally, the contribution of the newly developed method is demonstrated in examples taken from previous publications.
Challenges for basic research in glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency

During the last decades, efforts have been made to elucidate the complex mechanisms underlying neuronal damage in glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency. A combination of in vitro and in vivo investigations have facilitated the development of several hypotheses, including the probable pathogenic role of accumulating glutaric acid and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid. However, there are still many shortcomings that limit an evidence-based approach to treating this inborn error of metabolism. Major future goals should include generation of a suitable animal model for acute striatal necrosis, investigation of the formation, distribution and exact intra- and extracellular concentrations of accumulating metabolites, a deeper understanding of striatal vulnerability, and systematic investigation of effects on cerebral gene expression during development and of the modulatory role of inflammatory cytokines.
Buffeting of large telescopes: Wind-tunnel measurements of the flow inside a generic enclosure

The design of future large optical telescopes must take into account the wind-induced vibration of the telescope structure that is caused by large-scale flow structures and turbulence inside the telescope enclosure when the aperture in the enclosure dome is open. However, estimating the resulting degradation in image quality is difficult due to our relatively poor understanding of the flow inside the enclosure. Data has been collected in a wind-tunnel test of an empty telescope enclosure to understand the flow-field around the region near the dome opening where the secondary mirror and supporting structure would be subjected to wind loads. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) data was collected in a vertical plane near the dome opening to obtain mean velocity and fluctuation kinetic energy, and hot-wire data was collected along the telescope axis to obtain temporal spectra of the velocity. Data was collected both with and without additional venting, in order to understand its influence on the flow. The temporal spectrum of the broadband turbulence is of von Karman type. The flow field also includes tonal shear layer modes, with the mode selection influenced by the enclosure Helmholtz mode, and the overall amplitude strongly influenced by the vented area. In addition to its direct use in telescope modelling and design, the data presented herein is of particular value in validation of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analyses, so that CFD can be used with confidence in future design work.
Platform Presentation—Longitudinal Structural MRI Data from PREDICT-HD: Striatal and Cortical Changes in Pre-Clinical HD

Background PREDICT-HD is a large multi-site study of individuals with the HD gene expansion who have not yet been diagnosed with the disorder (pre-HD), as well as a smaller group of gene-negative control subjects. Subjects have been followed-up yearly with extensive neuropsychological testing, clinical evaluation, and psychiatric assessment, and every two years with MRI. Methods The sample used for the current analysis included 215 pre-HD participants, 35 individuals newly diagnosed with HD, and 47 age- and sex-matched control subjects. At least two scans, obtained with an interscan interval of 2 years, were analyzed for each subject. Measurements included volumes of caudate, putamen, thalamus, gray, and white matter. Pre-HD subjects were divided into groups based on their estimated proximity to onset (Far, >15 years; Mid, 9-15 years; and Near, Results Longitudinal change in striatal volume was greater for the Mid, Near, and Diagnosed subjects than for the Control or Far subjects. There was no significant difference between the Far and Control subjects for amount of longitudinal change, and no significant differences among the Mid, Near, and Diagnosed groups. Results for caudate and putamen were the same as those for total striatal volume change. For thalamus, Near and Diagnosed subjects had greater longitudinal change than the other three groups. Effect sizes were calculated, as well as power analyses to demonstrate the number of subjects per treatment group that would be necessary for trials conducted at each preclinical stage. Data for total gray and white volume will also be presented. Conclusions Disease-related longitudinal change in striatal volume is observable over a two-year period in individuals who are within 15 years of estimated disease onset, and rate of change is fairly consistent over time once it begins. Observable longitudinal change for the thalamus begins later in the disease process.
Characterization of the Aspartate Transcarbamoylase fromMethanococcus jannaschii

The genes from the thermophilic archaeabacterium Methanococcus jannaschii that code for the putative catalytic and regulatory chains of aspartate transcarbamoylase were expressed at high levels in Escherichia coli. Only the M. jannaschii PyrB (Mj-PyrB) gene product exhibited catalytic activity. A purification protocol was devised for the Mj-PyrB and M. jannaschii PyrI (Mj-PyrI) gene products. Molecular weight measurements of the Mj-PyrB and Mj-PyrI gene products revealed that the Mj-PyrB gene product is a trimer and the Mj-PyrI gene product is a dimer. Preliminary characterization of the aspartate transcarbamoylase from M. jannaschii cell-free extract revealed that the enzyme has a similar molecular weight to that of the E. coli holoenzyme. Kinetic analysis of the M. jannaschii aspartate transcarbamoylase from the cell-free extract indicates that the enzyme exhibited limited homotropic cooperativity and little if any regulatory properties. The purified Mj-catalytic trimer exhibited hyperbolic kinetics, with an activation energy similar to that observed for the E. coli catalytic trimer. Homology models of the Mj-PyrB and Mj-PyrI gene products were constructed based on the three-dimensional structures of the homologous E. coli proteins. The residues known to be critical for catalysis, regulation, and formation of the quaternary structure from the well characterized E. coli aspartate transcarbamoylase were compared.
Graph theory as a recurring theme in a series of mathematics and art course modules

Courses and outreach programs with a focus on mathematics and the arts provide an opportunity to convey to students the versatility and variety of mathematical thought. In this article I present a series of topics to be taught in a maths-art course (Celtic knots, Platonic solids, the fourth dimension, and the English art of change ringing), all of which require graph theory in a fundamental way. The recurrence of graph theory in these diverse topics reinforces the flexibility of mathematics and this repetition facilitates the learning of the underlying mathematical concept. For each topic hands-on activities are described, and helpful websites and other references are indicated. The activities are easily adaptable to students of different ages and abilities – from middle-school students to college math majors.
Glycolate pathway in algae.

No glycolate oxidase activity could be detected by manometric, isotopic, or spectrophotometric techniques in cell extracts from 5 strains of algae grown in the light with CO(2). However, NADH:glyoxylate reductase, phosphoglycolate phosphatase and isocitrate dehydrogenase were detected in the cell extracts. The serine formed by Chlorella or Chlamydomonas after 12 seconds of photosynthetic (14)CO(2) fixation contained 70 to 80% of its (14)C in the carboxyl carbon. This distribution of label in serine was similar to that in phosphoglycerate from the same experiment. Thus, in algae serine is probably formed directly from phosphoglycerate. These results differ from those of higher plants which form uniformly labeled serine from glycolate in short time periods when phosphoglycerate is still carboxyl labeled. In glycolate formed by algae in 5 and 10 seconds of (14)CO(2) fixation, C(2) was at least twice as radioactive as C(1). A similar skewed labeling in C(2) and C(3) of 3-phosphoglycerate and serine suggests a common precursor for glycolate and 3-phosphoglycerate. Glycine formed by the algae, however, from the same experiments was uniformly labeled. Manganese deficient Chlorella incorporated only 2% of the total (14)CO(2) fixed in 10 minutes into glycolate, while in normal Chlorella 30% of the total (14)C was found in glycolate. Manganese deficient Chlorella also accumulated more (14)C in glycine and serine.Glycolate excretion by Chlorella was maximal in 10 mm bicarbonate and occurred only in the light, and was not influenced by the addition of glycolate. No time dependent uptake of significant amounts of either glycolate or phosphoglycolate was observed. When small amounts of glycolate-2-(14)C were fed to Chlorella or Scenedesmus, only 2 to 3% was metabolized after 30 to 60 minutes. The algae were not capable of significant glycolate metabolism as is the higher plant. The failure to detect glycolate oxidase, the low level glycolate-(14)C metabolism, and the formation of serine from phosphoglycerate rather than from glycolate are consistent with the concept of an incomplete glycolate pathway in algae.
Synthesis, Aqueous Reactivity, and Biological Evaluation of Carboxylic Acid Ester-Functionalized Platinum–Acridine Hybrid Anticancer Agents

The synthesis of platinum-acridine hybrid agents containing carboxylic acid ester groups is described. The most active derivatives and the unmodified parent compounds showed up to 6-fold higher activity in ovarian cancer (OVCAR-3) and breast cancer (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) cell lines than cisplatin. Inhibition of cell proliferation at nanomolar concentrations was observed in pancreatic (PANC-1) and nonsmall cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC, NCI-H460) of 80- and 150-fold, respectively. Introduction of the ester groups did not affect the cytotoxic properties of the hybrids, which form the same monofunctional-intercalative DNA adducts as the parent compounds, as demonstrated in a plasmid unwinding assay. In-line high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESMS) shows that the ester moieties undergo platinum-mediated hydrolysis in a chloride concentration-dependent manner to form carboxylate chelates. Potential applications of the chloride-sensitive ester hydrolysis as a self-immolative release mechanism for tumor-selective delivery of platinum-acridines are discussed.
The Impact of Corruption on Social Trust

I test the impact of governmental corruption on generalized social trust. Based on prior research in comparative politics and criminology, I hypothesize that increasing governmental corruption leads to decreasing beliefs that others are trustworthy. To test my hypothesis, I combine aggregate state-level data on convictions for governmental corruption with American National Election Studies panel survey data with waves in 2000, 2002, and 2004. My findings show a clear impact of greater corruption on levels of generalized trust. I find that living in states with increased corruption lowers generalized trust, while controlling for other known determinants. This research expands our knowledge of how institutional actions influence generalized trust.
Some unresolved issues in the application of control theory to economic policy-making

Abstract Many issues still remain unresolved in control theory applications to economic policy-making. This paper discusses three of these issues. The first is related to target exogeneity: in economics, policy problems are often formulated as target-oriented control problems, with target values established exogenously. Some problems associated with target exogeneity and some ideas towards the development of a theory of target formulation are surveyed. The second issue concerns the distinction between manipulated and non-manipulated variables. As opposed to engineering control practice, where this distinction is clear and the effectiveness of each manipulated variable can be well established, in economics it is often unclear which manipulable variable is actually used for policy and how effective it is; Granger causality tests are not always adequate to this purpose. The third issue relates policy effectiveness to the concepts of stochastic trends and co-integration. To this regard, the paper discusses some possible implications of co-integration on the time-series properties of unknown targets.
An Improved Solution for Multiple Comparisons with a Control in Response Surface Methodology with Two Predictor Variables

Sa and Edwards (1993) first proposed the Multiple Comparisons with a Control problem in Response Surface Methodology. They provided an exact solution for one predictor variable and a conservative solution when number of predictor variables is more than one. Merchant et al. (1998) improved the solution for the latter case. This article improves Merchant et al.'s solution for the case of rotatable designs in two predictor variables.
Spatial duopoly with discriminatory pricing

Abstract The concept and existence of an equilibrium is established for profit maximizing competitors whose decisions involve choices of both delivered price schedules and firm locations. Each firm faces a production function; each is allowed to locate in the plane and to set discriminatory prices. Any transport cost function that is continuous in the firm location variable may be used. It is shown that the locations of the two firms are in equilibrium if each firm is minimizing social cost (i.e., the total cost to the firms of supplying the market with the good it demands is minimized) with respect to the opponent's fixed location.
Efficient fluorescence in solid noble gases excited by 10—30 kV electrons

Abstract Fluorescent spectra and efficiency of vacuum ultraviolet generation have been investigated for solid Ar, Kr and Xe excited by 10–30 kV electrons. Overall conversion efficiency of e-beam energy into a single 7 nm wide band centered near 175 nm for Xe was measured to be 30%, indicating high intrinsic efficiency when electron backscatter is taken into account. In Ar and Kr the presence of trace amounts of O2was found to cause energy transfer from the excimer bands to longer wavelengths.
The Effects of Religiousness on Parenting Stress and Practices in the African American Family

Despite numerous anecdotal assertions and budding empirical evidence, the profession of social work continues to ignore the influence of religiousness on parenting practices in the African American...
A GENETIC ALGORITHM APPROACH TO MINIMIZE TRANSMISSION ERROR OF AUTOMOTIVE SPUR GEAR SETS

As the quietness of vehicles has improved in recent years, there have been stricter requirements to reduce gear vibration and noise and thereby improve transmission quality. The prediction of gear vibration and noise has always been a major concern in gear design. It is widely accepted that the acoustic noise generated by a pair of gears is strongly related to the gears transmission error. Recently, greater emphasis has been placed to further optimize the gear tooth parameters in order to reduce transmission error and, subsequently, improve the dynamic performance of transmission systems. This paper discusses the development of a genetic algorithm (GA) model to minimize the weighted sum of the magnitudes of gear mesh frequency components. The GA algorithm was designed based on a mathematical formulation for computing static transmission error and load sharing for low-contact-ratio external spur gears. The constructed GA was able to overcome the local optima and achieve global optimal/near-optimal solutions.
The modeling and characterization of Silicon carbide gate turn off thyristors

Over the past decade Silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices have shown great promise for next generation power electronic applications. New intelligent systems that will require advanced power electronic circuitry range from electric vehicles to smart grid interfaces. Several devices have been developed for use in these power electronic circuits including diodes, MOSFETs, JFETs, thyristors, gate turn-off thyristors, and IGBTs. The model development, characterization and experimental validation of a SiC p-type Gate Turn-off Thyristor (GTO) is presented in this paper. The developed model is a level-3 physics-based model that predicts on-state and switching behavior with high accuracy. The model also incorporates temperature effects, and accurately predicts device performances from 25 °C to +175 °C. Test configurations were designed to accurately characterize and test an 8 kV ptype SiC GTO provided by Cree. The measured data was used to validate the model's performance.
MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DEFINITION OF CALOMYSCUS HOTSONI (RODENTIA: MUROIDEA: CALOMYSCIDAE)

The rediscovery of Calomyscus hotsoni in Pakistan is reported. This species had previously been known from a series of specimens taken at the type locality in southwestern Pakistan in 1918 and a series of specimens from 4 localities in southeastern Iran collected in 1962 and reported as this taxon in 2005. Specimens of C. hotsoni were collected from 4 additional locations in southern Pakistan between 1996 and 1999. Partial sequence data from cytochrome b support the recognition of C. hotsoni as a distinct species from the other Calomyscus found in Pakistan, C. baluchi. Material collected from near the type localities of C. hotsoni and C. baluchi demonstrate significant differences in 5 cranial measurements and all external measurements other than ear height. C. hotsoni can be differentiated from C. baluchi by its smaller hind foot. The known distribution of C. hotsoni is greatly expanded and some ecological observations about the species also are reported. Examination of data presented on the distribution and on variation in local abundance suggests that C. hotsoni is currently neither endangered nor threatened.
Resistance to Alzheimer's pathology is associated with nuclear hypertrophy in neurons

Abstract This study focuses on the morphometric changes of neurons in asymptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), a state characterized by the presence of AD lesions in subjects without cognitive impairment. In autopsy brains, we used stereological methods to compare the cell body and nuclear volumes of anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) and CA1 hippocampal neurons in asymptomatic AD subjects ( n = 9), subjects with AD dementia (AD, n = 8), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 9), and age-matched controls (controls, n = 9). In ACG, we observed a significant decrease in the neuronal volume of MCI and AD compared to controls; by contrast, no atrophy was present in asymptomatic AD. Moreover, we found a significant increase in nuclear volume in asymptomatic AD compared to controls ( P P P
CCN Notch Signaling in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: Good or Bad?

In this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Shimoyama et al1 demonstrates that neointimal formation after vascular injury is enhanced in CCN3 knockout mice, suggesting that CCN3 suppresses neointimal thickening. In addition, the results from in vitro approaches further demonstrate that CCN3 inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth and migration, and the inhibitory effect of CCN3 on VSMC growth is mediated in part by the activation of Notch signaling. The inhibitory effect of CCN3-Notch signaling on VSMC proliferation is interesting; however, it appears opposite or contradictory to most previous reports of Notch signaling in VSMC (Figure). The activation of Notch receptor results from 2 types of proteolytic cleavages by ADAM10 (or TACE) metalloprotease and γ-secretase complex, which release Notch intracellular domain from the cell membrane. The Notch intracellular domain enters the nucleus and interacts with DNA-binding protein recombination signal-binding protein for immunoglobulin kappa J region, leading to the transcriptional activation of Notch target gene, including Hes and Hey.2,3 Sakata et al4 have reported that neointimal formation was significantly reduced in Hey2 −/− …
Inhibitory Control and Teacher-Child Conflict: Reciprocal Associations across the Elementary-School Years.

Abstract In the present study, longitudinal data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were used to test a theoretical model in which one aspect of children's self-regulation skills – their inhibitory-control abilities – were hypothesized to show reciprocal relations with their levels of teach of teacher–child across the elementary-school years. The findings were largely consistent with the hypothesized model. Across multiple points in elementary school, lower levels of inhibitory control were associated with higher subsequent levels of teacher–child conflict. In turn, higher levels of teacher–child conflict were associated with lower subsequent levels of inhibitory control. Some evidence suggested that the magnitude of this latter relation was particularly strong for girls in the later elementary-school years. Direct relations between inhibitory control and teacher–child conflict were partially mediated by children's inattention and aggression problems. Potential implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Chronic naltrexone treatment increases expression of preproenkephalin and preprotachykinin mRNA in discrete brain regions

Long-term blockade of brain opioid receptors by the opiate antagonist naltrexone increases methionine-enkephalin content in the striatum and nucleus accumbens (Tempel et al., 1984). To determine whether these changes in peptide levels reflect increased peptide synthesis, we examined preproenkephalin mRNA content in discrete brain regions of control (placebo-treated) and chronic naltrexone-treated animals by Northern analysis. Chronic naltrexone treatment (8 d) led to an approximately 12-fold increase in the striatal content of preproenkephalin mRNA relative to that of control animals. In contrast, no statistically significant change was observed in striatal mRNA for cyclophilin (1B15) or actin. Small increases in preproenkephalin mRNA content occurred in the hippocampus (+40%) and hypothalamus (+19%). No significant changes occurred in the frontal cortex. Increases in levels of the mRNA were seen as early as 24 hr after antagonist treatment. In contrast, changes in opioid receptor density required 3–4 d to reach half-maximal up-regulation after chronic antagonist treatment. Recent evidence has suggested that substance P is regulated by opioid peptides. To determine whether substance P synthesis is altered by chronic antagonist treatment, the mRNA corresponding to the precursor for substance P was examined using a probe for exon-7 of the preprotachykinin gene. Preprotachykinin mRNA content in the striatum was increased 6-fold after chronic antagonist treatment relative to that of control animals. Substance P content was increased 3-fold after chronic antagonist treatment. These data suggest that chronic blockade of brain opioid receptors leads to the increased synthesis of both enkephalin and substance P in the striatum and that these changes are relatively specific.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Passive Direction Finding Using Airborne Vector Sensors in the Presence of Manifold Perturbations

This paper studies direction finding of electromagnetic energy sources using passive vector sensor arrays whose manifold is only nominally known. The problem of direction finding is studied in the context of an airborne array, thus facilitating the observation of a ground-based source from multiple look-angles. A calibration algorithm explicitly accounting for the polarization diverse nature of the vector sensor is developed. It is also shown that the direction finding performance provided by a conventional array calibration algorithm is greatly enhanced with usage of the proposed polarization diverse calibration algorithm
Correlation studies of mass spectral patterns and elasticity of sea-slick materials

Variations in the chemical composition of surfactants from natural sea slicks are compared to variations in surface elasticity using mass spectrometry, Langmuir film balance measurements, and multivariate statistical techniques. It is shown that the information on chemical class and molecular structure contained in the mass spectra is strongly correlated with measured static elasticity and can be used to estimate film elasticity at a given surface pressure.
Gene expression profile of quiescent and activated rat hepatic stellate cells implicates Wnt signaling pathway in activation

Background/Aims Liver fibrosis is characterized by accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins synthesized by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). To understand molecular mechanisms of HSCs activation a comprehensive comparison of gene expression between quiescent and activated HSCs is needed. Methods Using DNA microarrays we compared expression of 31,100 genes between quiescent rat HSCs and culture activated rat HSCs. Expression of the components of Wnt signaling was analyzed in HSCs and fibrotic livers by RT-PCR. Activation of β-catenin was analyzed by Western blot. Results Nine hundred genes were upregulated more than 4.6-fold and 500 genes were downregulated more than 5.7-fold in activated HSCs. The upregulated genes included Wnt receptor frizzled 2, ligands Wnt4 and Wnt5, which was confirmed in fibrotic livers. Expression of the target genes of Wnt signaling was increased from 5- to 70-fold. Phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin were unchanged, indicating activation of the noncanonical Wnt pathway. Conclusions Highly upregulated expression of Wnt5a and its receptor frizzled 2 implicates this pathway in differentiation of quiescent HSCs into myofibroblasts. Activation of Wnt signaling pathway in HSCs and in animal models of liver fibrosis has not been described previously, suggesting an important role of Wnt signaling in development of liver fibrosis.
Local Flow Variation Method for Damage Identification

In this paper, a damage identification method called local flow variation is introduced. It is a practical implementation of a phase space warping concept. A hierarchical dynamical system is considered where a slow-time damage process causes drifts in the parameters of fast-time system describing measurable response of a structure. The method is based on the hypothesis that the probability distribution function of the fast-time trajectory in its phase space is a function of damage state. In this method, an ensemble of estimated expectations of trajectory in different locations of the reconstructed phase space is used as a damage feature vector. Using these feature vectors, damage identification is realized by a smooth orthogonal decomposition. An experiment is conducted to validate the method. A two dimensional slow-time damage process is identified from experimental fast-time data. Although damage identification through the local flow variation is not as accurate as trough phase space warping, the required computing time is about two-orders-of-magnitude shorter.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
A Lack of Left Visual Field Bias when Individuals with Autism Process Faces

It has been established that typically developing individuals have a bias to attend to facial information in the left visual field (LVF) more than in the right visual field (RVF). This bias is thought to arise from the right hemisphere’s advantage for processing facial information, with evidence suggesting it to be driven by the configural demands of face processing. Considering research showing that individuals with autism have impaired face processing abilities, with marked deficits in configural processing, it was hypothesized that they would not demonstrate a LVF bias for faces. Eye-tracking technology was used to show that, individuals with autism were not spontaneously biased to facial information in the LVF, in contrast to a control group, while discriminating facial gender.