cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconstructing 3-D Specimens From 2-D Section Images

Reseachers seeking a histological determination of microscopic specimen morphology face the basic problem of analyzing three-dimensional microscopic specimens with two-dimensional imaging devices. This tedious task can be done at the microscope but reproduction of images in hard copy or digital form entails the loss of depth information. Quantitative measurements must generally be made on 2-D images. Several methods have been proposed and implemented to obtain and display 3-D images. In this paper we discuss an approach combining digital image processing techniques with stereo display techniques. This allows control of image quality and selection of different 3-D characteristics for display.
Century-scale effects of increased atmospheric CO2 on the ocean-atmosphere system

SEVERAL studies have addressed the likely effects of CO2-induced climate change over the coming decades1–10, but the longer-term effects have received less attention. Yet these effects could be very significant, as persistent increases in global mean temperatures may ultimately influence the large-scale processes in the coupled ocean–atmosphere system that are thought to play a central part in determining global climate. The thermohaline circulation is one such process—Broecker has argued11 that it may have undergone abrupt changes in response to rising temperatures and ice-sheet melting at the end of the last glacial period. Here we use a coupled ocean-atmosphere climate model to study the evolution of the world's climate over the next few centuries, driven by doubling and quadrupling of the concentration of atmospheric CO2. We find that the global mean surface air temperature increases by about 3.5 and 7 °C, respectively, over 500 years, and that sea-level rise owing to thermal expansion alone is about 1 and 2 m respectively (ice-sheet melting could make these values much larger). The thermal and dynamical structure of the oceans changes markedly in the quadrupled-CO2 climate—in particular, the ocean settles into a new stable state in which the thermohaline circulation has ceased entirely and the thermocline deepens substantially. These changes prevent the ventilation of the deep ocean and could have a profound impact on the carbon cycle and biogeochemistry of the coupled system.
Embryonic chicken brain and mouse neuroblastoma cells N1E-115 and N-18 contain an inhibitor of acid deoxyribonuclease

Activity of a trypsin-sensitive acid deoxyribonuclease (DNase) inhibitor has been detected in 13- to 21-day-old embryonic chicken brains and in clonal lines of neuroblastoma cells (adrenergic, N1E-115, and neurotransmitter-inactive, N-18) grown for 48 hr after subculture. The activities of purified porcine and bovine spleen DNases were inhibited 60--75% in the presence of the inhibitor, whereas less than 10% inhibition was observed with purified pancreatic DNase. Activities of an acidic DNase and its inhibitor reached maxima in 21-day-old embryonic chicken brain. The proteins were separated by isoelectric focusing and affinity column chromatographic techniques. The pI values of the acid DNase and its inhibitor were 5.4 and 4.2, respectively.
Development of chimeric HIV Env immunogens for mucosal delivery with attenuated canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine vectors

Background Our aim is to develop replication-competent viral vectors for mucosal delivery, which express HIV-Env immunogens that closely mimic the trimeric glycoprotein spike found on HIV particles. We have developed attenuated recombinant CDV (rCDV) expressing SIVmac239-Env and shown that this vector can be used safely to elicit Env-specific immune responses in ferrets and non-human primates through intranasal administration.
Q: Who should receive the shingles vaccine?

The answer: Nearly everyone who is age 60 and older, immunocompetent, and without contraindications to it.
Chlorpromazine as a Possible Local Anesthetic in Dentistry

The tranquilizer chlorpromazine has been shown to be a potent local anesthetic. In this study chlorpromazine was injected into the mandibular gingiva of dogs to study possible irritating effects on the oral tissue. Results showed no evidence of irritation. Chlorpromazine may be useful as a local anesthetic in dentistry.
Protein Structure Refinement Using Carbon- 13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Chemical Shifts and Quantum Chemistry

We show that protein structures in solution can be refined by using I3Ca and I3C@ chemical shifts. We investigated 12 alanine and 8 valine residues in the nuclease from Staphylococcus aureus and found that the 4, q, and x values of these residues are closer to the X-ray 4, q, and x values when nuclear Overhauser effect distance restraints and J-coupling torsion angle restraints are supplemented with chemical shift restraints. For 4 in particular, the rmsd versus the X-ray structure is -10" with chemical shift restraints versus -20" without chemical shift restraints. Both "fully-restrained" families of structures, those determined with and without chemical shift constraints, had small numbers of minor NOE violations. However, the chemical shift restrained structures were consistent with experimental Ala and Val I3Ca and I3C0 chemical shifts, whereas the structures determined without shift restraints yielded back calculated chemical shifts in poor accord with experiment. Carbon- 13 chemical shifts therefore appear to be of use in protein structure refinement when used in conjunction with chemical shift surfaces computed using ab initio methods.
Treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are prevalent among children and adolescents. Youth with anxiety disorders are at risk for developing academic, social and family difficulties. Therefore, early identification and effective treatment of anxiety disorders in youth are critical. Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are shown to be effective treatments of childhood anxiety disorders. It is important to consider CBT, SSRIs and a combination of CBT and SSRIs when considering treatment options for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Despite the black box warning associated with antidepressants, there is evidence that the benefits of the use of SSRIs in the treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders outweigh the potential risks when the medication is carefully monitored.
Money, saving and growth in an international economy with perfect capital mobility

The effects of differential national saving rates on current accounts, foreign indebtedness and the welfare of the countries involved are examined within the framework of a two-country, three-asset and one-good model of growth with international capital mobility. It is argued that the persistent current account imbalance and its implied national indebtedness are a natural consequence of differential national saving rates in the world of integrated capital markets, that any direct interference hampering an orderly flow of capital makes both countries worse off, that changes in the exchange rate mainly reflect the differential growth rates of two currencies and have little effect on the current account, and that persistent current account deficits do not necessarily imply an ever-increasing debt burden. While an increase in the saving rate of the high-saving country benefits the low-saving country, an increase in the saving rate of the low-saving country harms the high-saving country both in the short run a...
Synthesis of trifunctional ligands containing thiophosphoryl, pyridine and pyridine N-oxide donor groups

The trifunctional mixed donor ligands 2,6-[R2P(S)CH2]2C5H3N 1 (R = Ph 1a, Tol 1b, n-Bu, 1c) and 2,6-[R2P(S)CH2]2C5H3NO 2 (R = Ph 2a, Tol 2b, n-Bu, 2c) have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic (MS, IR, NMR) techniques. The coordination chemistry of one derivative 1a has been examined and the complex {[Ph2P(S)CH2]2C5H3N}Ni(NO3)2 has been crystallized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The structure contains a six coordinate Ni(II) ion bonded to a tridentate ligand 1a with Ni–Npyr 2.110(3) A and Ni–S 2.481(1) and 2.402(1) A, a bidentate nitrate anion and a monodentate NO3− anion.
Local spectroscopy of a Kondo impurity: Co on Au(111)

We present a detailed study of the local electronic properties of the Kondo system formed from cobalt adatoms deposited onto Au(111) at a temperature of 6.6 K. Cryogenic scanning-tunneling spectroscopy was used to observe impurity-induced resonances at the Fermi energy and at the Au(111) surface-state band edge. The line shape of the Fermi-energy resonance, identified as a Kondo resonance, is observed to vary with lateral position from the impurity center and with impurity binding position on the reconstructed Au(111) surface. Little vertical dependence is seen in the resonance line shape for positions above the center of the impurity. Interaction effects between Kondo impurities are observed to remain small as cobalt coverage is increased up to 1 ML on the gold surface. The Kondo resonance is shown theoretically to be a member of a general class of Fano resonances arising from the interaction of a discrete impurity state with a conduction-electron continuum. The asymmetric line shape of the resonance thus reflects quantum interference between the d orbital and continuum conduction electron channels, as well as their coupling to the STM tip.
Effects of Parental Age on the Life Cycle of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor Linnaeus

Offspring of old parents completed their larval stage in 10 days (6% to 6.5%) less time and averaged 1.2 fewer larval molts than offspring of young parents; also, they began a rapid weight increase at an earlier age. This was true of individuals reared at 25° and of those which had normal development at 30°, a temperature above the optimum for the species. Offspring of old parents also had an adult life shorter than did offspring of young parents, the difference averaging 8.8 days (19%) at 25° and 9 days (26.5%) at 30°. Offspring of middle-aged parents had a larval life of intermediate length at 25°, and also at 30° if their development was normal. At 30°, however, many larvae had a very prolonged instar which greatly increased the total length of larval life. Parental age was not found to affect the duration of the pupal stage.
Hepatic acute phase reaction in vivo and in vitro

Hepatic acute phase response is defined as the metabolic reaction of the liver to systemic tissue injury (93). The most prominent change is seen in the pattern of plasma proteins synthesized by the liver (84). The production, and consequently the plasma concentration, of a number of proteins, termed the acute phase reactants, is increased whereas that of some other proteins is reduced (84,94,95). The physiologic significance of the liver reaction is tied to the functions of the regulated plasma proteins (87). The major contributions of acute phase reactants involve neutralizing the harmful consequences of tissue injury such as inhibiting proteases, clearing Superoxide anions, removing freed hemoglobin, and opsonizing particulate matter. Moreover, acute phase reactants contribute to blood clotting, modulate the activity of the immune system, and provide substrates for tissue repair (57,90). The fact that the hepatic acute phase reaction has been evolutionarily conserved in vertebrate species under scores the assumed primary role of this response in controlling systemic homeostasis (93). The biology and physiology of the in vivo hepatic acute phase reaction, the biochemistry of the individual reactants in a variety of vertebrate species, and regulation of acute phase protein synthesis have been subject to a number of excellent reviews (3,46a,50,57,84,86,87,90,96,143) and need not, therefore, be repeated here. In the last few years, major progress has been made toward a) identification of the potential mediators of the liver regulation, b) reproduction of the liver cell reaction in vitro, and c) delineation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the acute phase protein genes are regulated. Moreover, by recognizing that the liver is controlled by systemically acting polypeptide cytokines, studies on hepatic acute phase reaction became interdisci plinarian in nature, involving such fields as immunology, endocrinology, and developmental biology. In view of the increasing concentration on liver cell regulation, this article focuses on the development of in vitro systems that reproduce regulatory properties of the acute phase liver. I will include data from recent experiments with rat hepatoma cells in my laboratory, which should illustrate advantages and disadvantages of a given system. Undoubt edly, considerations similar to the ones presented here will apply to other systems as well.
The impact of a verbal warning on police consent search practices

Abstract This article explores the impact of requiring a verbal warning prior to a police request for consent to search a suspect's automobile. The United States Supreme Court expressed concern that requiring a verbal warning prior to a consent request would make consent searches impossible for the police. Twenty-seven months of motor vehicle stop data (N = 800) was analyzed during periods where a verbal warning was and was not required prior to a consent request. The findings did not support the conclusion that a verbal warning would cause a substantial decrease in consent searches. A slight increase in the volume of consent requests was observed after the police were required to administer the warning.
Laparoscopic Nephrectomy: Assessment of Morcellation versus Intact Specimen Extraction on Postoperative Status

ABSTRACTPurpose: We compared pathological evaluation and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy at our institution with morcellated vs intact specimen extraction.Materials and Methods: A prospective evaluation of 57 consecutive patients undergoing radical and simple transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy was reviewed. One patient was excluded from study due to transitional cell carcinoma, which was detected intraoperatively. The 33 morcellated specimens were extracted at the umbilical port and the 23 intact specimens were extracted through a midline infraumbilical incision. Data were obtained on narcotic requirements, hospital stay, complications, estimated blood loss, mass size based on preoperative imaging, specimen weight and extraction incision length.Results: Mean incision length in the morcellated and intact specimen removal groups was 1.2 and 7.1 cm, respectively (p <0.001). No significant differences in pain or recovery were noted between the 2 gro...
Origin and shape evolution of core–shell nanoparticles in Au–Pd: from few atoms to high Miller index facets

Au–Pd core–shell nanocubes and triangular nanoparticles were systematically synthesized from a few Pd layers up to fully grown morphologies by a modified seed-mediated growth method. The shape evolution of Au–Pd core–shell nanoparticles from single crystal and singly twinned seed to final concave nanocube and triangular plates are presented at atomic level by Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The growth mechanism of both morphologies was studied throughout different sizes. It was found that the concave nanocubes grew from octahedral Au seeds due to fast growth along 〈111〉 directions; while the triangular nanoparticles grew from singly twinned Au seeds, growing twice as fast in 〈110〉 directions along the twin boundary; compared to the 〈111〉 direction perpendicular to the twin boundary. Both the concave nanocubes and triangular nanoparticles presented high index facet (HIF) surfaces that will increase the catalytic activity of different reactions.
Drug use patterns of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders living in the community

Objective: To describe drug use patterns by persons with Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, and mixed Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia. Design: Multicenter, patient registry. Setting: Community-living persons evaluated in primary care, geriatric, and Alzheimer ambulatory settings. Participants: Of the 930 persons in three diagnostic categories, there were 671 with probable or possible Alzheimer's disease by NINCDS/ADRDA criteria or Alzheimer's disease by DSM-III-R criteria, 162 multi-infarct cases by DSM-III-R criteria, and 97 mixed cases by DSM-III-R criteria. In each diagnostic category, 65% were women, and the majority were 70 years or older. Measurements: The average number of all prescription and non-prescription drugs and selected therapeutic categories by age, sex, diagnosis, and mini-mental status score at the time of diagnosis or evaluation. Results: Alzheimer patients average 2.3 drugs compared with multi-infarct (4.3; P < 0.0001) and mixed (3.7; P = 0.002) patients, and their pattern of drug use was different when stratified by therapeutic categories and drug classes. Drug use increased with age, and women used significantly more drugs than men in all three diagnostic categories. Women with Alzheimer's disease used significantly more cardiovascular drugs than men with Alzheimer's disease (P < 0.05). The lower the mini-mental status score in patients with any dementia, the greater the mean number of central nervous system agents used. The higher the mini-mental status score in a patient with multi-infarct or mixed dementia, the greater the use of cardiovascular drugs. Conclusion: Drug use by Alzheimer patients was lower than in multi-infarct and mixed patients, primarily due to a lower prevalence of cardiovascular drugs.
A model for on-line education of ABET-required professional aspects of engineering

Employability and professional skills formulate a critical part of engineering education. These skills are strongly emphasized through ABET accreditation requirements for engineering programs. Nevertheless, multiple challenges have been realized as engineering educators tried to incorporate those required professional and non-technical skills into their curricula. Some of these challenges are common across all engineering programs, such as the difficulty in implementing professional skills education into a full engineering curriculum, or methods suitable to deliver this education. Other challenges can be intrinsic to the topic of professional skills, or locally related to the entity implementing the idea such as quantity, timing, and pedagogy, in comparison to teaching technical topics in engineering. This paper presents the results of implementing an online model for ABET-required professional skills education to engineering students. The model was designed to target a combination of challenges, with a built-in continuous improvement mechanism. Assessment data from a pilot-test of the model on a carefully selected sample were collected and used to improve the full implementation of the model across the School of Engineering. Assessment data were collected from the full implementation and analyzed which provided more insight into the challenges facing implementation, and hints towards improving the subsequent offerings, coupled with minor issues related to on-line delivery of the topic. Results confirm most of the common challenges known in this area. However, multiple subtle challenges and issues related to students' perception, maturity, and context of application, as well as issues related to on-line education suitability for the topic, were revealed. Understanding these findings helped significantly in improving the plan for the next offering of this experience.
Generalized Fixed-Structure Optimality Conditions for H 2 Optimal Control

Over the last several years, researchers have shown that when it is assumed a priori that a fixed-order optimal compensator is minimal, the necessary conditions can be characterized in terms of coupled Riccati and Lyapunov equations, usually termed "optimal projection equations." When the optimal projection equations for H 2 optimal control are specialised to full-order control, the standard LQG Riccati equations are recovered. This paper relaxes the minimality assumption on the compensator and derives necessary conditions for fixed-structure H 2 optimal control that reduce to the standard optimal projection equations when the optimal compensators are assumed to be minimal. The results are then specialized to full-order control. The results show that the standard LQG Riccati equations can be derived using fixed-structure theory even without the minimality assumption. They also show for the first time that a reduced-order optimal projection controller is a projection of one of the extremals to the full-order H 2 optimal control problem. This latter result is used to discuss suboptimal projection methods that are able to produce minimal-order realizations of nonminimal LQG compensators. For this special case, the similarity transformation relating the projection matrix used by these suboptimal methods to the optimal projection matrix from the standard optimal projection theory is explicitly defined.
Rates at which toxaphene concentrations decrease in lake trout from the Great Lakes

Toxaphene is a complex mixture of at least 600 hexa- to decachlorinated bornanes and bornenes, which was used as an insecticide in the United States from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. A previous study in our laboratory showed that the levels of toxaphene in lake trout collected in 1982 and 1992 from Lake Superior had remained about the same but that the concentrations in lake trout from the other Great Lakes had decreased during this same time period. These observations in Lake Superior trout were counter-intuitive given that toxaphene had been banned in 1982. We have reinvestigated this issue using more samples from both Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan and using an improved analytical method. The level of toxaphene was constant in all of the trout samples from Lake Superior during the period 1977−1992, while the level decreased by a factor of 1.4−5 in trout from the other Great Lakes. These results suggest that the toxaphene concentrations in very large and very cold lakes (such as Lake Super...
Six1 regulates Grem1 expression in the metanephric mesenchyme to initiate branching morphogenesis

Urinary tract morphogenesis requires subdivision of the ureteric bud (UB) into the intra-renal collecting system and the extra-renal ureter, by responding to signals in its surrounding mesenchyme. BMP4 is a mesenchymal regulator promoting ureter development, while GREM1 is necessary to negatively regulate BMP4 activity to induce UB branching. However, the mechanisms that regulate the GREM1-BMP4 signaling are unknown. Previous studies have shown that Six1-deficient mice lack kidneys, but form ureters. Here, we show that the tip cells of Six1(-/-) UB fail to form an ampulla for branching. Instead, the UB elongates within Tbx18- and Bmp4-expressing mesenchyme. We find that the expression of Grem1 in the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) is Six1-dependent. Treatment of Six1(-/-) kidney rudiments with GREM1 protein restores ampulla formation and branching morphogenesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that genetic reduction of BMP4 levels in Six1(-/-) (Six1(-/-); Bmp4(+/-)) embryos restores urinary tract morphogenesis and kidney formation. This study uncovers an essential function for Six1 in the MM as an upstream regulator of Grem1 in initiating branching morphogenesis.
A model of the formation of spherical galaxies

Galactic mass distributions produced by the fragmentation model (in addition to those published previously) are examined. This is done by allowing the cubical fragment to assume any orientation in space. All distributions examined closely resemble observed galactic luminosity profiles, and, among the variety produced, was found the special logI versusr1/4 behavior of de Vaucouleurs' empirical law as well as the exponential behavior of spirals. Because of the apparent success of the model, the initial conditions and analytical methods are re-examined in detail.
Modification of μm Thick Surface Layers Using keV Ion Energies

Root-mean-square diffusion distances for both vacancy and interstitial defects in metals can be very large at elevated temperatures, e.g. several ..mu..m's in one second at 500/sup 0/C. Consequently, defects that escape the implanted region at elevated temperature can produce conpositional and microstructural changes to depths which are much larger than the ion range. Because of the high defect mobilities, and of the fact that diffusion processes must compete with the rate of surface recession, the effects of defect production (ballistic mixing), radiation-enhanced diffusion and radiation-induced segregation become spatially separated during ion bombardment at elevated temperature. Results of such experimental studies in a Cu-Ni alloy are presented, discussed and compared with predictions of a phenomenological model. Contributions to the subsurface compositional changes from radiation-enhanced diffusion and radiation-induced segregation are clearly identified.
A novel exclusion mechanism for carbon resource partitioning in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

The bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a common commensal of the human oral cavity and the putative causative agent of the disease localized aggressive periodontitis. A. actinomycetemcomitans is a slow-growing bacterium that possesses limited metabolic machinery for carbon utilization. This likely impacts its ability to colonize the oral cavity, where growth and community composition is mediated by carbon availability. We present evidence that in the presence of the in vivo relevant carbon substrates glucose, fructose, and lactate A. actinomycetemcomitans preferentially metabolizes lactate. This preference for lactate exists despite the fact that A. actinomycetemcomitans grows faster and obtains higher cell yields during growth with carbohydrates. The preference for lactate is mediated by a novel exclusion mechanism in which metabolism of lactate inhibits carbohydrate uptake. Coculture studies reveal that A. actinomycetemcomitans utilizes lactate produced by the oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii, suggesting the potential for cross-feeding in the oral cavity.
Vertebral Artery Ostial Stenosis: Prevalence by Digital Subtraction Angiography, MR Angiography, and CT Angiography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE (1) To determine the prevalence of vertebral arterial ostial stenosis (VOS) as determined by the “gold standard” of digital subtraction angiography (DSA). (2) To learn the correlation between vertebral ostial stenosis and study indication. (3) To determine the ability of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE MRA) and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) to reflect the true prevalence of vertebral ostial stenosis as determined by DSA. METHODS Three hundred and twenty-nine patients who underwent DSA had recorded evaluation of 443 vertebral artery origins. Cases were categorized by patient age and study indication. Similar numbers of CTA and MRA studies were assessed. RESULTS The prevalence of VOS in the study population was 5.4%. VOS was not observed in patients under 40 years of age, and was seen in 12.5% of patients over 70 years. CE MRA demonstrated decreased signal at the vertebral origins consistent with stenosis in 20% of patients. CTA estimated VOS at .8%, and yielded 7.3% of studies, which were nondiagnostic for VOS. CONCLUSION The prevalence of VOS as determined by DSA is low and increases with patient age and correlates with factors such as anterior infarct (18.4%), posterior infarct (33.3%), carotid atherosclerosis (30.8%), and vertebrobasilar insufficiency (33%). Patients being evaluated for reasons less closely correlated with atherosclerotic disease, such as arteriovenous malformation (AVM) or hemorrhage showed a lower prevalence of VA stenosis (brain aneurysm or AVM 5/121, 4.1%, brain hemorrhage 5/153, 3.3%). Routine clinical MRA significantly overestimates VOS prevalence, and findings suggest that CTA underestimates the degree and prevalence of VOS.
Organizational Goals and Expected Behavior of American Managers

This study complements the Journal March issue article by the author on “Personal Value Systems of American Managers.” In the current analysis the author compares four levels of organizational goal...
Early ambulation--consider working with physiotherapists. A comment on Cortes et al. (2009).

I welcome Cortes et al.’s (2009) review which was both helpful and extremely informative. The finding that early mobilisation following a myocardial infarction (MI) may reduce mortality by up to 15% is an important evidence that reinforces what ‘expert opinion’ had been suggesting to us for many years. The benefits of early ambulation are multiple and are well reviewed in this article and I will not repeat the author’s findings. I do have one comment; I was surprised to see no acknowledgement or discussion of the involvement of my profession, Physiotherapy, in the safe ambulation of patients following such an event. I am surprised about this for several reasons, but mainly because following an MI the patient may be a high falls risk in addition to probably being fearful of doing so. Falling is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity and if a fall occurs in a vulnerable patient, such as one who is post-MI, it would complicate their rehabilitation substanAccepted 14 June 2009
Haptic gait retraining: Evaluating learning environments for haptic motion training

We explore the potential for a portable gait retraining system, which provides real-time haptic feedback to a user who may not devote full attention to training. We present a study that compares the effects of attention and haptic feedback on learning a new gait to understand whether users can improve performance when distracted and if real-time haptic feedback can enhance the process. We find that subjects are able to learn the new gait under all conditions, which requires modification to two independent motions simultaneously. Subjects had better accuracy, in general, when completely focused on training and with haptic feedback on every step. Our results support the idea that a portable real-time haptic feedback system has promise for facilitating motion training.
Is Family Expressiveness as Reported by Mothers and Fathers Related to Children’s Social Anxiety Symptoms?

We examined family expressiveness as reported by mothers and fathers with respect to children’s report of social anxiety symptoms. Participants consisted of a clinical sample of 178 youth (8–16 years) and their parents. The sample was largely homogenous (163 Caucasians, 6 African American, 4 Hispanic, 5 Asian/Native American; 118 boys, 60 girls), and for analytic purposes, divided into two age groups: young children between 8 and 10 years and preadolescents and adolescents between 11 and 16 years. Youth completed the Social Anxiety subscale of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and parents completed the Expressiveness subscale of the Family Environment Scale. The Expressiveness subscale measures the extent to which family members openly and directly express their emotions. We hypothesized that low levels of family expressiveness, as reported by mothers and fathers, would be associated with heightened symptoms of social anxiety for both age groups of the youth. Contrary to predictions, no significant associations were observed between young children’s social anxiety and expressiveness. For older children, however, maternal reports of family expressiveness were negatively related to social anxiety symptoms (as predicted) whereas paternal reports of family expressiveness were positively related to youth’s social anxiety symptoms (counter to predictions). This later finding suggests that the more expressive the father perceived the family to be, the higher the symptoms of social anxiety reported by the older youth. Findings are discussed in terms of differential perceptions of family expressiveness and socialization by mothers and fathers and gender role stereotypes.
Wormholes, time machines, and the weak energy condition.

It is argued that, if the laws of physics permit an advanced civilization to create and maintain a wormhole in space for interstellar travel, then that wormhole can be converted into a time machine with which causality might be violatable. Whether wormholes can be created and maintained entails deep, ill-understood issues about cosmic censorship, quantum gravity, and quantum field theory, including the question of whether field theory enforces an averaged version of the weak energy condition.
Male germ cells regulate transcription of the cathepsin l gene by rat Sertoli cells.

It is well known that male germ cells regulate the steady state levels of numerous transcripts expressed by Sertoli cells. To date, however, there has been no direct test of whether this regulation reflects changes in gene transcription and/or transcript stability. This study used two experimental approaches to test the hypothesis that germ cells regulate transcription of the cathepsin L gene by rat Sertoli cells. We examined this gene because, in vivo, steady state levels of cath L messenger RNA in Sertoli cells change in a stage-specific manner as the surrounding germ cells progress through the 14 stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. In the first experimental approach, seminiferous tubules at stages VI–VII and stages IX–XII were incubated for 1 h in 4-thiouridine, and the amount of metabolically labeled cath L messenger RNA was quantified. The results demonstrate that transcription of the cath L gene by Sertoli cells is 7-fold higher at stages VI–VII than at stages IX–XII. The second expe...
Regulation of Drosophila Ca2+/Calmodulin‐Dependent Protein Kinase II by Autophosphorylation Analyzed by Site‐Directed Mutagenesis

Abstract: In this study we demonstrate that Drosophila calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is capable of complex regulation by autophosphorylation of the three threonines within its regulatory domain. Specifically, we show that autophosphorylation of threonine-287 in Drosophila CaMKII is equivalent to phosphorylation of threonine-286 in rat α CaMKII both in its ability to confer calcium independence on the enzyme and in the mechanistic details of how it becomes phosphorylated. Autophosphorylation of this residue occurs only within the holoenzyme structure and requires calmodulin (CaM) to be bound to the substrate subunit. Phosphorylation of threonine-306 and threonine-307 in the CaM binding domain of the Drosophila kinase occurs only in the absence of CaM, and this phosphorylation is capable of inhibiting further CaM binding. Additionally, our findings suggest that phosphorylation of threonine-306 and threonine-307 does not mimic bound CaM to alleviate the requirement for CaM binding to the substrate subunit for intermolecular threonine-287 phosphorylation. These results demonstrate that the mechanism of regulatory autophosphorylation of this kinase predates the split between invertebrates and vertebrates.
Di(4-aminophenyl)-methane (MDA): 4-7 year dog feeding study.

Summary 9 pure bred female beagles ingested purified or crude MDA (in 70 mg doses on 3 days of the week) over periods ranging from 3 years, 11 months to 7 years, 2 months. Total quantities of MDA ingested ranged from 39.98 g to 66.92 g/dog, or from approx. 4.0 to 6.26 g/kg body wt. Purified and crude MDA in the doses administered produced similar effects: (a) occasional loss of body weight followed by rather prompt re covery while treatment was interrupted; (b) no specific effect on blood sugar, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, total protein, albumin and a questionable effect on alkaline phosphatase activity; (c) from moderate to severe gross and micropathological changes in the liver, less severe effects in the kidneys and spleen, and occassionally gross or micropathological changes in other organs. Purified and crude MDA did not produce tumors of the urinary bladder or liver.
Finite-element analysis of low-energy e+-H scattering.

Accurate $S$-wave phase shifts for low-energy ($0.1\ensuremath{\le}k\ensuremath{\le}0.7$) positron-hydrogen scattering have been calculated by use of the finite-element method. Simple criteria are developed for which the truncation of the relevant configuration space and its subsequent discretization appear to be optimized. These criteria are expected to be independent of the details of the collision system.
Preliminary assessment: The Pain Inventory and the Pain Coping Tool:

The purpose of this research study was to report the development and preliminary psychometric testing of the Pain Inventory and the Pain Coping Tool. The Pain Inventory was developed to measure cognitive factors believed to impact upon the pain experience. The Pain Coping Tool was developed to measure coping strategies and behaviors believed to be effective in dealing with the pain experience. Forty nursing doctoral students, head nurses, and clinical nurse experts rated the items to establish content validity. Initial testing for reliability found coefficient alphas to be adequate for new scales. Construct validity was established by significant correlations found between these tools and the Pain Intensity and Pain Distress Scales. These findings must be viewed as preliminary based on the small sample of 80 metastatic cancer patients interviewed for this study.
Timing of sleep and wakefulness in Alzheimer's disease patients residing at home

Dysfunction of the circadian timing system has long been suspected in Alzheimer's d i ~ (AD) because such patients frequently, though not inevitably, have sleep disturbance (Bliwise 1989). Despite such sleep disruption, some studies of various physiological phenomena typically showing diurnal variation (e.g., body temperature, cortisol, prolactin, melatonin) have had difficulty showing differences between AD patients and controls (Prinz et al 1984; Touitou 1982; Christie et al 1983), perhaps owing to selection bias in patients studied (Witting et al 1990). More recently, Campbell et al (1988) reported the existence of an earlier acrophase in the body temperature cycle in male AD patients relative to age-matched, nondemented controls. This finding contrasts with the data of Satlin et al (1991) who reported a delayed acrophase in the rest/activity cycle in AD patients. Here we present data on the timing of sleep/wakefulness in AD patients in their home as recorded by caregivers in a l-week sleep log. To the best of our knowledge, no data currently exist on the timing of sleep and wakefulness in a group of well-characterized AD patients in their natural environments. Methods
Disclinations in Folded Structures and Geological Strata

DEFORMATION of rocks on a large scale1 and laboratory scale2 produces a variety of flow patterns which have been extensively discussed. These observations show that the wide variety of macroscopic patterns introduced by plastic deformation are very similar to those introduced in more nearly homogeneous materials such as single crystals. These configurations, especially those in single crystals, have been extensively explained in terms of dislocation theory3,4, with a great deal of success. Some recent experiments on silver crystals have shown that disclinations can exist in special metal structures5. This has led me to consider if any of the folded structures in rock structures can be associated with typical patterns of disclinations. Here, I present a striking example of a structure which is consistent with a disclination and point out that the introduction of such figures might play a role in subsequent deformation patterns.
Social skills, psychological well-being, and the mediating role of perceived stress

Social skills were predicted to be associated with two indicators of psychological well-being: reduced symptoms of depression and life-satisfaction. Social skills were also predicted to be associated with a reduction in the experience of stress. This reduced stress experience was hypothesized to explain the social skills-well-being association. These predictions were tested in a sample of 500 university students who provided self-reports of social skills, well-being (depression and life satisfaction), and stress. Results supported the hypothesized relationship between social skills and greater well-being, as well as social skills and lower levels of perceived stress. The lower perceptions of stress that accompany higher levels of social skills mediated the association between social skills and depression as well as life satisfaction.
AB INITIO STUDY OF THE PHOTOCHEMICAL DISSOCIATION OF METHYLAMINE

The threshold photochemistry of methylamine along three dissociation channels is examined using CASSCF and MRSDCI wave functions. Excitation of a nitrogen lone pair electron into a Rydberg s orbital produces an excited state that can decompose via NH rupture, CN rupture, or CH rupture. In the case of NH and CN rupture the excited state and ground state surfaces cross as the molecule dissociates, forming a conical intersection. The NH rupture excited state products lie above the excitation energy, and so dissociating molecules are funneled through the conical intersection and emerge as ground state products. The CN rupture excited state products lie below the excitation energy, and dissociation would proceed mostly on the excited state surface. In the case of CH rupture, the excited state products lie above the excitation energy, but since there is no conical intersection in this channel, CH rupture has to occur only after internal conversion to the ground state. These three mechanisms are all consistent w...
One-stop surgery: evolving approach to pediatric outpatient surgery.

Abstract Purpose: Maximizing patient satisfaction is of prime importance in today's competitive outpatient surgery market. The authors recently devised a system, one-stop surgery , which simplifies outpatient surgery for pediatric patients and their families by combining the traditionally separate preoperative evaluation and subsequent operation into one visit. This report describes our initial experience with one-stop surgery. Methods: Umbilical hernia repair, circumcision, and portacath removal were considered surgical procedures appropriate for our one-stop surgery pilot study. Medical information obtained by phone or fax from referring physicians was used to identify potential candidates. Families were contacted, precertified for their surgical procedure, and given nothing by mouth instructions. The day of surgery the child was evaluated by the attending pediatric surgeon. If the diagnosis was confirmed, and no contraindications to surgery were identified, the child immediately underwent the prescheduled surgical procedure. Results: From April through October 1997, 61 children were scheduled for one-stop surgery. Nine patients (15%) were no shows, and one additional family opted not to proceed with circumcision. The remaining 51 children (83%) underwent their one-stop surgical procedure: umbilical hernia repair (n = 23), circumcision (n = 19), portacath removal (n = 8), and inguinal hernia repair (n = 1). No child had an anesthetic contraindication to surgery, and only one minor postoperative complication (wound hematoma) occurred. Conclusions: This pilot study has demonstrated that with appropriate patient screening and cooperation of the entire surgical team, a variety of outpatient surgical procedures can be handled using this one-stop surgery method. By combining one-stop surgery with our previously reported phone follow-up system, many minor surgical procedures can be managed with only one visit to the hospital. Decreasing the "hassle factor" of outpatient surgery for children and their families, who frequently live far from their closest children's hospital, while providing the highest quality of specialized surgical and anesthetic care, may potentially be a very powerful marketing tool for pediatric surgical specialists.
Bullying, School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists, and English Language Learners: Seriousness, Intervention, and Strategy Selection

Abstract Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem. School personnel, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), play a critical role in the prevention of, and intervention in, bullying incidences. In this study, the authors examined SLPs' perceptions of bullying and endorsement of potential strategies for dealing with bullying as it relates to English language learners (ELLs). A survey was developed and mailed to 1,000 school-based SLPs. Eight vignettes describing unobserved and observed episodes of physical, verbal, relational, and cyber bullying were included. Survey data from 390 SLPs were analyzed. SLPs perceive physical, verbal, and cyber bullying as serious problems and report the likelihood of some type of intervention. In contrast, relational bullying (e.g., social exclusion, rejection) was rated less serious and likely to require less intervention. The majority of SLPs recommended ELLs should “try to blend in better,” “not be bothered by the bully,” “be more aggressive,” or “ignore the bull...
One-Hundred Years of pH

The idea of expressing the hydrogen-ion concentration on a log arithmetic scale was presented by S. P. L. Sorensen in 1909. The symbol that he used was the letter p and a smaller H appearing almost as a subscript. Typographical convenience led journals to adopt the current symbol. It has been common to assume that the p represented a word such as power, but in 2000, it was asserted that the p came from the way that Sorensen designated the cells that he used to measure pH. Biological workers quickly adopted the pH symbol to specify buffer conditions, but chemists were slow to adopt it. Today this symbol is widely used, and the little p has assumed a life of its own. We trace some of the history of buffers, indicators, and the pH meter. We also show the slow incorporation of pH into Chemical Abstracts and into Introductory Chemistry in Berkeley. The modern definition of pH is a purely operational one. Buffers that have been carefully calibrated to closely follow the activity of the hydrogen ion are used to ...
Comparison of a photostimulable phosphor system with film for dental radiology

This study compared the imaging performance of a photostimulable phosphor system with E speed film for dental radiography. The response of each imaging system was measured as a function of radiation exposure. Measurements were also made of imaging performance in terms of the limiting spatial resolution and low contrast detectability. Photostimulable phosphors had a wider dynamic range in comparison with film. The limiting spatial resolution of the photostimulable phosphor was approximately 6.5 lp/mm and independent of image magnification. For film, the limiting spatial resolution was in the range 11 to 20 lp/mm depending on image magnification. At the same radiation exposure, low contrast detectability of the photostimulable phosphor was superior to that of film. Major benefits of photostimulable phosphor systems include the elimination of chemical processing and an improved low contrast detectability performance.
Culturally Relevant Practices that “Serve” Students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

As institutions not founded to “serve” Latina/o students, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) must actively change their curricula and programs to meet the needs of their diverse population, including Latina/o, low income, and first generation students. Using a case study approach, including interviews and focus groups, this study examined culturally relevant practices at one HSI, including the ethnic studies curriculum and student support programs. Specifically, findings highlight how the Chicana/o Studies department and the Educational Opportunity Program have historically served underrepresented students and the ways in which such programs are embedded within the structures of the institution. This study has implications for HSIs and other institutions enrolling and serving diverse populations.