cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Who pays for ethical debt in AI

Many Artificial Intelligence (e.g., Machine Learning) tools are being developed with ethical debt. They are created and deployed without fully examining and addressing the potential ethical consequences. This paper looks more closely at the concept of ethical debt in Artificial Intelligence and its consequences. The analysis focuses on two prevalent use cases: Artificial Intelligence as a vehicle for screening job applicants and Artificial Intelligence as a predictor for those patients who will require extra healthcare services. The analysis also compares and contrasts the similarities and differences surrounding the concepts of ethical debt versus technical debt. The paper concludes with a discussion on the misalignment between those who decide to incur ethical debt and those who end up paying for that decision.
Wedge-direct sums of group algebras of finite groups

The wedge-direct sum of a sequence of semisimple algebras (over an arbitrary field) was introduced in [Xu, B. (2019). Wedge-direct sums of table algebras and applications to association schemes, I....
Greed and Rapacity in Twilight and Vampire Academy: Kleinian Models of Maturation for Young Adult Readers

This paper considers the Twilight novels alongside the Vampire Academy books, as young adult readers regularly invoke these series as touchstones of the contemporary adolescent Gothic genre. The abiding appeal of these vampire novels is related to the ways they reflect the experiences of young adults with the rapacity and greed displayed in our time, especially in our recent financial crises. This paper examines the limitations of Stephenie Meyer's resolution to the conflicts attending growing up among vampires through a comparative analysis of her novels and those of Richelle Mead. The theories of psychologist Melanie Klein about infant development are used to show that these two series represent different responses to the greed of our times. Klein's insights distinguish Meyer's Bella Swan and Mead's Rose Hathaway with respect to their psychic integration and in the way each models a process for readers of dealing with a society structured by vampiric rapacity. Bella learns to control herself in the stage Klein calls persecutory anxiety, but without the larger-scale integration that betokens maturity. She displays an acceptance of the fundamental nature of her world, with no attempt to revise or improve it beyond gaining peace for her own household. Rose achieves a better balance on the personal level, and she works to effect change in the fabric of her society. Her actions convey a message of hope to readers with respect to the struggles they must undergo in their own world. The contrasting way of dealing with societal greed that is exemplified by these books is especially important to young adults who are in the process of developing their personal identity, providing them with assistance with the anxiety attending their changing attitudes to financial responsibilities.
Analysis of Trends and Outcomes of 90-Day Readmissions after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Purpose Despite decreasing morbidity and mortality in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients, readmission after implantation remains a problem. Our aim was to investigate the trends and outcomes of 90-day readmission in this population. Methods The National Readmission Database from 2012 to 2017 was queried to identify patients who underwent LVAD implantation. Results A total of 13,375 adults who survived LVAD implantation during the index admission were included in our analysis. At 90-days, 6,261 (46.8%) patients experienced readmission with most readmission occurring in the first 20 days. Diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), and chronic pulmonary disease were more common among those readmitted. During the study period, readmission rate and mortality during the index admission remained stable, whereas mortality during the readmission and gastrointestinal bleeding as primary reason for readmission declined overtime (Figure 1). Among the reasons for readmission, intracranial bleeding (34.1%), ischemic stroke (13.5%), and device thrombosis (13.5%) were associated with the highest mortality and gastrointestinal bleeding (0.9%) with the lowest (Figure 2). The multivariate logistic regression model revealed gastrointestinal bleeding and length of stay during index admission, CKD, CAD, and depression as independent predictor of 90-day readmission. Conclusion One half of patients with LVAD implantation experience 90-day readmissions. Gastrointestinal bleeding as primary reason for readmission and mortality during readmission decreased over time.
Application of Compositional Neural Networks for Robust Classification of Infrared Imagery

Thermal infrared (IR) imaging has increasingly been used for remote sensing applications, which has required the adaptation of processing techniques for “natural images” (e.g., RGB images) to this unique domain in order to accommodate such differences as texture and resolution. While Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have recently been shown to perform well for classification of IR images, we consider the common scenario in which the target object is partially occluded. Recent work demonstrates that deep CNNs struggle to generalize under occlusion, and Compositional CNNs (CompNets) have been proposed as deep models to mitigate this shortcoming. In this work, we apply CompNets to IR imagery, discuss the considerations in moving from natural images to IR, and analyze performance on a dataset that has been artificially occluded. Our results indicate that CompNets do, indeed, bolster robustness to occlusion in the IR domain.
Plant cell adhesion and growth on artificial fibrous scaffolds as an in vitro model for plant development.

Mechanistic studies of plant development would benefit from an in vitro model that mimics the endogenous physical interactions between cells and their microenvironment. Here, we present artificial ...
Recent developments in germanium containing clusters in intermetallics and nanocrystals

Multimetallic clusters can be described as building blocks in intermetallics, compounds prepared from all metals and/or semi-metals, and in Zintl phases, a subset of intermetallics containing metals with large differences in electronegativity. In many cases, these intermetallic and Zintl phases provide the first clue for the possibilities of bond formation between metals and semi-metals. Recent advances in multimetallic clusters found in Zintl phases and nanoparticles focusing on Ge with transition metals and semi-metals is presented. Colloidal routes to Ge nanocrystals provide an opportunity for kinetically stabilized Ge-metal and Ge-semi-metal bonding. These routes provide crystalline nanoclusters of Ge, hereafter referred to as nanocrystals, that can be structurally characterized. Compositions of Ge nanocrystals containing transition metals, and the semi-metals, Sb, Bi, and Sn, whose structures have recently been elucidated through EXAFS, will be presented along with potential applications.
Performing Structure. Tempo in Glenn Gould’s “Goldberg Variations”

Particularly in the later stages of his career, Glenn Gould hoped to create large-scale structural coherence in multi-movement works through his choice of tempi. In a scripted conversation with music critic Tim Page, Gould described the “rhythmic reference point” in his 1981 recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.” Gould’s process in the recording studio did not involve comparison of discrete sections of music; Gould listened to or played along with the end of the previous variation to set the tempo of the following variation. Empirical analysis of Gould’s 1981 recording shows how the processual logic of Gould’s execution contrasts with the architectural emphasis of the theoretical literature on proportional tempo. In this recording, proportional tempo relationships depend on large-scale slowing across entire movements. Despite being common in Gould’s recordings, these tempo shapes have not previously been described in the scholarly or popular literature; I argue that listeners do not perceive them as tempo per se, but as structure. This heard sense of structure is created in an area underdetermined by Bach’s notation and is based almost entirely on Gould’s decisions as a performer. Vor allem in spateren Phasen seiner Karriere wahlte Glenn Gould in mehrsatzigen Werken Tempi, durch die strukturelle Koharenz auf grosformaler Ebene geschaffen werden sollte. In einem Gesprach mit dem Musikkritiker Tim Page beschrieb Gould den »rhythmic reference point« in seiner Aufnahme von Bachs ›Goldberg-Variationen‹ von 1981: Goulds Arbeit im Aufnahmestudio beinhaltete keinen Vergleich einzelner musikalischer Abschnitte; er horte sich das Ende der vorherigen Variation an oder spielte dazu, um das Tempo der folgenden Variation zu bestimmen. Eine empirische Analyse von Goulds Aufnahme von 1981 zeigt, wie die prozessuale Logik seiner Interpretation im Gegensatz zu architektonischen Uberlegungen zu Tempoproportionalitat steht, wie sie in der musiktheoretischen Literatur haufig begegnen. In dieser Aufnahme ausert sich dies im grosformalen Verlangsamungen uber ganze Satze hinweg. Obwohl sie in Goulds Aufnahmen ublich sind, wurden diese Tempoformungen in der wissenschaftlichen oder popularen Literatur bisher nicht beschrieben. Ich argumentiere, dass Horer*innen sie nicht als Tempo per se wahrnehmen, sondern als Struktur. Dieses gehorte Strukturgefuhl erschliest sich dabei nicht aus Bachs Notation, sondern basiert fast ausschlieslich auf Goulds interpretatorischen Entscheidungen.
6-hour maximum rain in Friuli Venezia Giulia: Climatology and ECMWF-based forecasts

Abstract Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) is a region in Italy with very complex orography, having an annual rainfall amount that varies from about 900 mm on the coast to more than 3200 mm in the Julian Prealps. A network of 104 raingauges placed around the FVG territory was used to extract the absolute maximum rain accumulated every 6 h, during the period 16 February 2006 to 15 February 2015 (9 years). Interannual, annual, weekly and daily cycles of three classes of rain intensities are analyzed, finding that significant rainfalls (MaxRain > 5 mm) are more frequent in the May to mid-August period, while the heaviest rainfalls (> 40 mm) are more probable between May and the beginning of December, with a peak at the very beginning of November. ECMWF 6-h forecasts at 18 gridpoints (spaced at 0.25°) above the FVG region are studied for the same period, to find the maximum 6-h rain forecasted by the ECMWF model from + 6 to + 48 h and correlate it with the observed maximum rain of all the 104 raingauges. It is found that the correlation coefficient R is higher at 0000–0600 UTC and minimum at 1800–0000 UTC, while the BIAS is always negative (underestimation), varying between − 3.5 and − 6.9 mm. Looking at more homogeneous subareas, ECMWF has a much worse BIAS and RMSE for the Prealps zone, while its correlation coefficient is lower for the coastal and plains zones. For comparison, a similar exercise is repeated using a LAM model (ALADIN-ARSO), finding better BIAS and RMSE, but a lower skill for the mean correlation coefficient. Hence, a linear statistical method (multiregression with exhaustive input selection) for forecasting the maximum 6-h rain using as candidate predictors the direct model output (absolute values, anomalies, standardized values, plus mean, max and SD in time and space) is developed independently for four different sub-regions and two periods of the year starting from the ECMWF forecast. It is found that the strong BIAS in the Prealpine area can easily be removed, substantially improving the forecast, in particular during the October–April period, while the plains and coastal area, in particular during May–September, have the lowest predictability.
Cross section of (π+, π+ n+π° p) reaction on 12C at the (32, 32) resonance

Abstract The absolute cross section for the neutron-knockout reaction on 12C with π+ particles has been measured at the ( 3 2 , 3 2 ) pion-nucleon resonance. A value of 50 ± 4 mb was obtained.
Elizabeth I and Pope Paul IV: Reticence and Reformation

This article is a historical look at the political and religious relationship between England’s Elizabeth I and Pope Paul IV. In 1558 when Elizabeth I ascended the throne of England, there was much speculation about how she would be received by a Pope so well-known for his intolerance of heresy and zeal for the Inquisition. This article will argue that a complex set of forces were at work during Elizabeth’s early reign which allowed her time to pass legislation to establish the English Church as a separate entity from Rome. It would be Paul IV’s inaction, possibly born out of a hope that Elizabeth might still be redeemed to the Catholic faith, that in the end allowed the English Church to consolidate its gains and left his Catholic subjects with no recourse but to give allegiance to their prince whether they thought her illegitimate or not.
Dynamic wedge versus physical wedge: a Monte Carlo study

The purposes of this study are (1) to analyze the characteristics of dynamic wedge (DW) and (2) to compare DW with physical wedge (PW) in terms of their differences in spectrum, energy fluence, angular distribution, electron contamination, and dose distributions in inhomogeneous phantom. The EGS4/BEAM Monte Carlo codes were used to simulate the exact geometry of a 6 MV beam generated by a Varian 2100C linac and the DOSXYZ code was employed to calculate 3-D dose distribution in phantom. The DW was simulated according to the segmented treatment tables supplied with the Varian linac. The phase-space data files, which contain all particle information, were obtained at various scoring planes for DW, PW and open fields. These phase-space files are then used for beam characterizations and also used as the input data for the dose calculation in homogeneous and heterogeneous phantoms. The percentage depth dose curves and beam profiles for PW, DW, and open fields were measured and used to verify the Monte Carlo simulations. The simulated results were found to agree with the measurements within 1%. The Monte Carlo calculation shows that, for PW, beam-hardening effect is significant and the beam quality changes across the field in wedged direction, while no such phenomena were observed for DW. The spectrum for contaminated electrons for DW was different from that for PW and the open fried. This results in up to 5% difference on the dose in the build-up region. The different spectra between DW and PW results in noticeable changes on dose distribution near a heterogeneity. This is demonstrated by a calculation with an air slab in place for both DW and PW.
Nd, Ce(fπ)-O(pπ) HYBRIDIZATION IN Nd2−xCexCuO4 AND DYNAMIC JAHN-TELLER PAIRING IN HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS

Hybridization of Nd(fπ) and Ce(fπ) orbitals with composite O(pπ)-O(pπ) bonding/ Cu(dπ*)-O(pπ) antibonding orbitals at the Fermi energy (EF) is shown to promote high-Tc superconductivity in Nd2−xCexCuO4. Dynamic Jahn-Teller coupling of these hybrid molecular orbitals to the lattice leads to Cooper pairing as it does in other high-Tc superconductors, such as La2−xSrxCuO4, where O(pπ) character at EF is dominant.
Searching for ultra-high energy cosmic rays with smartphones

Abstract We propose a novel approach for observing cosmic rays at ultra-high energy (>1018 eV) by repurposing the existing network of smartphones as a ground detector array. Extensive air showers generated by cosmic rays produce muons and high-energy photons, which can be detected by the CMOS sensors of smartphone cameras. The small size and low efficiency of each sensor is compensated by the large number of active phones. We show that if user adoption targets are met, such a network will have significant observing power at the highest energies.
Performance of Cholesterol Oxidase Sequestered within Reverse Micelles Formed in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

We report the first results on an enzyme-induced reaction within the water core of reverse micelles that have been formed in supercritical CO2 (scCO2). By using a perfluoropolyether ammonium carbox...
Microcolumn liquid chromatography—mass spectrometry using moving belt and continuous flow fast atom bombardment interfaces

Abstract Packed fused-silica liquid chromatographic columns were interfaced to a magnetic mass spectrometer using a commercially available moving belt interface to obtain electron ionization and chemical ionization mass spectra, and continuous flow fast atom bombardment interface built in our laboratories to obtain fast atom bombardment mass spectra. Good quality spectra were obtained on 0.1-μg samples injected into the liquid chromatographic column with all three ionization techniques. Examples showing the utility of these techniques for the identification of herbicides and their plant metabolities are presented.
U -estimators of regression coefficients

Abstract For the regression model yi = x′iξ + ei, 1 ≤ i ≤ n, with i.i.d. residuals {ei}, we introduce the estimator of ξ which zeros the weighted U-statistic ∑∑ qijK(ei, ej), where qij is a score vector for regression vectors xi and xj. These include some M- and R-estimators. Asymptotic inference is developed without the need to estimate the (ƒ′/ƒ) function, where ƒ is the pdf of the residuals.
Polarimetry as a general method for enzyme assays

A polarimetric assay has been used for a number of enzymes catalyzing different types of reaction including several peptidases, phosphohexose isomerase, glutamate decarboxylase, and glutamate-alanine transaminase. The limitations and requirements of the method for these and certain other enzymes are discussed.
In Memoriam: Lowell Bollinger (1923–2014)

Lowell Bollinger, a pioneer nuclear physics researcher and recipient of the Bonner Prize of the American Physical society, died on 25 September 2014 at the age of 91 in Harpswell, Maine. Bollinger was brought up in India, educated at Oberlin College, spent some time working at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, and then attended Cornell University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1951. His thesis research advisor was Giuseppe Cocconi, on one of the earliest underground cosmic ray measurements, observing muons 600-m deep in a salt mine.
Education on the appalachian trail: What 2,000 miles can teach us about learning

Rather than dwelling on why too many men don't succeed in college, trekker Karen Arnold examines the features of an experience in which many men do excel: the long hike from Georgia to Maine. Educators can learn why accomplishing this feat may be more rewarding than college.
The genetic relationship of personality to major depression and schizophrenia.

Since ancient times, dimensions of personality have been linked with the liability to psychiatric illness. In modern times, several research approaches suggest that personality and the liability to psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia and major depression (MD) are influenced by many of the same genes. If this is true, it could shed light on the genetic architecture of psychiatric illness. It could also validate the use of personality measures in unaffected relatives in linkage and association studies of psychiatric illness. This approach could potentially increase statistical power to detect genetic effects. The personality trait neuroticism (N) may be genetically related to MD, while schizotypal traits may be genetically related to schizophrenia. Twin studies have reported that most of the covariation between N and MD is due to shared additive genetic factors. Adoption studies have demonstrated that the biological offspring of schizophrenic mothers are more likely to have schizotypal personality disorder than are children of control mothers.At the current time, only one genome wide scan of N has been published, which does show some overlap in linkage results with genome scans of MD. However,this should be replicated and more rigorously studied. At the present time, there are no established susceptibility genes for MD. When these are established, it will be necessary to assess their relationship with N. Currently, no genome scans of schizotypy have been published. Furthermore, although several putative susceptibility genes for schizophrenia have been reported and replicated, only one — catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) — has been tested in schizotypy.
Resistance to crown gall disease in transgenic grapevine rootstocks containing truncated virE2 of Agrobacterium

A truncated form of the Ti-plasmid virE2 gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains C58 and A6, and A. vitis strain CG450 was transferred and expressed in somatic embryos of grapevine rootstocks 110 Richter (Vitis rupestris × V. berlandieri), 3309 Couderc (V. rupestris × V. riparia) and Teleki 5C (V. berlandieri × V. riparia) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to confer resistance to crown gall disease. Transformation was confirmed in 98% of the 322 lines by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the neomycin phosphotransferase II protein and 97% of 295 lines by polymerase chain reaction for the truncated virE2 transgene. Southern blot analysis revealed the insertion of truncated virE2 at one to three loci in a subset of seven transgenic 110 Richter lines. In vitro resistance screening assays based on inoculations of shoot internode sections showed reduced tumorigenicity and very small galls in 23 of 154 transgenic lines. Non-transformed controls had a 100% tumorigenicity rate with very large galls. Disease resistance assay at the whole plant level in the greenhouse revealed seven transgenic lines (3 lines of 110 Richter, 2 lines of 3309 Couderc and 2 lines of Teleki 5C) were resistant to A. tumefaciens strain C58 and A. vitis strains TM4 and CG450 with a substantially reduced percentage of inoculation sites showing gall as compared to controls. No association was found between the level of resistance to crown gall disease and the source Agrobacterium strain of virE2. Taken together, our data showed that resistance to crown gall disease can be achieved by expressing a truncated form of virE2 in grapevines.
The Efficacy of Dietary Fat Vs. Total Energy Restriction for Weight Loss

Objective: Dietary fat restriction is currently being promoted as a weight loss strategy. However, previous investigations suggest that fat restriction alone may not be more beneficial than total energy restriction for the treatment of obesity. The purpose of this project was to assess whether an energy-restricted or fat-restricted diet was more effective at promoting weight loss, improving eating behaviors, and reducing barriers to dietary adherence. Research Methods and Procedures: Eighty individuals (15 men and 65 women) were randomized into the two treatment conditions. Subjects were 120% to 140% of ideal body weight and 25 years to 45 years old. Treatment consisted of 24 weeks of dietary fat (22 g/day to 26 g/day) or energy restriction (4,186 kJ/day to 5,023 kJ/day), including behavior modification and exercise. Body weight change, dietary intake, eating behaviors, and barriers to adherence were measured at baseline and after treatment. Results: Results show that subjects in the energy-restricted condition lost over twice as much weight as those in the fat-restricted group (11.5 kg vs. 5.2 kg). Additionally, subjects in the low-energy condition had greater improvements in eating behavior scores, enhanced feelings of wellness, a greater distaste for dietary fat, and no more pronounced feelings of deprivation than did those in the fat-restricted condition. Discussion: An energy-restricted diet produces greater short-term weight loss than dietary fat restriction without many of the negative consequences commonly attributed to reducing energy intake.
Network Intrusion Detection and Visualization Using Aggregations in a Cyber Security Data Warehouse

The challenge of achieving situational understanding is a limiting factor in effective, timely, and adaptive cyber-security analysis. Anomaly detection fills a critical role in network assessment and trend analysis, both of which underlie the establishment of comprehensive situational understanding. To that end, we propose a cyber security data warehouse implemented as a hierarchical graph of aggregations that captures anomalies at multiple scales. Each node of our proposed graph is a summarization table of cyber event aggregations, and the edges are aggregation operators. The cyber security data warehouse enables domain experts to quickly traverse a multi-scale aggregation space systematically. We describe the architecture of a test bed system and a summary of results on the IEEE VAST 2012 Cyber Forensics data.
Regional Variation in Massachusetts Ceramics

This paper compares prehistoric ceramic assemblages from three regions of the Massachusetts coastal zone in an attempt to define which technological and stylistic variables are consistent throughout the zone, and which vary between regions. Technological, social, and economic implications of the patterns found are discussed.
The Effect of User Control on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing of Pictures

This paper explores psychology related to the moment that control is exercised during interactions with media. What is the difference in the thoughtful and emotional engagement of viewers with the content presented between reacting to media versus controlling its onset? Subjects viewed pictures on a computer as part of a 2 (control) × 2 (picture type) × 16 (repetitions) × 2 (order) within-subjects experiment (N = 22). In one condition, subjects controlled the picture onset with a computer mouse. In the other condition, the computer controlled the picture onset. Heart rate and skin conductance were collected as indicators of the automatic attention and arousal elicited by each manipulation of control. Results showed that subjects exhibited a cardiac orienting response when the computer controlled the onset of emotional pictures. Subjects failed to orient when they had control over picture onset. Physiological arousal, as measured by skin conductance, was higher when subjects had control over picture onset....
Development of chemical sensors using microfabrication and micromachining techniques

Abstract Chemical and electrochemical sensors have been produced using microelectronic fabrication techniques. The recent advancement of micromaching technology provides new impetus to the development of chemical sensors. Micromachinining techniques, such as chemical anisotropic etching, plasma etching and sacrificial layers, add a new dimension to the advancement of chemical sensor research. Controlled temperature and operating conditions can be accomplished using these techniques and it is possible to construct low mass, low power driven devices. Sensors and sensors arrays can be constructed for multiple sensing. Tin oxide based sensors, metal insulator semiconductor diode sensors and high temperature solid electrolyte oxygen sensors are used to illustrate the advantages of this endeavor.
Infrared and ab Initio Study of the Relative Stability and Geometry of the 3-Fluoropropene−Hydrogen Chloride van der Waals Complexes

The mid-infrared spectra (4000−400 cm-1) of complexes between the cis and gauche conformers of 3-fluoropropene, CH2CHCH2F, and HCl have been recorded in liquefied argon at temperatures ranging from...
Parental Expressivity, Child Physiological and Behavioral Regulation, and Child Adjustment: Testing a Three-Path Mediation Model.

Research Findings: Parental expressivity, child physiological regulation (indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia suppression), child behavioral regulation, and child adjustment outcomes were examined in 45 children (M age = 4.32 years, SD = 1.30) and their parents. With the exception of child adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems and adaptive skills), which were assessed with parents' ratings, all variables were observed behaviorally or physiologically. A 3-path mediation path model was tested with the relations between parental expressivity and child adjustment outcomes mediated through child physiological regulation and behavioral regulation. Despite low power to detect the mediated effect, there was evidence to suggest that physiological regulation and behavioral regulation were 2 mediating mechanisms by which parental high positive/low negative expressivity may influence adaptive skills. Thus, parental expressivity may shape children's physiological regulation. And physiological ...
Adult Literacy Reform Through a Womanist Lens: Unpacking the Radical Pedagogy of Civil Rights Era Educator, Bernice V. Robinson

This article explores nuances of power and powerlessness in adult literacy, pedagogy in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. Drawing from interdisciplinary literature, this article places Bernic...
Psychological adaptation and development under acculturative stress: toward a general model.

Abstract Psychological stresses affecting individuals from tradition-oriented societies who are subjected to acculturative pressures from western, modernized societies are examined. A cognitive construct, the mazeway, is used as a psychological frame-of-reference because of its adaptability to several sociocultural approaches to behavior theory. Primary stress is seen to derive from relative deprivation and, in particular, withdrawal of status respect. Adaptation to socially-induced stress approximates four modes: Retreatism, Reconciliation, Innovation and Withdrawal. Innovation and Withdrawal are seen to be improbable in the tradition-oriented society. Both Retreatism and Reconciliation can lead to successful psychocultural adaptation; several case studies lend support to this theoretical framework.
Metformin and Insulin Suppress Hepatic Gluconeogenesis through Phosphorylation of CREB Binding Protein

Summary Insulin resistance and elevated glucagon levels result in nonsuppressible hepatic glucose production and hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. The CREB coactivator complex controls transcription of hepatic gluconeogenic enzyme genes. Here, we show that both the antidiabetic agent metformin and insulin phosphorylate the transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP) at serine 436 via PKCι/λ. This event triggers the dissociation of the CREB-CBP-TORC2 transcription complex and reduces gluconeogenic enzyme gene expression. Mice carrying a germline mutation of this CBP phosphorylation site (S436A) demonstrate resistance to the hypoglycemic effect of both insulin and metformin. Obese, hyperglycemic mice display hepatic insulin resistance, but metformin is still effective in treating the hyperglycemia of these mice since it stimulates CBP phosphorylation by bypassing the block in insulin signaling. Our findings point to CBP phosphorylation at Ser436 by metformin as critical for its therapeutic effect, and as a potential target for pharmaceutical intervention.
Probing the DNA-Binding Affinity and Specificity of Designed Zinc Finger Proteins

Engineered transcription factors and endonucleases based on designed Cys2His2 zinc finger domains have proven to be effective tools for the directed regulation and modification of genes. The introduction of this technology into both research and clinical settings necessitates the development of rapid and accurate means of evaluating both the binding affinity and binding specificity of designed zinc finger domains. Using a fluorescence anisotropy-based DNA-binding assay, we examined the DNA-binding properties of two engineered zinc finger proteins that differ by a single amino acid. We demonstrate that the protein with the highest affinity for a particular DNA site need not be the protein that binds that site with the highest degree of specificity. Moreover, by comparing the binding characteristics of the two proteins at varying salt concentrations, we show that the ionic strength makes significant and variable contributions to both affinity and specificity. These results have significant implications for zinc finger design as they highlight the importance of considering affinity, specificity, and environmental requirements in designing a DNA-binding domain for a particular application.
Agritourism activity participation motivation in Kentucky

As small farmers face economic difficulties resulting from lower demand for tobacco and other traditionally reliable cash crops, many family farmers are looking to agritourism to sustain their livelihood. This exploratory study investigates the level of current agritourism entrepreneurship among Kentucky farm families in order to better understand the relationship between tourism and agriculture in the commonwealth of Kentucky. Data for this study was collected in the summer of 2008 via a telephone survey of Kentucky households using a modified list-assisted Waksberg-Mitofsky random-digit dialling procedure. The results indicate that while there is some awareness of agritourism among Kentucky farmers, much work needs to be done to boost the idea and practice. This study indicates that interest in agritourism is growing, especially in ‘pick your own produce’ activities.
Connectionist unification of feature-structures

Summary form only given, as follows. A general method is presented to encode and unify recursively nested feature structures in neural nets. The unification algorithm implemented by the net relies on iterative coarsening of equivalence classes of graph nodes. This approach allows the reformulation of unification as a constraint satisfaction problem and allows the connectionist implementation to take full advantage of the potential parallelism inherent in unification. Moreover, the method is able to process any number of feature structures in parallel, making decisions among mutually exclusive unifications where necessary. >
Investigation of a Thermal Spike Model for Ion Mixing of Metals with SI

A Model for Ion Mixing of Bilayer systems in a thermal spike is described. Normal thermal reactions, at a constant average temperature, are assumed for the duration of the spike. New experimental results on mixing of a Nb/Si couple with Xe ions are shown to agree with the prediction of the model that the apparent activation energy in ion mixing can depend upon the ion species. Calculations of spike mixing for Cr and Ni with Si are presented which show that a substantial part of the experimentally observed mixing rates, and their temperature dependence, can be attributed to thermal spike effects.
Predictors of emotional distress, general health, and caregiving outcomes in family caregivers of stroke survivors.

AbstractPredictors of emotional distress, general health, and stroke-related caregiving outcomes were determined in 104 family caregivers of stroke survivors based on a conceptual model derived from Lazarus’ theory of stress and coping. Predictors of emotional distress (R2 = .48, p < .001) were low caregiver self-esteem, high task difficulty, and high threat appraisal. Predictors of poorer health (R2 = .25, p < .001) were not living with the patient, low household income, and high threat appraisal. Predictors of poor stroke-related care-giving outcomes (R2 = .45, p < .001) were emotional distress, low benefit appraisal, high task difficulty, and high threat appraisal. Findings suggest potential areas for multidimensional caregiver interventions.
Late cardiotoxicity after bolus versus infusion anthracycline therapy for childhood cancers.

Objective To compare the long-term myocardial function of patients who had been treated with infusion anthracycline therapy (administered continuously over >24 hr, IG) versus bolus therapy (administered over <30 min, BG). Methods We selected 25 patients (BG) and 19 patients (IG) who had three or more years of disease free survival. We evaluated the echocardiograms for left ventricular shortening fraction (SF) obtained at baseline, within one year after the end of therapy (early follow-up), and on long-term follow-up. Results The mean anthracycline dose in the BG was 385 mg/m2 and in the IG was 345 mg/m2 (P = 0.07). During therapy, one patient in BG and none in IG developed diminished SF. During early follow-up, five of the 22 patients in BG and one of the 17 patients in IG developed diminished SF (P = 0.2). Of these five patients with diminished SF, three patients in BG and none in IG continued to have abnormally low SF long-term. At mean of 7 years, five of the 25 patients in BG and two of the 19 in IG had diminished SF on (P = 0.7). Late left ventricular dilatation was seen in 8% in BG and 5% in IG (P = 1.0). Conclusions At mean of 7 years after end of therapy, diminished cardiac function was seen in 20% of the patient who had received bolus anthracycline compared to 11% of patients who had received it via infusion. This difference did not prove to be statistically significant. Med Pediatr Oncol 2003;40:343–347. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Current Issues in Financial Economics: An Overview

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of a number of contemporary issues in financial economics. The issues analyzed include causes of bank failures, financing of small and medium size enterprise financing, convergence of international equity markets, the importance of CEOs to shareholders, the effects of Accounting Standard 158, the impact of credit cards on aggregate money holdings, and measures of industrial concentration.
Long-Term Habituation of a Defensive Withdrawal Reflex in Aplysia

A tactile stimulus to the siphon of Aplysia produces a defensive withdrawal reflex consisting of contraction of the siphon, the gill, and the mantle shelf. We studied long-term habituation of this reflex using two types of preparations, one focusing on the siphon component and the other on the gill component of the reflex. Siphon withdrawal, studied in unrestrained animals, showed marked habituation within a single ten-trial training session. Five daily training sessions produced habituaton that built up across days and lasted for at least 3 weeks. Furthermore, spaced training produced significantly longer lasting habituation than massed training. Gill withdrawal, studied in a restrained animal, also showed long-term retention of habituation. Since the neural circuitry of gill withdrawal is relatively well understood, it may be possible to study the cellular mechanisms underlying a long-term behavioral modification.
A Biomimetic Approach to Solar Energy Conversion

A biomimetic process is carried out in vitro by an inanimate system or apparatus and is based on methods used by living organisms. Specifically, the prospects for using the methods of plant photosynthesis for solar energy conversion are considered. The discussion is presented under the following headings: biomimetic technologies; the photosynthetic unit; chlorophyll as electrophile (acceptor); chlorophyll as donor; photoreaction center chlorophyll; chlorophyll--water adducts; electron spin resonance properties of chlorophyll--water adducts; photoreaction center chlorophyll; the special pair; models for photoactive chlorophyll special pairs; synthetic photoreaction centers; and biomimetic light energy conversion. It is concluded that the prospects for the ultimate success of biomimetic technologies for solar energy conversion depend on the extent to which the details of plant or bacterial photosynthesis are delineated. Although significant advances have been made in the past few years, formidable problems remain. (JGB)
Cytoplasmic morphology weaver (wv) mouse cerebellar neurons at the culture substratum

The purpose of this study was to determine the structural basis for the hypermotility and impaired growth cone elongation of the homozygous weaver (wv/wv) mouse cerebellar granule cell neurons in culture. Two-day cultures of dissociated week-old normal (+/+) and wv/wv cerebellum were processed for electron microscopy of intact cells and cytoskeleton. Serial sections parallel to and starting from the substrate were examined. Fine-caliber neurites of normal granule cells are packed with parallel arrays of microtubules at all levels. Microfilament-packed microspikes are present at substrate level emanating from a cortical microfilament lattice at the terminus of neurites of varying length. Homozygous weaver granule cells at substrate level have lateral cytoplasmic extensions along the neurite. Microtubules that curve throughout the neurite are separated by cytoplasm. The lateral extensions and growth cone cytoplasmic projections contain microfilaments and occasionally microtubules. Microfilament-packed microspikes are not observed. Immunofluorescent detection of actin confirms the ultrastructural picture. A hallmark of the wv/wv cytopathology is the presence of large numbers of coated vesicles throughout the neurite shaft at the cell-substratum interface. These are rare at similar locations in +/+ neurites. We hypothesize that reduced tension in the growth cone and neurite owing to the presence of lateral extensions and absence of stable microspikes are responsible for the impaired elongation and hypermotility of mutant neurons.
Tiagabine augmentation to fluvoxamine–risperidone combination in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Despite the recent progress in the pharmacological treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)--especially with high doses of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alone or in combination with low doses of antipsychotics--a non-negligible proportion of patients remains refractory to it. For these patients augmentation tactics with drugs from other chemical classes, including antiepileptic drugs, seems advisable. We report on the case of a female inpatient with OCD, whereby the adjunction of tiagabine, a selective GABA reuptake inhibitor at 15 mg/day, to a fluvoxamine (400 mg/day)-risperidone (1 mg/day) combination led to the patient's marked improvement as reflected in the reduction by almost 47% of her score on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. With respect to tiagabine's specifically anti-OCD mechanism of action, we note that enhanced inhibitory GABAergic neurotransmission slows down excitatory glutamatergic transmission in the cortico-striato-thalamic system, which presumably constitutes the core pathophysiological mechanism of OCD symptoms.
Dextromethorphan alters cerebral blood flow and protects against cerebral injury following focal ischemia

Abstract The effects of the N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) antagonist dextromethorphan (DM) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and cerebral injury were studied in a rabbit model of transient focal ischemia. Anesthetized rabbits underwent 2 h occlusion of the left internal carotid, middle cerebral and anterior cerebral artery, followed by 4 h of reperfusion. Ten minutes after the onset of ischemia they were treated with either i.v. DM 20 mg/kg followed by 10 mg/kg/h (n = 6) or normal saline (NS, n = 5). Control rabbits received DM (n = 3) or NS (n = 2) infusion without arterial occlusion. DM attenuated the sharp, post-ischemic rise in rCBF seen during reperfusion within the ischemic core of NS controls (DM 31% pre-ischemic value, NS 92%). DM also improved the delayed post-ischemic hypoperfusion compared with controls. DM infusion without arterial occlusion did not change rCBF values. Compared with NS controls, DM treated animals demonstrated recovery of the somatosensory evoked potential (DM 96% pre-ischemic values, NS 24%), 76% reduction in cortical edema and 92% decrease in cortical ischemic neuronal damage. We conclude that DM's effect on CBF may contribute to its neuroprotective action.
Integration of BMP and Wnt signaling via vertebrate Smad1/5/8 and Drosophila Mad.

Abstract BMPs pattern the dorsal–ventral axis of vertebrate embryos. Smad1/5/8 transduces the BMP signal, and receives phosphorylation inputs from both MAPK and GSK3. Phosphorylation of Smad1 by MAPK and GSK3 result in its polyubiquitination and transport to the centrosome where it is degraded by the proteasome. These linker phosphorylations inhibit BMP/Smad1signaling by shortening its duration. Wnt, which negatively regulates GSK3 activity, prolongs the BMP/Smad1 signal. Remarkably, linker-phosphorylated Smad1 has been shown to be inherited asymmetrically during cell division. Drosophila contains a single Smad1/5/8 homologue, Mad, and is stabilized by phosphorylation-resistant mutations at GSK3 sites, causing Wingless-like effects. We summarize here the significance of linker-phosphorylated Smad1/Mad in relation to signal intensity and duration, and how this integrates the Wnt and BMP pathways during cell differentiation.
FEAFLO: A program for the analysis of layered wood systems

Abstract A finite element method for the analysis of planar layered wood systems is described. The method includes the effects of slip between layers due to fastener deformations, orthotropic material properties and gaps in layers. The method was used in developing program FEAFLO (Finite Element Analysis of FLOors). Data computed at each node include the deflection, rotations, fastener forces and for each layer the axial displacements, axial forces, moments, shears and extreme fiber stresses. The method was verified by comparing measured and predicted behavior for T-beams and wood joist floors. A listing of program FEAFLO, written in ANSI FORTRAN IV, is given. The input and output data for an example floor are also given.
On the Renaturation of Ribosomal Protein L11

When urea-denatured preparations of protein L11 from the ribosome of Escherichia coli are introduced into physiological buffers, two completely different configurations can be obtained. One form, by NMR criteria, shows little evidence of stable tertiary interactions; the other shows strong indications of a distinctive folding pattern. The configuration obtained depends on minor details of the method used for returning samples to non-denaturing conditions.
The analysis of glycerol by gas chromatography

Commencai glycerol and its organic impurities can be measured accurately by a single gas Chromatographic GC analysis utilizing Tenax-GC® and flame detection.
Bile acids. XLIV, quantitation of bile acids from the bile fistula rat given (4-14C) cholesterol.

Abstract The bile acids derived from [4- 14 C] cholesterol administered intracardially to rats with cannulated bile ducts were identified and quantitated. Over a period of 28 days about 90% of the administered 14 C was found in bile of which 73% was retained in the biliary acid fraction. [7β- 3 H]cholic acid, α-muri[3β- 3 H] cholic acid, β-muri[3β- 3 H]cholic acid and litho[3β- 3 H]cholic acid were prepared with specific activities of about 30 μCi/mg by reduction of appropriate ketonic precursors with NaB 3 H 4 and were added to the biliary acid fraction. After separation and purification of the bile acids, cholic, chenodeoxycholic, α- and β-muricholic acids accounted for 70, 16 7.5 and 6.1%, respectively, of the 14 C in the biliary acid fraction. The specific activities of these isolated 14 C-labeled acids were almost identical. Lithocholic acid accounted for a maximum of 0.2% and ursodeoxycholic acid and 7-oxolithocholic acid could account for no more than 2% of the biliary 14 C. Gas-liquid chromatography on 3% OV-17 of the trimethylsilyl ether derivatives of the methyl esters of the common bile acids of rat bile results in their complete separation and provides a convenient means of estimating the relative proportions of these acids in rat bile. By this method, the relative amounts of the four major acids, cholic, chenodeoxycholic, α- and β-muricholic acids were 63, 20, 8 and 6%, respectively.