cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gel formation by fibrin oligomers without addition of monomers.

Soluble fibrin oligomers were formed by reacting fibrinogen with thrombin under fine clotting conditions where the action of thrombin is the rate-determining step for polymerization, and by inhibiting the reaction shortly before gelation. Oligomeric fibrin was separated from unreacted fibrinogen and small oligomers by gel permeation chromatography. Electron microscopy revealed that the largest soluble fibrin oligomers resemble the protofibrils present in fine clots, but are somewhat shorter and entirely lack the twisted, trifunctional junctions that contribute to the elastic properties of fine clots. When thrombin was added to the soluble fibrin oligomers, polymerization resumed and clots were formed at a more rapid rate than from fibrinogen at the same concentration and resulted in a less-opaque clot under coarse clotting conditions. The results confirm a prediction of a theory for the polymerization of fibrin and provide additional evidence that the final state of a coarse fibrin clot depends on the mobility of protofibrils during its formation.
Rationale of analytical separations by simple immiscible solvent extraction

Abstract Expressions are given for the calculation of recovery and separation factors from extraction coefficients in immiscible solvent separations. Extraction coefficients of separation forms in inorganic analysis are usually variables which are a function of reagent concentration and acidity, and whose value can be derived from the equilibrium constant of the extraction reaction.
The untranslated content of Wundt's Grundzüge der physiologischen Psychologie.

Limited translation into English has been a major entailment of the loss of awareness of the nature and scope of Wundt's original system of psychology. This is an attempt to analyze the influence of selective translation by calling attention to the untranslated material and by offering the interpretation that Titchener translated from the Grundzuge what was vital to his system of Structuralism.
The Efficacy of Training Parents in Groups as Teachers for their Autistic Children

This study used a waiting list control group to examine the effects of a 10-week training program in behaviour modification skills for parents of 11 preschool-aged autistic children. Following an initial assessment, the parents were randomly assigned to two groups, with Group 1 (N=5) beginning training while Group 2 (N=6) remained in a waiting list condition. Both groups were reassessed when Group 1 completed training and then Group 2 began training. Both groups were assessed again at the end of Group 2′s training and Group 2 was assessed once more, three months later. The parents were evaluated on their ability to use several teaching skills including discriminative stimuli, prompts (need and quality), consequation, shaping, discrete trials, and recording data. These teaching skills were combined into a single measure of teaching ability. Analysis of variance revealed a significant group by time interaction which showed that Group 1 improved significantly after training, while Group 2, in the waiting lis...
US Policy and the Geopolitics of Insecurity in the Arab World

In the wake of 9/11, President George W. Bush downplayed traditional ‘realist’ security concerns by defining America's goal as countering threats generated by the internal characteristics of Arab societies. Bush advanced a strategy of regional transformation based on regime change in Iraq and economic, social, and political reform across the Arab world. This strategy, however, failed to address the security interests of regional governments while generating insecurity for Arab societies. To explain these results, the article develops a framework for understanding the Middle East regional system that recognises the role of societal discourses of insecurity and the system's multipolar structure. The framework is used to suggest an alternative strategy for US Middle East policy. Rejecting both a renewed project of regional transformation and a return to neorealism, the paper outlines a strategy based on managing a multipolar, pluralist system.
Corrective feedback and learner uptake in communicative classrooms across instructional settings

This paper reports similarities and differences in teachers’ corrective feedback and learners’ uptake across instructional settings. Four communicative classroom settings - French Immersion, Canada ESL, New Zealand ESL and Korean EFL - were examined using Lyster and Ranta’s taxonomy of teachers’ corrective feedback moves and learner uptake. The results indicate that recasts were the most frequent feedback type in all four contexts but were much more frequent in the Korean EFL and New Zealand ESL classrooms (83% and 68%, respectively) than in the Canadian Immersion and ESL classrooms (55% for both). Also, the rates for both uptake and repair following recasts were greater in the New Zealand and Korean settings than in the Canadian contexts. The findings of this study suggest that the extent to which recasts lead to learner uptake and repair may be greater in contexts where the focus of the recasts is more salient, as with reduced/partial recasts, and where students are oriented to attending to linguistic f...
SAFERPHP: finding semantic vulnerabilities in PHP applications

Web applications are vulnerable to semantic attacks such as denial of service due to infinite loops caused by malicious inputs and unauthorized database operations due to missing security checks. Unlike "conventional" threats such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting, these attacks exploit bugs in the logic of the vulnerable application and cannot be discovered using data-flow analysis alone.We give the first characterization of these types of vulnerabilities in PHP applications, develop novel inter-procedural algorithms for discovering them in PHP source code, and implement these algorithms as part of SaferPHP, a framework for static security analysis of PHP applications. SaferPHP uncovered multiple, previously unreported vulnerabilities in several popular Web applications.
Erythrocyte membrane alterations in Huntington disease: Effects of γ‐aminobutyric acid

The interaction of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) with erythrocyte membranes from patients with Huntington disease and normal controls has been studied by electron spin resonance. GABA affects the physical state of erythrocyte membrane proteins in control and Huntington disease differently. In addition, after exposure of spin-labeled Huntington disease erythrocyte membranes to 0.1 mM GABA, the relevant electron spin resonance parameters reflecting the physical state of membrane proteins are indistinguishable from those of untreated control membranes. These findings support the concept that this disease is associated with a generalized membrane defect.
The use of cautery in "bloodless" radical mastectomy.

Several different forms of operative procedures for carcinoma of the breast have been advocated, but radical mastectomy remains the one most often recommended. Blood loss during this procedure is frequently high, often necessitating transfusion. Unfortunately, complications of the latter have been significant and justifiably have continued to receive attention in literature. In this study, blood loss and wound healing, with and without the use of electrocautery, in radical mastectomy were evaluated from both clinical and laboratory studies. Fifty patients who underwent radical mastectomy were studied for blood loss, transfusions received, and wound healing. Technique was identical except that one half of the patients had thin skin flap elevation via electrocautery rather than by sharp dissection. The average blood replacement was 160 ml per patient when cautery was used vs. 960 ml per patient when cautery was not used. The postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit values were statistically similar for both groups. Wound healing was not affected. In addition, a laboratory study, utilizing skin incisions in dogs using scalpel and cautery, was performed. No appreciable difference in healing was noted either on gross or microscopic inspection. The use of electrocautery, therefore, for skin flap elevation during radical mastectomy is recommended.
Postnatal development of renal and hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in male and female Fischer 344 rats.

Abstract Postnatal development of renal and hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes (DME) has been determined in male and female Fischer-344 (F344) rats. Arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) epoxide hydrolase (EH), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and uridine diphosphoglucuronyltransferase (UDPGT) activities were measured at 7, 14, 28, 42, 63 and 84 days after birth. No sex-dependent difference was found in renal AHH activity. In contrast, male hepatic AHH increased sharply after 28 days while female hepatic AHH activity declined. EH and GST activities in the kidney increased slightly during maturation. Hepatic EH activity rose after birth and reached a peak at 42 days. Renal UDPGT activity was low in the first two weeks of life and then rapidly increased to the adult value by 42 days. In contrast, hepatic UDPGT activity was high at birth and declined during maturation. These results demonstrate that the patterns of postnatal development of renal DME in F344 rats differed from that of liver DME. These differences may be important in the determination of the susceptibility of kidney and liver to toxic chemicals.
Methamphetamine-induced neuronal damage: a possible role for free radicals.

Abstract The hypothesis that methamphetamine-induced neuronal damage is mediated by the production of free radicals was evaluated by pretreating rats with either antioxidants or a Superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibitor. It was found that methamphetamine (dose range 6.25–25.0 mg/kg) caused long-lasting depletions of dopamine and serotonin in the striatum and that pretreatment with the antioxidants, ascorbic acid (10–100 mg/kg), ethanol(1 g/kg), mannitol (2 g/kg), or vitamin E (2 g/kg), attenuated these depletions, whereas pretreatment with the Superoxide dismutase inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate (200–400 mg/kg) exacerbated the depletions. The alteration of this effect by four different antioxidants, as well as an inhibitor of superoxidase dismutase, indicated that oxygen-free radicals may have a role in the methamphetamineinduced neurotoxicity.
Effect of 3′,4′-dihydroxy-2-methyl-propriophenone (U-0521) on catechol-O-methyltransferase activity and on DOPA accumulation in rat red blood cells and corpus striatum

The effects of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor 3′,4′-dihydroxy-2-methyl-propriophenone (U-0521) were studied in red blood cells (RBC) and corpus striatum in the rat. In vitro U-0521 inhibited RBC COMT activity in a dosedependent manner with an IC50 of 6 × 10−6M. In vivo maximum inhibition (90%) of enzyme activity in RBC was obtained with 250 mg/kg with a peak effect at 5 min and enzyme recovery within 90 min. In U-0521-pretreated rats l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) accumulation in RBC and corpus striatum, after injection of l-DOPA, was significantly higher than in nonpretreated rats. The use of COMT inhibitor along with l-DOPA may be of benefit in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Delayed accumulation of maternal histone mRNA during sea urchin oogenesis

Abstract We have used in situ hybridization and RNA blotting analysis to compare the timing of accumulation of poly(A) and α-subtype histone mRNA during oogenesis in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus . In situ hybridization with 3 H-poly(U) shows that the content of poly(A) in the developing oocyte increases four- to sixfold during vitellogenesis, implying a similar increase for polyadenylated maternal RNAs. In contrast, both RNA blotting and in situ hybridization demonstrate that there is little, if any, α-subtype histone mRNA in large oocytes. These results suggest that these maternal mRNAs accumulate in the pronucleus of the haploid egg after completion of meiotic maturation where they are stored until their release during the breakdown of the pronucleus during prophase.
Mid‐Infrared Electroluminescence from InAs Quantum Dots in p–n Junctions and Unipolar Tunneling Structures

Mid-infrared electroluminescence and photoluminescence due to transitions between states in InAs self-assembled quantum dots has been measured from both p-n junctions and unipolar (n-doped) tunneling structures. Low-temperature (77 K) luminescence was detected from single layers of quantum dots. The mid-infrared from the quantum dots is broad and for the p-n junction devices peaks near the low-energy cutoff of our optical system (about 80 meV). The electroluminescence from the unipolar devices is also broad, but peaks at an energy of about 140 meV, while photoluminescence on the same -structure is similar to the p-n junction electroluminescence. The electroluminescence from the p-n junction devices is more intense than from the unipolar ones, and begins to saturate at current densities as low as 20 mA/cm 2 .
State-of-the-art chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has continued to evolve over recent years. We have moved from an era of therapeutic nihilism to optimism, largely because of the advent of the newer cytotoxic agents developed in the 1990s that have complemented the platinum compounds for treatment of advanced NSCLC. Doublet chemotherapy combinations have become the current standard of care for patients with advanced NSCLC who have a good performance status. For patients with poor performance status and the elderly, single-agent chemotherapy results in modest improvements in survival. Prolongation of survival and improved quality of life have also been shown with second-line chemotherapy for patients who are either refractory to or relapse following first-line chemotherapy. Noncytotoxic, molecularly targeted agents currently under various phases of development for the treatment of lung cancer will serve as the cornerstones for further innovations in the treatment of NSCLC.
Effect of Dietary Protein and Heated Fat on Serum Cholesterol and Beta-Lipoprotein Levels, and on the Incidence of Experimental Atherosclerosis in Chicks

The present results indicate that dietary protein tends to depress the atherogenic effect of dietary cholesterol and fat. The substitution of heated oil for fresh oil depresses the serum cholesterol and β-lipoprotein levels, but the incidence of atherosclerosis is at least as high as with fresh oil, indicating that the serum cholesterol and β-lipoprotein levels are not necessarily proportional to the degree of experimental atherosclerosis.
Uranium Migration at Some Hydrothermal Veins Near Marysvale, Utah: A Natural Analog For Waste Isolation.

The fission track method was used to map 235U distribution in thin sections made from twenty-one rock samples. Uranium locations within the studied samples include: veins and veinlets, microcracks, secondary minerals sealing microcracks, rock matrix, grain boundaries and cleavages, and accessory minerals. Two traverses show evidence for nuclide movement by diffusion (∼5 and ∼1 cm, respectively) away from a vein and a veinlet and two other traverses show limited movement along a few microcracks. Three traverses show evidence for no uranium movement. One shows a complex combination of perhaps both bulk diffusion and microcrack transport. Apparent diffusivity (Da) values derived for the rock matrix (10−19 to 10−16 [m2/sec]) are several orders of magnitude less, and distribution constant (Kd) values (1 to 102 [m3/kg]) are several orders of magnitude greater than predicted by laboratory experiments. Values for chlorite phases within the rock matrix were Da = 10−22 to 10−19 [m2/sec] and Kd = 101 to 104 [m3/kg].
Interactivity-as-Product and Interactivity-as-Process

This article attempts to clarify the murky conceptual water of “interactivity,” arguing that the term refers to two distinct phenomena: interactivity between people and interactivity between people and computers or networks. The former orients research on the process of interactivity. The latter orients research on the product of interactivity. That two distinct phenomena have been labeled with the same term causes problems when one wants to move from theorizing about interactivity in the abstract to investigating what effects interactivity has and then to operationalizing measurement terms. Studying interactivity-as-process entails a research focus on human interaction. Studying interactivity-as-product entails a research focus on user interactions with technology. In wading into the murky waters of what interactivity is, we must not lose sight of why it matters. In research focused on the opportunities and constraints for citizen participation in the political process afforded by communication technolog...
Origin and maintenance of a high nitrate condition in the equatorial Pacific

Abstract The physical and biological causes for the equatorial nutrient anomaly were investigated using an ecosystem model embedded within an ocean general circulation model to determine the nitrate budget for the equatorial Pacific Ocean. In the 140°W region the effects of mixing on nitrate concentration were small compared to the effects of advection: upwelling and zonal transport to the east in the Equatorial Undercurrent were the major processes in the nitrate budget. At 140°W on the equator annual JNO3, the total net physical supply of nitrate to the euphotic layer, was 3.76 mmol m−2 day−1; the vertical integrated (0–120m) new production calculated from the ecosystem model was 3.36 mmol m−2 day−1 or, in carbon units, 22.26 mmol C m−2 day−1. The vertical supply of nitrate (−w∂NO3/∂z) due to the upwelling is controlled by two factors, the vertical velocity and vertical gradient of nitrate concentration. The vertical velocity reaches the maximum during climatological fall, but the vertical gradient of nitrate is weaker in the fall. Therefore, the vertical supply of nitrate is smaller than in spring. To investigate the role of physiological limitation of phytoplankton photosynthesis and specific growth rate on the maintenance of the high nutrient-low chlorophyll (HNLC) condition, a model experiment was performed that included, unchanged from previous model runs, the physical conditions and density-dependent grazing function, but greatly reduced physiological limitations by increasing α (initial slope of P-I curve) and Pmax (maximum specific growth rate) values. When this was done, vertical integrated primary production at 140°W on the equator doubled (from 83 to 166 mmol C m−2 day−1), but the zooplankton grazing on the phytoplankton also doubled (from 75 to 150 mmol C m−2 day−1). Zooplankton biomass doubled, but there was only a slight increase in phytoplankton biomass; no phytoplankton bloom formed in this model experiment. With potential physiological limitations of phytoplankton rates greatly reduced, the characteristic equatorial plume of unused surface layer nitrate still persisted; but the nitrate-rich plume was smaller in horizontal extent and the maximum concentration was reduced by half from observed concentrations. While the reduction in the extent of the nitrate-rich plume indicates that physiological limitation plays a significant role in the maintenance of the nutrient anomaly, its persistence demonstrates that physical processes and grazing also are involved.
Effects of Preparation Methods on Morphologies of Alumina Templates and Cu Nanowires

Metallic nanowires have been widely studied in various fields due to its special properties such as electronic, optical and chemical. Conventional methods for the preparation of Cu nanowires are usually not accessible by using porous alumina templates due to restriction on using two-step anode oxidation, sputtering Au film, etc. In this paper, the porous alumina template was prepared by one-step anodization. An Al sheet was employed as cathode instead of a valuable Pt or graphite electrode. The Al substrate of alumina template was removed by using the concentrated hydrochloric acid/ethanol solution instead of a heavy metallic salt solution of SnCl4, HgCl2 or CuCl2 used in documents. Cu nanowires were prepared in the porous alumina template by electro-deposition with moving cathode. Some of Cu nanowires were neatly assembled together to form a hemispherical structure and were protected from oxidation. The operations can reduce the cost and simplify the operation.
Depression and Fatigue in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients With and Without HIV Co-Infection

Background Depression and fatigue are common in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Objective We report clinical predictors of these conditions in patients seen in a university clinic. Methods A total of 167 CHC patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Major depressive disorder (MDD) suggested by PHQ-9 was confirmed by clinical interview. FSS scores ≥41 were considered clinically significant fatigue. Logistic and multiple regression models were employed for analysis. Results Thirty-three percent of patients had MDD and 52% had clinically significant fatigue. Sixty-one percent were HIV-infected, among whom both MDD and clinically significant fatigue were significantly less prevalent (OR = 0.47 and 0.46, respectively). MDD was least common in patients without a history of IV drug use (OR = 0.28), and highest in methadone users (OR = 3.57). Compared with methadone users, patients with no history of IV drug use and former IV drug users had less severe fatigue (coefficients = −31.0, −34.0, respectively). Lack of a history of hepatitis treatment was also associated with less severe fatigue (coefficient= −7.6). Conclusion Our study confirms high prevalence of fatigue and depression in CHC. HIV-positivity was associated with lower rates of MDD and clinically significant fatigue, arguably due to support systems for people living with HIV. Higher rates of depression in methadone users might be due to intrinsically higher rates of psychopathology in this group. Being on hepatitis treatment was associated with higher rates of fatigue, probably due to the adverse effects of interferon. Our findings emphasize the importance of routine screening and evaluation of depression and fatigue in CHC populations.
Initiation Site Binding Protein and the Initiator-Like Promoter Element of Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus

The mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter contains an element near its transcription initiation site that is recognized by a protein termed initiation site binding protein (ISBP). Spacing between the TATA box and the ISBP site is important for MMTV promoter function, as altered spacing results in heterogeneity in start site selection in vitro and in vivo. The sequence of the ISBP site is related to initiator elements common in many RNA polymerase II promoters. However, binding of partially purified ISBP to several promoters that contain well-characterized initiator elements was not detected; these promoters included binding sites for a number of previously identified initiator-binding proteins. Partially purified ISBP did, however, bind with high affinity to sequences near the initiation sites of the SV40 major late and adenovirus 2 E1B promoters.
The influence of individual characteristics and assessment center evaluation on career exploration behavior and job involvement

Abstract The assessment center is a popular technique for identifying individuals with managerial talent and providing feedback to participants regarding their developmental needs for career progression. However, the impact of assessment center evaluations on subsequent career behavior and job attitudes has received little attention. This study investigated the impact of the assessment center evaluation, attitudes toward the assessment process, gender, locus of control, and career strategy on career exploration behavior and job involvement. Results indicated that assessment center evaluation, locus of control, career strategy, and attitudes toward the assessment process influenced job involvement and career exploration behavior.
The genetic effects of environmental lead

This article reviews the effects of lead on genetic systems in the context of lead's various other toxic effects and its abundance and distribution in the environment. Lead is perhaps the longest used and best recognized toxic environmental chemical, yet it continued be used recklessly until only very recently. Lead is thus a lesson in the limitations and strengths of science, human conscience and common sense. Lead has been tested and found to be capable of eliciting a positive response in an extraordinarily wide range of biological and biochemical tests; among them tests for enzyme inhibition, fidelity of DNA synthesis, mutation, chromosome aberrations, cancer and birth defects. It reacts or complexes with many biomolecules and adversely affects the reproductive, nervous, gastrointestinal, immune, renal, cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular and hematopoietic systems as well as developmental processes. It is likely that lead is a selective agent that continues to act on and influence the genetic structure and future evolution of exposed plant and animal populations.
Analysis of some of the variables associated with the proliferative response of human lymphoid cells in culture

Human blood leucocytes from certain individuals cultured alone — as “controls” for experiments designed to demonstrate the mutual reactivity of mixed cultures of leucocytes from different donors — revealed an intense proliferative response by the fifth day as measured by the incorporation of radioactive thymidine. Furthermore, thymidine incorporation into control leucocyte cultures from most donors was markedly elevated by the seventh day of culture. Because these high background levels tended to obscure the mutual reactivity of mixed leucocyte cultures, experiments were designed to elucidate the nature of and to circumvent these difficulties. By supplementing the growth media with human plasma, rather than calf serum, the background activity of the control cultures could be maintained at low levels without compromising the mutual reactivity of lymphocytes in the nixed cultures. One other source of variability which proved simple to control was the relative number of “contaminating” non-lymphoid cells in the cultures. This factor was important since, in the preparation of the leucocyte suspensions with erythrocyte sedimentation procedures, the number of contaminating granulocyte cell types can be expected to vary over a wide range. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was used as a mitogen in experiments designed to define further some of the parameters of the lymphocyte response in vitro. When a standard number of lymphocytes — either as a “purified” suspension or as one containing significant numbers of contaminating granulocytes — was cultured with various concentrations of PHA, a dose-dependent response was observed. Partially purified lymphocyte suspensions were only one-half to one-third as active as non-purified leucocyte suspensions containing the same number of lymphocytes. This could not be attributed to a deleterious effect of PHA on purified cultures with a lower cell density since (1) the peak response of both cultures occurred with the same concentration of PHA, and (2) the maximal reactivity to PHA could be restored by increasing the granulocyte content.
Measurements of the Parametric Decay of Co-Laser Radiation into Plasma Waves at Quarter-Critical Density Using Ruby-Laser Thomson Scattering

We report the results of small-angle ruby-laser Thomson-scattering measurements of the parametric excitation of plasma waves by C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-laser radiation at quarter-critical density in a laser-heated gas-target plasma. From supplementary data obtained from interferometry and large-angle ruby-laser scattering we infer that the threshold conditions for a convective decay are satisfied.
Attribution theory and academic library performance evaluation

Despite the many conscientious efforts that librarians make to conduct fair performance evaluations, unconscious factors may bias evaluations and the decisions based on them. This article examines a particular theory in social psychology, attribution theory, because it offers important information regarding potential unintended gender bias when performance is being evaluated.
HALOE observations of a slowdown in the rate of increase of HF in the lower mesosphere

A statistical analysis of monthly averaged HF measurements from HALOE shows definite signs of a slowdown of the increase in HF at 55 km. The data used in this study are monthly averaged HF data from a latitude band from 50N to 50S at an altitude of 55 km. We find that the combination of a third-order polynomial, an annual and semi-annual cycle, and a 900-day cycle provides a good model of the data. The changes in the HF trend are consistent with the trends of CFC-11 and CFC-12 in the troposphere in the early 1990's, adjusted by an estimated lag time to account for transport from the troposphere up to 55 km.
Impact of ship emissions on marine boundary layer NOx and SO2 Distributions over the Pacific Basin

The impact of ship emissions on marine boundary layer (MBL) NOx and SO2 levels over the Pacific Ocean has been explored by comparing predictions (with and without ships) from a global chemical transport model (GCTM) against compiled airborne observations of MBL NOx and SO2. For latitudes >15°N, which define that part of the Pacific having the heaviest shipping, this analysis revealed significant model over prediction for NOx and a modest under prediction for SO2 when ship emissions were considered. Possible reasons for the difference in NOx and SO2 were explored using a full-chemistry box model. These results revealed that for an actual plume setting the NOx lifetime could be greatly shortened by chemical processes promoted by ship plume emissions themselves. Similar chemical behavior was not found for SO2.
The Effects of a Context Switch following Serial and Simultaneous Feature-Negative Discriminations☆

Abstract Two experiments with rats examined the effects of a context switch on inhibition that was acquired following either simultaneous or serial feature-negative (FN) discriminations. A “target” stimulus was paired with food when presented alone, but not when compounded with, or preceded by, a second “feature” stimulus. A change of context following training did not disrupt inhibition conditioned to the feature. Nonetheless, responding to the target was more difficult to inhibit when it was tested in a different context. The observed loss of suppression was especially evident when the target had been trained in a serial FN discrimination. Results also suggest that the serially trained feature acquired the properties of a negative occasion setter. In a simultaneous FN discrimination, the feature may inhibit responding to the target by directly suppressing the representation of food and by activating the target's own context-specific inhibitory association with food. In a serial FN discrimination, the occasion-setting feature may inhibit responding to the target primarily through the latter mechanism.
PREEXCITATION SYNDROMES AND PECTUS EXCAVATUM

Both pectus excavatum (PE) and the preexcitation syndromes have been shown to be associated with mitral valve prolapse. This study was conducted prospectively to determine the association of preexcitation syndromes in patients with PE. Seventy-six patients under eighteen years of age, mean of five years, with PE, underwent cardiac examination, electrocardiography and echocardiography. Fifty-eight were males and eighteen were females. Thirty-five had a family history of PE. Nineteen had mitral valve prolapse and nine had scoliosis. Eight (11%) had electrocardiographic evidence of preexcitation: Wolff-Parkinson-White type in five, Lown-Ganong-Levine type in three, whereas five had paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. In addition, we had preexcitation in 22% of females, 7% of males, 11%/10% of patients with/without a family history of PE, 11%/10% of patients with/without scoliosis, 112/11% of patients with/without mitral valve prolapse, and 10%/11% of patients younger/older than eight years. This study indicates a high association of preexcitation syndrome in patients with PE, especially when female had PE. Its incidence was not particularly higher even in the presence of family history, scoliosis, mitral valve prolapse or in younger pediatric patients.
Microscopic Investigations of Semiconductor Interfaces

Abstract We review the results obtained in recent years by applying surface-sensitive experimental techniques to the study of metal-semiconductor and semiconductor-semiconductor interfaces. The review starts with a short discussion of the most widely used experimental probes. Then we discuss the initial impact of this new approach on the old theoretical concepts about semiconductor interfaces. A presentation of selected results follows, including the detection of interface states, the formulation of the defect model, the discovery of chemical trends in the interface parameters and the recent progress in understanding heterojunction discontinuities. The review is concluded by a discussion of the open problems and of the most likely future developments in this field.
Visit satisfaction and tailored health behavior communications in primary care.

Abstract Background Although studies suggest that computer-tailored health communications can help patients improve health behaviors, their effect on patient satisfaction, when used in healthcare settings, has yet to be examined. Methods A stand-alone computer application was developed to provide tailored, printed feedback for patients and physicians about two of the most common adverse health behaviors seen in primary care: smoking and physical inactivity. Ten primary care providers and 150 of their patients were recruited to use the program in the office before their visit. After the visit, patients completed a self-report survey that addressed demographics, computer use history, satisfaction with the visit, and the extent to which the physician addressed the reports during the visit. All data presented were collected between October 2001 and February 2002. Results Most patients were female (67.6%), approximately half (46.0%) were seen for a routine exam, most (63.3%) had at least one chronic illness, and fewer than one third (31.3%) had ever used the Internet or e-mail. Most (81.1%) patients reported that the program was easy to use, but fewer than half of the doctors looked at the report in front of the patient (49.2%) or discussed the report with the patient (44.3%). Multivariate modeling showed that visit satisfaction was significantly greater among those whose doctor examined the report. This effect of the doctor examining the report on satisfaction was even greater for those who reported a chronic illness. Conclusions Physicians who incorporate computer tailored messaging programs into the primary care setting, but who do not address the feedback reports that they create may contribute to patients being less satisfied with their care.
Recent Advances in Palladium-Mediated Reactions of Nucleosides

Abstract Synthetic methodology for generating a thioether linkage at C-5 of pyrimidine nucleosides via a palladium-mediated reaction of mercurated nucleosides with organic disulfides was recently reported by our laboratory. We have continued to explore the scope of the reaction with respect to both the nucleoside component and the disulfide. In particular, the reaction of N, N'-bis(trifluoroacetyl)cystamine with mercurated nucleosides has been explored in more detail.
Developmental expression of NMDA receptors in primary cortical cell culture: relationship to function and excitotoxicity

Over-activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor results in a Ca2+-dependent neurotoxicity termed excitotoxicity. Primary neuronal cell cultures are often used to study the mechanisms of excitotoxicity. While the expression of the NMDA receptor (NR) subunits and their relationship to Ca2+ entry/accumulation and excitotoxicity has been studied extensively, all three parameters have not been examined concurrently. To determine unequivocally whether developmental expression of NR protein and function do indeed coincide with the appearance of excitotoxicity, we examined the temporal relationship between NR subunit expression, NMDA-induced Ca2+ accumulation, and NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity simultaneously using sister plates derived from the same mixed cortical cell culture preparations. Western Blot analysis of total protein isolated from cells cultured for 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days revealed a time-dependent increase in NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit expression, which surprisingly did not correlate with NMDA receptor function, as assessed by measurement of NMDA-induced 45Ca2+ accumulation. However, when only NR subunit surface expression was quantified, a correlation between expression and 45Ca2+ accumulation did indeed exist. To our surprise, the emergence of excitotoxicity did not show a direct relationship to 45Ca2+ accumulation as has been reported previously. Thus, it appears that other factors besides total Ca2+ accumulation must contribute to the emergence of excitotoxicity in mixed murine cortical cell cultures. Acknowledgements: Supported by a grant from The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Foundation.
Time-reverse modelling of acoustic wave propagation in attenuating media

SUMMARY Time-reverse modelling (TRM) of acoustic wave propagation has been widely implemented in seismic migration and time-reversal source imaging. The basic assumption of this modelling is that the wave equation is time-invariant in non-attenuating media. In the Earth, attenuation often invalidates this assumption of time-invariance. To overcome this problem, I propose a TRM approach that compensates for attenuation and dispersion effects during the wave propagation in attenuating media. This approach is based on a viscoacoustic wave equation which explicitly separates attenuation and dispersion following a constant-Q model. Compensating for attenuation and dispersion during TRM is achieved by reversing the sign of the attenuation operator coefficient while leaving the counterpart dispersion parameter unchanged in this viscoacoustic wave equation. A low-pass filter is included to avoid amplifying high-frequency noise during TRM. I demonstrate the effects of the filter on the attenuation and the phase velocity by comparing with theoretical solutions in a 1-D Pierre shale homogeneous medium. Three synthetic examples are used to demonstrate the feasibility of attenuation compensation during TRM. The first example uses a 1-D homogeneous model to demonstrate the accuracy of the numerical implementation of the methodology. The second example shows the applicability of source location using a 2-D layering model. The last example uses a 2-D cross-well synthetic experiment to show that the methodology can also be implemented in conjunction with reverse-time migration to image subsurface reflectors. When attenuation compensation is included, I find improved estimation of the source location, the excitation timing of the point source, the magnitude of the focused source wavelet and the reflectivity image of reflectors, particularly for deep structures underneath strongly attenuating zones.
Administration of prostaglandin E1 after lung transplantation improves early graft function

Early graft dysfunction continues to be a major clinical problem after lung transplantation. The objective of this experiment was to determine whether continuous administration of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) after lung transplantation has a beneficial effect on early graft function. Left lung allotransplantation was performed in 10 size-matched mongrel dogs (weight, 24.4 to 31.4 kg). Lung preservation consisted of a bolus injection of PGE1 (250 micrograms) into the pulmonary artery, followed by a pulmonary artery flush with 50 mL/kg of 4 degrees C modified Euro-Collins solution. The lungs were then stored at 1 degree C for 12 hours. Left lung transplantation was performed using standard technique. The right pulmonary artery and right bronchus were ligated prior to chest closure. Animals were placed in the supine position and ventilated for 6 hours with 100% oxygen at a rate of 20 breaths/min, a tidal volume of 550 mL, and a positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cm H2O. Animals were randomly allocated to one of two groups. Group I animals (n = 6) received continuous PGE1 infusion from the onset of implantation. The dose was gradually increased and fixed when mean systemic pressure showed a 10% decrease (mean PGE1 dose, 31.7 +/- 6.9 ng.kg-1.min-1). Group II animals (n = 4) received no PGE1. After the 6-hour assessment period, arterial oxygen tension and alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference were preserved in group I compared with group II (group I versus group II: arterial oxygen tension, 255.8 +/- 37.6 mm Hg versus 64.7 +/- 7.9 mm Hg [p < 0.05]; alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference, 411.1 +/- 70.5 mm Hg versus 597.5 +/- 1.3 mm Hg [p < 0.05]).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Factors driving extreme sexual size dimorphism of a sit-and-wait predator under low density

Sexual size dimorphism is often a likely outcome of the interplay between natural selection and sexual selection, with female size dictated primarily by natural selection that maximizes fecundity and male size by sexual selection that maximizes reproductive opportunities. Attention to male fitness has focused heavily on direct male–male conflict selecting for superior male size and/or fighting ability, although male reproductive traits vary immensely among animals. An alternative, advanced by Michael Ghiselin, posits highly mobile dwarf males as a strategy for finding relatively immobile females in low-density populations. Adult male crab spiders Misumena vatia, sit-and-wait predators, are strikingly smaller, much more active, and relatively longer-legged than their females. This size difference results largely from males having two fewer instars than females, which simultaneously results in marked protandry. Populations of M. vatia often were small and of low density, with a female-biased sex ratio and an operational sex ratio that changed strikingly over the season. Sexual selection through scramble competition (locating the female first) should favour this suite of characters in males of low-density populations. Although direct male–male contests favoured large males, the low densities of adult males and the dispersed, relatively immobile females led to low levels of direct intrasexual contest. Females exaggerated the problem of males in finding them by providing few cues to their presence, a pattern consistent with indirect mate choice. In addition to favouring high mobility, scramble competition favoured males that selected flowers attracting many prey, the sites most often occupied by females.
Geographical and interannual variability in biomass partitioning in grassland ecosystems: a synthesis of field data

Biomass partitioning is an important variable in terrestrial ecosystem carbon modeling. However, geographical and interannual variability in f(BNPP), defined as the fraction of belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) to total NPP, and its relationship with climatic variables, have not been explored. Here we addressed these issues by synthesizing 94 site-year field biomass data at 12 grassland sites around the world from a global NPP database and from the literature. Results showed that f(BNPP) varied from 0.40 to 0.86 across 12 sites. In general, savanna and humid savanna ecosystems had smaller f(BNPP) but larger interannual variability in f(BNPP), and cold desert steppes had larger f(BNPP) but smaller interannual variability. While mean f(BNPP) at a site decreased significantly with increasing mean annual temperature and precipitation across sites, no consistent temporal response of f(BNPP) with annual temperature and precipitation was found within sites. Based on these results, both geographical variability in f(BNPP) and the divergent responses of f(BNPP) with climatic variables at geographical and temporal scales should be considered in global C modeling.
The Efficacy of County-Level Sex Offender Residence Restrictions in New York

Residence restrictions seek to protect community members from registered sex offenders (RSOs) reentering society following incarceration. These policies, first passed in 1995 at the state level and in 2005 at the county and local levels, have become extremely popular throughout the United States but without proof that they are effective. To date, the research on these policies has been extremely limited and has largely focused on the unintended consequences that these policies cause for RSOs. This study examines whether county residence restrictions were associated with reduced sex crime arrest rates in New York State. In doing so, this study draws on the limited prior research regarding the effectiveness of residence restrictions and on the extensive literature regarding the incapacitation and deterrence of crime through public policy measures. Results indicate that residence restrictions were not associated with significantly reduced arrests for sex crimes committed either by RSOs (regardless of victim)...
The effects of comorbidity and age on RTOG study enrollment in Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients who are eligible for RTOG studies.

Purpose To determine the influence of measured comorbidity in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) combined modality therapy (CMT) study enrollment in Stage III non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials One hundred and seventy-one patients with a Karnofsky Performance Score ≥70 and clinical Stage III NSCLC were analyzed retrospectively for comorbidity, RTOG study eligibility, and enrollment at initial consultation. Effect of comorbidity scores (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale) were tested on patient selection for CMT, RTOG enrollment, and overall survival. Results Comorbidity (Grade 4; p p ≤ 0.001) were associated with inferior survival independent of other factors. Patient selection for CMT was affected by age (≥70, p 2, p = 0.001), and weight loss (>5%, p = 0.001). Thirty-three patients (19%) were enrolled in a CMT RTOG study (Group 1). Forty-nine patients (29%) were eligible but not enrolled (Group 2), and 57 (33%) were ineligible (Group 3). The most common ineligibility reasons were weight loss (67%) and comorbidity in the exclusion criteria of the RTOG studies (63%). Group 1 patients were the youngest ( p = 0.02), with the lowest comorbidity scores ( p p 2; p = 0.006) and age (≥70; p = 0.05) were independent factors influencing RTOG study enrollment in patients meeting study eligibility requirements (Groups 1 and 2). Conclusions Comorbidity scales could be useful in stratification of patients in advanced lung cancer trials and interpretation of results particularly regarding the elderly population.
User profiling with privacy: a framework for adaptive information agents

This paper presents a framework for personal agents that respect the privacy of the individual. We present some motivations and outline a framework for the use of personal agents and user profiling for information systems designed around web services. A key element of our approach in general is to consider the impact of user-profiling and autonomous agents on the user. One particular aspect, which we explore in this paper, is the need to respect user's privacy. One often-cited benefit of using personal agents is for personalising interaction. However, personalisation and privacy have contradictory goals in disclosing personal information. We explore some elements of our framework that allow the user to control the trade-offs around disclosure of personal information. We conclude with some motivating examples of the use of our framework in information-based tasks.