cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moral Reasoning and Ethical Climate: Not-for-Profit vs. For-Profit Boards of Directors

Utilizing Rest's moral development and Victor and Cullen's ethical climate surveys, we examine differences in moral reasoning and ethical climate between board members in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Six for-profit corporations and seven not-for-profit corporations, all with base operations in a major midwestern state, participated in the study. We find that profit and not-for-profit boards may not differ in moral reasoning, but do exhibit different types of ethical climates. We also find that for-profit board members may utilize higher stages of reasoning a greater percentage of the time than not-for-profit directors. In contrast, the ethical climates of the two types of organizations are significantly different. For-profit companies had climates higher in egoism than did not-for-profit companies. In addition, not-for-profit firms reflected higher benevolence factors than for-profit firms. Not-forprofit organizations also had somewhat higher, but not significantly different, mean scores on the principle factor compared to the for-profit organizations.
Mass preserving registration for heart MR images

This paper presents a new algorithm for non-rigid registration between two doubly-connected regions. Our algorithm is based on harmonic analysis and the theory of optimal mass transport. It assumes an underlining continuum model, in which the total amount of mass is exactly preserved during the transformation of tissues. We use a finite element approach to numerically implement the algorithm.
Are BGP routers open to attack? an experiment

The BGP protocol is at the core of the routing infrastructure of the Internet. Across years, BGP has proved to be very stable for its purpose. However, there have been some catastrophic incidents in the past, due to relatively simple router misconfigurations. In addition, unused network addresses are being silently stolen for spamming purposes. A relevant corpus of literature investigated threats in which a trusted BGP router injects malicious or wrong routes and some security improvement to the BGP protocol have also being proposed to make these attacks more difficult to perform. In this work, we perform a large-scale study to explore the validity of the hypothesis that it is possible to mount attacks against the BGP infrastructure without already having the control of a "trusted" BGP router. Even though we found no real immediate threat, we observed a large number of BGP routers that are available to engage in BGP communication, exposing themselves to potential Denial-of-Service attacks.
The myosin filament. VI. Myosin content.

Abstract There has been some disagreement about the number of myosin molecules in vertebrate skeletal myosin filaments calculated from the myosin to actin weight ratio determined by quantitative sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Tregear & Squire, 1973; Potter, 1974; Morimoto & Harrington, 1974). In this work it was found that (1) thoroughly washed fibrils are required to obtain the true value for the myosin to actin weight ratio. (2) Neither actin nor myosin is extracted preferentially during the required washing procedure. (3) There are four myosin molecules per 14.3 nm interval along the myosin filament or about 400 myosin molecules per filament. From published estimates of the number of molecules of C-protein per myosin filament (Offer et al., 1973; Morimoto & Harrington, 1974) and the findings in this work, we conclude that there are four molecules of C-protein at each of the 14 C-protein binding positions along the filament, i.e. one C-protein molecule for each of the four myosin molecules contributing to the cross-bridges at each position.
Synthesis of electron-withdrawing butane- and arene-sulfonylamino phosphines and use in rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation

Reaction of RSO2N(H)CH2CH2N(H)SO2R [R = Bu (1), 4-nitrobenzene (7), 1-naphthalene (9a), 2-naphthalene (9b)] with PhPCl2 or EtPCl2 gives monodentate phosphorus compounds 2 and 3 (R = Bu, PhP and EtP), and 8 (R = 4-nitrobenzene, PhP), and with Ph2PCl gives the corresponding bidentate phosphine ligands Ph2PN(SO2R)CH2CH2N(SO2R)PPh2 [R = Bu (10), 4-nitrobenzene (11), 1- and 2-naphthalene (12a,b)]; similar reactions of N,N′-(1-butanesulfonyl)-2,2′-diaminobiphenyl (4) give monodentate 5 (PhP) and 6 (EtP) and N,N′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-N,N′-(1-butanesulfonyl)-2,2′-diaminobiphenyl (16). A monodentate analogue of 10 was also prepared, Ph2PN(Et)SO2Bu (14). Diphosphorus compounds with two butanesulfonylamino groups on phosphorus were also prepared from 1 and Cl2P(CH2)nPCl2 (n = 2, 4) to give 19 and 20. Details of the 13C NMR false AA′X systems are reported for 19 and 20. Rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation reactions were run at 60 and 80 °C, at CO/H2 pressures from 4–11 atm, and in THF, toluene, CH2Cl2, and dioxane. Results show that the highest ratios of linear (n) to branched (iso) aldehydes were obtained with arenesulfonamides (n∶iso > 10) while the bidentate alkanesulfonamide 10 gave a lower n∶iso ratio of 7.2 but the highest rate [k1 = 1.98 h−1, turnover frequency = 1130 mol aldehyde (mol Rh)−1 h−1] in THF at 80 °C. Both the rate and n∶iso ratio for 10 were found to increase with decreasing CO/H2 pressure in THF and in toluene, although the rate change was small for toluene. Both the rate and n∶iso ratio for 10 also increased in CH2Cl2, but this was found not to be due to lower CO/H2 concentrations in solution, on the basis of solubility measurements in THF and CH2Cl2.
Shots Are Not Abusive

I feel compelled to comment upon Dr. Gorlick9s letter to the editor in the November 1975 issue of Pediatrics (page 839). As director of a Children and Youth Program, I do not feel that, in any way, I am abusing a child by adequately treating him for an infectious disease. As director of a program which makes widespread use of family intervention,1 I can easily document the number of pills which remain on families9 shelves long after their useful life; consequently, I can document the many unresolved cases of streptococcal pharyngitis, otitis media, impetigo, and the like.
Rapid excited-state structural reorganization captured by pulsed X-rays.

Visible light excitation of [CuI(dmp)2](BArF), where dmp is 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and BArF is tetrakis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethylphenyl))borate, in toluene produces a photoluminescent, metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state with a lifetime of 98 ± 5 ns. Probing this state within 14 ns after photoexcitation with pulsed X-rays establishes that a CuII center, borne in a CuI geometry, binds an additional ligand to form a five-coordinate complex with increased bond lengths and a coordination geometry of distorted trigonal bipyramid. The average Cu−N bond length increases in the excited state by 0.07 A. The transiently formed five-coordinate MLCT state is photoluminescent under the condition studied, indicating that the absorptive and emissive states have distinct geometries. The data represent the first X-ray characterization of a molecular excited state in fluid solution on a nanosecond time scale.
Dependence of fluorescence yield on atomic configuration

A statistical weighting procedure is used to calculate the fluorescence yields omega K and omega L23 for various defect atomic configurations of the argon atom. The changes in fluorescence yield which accompany atoms with multiple vacancies in various shells should be included when determining inner shell ionization cross sections from X-ray data in heavy ion-atom collision studies. The general features discussed may be important for solid as well as gaseous targets.
Biogeochemical cycling in an organic-rich coastal marine basin: 9. Sources and accumulation rates of vascular plant-derived organic material

Abstract The sources, degradation and burial of vascular plant debris deposited over the past several decades in the lagoonal sediments of Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina, are quantified using alkaline cupric oxide lignin oxidation product (LOP) analysis. Non-woody angiosperms, accounting for 92 ± 32% of the recognizable sedimentary vascular plant debris, are calculated to contribute 23 ± 17% of the total organic carbon buried over the past decade (upper meter of sediment column). When combined with a previously established sedimentary organic carbon budget for this site (Martens and Klump, 1984; Martens et al., 1987, in preparation) a vascular plant derived carbon burial rate of 26 ± 20 mole C m−2 yr−1 is calculated for this same time interval. The refractory nature and invariant depth distributions of the lignin oxidation products (LOP), when coupled with evidence for constant degradation rates of metabolizable materials, indicate that sediment accumulation at this site has been a steady state process with respect to source and burial of organic carbon since its conversion from an inner-continental shelf to a lagoonal environment during the late 1960's. Thus systematic down-core decreases in labile organic matter result from early diagenetic processes rather than input rate variations.
A quasielastic light scattering study of the 1q to 2q transition within the incommensurate phase of Ba2NaNb5O15

Inelastic light scattering in incommensurate (IC) Ba2NaNb5O15 reveals a dynamic central mode whose width satisfies tau -1(q,T)=D(T)q2 with diffusivity D(T) exhibiting a maximum of 0.85 cm2 s-1 at TR approximately=565 K, the temperature at which electron microscopy shows an abrupt roughening transition within the antiphase boundaries (APBs). This phase change involves a transition from modulation along one axis (1q) to modulation along two orthogonal axes (2q). The dynamic central mode is also observed to couple strongly with the (100) longitudinal acoustic (LA) phonon.
Rethinking professional prerogative: managed mental health care providers

Managed care represents a response to the wider institutional demand for technical rationality and efficiency. In the US, managed care exemplifies the commodification of health and is governed by a technocratic-rationality that often conflicts with the professionally governed value rationality of providers. Providers must negotiate between contradictory institutional demands for cost containment and quality care in their everyday work practices, and consequently experience a series of ethical dilemmas. This paper examines the effect the commodification of health care has had upon the work of mental health care providers, their loss of professional prerogative, their concrete experience of the ethical dilemmas which result from the commodification of care, and evidence of countervailing power.
The epidemiology of morbidity of schistosomiasis

The epidemiology of schistosomiasis is changing because treatment of chronically infected individuals is often followed by reinfection. As a major goal of schistosomiasis control is the reduction of morbidity, direct assessment of disease is essential because infection status is a relatively poor indication of morbidity. Introduction of ultrasonography to the study of schistosomiasis and the increased appreciation of the effects of schistosomiasis on growth and development in children have greatly enhanced our understanding of schistosome-induced morbidity in endemic communities. Peter Wiest here reviews the changes in the assessment of schistosomiasis-induced morbidity.
Relationship between Late Spring Soil Nitrate Concentrations and Corn Yields in New York

Proper N management is important to optimizing profit and minimizing N loss. The efficiency of N use may be improved in humid regions with a reliable soil test to guide fertilizer N recommendations. Recently, a presidedress nitrate soil test (PSNT) has shown promise as a means of quantifying the size of the potential mineralizable organic N pool in soil. This study was conducted to determine if the PSNT could he used for corn (Zea mays L.) production to identify N responsive and nonresponsive sites, predict the economic optimum fertilizer N rate, and improve the current fetilizer N recommendation procedure. The PSNT gave a useful and defined critical level of 21 ppm nitrate-N, delineating N responsive from nonresponsive sites. The success rate for making the correct decision about N responsiveness was 84%, indicating a good relationship between the PSNT and the ability of the soil to supply N [...]
Absence of viable renal carcinoma in biopsies performed more than 1 year following radio frequency ablation confirms reliability of axial imaging.

Purpose: Radio frequency ablation is an emerging nephron sparing treatment option in select patients with small renal tumors. Some have questioned the completeness of cell death and the reliability of axial imaging for radio frequency ablation followup. We present results in patients with no evidence of radiographic active disease who underwent biopsy more than 1 year following ablation.Materials and Methods: Patients who had no clinical evidence of disease, defined as absent lesion growth and contrast enhancement on computerized tomography, 1 year or more following radio frequency ablation underwent percutaneous renal biopsy to evaluate cell viability in the ablative zone. A total of 19 patients (20 lesions) were included in the study. Histological comparison of pre-ablation and post-ablation specimens was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining.Results: Pre-ablation biopsies confirmed that 17 of 20 tumors were renal cell carcinoma, while the remaining 3 were oncocytoma. Following ablation at a me...
Behavioral effects of arecoline in rats

Effects of arecoline (0.25–4 mg/kg) were studied on several behavioral schedules in rats. It usually decreased the responses, especially at high doses, in schedules including spontaneous motor activity, FR (water and food) and FI (food) reinforcement, DRL and shock avoidance. Slight enhancement of responses was observed at low doses in spontaneous activity, FR (food) reinforcement, FI reinforcement and shock avoidance. Arecoline methiodide had negligible and insignificant effects.
Relationship between platelet count and hemodialysis membranes

Background One factor associated with poor outcomes in hemodialysis patients is exposure to a foreign membrane. Older membranes are very bioincompatible and increase complement activation, cause leukocytosis by activating circulating factors, which sequesters leukocytes in the lungs, and activates platelets. Recently, newer membranes have been developed that were designed to be more biocompatible. We tested if the different "optiflux" hemodialysis membranes had different effects on platelet levels. Methods Ninety-nine maintenance hemodialysis patients with no known systemic or hematologic diseases affecting their platelets had blood drawn immediately prior to, 90 minutes into, and immediately following their first hemodialysis session of the week. All patients were dialyzed using a Fresenius Medical Care Optiflux polysulfone membrane F160, F180, or F200 (polysulfone synthetic dialyzer membranes, 1.6 m(2), 1.8 m(2), and 2.0 m(2) surface area, respectively, electron beam sterilized). Platelet counts were measured from each sample by analysis using a CBC analyzer. Results The average age of the patients was 62.7 years; 36 were female and 63 were male. The mean platelet count pre, mid, and post dialysis was 193 (standard deviation ±74.86), 191 (standard deviation ±74.67), and 197 (standard deviation ±79.34) thousand/mm3, respectively, with no statistical differences. Conclusion Newer membranes have no significant effect on platelet count. This suggests that they are, in fact, more biocompatible than their predecessors and may explain their association with increased survival.
A MERGING OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGY IN TERMS OF ANTIBODY CATALYSIS

Novel hapten design strategies to improve antibody catalysis of aryl ester, glycoside and primary amide bond hydrolyses are discussed.
Generalization Across Segments in Second Language Consonant Identification

This article examines the extent of differences between second language (L2) learners in their abilities to identify L2 consonants and provides evidence for linguistic generalization from one consonant to other consonants. It distinguishes among different sorts of models of the relationship between segments: (a) segmentally specific models in which each segment is treated separately and (b) generalized featural models in which segments that share features are treated as a group. It also examines (c) ordered models in which one segment might rely on another previously existing one. The article presents the results of an experiment with 40 Korean learners of English identifying English obstruents in different prosodic locations, and it examines the pattern of variation in perceptual accuracy across the listeners. Results indicate that manner perception varies from person to person as a unit, regardless of the segment, suggesting a single generalized featural skill. Voicing identification, however, does not vary as a unit across the different prosodic positions, suggesting different skills that are applicable to different prosodic positions and are acquired separately. There is also evidence for an implicational relationship between pairs of segments that differ in markedness, providing some evidence for an ordered model; however, such patterns are not pervasive across different contrasts.
Walking the Tightrope: Parenting Advice in Essence Magazine

Analysis of popular parenting advice in the form of magazines provides insight into culturally held views of what it means to be a “good” parent. Although research has examined parenting advice in popular magazines, the target readership has been largely comprised of White, middle-class mothers. The result has been a dearth of research on the social construction of parenthood as portrayed to a primarily African American readership. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the content and themes provided to African American parents through the longest consistently published magazine for African American women—Essence. Parenting articles appearing in Essence from 1996 to 2006 were content analyzed. Among the topics covered was the need to protect children from a racist social environment. A second topic concerned health issues unique to African American children. An authoritative parenting style was advocated and the use of physical punishment was explicitly rejected. Results found that respons...
On the relationships between Scott domains, synchronization trees, and metric spaces

We use Scott's idea of information systems to provide a complete partial order semantics for concurrency involving Milner's synchronization tree model. Several connections are investigated between different models; our principal technique in establishing these connections is the use of compact metric space methods. © 1985 Academic Press, Inc.
Capturing Real Life Variability in Virtual Testing

The motivation for this work is the need to analyze the behavior of an engineering system subjected to the hostile environment of a fire. The specific goal is to estimate the survivability of a component potted in insulating foam. The foam undergoes an endothermic reaction and through this heat sink protects the component. Because the operating conditions are stochastic and because the properties of the foam can only be estimated, the usual deterministic analysis cannot be used. Instead, Bayesian inference is used to estimate the critical foam parameters and the operating conditions are described in terms of probabilities. The survivability is then expressed in terms of a probability distribution. Because the computations are very computationally expensive, recourse was made by expressing the computed results as a response surface defined in terms of a Gaussian process.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Progress on Passive Sensor for Ultra-Precise Measurement of Carbon Dioxide from Space

Global measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxides (CO2) are needed to resolve significant discrepancies that exist in our understanding of the global carbon budget and, therefore, man's role in global climate change. The science measurement requirements for CO2 are extremely demanding (precision c .3%) No atmospheric chemical species has ever been measured from space with this precision. We are developing a novel application of a Fabry-Perot interferometer to detect spectral absorption of reflected sunlight by CO2 and O2 in the atmosphere. Preliminary design studies indicate that the method will be able to achieve the sensitivity and signal-to-noise required to measure column CO2 at the target specification. We are presently engaged in the construction of a prototype instrument for deployment on an aircraft to test the instrument performance and our ability to retrieve the data in the real atmosphere. In the first 6 months we have assembled a laboratory bench system to begin testing the optical and electronic components. We are also undertaking some measurements of signal and noise levels for actual sunlight reflecting from the ground. We shall present results from some of these ground based studies and discuss their implications for a space based system.
The Program Logic Model as an Integrative Framework for a Multimethod Evaluation

Abstract The use of the program logic model as an integrative framework for analysis is illustrated in a multimethod evaluation of Project TEAMS, a middle school curriculum delivery program. The logic model was used to: (a) focus the data collection activities on relevant activities and outcomes, (b) organize the data and (c) interpret the data from multiple methods and sources within an integrative framework. One of the anticipated outcomes, computer skills , is examined in detail to illustrate the utility of program logic models as an analysis framework.
Deletion of retinoic acid receptor β (RARβ) impairs pancreatic endocrine differentiation

All-trans retinoic acid (RA) signals via binding to retinoic acid receptors (RARs α, β, and γ). RA directly influences expression of Pdx1, a transcription factor essential for pancreatic development and beta-cell (β-cell) maturation. In this study we follow the differentiation of cultured wild-type (WT) vs. RARβ knockout (KO) embryonic stem (ES) cells into pancreatic islet cells. We found that RARβ KO ES cells show greatly reduced expression of some important endocrine markers of differentiated islet cells, such as glucagon, islet amyloid polypeptide (Iapp), and insulin 1 (Ins1) relative to WT. We conclude that RARβ activity is essential for proper differentiation of ES cells to pancreatic endocrine cells.
Morphological changes in yeast cell mitochondria grown at various copper concentrations.

Abstract Structurally abnormal mitochondria were found in Candida utilis cells grown in the presence of either high copper concentrations or copper deficiency as compared with cells grown in standard media (copper 60 μg/l). In cells grown under conditions of copper deficiency the average size of the mitochondria is 0.6 μm compared with 0.2 μm of the normal cell, and the cristae have an abnormal appearance. In cells grown in the presence of high copper concentrations the mitochondrial size is up to 2–3 μm with poorly developed cristae and abnormal appearance of the matrix area.
An algorithm for solving a nonlinear integro-differential equation

In this paper an algorithm based on Adomian's decomposition method is developed to approximate the solution of the nonlinear integro-differential equationu"t(x,t)[email protected]!^t"0a([email protected])@[email protected][email protected](u"x(x,@t))[email protected]+f(x,t),0
Raman spectroscopy and strain mapping in individual Ge-Si x Ge 1 − x core-shell nanowires

Core-shell ${\text{Ge-Si}}_{x}$${\text{Ge}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ nanowires (NWs) are expected to contain large strain fields due to the lattice mismatch at the core-shell interface. Here we report the measurement of core strain in a NW heterostructure using Raman spectroscopy. We compare the Raman spectra, and the frequency of the Ge-Ge mode measured in individual ${\text{Ge-Si}}_{0.5}$${\text{Ge}}_{0.5}$ core-shells, and bare Ge NWs. We find that the Ge-Ge mode frequency is diameter independent in Ge NWs with a value similar to that of bulk Ge, 300.5 ${\text{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. On the other hand, ${\text{Ge-Si}}_{0.5}$${\text{Ge}}_{0.5}$ core-shell nanowires reveal a strain-induced blue shift of the Ge-Ge mode, dependent on the relative core and shell thicknesses. Using lattice dynamical theory we determine the strain in the Ge core and show that the results are in good agreement with values calculated using a continuum elasticity model.
Partial cooperative unfolding in proteins as observed by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry

Many proteins do not exist in a single rigid conformation. Protein motions, or dynamics, exist and in many cases are important for protein function. The analysis of protein dynamics relies on biophysical techniques that can distinguish simultaneously existing populations of molecules and their rates of interconversion. Hydrogen exchange (HX) detected by mass spectrometry (MS) is contributing to our understanding of protein motions by revealing unfolding and dynamics on a wide timescale, ranging from seconds to hours to days. In this review, we discuss HX MS-based analyses of protein dynamics, using our studies of multi-domain kinases as examples. Using HX MS, we have successfully probed protein dynamics and unfolding in the isolated SH3, SH2 and kinase domains of the c-Src and Abl kinase families, as well as the role of intermolecular and intramolecular interactions in the global control of kinase function. Coupled with high-resolution structural information, HX MS has proved to be a powerful and versatil...
An Assessment System for Collaborative-Writing Groups: Theory and Empirical Evaluation:

An assessment system for collaborative-writing projects helps create a positive learning experience for all group members by rewarding each individual for his or her participation. Unlike assessment systems that evaluate only the group product, the system proposed here balances product and process, the lat ter embracing individual skills at interacting and contributions to the collaborative composing. The results of a systematic study of students' atti tudes toward their classroom experiences seem to corroborate our perspective as practitioners: With this assessment system, group members felt that they participated fully and practiced effective interactional behaviors, that they be came involved in the collaborative-writing process, and that the reward system was fairer than a single group grade.
The Scattering of One- to Three-Mev Protons by Helium

The scattering of protons of from one- to three-Mev energy by helium has been experimentally examined for the existence of resonance scattering analogous to the neutron-helium resonance observed for one-Mev neutrons by Staub and Stephens. If $n\ensuremath{-}n$ and $p\ensuremath{-}p$ nuclear forces are equal, such a resonance should occur in $p\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{e}$ scattering for protons of approximately two Mev. The number of protons scattered through 140\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} were observed as a function of their energy. This number passed through a maximum at two Mev as expected, but the sharpness and height of the maximum were several times less than for the $n\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{e}$ resonance. However, this greater width and lesser intensity can be qualitatively justified. The number of protons scattered through 76\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} did not show the presence of a resonance scattering as the energy was varied. Observations of the angular distribution of the scattered protons for angles of scattering between 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 140\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for proton energies of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 Mev, respectively, have been obtained.
Learning Word Meanings: A Comparison of Instructional Procedures

While a considerable amount of research has been conducted on learning disabled populations to determine their ability to decode and learn words in isolation, limited research has addressed the reading comprehension of LD populations. Pany and Jenkins compared the effects of three instructional strategies on reading comprehension. Specifically, the study measured recall of word meanings and recall of facts from a story. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for remedial reading instruction.
Plasma Delivery of Retinoic Acid to Tissues in the Rat

All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) activates ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate retinoid-responsive gene expression. It is assumed that all-trans-RA is formed within cells through in situ oxidation of retinol derived from the circulation. However, the circulation contains low levels of all-trans-RA (approximately 0.2-0.7% of that of plasma retinol). Our studies investigated the extent to which plasma all-trans-RA contributes to tissue pools of this retinoid and explored factors responsible for regulating its uptake by tissues and cells. Rats were continuously infused, to steady state, with all-trans-[3H]RA. From measures of specific activities of all-trans-[3H]RA at steady state, we determined that the preponderance of all-trans-RA in brain and liver was derived from the circulation. For six other tissues, approximately 10-30% of the retinoid was derived from the circulation, but pancreas and testis derived very little from the circulating pool. In other studies, we showed that retinoid nutritional status influences clearance of a bolus dose of all-trans-RA and that neither the rate of cellular all-trans-RA uptake nor its intracellular half-life is influenced by cellular lipid levels. Taken together, our data indicate that plasma all-trans-RA contributes to tissue pools of this retinoid and that specific and physiologically responsive cellular processes mediate its uptake.
A NOTE ON AREAL RAINFALL DEFINITION

A discussion is presented of the likely sources of error in defining areal rainfall on a storm basis. These include the instrumental error, sampling fluctuations over the area, and network density. The analysis of dense raingage data provides some perspective of the magnitude of the errors that might be encountered from the natural variability of rainfall. Except for one watershed in Arizona, the coefficient of variation, based on a sample of storm totals from the individual gages in various size areas, remains relatively constant with increasing area for a particular storm. The error due to rainfall variability over the area is probably the most important and must be considered in experiments which attempt to resolve small-area hydrologic problems.
Photoexcitation spectroscopy of conducting-polymer-C60 composites: Photoinduced electron transfer.

We present a comparative study of the steady-state photoinduced absorption and photoinduced electron-spin-resonance (ESR) spectra of conducting polymers mixed with the fullerene ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$. For conjugated polymers with nondegenerate ground states as donors, electron transfer takes place prior to either radiative or nonradiative recombination of \ensuremath{\pi}-electron photoexcitations on the conducting polymer. In the case of a conjugated polymer with a degenerate ground state as donor, the structural relaxation associated with the formation of charged solitons is faster; and no indications of photoinduced charge transfer are observed. Thus, composites using a derivative of poly(1,6-heptadyene) as donor do not exhibit long-lived charge separation, whereas charge transfer and charge separation are observed in composites using poly(p-phenylene vinylene) or polythiophene derivatives as donors. The relaxation (as a function of temperature) of the charge separated state is studied through photoinduced absorption spectroscopy (excitation spectroscopy) and photoinduced ESR. The results are discussed in terms of designing suitable donor-acceptor pairs for photoinduced electron transfer using conducting polymers and ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ as donor and acceptor, respectively.
Association between value-based purchasing score and hospital characteristics

Medicare hospital Value-based purchasing (VBP) program that links Medicare payments to quality of care will become effective from 2013. It is unclear whether specific hospital characteristics are associated with a hospital’s VBP score, and consequently incentive payments. The objective of the study was to assess the association of hospital characteristics with (i) the mean VBP score, and (ii) specific percentiles of the VBP score distribution. The secondary objective was to quantify the associations of hospital characteristics with the VBP score components: clinical process of care (CPC) score and patient satisfaction score. Observational analysis that used data from three sources: Medicare Hospital Compare Database, American Hospital Association 2010 Annual Survey and Medicare Impact File. The final study sample included 2,491 U.S. acute care hospitals eligible for the VBP program. The association of hospital characteristics with the mean VBP score and specific VBP score percentiles were assessed by ordinary least square (OLS) regression and quantile regression (QR), respectively. VBP score had substantial variations, with mean score of 30 and 60 in the first and fourth quartiles of the VBP score distribution. For-profit status (vs. non-profit), smaller bed size (vs. 100–199 beds), East South Central region (vs. New England region) and the report of specific CPC measures (discharge instructions, timely provision of antibiotics and beta blockers, and serum glucose controls in cardiac surgery patients) were positively associated with mean VBP scores (p<0.01 in all). Total number of CPC measures reported, bed size of 400–499 (vs. 100–199 beds), a few geographic regions (Mid-Atlantic, West North Central, Mountain and Pacific) compared to the New England region were negatively associated with mean VBP score (p<0.01 in all). Disproportionate share index, proportion of Medicare and Medicaid days to total inpatient days had significant (p<0.01) but small effects. QR results indicate evidence of differential effects of some of the hospital characteristics across low-, medium- and high-quality providers. Although hospitals serving the poor and the elderly are more likely to score lower under the VBP program, the correlation appears small. Profit status, geographic regions, number and type of CPC measures reported explain the most variation among scores.
AZT monophosphate knocks thymidylate kinase for a loop.

Structural and kinetic evidence points to an induced loop movement in thymidylate kinase as leading to the limiting step in AZT activation in HIV therapy.
Radial particle mixing in gas-solids fluidized beds

Abstract Difficulties involved in experimentally determining the mixing coefficients of particles in a gas-solids fluidized bed are well known. From the theoretical point of view, the mechanism of particle mixing in such a fluidized bed is influenced profoundly by complicated and stochastic phenomena, such as jetting and bubbling. It appears that a sufficiently effective deterministic approach is not available to analyse the mechanism. In the present work, the particle mixing in the radial or lateral direction of a gas-solids fluidized bed was studied by using heated particles as the tracer particles. The transient concentration distribution of these particles in the lateral direction was obtained by means of an impulse response technique; sensitive thermocouples were used for measurement. The mixing coefficients of particles have been estimated from the distribution by a stochastic approach, and the resultant coefficients are compared with those obtained by other investigators.
Hyperplastic Colon Polyps—Are They Markers?

Excerpt Hyperplastic polyps are commonly seen in the rectum and sigmoid colon, and in the past their importance has been in differentiating them from adenomas. It is well accepted that, in the abse...
Comparison of planting-time applications of granular or liquid insecticides and liquid fertilizer plus insecticide combinations for control of chinch bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) and greenbugs (Homoptera: Aphididae) on seedling sorghum.

Liquid insecticides applied in the furrows at planting time, in combination with liquid fertilizer, provided as good or better protection of sorghum plants from chinch bugs, Blissus leucopterous leucopterous (Say) and green bugs, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) than granular or liquid insecticides applied by themselves at comparable rates. No phytotoxic effects were noted with the fertilizer mixtures and insecticide rates tested. It should be possible for growers to combine two functions (fertilization and plant protection) when needed for sorghum.
The geographies of community disaster resilience

Abstract There is increasing policy and research interest in disaster resilience, yet the extant literature is still mired in definitional debates, epistemological orientations of researchers, and differences in basic approaches to measurement. As a consequence, there is little integration across domains and disciplines on community resilience assessment, its driving forces, and geographic variability. Using US counties as the study unit, this paper creates an empirically-based resilience metric called the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) that is both conceptually and theoretically sound, yet, easy enough to compute for use in a policy context. A common set of variables were used to measure the inherent resilience of counties in the United States according to six different domains or capitals as identified in the extant literature – social, economic, housing and infrastructure, institutional, community, and environmental. Data were from public and freely accessible data sources. Counties in the US Midwest and Great Plains states have the most inherent resilience, while counties in the west, along the US-Mexico border, and along the Appalachian ridge in the east contain the least resilience. Further, it was found that inherent resilience is not the opposite of social vulnerability, but a distinctly different construct both conceptually and empirically. While understanding the overall variability in resilience, the BRIC is easily deconstructed to its component parts to provide guidance to policy makers on where investments in intervention strategies may make a difference in the improvement of scores. Such evidence-based research has an opportunity to influence public policy focused on disaster risk.
Computations of Numerical Solutions in Polymer Flows Using Giesekus Constitutive Model in the hpk Framework with Variationally Consistent Integral Forms

This paper presents numerical solutions of boundary value problems (BVPs) for 1-D and 2-D polymer flows using the Giesekus constitutive model in the hpk mathematical and finite element (FE) computational framework utilizing variationally consistent (VC) integral forms. In the mathematical framework used here, h , the characteristic length, p , the degree of local approximation, and k , the order of the approximation space, are independent parameters as opposed to h and p used currently. The order k of the approximation space allows local approximations of higher order global differentiability. The VC integral forms ensure unconditionally stable computational processes, hence eliminating the need for the currently used upwinding methods for stabilizing computations. The work presented in this paper focuses on the following major-areas of investigation using the hpk framework and VC integral forms: (1) investigations of the different choices of stresses as dependent variables in the mathematical models on t...
Capillary phenomena during solidification

Abstract Capillarity, broadly stated, is the collection of thermodynamic concepts which relate the state of a system to its size, per se. Usually, in crystal growth, one is most interested in relating state variables such as temperature, composition, chemical potential, and pressure to interfacial curvature. The ability to evaluate theories of crystal growth and morphological development has been stymied until recently by the unreliability of interfacial energy measurements. However, two systems — ice/water and succinonitrile — are now characterized with sufficient accuracy to permit critical evaluations to proceed. Measurements of the kinetics of dendritic growth in these systems confirm that a characteristic rate dependence arises. Specifically, In( V/V 0 ) = 2.65 In Δ T , where V is the axial growth rate, V 0 is a measured constant, and Δ T is the supercooling. The almost-cubic rate exponent indicated is independent of the material properties, and is predicted by diffusion and capillary theory, whereas the constant V 0 depends on the material system and is poorly estimated by current steady-state theory. Other examples to be reviewed include recent experimental assessments of linear morphological stability theory.
The Sclerotinia sclerotiorum pac1 gene is required for sclerotial development and virulence.

The synergistic activities of oxalic acid and endopolygalacturonases are thought to be essential for full virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and other oxalate-producing plant pathogens. Both oxa...
Survival after biventricular assist device implantation: An analysis of the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support database

Background Patients requiring biventricular assist device (BiVAD) for mechanical circulatory support (MCS) have substantially worse outcomes than patients requiring left VAD (LVAD) support only. Patient-specific risk factors have yet to be consistently identified in a large, multicenter registry, which may underlie the poorer outcomes for BiVAD patients. The Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) is a registry of U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved durable MCS devices used for bridge-to-transplantation, destination therapy, or recovery. The purposes of this study were to 1) identify the underlying pre-implant characteristics of the population requiring BiVAD support that contribute to reduced survival, and 2) identify differences in postoperative outcomes with respect to adverse events compared with patients supported with LVAD alone. Methods From June 2006 to September 2009, 1,646 patients were entered into the INTERMACS database in which adverse events and outcomes were recorded for primary implants with LVAD or BiVAD. Competing outcomes methodology was used to estimate the time-related probability of death, transplant, or recovery. Overall survival for all groups was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional regression analysis. Results The distribution of primary device implants included 1,440 LVADs and 206 BiVADs. BiVAD patients presented with a lower INTERMACS profile 93% in INTERMACS 1 or 2, compared with 73% for LVAD patients ( p p Conclusions Patients requiring BiVAD support at the time of durable MCS implant are more critically ill at the time of MCS implant. BiVAD patients experience worse survival than patients supported with LVAD alone and higher rates of serious adverse events. Characteristics of the population present at the time of BiVAD implant likely influence post-implant MCS outcomes.
A Neutral Water-Soluble Broadening Agent for Spin-Label Studies

Abstract Cr(maltolate) 3 is proposed as a neutral water-soluble reagent for the broadening of accessible nitroxyl spin labels or spin probes in biological experiments. For situations in which the molecular charge is important, it supplements Cr(oxalate) 3− 3 , which is somewhat more effective on a molar basis. The interaction of the two reagents with spin-labeled creatine kinase is an example of a case in which the charge of the broadening agent is important.
DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF PRECIPITATION ON PRODUCTION AND DECOMPOSITION ALONG A RAINFALL GRADIENT IN HAWAII

I assessed the differential effects of water availability on aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and decomposition along a natural rainfall gradient ranging from 500 to 5500 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP). All sites were native forest vegetation on the island of Hawai'i, at similar elevation and of similar substrate age. Measurements of production were conducted for 12 months, with monthly collections of litterfall, biannual measurement of tree diameter increase, and nondestructive measures of grass production. Aboveground net primary production increased linearly with increasing site rainfall in the first four sites (up to 2000 mm MAP) and then declined at the wettest site. Grass production was a small component of total ANPP at the two driest sites and was absent elsewhere. When compared with decomposition of surface litter along the same gradient, patterns of ANPP were distinct from those of rates of mass loss and nutrient release. The balance between production and decomposition was illustrated with a simple model that predicted changes in detrital mass and nutrient content and concentration of detritus along the precipitation gradient. The change in the relative effect on these two processes along the gradient of precipitation suggests a complexity to the regional control of rainfall on ecosystem functioning that could not be seen when examining a single process alone.
Protected ester, nitrile, carbinol and carbinyl amine cyclopropanone hydrates

Abstract Methyl diazoacetate reacted with the ketene acetal I in the presence of dirhodium tetraacetate yielding the metastable cyclopropanone ketal ester II, which was converted to the primary and tertiary cyclopropyl carbinols III and IV by treatment with lithium aluminum hydride and methyl lithium, respectively. Diazoacetonitrile yielded a stable crystalline cyclopropanone ketal nitrile X following reaction with the ketene acetal I.
Activation of 1-methyladenosine by starfish oocytes.

Abstract Meiotic maturation in starfish oocytes is initiated by the purine base 1-methyladenine but not the nucleoside (1-methyladenosine) of this compound. The extent to which this may be the result of inaccessibility of 1-methyladenosine to cellular sites was investigated. Oocytes were homogenized at various stages of maturation, incubated with 1-methyladenosine and the effects of these homogenates on oocyte maturation were subsequently tested. Oocyte homogenates incubated with 1-methyladenosine were active in producing oocyte maturation, whereas homogenates not incubated with the nucleoside were inactive. Thus, activation of 1-methyl-adenosine occurred in response to oocyte homogenization. Specificity studies indicated that only compounds containing 1-methyladenine were activated in response homogenization. Activation of the starfish gonadotrophin (radial nerve factor) was not observed. These studies suggest that the starfish oocytes contain biochemical mechanism(s) for rendering 1-methyl-adenosine, an effective stimulator of oocyte maturation. Under normal conditions the integrity of the cell surface makes this interaction impossible. Activation of 1-methyladenosine, therefore, provides a simple and sensitive indicator of oocyte cellular integrity or damage.
Metallomacrocycles incorporating a hemilabile tröger's base derived ligand

Troger's base, a chiral molecule with a rigid 90° backbone, has been incorporated into a novel hemilabile phosphinoalkyl thioether ligand. Using the Weak Link Approach, this ligand has been reacted with Cu(CH3CN)4PF6 and [Rh(COE)2Cl]x (COE = cyclooctene) to form metallomacrocycles. Upon reaction of the ligand with CuI, which prefers a tetrahedral coordination geometry, a bimetallic macrocycle was formed. Alternatively, owing to the steric restrictions imposed by the 90° backbone of the ligand and the square-planar geometry of RhI, when the ligand was reacted with [Rh(COE)2Cl]x, the formation of bimetallic closed macrocycles was not observed, and instead a mixture of tri- and tetrametallic closed macrocycles is formed. Introducing pyridine to the CuI complex causes the weak thioether−Cu bonds to break, generating a large bimetallic open macrocycle. Upon reaction of the mixture of RhI metallomacrocycles with CO and Cl-, the cyclic structure of these complexes becomes flexible enough that the dimeric bimetal...