cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pyruvate and flavor development in macerated onions (Allium cepa L.) by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and exogenous C-S lyase

Abstract Effect of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in conjunction with exogenous C-S lyase on pyruvate content in macerated onion and flavor profile was studied. Pyruvate production of 2.5-fold greater than that of the control was obtained in γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and exogenous C-S lyase treated onions held for 20 h at 37 °C. Relative abundance of flavor compounds in Spartan Banner, a pungent onion, varied from a yellow sweet salad-type onion. The effect of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and exogenous C-S lyase on onion flavor profile was shown by a shift of major components from methyl propyl disulfide, methyl propenyl trisulfide, dimethyl tetrasulfide and propyl 1-propenyl trisulfide, into new major components, methyl 1-propenyl disulfide, dipropyl disulfide, propyl 1-propenyl disulfide, methyl 1-propenyl trisulfide, and propyl 1-propenyl trisulfide. This increase in 1-propenyl containing flavor compounds may effect overall flavor of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and exogenous C-S lyase treated onion extracts.
Biological Assessment of Slope Wetlands on the Coastal Plain of South Carolina

ABSTRACT Slope wetlands occur where groundwater emerges from hillsides to create shallow pools. These wetlands may be the initial point of contact between biota and emerging contaminated groundwater. We sampled several slope wetlands on the upper coastal plain of South Carolina that received contaminated groundwater and compared them to undisturbed slope wetlands. All of the wetlands supported a variety of insects, especially midge larvae and other Diptera, annelid worms, and aquatic beetles. Some supported large numbers of mites and copepods, and a few supported salamanders. Most taxa were tolerant of harsh conditions such as low dissolved oxygen and pH. Assemblage composition varied among wetlands due to differences in hydroperiod and likelihood of being flooded by nearby streams. Also important was the lack of shading in some disturbed wetlands, which permitted the growth of filamentous algae, sphagnum moss, and other plants. Few metrics commonly used for impact assessment differed between disturbed an...
CP violation in hyperon nonleptonic decays within the standard model

We calculate the CP-violating asymmetries $A({\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{\ensuremath{-}}^{0})$ and $A({\ensuremath{\Xi}}_{\ensuremath{-}}^{\ensuremath{-}})$ in nonleptonic hyperon decay within the standard model using the framework of heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory $(\ensuremath{\chi}\mathrm{PT}).$ We identify those terms that correspond to previous calculations and discover several errors in the existing literature. We present a new result for the lowest-order (in $\ensuremath{\chi}\mathrm{PT})$ contribution of the penguin operator to these asymmetries, as well as an estimate for the uncertainty of our result that is based on the calculation of the leading nonanalytic corrections.
Metaphase chromosome and nucleoid differences between CHO-K1 and its radiosensitive derivative xrs-5.

The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line xrs-5 is a radiation-sensitive mutant isolated from CHO-K1 cells. The radiation sensitivity is associated with a defect in DNA double-strand break rejoining. Chromatin structure also appears altered in xrs-5 cells compared to the parental CHO-K1 cells. Metaphase chromosomes from xrs-5 are more condensed in appearance than CHO-K1 chromosomes. The overcondensed look is not the result of colcemid sensitivity. Electron microscopy studies suggest that xrs-5 metaphase chromosomes have larger loops of chromatin extending out from the chromosome core. There are also differences between CHO-K1 and xrs-5 cells in the size and fluorescence pattern of ethidium bromide-stained nucleoid preparations. These results suggest that there is a fundamental difference between CHO-K1 and xrs-5 in either the organization of the supercoiled loops of DNA attached to the nuclear matrix or in the nature of the proteins that attach the DNA to the matrix. These alterations in chromosome structure may underlie, in part, the radiation sensitivity of xrs-5 cells.
Calcium and activation of the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor.

Indirect and direct experimental evidence demonstrates that both the entry of extracellular calcium and the liberation of calcium from intracellular stores can contribute to an increase in free cytoplasmic calcium concentration in endothelial cells, which seems to be an essential step in the synthesis and/or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors(s). A variety of Ca2+ transport mechanisms may be involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic calcium in endothelial cells. Ca2+ entry may occur via voltage-operated Ca2+ channels. If they do exist, these channels may have characteristics different from those in underlying vascular smooth muscle cells. Sustained activation of the release of EDRF by various receptor agonists (e.g., acetylcholine, adenine nucleotides, and bradykinin) is also dependent on Ca2+ entry, but it is insensitive to organic Ca2+ channel antagonists. These findings indicate that, when used clinically in various cardiovascular diseases, organic calcium channel antagonists are not expected to interfere with endothelium-dependent relaxation evoked by endogenous vasoactive substances (e.g., ADP, serotonin). Since amiloride and its analogues blocked endothelium-dependent relaxations in different arterial preparations, Na+ transport and Na+/Ca2+ exchange were suggested to play a role in calcium-dependent release of EDRF. The exact nature of Ca2+ transport mechanisms and also the calcium-sensitive cellular processes that lead to the synthesis/release of endothelium derived relaxing factor(s) remain to be determined. However, the available data suggest that calcium handling by the vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells may be different, allowing potentially selective modulation of Ca2+ activation in these two cell types.
OPTIMIZATION STUDIES FOR THE ADVANCED PHOTOINJECTOR EXPERIMENT (APEX)

The Advanced Photoinjector Experiment (APEX) seeks to validate the design of a proposed high-brightness, normal conducting RF photoinjector gun and bunching cavity feeding a superconducting RF linac to produce nC-scale electron bunches with sub-micron normalized emittances at MHz-scale repetition rates. The beamline design seeks to optimize the slice averaged 6D brightness of the beam prior to injection into a high gradient linac for further manipulation and delivery to an FEL undulator. Details of the proposed beamline layout and electron beam dynamics studies are presented.
Geological effects of the Gulf Stream System on the northern Bermuda Rise

Abstract The Gulf Stream System contains a clockwise rotating set of bottom currents which influence the sea bed in the northern North American Basin. It is possible to interpret the present-day and historical record of current activity in this basin in terms of the deep flow of the Gulf Stream. This interpretation provides a much more satisfactory and consistent explanation of the geologic record than previous interpretations based strictly on the influence of the classic abyssal circulation. The present-day circulation of the Gulf Stream actively resuspends large quantities of sediment on and near the northern Bermuda Rise, and it is suggested that this resuspension may be due to the eddy field which is embedded in the westward flowing return flow. During the late Cenozoic the Gulf Stream System was responsible for depositing and shaping the major acoustic/sedimentological units on the relatively smooth surface of the Horizon A complex. Fine-grained, mont-morillionite-rich sediments derived from the chemically weathered saprolites of the Hudson and St. Lawrence drainage basins, were injected into the deep ocean basins by turbidity currents during the late Paleogene and the Neogene. Fine-grained turbidites from the St. Lawrence spread southward down the southeastern Sohm Abyssal Plain across the eastward-flowing Gulf Stream and its westward flowing return flows. Portions of these fine-grained sediments were entrained by the main and return flows and deposited downstream as acoustically non-laminated accumulations on the Corner and Bermuda Rises, respectively. The Hudson River input was injected into the deep basin through the Hudson Canyon System. The interaction of these fine-grained turbidites with the northward flowing deep flow of the Gulf Stream System led to the formation of the Gulf Stream Outer Ridge, here defined for the first time. During the late Neogene or early Pleistocene the Gulf Stream Outer Ridge was partially eroded by the Gulf Stream System and portions subsequently covered by coarse-grained Pleistocene turbidites. The coarse-grained illite-rich turbidites that flowed across the southeastern Sohm Abyssal Plain also crossed the main and return flows of the Gulf Stream System. The finer portions of these sediments were entrained and deposited as Pleistocene acoustically laminated sediments on the plateaus of the Bermuda and Corner Rises.
An introduction to OpenAccess: an open source data model and API for IC design

The OpenAccess database provides a comprehensive open standard data model and robust implementation for IC design flows. This paper describes how it improves interoperability among applications in an EDA flow. It details how OA benefits developers of both EDA tools and flows. Finally, it outlines how OA is being used in the industry, at semiconductor design companies, EDA tool vendors, and universities.
Cultures of human tracheal gland cells of mucous or serous phenotype

There are two main epithelial cell types in the secretory tubules of mammalian glands: serous and mucous. The former is believed to secrete predominantly water and antimicrobials, the latter mucins. Primary cultures of human airway gland epithelium have been available for almost 20 yr, but they are poorly differentiated and lack clear features of either serous or mucous cells. In this study, by varying growth supports and media, we have produced cultures from human airway glands that in terms of their ultrastructure and secretory products resemble either mucous or serous cells. Of four types of porous-bottomed insert tested, polycarbonate filters (Transwells) most strongly promoted the mucous phenotype. Coupled with the addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF), this growth support produced “mucous” cells that contained the large electron-lucent granules characteristic of native mucous cells, but lacked the small electron-dense granules characteristic of serous cells. Furthermore, they showed high levels of mucin secretion and low levels of release of lactoferrin and lysozyme (markers of native serous cells). By contrast, growth on polyethylene terephthalate filters (Cyclopore) in medium lacking EGF produced “serous” cells in which small electron-dense granules replaced the electron-lucent ones, and the cells had high levels of lactoferrin and lysozyme but low levels of mucins. Measurements of transepithelial resistance and short-circuit current showed that both “serous” and “mucous” cell cultures possessed tight junctions, had become polarized, and were actively secreting Cl.
Impact of maternal breast cancer on the peer interactions of children at school

Relatively little research has investigated the impact of parental cancer on developmental outcomes for school-aged children beyond the home. The current study was designed to examine the impact of maternal breast cancer on the social behavior, peer acceptance, and friendships of children and adolescents at school. It was hypothesized that children of women with breast cancer would have fewer friends and be viewed by peers, teachers, and themselves as more socially isolated than comparison classmates. A sample of 60 school-aged children (age 8–16) of women with breast cancer, 58 teachers, and 1138 classmates provided data in classroom settings. Comparisons were made between children in the maternal cancer sample and 60 classmates matched for gender, race, and age. No overall group differences were found on indicators of peer acceptance or friendships at school. Although marked behavioral similarities were found between groups, analyses indicated that sons, but not daughters, of mothers with breast cancer were seen by teachers and peers as more socially sensitive and isolated than comparison peers. Further research is warranted to confirm findings that sons of mothers with breast cancer may experience social isolation and to examine the stability and consequences of this behavioral pattern. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The trace element geochemistry of marine biogenic particulate matter

Abstract Plankton samples have been carefully collected from a variety of marine environments for major and trace-chemical analysis. The samples were collected and handled under the rigorous conditions necessary to prevent contamination of the trace elements. Immediately after collection, the samples were subjected to a series of physical and chemical leaching-decomposition experiments designed to identify the major and trace element composition of the biogenic particulate matter. Emphasis was placed on the determination of the trace element/major element ratios in the various biogenic phases important in biogeochemical cycling. The majority of the trace elements in the samples were directly associated with the non-skeletal organic phases of the plankton. These associations include a very labile fraction which was rapidly released into seawater immediately after collection and a more refractory component which involved specific metal-organic binding. Calcium carbonate and opal were not significant carriers for any of the trace elements studied. A refractory phase containing aluminum and iron in terrigenous ratios was present in all samples, even from remote pelagic environments. This non-biogenic carrier contributed insignificant amounts to the other trace elements studied. The plankton samples were collected from surface waters with a wide range in the dissolved trace element/nutrient ratios, however, the same elemental ratios in the bulk plankton samples were relatively constant in all these environments. The bulk compositions and the rapid release of the metals and nutrient elements (specifically phosphorus) from the plankton after collection were used to examine the systematics of depletions of the dissolved elements from surface waters. These elemental ratios were combined with known fluxes of the major biogenic materials to estimate the significance of the plankton in the vertical flux of the trace elements. In parallel with the major surface ocean cycles of carbon and nitrogen, significant fractions of the trace elements taken up by primary producers must be rapidly regenerated in order to explain the observed elemental compositions and fluxes.
Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death by Dietary Pure ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Dogs

Background —Rat diets high in fish oil have been shown to be protective against ischemia-induced fatal ventricular arrhythmias. Increasing evidence suggests that this may also apply to humans. To confirm the evidence in animals, we tested a concentrate of the free fish-oil fatty acids and found them to be antiarrhythmic. In this study, we tested the pure free fatty acids of the 2 major dietary ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil: cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5ω-3) and cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6ω-3), and the parent ω-3 fatty acid in some vegetable oils, cis-9,12,15-α-linolenic acid (C18:3ω-3), administered intravenously on albumin or a phospholipid emulsion. Methods and Results —The tests were performed in a dog model of cardiac sudden death. Dogs were prepared with a large anterior wall myocardial infarction produced surgically and an inflatable cuff placed around the left circumflex coronary artery. With the dogs running on a treadmill 1 month after the surgery, occlusion of the left circumflex artery regularly produced ventricular fibrillation in the control tests done 1 week before and after the test, with the ω-3 fatty acids administered intravenously as their pure free fatty acid. With infusion of the eicosapentaenoic acid, 5 of 7 dogs were protected from fatal ventricular arrhythmias ( P <0.02). With docosahexaenoic acid, 6 of 8 dogs were protected, and with α-linolenic acid, 6 of 8 dogs were also protected ( P <0.004 for each). The before and after control studies performed on the same animal all resulted in fatal ventricular arrhythmias, from which they were defibrillated. Conclusions —These results indicate that purified ω-3 fatty acids can prevent ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation in this dog model of sudden cardiac death.
The importance of hydration for the kinetics and thermodynamics of protein folding: simplified lattice models

Background: Recent studies have proposed various sources for the origin of cooperativity in simplified protein folding models. Important contributions to cooperativity that have been discussed include backbone hydrogen bonding, sidechain packing and hydrophobic interactions. Related work has also focused on which interactions are responsible for making the free energy of the native structure a pronounced global minimum in the free energy landscape. In addition, two-flavor bead models have been found to exhibit poor folding cooperativity and often lack unique native structures. We propose a simple multibody description of hydration with expectations that it might modify the free energy surface in such a way as to increase the cooperativity of folding and improve the performance of two-flavor models. Results: We study the thermodynamics and kinetics of folding for designed 36-mer sequences on a cubic lattice using both our solvation model and the corresponding model without solvation terms. Degeneracies of the native states are studied by enumerating the maximally compact states. The histogram Monte Carlo method is used to obtain folding temperatures, densities of states and heat capacity curves. Folding kinetics are examined by accumulating mean first-passage times versus temperature. Sequences in the proposed solvation model are found to have more unique ground states, fold faster and fold with more cooperativity than sequences in the nonsolvation model. Conclusions: We find that the addition of a multibody description of solvation can improve the poor performance of two-flavor lattice models and provide an additional source for more cooperative folding. Our results suggest that a better description of solvation will be important for future theoretical protein folding studies.
Tuning the Location of Niobia/Carbon Composites in a Biphasic Reaction: Dehydration of d -Glucose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

The conversion of glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was studied in a biphasic system with niobia solid acid catalysts. We used carbon supported niobia since it shows improved hydrothermal stability. However, the carbon supported catalysts tend to be located in the organic phase due to their hydrophobic nature, while the reactant glucose is present in the aqueous phase. Therefore, we functionalized the carbon black support to increase the degree of hydrophilicity, allowing us to locate the catalyst either in the organic phase, in the aqueous phase or at the interface. The effect of the location of the niobia/carbon composites on the catalytic performance was investigated in the conversion of d-glucose to HMF in a biphasic system. It was found that the niobia catalyst located in the aqueous phase showed the highest d-glucose conversion (twofold greater than the others). We also compared the performance of catalysts obtained by deposition of niobia on functionalized carbon with a catalyst prepared by deposition precipitation-carbonization (DPC). The latter catalyst provides crystalline niobia particles while the other catalysts yield amorphous niobia. The crystalline niobia is more active for the acid catalyzed dehydration of isopropanol in the vapor phase. The DPC method provides a simple one pot synthesis to generate niobia particles embedded in a carbon support. .
The Impact of Relationship Type on Customer Loyalty in a Context of Service Failures

This article examines the impact of relationship type (true service relationship, pseudorelationship, and service encounter) on customers’ behavioral intentions in a context of service failures. Overall, the results from the two scenario-based experiments indicate that building a true service relationship with the customer might be a critical factor in ensuring customer loyalty with a failed recovery attempt. Moreover, the findings suggest that bonding the customer to the company might reduce customer resistance to premium prices.
Haloperidol downregulates phospholipase A2 signaling in rat basal ganglia circuits

Our laboratory has developed an in vivo method to quantitatively evaluate phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-mediated signal transduction in brain regions of rodents. In this method, quantitative autoradiography is used to identify brain uptake of intravenously injected, radiolabeled arachidonic acid ([3H]AA). Dopamine D2 receptors are coupled to G-proteins that activate PLA2, releasing AA from the stereospecifically numbered (sn) 2 position of phospholipids, and regional [3H]AA uptake is proportional to the rate of release. In the present experiment, the D2 antagonist haloperidol (1.0 mg/kg i.p.) or the drug vehicle was administered to male adult rats for 21 days. Rats were infused 3 days later with 1.75 mCi/kg [3H]AA (i.v.), anesthetized and decapitated 20 min after infusion onset, and brains were processed for quantitative autoradiography. Chronic haloperidol significantly decreased [3H]AA incorporation in two primary dopaminergic basal ganglia–frontal cortex circuits, the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal systems, while insignificant changes in AA incorporation were noted in other brain regions. These results suggest that one mechanism by which haloperidol exerts its effect is by downregulating D2-mediated PLA2 signaling involving AA release in basal ganglia–frontal cortex circuitry.
Uses of cumulants in wavelet analysis

Cumulants are useful in studying nonlinear phenomena and in developing (approximate) statistical properties of quantities computed from random process data. Wavelet analysis is a powerful tool for the approximation and estimation of curves and surfaces. This work considers wavelets and cumulants, developing some sampling properties of wavelet fits to a signal in the presence of additive stationary noise via the calculus of cumulants. Of some concern is the construction of approximate confidence bounds around a fit. Both linear and shrunken wavelet estimates are considered. Extensions to spatial processes, irregularly observed processes and long memory processes are discussed. The usefulness of the cumulants lies in their employment to develop some of the statistical properties of the estimates.
Neuromodulation Intrinsic to the Central Pattern Generator for Escape Swimming in Tritoniaa

: Extrinsic neuromodulatory inputs to central pattern generators (CPGs) can alter the properties and synaptic interactions of neurons in those circuits and thereby modify the output of the CPG. Recent work in a number of systems has now demonstrated that neurons intrinsic to CPG can also evoke neuromodulatory actions on other members of the CPG. Such “intrinsic neuromodulation” plays a role in controlling the CPG underlying the escape swim response of the nudibrach mollusc, Tritonia diomedea. The dorsal swim interneurons (DSIs) are a bilaterally represented set of three serotonergic neurons that participate in the generation of the rhythmic swim motor program. Serotonin released from these CPG neurons functions both as a fast neurotransmitter and as a slower neuromodulator. In its modulatory role, serotonin enhances the release of neurotransmitter from another CPG neuron, C2, and also increases C2 excitability by decreasing spike frequency adaptation. These neuromodulatory actions intrinsic to the CPG may be important for the initial self-configuration of the system into a function CPG and for experience-dependent changes in the output such as behavioral sensitization and habituation.
Feeding preferences of the collembolan Folsomia candida in relation to microfungal successions on decaying litter

Abstract The feeding preferences of two strains of the collembolan, Folsomia Candida , for some common primary and secondary saprophytes of spruce and fir litter were investigated. The fungi were grown on spruce or fir litter, or on cellophane strips that had been placed on top of malt agar. The ability of the animals to survive and reproduce on the fungi was also investigated and a microcosm system was used to examine the effect of collembolan grazing on the microfungal succession on spruce litter. The experiments demonstrated selective feeding. Generally the insects preferred primary saprophytes to secondary saprophytes and selected foods that increased their fecundity. The microcosm study showed that the absence of the grazers slowed down the rate at which primary saprophytes on litter were replaced by secondary saprophytes. These data therefore support the hypothesis that fungal successions observed in the field on decaying litter may result from preferential grazing by microarthropods.
Treatment of Pain in Pediatric Patients

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that untreated pain is associated with adverse consequences that can compromise clinical and developmental outcomes in children but that these adverse conseq...
Dawn and dusk sector comparisons of small‐scale irregularities, convection, and particle precipitation in the high‐latitude ionosphere

Received 7 June 2001; revised 31 October 2001; accepted 4 December 2001; published 19 September 2002. [1] Small-scale ionospheric irregularities and auroral precipitation are common features of the auroral ionosphere, but their spatial association has not been examined on global scales. In this paper, we compare electron and ion precipitation from individual passes of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft with concurrent observations of ionospheric irregularities and plasma convection from the Northern Hemisphere component of the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN). Because of the nature of the DMSP orbits and the spatial resolution of the SuperDARN measurements these comparisons have been limited to the dusk and postdawn sectors and spatial dimensions greater than 100 km. We have found that the SuperDARN radars generally observe ionospheric irregularities over a greater latitudinal extent than the DMSP satellites observe particle precipitation. Specifically, ionospheric irregularities are observed both equatorward and poleward of the convection reversal boundary (CRB) in the dawn and dusk sectors, whereas particle precipitation is only observed equatorward of the CRB. Under conditions where the radars can detect the true equatorward boundary of the irregularities, they are observed to extend equatorward of the particle precipitation. Both irregularities and particle precipitation expand equatorward with increasing geomagnetic activity, and there is evidence that precipitation regions with higher energy flux are associated with regions of stronger sunward convection. These results suggest that SuperDARN can provide a coarse determination of the auroral-oval position that will complement measurements with optics and particle detectors. More importantly, they demonstrate the spatial relationships between precipitation, electric fields, and ionospheric irregularities that result from the electrical coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere and the dependence of ionospheric plasma instabilities on the ionospheric electric field and precipitation-induced electron-density gradients. INDEX TERMS: 2760 Magnetospheric Physics: Plasma convection; 2407 Ionosphere: Auroral ionosphere (2704); 2463 Ionosphere: Plasma convection; 2455 Ionosphere: Particle precipitation; 2439 Ionosphere: Ionospheric irregularities;
TQFT’S FROM HOMOTOPY 2-TYPES

Using techniques from [14] we construct topological quantum field theories using an algebraic model of a homotopy 2-type as initial data.
Resilience of structured P2P systems under churn: The reachable component method

Users in a peer-to-peer (P2P) system join and leave the network in a continuous manner. Understanding the resilience properties of P2P systems under high rate of node churn becomes important. In this work, we first find that a lifetime-based dynamic churn model for a P2P network that has reached stationarity is reducible to a uniform node failure model. This is a simple yet powerful result that bridges the gap between the complex dynamic churn models and the more tractable uniform failure model. We further develop the reachable component method and derive the routing performance of a wide-range of structured P2P systems under varying rates of churn. We find that the de Bruijn graph based routing systems offer excellent resilience under extremely high rate of node turnovers, followed by a group of routing systems that include CAN, Kademlia, Chord and randomized-Chord. We show that our theoretical predictions agree well with large-scale simulation results. We finish by suggesting methods to further improve the routing performance of dynamic P2P systems in the presence of churn and failures.
Male neonatal circumcision: indications, controversies and complications

The debate about whether to circumcise infants in the neonatal period likely will continue. As the medical and ethical issues are discussed and studied, however, economic factors are beginning to limit the practice in the United States. As the shift in reimbursement occurs, parents who believe that circumcision is a medically necessary practice will need to be reassured that their child may lead a healthy life with an intact foreskin.
Public perceptions and behaviors regarding cancer control

A random digit dialing method was used to select a stratified random sample of 413 residents from 5 counties in Northwest Ohio for the purpose of assessing public perceptions and behaviors regarding cancer. A fatalistic attitude was expressed by 46% of respondents, who agreed that it seems that almost everything causes cancer. Twenty-four percent agreed that one can do little to prevent cancer. Respondents expressed greater concern with cancer than with several major diseases, including AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Eighty percent of females and 74% of males favored smoking restrictions in work areas, and 62% of females and 52% of males favored a total smoking ban in work areas. The majority of respondents reported having made some health protective behavior changes in the last year, but reported use of cancer screening procedures was low. A relationship was found between confidence in media reports about causes of cancer and a fatalistic attitude about cancer. Implications for public education about cancer are discussed.
Controllability Properties of a Vibrating String with Variable Axial Load Only

We show that the set of equilibrium-like states (yd,0) of a vibrating string which can approximately be reached in the energy space H10 (0,1)× L2(0,1) from almost any non-zero initial datum, namely, (y0,y1) e (H2(0,1)∩H10(0,1))× H1(0,1), (y0,y1) ≠ (0,0) by varying its axial load only is dense in the subspace H10 (0,1)× {0} of this space. This result is based on a constructive argument and makes use of piecewise constant-in-time control functions (loads) only, which enter the model equation as coefficients.
The Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire: An Objective Self-Report Measure of Psychological Tendencies Associated With Human Sexuality:

The purpose of the present investigation was to develop and validate an objective self-report instrument, the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire (MSQ), designed to measure psychological tendencies associated with sexual relationships. Results indicated that the MSQ subscales had high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and were largely independent of social desirability tendencies. Other results indicated that women and men responded in unique ways to the MSQ, with women reporting greater sexual-fear and men reporting greater sexual-esteem, sexual-preoccupation, sexual-motivation, sexual-assertiveness, and external-sexual-control. Additional evidence for the concurrent, discriminant, and convergent validity of the MSQ was found: the MSQ was associated not only with women's and men's sexual attitudes and their exchange and communal approaches to sexual relations, but also with their scores on other instruments conceptually similar to the MSQ. Men's and women's sexual behaviors were also predictably related to their scores on the MSQ subscales. The discussion focuses on research and applied uses of the Multidimensional Sexuality Questionnaire.
No Effect of a Single Supratherapeutic Dose of Lersivirine, a Next-Generation Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, on Corrected QT Interval in Healthy Subjects

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a supratherapeutic dose of lersivirine (LRV) on corrected QT (QTc) interval using Fridericia's equation (QTcF) in healthy subjects. In this randomized, single-dose, placebo- and active-controlled 3-way crossover study, healthy adult males (n = 48) were randomized to receive LRV (2,400 mg), moxifloxacin (400 mg), or placebo for each treatment period. Triplicate 12-lead electrocardiogram measurements were performed, PK samples were collected, and vital signs were measured. Adverse event monitoring and safety laboratory testing were performed. All subjects were white (mean age, 39 years; body mass index [BMI], 25.6 kg/m2) and completed the study. Following LRV administration, the upper bound of the 90% confidence interval (CI) for time-matched adjusted mean differences to placebo QTcF at each time point postdose was below the regulatory threshold of 10 ms, satisfying the criteria for a negative thorough QT/QTc study. The highest upper bound of QTcF 90% CI occurred at 6 h for LRV (3.32 ms; 90% CI, 1.47 to 5.17 ms). The study was deemed adequately sensitive as the lower bound of the 90% CI for the adjusted mean QTcF differences between moxifloxacin and placebo at the moxifloxacin historical Tmax of 3 h was >5 ms (15.29 ms; 90% CI, 13.44 to 17.14 ms). There was no statistically significant relationship between LRV exposure and placebo-adjusted change from baseline QTcF or clinically significant changes in QRS complex, pulse rate (PR) interval, heart rate, or blood pressure. LRV (2,400 mg) did not prolong the QTcF interval, and no clinically relevant electrocardiogram or vital sign changes were observed in healthy subjects.
Interpretations, Evaluations, and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch

Key elements of an expectancy violations (EV) framework are forwarded as a possible organizing framework for understanding how touch functions in interpersonal communication. Central to applying an EV framework to touch is assessing the expectedness, interpretations, and evaluations of touch and its influence on such communication outcomes as evaluations of communicator attractiveness and credibility. To address these considerations, an experiment required participants to engage in dyadic problem-solving discussions during which they were touched or not touched by high-valence (attractive, high status, expert) or low-valence (unattractive, low status, inexpert) confederates. Brief touches by high-valence communicators were less expected than from low-valence communicators but positively evaluated from both. Touch also carried many favorable relational message interpretations, and the combination of touch and high communicator valence generally produced the highest credibility and attraction ratings. Some gender effects emerged, which appeared to moderate touch effects. Results suggest that brief touches among strangers may have positive consequences, especially when initiated by high-valence communicators, for whom they may qualify as positive violations.
Motion Detection Based Multimedia Supported Intelligent Video Surveillance System

An integrated multimedia supported intelligent video surveillance system is proposed. The system is aimed to alleviate the disadvantages of the existing video-surveillance kits and provides advanced search, notification, visualization and alarming functionality through integration of artificial intelligence, motion detection and tracking technology, multimedia databases and Internet/cell phone connectivity. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed concept is proven through experimental results on a real-life video sequence.
The relative toxicity of metaldehyde and iron phosphate-based molluscicides to earthworms.

Slugs are suppressed by cereal flour-based baits or pellets containing metaldehyde, or containing iron phosphate plus chelating agents, which are also consumed by earthworms and other invertebrates. These studies compared the effects of metaldehyde and iron phosphate alone, with those of iron phosphate plus chelating agents EDDS and EDTA, and of the chelating agents alone on earthworms. OECD artificial soil test: Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were exposed directly to the molluscicides in artificial soil. The test chemicals were: metaldehyde; iron phosphate; ethyldiaminetetraceticacid (EDTA), ethylenediaminesuccinicacid (EDDS) and mixtures of iron phosphate and these latter two chemicals. LD50 values were more than 10,000 mg kg �1 for metaldehyde and iron phosphate, 156.5 mg kg �1 for EDTA, 145.6 mg kg �1 for EDDS, 72.2 mg kg �1 for iron phosphate/EDTA, and 83.0 mg kg �1 for iron
Five-year trajectories of health care utilization and cost in a drug and alcohol treatment sample.

Abstract Background: The study examined the effect of individual characteristics on longitudinal patterns of health care utilization and cost among individuals entering chemical dependency (CD) treatment. Method: Structured interviews and computerized administrative databases were linked to obtain severity, utilization and cost data. Total medical costs and their components were examined for the 6 months prior to intake through 5 years post-intake. Statistical analyses were conducted using the hierarchical linear modeling framework. Results: Age was positively correlated with total medical costs. Women had higher inpatient utilization and higher inpatient, primary care and total cost at baseline (p Conclusions: There are important differences in patient characteristics and treatment outcomes that influence utilization and cost trajectories. The relationship between medical severity at intake and primary care cost pre-intake among patients with drug and alcohol problems suggests an opportunity to identify and treat drug and alcohol problems in primary care settings. It also suggests that medical evaluations and treatment should not be overlooked during CD treatment. The positive association between abstinence and trajectories of primary care and total medical costs suggests that maintaining abstinence over a long term requires some kind of continuing care either in primary care settings or via additional contacts with specialty CD departments.
Real time collision avoidance of a planar manipulator with an interfering single-link arm

Algorithms are developed which will detect a possible collision between a three-link planar manipulator and a single-link arm having random motions, then generate escape directions for each joint of the planar manipulator to avoid that possible collision in real time. The collision detection is performed by modeling the links of the planar manipulator as a series of vectors as opposed to checking strategic points on each link. These vectors are checked for an intersection with the vector that models the single-link arm. If an intersection is found, the possibility of a collision exists, and an appropriate escape motion for each joint of the planar manipulator is planned. The positioning of the vectors on the planar manipulator varies as a function of the joint velocities, thus allowing detection of a possible collision far enough in advance so the planar manipulator can avoid it. >
Grounded Visualization: Integrating the Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Data through Grounded Theory and Visualization

Our purpose in this paper is to conceptualize and demonstrate an integrated analytical method for using both qualitative and quantitative data through geographic information systems (GIS) and ethnography. We acknowledge that the use of both types of data has been possible in GIS for some time, particularly for representation purposes. However, a recursive integration of different forms of data at the analysis level has been less explored and minimally theorized. Drawing on recent work in critical GIS and feminist perspectives, we suggest that visualization offers a strong technique for this effort but we approach it from the analytical base of grounded theory. Thus, we present an example of how grounded theory and visualization might be used together to construct an integrated analysis strategy that is both iterative and reflexive, both contextual and conceptual. We use Knigge's work on community gardens in Buffalo, New York, to provide a substantive example of the proposed methods.
An application of optimization methods to the automotive emissions control problem

This paper considers a model based optimization method to address the powertrain control design problem. The control objective is to minimize both the tailpipe emissions and the fuel consumption. It is shown that the solution is highly sensitive to the representation of certain nonlinear elements of the system. Using various costs and constraints, the competing nature of system level objectives is illustrated. The implications of these results in the context of system optimization and control design are discussed.
Reliable Binary Signed Digit Number Adder Design

The binary signed digit number (BSDN) system is used implicitly or explicitly to speed up arithmetic operations in many digital systems. This is due to its capability of carry-free addition and regular layout. Also, with the proper selection of the encoding scheme used to encode the BSDN digit set D = {-1, 0, 1} into binary bits, an error detection capability feature can be gained. In this work, we present the design of BSDN full adder cell using the 1-out-of-3 encoding with and without error detection capability. Synthesis results showed that the carry-free addition feature of the BSDN adder is preserved in the proposed design regardless of the inputs size. Also the overall adder performance depends on the desired level of error detection and the effectiveness of the used BSDN full adder.
Robust and accurate cancer classification with gene expression profiling

Robust and accurate cancer classification is critical in cancer treatment. Gene expression profiling is expected to enable us to diagnose tumors precisely and systematically. However, the classification task in this context is very challenging because of the curse of dimensionality and the small sample size problem. In this paper, we propose a novel method to solve these two problems. Our method is able to map gene expression data into a very low dimensional space and thus meets the recommended samples to features per class ratio. As a result, it can be used to classify new samples robustly with low and trustable (estimated) error rates. The method is based on linear discriminant analysis (LDA). However, the conventional LDA requires that the within-class scatter matrix S/sub w/ be nonsingular. Unfortunately, S/sub w/ is always singular in the case of cancer classification due to the small sample size problem. To overcome this problem, we develop a generalized linear discriminant analysis (GLDA) that is a general, direct, and complete solution to optimize Fisher's criterion. GLDA is mathematically well-founded and coincides with the conventional LDA when S/sub w/ is nonsingular. Different from the conventional LDA, GLDA does not assume the nonsingularity of S/sub w/, and thus naturally solves the small sample size problem. To accommodate the high dimensionality of scatter matrices, a fast algorithm of GLDA is also developed. Our extensive experiments on seven public cancer datasets show that the method performs well. Especially on some difficult instances that have very small samples to genes per class ratios, our method achieves much higher accuracies than widely used classification methods such as support vector machines, random forests, etc.
Spontaneous R-parity breaking, stop LSP decays and the neutrino mass hierarchy

The MSSM with right-handed neutrino supermultiplets, gauged B L symmetry and a non-vanishing sneutrino expectation value is the minimal theory that spontaneously breaks R-parity and is consistent with the bounds on proton stability and lepton number violation. This minimal B L MSSM can have a colored/charged LSP, of which a stop LSP is the most amenable to observation at the LHC. We study the R-parity violating decays of a stop LSP into a bottom quark and charged leptons { the dominant modes for a generic \admixture" stop. A numerical analysis of the relative branching ratios of these decay channels is given using a wide scan over the parameter space. The fact that R-parity is violated in this theory by a vacuum expectation value of a sneutrino links these branching ratios directly to the neutrino mass hierarchy. It is shown how a discovery of bottom-charged lepton events at the LHC can potentially determine whether the neutrino masses are in a normal or inverted hierarchy, as well as determining the 23 neutrino mixing angle. Finally, present LHC bounds on these leptoquark signatures are used to put lower bounds on the stop mass.
New evidence for impact origin of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa

The importance of hypervelocity impacts as a geologic process is demonstrated by the example of the Bushveld Complex and the (nearby) Vredefort Ring. Each is interpreted as the result of four simultaneous impacts modified by large-scale endogenic processes triggered by the impact event. The layered mafic sequence and the voluminous red granite associated with the complex are endogenic magmas, probably generated by pressure release accompanying crater excavation. Shock melting of older sedimentary rocks must have produced a layer of impact melt (the Rooiberg Felsite), the upper part of which was extruded over its originally chilled crust as a series of thick lava flows. Field evidence and radiometric age determinations indicate that the Bushveld Complex formed approximately 2000 billion years ago.
Textbook Test File Multiple-Choice Questions can Measure (A) Knowledge, (B) Intellectual Ability, (C) Neither, (D) Both

Textbook test file multiple-choice questions have come to play a substantial role in management education, particularly in the large undergraduate introductory course. Most of the questions test the recall of knowledge rather than the exercise of intellectual skills and abilities; many are not accurately classified as to "cognitive type." Instructors can learn to classify questions correctly and to determine if ones now used serve their objectives. They can change old ones, create new higher-level ones, and involve students in the process. Instructors can convey their requirements for test file standards to textbook publishers.
Resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae: Implications for Drug Selection

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogen in many community-acquired respiratory infections in the United States and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Unfortunately, S. pneumoniae is becoming increasingly resistant to a variety of antibiotics. Results of recent surveillance studies in the United States show that the prevalence of penicillin-nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae ranges from 25% to >50%, and rates of macrolide resistance among pneumococci are reported to be as high as 31%. A high prevalence of resistance to other antimicrobial classes is found among penicillin-resistant strains. Newer quinolones (e.g., gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin, and moxifloxacin) that have better antipneumococcal activity in vitro are the most active agents and therefore are attractive options for treatment of adults with community-acquired respiratory infections. Efforts should be made to prevent pneumococcal infections in high-risk patients through vaccination.