cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconciling contextualism with the core assumptions of personality psychology

A core assumption of personality is that individuals are characterized by qualities that are relatively invariant across situations and over time. Historically, this led to a search for evidence of high consistency in a person's behaviour across diverse situations. Empirical studies have shown, however, that, at least for behaviours of interest to social and personality psychologists, cross-situational variability, rather than consistency, is in fact the norm, creating years of debates and crises regarding the nature of personality consistency. Our goal has been to resolve these crises by showing that people have stable ‘behavioural signatures’ visible in patterns of cross-situational variability rather than consistency, and by suggesting an alternative conception of personality coherence based on the emerging general model of cognitive–affective processing of social information. In this conception, an individual is characterized by the cognitions and affects that are accessible, and the features of situations that activate them. The personality system, however, is not just a list of such accessible thoughts and feelings, but, rather, a dynamic network of functional relations that guides and constrains their activation. The present paper shows how such a system will produce a characteristic, and stable, pattern of variation of its behavioural output as a function of specific features of situations, and how these signatures of personality reflect the stable system that generates them. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Harmful situations, impure people: an attribution asymmetry across moral domains.

Abstract People make inferences about the actions of others, assessing whether an act is best explained by person-based versus situation-based accounts. Here we examine people’s explanations for norm violations in different domains: harmful acts (e.g., assault) and impure acts (e.g., incest). Across four studies, we find evidence for an attribution asymmetry: people endorse more person-based attributions for impure versus harmful acts. This attribution asymmetry is partly explained by the abnormality of impure versus harmful acts, but not by differences in the moral wrongness or the statistical frequency of these acts. Finally, this asymmetry persists even when the situational factors that lead an agent to act impurely are stipulated. These results suggest that, relative to harmful acts, impure acts are linked to person-based attributions.
Conformational targeting of fibrillar polyglutamine proteins in live cells escalates aggregation and cytotoxicity

Background Misfolding- and aggregation-prone proteins underlying Parkinson's, Huntington's and Machado-Joseph diseases, namely α-synuclein, huntingtin, and ataxin-3 respectively, adopt numerous intracellular conformations during pathogenesis, including globular intermediates and insoluble amyloid-like fibrils. Such conformational diversity has complicated research into amyloid-associated intracellular dysfunction and neurodegeneration. To this end, recombinant single-chain Fv antibodies (scFvs) are compelling molecular tools that can be selected against specific protein conformations, and expressed inside cells as intrabodies, for investigative and therapeutic purposes.
What Is a Clinician To Do—Believe the Patient or her Urinary Diary?

Purpose: We determined if patient recall of incontinence episodes correlates with urinary diary record.Materials and Methods: Women with 1 or more urge incontinence episode per week completed 2, 7-day diaries, the Urinary Distress Inventory and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and responded to 2 recall questions.Results: The median number of incontinence episodes participants recalled (6.5, 5) was higher than those recorded in the diary (1.9, 1.1) at both points. Incontinence episodes in 2, 7-day diaries correlated strongly (ρ = 0.921, p <0.005) while participant recall of incontinence episodes correlated weakly (ρ = 0.309, p <0.059). When subjects reported being only slightly or not bothered by urge incontinence, recall and diary record correlated strongly (ρ = 0.812, p = 0.014). With increasing bother (moderate or great), recall and diary were not significantly correlated (ρ = 0.528, p = 0.115).Conclusions: Women with urge incontinence either overestimate or under record incontinence episode frequency...
A TEM study of step morphology on the non-uhv heat-treated MgO (100) surface

Preliminary results from a study of the morphology of the MgO (100) surface after chemical etching followed by heat-treatment in air are presented. Contrast arising from the surface-steps so formed is found to be strongly dependent on the deviation parameter, suggesting that many of the step-faces are not perpendicular to the (100) foil plane but are, instead, often rather shallowly inclined.
Cyclic AMP in the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum.

Abstract Cyclic AMP, [3H]thymidine incorporation, and DNA content were measured in the cell cycle of Physarum polycephalum. A sensitive radioimmunoassay was employed to assay cyclic AMP so that plasmodia could be assayed individually. In contrast to previously published results (Lovely, J.R. and Threlfall, R.J. (1976) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 71, 789–795), no pre-mitotic peak of cyclic AMP was detected. In seven experiments levels of cyclic AMP showed only small changes in individual experiments and ranged from 1–6 pmol/mg protein in different experiments. When plasmodia in the immediate premitotic period were collected on the basis of nuclear mitotic morphology, no evidence of a peak of cyclic AMP was found. Light was found to increase plasmodial cyclic AMP in a rapid, transient fashion. However, the brief exposure of cell cycle samples to light during collection did not induce any apparent cell cycle specific peaks of cyclic AMP. Although the occurrence of extremely rapid transient peaks of cyclic AMP in the cell cycle cannot be ruled out, it appears likely that the P. polycephalum cell cycle can proceed normally without major changes in cyclic AMP.
Inhibition of pathologic inflammation by leukocyte Ig‐like receptor B4 and related inhibitory receptors

Leukocyte immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor B4 (LILRB4)(previously termed gp49B1) is a member of the Ig superfamily expressed constitutively on the surface of mast cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. LILRB4 inhibits IgE-dependent activation of mast cells in vitro through its two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) that recruit the src homology domain type-2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 into the cell membrane. Accordingly, Lilrb4(-/-) mice exhibit greater incidence and severity of IgE- and mast cell-dependent anaphylactic inflammation compared with mice that express LILRB4. In addition, mast cell-dependent inflammation induced by the interaction of stem cell factor (SCF) with its receptor Kit is also more severe in Lilrb4(-/-) mice, indicating that the counterregulatory function of LILRB4 extends beyond inflammation induced by Fc receptors, which signal through ITIMs, to responses initiated through a receptor tyrosine kinase. Indeed, pathologic inflammatory responses induced by activation of neutrophils with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone or with tissue-specific autoantibodies are greatly exacerbated in Lilrb4(-/-) mice. The rapid upregulation of LILRB4 expression on neutrophils in Lilrb4(+/+) mice in response to LPS suggests it is an innate counterregulatory response designed to reduce pathologic inflammation. Nevertheless, LILRB4 also serves a similar purpose for inflammation induced by the humoral adaptive immune response that is manifested through effector cells bearing Fc receptors.
Development of Spindt cathodes for high-frequency devices and flat panel display applications

Microfabricated field emitter arrays have attracted interest for a variety of applications. The most prominent of these applications are flat panel displays, microwave amplifiers, x- ray tubes, electron beam probes, ionizers for vacuum pressure gauges, mass spectrometers, and electronic charge management on spacecraft. From a commercial point of view, the most exciting application has been flat panel displays, while high frequency applications are the most challenging with respect to cathode performance. Displays require attention to issues related to economic high-volume production, very low-voltage operation, and a very high level of uniformity over large areas with a low emission current loading. Microwave and other high frequency applications require small areas, with high tip packing density and the highest possible current loading per tip. Ionization and charge management applications require moderate emission performance, but present special problems with regard to stability and lifetime in relatively harsh environments. Designing an emitter array to meet the requirements of any of these applications involves dealing with lithography issues concerning emitter size and packing density; materials issues as they relate to fabrication processes; stability and lifetime issues with regard to hostile environments, and electronic properties such as dielectric constant, resistivity, and work function of the emitter tip; and the cost of large-scale production.
Gymnoascus demonbreunii Ajello & Cheng: Evidence that it is not the perfect state of Histoplasma capsulatum darling

Strains of Gymnoascus demonbreunii Ajello & Cheng (1967c) including ATCC 18027, -18028, -18029, CBS 121·67, -122·67, -123·67, SAF-7 and M 19 were studied. All 3cultures from CBS and 2 of those from ATCC were found to produce cleistothecia of G. demonbreunii with an arthroaleuriospore asexual state. Strain ATCC 18029, reported to be a single ascospore culture of G. demonbreunii derived from Strain ATCC 18028, was found to be a pure culture which produced a Pseudoarachniotus perfect stage. Strain SAF-7 was a mixture of two species; namely, G. demonbreunii and H. capsulatum.Pure cultures of G. demonbreunii failed to convert to the yeast form, in vitro or in vivo, and failed to grow at 37°C. The fungus, however, was found to persist in a mycelial form in mouse tissues.Careful study of the asexual stage of C. demonbreunii revealed that this fungus has no taxonomic relationship to H. capsulatum.
Soil amino acid composition quantified by acid hydrolysis and anion chromatography-pulsed amperometry.

Soil organic N accounts for 95−98% of the total soil N content with amino acids (AAs) and amino sugars (ASs) identified as the major soil organic N compounds, but traditional 6 M HCl with reflux or sealed digestions for 24 h and various detection systems have accounted for only 30−40% of soil total N content as AA-N. This study compared traditional HCl extraction methodology with methanesulfonic acid (MSA) hydrolysis and nonderivatized AA and AS quantification by ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection for determination of the AA composition of plant litter and soils. MSA (4 M) gave AA-N recovery comparable to or better than 6 M HCl for plant AA digestions (16 h, 121 °C, 104 kPa). Use of 4 M MSA (0.5−1.5 h, 136 °C, 112 kPa) increased the total recovery of organic N as AAs, ASs, and NH4+ by 46% from soils (n = 22) compared with 6 M HCl (12 h, 110 °C, reflux) with a MSA recovery rate of 85.6% of the total N content (n = 22 soils). The shorter MSA soil digestions (0.5−1.5 h) suggested that the ...
Democratic Means for Democratic Ends: The Possibilities of Bakhtin's Dialogic Pedagogy for Social Studies

In light of the common mission of social studies education to prepare future democratic citizens, the field continues to be rooted in didactic and monologic practices. Finding an alibi in the current accountability movement that favors teaching about democracy instead of teaching through democracy, many social studies teachers have reneged on their responsibility to engender the democratic capacities of students. In this article, I draw on the writings of literary scholar Mikhail Bakhtin to examine the possibilities that emerge when grounding pedagogy in dialogue. Based on Bakhtin's writings, I sketch three possible pathways that a dialogic pedagogy allows social studies educators to explore: (1) nonneutrality of language, (2) testing of authority, and (3) development of voice. Through my discussion of Bakhtin's history, pedagogic action, philosophy, and sociology, I argue that pedagogy in social studies grounded in dialogue provides an aesthetic for democracy as a means to an end.
Birth Defects and Supplemental Vitamins

Women of childbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant should ingest 0.4 mg of folic acid per day to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects (anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele). This may also reduce the incidence of conotruncal heart defects, limb defects, renal anomalies, pyloric stenosis, and possibly oral-facial clefts. Women who are at increased risk of having an affected fetus because of having had a previously affected fetus should take 4 mg of folic acid daily. Women with epilepsy, particularly those taking antiepileptic drugs, should follow the same guidelines as nonepileptic women; however, women with epilepsy should take the lowest dose and the fewest number of antiepileptic drugs needed to control the epilepsy. Physicians and the public should be educated about the benefits of supplemental folic acid and the consumption of folate-rich foods and fortified foods in reducing the incidence of neural tube defects and other congenital anomalies. They should be made aware that neural tube defects occur between 23 and 28 days of gestation, often before women know they are pregnant. Therefore, folic acid supplements need to be taken at least 1 month before the beginning of pregnancy. Because many pregnancies are unplanned, women should take folic acid supplements routinely.
Refinement of the dose of doxapram to counteract the sedative effects of acepromazine in dogs.

Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of two doses of doxapram in reversing acepromazine sedation in dogs. Methods Using a crossover design, 10 adult mixed-breed dogs received 0·05 mg/kg acepromazine, intramuscularly (im) followed 30 minutes later by one of the three randomly determined treatments: 0·0625 mL/kg saline, intravenously (iv), 1·25 mg/kg doxapram, iv or 2·5 mg/kg doxapram, iv. Sedation scores were obtained by a single, blinded observer at 0, 15 and 30 minutes after acepromazine administration and at 5, 15 and 30 minutes after the treatment administration. Results The mean baseline sedation score of all the treatments was not different among treatments. All the dogs had a significant increase in sedation score at 30 minutes after acepromazine administration. Both the low and high doses of doxapram showed a significant decrease in sedation score compared to saline, but there was no significant difference between the two doses. Five dogs in the high dose group panted after treatment injection, and this was significantly more than in the low dose group. Clinical Significance Doxapram is effective in reducing the sedative effects of acepromazine over a short period of time. A dose of 1·25 mg/kg effectively decreases acepromazine sedation without causing panting.
Activation of Hageman Factor by L-Homocystine

L-Homocystine activates Hageman factor, as demonstrated by its capacity to initiate clotting and to induce the evolution of plasma kinins. Perhaps, strategically located deposits of this amino acid are responsible for the unusual frequency of thrombosis in patients with homocystinuria.
Pitfalls in the diagnosis of collagenous colitis : experience with 75 cases from a registry of collagenous colitis at the Johns Hopkins Hospital

Collagenous colitis is a relatively rare disorder presenting mainly in middle-aged women as watery diarrhea. Endoscopic and radiographic studies of the colon are usually normal, and diagnosis must be made by biopsy. The characteristic biopsy findings are a combination of increased mucosal inflammation (collagenous colitis) as well as subepithelial collagenous thickening. The mucosal inflammatory changes include increased lamina propria plasma cells, prominent intraepithelial lymphocytes, and in some cases, numerous eosinophils. The collagenous thickening has qualitative as well as quantitative differences from normal, and may be highlighted by Masson trichrome stains. Simply quantitating the thickness of a subepithelial collagen layer is neither adequate nor necessary for the diagnosis of collagenous colitis. Major problems in diagnosing collagenous colitis arise from focusing solely on the subepithelial region without attention to inflammatory changes. For example, tangential sectioning of normal colon results in an artifactually thickened basement membrane, and such cases have been wrongly interpreted as collagenous colitis. If biopsies lack the characteristic inflammatory pattern, a tangentially cut thick basement membrane should be ignored. The key to correct diagnosis of collagenous colitis is analyzing the summation of various inflammatory changes plus subepithelial collagenization, rather than focusing on any single feature in isolation.
Safety of adjunctive intracoronary thrombolytic therapy during complex percutaneous coronary intervention: Initial experience with intracoronary tenecteplase

Intracoronary thrombus is associated with increased risk of in-laboratory vessel closure, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), urgent vessel revascularization, and death. There is a lack of consensus on what represents the ideal treatment for patients with thrombotic complications during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but the development of newer thrombolytic agents with increased fibrin specificity and longer half-life provides a potentially useful treatment option. In this study, the safety and efficacy of intracoronary tenecteplase (TNK) was evaluated in 34 patients (22 with acute ST elevation MI, 4 with rescue PCI, 6 with non-ST elevation MI, and 2 during elective PCI) who developed no-reflow, distal embolization, or visible intracoronary thrombus during PCI. The mean age was 57 years, 76% were Caucasian, and there were 14 women and 20 men. Cardiogenic shock was present in seven (21%) patients at baseline. All patients were being treated with aspirin and either unfractionated heparin (33 patients) or bivalrudin. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors were used in 76% of patients. Intracoronary TNK was used at a mean dose of 10.2 ± 5.2 mg (median, 10 mg; range, 5–25 mg). There was one TIMI major bleeding event and three TIMI minor bleeding events. The mean hematocrit measured the morning following PCI was 35.5% ± 4.9% in patients receiving TNK and 36.5% ± 4.4% in a randomly selected sample of 150 consecutive patients undergoing PCI (P = 0.25). In conjunction with mechanical intervention, TNK was successful at dissolving angiographic thrombus and/or improving flow in 91% of patients. In conclusion, intracoronary TNK is safe and well tolerated in patients who develop thrombotic complications during complex PCI. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On Traits, Situations, and Their Integration: A Developmental Perspective

The question of whether the person or the situation is largely responsible for behavior has plagued psychology intermittently for the last half century. Studies of the heritability, stability, and consensual validity of traits have clearly demonstrated the existence of traits. However, there is continuing controversy about the role of traits and situations in the enterprise of personality psychology. The goal of this article is to describe how insights yielded from adopting a developmental approach can foster the successful integration of the person and the situation across the life span. Five key lessons are described: (a) age matters—studying different age groups can lead to biases for and against traits and situations; (b), if age matters, time matters more—longitudinal and within-participant designs demonstrate that traits and situations are reciprocally related; (c) examine multiple types of change—focusing on one type, such as mean-level change, can lead to inappropriate conclusions about the merits of persons or situations; (d) be sensitive to levels of analysis—the relative breadth of persons and situations may determine the relative influence of the two; (e) pay attention to process—process models lead inextricably to transactional explanations.
The Dependence of ETCH Pit Density on the Interfacial Oxygen Levels in Thin Silicon Layers Grown by Ultra High Vacuum Chemical Vapor Deposition

For low temperature silicon epitaxy it is not only important to have an oxygen free environment during growth but also an initial silicon surface free of trace concentrations of oxygen, carbon and other impurities. Variations in the pre-clean process (using the standard ex-situ aqueous hydrofluoric acid dip) used for ultra high vacuum chemical vapor depostion (UHVCVD) of silicon, result in interfacial oxygen levels ranging from 2 × 1012 atoms/cm2 to 1014 atoms/cm2 as measured by secondary ion ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Using a dilute Schimmel etch we have delineated the dislocations in the thin silicon epitaxial layers grown by UHVCVD. Correlation of the etch pit density to the interfacial oxygen levels suggests a power law dependence. Plausibility arguments are presented to explain this power law dependence.
The relationship of malathion and its metabolities to fish poisoning

Malathion is a widely used organophosphate insecticide with an annual production estimated to be in excess of 1 X 107 kg in the United States (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1972a). It may enter surface water through surface runoff (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1972b,c,d) or through direct spray for mosquito control (GUERRANT et al. 1970, COPPAGE and DUKE 1971, PINKOVSKI 1972). Concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 500~g malathion/s some surface waters have been reported (GUERRANT et al. 1970, DUPUY and SCHULZE 1972, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 1972b) but interpretation of effects of residues on non-target species is difficult because the toxic agent during poisoning is a "persistent" metabolite bound to an enzyme in a form not identifiable by analytical chemical analysis of animal tissue (ALDRIDGE 1971, FUKUTO 1971). Poisoning results from accumulation of a neurotransmitter substance (acetylcholine) because the active site of its hydrolyzing enzyme (acetylcholinesterase) of nerve cells is phosphorylated by dimethyl or methyl phosphate after conversion of malathion toits oxygen analog (O'BRIEN 1960, KOELLE 1963, KARCZMAR 1970, ALDRIDGE 1971, FUKUTO 1971). In animals from the natural environment, enzyme inhibition is measurable in nerve tissue and indicates poisoning even though chemical residues of the enzyme-bound pesticide metabolites are not measurable.
Toward a Better State Climate Action Plan: Review and Assessment of Proposed Transportation Strategies

A major body of transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies is contained in state-level climate action plans (CAPs). There has been some concern among major stakeholder groups that CAPs are not rigorously developed documents and that the reductions estimated in CAPs are unrealistic given real constraints on funding and implementation authority. This paper analyzes a subset of 84 strategies in nine states' CAPs to determine how reliable reduction estimates are and where significant sources of uncertainty arise. Measures from these CAPs are evaluated according to requirements for enactment, external factors that play a role in implementation, quantification methods, and variables used in the quantification. For enactment of strategies, nearly all of the transportation GHG reductions estimated in state CAPs would require new state legislation or state agency rulemaking. Half of the reductions would require major new funding. For implementation factors, one-third of state CAP GHG reductions relie...
Finite element approximations of the three dimensional Monge-Ampère equation

In this paper, we construct and analyze finite element methods for the three dimensional Monge-Ampere equation. We derive methods using the Lagrange finite element space such that the resulting discrete linearizations are symmetric and stable. With this in hand, we then prove the well-posedness of the method, as well as derive quasi-optimal error estimates. We also present some numerical experiments that back up the theoretical findings.
The history and current status of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease in Pacific salmon☆

Abstract Bacterial kidney disease (BKD) is a long standing problem among salmonid fish in the Pacific Northwest, USA. The disease, caused by Renibacterium salmoninarum , a Gram-positiive, slow-growing, fastidious, obligate pathhogen of salmonids, was described firast in Scotland in 1930,a nd in the eastern USA in 1934. By the end of the next decade it had been identified in Pacific salmon in California, Washington and Oregon. In time, it was found in all hatcheries in theregion and in all species of Pacific salmon cultured there. The bacterium was probably inroduced into the hatcheries with eggs from infected wild stocks, but early hatchery, e.g. feeding raw salmon viscera, greatly enhanced its spread. Routine pastruerization of fish products in the diests has reduced, but not eliminated, BKD in these stocks of fish. This unieque and highly succesful pathogen has been the subject of extensive research aimed at prevention and control of BKD through chemotherapy, diet modification, vacccnation, genetic manipulation, broodstock selection, and treatment of gegs and spawning adult fish. Important advances allow rapid and sensitive detection of R. salmoninarum using a variety of methods,. However, in spite of this, BKD ciontinues to be serius problem for both wikld and cultured salmonids.
Payment reform in the United States.

Abstract Concern over rising health care costs has prompted dramatic reform in the United States health care financing system. The United States is moving from a period where providers determined prices into a period where payors set prices; and in certain locations into a period where prices are set by providers, and consumers choose among providers based on price and other factors. Also presented is an analysis of the interrelated events that brought about the changes. Among the factors are the oversupply of physicians and other providers the improvement of case-mix measures and other measures of hospital output, and the political climate toward payment reform. The paper concludes with specific lessons for other countries.
High flux boiling applied to microelectronics thermal control

Abstract This discussion of the application of nucleate pool boiling to the cooling of microelectronic devices begins with recollection of several of Professor Westwater's important early contributions to boiling. Early studies of immersion cooling of electrical equipment are cited and the evolution of this technology to cooling of microelectronic devices is outlined. The important issues related to the current applications of immersion cooling are discussed. These issues include single-phase natural convection, incipient boiling, established boiling, enhanced boiling, and critical heat flux. The work done by Professor Westwater and his students over twenty years ago is now providing important insight into the critical heat flux as encountered in microelectronic chips.
Increasing Physical Activity in Multiple Sclerosis Using a Behavioral Intervention

The present study adopted an interrupted time-series design for identifying the possibility of behavioral reactivity and examining the effect of an Internet-delivered behavioral intervention for increasing self-reported and objectively-measured physical activity among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Participants (n = 18) wore an accelerometer for 7 days and completed a battery of questionnaires to measure physical activity at 3 time points (before and after a 3-month period of no treatment and again after a 3-month period of treatment). There was a small change in objectively-measured, but not self-reported, physical activity in the period of no treatment, whereas there was a large increase in self-reported and objectively-measured physical activity in the period of treatment. These findings both complement and extend previous research and further support the efficacy of the current Internet behavioral intervention for increasing physical activity in persons with MS.
An anatomic basis for multimodal thalamic units

Abstract Lesions were placed in the inferior colliculi of seven opossum and degenerating axons were traced to the dorsal thalamus with the Nauta technique. The sites of terminal degeneration included the medial geniculate body, ventral posterior, and posterior thalamic nuclei (PO). This wide region of distribution provides an anatomic basis for the existence of cells in the ventral posterior and PO nuclei that are responsive to auditory stimuli.
Peptides and the conversion of [3H]tyrosine to catecholamines: effects of ACTH-analogs, melanocyte-stimulating hormones and lysine-vasopressin.

ACTH4–10, [D-Phe7]ACTH4–10, ACTH1–24, α-MSH and lysine-vasopressin (LVP) were tested for their effects on the cerebral content and metabolism of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). CD-1 mice were injected daily for 3 days with equimolar concentrations of long-acting preparations of the peptides. Twenty-four hours after the third peptide treatment, mice were injected with [3H]tyrosine and the specific activities of tyrosine, DA and NE were measured 10 min later. ACTH1–24, ACTH4–10 or [D-Phe7]ACTH4–10 stimulated the conversion of [3H]tyrosine to DA but did not alter the cerebral dopamine content, suggesting that the turnover of dopamine was increased. α-MSH, β-MSH or LVP did not show this effect. Since ACTH4–10 has low steroidogenic activity it appears that the effect on [3H]DA metabolism was a direct effect of the peptide and not mediated by increased corticosterone secretion. None of the peptides had any detectable effect on the metabolism of [3H]NE. ACTH1–24 but no other peptide decreased the cerebral concentration of NE. In mice adrenalectomized one day before the first peptide injection, ACTH4–10 did not alter the specific activity of DA or NE.
Comparative abilities of athymic nude mice and severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice to accept transplants of induced rat mammary carcinomas: Enhanced transplantation efficiency of those rat mammary carcinomas that have elevated expression of neu oncogene

Grafts of primary carcinogen (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinomas from Sprague-Dawley rats have a poor transplantation efficiency in athymic nude mice. Further compromising these mice immunologically via whole-body irradiation and/or splenectomy, or the administration of hormonal growth factors (estrogen and progesterone) to these mice, did not significantly alter transplantation efficiency. Use of strains of mice that are more immune-impaired than the athymic nude mouse, i.e., the athymic nude-beige-XID mouse (T-cell and LAK-cell deficient) or mice with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) (which lack functional T cells and B cells) also failed to improve transplantation efficiency. In contrast, transplantation efficiency was sharply increased when primary neu-induced rat mammary carcinomas from female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. These mammary carcinomas, unlike the DMBA-induced rat mammary carcinomas, have a very high level of expression of neu; transplantation of these tumors to either athymic nude mice or SCID mice was considerably more efficient. Thus, these data provide evidence that enhanced expression of neu confers heightened efficiency in the transplantation of primary rat mammary carcinomas to immune-deficient mice (athymic-nude or SCID). Increased neu expression was a greater determinant than more compromised immune states in the transplantation of these rat mammary carcinomas. This biological characteristic of neu expression in mammary carcinomas provides new, additional insight into the importance of this oncogene in mammary tumorigenic processes and may explain, at least in part, the reported inverse relationship between human breast carcinoma neu expression and patient prognosis.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL MODEL FOR MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL DAMPERS

Semiactive control devices have received significant attention in recent years because they offer the adaptability of active control devices without requiring the associated large power sources. Magnetorheological (MR) dampers are semiactive control devices that use MR fluids to produce controllable dampers. They potentially offer highly reliable operation and can be viewed as fail-safe in that they become passive dampers should the control hardware malfunction. To develop control algorithms that take full advantage of the unique features of the MR damper, models must be developed that can adequately characterize the damper's intrinsic nonlinear behavior. Following a review of several idealized mechanical models for controllable fluid dampers, a new model is proposed that can effectively portray the behavior of a typical MR damper. Comparison with experimental results for a prototype damper indicates that the model is accurate over a wide range of operating conditions and is adequate for control design an...
Development and validation of a brief pediatric screen for asthma and allergies among children.

Background Asthma is the most common disease of childhood, but the recognition and detection remain poor, especially among schoolchildren. There has been an increase in the number of instruments available to detect the risk of asthma earlier in children. We have previously validated a simple, self-reported screen, the Brief Pediatric Asthma Screen (BPAS). Objective To develop a new screen for asthma and allergies based on the BPAS (BPAS+) with the intent of keeping the screen brief and simple, while including allergy detection. Methods Questions from the BPAS were extensively revised, and questions regarding allergic rhinitis were added. A panel of parents of asthmatic children reviewed and critiqued the questions. The final BPAS+ was distributed in elementary schools, and a cohort of 129 participated in a validation against the gold standard of evaluation by an expert in asthma. Results For asthma the best items were wheeze, persistent cough, night cough, and response to change in air temperature. The simplest scoring, any 1 of the 4 items, yielded the best balance of specificity (73.6%) and sensitivity (73.3%). For allergy, using all six items, having any one or any two of the items had sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 77.3%. Conclusions The BPAS+ provides a rapid and valid method for the detection of potential allergy and asthma in schoolchildren. Sensitivity and specificity are acceptable for both asthma and allergies.
Hypermatching: Similarity Matching With Extreme Values

An approach is developed for object similarity to support a focus on the role of extreme values in object matching, which is termed hypermatching. Importance weights are first introduced to the matching and variations formulated for objects that do not share all the same attributes. Extreme attribute values are considered by introducing amplification of attribute importance and several significant cases examined. The objects can both possess the same or different extreme valued attributes. Another case is where one object may have an extreme attribute, which the other object does not have. Then, the analysis of the effect of multiple extreme attributes is presented. Finally for attributes with 0-1 values (features), similarity matching is considered and a closed form solution for the similarity is developed. This provides the basis for the Yager-Petry index, which is then compared with the Jaccard similarity index.
Absorption of Sulfathiazole from the Gastrointestinal Tract, Pleura, and Peritoneum of Dogs

SummaryWith one exception (as discussed) no significant difference was found in the absorption of sulfathiazole as judged from studies of blood concentration, after oral, intrapleural, and intraperitoneal administration to dogs. Although these experiments are not directly comparable to the clinical use of sulfathiazole, they may well serve as a guide in the matter of dosage in the local application of the drug to the pleural and peritoneal cavities.
Feasibility and tolerability of probiotics for prevention of antibiotic‐associated diarrhoea in hospitalized US military veterans

Summary Background: Probiotics may be efficacious for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The tolerability and acceptability of probiotics in an elderly US veteran population has not been assessed. Purpose: To undertake a randomized trial to determine the tolerability and acceptability of a probiotic, Florajen® in an elderly population with multiple comorbidities. Methods: Pilot randomized double-blind trial comparing a probiotic, Florajen® to placebo for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in elderly hospitalized patients receiving antibiotics. Results: Forty patients were enrolled and randomized. Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea occurred in 6/16 (37%) in the placebo group and 4/23 (17%) patients in the Florajen® group, (RR 1·63, 95% CI 0·73–3·65, P = 0·15). Florajen® was well tolerated in the study population with no major side effects that necessitated discontinuation. Conclusions: In this pilot study, Florajen® was well tolerated in an elderly population, all of whom were taking several other medications. A larger study is needed to determine the effect of Florajen® on antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile infection.
Spatial versus temporal variation in precipitation in a semiarid ecosystem

Spatial and temporal variations in precip- itation are central features of semiarid ecosystems, influencing patterns of plant productivity and the distribution of native fauna. Although temporal variation in precipitation has been studied exten- sively, far less is known about the spatial scale and pattern of precipitation variability in semiarid regions. I used long-term precipitation records to examine spatial variation across the 63 km 2 Central Plains Experimental Range in northeastern Colorado, and across the 117,000 km 2 region of shortgrass steppe in eastern Colorado. Relative to temporal variation, spatial variation was low at scales\10 km, increased linearly across scales of 40-120 km, and was nearly equal in magnitude to temporal variation across distances of 120-160 km. Although I hypoth- esized that most spatial variation would be generated by early-summer convective thunderstorms in June, I found that the magnitude and spatial pattern of variation was similar for precipitation received in June compared to cumulative precipitation received during the full growing season. The degree of spatial autocorrelation in precipitation across all distances that I evaluated was similar for drought, dry, above- average and wet years. Across distances of 10- 120 km, spatial variation within a single growing season was approximately two times greater than spatial variation in long-term mean growing-season precipitation, indicating spatial shifting in the loca- tions of patches of high and low precipitation over multiple years. Overall, these findings suggest spatial variation at scales of 10-160 km may have been an important factor influencing vegetation patterns and migratory fauna of the shortgrass steppe, and have implications for livestock producers and future assessments of climate change.
CRISPR‐Cas systems and RNA‐guided interference

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) together with associated sequences (cas) form the CRISPR-Cas system, which provides adaptive immunity against viruses and plasmids in bacteria and archaea. Immunity is built through acquisition of short stretches of invasive nucleic acids into CRISPR loci as 'spacers'. These immune markers are transcribed and processed into small noncoding interfering CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that guide Cas proteins toward target nucleic acids for specific cleavage of homologous sequences. Mechanistically, CRISPR-Cas systems function in three distinct stages, namely: (1) adaptation, where new spacers are acquired from invasive elements for immunization; (2) crRNA biogenesis, where CRISPR loci are transcribed and processed into small interfering crRNAs; and (3) interference, where crRNAs guide the Cas machinery to specifically cleave homologous invasive nucleic acids. A number of studies have shown that CRISPR-mediated immunity can readily increase the breadth and depth of virus resistance in bacteria and archaea. CRISPR interference can also target plasmid sequences and provide a barrier against the uptake of undesirable mobile genetic elements. These inheritable hypervariable loci provide phylogenetic information that can be insightful for typing purposes, epidemiological studies, and ecological surveys of natural habitats and environmental samples. More recently, the ability to reprogram CRISPR-directed endonuclease activity using customizable small noncoding interfering RNAs has set the stage for novel genome editing and engineering avenues. This review highlights recent studies that revealed the molecular basis of CRISPR-mediated immunity, and discusses applications of crRNA-guided interference.
Effects of shadowing on prose comprehension and problem solving

In two experiments, subjects listened to a text about radar while either shadowing or not shadowing the passage. Results of Experiment 1 produced a pattern in which both groups performed at similar levels on retention of single facts, the nonshadowers excelled on transfer of the presented information to novel problem solving, and shadowers excelled on verbatim recognition of words. In Experiment 2, there was a pattern in which both groups performed at similar levels for recall of specific information, the nonshadowers excelled on recall of conceptual principles, and shadowers excelled on recall of modifying details. Implications for transfer-appropriate processing and the cognitive capacity hypothesis were examined.
Imaging through atmospheric turbulence using aperture diversity and blind deconvolution

We show that high-resolution imaging through strong atmospheric turbulence can be achieved using an aperture-diverse imaging system. The approach has potential for use with anisoplanatic imagery without recourse to a laser guide star.
Intimate partner violence among HIV-positive persons in an urban clinic

While the intersection of HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence (IPV) has gained increased attention, little focus has been given to the relationship among minority men and men who have sex with men (MSM). This pilot study, conducted at an urban clinic, explores the IPV experiences of HIV-positive persons involved in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Fifty-six HIV-positive individuals were interviewed to assess for verbal, physical, and sexual IPV, and for HIV-related abuse and attitudes regarding routine IPV screening. Approximately three quarters (73%) of the sample reported lifetime IPV and 20% reported current abuse. Physical IPV (85%) was cited the most by abused participants. IPV rates were highest among African-Americans and MSM. More than one-fourth (29%) of those abused felt the abuse was related to their HIV status. A majority of participants favored IPV screening by providers, but felt it might increase risk of IPV. IPV and its association to HIV are significant issues among this sample. Findings support the need for developing new programs that address these epidemics simultaneously.
Hydrodynamics of coupled flow above and below a sediment-water interface with triangular bedforms

Abstract The hydrodynamics of a system where there is a coupled flow above and below a sediment–water interface (SWI) are not completely understood. We numerically simulate mean two-dimensional, unidirectional, steady, viscous flow in these systems using a sequentially coupled formulation. Simulations were conducted to determine fundamental relationships between bedform geometry, Reynolds number for the water-column flow (Re), interfacial exchange zone depth (dz) in the sediments, and flux through the SWI (qint); the latter two parameters play a significant role in biogeochemical and aquatic-life processes across the SWI. dz and Re are functionally related through an asymptotic growth-curve model while qint and Re follow a power function. These relationships are dynamically explained by the manner in which pressure gradients along the SWI develop due to current–bedform interactions at different Res and by Darcy’s Law. We found that the coupling between water column and exchange zone flow is controlled by the behavior of the water-column eddy. The eddy detaches at or near the point of minimum pressure along the interface, and reattaches near the point of maximum pressure. These two critical points determine the pressure gradient along the bed surface that controls the exchange zone flow field. Moreover, the reattachment point corresponds to flow divides within the sediments. Lastly, pore-water velocities drop with depth below the SWI, and are larger below the bedform crests than below the troughs.
Upper bound on the yield for oxidative coupling of methane

An approach is presented for determining an upper bound on the yield of a catalytic process, which allows for variations in the catalytic chemistry. Scaling and thermodynamic arguments are used to set parameters of an elementary step surface mechanism at values resulting in optimal yields, subject only to physical constraints. Remaining unknowns are treated as independent variables and varied over a broad range. The result is a set of thermodynamically consistent mechanisms with optimal kinetics that can be incorporated into reactor-transport models to generate yield trajectories. With this approach, an upper bound on the yield for oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) was computed. Results show that even with optimal surface chemistry, limits exist on the attainable yield. Surface energetics necessary for superior OCM performance were identified and the origins of these requirements elucidated. The resulting upper bound on OCM yield under conventional, packed-bed, continuous-feed operation was found to be 28%.
Factors related to school absenteeism in adolescents with recurrent headache.

Objective.—To examine possible risk and protective factors for school absenteeism among adolescents referred to a hospital-based behavioral treatment program. Design.—Data obtained from intake interviews, screening questionnaires, and baseline headache diaries of 283 consecutive adolescents referred for behavioral treatment of recurrent headache were reviewed for demographics, length of headache history, headache type, current headache activity, symptoms of anxiety and depression, perceived self-efficacy regarding headache control, school performance, participation in extracurricular activities, and school absenteeism. The study population was divided into 2 groups at the median number of days missed due to headache in the previous 6 months that school was in session. Adolescents who missed 2 or less days of school due to headache (low absenteeism) were compared with those who missed more than 2 days (high absenteeism). Results.—Compared with the low absenteeism group, the high absenteeism group had higher scores on the Children's Depression Inventory (8.7 ± 6.5 versus 6.8 ± 6.2, P < .05) and lower academic performance (2.1 ± 1.0 versus 1.7 ± 0.8, P < .0001). The 2 groups were not statistically different in age, sex, length of headache history, type of headache, current headache frequency or intensity scores, anxiety scores, self-efficacy ratings, or participation in extracurricular activities. Conclusions.—In a referred population, students who missed more school due to headache had higher depression scores and lower academic performance than students who missed less school. A directional relationship, however, cannot be implied from these results. Future studies should investigate the complex relationship between recurrent adolescent headache, potential risk or protective factors, and school absenteeism.