cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orbital Debris-Debris Collision Avoidance

Abstract We focus on preventing collisions between debris and debris, for which there is no current, effective mitigation strategy. We investigate the feasibility of using a medium-powered (5 kW) ground-based laser combined with a ground-based telescope to prevent collisions between debris objects in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The scheme utilizes photon pressure alone as a means to perturb the orbit of a debris object. Applied over multiple engagements, this alters the debris orbit sufficiently to reduce the risk of an upcoming conjunction. We employ standard assumptions for atmospheric conditions and the resulting beam propagation. Using case studies designed to represent the properties (e.g. area and mass) of the current debris population, we show that one could significantly reduce the risk of nearly half of all catastrophic collisions involving debris using only one such laser/telescope facility. We speculate on whether this could mitigate the debris fragmentation rate such that it falls below the natural debris re-entry rate due to atmospheric drag, and thus whether continuous long-term operation could entirely mitigate the Kessler syndrome in LEO, without need for relatively expensive active debris removal.
Life tests and failure analysis of AlGaN/InGaN/GaN blue light-emitting diodes

The reliability of devices fabricated in GaN and related alloys, especially under high current densities as would be found in lasers, has yet to be fully characterized. Our previous work investigated the degradation of GaN-based blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) under high pulsed current stress. This work indicated a possible correlation between the high crystal defect density and failures caused by metal migration along these defect tubes. To assess the impact of this data on devices under more normal conditions, several LEDs from both older and more recent production lots were placed in a controlled temperature and current environment for several thousand hours. The test started with a constant 20 mA current for the first 1000 hours and continued at a range of currents up to 70 mA for the remaining 1650 hours, all at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. One of the older generation LED's output degraded by more than 50% during the test. The I-V characteristics of this device indicated that there was an ohmic leakage path across the junction which was similar to, but much higher resistance, than was observed on failures from the previous high current tests. The similarity indicates that these LEDs may fail at room temperature and at moderate currents in the same manner as was observed at high currents. Subsequent failure analysis proved that this was not the case, since a crack was found on the degraded LED which isolated part of the active region from the p-contact.
Strand breakage by the DNA untwisting enzyme results in covalent attachment of the enzyme to DNA.

Abstract Strands of DNA that have been broken by the DNA untwisting enzyme exhibit a reduced buoyant density in alkaline CsCl due to bound protein. A covalent linkage between the DNA and the enzyme was indicated by the stability of the complex in alkali (pH greaterthan 12.7), in 7 M guanidine-HCl, and at 90 degrees in 1% Sarkosyl for 5 min. The single-strand breaks generated by the enzyme are resistant to exonuclease III, indicating that the protein is attached to one of the ends of the broken strands. The free end of the broken strand bears a 5'-hydroxyl group, indicating attachment of the protein to the 3'-phosphoryl terminus. A nucleotide-peptide linkage involving a phosphoamide bond is unlikely since the complex is resistant to 3.5 M hydroxylamine at pH 4.75.
Intramuscular Pressures Beneath Elastic and Inelastic Leggings

Leg compression devices have been used extensively by patients to combat chronic venous insufficiency and by astronauts to counteract orthostatic intolerance following spaceflight. However, the effects of elastic and inelastic leggings on the calf muscle pump have not been compared. The purpose of this study was to compare in normal subjects the effects of elastic and inelastic compression on leg intramuscular pressure (IMP), an objective index of calf muscle pump function. IMP in soleus and tibialis anterior muscles was measured with transducer-tipped catheters. Surface compression between each legging and the skin was recorded with an air bladder. Subjects were studied under three conditions: (1) control (no legging), (2) elastic legging, and (3) inelastic legging. Pressure data were recorded for each condition during recumbency, sitting, standing, walking, and running. Elastic leggings applied significantly greater surface compression during recumbency (20 +/- 1 mm Hg, mean +/- SE) than inelastic leggings (13 +/- 2 mm Hg). During recumbency, elastic leggings produced significantly higher soleus IMP of 25 +/- 1 mm Hg and tibialis anterior IMP of 28 +/- 1 mm Hg compared to 17 +/- 1 mm Hg and 20 +/- 2 mm Hg, respectively, generated by inelastic leggings and 8 +/- 1 mm Hg and 11 +/- 1 mm Hg, respectively, without leggings. During sitting, walking, and running, however, peak IMPs generated in the muscular compartments by elastic and inelastic leggings were similar. Our results suggest that elastic leg compression applied over a long period in the recumbent posture may impede microcirculation and jeopardize tissue viability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Implications of cystic features in vestibular schwannomas of patients undergoing microsurgical resection.

BACKGROUND: Cystic vestibular schwannomas (VSs) are described as being more aggressive than solid tumors. OBJECTIVE: We examined 468 VS patients to evaluate whether the presence of cystic components in VSs may be an important feature for predicting postoperative outcome. METHODS: We selected all VS patients from a prospectively collected database (1984-2009) who underwent microsurgical resection for VS. Hearing data were analyzed using American Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Facial nerve dysfunction was analyzed using the House-Brackmann scale. We used univariate comparisons to determine the clinical impact of cystic changes on preoperative and postsurgical hearing and facial nerve preservation. RESULTS: We identified 58 patients (11%) with cystic changes and 410 patients with solid VSs. In this analysis, cystic VS patients tended to have larger tumors (78% of patients with >2.0 cm extrameatal extension) compared with the solid VS group, which consisted of many smaller and medium-sized tumors (P < .0001). Univariate analyses found that tumors with cystic changes did not lead to worse rates of preoperative hearing loss ( X 2, P = not significant) compared with solid VSs. Cystic changes conferred worse postoperative hearing in patients with medium-sized tumors (P = .035). Cystic changes also did not significantly affect facial nerve outcomes (X 2 , P = not significant). CONCLUSION: Cystic tumors tend to be larger than noncystic tumors and affect outcomes by reducing the rate at which hearing preservation is attempted and by worsening hearing outcome in medium-sized tumors. Further, peripheral cysts cause lower rates of hearing preservation compared with centrally located cysts.
Polony analysis of gene expression in ES cells and blastocysts

Expression profiling of stem cells is challenging due to their small numbers and heterogeneity. The PCR colony (polony) approach has theoretical advantages as an assay for stem cells but has not been applied to small numbers of cells. An assay has been developed that is sensitive enough to detect mRNAs from small numbers of ES cells and from fractions of a single mouse blastocyst. Genes assayed include Oct3, Rex1, Nanog, Cdx2 and GLUT-1. The assay is highly sensitive so that multiple mRNAs from a single blastocyst were easily detected in the same assay. In its present version, the assay is an attractive alternative to conventional RT–PCR for profiling small populations of stem cells. The assay is also amenable to improvements that will increase its sensitivity and ability to analyze many cDNAs simultaneously.
Seasonal effects of mammalian gonadotropins (bFSH and bLH) on plasma androgen levels in male water snakes, Nerodia sipedon

Abstract 1. 1. The effect of mammalian gonadotropins (bLH and bFSH) on plasma testosterone levels in the common water snake, Nerodia sipedon was studied at various times of the year. 2. 2. LH stimulates testosterone production in the spring, whereas FSH is not stimulatory at this time of the year. 3. 3. FSH stimulates testosterone production in late summer/fall collected snakes (injected during the winter), whereas LH is ineffective at this time of the year.
Cytogenetics of chronic B-cell and T-cell leukemia

Abstract Chromosome data in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are sparse. In the common form, B-cell CLL, the neoplastic cells do not usually proliferate in vitro, and apparently most reports of "normal" cytogenetic patterns reflect nonneoplastic T cells dividing in mitogen-stimulated cultures. Until better methods are developed to stimulate proliferation of CLL B cells, the nature and frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in this disorder will remain largely unknown. Chronic T-cell leukemias constitute a rare and heterogeneous group of dyscrasias, ranging clinically from typical CLL to variants of the Sezary syndrome. The neoplastic lymphoeytes respond to T-cell mitogens, and in a series of nine patients, all had cytogenetically altered clones in the peripheral blood. Banding revealed nonrandom involvement of chromosomes 2, 14, and 18, with a 14q+ marker in two cases. Sequential studies in this series have demonstrated karyotypic changes over time, correlated, in some patients, with clinical course or alterations in the lymphocytes; but the general prognostic value of such investigations remains to be determined.
Crystal structure of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein from Caenorhabditis elegans

Biochemical and structural analysis of the drug transporter P-glycoprotein in Caenorhabditis elegans at a resolution of 3.4 angstroms is used to generate a homology model of the human protein and supports a picture in which P-glycoprotein uses the energy from ATP hydrolysis to expel lipophilic molecules from the inner leaflet of the cell membrane. The ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter P-glycoprotein confers multidrug resistance in cancer cells. In this manuscript, the authors biochemically and structurally characterize P-glycoprotein from Caenorhabditis elegans and use that information to generate a homology model for human P-glycoprotein. Their data suggest how P-glycoprotein uses the energy from ATP hydrolysis to expel lipophilic molecules from the inner leaflet of the membrane. P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-binding cassette transporter that confers multidrug resistance in cancer cells1,2. It also affects the absorption, distribution and clearance of cancer-unrelated drugs and xenobiotics. For these reasons, the structure and function of P-gp have been studied extensively for decades3. Here we present biochemical characterization of P-gp from Caenorhabditis elegans and its crystal structure at a resolution of 3.4 angstroms. We find that the apparent affinities of P-gp for anticancer drugs actinomycin D and paclitaxel are approximately 4,000 and 100 times higher, respectively, in the membrane bilayer than in detergent. This affinity enhancement highlights the importance of membrane partitioning when a drug accesses the transporter in the membrane4. Furthermore, the transporter in the crystal structure opens its drug pathway at the level of the membrane’s inner leaflet. In the helices flanking the opening to the membrane, we observe extended loops that may mediate drug binding, function as hinges to gate the pathway or both. We also find that the interface between the transmembrane and nucleotide-binding domains, which couples ATP hydrolysis to transport, contains a ball-and-socket joint and salt bridges similar to the ATP-binding cassette importers5, suggesting that ATP-binding cassette exporters and importers may use similar mechanisms to achieve alternating access for transport. Finally, a model of human P-gp derived from the structure of C. elegans P-gp not only is compatible with decades of biochemical analysis6,7,8,9,10,11,12, but also helps to explain perplexing functional data regarding the Phe335Ala mutant13,14. These results increase our understanding of the structure and function of this important molecule.
Liquid Motion Lamp: A Learning-Cycle Approach to Solubility

The abstract concepts of density and solubility are often difficult for middlegrade students and should be taught within several contexts to provide multiple experiences with the phenomena. To authenticate the learning of these concepts, this article provides instructional guidelines for constructing a liquid motion lamp to engage students in exploring the floating-blob phenomenon. Results from the implementation of this 5E learning cycle activity show that 95% of the participating students were able to explain, at a basic level, the operation of a lava lamp. Students' responses and enhancements to this activity are also provided.
Evaluating the decay gradient for collinearity bias with lateral displacement from the axis of induction

The misperception of alignment which is found in many geometric illusions can be quantified using relatively simple stimulus configurations. Perceived collinearity of one segment (designated as the test segment) is biased by a second segment (designated as the induction segment), with the size of effect being a function of the relative angle between the two segments. The process can be described as angular induction. The strength of bias is greatest when the induction segment is centered at the tip of the test segment. Tong and Weintraub have reported that lateral displacement from the tip, i.e., at right angles to the axis of the induction segment, produces a sharp drop in the strength of effect. This decline is described as a “decay gradient” for the angular induction. One experiment replicates and provides better quantification of this “decay gradient”. Two other experiments examine the decay gradient using a pair of induction segments, one on each side of the tip of the test segment. Displacement of the segments (either in the same direction or in opposite directions) produces substantially the same gradient of effect. Therefore, previous evidence of “tandem boosting” of effect for segment pairs does not depend on collinearity among the stimulus components. Finally, a fourth experiment finds that an induction segment which is at a fixed position and orientation differentially affects the influence of a variable induction segment. At some angles the influence of the variable segment is augmented, and at others it is suppressed. These findings are discussed in a neuroreductionist context, and a simple model for angular induction is presented.
Myeloperoxidase-derived 2-chlorohexadecanal forms Schiff bases with primary amines of ethanolamine glycerophospholipids and lysine

Numerous studies have suggested relationships between myeloperoxidase, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. MPO-derived reactive chlorinating species (RCS) attack membrane plasmalogens releasing alpha-chloro-fatty aldehydes (alpha-Cl-FALDs) including 2-chlorohexadecanal (2-ClHDA). The molecular targets of alpha-Cl-FALDs are not known. The current study demonstrates 2-ClHDA adducts with ethanolamine glycerophospholipids and Fmoc-lysine. Utilizing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, chlorinated adducts were observed that are apparent Schiff base adducts. Reduction of these Schiff base adducts with sodium cyanoborohydride resulted in a novel, stable adduct produced by the elimination of HCl. NMR further confirmed this structure. 2-ClHDA adducts with ethanolamine glycerophospholipids were also substrates for phospholipase D (PLD). The hydrolysis products were derivatized to pentafluorobenzoyl esters, and further structurally confirmed by GC-MS. Multiple molecular species of 2-ClHDA-N-modified ethanolamine glycerophospholipids were observed in endothelial cells treated with 2-ClHDA. These results show novel Schiff base adducts of alpha-Cl-FALDs with primary amines, which may represent an important fate of alpha-Cl-FALDs.
Brief stimulation of the peroneal nerve attenuates the exercise pressor reflex in anaesthetised cats.

We recently demonstrated that applying capsaicin to the common peroneal nerve, thereby activating small diameter afferent neurons, caused a substantial rise in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) that lasted ∼20 min. In addition, this application of capsaicin transiently attenuated the exercise pressor reflex (EPR). The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that stimulating the peroneal nerve at an intensity that activated both myelinated and unmyelinated axons for a short duration (1 min) causes a similar attenuation of the EPR. Cats were anaesthetised with alpha-chloralose and urethane, the popliteal fossa was exposed, and static contraction was induced by stimulating the tibial nerve. The ipsilateral peroneal nerve was cut and placed on a stimulating electrode. Prior to peroneal nerve stimulation, static contraction of the triceps surae muscle for 1 min increased MAP 48±8 mmHg and HR 16±3 bpm. Electrical stimulation of the central end of the cut peroneal nerve for 1 min (100×motor threshold; 40 Hz; 0.1 ms) increased MAP and HR by 62±11 mmHg and 28±4 bpm, respectively. These increases returned to prestimulation levels within 1 min. Two minutes after the peroneal stimulation was stopped, the EPR was markedly reduced as muscle contraction increased MAP and HR by 20±4 mmHg and 7±2 bpm, respectively. Repeating the muscle contraction ∼25 min after peroneal stimulation increased MAP and HR by 38±8 mmHg and 12±2 bpm, indicating some recovery of the EPR. These results show that brief (1 min) electrical stimulation of afferent neurons in the peroneal nerve attenuates the EPR. This supports the hypothesis that strong activation of small diameter afferent neurons stimulates a nervous system mechanism that diminishes the sensory input from skeletal muscle involved in cardiovascular regulation.
Cognitive Differentiation and Alienation of Consumers

Previous research has shown substantial levels of alienation among consumers, voters, and a variety of other individuals. Concepts drawn from other areas of psychology suggest that structural varia...
Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program Planning to Maximize Postearthquake Transportation Network Capacity

The bridge network, as part of the critical civil infrastructure, is susceptible to natural and man-made hazards. It is essential that the network retains its traffic-carrying capacity after a disastrous earthquake to ensure efficient evacuation of at-risk population to safe zones and timely dispatch of emergency response resources to the impacted area. Because of limited resources, it is important to prioritize bridge retrofit projects and manage disaster mitigation resources under a strategic budget plan. This paper proposes a methodology to find the optimal bridge retrofit program that aims to maximize the postdisaster network evacuation capacity. The uncertainties of earthquake intensity, bridge structural damage, and bridge traffic-carrying capacities are addressed by using a Monte Carlo simulation framework with established bridge fragility curves and damage-functionality relationships, and the effectiveness of preserving evacuation capacity is calculated on the basis of a network design model. The proposed methodological framework is demonstrated with the transportation network in Memphis, Tennessee, and numerical experiments show that the proposed framework solves the problem efficiently. The modeling framework can help transportation agencies maximize the effectiveness of investment. Emergency managers can also use the model to enhance preparedness and emergency response efficiency, which in turn improves the infrastructure systems’ resilience against extreme events.
Application of the PnET-BGC – An integrated biogeochemical model – To assess the surface water ANC recovery in the Adirondack region of New York under three multi-pollutant proposals

Summary We applied an integrated biogeochemical model PnET-BGC to predict the response of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) in lakes – a measure of the ability of water to neutralize inputs of strong acid – from 2001 to 2050 in the Adirondack region of New York, USA under three multi-pollutant proposal scenarios. Through model predictions, we assessed the impacts of these proposals on ecosystem recovery for research and policy initiatives. Our analysis indicated that the predicted recovery rates of surface water ANC obtained from the PnET-BGC model show low spatial autocorrelation. Predicted recovery rates are also closely related with the percentage of watershed areas of coniferous vegetation and deciduous vegetation, elevation and lake area, which turn out not to be significantly different from each other over the entire period of future scenarios (2001–2050). We applied a Geographic Weighted Regression model (GWR) to study the spatial patterns of predicted lake ANC in the Adirondacks through 2050 due to its high spatial autocorrelation. These results showed that lake depth and square of elevation can explain 40% of variation in the predicted ANC, which is 26% more variation than explained by the non-spatial Ordinary Least-Squares Regression (OLS). Our calculations also suggest that even under the Carper Bill, the most aggressive air pollutant control scenario considered, not all Adirondack lakes will recover (i.e., ANC > 50 μeq/L) from elevated acidic deposition by 2050. The research provides a basis for more informed emission controls and land use/land cover (LULC) policy-making in the north-eastern USA and elsewhere.
Using a genetic algorithm to optimize the gape of a snake jaw

GA's have more success with optimizing a single configuration than with optimizing multiple configurations with connectivity constraints tying them together, i.e., variable geometry problems such as designing the variable geometry wings of a plane. This paper describes a GA based approach to solve variable geometry optimization problems where (a) the connectivity requirement cannot be easily specified or tested, (b) the space of configurations is made up of multiple disconnected spaces, thus making it likely that a GA would find sets of configurations that are not connected and (c) the cost of testing for connectivity, while examining each pair of configurations, is prohibitive. The approach has been tested and evaluated on a problem from computational biology, modeling the bones of a snake jaw.
Thermophysical Properties of Natural Gas Components: Apparatus and Speed of Sound in Argon†

An apparatus consisting of two spherical resonators of nominal internal radius (25 and 45) mm was constructed and used to determine the speed of sound in argon at temperatures between (250 and 350) K at pressures below 7 MPa. The estimated expanded uncertainty in the speed of sound determined was less than ±0.03 m·s−1, that is, <±8·10−5·u, and the results obtained from both resonators agreed within the combined uncertainty. Independent measurements and predictions, obtained from an equation of state (J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 1999, 28, 779−850), of the speed of sound differed from the results by <±5·10−5·u at p < 2.5 MPa and at p ≈ 6.8 MPa by 4·10−4·u. The second acoustic virial coefficient for argon obtained from both resonators agrees within the combined expanded uncertainty except at T = 350 K where the difference is about three times the combined expanded error.
Thermodynamics of concentrated electrolyte mixtures. II. Densities and compressibilities of aqueous NaCl−CaCl2 at 25 °C

Densities and ultrasonic velocities of NaCl−CaCl2 aqueous mixtures at 25 °C have been measured for the ionic strength range I=0.30–20.0. Where NaCl solubility permitted, both properties were measured over the range of compositions from pure NaCl to pure CaCl2 at constant I. Apparent molar volumes and apparent molar compressibilities of the mixtures were calculated. The Pitzer form of the specific interaction theory is used to predict the properties of the binary mixtures from the properties of the single salt solutions. It provides a good fit over the full range of ionic strength for apparent molar volumes but a much inferior fit for compressibilities. It is also clear that in the high ionic strength range, explicit mixing parameters must be included for an excellent fit.
The Poisson Variation of Montmort's Matching Problem

(2000). The Poisson Variation of Montmort's Matching Problem. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 73, No. 3, pp. 232-234.
The TGF-β family and its composite receptors

In their search for regulators of animal growth and development, biologists have often come upon members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family and have realized that these are among the most versatile carriers of growth and differentiation signals. New evidence suggests that these factors signal through receptors with remarkable structures. Each receptor is a complex of two distantly related transmembrane serine/threonine kinases that are both essential for signalling. TGF-beta and related factors have at their disposal a repertoire of such receptors, a feature that could account for their multifunctional nature.
Structural model of a cyclic dynorphin A analog bound to dodecylphosphocholine micelles by NMR and restrained molecular dynamics

The compound c[Cys5,11]dynorphin A-(1-11)-NH2, 1, is a cyclic dynorphin A analog that shows similar selectivity and potency at the kappa-opioid receptor when compared to the native form of the peptide in central nervous system assays. Previous molecular mechanics calculations have shown that the ring portion of the isoform that is trans about the Arg9-Pro10 omega bond contains either a beta-turn from residues Arg6 to Arg9 or an alpha-helical conformation. Our results from solution state NMR indicate that the compound exhibits cis-trans isomerism about the Arg9-Pro10 omega bond in both aqueous solution and when bound to dodecylphosphocholine micelles. Restrained molecular dynamics calculations show that the cis isoform of the peptide contains a type III beta-turn from residues Arg7 to Pro10. Similar calculations on the trans isoform show it to contain a beta-turn from residues Cys5 and Arg8. In this report we describe the generation of three-dimensional models from NMR data for the ring portions of both the cis and trans isoforms of 1 bound to dodecylphosphocholine micelles. Comparison with other dynorphin A structural information indicates that both the cis and trans isoforms of the peptide may be active as kappa-opioid agonists.
Does it pay to have a network contact? Social network ties, workplace racial context, and pay outcomes ☆

This article investigates how social network use to find work affects pay. Analyses using the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality consider the extent to which a network contact's influence level affects a job applicant's pay, whether this effect differs for white, black, and Latino contacts, and how workplace racial context moderates this relationship. Three main findings emerge. First, having an influential contact--one with hiring authority--compared to having no contact yields higher pay. Second, white and minority contact influence on pay differs: among minority contacts, being an outsider (i.e., someone not employed by the firm to which the applicant applies) is associated with higher pay, but being an employee of the firm--an insider--is not. Third, regardless of workplace racial context, black and Latino contacts' influence is most beneficial when their race/ethnicity is not known to the hiring agent. We offer a new interpretation of the mixed findings with regard to the relationship between social network use and pay.
Conditions Affecting the Application of Symbolic Logic

In 1513 the Spanish adventurer Balboa discovered an ocean three times bigger than any other ocean in the world. When he returned to Europe at the end of the year and told the Spaniards, they probably did not fully believe him. Like Balboa, the symbolic logicians have recently discovered a new vast ocean of thought, and like the Europeans of his day, many people are hardly aware of the discovery or its full implications. The newly discovered ocean, symbolic logic, is, in its broadest sense, a new science which studies through use of efficient symbols the nature and properties of all nonnumerical relations, seeking precise meanings and necessary conclusions. As an applied science, it holds immense promise. For example, it may give us an unambiguous language for political, economic, and social fields, which will conveniently reflect the structure of these fields and make discussion and analysis easy.
Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among US Nursing Home Nursing Assistants: The Role of Working Conditions

Abstract Objectives To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among nursing assistants (NAs) working in US nursing homes, and to identify demographic and occupational predictors of vaccination status among NAs. Design, setting, and participants Cross-sectional analysis of data on 2873 NAs from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey. Multivariable-adjusted vaccination coverage (prevalence) ratios for demographic and occupational characteristics were calculated using Poisson regression. Measurements Outcome variable was NAs’ influenza vaccination status, yes or no, based on the question, “During the past 12 months, did you receive a flu shot?” Results Coverage for all NAs working in US nursing homes was estimated to be 37.1%. NAs 45 or older were more likely to be vaccinated than younger NAs (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–1.41). Significant negative associations with vaccination status were found for NAs who were non-Hispanic blacks (PR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70–0.97), disagreed that they were respected/rewarded for their work (PR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71–1.00), worked at for-profit facilities (PR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.72–0.95), and reported receiving fewer than 7 of 15 nonwage job benefits (PR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67–0.90). Conclusion Influenza coverage among nursing home NAs appears to be similar to nationally reported coverage estimates among health care providers in the United States in general. In addition to individual characteristics, occupational characteristics reflective of working conditions are associated with vaccination status among NAs, suggesting that further research into these types of associations may be useful in identifying which institutions may benefit from outreach efforts and types of interventions to increase vaccination coverage.
Comments on the future of Asian social psychology

The efforts of Asian social psychology and the Asian Association of Social Psychology (AASP) over the past decade and longer have clearly drawn attention to Asian cultures and their potential influence on psychological processes, and have highlighted the need to incorporate Asian social psychology into a global understanding of social psychology. Despite these advancements, however, all four authors, in their own way, suggest that these efforts are only the tip of the iceberg, and describe how Asian social psychology can shift their contributions to a higher gear. In this brief commentary, I discuss three points raised in the papers by Atsumi, Hofstede, Leung, and Ward: identity, the gold standard of comparison, and the contribution of Asian social psychology to a global social psychology, all in relation to visions of the future.
Fronts and patterns in low Mach no. combustion—A review

Abstract Fronts or interfaces arise in a number of natural ways in combustion, and the mathematical limits that formally lead to these structures are discussed. Patterns arise if the fronts and the associated combustion field are unstable, and the most important mechanisms are described.
Investigations into the nature of the hexagonal polytype of faujasite

Synthetic, cubic faujasite, and the hexagonal polytype of faujasite were synthesized according to the procedures of Delprato et al. (Zeolites for the Nineties-Recent Research Reports, 8th International Zeolite Conference, Amsterdam, 1989 ). 29Si, 27Al n.m.r. and unit cell dimensions are consistent with the bulk SiO2/Al2O3 ratio, which is 6.8 for both zeolites. Adsorption properties of the hexagonal polytype are within experimental error of those obtained from cubic faujasite. The acid forms of the cubic and hexagonal polytypes of faujasite both show hydroxyl group stretching frequencies at 3630 cm−1.
Effect of prolonged blood contact time on deposition of cellular and amorphous material on teflon-coated guidewires: a scanning electron microscopy study.

Prolonged contact of blood with guidewires and catheters has been implicated in leading to thromboembolic complications during cardiac catheterization. To study the effect of exposure time on blood product deposition on Teflon-coated guidewires, 35 patients undergoing routine coronary arteriography were randomly assigned to three time groups with exposure of the guidewire to blood of 3, 5, and 10 min, respectively. The exposed wires were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and the micrographs were graded by a pathologist “blinded” as to the exposure time. Deposition of cellular and amorphous material on the guidewire surface and interstices was graded using an arbitrary scale of 1-10 (1, least amount; 10, abundant amount of material). All patients received low-dose systemic administration of heparin (2,500 units) at the beginning of the procedure. The overall activated clotting time (ACT) was 147 ± 39 sec (mean ±SD) prior to heparin dose. The mean ACT after low-dose systemic heparin, measured at sheath removal immediately after exposure of the wire to blood had been completed, rose to 241 ± 79 sec (P<0.0001). The deposition of cellular and amorphous material on the surface and grooves of the wire was not significantly different at 3, 5, and 10 min. Thus, in this study, Teflon-coated guidewires showed no increase in cellular or amorphous deposits from 3 min up to 10 min of blood-wire contact time in the presence of low-dose heparinization. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rank and Status among Massachusetts Continental Officers

THE regions south of the Rio Grande have usually been cited as classic American areas of military intervention in political affairs-of officer Putsch and coup d'etat. Yet, considerably before the time of the caudillo, on the highlands of the Hudson in the cantonments of the Northern Army of the Revolution, commissioned gentlemen plotted to capture the governmental apparatus of the first American republic. Although the plot aborted-it seems inevitable only in hindsight that it should have-the Newburgh Addresses stand even today as cogent historic warnings to the living and unborn. Moreover, a currently significant aspect of the cabal still remains to be explored. What made Armstrong and his colleagues so confident that there was unity and esprit enough among the officers of the army to ensure the success of their dangerous adventure? Although, as is well known, many facets of the affair are enveloped in mystery and debate, this brief examination of the birth and early history of the officer corps of the Massachusetts line of the Continental Army will perhaps furnish an inkling of an answer. When the logic of events had finally persuaded Americans that they must exchange arguments for arms, Massachusetts it was that gave a groping Congress the nucleus of its first army. In the years of war that followed, the loud declaimers and the quiet listeners who had seen good sense in Sam Adams' principiis obsta made up the largest contingent of the Continental Army. In command of the fluctuating Massachusetts enlistment of nearly 68,ooo privates, corporals, and sergeants were approximately 480 officers, comprising about one fifth of the commissioned personnel of the line. A few had been professional or semiprofessional soldiers, but the great majority had smelled their only powder at militia turnouts on village greens. From all the walks of New England life these "train-band captains" came together to officer the new, makeshift army. Farmers of varying degrees of prosperity were most numerous among them; but tailors and innkeepers, tanners and lawyers, hatters and Harvard graduates, schoolmasters and merchants were also present in all the grades.' From elements so diverse as these could a corps-with esprit de corps-be fashioned?
Prognostic features and role of liver transplantation in severe corticosteroid-treated autoimmune chronic active hepatitis

To identify prognostic features and to define the role of liver transplantation in severe autoimmune chronic active hepatitis, findings before and after corticosteroid therapy in 111 patients were correlated with outcome and compared with the findings in 24 patients who had been selected independently for liver transplantation. Patients whose condition deteriorated during corticosteroid treatment were younger (32 +/- 3 yr vs. 43 +/- 2 yr; p less than 0.02) than those who experienced remission, but no individual features predicted outcome. Patients in whom therapy failed required longer durations of continuous treatment than did those who experienced remission (60 +/- 14 mo vs. 20 +/- 12 mo; p = 0.001). Of 13 patients who did not experience remission within 4 yr, 9 (69%) ultimately deteriorated. Ascites developed more often in those patients whose therapy failed and who died of liver failure than in counterparts who survived (86% vs. 33%). Patients undergoing transplantation were similar to those whose treatment failed, but they died less frequently (8% vs. 56%, p less than 0.01). Indeed, the 5-yr survival rate after transplantation was comparable to that of patients who had entered remission (92% vs. 100%). Successive biopsy samples failed to disclose recurrent autoimmune hepatitis after transplantation. Human leukocyte antigens A1, B8 occurred more commonly in patients in whom treatment failed or who underwent transplantation (70% vs. 41%, p less than 0.05). We conclude that failure to achieve remission within 4 yr and the human leukocyte antigen A1, B8 phenotype are associated with poor prognosis. Manifestations of liver decompensation, such as ascites, in patients who have been unable to experience remission justify consideration of transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Development and Validation of a Motion and Loading System for a Rat Knee Joint In Vivo

The influence of biomechanical stimuli on modulating cartilage homeostasis is well recognized. However, many aspects of cellular mechanotransduction in cartilage remain unknown. We developed a computer-controlled joint motion and loading system (JMLS) to study the biological response of cartilage under well-characterized mechanical loading environments. The JMLS was capable of controlling (i) angular displacement, (ii) motion frequency, (iii) magnitude of the axial compressive load applied to the moving joint, and it featured real-time monitoring. The accuracy and repeatability of angular position measurements, the kinematic misalignment error as well as the repositioning error of the JMLS were evaluated. The effectiveness of the JMLS in implementing well-defined loading protocols such as moderate Passive Motion Loading (PML) and increased Compressive Motion Loading (CML) were tested. The JMLS demonstrated remarkable accuracy and reliability for the measurement and kinematics tests. Moreover, the effectiveness test demonstrated the ability of the JMLS to produce an effective stimulus via PML that led to the suppression of the catabolic effects of immobilization. Interestingly, the biological response of the CML group was catabolic and exhibited a pattern similar to that observed in the immobilization group. This novel non-invasive system may be useful for joint biomechanics studies that require different treatment conditions of load and motion in vivo.
Two Successive Necrotic Lesions Secondary to Presumed Loxosceles Envenomation

Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) envenomations with subsequent necrotic skin lesions occur infrequently, and systemic loxoscelism is rarer still. We report a case of 2 successive developing necrotic lesions, each on adjacent medial aspects of the legs, secondary to presumed Loxosceles envenomation. A 31-year-old man with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department with 2, large, necrotic lesions, 1 on each medial thigh. They had progressed over the course of 1 month from small blisters to large necrotic lesions with eschar. He underwent surgical debridement without skin grafting with no further complications. Bites from recluse spiders that progress to necrosis usually present as single lesions. The differential diagnoses for a necrotic skin lesion is large. The presence of more than 1 lesion argues against Loxosceles envenomation; however, in the absence of underlying infection, systemic diseases, immunodeficiency, or malignancy, the diagnosis must be considered if the case presents in an endemic area. Brown recluse spiders rarely bite multiple times, thus confounding the diagnosis of an already nonspecific clinical finding.
Nicotine dependence measures among adolescents with psychiatric disorders: Evaluating symptom expression as a function of dependence severity

Using methods based in item response theory, we examined a structured interview assessment of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) nicotine dependence and the Modified Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (mFTQ) symptoms to explore the expression of particular symptoms as a function of level of nicotine involvement in a sample of 191 adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Despite our attempts to capture a broad range of smokers, 64% of teens were daily smokers and 68% met DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence. This paper describes the relative severity of DSM-IV and mFTQ items, as well as each item's ability to discriminate among individuals at various levels of nicotine involvement. Comparisons across measures revealed that the mFTQ was not particularly sensitive to individual variation in DSM-IV symptom counts, suggesting the physiological components were not strongly related to the predominantly cognitive and behavioral components of the DSM-IV nicotine dependence syndrome. However, the mFTQ relative to the DSM-IV consistently showed stronger relationships to the immediate consequences of nicotine deprivation (urge, craving), supporting the conceptualization of the mFTQ as measuring nicotine exposure. These analyses provide us with some preliminary understanding of the severity of particular symptoms and the order in which symptoms are likely to be expressed across levels of nicotine dependence.
Hydrogen as a future transportation fuel

Abstract A smooth transition from a petroleum-driven transportation system to clean-burning automobiles with the performance and range of today's gasoline cars is plausible using high-efficiency hydrogen-fueled hybrid-electric vehicles. The introduction of hydrogen (H2) vehicles will reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports, virtually eliminate automotive urban air pollution, accelerate the development of cost-effective renewable energy, and help stabilize greenhouse-gas emissions. Based on an economic and technical analysis, H2 vehicles, when first introduced, can be cost-competitive with battery-powered electric vehicles. As market penetration increases, H2-vehicle fueling costs would become competitive with the fueling costs of today's gasoline vehicles (5 ¢/mi). Hydrogen production at filling stations, vehicle fleets, and homes would circumvent many start-up issues and would use existing natural gas and/or electricity energy infrastructures to begin the transition towards a clean, flexible, sustainable, and secure transportation fuel.
Key Informant Reliability in Rural Mexican Villages

The key informant method may be defined in its broadest sense as a technique of collecting information about a social situation by talking to a selected number of the participants. The informants are chosen not on a random basis, but because they possess special qualifications such as a particular status, wide communications, or even accessibility to the investigator. Although this data-gathering technique is used in a great many fields, from journalism to espionage, it is particularly associated with anthropology. As Tremblay has pointed out, it has often been referred to as "the anthropological technique." Unfortunately, this association of a technique with a particular discipline obscures what may be a more important consideration, its frequent use in situations where the crucial variables or questions have not been fully formulated or where more refined techniques are unavailable. If key informant interviewing is in fact associated with particular conditions of social research, we may confidently pred...
Living and Block Copolymerization of Ethylene and α-Olefins Using Palladium(II)−α-Diimine Catalysts

Living polymerizations of ethylene with palladium(II) diimine complexes coupled with use of a functionalized initiator and/or cleavage of the palladium−polymer bond with various reagents provides a protocol for synthesis of mono- and di-end-functionalized, branched, amorphous polyethylenes. The functional initiator used is the chelate complex (Ar = 2,6-(iPr)2C6H3) (3). The alkyl chain is cleaved by insertion of alkyl acrylates or methyl vinyl ketone, followed by cleavage with Et3SiH to generate alkyl ester or methyl ketone end groups, respectively. Insertion of 5-hexen-1-ol, followed by chain running and β-elimination, results in formation of aldehyde end groups. Conditions for living polymerization of propylene, 1-hexene, and 1-octadecene have also been established. Rates of first monomer insertion and subsequent chain growth are shown to be a sensitive function of the palladium complex used for initiation and the nature and concentration of auxiliary nitrile ligands. Block copolymers of ethylene and 1-o...
Developing a GIS Program at a Tribal College

Abstract Programs in geographic information systems (GIS) and related areas (e.g., GPS, remote sensing) have become important additions to the curriculum at colleges and universities of all sizes and types, including tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) such as Haskell Indian Nations University. This article discusses the recent development of a GIS program at Haskell that has been built around three major components: (1) courses; (2) outreach activities; and (3) projects. Key lessons learned from the experience include the importance of developing diversified goals and activities to promote student success, pursuing external funding, expanding GIS within the university through collaborations with other departments and disciplines, and ensuring that basic geographic principles remain a vital part of the GIS curriculum. The development of the GIS program at Haskell may serve as a model for other small colleges and universities, particularly tribal and other minority-serving institutions, that seek to ad...