cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fat Metabolism in Higher Plants XXVI. Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids in Tissues of Developing Seeds and Germinating Seedlings of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

The capacity of both developing seeds and germinating seedlings of safflower for the incorporation of acetate-C(14) into long-chain fatty acids is examined. Intact tissue of the developing seed shows a low rate of acetate incorporation into fatty acid initially but between the tenth and twenty-fifth day after flowering the tissue has a high rate of synthesis, in particular with respect to the unsaturated fatty acids. Centrifuged fractionation of homogenates of this developmental tissue yielded several active fractions, the most active being the P(I) fraction consisting mostly of plastids. Cofactor requirements and pH effects are examined. Germinating tissue shows a more uniform capacity for synthesis of fatty acids since there is no marked change in synthetic capacity. The newly synthesized fatty acids are consistently palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid. No linoleic synthesis could be detected. The most active fraction of cell-free preparation of germinating tissue is the plastid fraction (P(I)), similar to what was formed with developing tissue.
Dilemmas of leadership in community mental health

The community mental health administrator's functions and roles transcend that of the clinician. In some respects, he has to unlearn aspects of the posture and style he may have acquired as a clinician. This posture has been described by Whittington:28 As social planners, our impatience and rudeness do not endear us to others in community action groups. We have striving and obsessive personalities; our scorn for “born losers” often prevents the clarity of vision and unpretentious helpfulness which characterizes the good psychiatric nurse. Our role as king whose legitimacy is challenged makes us vulnerable to self-doubt, anxiety and paranoia. In working through the “anxiety and paranoia” attendant upon cognitive, identity and role shift, the administrator acquires a language, cognitive map, identity and role cluster that fit him for his task. While he may never forget what he has learned in psychiatric school, his leadership dilemmas are only resolved when he enacts the roles that are most appropriate to a given function at a given time in a given context. With an adequate, flexible role repertoire he can avoid the “role clinging” that can occur if he is unskilled or unpracticed in community entry, negotiation, planning and program promotion. If he knows his community, if he knows how, where and when, to move, how to negotiate and trade in the corridors of power, he will find growth-enabling solutions to his leadership dilemmas.
AFTER TAFT-HARTLEY: The Legal-Institutional Context of U.S. Strike Activity, 1948 to 1980

This article examines how the legal-institutional context created by American labor law has impacted the frequency, issue composition, and economic damage of strike activity since the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act. Emphasis on the legal-institutional context complements conventional perspectives of strike activity which focus on business cycle and political-organizational interpretations. A new labor law index is developed to measure the legal-institutional context, and it is comprised of five components: number of pro-labor laws, National Labor Relations Board unfair labor cases filed, use of antilabor injunctions, labor mediation, and labor arbitration. For the period of 1948 to 1980, high values on the labor law index reduced overall strike frequency, reduced some types of control-related strikes, had no effect on economic strikes, and decreased working time lost to strikes, especially in the monopoly sector. These findings suggest that the legal-institutional context of the post-Taft-Hartley period has served to regulate and delegitimize expressions of labor unrest that most seriously challenge capitalist interests.
Inhibition of human B lymphocyte colony responses by endogenous synthesized hydrogen peroxide and prostaglandins.

Abstract The possible mediators responsible for inhibition of human B-cell colony formation stimulated in vitro by Staph protein A (SpA) were investigated. Exogenous PGE1 and PGE2, but not PGF2a, markedly diminished colony growth in cultures with optimal B cells and monocyte ratios. Colony responses were quite sensitive to prostaglandin E series (PGEs) inhibition ranging from 2 to 50% of controls at concentrations between 1000 and 1 nM, respectively. Similarly, concentrations of exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) between 10−2 and 10−5M inhibited colony responses. The suppression by PGEs and H2O2 represented an absolute decrease of the colony numbers with the relative frequency of colonies containing cells characteristic of B cells being identical to controls. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was also found to inhibit the responses of cultures with optimal B cell-monocyte ratios, but the inhibition could be reversed by either indomethacin or catalase. The diminished colony responses in high-density cultures with supraoptimal monocyte numbers were significantly augmented by either indomethacin or catalase. In contrast, identical experiments in SpA-stimulated liquid cultures failed to demonstrate a modulation of proliferative responses by exogenous or endogenously produced mediators. These data suggest that human B-cell colony precursors are quite sensitive to the inhibitory effects of exogenous and endogenous PGEs and H2O2. Additionally, the inhibition of colony responses by LPS does not represent a direct effect on colony precursors, but is indirectly mediated by the endogenous production of H2O2 and PGEs presumably derived from monocytes.
Production system design for quality robustness

In automotive assembly plants, vehicles with defects are either repaired (e.g., components are exchanged, scratches are polished, etc.) or reworked (e.g., the whole vehicle is repainted) to maintain high product quality. The performance of vehicle quality is typically characterized in terms of the first time quality and also the quality buy rate. First time quality is defined as the good job ratio of all first time processing jobs, while the quality buy rate is the good job ratio of all processed jobs, including the first time jobs and reworked jobs. In this paper, we study a repair and rework system at an automotive paint shop with random first time quality. Specifically, we show that paint quality, in terms of quality buy rate, can be described by a function of repair capacity and first time quality. Increasing the repair capacity can improve the quality buy rate and reduce unnecessary repaints. Variations in first time quality may lead to a reduction in the quality buy rate and an increase in unnecessa...
From Terror to Appreciation: Confronting Chance After Extreme Misfortune

Nagel, E. (1961). The structure of science. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World. Pasteur, L. (1854, December). Inaugural lecture. University of Lille, France. Rodin, J., Schooler, C., & Schaie, K. W. (Eds.). (1990). Self-directedness: Cause and effects throughout the life course. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Rutter, M. (1990). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. In J. Rolf, A. S. Masten, D. Cicchetti, K. H. Neuchterlein, & S. Weintraub (Eds.), Risk and protective factors in the development of psychopathology (pp. 181-214). New York: Cambridge University Press. Stagner, R. (1981). Training and experiences of some distinguished industrial psychologists. American Psychologist, 36, 49J-505.
Extending invalid-access prevention policy protocols for mobile-client data caching

Due to the proliferation of multimedia objects and the subsequent need for managing a large number of multimedia objects within mobile client/server computing environments, there may exist multiple physical copies of the same data object in client caches at the same time with the server as the primary owner of all data objects. This brings new challenges of dealing with caching multimedia data for mobile clients. Invalid-access prevention policy protocols developed in traditional DBMS environment have to be extended to ensure that the serializability involving data updates is achieved in mobile environments. Toward this goal, we have performed analysis, proposed three extended protocols, and conducted experimental studies under the invalid-access prevention policy in mobile environments, to meet the serializability requirement in a mobile client/server environment that deals with multimedia objects. These three protocols, referred to as extended server-based two phase locking (ES2PL), extended call back locking (ECBL), and extended optimistic two phase locking (EO2PL) protocols, have included additional attributes to ensure multimedia object serializability in mobile client/server computing environments. In this paper, the rationale of developing these extended protocols, the basic idea behind the extension, a sketch of experimental studies, as well as the overall observation, are presented.
In vitro response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to phytohemagglutinin and interleukin-2.

Abstract The serological determination of class II antigens is still a mandatory test prior to allotransplantation. It is known that these antigens are normally expressed on B lymphocytes and monocytes. The B lymphocytes that constitute 10% to 15% of total blood lymphocytes are the cells currently used for HLA-DR typing. To avoid HLA-DR typing difficulties, or even impossibilities that are frequently encountered among some patients groups, we studied the response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells—as an alternative source of cells for class II antigen typing—to in vitro mitogen and interleukin-2 activation and propagation. Although the patients included in this study were selected having previously known HLA-DR typing difficulties, all could be adequately typed by this method.
Decomposition of aggregate carbon intensity for the manufacturing sector: comparison of declining trends from 10 OECD countries for the period 1971–1991

Abstract As with total energy consumption or aggregate energy intensity changes in aggregate carbon intensity may also be decomposed or attributed to changes in various components, including fuel mix for electricity generation, final energy mix, sub-sectoral economic activity and sub-sectoral energy intensities. The Adaptive Weighted Divisia rolling base year index specification is applied to total carbon emissions from the manufacturing sector of 10 OECD countries for the period 1971–1991. Declines in aggregate carbon intensity for these countries range from 70% and may be primarily attributed to decreases in energy intensity, i.e. increases in the average factor productivity of energy. However, these declines in aggregate carbon intensity appear to have a complex linkage to increases in energy prices, as well as changes in other determinants of gross industrial output.
SEDIMENTATION STUDIES OF RED ALGAL SPORES1

More than 1000 spores from 11 species of red algae were collected; their differences in size and sinking rates were measured using a new micro-video technique. A relationship between size and sinking rate was shown with larger spores generally sinking faster than smaller ones. Variability in spore size, or lack thereof, is a species characteristic. Cryptopleura violacea (J. G. Ag.) Kylin and Neoagardhiella baileyi (Kutz.) Wynne and Taylor were found to produce a wide range of spore sizes. Such variability in size may be related to differences in spore formation. Centrifugation was used to separate the contents of spores to show differences in them. The ecological implications of these observations are considered.
Multiplicative factor analysis with a latent mixed model structure for air pollution exposure assessment

A primary objective of current air pollution research is the assessment of health effects related to specific sources of air particles, or particulate matter (PM). Because most PM health studies do not observe the activity of the pollution sources directly, investigators must infer pollution source contributions based on a complex mixture of exposure. Methods such as source apportionment and multivariate receptor modeling use standard factor analytic techniques to estimate the source-specific contributions from a large number of observed chemical components. In the interest of a more flexible source apportionment, we propose a multiplicative factor analysis with a latent mixed model structure on the latent source contributions. A factor analysis with multiplicative errors serves to maintain the non-negativity of the measured chemical concentrations. A mixed model on the latent source contributions provides for systematic effects on source contributions as well as an adjustment for residual correlation in the source-specific exposures. In a simulation study, we examine the impact of (1) accounting for meteorological covariates and (2) adjusting for temporal correlation in the exposures on the estimation of the source profiles and the source contributions. Finally, we explore the influence of meteorological conditions on source-specific exposures in an analysis of PM exposure data from an animal toxicology study. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ion beam processing of surgical materials

Abstract Ion beam processing has now achieved a secure place in surface treatment of biomaterials. This development is largely a result of the success of the process for wear prevention of orthopedic Ti-alloy in rubbing contact with ultrahigh molecular-weight polyethylene. Basic contributions of the authors in this area, together with other pertinent literature will be reviewed. Research in ion beam processing of biomaterials is turning to other areas. Among these, bioelectronics is considered to be a promising area for further effort. Pertinent experiments on effects of implantation of iridium into titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy on corrosion and charge injection properties are presented.
Molecular hydrogen assisted transport of H atoms

Abstract Transport of hydrogen atoms plays a key role in chemical and biological processes involving metabolism of molecular hydrogen. Several ‘gas-phase’ and more intricate organometallic models (mimics of the hydrogenase enzyme) are developed to show the intriguing role of the molecular hydrogen as a third party in the pass-on transfer of hydrogen atoms. This hydrogen assisted transport (HAT) mechanism is based on the current understanding of the hydrogen exchange reactions and it is believed to be applicable to certain H/D-isotope exchange processes and remote transport of H-atoms.
A Somatic MAP3K3 Mutation Is Associated with Verrucous Venous Malformation

Verrucous venous malformation (VVM), also called "verrucous hemangioma," is a non-hereditary, congenital, vascular anomaly comprised of aberrant clusters of malformed dermal venule-like channels underlying hyperkeratotic skin. We tested the hypothesis that VVM lesions arise as a consequence of a somatic mutation. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on VVM tissue from six unrelated individuals and looked for somatic mutations affecting the same gene in specimens from multiple persons. We observed mosaicism for a missense mutation (NM_002401.3, c.1323C>G; NP_002392, p.Iso441Met) in mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3 (MAP3K3) in three of six individuals. We confirmed the presence of this mutation via droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in the three subjects and found the mutation in three additional specimens from another four participants. Mutant allele frequencies ranged from 6% to 19% in affected tissue. We did not observe this mutant allele in unaffected tissue or in affected tissue from individuals with other types of vascular anomalies. Studies using global and conditional Map3k3 knockout mice have previously implicated MAP3K3 in vascular development. MAP3K3 dysfunction probably causes VVM in humans.
Sustained neocortical neurogenesis after neonatal hypoxic/ischemic injury

Objective Neocortical neurons are sensitive to hypoxic-ischemic (H-I) injuries at term and their demise contributes to neurological disorders. Here we tested the hypothesis that the subventricular zone of the immature brain regenerates neocortical neurons, and that this response is sustained. Methods Systemic injections of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and intraventricular injections of replication-deficient retroviruses were used to label newly born cells, and confocal microscopy after immunofluorescence was used to phenotype the new cells from several days to several months after perinatal H-I in the postnatal day 6 rat. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate chemoattractants, growth factors, and receptors. Results Robust production of new neocortical neurons after perinatal H-I occurs. These new neurons are descendants of the subventricular zone, and they colonize the cell-sparse columns produced by the injury to the neocortex. These columns are populated by reactive astrocytes and microglia. Surprisingly, this neuronogenesis is sustained for months. Molecular analyses demonstrated increased neocortical production of insulin-like growth factor-1 and monocyte chemoattractant factor-1 (but statistically insignificant production of erythropoietin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial-derived neurotrophic factor, and transforming growth factor-α). Interpretation The young nervous system has long been known to possess a greater capacity to recover from injury than the adult system. Our data indicate that H-I injury in the neonatal brain initiates an enduring regenerative response from the subventricular zone. These data suggest that additional mechanisms than those previously surmised contribute to the remarkable ability of the immature brain to recover from injury. Ann Neurol 2007
Skeletal muscle regeneration after injury: An overview*

Skeletal muscle has a remarkable capacity for regeneration after injuries resulting in either partial or complete damage to the muscle fibers. Muscle damage occurs following a variety of injuries including direct injury caused by crushing, puncturing, cutting, or freezing; ischemia; direct application of local anesthetics; eccentric exercise, and a variety of neuromuscular diseases. Regardless of the injury, regeneration usually follows a characteristic sequence and is limited by three major factors that will be discussed in this overview of the processes involved in degeneration and regeneration of muscle. The major factors limiting the ability of skeletal muscle to regenerate after trauma or disease are a viable population of satellite cells, reinnervation, and revascularization.
Large signal adaptation for multiple input plants

A solution to the control synthesis problem is presented for plants with constrained-control inputs and with state equations which may have variable coefficients, but are linear in the state variables and control inputs. The control is dual mode with a classical linear controller, designed to be insensitive to plant variations, used for small signals. Techniques are presented for reducing these plants to dominant two-state channels. Auxiliary controllers are applied to each channel, which are adaptive to the coupling between channels, as well as the variable plant parameters, in obtaining a minimal-time response when the signals are large. The instrumentation for the required adaptive bang-bang controllers is developed.
Graphene growth on SiC and other substrates using carbon sources

Direct deposition of graphene from carbon sources on foreign substrates without the use of metal catalysts is shown to be an effective process with several advantages over other growth techniques. Carbon source molecular beam epitaxy (CMBE) in particular provides an additional control parameter in carbon flux and enables growth on substrates other than SiC, including oxidized Si and sapphire. CMBE using thermally evaporated C60 and a heated graphite filament on SiC is reported here. The graphene films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and Hall effect. Graphene films on Si-face SiC grown using the C60 source have Bernal-like stacking and n-type conduction while those grown using the graphite filament have turbostratic stacking and p-type conduction. The sheet concentration for both n- and p-type doping is linearly dependent on film thickness.
Molecular Events Accompanying the Fixation of Genetic Information in Haemophilus Heterospecific Transformation

Heterospecific transformation between Haemophilus influenzae and H. parainfluenzae was investigated by isopycnic analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracts of 3H-labeled transforming cells that had been exposed to 32P-labeled, heavy transforming DNA. The density distribution of genetic markers from the resident DNA and from the donor DNA was determined by transformation assay of fractions from CsCl gradients, both species being used as recipients. About 50% of the 32P atoms in H. parainfluenzae donor DNA taken up by H. influenzae cells were transferred to resident DNA, and only a small amount of the label was lost under conditions of little cell growth. There was less transfer in the reciprocal cross, and almost half of the donor label was lost. In both crosses, the transferred donor material transformed for the donor marker considerably more efficiently when assayed on the donor species than on the recipient species, indicating that at least some of the associated 32P atoms are contained in relatively long stretches of donor DNA. When the transformed cultures were incubated under growth conditions, the donor marker associated with recipient DNA transformed the donor species with progressively decreasing efficiency. The data indicate that the low heterospecific transformation between H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae may be due partly to events occurring before association of donor and resident DNA but results mostly from events that occur after the association of the two DNA preparations.
Effect of biological soil crusts on soil elemental concentrations: implications for biogeochemistry and as traceable biosignatures of ancient life on land

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are topsoil biosedimentary structures built by photosynthetic microbes commonly found today on arid soils. They play a role in soil stabilization and the fertility of arid lands, and are considered modern analogues of ancient terrestrial microbial communities. We determined the concentrations of four biogenic and 21 other elements, mostly metals, in surface soils that hosted BSCs, in the soils underneath those crusts, and in proximate but non-crusted surface soils. The samples were from six sites in the Colorado Plateau highlands and the Sonoran Desert lowlands. In spite of the variability in climate and geologic setting, we found statistically significant overall trends of enrichment in biogenic elements and depletion in non-biogenic elements when BSCs were compared with non-crusted soils. The differences between crusted and non-crusted soils were statistically significant at approximately 95% confidence for C, N (enrichments) and for Ca, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, and Zr (depletions). These trends are best explained by the activity of microbes. As expected, no differences in the concentrations of C, N, P, and S were detected between the soils underneath the crusts and the non-crusted soils, but the former showed depletion of non-biogenic elements, indicating that the leaching effect of crust microbes extends downward in the soil. These patterns speak to the need for a sustained input of allochthonous material, possibly dust, to maintain BSC fertility. These elemental patterns can be considered a biosignature that may be preserved in the rock record and might help identify ancient microbial communities on land.
Dual networks and their pattern classification properties

An artificial neural network (ANN) architecture termed a dual network is proposed for pattern classification problems. Dual network is a network of densely connected simple processing elements and it presents a structured way to implement polynomial classifiers. A supervised learning algorithm is developed for the dual networks, and their ability to solve complex pattern classification problems is verified through experimental studies. >
Efficient Incorporation of Large (>2 kb) Heterologies Into Heteroduplex DNA: Pms1/Msh2-Dependent and -Independent Large Loop Mismatch Repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in yeast is effected primarily by gene conversion. Conversion can conceivably result from gap repair or from mismatch repair of heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) in recombination intermediates. Mismatch repair is normally very efficient, but unrepaired mismatches segregate in the next cell division, producing sectored colonies. Conversion of small heterologies (single-base differences or insertions <15 bp) in meiosis and mitosis involves mismatch repair of hDNA. The repair of larger loop mismatches in plasmid substrates or arising by replication slippage is inefficient and/or independent of Pms1p/Msh2p-dependent mismatch repair. However, large insertions convert readily (without sectoring) during meiotic recombination, raising the question of whether large insertions convert by repair of large loop mismatches or by gap repair. We show that insertions of 2.2 and 2.6 kbp convert efficiently during DSB-induced mitotic recombination, primarily by Msh2p- and Pms1p-dependent repair of large loop mismatches. These results support models in which Rad51p readily incorporates large heterologies into hDNA. We also show that large heterologies convert more frequently than small heterologies located the same distance from an initiating DSB and propose that this reflects Msh2-independent large loop-specific mismatch repair biased toward loop loss.
The relevance of Simpson Grade I and II resection in modern neurosurgical treatment of World Health Organization Grade I meningiomas.

Object In 1957, Simpson published a seminal paper defining the risk factors for recurrence following surgical treatment of intracranial meningiomas. Given that Simpson's study was published more than 50 years ago, preceding image guidance technology and MR imaging, the authors reviewed their own experience with surgical treatment of Grade I meningiomas to determine if Simpson's grading scale is still relevant to modern neurosurgical practice. Methods From this cohort, the authors evaluated all patients undergoing craniotomy for resection of a histologically proven WHO Grade I meningioma as their initial therapy. Clinical information was retrospectively reconstructed using patient medical records and radiological data. Recurrence analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results The 5-year recurrence/progression-free survival for all patients receiving a Simpson Grade I, II, III, or IV resection was 95, 85, 88, and 81%, respectively (p = not significant, log-rank test). Kaplan-Meier analysis re...
Assessment of the impacts of e-commerce technologies on overall business processes: an analytic Delphi process

The Internet has dramatically changed our lives and the way we do business. With the innovation of e-commerce companies can reach customers and sell products almost instantaneously. As an outcome, e-commerce has grown tremendously and the rapid changes taking place in information technology in conjunction with the dynamic nature of the market provide rich opportunities for research. This research assesses emerging e-commerce technologies and the impact of these technologies on overall business processes. The methodology utilized is an analytic Delphi study where experts assessed the adoption of e-commerce technologies and the impacts of these technologies on overall business processes. Delphi offered a mechanism to make these assessments via a panel and was the chosen methodology because the Internet is a relatively new technology and thus, sufficient historical data were not available to effectively utilize other traditional forecasting methodologies. Once the initial e-commerce technologies were identified via traditional Delphi, the analytic hierarchy process was used to quantify expert's judgments. The research methodology required a team of twelve e-commerce experts to respond to three sets of research instruments. The results of the research quantify the impact of major e-commerce technologies and business change agents as identified by the experts in the study.
Regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase α-Subunit Expression by Mechanical Strain in Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells

We have previously demonstrated that vascular sodium pump activity is stimulated in several rat models of hypertension. In addition, others have reported an upregulation of mRNA for the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha1-subunit in hypertension. To test the effect of sustained, cyclic, stretch-relaxation stimuli on the expression of alpha1- and alpha2-subunits of Na+,K+-ATPase in vascular smooth muscle cells, we used the Flexercell strain unit to stretch rat aortic smooth muscle cells for several days on a collagen-coated silicone elastomer substratum. Six-second cycles of stretch-relaxation were applied to obtain 10% average surface elongation (22% maximum) for 4 days. Control cells were not stretched but were grown on a similar surface. The effect of Gd3+, a blocker of stretch-activated channels, was also investigated. At the end of 4 days, protein expression of alpha1- and alpha2-subunits was determined by Western blot analysis. Intensity of the bands for alpha1- and alpha2-subunits was quantified with the use of a computerized image analyzer. In the stretched cells, both the alpha1- and the alpha2-subunit protein-band intensities were significantly increased compared with those of the non-stretched cells. Treatment with 50 micromol/L Gd3+ during the application of stretch prevented the upregulation of alpha2-expression but not that of alpha1-expression. Sodium pump activity, the functional counterpart of Na+,K+-ATPase, was inhibited as a result of stretch; Gd3+ had no effect on this variable. Our results suggest that in vascular smooth muscle, stretch may be a signal for the upregulation of both the alpha1- and alpha2-isoforms. However, a differential response of the two isoforms to the blocker of stretch-activated channels implies involvement of different mechanisms. This alteration in protein expression is not reflected in the function of the enzyme.
Chemical Diffusion Coefficient of H2O in AB(1−x)B′xO(3−x/2)‐Type Perovskites

Many oxygen-deficient oxide perovskites are oxygen ion conductors in a dry environment. However, in a humid atmosphere, they absorb water to fill up oxygen vacancies, release quasi-free protons into the structure, and thereby become proton conductors. Absorption of water requires the transport of both protons and oxygen ions. This effectively leads to the transport of H 2 O under its chemical potential gradient. The present manuscript develops relationships between the chemical diffusion coefficient of H 2 O and the diffusion coefficients of protons and oxygen vacancies with an emphasis on the role of solution thermodynamics.
Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Identify Predictors of Oral Hygiene: A Collection of Unique Behaviors

Background: This study aims to identify predictors of performed oral hygiene behaviors (OHBs) based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), oral health knowledge, and demographic factors.Methods: Using a questionnaire, 381 participants in three general dental offices and one hospital dental department in York, Pennsylvania, were surveyed regarding performed OHB, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, oral health knowledge, income, age, and sex.Results: Three unique elements of OHB were identified for analysis: brushing, interdental cleaning, and tongue cleaning. Regression analysis revealed that attitude was the strongest predictor of brushing behavior, followed by oral health knowledge, perceived behavior control, subjective norms, and income. Perceived behavior control was the strongest predictor of interdental cleaning, followed by increased age and attitude. Female sex was the strongest predictor of tongue cleaning, followed by subjective norms, decreased age, and perceived behavi...
Are Qusars Local

Although quasars were discovered in 1963, their nature is still not understood, nor their distance agreed upon. Astronomers are much less happy with them than with such strange phenomena as pulsars, believed to be neutron stars, or fluctuating X-ray sources such as Cygnus X-1, believed to be gravitationally-collapsed black holes. The trouble is that quasars refuse to yield the expected observations in far too many cases.
The Conservation Impact of the American Society of Primatologists' Conservation Small Grant Program

Given the dire condition of existing biodiversity and the limited availability of funding to protect it, conservation prac- titioners and scholars are increasingly recognizing the need to monitor and evaluate conservation investments. In line with this trend, our objective was to assess the conservation impact of the American Society of Primatologists' (ASP) Conservation Small Grant Program. Since 1989, the ASP has provided funding in support of research- and education-based projects aimed at effecting primate conservation. To date, 185 projects on 74 primate species have been supported in 41 countries. To accomplish our objec- tive, we developed and administered a voluntary survey to former grant recipients from the years of 1997-2012 to assess whether ASP funded projects resulted in further research, dissemination of results, capacity building and other conservation outcomes. We also assessed grant recipients' perceptions regarding factors that impeded conservation outcomes and factors that would have facilitated greater success. Of the 106 people we contacted, 42 responded, giving a 39.6% response rate. Seventy-nine percent of respondents reported at least one conservation outcome. The two most frequently reported outcomes were: (1) research presence generates greater local awareness/interest in target species and/or its habitat, and (2) increased scientific understanding of target species. None of the respondents reported outcomes directly related to the status of the target primate species. Capacity build- ing through the training and employment of students, local people, and protected area staff was reported by 81% of respondents. Almost all of the respondents (93%) disseminated their project results in some fashion (e.g., scholarly journals, newspapers, local radio and TV, conference presentations, and presentations to local schools and communities). The top five factors impeding con - servation outcomes were: (1) limited funding, (2) limited time, (3) illegal resource extraction, (4) changes in local government, and (5) lack of support from local people. The top three suggestions for ensuring more successful outcomes were: (1) develop partnerships with local governments and NGOs, (2) establish a long-term research presence, and (3) secure follow-up funding. Overall, the results highlight the importance of garnering local support for primate conservation projects, sustaining a long-term research presence at field sites, clearly defining terms used in monitoring and evaluation, building evaluation into the design of primate conservation projects, and encouraging and enabling researchers to share both successes and failures.
Development and psychometric evaluation of the Flexilevel Scale of Shoulder Function.

Background.Existing measures of self-reported shoulder function fail to measure effectively the full range of shoulder functioning. The classic approach for improving the reliability of a scale is adding items, but a scale with a substantial number of items imposes a large response burden on partici
Comparative histopathologic, histochemical, electron microscopic and tissue culture studies of bronchial carcinoids and oat cell carcinomas of lung.

Although there is compelling evidence to indicate that bronchial carcinoids and oat cell carcinomas of lung have similar histogeneses, their prognoses are divergent, making their pathologic distinction imperative. Although this is not generally difficult, instances do occur, particularly with biopsy material, in which their absolute identification may be tenuous. The results of a systematic, statistical examination of a number, of histopathologic features of 13 bronchial carcinoids and 47 oat cell carcinomas in cases in which follow-up information for 2 to 6 years was available revealed that a ribbon-like architectural arrangement of the monomorphous tumor cells of high (most favorable) nuclear grade represents a presumptive feature of bronchial carcinoids. On the other hand, mitoses, low nuclear grade, necrosis, hematoxylinophilic vascular deposits, pericellular argyrophilic pattern, and perineural space invasion were encountered only in oat cell carcinomas. Argyrophilic granules were more frequent in cells comprising bronchial carcinoids. An argentaffin reaction and other tinctorial methods for enterochromaffin, as well as glycoprotein, were found to be positive only in bronchial carcinoids, and in the latter they were focal. Neurosecretory-type granules observed by electron microscopy were obviously more frequent in cells of bronchial carcinoids, whereas the nuclei and the cytoplasm of cells of oat cell carcinomas appeared more complex. Chromosomal analysis of cells comprising a few samples of each tumor type in which this feature was evaluated revealed aneuploid karyotypes and marker chromosomes in both. The results do not minimize the common histogenesis of bronchial carcinoids and oat cell carcinomas. However, they do provide criteria for their differentiation, as well as evidence to support the view that the bronchial carcinoid is indeed a more benign form of oat cell carcinoma of the lung.
Comparison of Cytochalasins (A, B, D, and E) in Chick Explant Teratogenicity and Tissue Culture Systems

SummaryThe four cytochalasins studied were found to have quantitative biologic activity at low concentrations, but elicited marked variation in ordering of response when compared in two in vitro systems. All four cytochalasins were teratogenic in vitro. Cytochalasin D was teratogenic at the lowest concentration, while cytochalasin E was the strongest inhibitor of cytokinesis. Since these compounds have been recovered from food and are stable to heat, their biologic activity in man should be studied.
The Spaghetti Problem

(1949). The Spaghetti Problem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 56, No. 10P1, pp. 669-672.
Passive transfer of allergic adrenalitis and encephalomyelitis with whole blood.

ConclusionsPassive transfers of allergic adrenalitis and encephalomyelitis have been achieved in 24 hr by direct transfusion of whole blood from 1 or 2 specifically immunized donors. It was necessary that recipients were isogenic or hybrids and had nonspecific injuries of the target organ which lowered the threshold for disease. It is likely that the active components of the blood were the agranular leukocytes because these autoimmune diseases have been transferred previously by lymph node, spleen, or isolated blood leukocytes but not by serum (2-5). However, a contributory role of plasma has not been excluded. This new method will facilitate the study of cell migration between lymphoid and target organs in autoimmune diseases.
Cavity-enhanced measurements of hydrogen peroxide absorption cross sections from 353 to 410 nm

We report near-ultraviolet and visible absorption cross sections of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) using incoherent broad-band cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS), a recently developed, high-sensitivity technique. The measurements reported here span the range of 353–410 nm and extend published electronic absorption cross sections by 60 nm to absorption cross sections below 1 × 10–23 cm2 molecule–1. We have calculated photolysis rate constants for H2O2 in the lower troposphere at a range of solar zenith angles by combining the new measurements with previously reported data at wavelengths shorter than 350 nm. We predict that photolysis at wavelengths longer than those included in the current JPL recommendation may account for up to 28% of the total hydroxyl radical (OH) production from H2O2 photolysis under some conditions. Loss of H2O2 via photolysis may be of the same order of magnitude as reaction with OH and dry deposition in the lower atmosphere; these processes have very different impacts on H...
Parallel Multiagent Coordination Optimization Algorithm: Implementation, Evaluation, and Applications

In this paper, a parallel computing implementation of a multiagent coordination optimization (MCO) algorithm is introduced using $\mathtt {parfor}$ , a built-in MATLAB function. As a novel variation of particle swarm optimization (PSO), the MCO algorithm has demonstrated significant performance improvement, in terms of both accuracy and efficiency, in solving real-time optimization problems when compared with PSO. However, the ability to handle large-scale optimization problems or use more particles in the algorithm is limited by the sequential implementation of the original MCO algorithm. A numerical evaluation of the parallel MCO algorithm was conducted using the supercomputers in the High Performance Computing Center at Texas Tech University. Based on the results of this evaluation, it was determined that the performance of the parallel MCO is not only superior to that of PSO but is highly efficient as it reduces the computational time. The parallel binary MCO (BMCO) algorithm is presented here as well. By combining the parallel MCO with parallel BMCO algorithms, a new parallel mixed-binary nonlinear programming MCO solver is proposed. Finally, a load balancing coordination problem, a multiagent formation control problem, and a power system vulnerability analysis problem are solved using the corresponding parallel MCO algorithm.
Elevated follicular fluid angiotensin II and pregnancy outcome

Objective To assess whether a relationship exists between follicular fluid (FF) angiotensin II (AII) concentration and pregnancy outcome or earlier fecundity parameters and whether correlations exist among FF AII concentrations and P, E2, T, androstenedione (A), or various ratios of these. Design Retrospective study in which hormone concentrations in FF samples were measured. Setting In vitro fertilization clinic-Assisted Reproductive Technology Program, Rush Medical Center. Patients Twenty-six female patients underwent ovarian stimulation for IVF. Intervention Leuprolide acetate was combined with hMG and FSH for ovarian stimulation. Main Outcome Measure Follicular fluid aspirates were collected and oocytes were recovered 34 to 36 hours after hCG injection. The patients proceeded to undergo IVF and ET. Follicular fluid hormones were measured using standard RIA. Angiotensin II and steroid hormone concentrations in FF were compared for pregnant versus nonpregnant women using the Student's t-test and ranksum test. Pearson multiple-correlation analysis was performed to calculate correlation coefficients among AII concentrations and steroid concentrations in FF aspirates. Results Mean FF concentration of AII was significantly lower in samples from women showing clinical pregnancies (112.2±13.9 pg/mL [107.3±13.3 pmol/L]) compared with samples from women who did not achieve pregnancy (217.1±23.8 pg/mL [207.5±22.7 pmol/L]) (mean±SE). A negative correlation was observed between FF concentrations of AII and P. Correlations of AII with E2, T, A, or with ratios of these did not show significance. Conclusion These data suggest that high AII concentration at time of oocyte recovery may indicate poor pregnancy outcome in women undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF. These data corroborate previous results in animal models showing that AII predisposes follicles to undergo atresia-like conditions.
‘Aesop’, ‘Q’ and ‘Luke’

The last chapter of the gospel of Luke includes a story of the risen Christ meeting two of his disciples on their way from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus and chastising them with the poetic expression ὦ ἀνόητοι καὶ βραδeῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ ‘O foolish ones, and slow in heart’ (Luke 24.25). No commentator has ever observed that Jesus' expression occurs verbatim, in the same iambic trimeter metre, in two poetic versions of animal fables attributed to the famous Greek fabulist Aesop. It is plausible that Luke is here, as at least twice elsewhere in his gospel, tapping into the rich tradition of Aesopic fables and proverbs that were widely known throughout the Mediterranean world in the first century ce.
Attribute-Based Signatures: Achieving Attribute-Privacy and Collusion-Resistance.

We introduce a new and versatile cryptographic primitive called Attribute-Based Signatures (ABS), in which a signature attests not to the identity of the individual who endorsed a message, but instead to a (possibly complex) claim regarding the attributes she posseses. ABS offers: – A strong unforgeability guarantee for the verifier, that the signature was produced by a single party whose attributes satisfy the claim being made; i.e., not by a collusion of individuals who pooled their attributes together. – A strong privacy guarantee for the signer, that the signature reveals nothing about the identity or attributes of the signer beyond what is explicitly revealed by the claim being made. We formally define the security requirements of ABS as a cryptographic primitive, and then describe an efficient ABS construction based on groups with bilinear pairings. We prove that our construction is secure in the generic group model. Finally, we illustrate several applications of this new tool; in particular, ABS fills a critical security requirement in attribute-based messaging (ABM) systems. A powerful feature of our ABS construction is that unlike many other attribute-based cryptographic primitives, it can be readily used in a multi-authority setting, wherein users can make claims involving combinations of attributes issued by independent and mutually distrusting authorities.
RF-MEMS for Low-Power Communications

Recent demonstrations of micro-scale high-Q passive components that utilize microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to allow on-chip integration alongside transistor circuits have sparked a resurgence of research interest in communication architectures that emphasize the use of high-Q passive devices [1][2]. Among the most useful of these are vibrating micromechanical (“μmechanical”) resonator circuits with frequencies approaching UHF and Q’s in the tens of thousands [3][4][5]; tunable μmechanical capacitors with Q’s up to 300 at 1GHz [6]; μmachined inductors with Q’s up to 30 at 1GHz [7]; and μmechanical switches with insertion losses as low as 0.1dB [8]. Although much of the interest in these “RF MEMS” devices originally derived from their amenability to on-chip integration, it is actually their potential for enhancing robustness and reducing power consumption in alternative transceiver architectures that makes them so compelling. 2. Vibrating Micromechanical Signal Processors
Search for Blocking Factors in Sera of Patients with Prostatic Cancer

AbstractSera from patients with carcinoma of the prostate were screened for the presence of blocking factors by measuring the inhibition of phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis of normal lymphocytes. The blastogenic index obtained in cancer sera is not significantly different from that obtained in sera of patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (control group). Determination of alpha-2-globulins in the cancer sera by cellulose acetate electrophoresis revealed slightly elevated levels in patients with metastatic disease but it did not correlate with the inhibitory blocking activity of the serum.