cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some domain-size effects in polymer transitions

Size-dependent changes of transition temperatures in polymers are shown to derive from two principal sources: the effect of surface energy (or interfacial tension) and the role of the interface in the mixing of foreign material with the system. The formal elements and physical insight necessary for a description of the influence of domain size on the two main polymer transitions, the glass transition and melting, are discussed in some detail.
The evolution of primary multimodality treatment in resectable breast cancer.

Based on both laboratory and clinical data, two major prospective randomized clinical trials were initiated in 1972 and 1973 by the NSABP and the Instituto Nazionale Tumori, of Milano, Italy, under the sponsorship of the National Cancer Institute, to test the value of administering chemotherapy to patients with Stage II breast cancer in the postoperative period. With a follow-up time of nearly five years, both studies continue to demonstrate a significantly prolonged disease-free interval for treated premenopausal women. The Milano trial also indicates an increase in survival from 74% to 90% in the treated group of premenopausal women. A recent analysis of the postmenopausal women treated in the Milano study show that those treated patients who received 75% of their calculated drug dose have significantly prolonged disease-free intervals. These positive results from these trials and byproducts of other basic and clinical research, particularly the value of the estrogen receptor as a prognostic factor of disease-free interval survival and possible treatment selector, have stimulated the scientific community to undertake additional adjuvant therapy studies. The design and rationale for these subsequent studies are discussed. Preliminary indications exist that these trials will lead to a reduction in the national mortality and the overall economic impact from this disease will be lessened within the next five years. Based on the positive results of these studies, rationale currently exists for designing clinical trials that have the potential to extend similar benefit to the 60,000 patients with Stage I disease.
Reality, Symbolism, Time, and Space in Medieval World Maps

Abstract Medieval mappaemundi carry levels of meaning that have been widely misunderstood. Their compilers have been judged on their ability to show geographical reality structured according to a coordinate system, but the primary function of these maps was to provide illustrated histories or moralized, didactic displays in a geographical setting. That medieval thinkers’understanding of the physical world has also been underestimated is reflected in the frequently repeated views that most medieval scholars thought the earth was flat or that Jerusalem should be shown at its center. This paper challenges these commonly held views in the light of recent reinterpretations in art history and the history of cartography. Several themes are explored, including the type of reality represented by the maps, the way the map center changed as the Middle Ages developed, and the relationship between concepts of the earth's sphericity and the graphic constraints on the mappaemundi. Finally, the study suggests ways in whi...
Evaluation of the super-modified simplex for use in chemical pattern recognition

Abstract A simplex optimization technique, the super-modified simplex (SMS), is evaluated for use in the pattern recognition analysis of low-resolution mass spectra. For the recognition of eleven functional group categories, the performances of SMS-derived weight vectors are shown to be comparable to those obtained by a previously developed modified simplex method. Data are presented which indicate that the SMS procedure requires fewer simplices and decreased computational time to converge to an optimized solution for the structural analysis problems investigated.
Alternative anterior reference sites for measuring posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility and feasibility of using alternative anterior reference leads when measuring left posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). With IRB approval, 12 patients were monitored using both traditional (FPz and C4′) and alternative anterior (F3 and F4) reference leads during routine spine surgery with SEP monitoring. Recordings from the routine and novel electrode pairs were collected and analyzed. All of the SEP amplitudes measured were of similar magnitude except for that of F3–F4, which was significantly lower (P < 0.001) than all of the other five lead combinations which were assessed (Cz′–FPz, C3′–C4′, C3′–F4, Cz′–F3, and Cz′–F4). The latencies of the novel lead combinations (C3′–F4, Cz′–F3, Cz′–F4, and F3–F4) were similar to those of the “gold standards” (Cz′–FPz and C3′–C4′) (pooled median, 45.6 ms with 25–75th percentiles, 44.0–47.8 ms, P = 0.308). The coefficients of variation (CV %) of the amplitudes were not statistically significantly different (P = 0.341). The use of alternative frontal reference leads (F3 and F4) for left posterior tibial nerve SEP monitoring yields signals of equal quality and reproducibility compared to signals with standard (FPz and C4′) referencing. These alternative leads may substitute for traditional referencing when placement of FPz or C4′ is precluded by the location of surgery.
An Apparatus to Search for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

Abstract The NEMO-3 (Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory) experiment, located in the Modane Underground Laboratory, searches for neutrinoless double beta decay. The experiment has been taking data since 2003 with seven double beta isotopes and completed data acquisition in January 2011. Two neutrino double beta decay results for the main isotopes (7 kg of 100 Mo and 1 kg of 82 Se), new results for 150 Nd and 130 Te, as well as results for 96 Zr and 48 Ca are presented. NEMO-3 uses a unique technique that allows for the in situ measurement of background contamination. No evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay has been found to date. The data are also interpreted in terms of alternative models such as weak right-handed currents and Majoron emission. In this proceeding, I discussed the measurements made with NEMO-3 and discussed the status, research and design of the next generation experiment, SuperNEMO.
Legacy of the chameleon: Edible wild plants in the kingdom of Swaziland, Southern Africa. A cultural, ecological, nutritional study. Part IV ‐ nutritional analysis and conclusions

This paper presents proximate analysis, protein and mineral values for 29 important wild plant species consumed in Swaziland. Leaf protein ranged from 1.30–7.50 %; the highest values were from the genera Grewia, Momordica and Pouzolzia. High calcium sources were Corchorus spp., Grewia spp. and Pouzolzia parasitica. Plants with a high iron concentration included Corchorus spp., Ipomoea sp. and Zantedeschia sp. Wild leaves were the main dietary accompaniment to maize porridge in 39 % of 133 meals analyzed. The traditional Swazi method for preparing leaf side‐dishes with cooking ash may remove vitamins of the B‐complex and ascorbic acid. Wild plants play an essential role in Swazi diet; more than 220 species are commonly consumed. Many plants are restricted ecologically to narrow ranges. The Highveld exhibited the greatest abundance of edible leaves; while the Lowveld had the greatest diversity of edible fruits. So‐called edible “weeds‐of‐agriculture” were most prominent in the Middleveld. Swazi schoolchildr...
Inducing behaviour change in adolescent delinquents

Abstract Approximately forty delinquents were offered part-time jobs of talking into a tape recorder about anything they wished. A simple reinforcement procedure was initiated whereby attendance at work became dependable and prompt within twenty-five meetings. A three-year follow-up of the first twenty employees showed a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of crime when compared to a matched-pair control group. The use of referral and “treatment” procedures was minimal.
A compressive sensing approach for glioma margin delineation using mass spectrometry

Surgery, and specifically, tumor resection, is the primary treatment for most patients suffering from brain tumors. Medical imaging techniques, and in particular, magnetic resonance imaging are currently used in diagnosis as well as image-guided surgery procedures. However, studies show that computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging fail to accurately identify the full extent of malignant brain tumors and their microscopic infiltration. Mass spectrometry is a well-known analytical technique used to identify molecules in a given sample based on their mass. In a recent study, it is proposed to use mass spectrometry as an intraoperative tool for discriminating tumor and non-tumor tissue. Integration of mass spectrometry with the resection module allows for tumor resection and immediate molecular analysis. In this paper, we propose a framework for tumor margin delineation using compressive sensing. Specifically, we show that the spatial distribution of tumor cell concentration can be efficiently reconstructed and updated using mass spectrometry information from the resected tissue. In addition, our proposed framework is model-free, and hence, requires no prior information of spatial distribution of the tumor cell concentration.
Determining Quantum Molecular Potentials from Spectroscopic Energy Levels Using Parametric Equations of Motion

A system of differential equations is presented for evolving the quantum potential as a function of its energy levels. These inverse parametric equations of motion (i-PEM) offer a novel approach to determining quantum molecular potentials from spectroscopic energy levels. The technique uses singular-value decomposition to ensure that the chosen trajectory through energy space is representable by a smooth potential trajectory. The i-PEM are facilitated by discretizing the vibrational Schrodinger equation with a spectral element method which combines the features of Hamiltonian sparsity and exponential convergence of the wave function. Often, spectroscopic data significantly affect only a specific region of the potential, and the spectral elements offer a natural framework for identifying the appropriate portion of the potential. The i-PEM with spectral elements are applied in a simulation for determining the potential of hydrogen fluoride. method may be modified to follow the potential as a function of the energy levels. 17 These inverse parametric equations of motion (i-PEM) allow for the evolution of an initial model potential to a final potential which is fully consistent with the spectroscopically observed energy levels. Most iterative tech- niques for spectral inversion linearize the relationship between the energy and the potential unknowns by invoking first-order perturbation theory. 11 The i-PEM can naturally use higher orders of perturbation theory to take large steps along a trajectory to
Aminoethylation in model peptides reveals conditions for maximizing thiol specificity

Control of pH in aminoethylation reactions is critical for maintaining high selectivity towards cysteine modification. Measurement of aminoethylation rate constants by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry demonstrates reaction selectivity of cysteine>>amino-terminus>>histidine. Lysine and methionine were not reactive at the conditions used. For thiol modification, the acid/base property of the gamma-thialysine residue measured by NMR results in a 1.15 decrease in pK(a) (relative to a lysine residue). NMR confirms ethylene imine is the reactive intermediate for alkylation of peptide nucleophiles with bromoethylamine. Conversion of bromoethylamine into ethylene imine prior to exposure to the target thiol, provides a reagent that promotes selectivity by allowing precise control of reaction pH. Reaction selectivity plots of relative aminoethylation rates for cysteine, histidine, and N-terminus imine demonstrate increasing alkaline conditions favors thiol modification. When applied to protein modification, the conversion of bromoethylamine into ethylene imine and buffering at alkaline pH will allow optimal cysteine residue aminoethylation.
Comparison of Gabor projection and decomposition methods in object detection

The popular Gabor projection method is compared with the Gabor decomposition method in object detection tasks. The comparison is made using a novel method based on the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the responses. We find that Gabor decomposition yields more distinct responses than Gabor projection.
Macro‐cyclic aramids (2n‐AZA[2n]paracyclophane‐2n‐ones):new intermediates for the synthesis of p‐aramids

An easy route to a new class of n-azapara[2n] cyclophane-n-ones, N-substituted p-oriented cyclic aromatic amide (cycloaramid) oligomers, is described. The bulky diamine, N, N′-di-sec-butyl-p-phenylenediamine is condensed with terephthaloyl dichloride at elevated temperature in o-dichlorobenzene to provide a high yield of N, N′-di-sec-butyl-p-phenyleneterephthalamide cyclic oligomers (from dimer to tridecamer). The cyclization is favored by the cis conformation of the N-substituted amide bonds present in the growing chain. Ring opening polymerization of these new cycloaramids to high molecular weight linear polymers can be effected in the melt phase with highly nucleophilic catalysts, such as 1,3-dialkylimidazole-2-thiones especially when an acid cocatalyst is employed. The N-substituted polymers yield crystalline films and fibers with an axial repeat length which can only be explained by an unexpected trans conformation of the amide bonds. The facile synthesis of other macrocyclic amides by the steric control of macrocyclization by N-substitution of the amide bond is also described.
School-based mental health services in post-disaster contexts: A public health framework

Large scale natural disasters pose serious risks to mental health and simultaneously wreak havoc on the very systems called upon to ameliorate those risks. School-based mental health services have been identified as a potential mechanism through which gaps in service delivery systems can be addressed in post-disaster environments. We believe that a public health framework provides a useful guide for school psychologists who may be called upon to develop school-based systems of care following a disaster. In this article we discuss considerations and challenges in the application of this model in the context of our experience developing school-based mental health services in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, following Hurricane Katrina.
Deindustrialization, Female‐Headed Families, and Black and White Juvenile Homicide Rates, 1970‐1990

Recent research in urban sociology posits that the proliferation of female-headed families in American cities is a result of declining economic prospects due to profound changes in the structure of the urban economy. Meanwhile, macro-level theory and research in criminology suggest that an association exists between family structure and rates of lethal violence among juveniles. Given these two streams of sociological thought, there is good reason to expect that increases in juvenile homicide rates since 1970 may be due, in part, to changes in the structure of the economy and the family during the 1970 to 1990 period. However, the nexus between deindustrialization, female-headed families, and juvenile homicide has received little attention in extant research. The objective of the current study is to remedy this gap in the literature by bringing together ideas about deindustrialization and female headship in an attempt to explain city-level changes in Black and White juvenile homicide rates between 1970 and 1990. In particular, the research investigates the hypothesis that a decline in the manufacturing base of cities increased rates of female headship and thereby indirectly raised homicide rates. Race differences in the hypothesized structural relationships also are examined.
POSSIBILITIES IN “A THOROUGHLY HISTORICAL WORLD”: MISSING HAYDEN WHITE'S MISSED CONNECTIONS

This article assesses Herman Paul's intellectual biography of Hayden White, the most important figure in the philosophy of history of the past half century. Offering a clear overview of White's career and contribution, Paul's account proceeds chronologically from the 1950s to the present, distinguishing the phases of White's career, but convincingly pinpointing an abiding core of concerns around an existentialist and liberationist humanism. In that light, White sought to show the way beyond historiographical realism to more innovative approaches—ideally to serve progressive politics. Paul notes, however, that White failed to connect with most mainstream historians, and Paul's account is not sufficiently probing and critical to explore the gulf. Indeed, following White, Paul is too prone to take White's particular liberationist agenda as the only alternative to a conservative, passive realism—and thereby to gloss over alternative ways of conceiving the postrealist cultural space. Moreover, Paul fails to note White's tendency sometimes to imply that mainstream history claims more than it does, and sometimes to denigrate prejudicially what it in fact does, or could do. Although much of White's challenge could have been especially salutary, he tended toward mischaracterizations that fostered polarization in the historical discipline and reinforced prejudicial understandings of historiography in the wider culture. Paul's overview provides a useful, and in many ways exemplary, introduction to White's legacy, but it is too deferential to provide a convincing overall critical assessment.
Reimagining Digital Fabrication as Performance Art

Within the HCI literature to date, digital fabrication systems are often oriented towards pre-determined goals and discussed in terms of the meaning of objects produced rather than the meanings of actions from which those object emerged. This paper draws from contemporary performance art to inform fabrication system designs that frame meaningful actions as the primary product of fabrication activity. In doing so, we open up new generative ideas for HCI theory and practice, specifically in relation to posthumanist and research through design agendas.
A New Approach to the Main Conjecture on Algebraic-Geometric MDS Codes

The Main Conjecture on MDS Codes states that for every linear [n,k] MDS code over {\Bbb F}_q, if 1 < k < q, then n \le q+1, except when q is even and k=3 or k=q-1, in which cases n \le q+2. Recently, there has been an attempt to prove the conjecture in the case of algebraic-geometric codes. The method until now has been to reduce the conjecture to a statement about the arithmetic of the jacobian of the curve, and the conjecture has been successfully proven in this way for elliptic and hyperelliptic curves. We present a new approach to the problem, which depends on the geometry of the curve after an appropriate embedding. Using algebraic-geometric methods, we then prove the conjecture through this approach in the case of elliptic curves. In the process, we prove a new result about the maximum number of points in an arc which lies on an elliptic curve.
Bifurcation sequences and tree interactions in some Hamiltonian systems

Abstract The behavior of fixed points on the surface of sections of two differential equations were studied. The first one, a particle in a standing wave field, exhibits universal bifurcation sequences, followed by the restabilization of some fixed points. The second, the undamped driven Duffing oscillator, produces more complex behavior with remerging bifurcations and other nonuniversal features. Some of these features can be ascribed to interactions between separate periodic orbits and bifurcation trees.
Generating optimal true interest cost bids for new municipal bond competitive issues

Abstract In 1984 over $95 billion of new tax-exempt debt issues were sold to the public. A criterion for judging competitive bids which is enjoying an increase in usage is that of minimizing true interest cost (internal rate of return). The true interest cost bidding problem may be formulated as a non-linear integer program. By utilizing a novel linearization in concert with a special purpose integer programming algorithm, minimum true interest cost bids can be generated in a matter of seconds. Computational results from an actual bidding problem are presented.
Short-term outcomes of Greenlight HPS laser photoselective vaporization prostatectomy (PVP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Purpose: We evaluated our initial experience with the GreenLight HPS™ laser, a technologically improved version of the potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser for PVP. Materials and Methods: Transurethral PVP was performed using a GreenLight HPS™ side-firing laser system. Patients had American Urological Association Symptom Score (AUASS), Quality of Life (QoL) score, Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) score, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), maximum flow rate (Qmax) and post void residual (PVR) determinations and volumetric prostate measurements with transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). Laser and operative times and energy usage were recorded. AUASS, QoL, SHIM, Qmax and PVR were evaluated 1, 4, 12, 24, and 52 weeks post-surgery. Serum PSA and TRUS were obtained at 12 weeks and serum PSA was repeated at 52 weeks. Results: Seventy consecutive patients with a median age of 67 (45–86) years underwent GreenLight HPS™ laser PVP from July 2006 through March 2008. Median prostate volume was 61.6 (20.9–263...
Issues in the design of systems incorporating electron bombarded CCDs

Single electron detection is desirable in systems incorporating EBCCDs. The sources of noise in single electron counting are discussed and an expression is given for the total noise.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Consensus, self-other agreement, and accuracy in personality judgment: an introduction.

ABSTRACT Consensus in personality judgment refers to the agreement with which two people (or more) can describe the personality of another; self-other agreement refers to the similarity between personality descriptions by the self and by others; and accuracy refers to the degree to which personality descriptions capture real attributes of the persons described. After years of focusing on other subjects, researchers recently have renewed their interest in these three topics. Current empirical research is philosophically diverse and includes studies incorporating pragmatic, constructivist, and realist approaches. Other research is resolving long-standing methodological problems and providing new analytic techniques for the study of consensus, self-other agreement, and accuracy. This special issue includes articles exemplifying all of these research approaches and documents that a new wave of research on consensus, self-other agreement, and accuracy in personality judgment now comprises a burgeoning field that has finally come of age.
Demographic characteristics, menopausal status, and depression in midlife immigrant women

The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis is to examine symptoms of depressed mood in relation to age, menopausal status, and length of residence in the United States in midlife women who are recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Data for this analysis are from a longitudinal study of the impact of acculturation on postimmigration health status and psychological well-being. The mean score for the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale was 23.56, with 77.3% of the women obtaining a score greater than the usual screening cutoff score for referral. Women taking antidepressant medications had a mean score of 30.52. CES-D scores varied significantly by age group. The lowest CES-D scores were reported by women aged 40–50, and women aged 55–60 had significantly higher scores than younger women and those over 65 years old. Total CES-D scores did not vary significantly by length of residence in United States or use of hormone therapy. Regression analysis indicated that even when use of antidepressant medication was held constant, age and residence in the United States were significant independent contributors to CES-D score: women who were older, had lived fewer years in the United States, and those who took antidepressants had higher CES-D scores. Cultural and immigration-related explanations for high scores on the depression scale are suggested.
Pre‐service teachers’ perceptions and their behavioral interactions with young children from international cultures

Theory and research suggest that preservice techers’ personal teaching efficacy and their ethnic attributions contribute to their behavioral interactions with International children. Theoretical research contributions pertaining to personal teaching efficacy, causal attributions, and child‐teacher interaction are reviewed and are included as conceptual components for a model of teacher‐child interaction. Practical implications of this model are suggested for faculty and staff supervisors of teacher preparation programs.
UNDERSTANDING ADMIXTURE FRACTIONS

Estimation of admixture fractions has become one of the most commonly used computational tools in population genomics. However, there is remarkably little population genetic theory on their statistical properties. We develop theoretical results that can accurately predict means and variances of admixture proportions within a population using models with recombination and genetic drift. Based on established theory on measures of multilocus disequilibrium, we show that there is a set of recurrence relations that can be used to derive expectations for higher moments of the admixture fraction distribution. We obtain closed form solutions for some special cases. Using these results, we develop a method for estimating admixture parameters from estimated admixture proportion obtained from programs such as Structure or Admixture. We apply this method to HapMap data and find that the population history of African Americans, as expected, is not best explained by a single admixture event between people of European and African ancestry. A model of constant gene flow for the past 11 generations until 2 generations ago gives a better fit.
Proximity effects for parallel rectangular conductors in nontransmission-line mode

In applications of electrically short antennas such as multiturn loops, variations in ohmic losses due to proximity effects can significantly affect uncorrected estimates of efficiency. This paper investigates experimentally the proximity effects on the current distributions and associated ohmic losses for two identical parallel rectangular cross-section conductors as a function of separation distance and cross section. Based upon the experimental results, a first-order theory is developed and verified.
Internet use in families with children requiring cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease.

Objective. We sought to document the prevalence of Internet access and usage patterns among families who have children with congenital heart disease presenting for cardiac surgery. Design. A cross-sectional study was performed utilizing a questionnaire (10 questions) as the study tool. Statistical analysis was performed on all completed questionnaires. The χ2 test was used to evaluate categorical variables and the t test to evaluate continuous variables. Results. Two hundred seventy-five questionnaires were completed and analyzed. Thirty-seven percent (102/275) of the children had a cyanotic congenital heart defect. There were 21 children with Trisomy 21. Fifty-eight percent (160/275) of families had access to the Internet. The most common locations for accessing the Internet were home (80%; 129/160) and work (51%; 82/160). There were no significant differences in Internet access with regards to underlying individual congenital heart defect, cyanotic versus acyanotic heart defects, or congenital heart defects with functional univentricular hearts versus biventriuclar hearts. Families with older children (12–24 years) were more likely to have Internet access. Families of children undergoing placement of a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit were more likely to have Internet access. Of the 160 families with Internet access, 58% (93/160) used the Internet to obtain information related to their child’s cardiac diagnosis. Eighty-two percent (76/93) characterized locating cardiology-related information as easy. Six parents created interactive personal Web sites specifically related to their child’s congenital heart defect. Although families with older patients (12–24 years) were more likely to have access to the Internet, this did not translate into greater use of the Internet to obtain cardiology-related information. Among families who accessed the Internet for cardiology-related information, 95% (88/93) of families characterized the information as helpful or very helpful in furthering the understanding of their child’s heart defect. Conclusion. Families are utilizing the Internet to educate themselves about congenital heart disease. Most parents consider the process easy and the information obtained helpful to the understanding of their child’s congenital heart defect and surgery. Internet use in this patient population is expected to increase. Our vigilance in providing accurate Internet references, as well as in identifying inaccurate Internet information available to our patients and their parents, is of paramount importance.
Transient behavior of sea urchin sperm flagella following an abrupt change in beat frequency.

Summary Within the approximate range of 30-80 Hz, the flagellar beat frequency of a sea urchin sperm held by its head in the tip of a micropipet is governed by the vibration frequency of the micropipet. We have imposed abrupt changes in flagellar beat frequency by changing the vibration frequency of the micropipet within this range and used a high-speed video system to analyze the flagellar wave parameters during the first few cycles following the change. Our results demonstrate that the various flagellar beat parameters differ in the time they take to adjust to the new conditions. The initiation rate of new bends at the base is directly governed by the frequency of the vibration and changes immediately to the new frequency. The length and the propagation velocity of the developed bends become adjusted to the new conditions within approximately 1 beat cycle, whereas the bend angles take more than 4 beat cycles to attain their new steady-state value. Bends initiated shortly before the change in frequency occurs attain a final length and angle that depends on the relative durations of growth at the old and new frequencies. Our results suggest that the flagellar wavelength and bend angle are regulated by different mechanisms with the second not being directly dependent on bend initiation.
Multiclass classification of microarray data with repeated measurements: application to cancer

Prediction of the diagnostic category of a tissue sample from its gene-expression profile and selection of relevant genes for class prediction have important applications in cancer research. We have developed the uncorrelated shrunken centroid (USC) and error-weighted, uncorrelated shrunken centroid (EWUSC) algorithms that are applicable to microarray data with any number of classes. We show that removing highly correlated genes typically improves classification results using a small set of genes.
Efficient searches for similar subsequences of different lengths in sequence databases

We propose an indexing technique for fast retrieval of similar subsequences using time warping distances. A time warping distance is a more suitable similarity measure than the Euclidean distance in many applications, where sequences may be of different lengths or different sampling rates. Our indexing technique uses a disk-based suffix tree as an index structure and employs lower-bound distance functions to filter out dissimilar subsequences without false dismissals. To make the index structure compact and thus accelerate the query processing, we convert sequences of continuous values to sequences of discrete values via a categorization method and store only a subset of suffixes whose first values are different from their preceding values. The experimental results reveal that our proposed technique can be a few orders of magnitude faster than sequential scanning.
The role of the perforant pathway as a trophic factor for neurotransmission in the rat dentate gyrus

Changes in electrophysiological function in the hilar associational pathway terminating on dentate granule cells in the rat hippocampal formation were studied following unilateral entorhinal cortex lesions. In rats lesioned as pups (postnatal day 4 [PN 4]) or as adults (PN 60) there was a profound loss of paired-pulse inhibition at 30 days postlesion. Inhibition was unaffected at 10 days postlesion. Entorhinal cortex lesions did not affect population spike amplitude, population excitatory postsynaptic potentials slopes, or long-term potentiation compared to the unlesioned hemisphere. The presence of a complete hippocampal commissurotomy had no effect on excitatory or inhibitory parameters. Laminar analyses of extracellular field potentials from animals lesioned as adults revealed an expansion of functional synapses outward into the dentate molecular layer. This expansion was complete by 10 postlesion days. The changes observed with laminar analyses were not contemporaneous with the changes in paired-pulse inhibition. The loss of inhibition in the hilar associational pathway of entorhinal cortex-lesioned animals thus implies a change in local circuit function rather than an effect from sprouted associational fibers directly onto granule cells. The lack of inhibition in the associational pathway in lesioned animals was not due to a failure of local circuit inhibitory function to develop, since the same findings were obtained when lesions were made neonatally or as adults. Rather, the authors suggest that the present findings arise because of the formation of functional, recurrent, excitatory mossy fiber collateral synapses following entorhinal cortex lesions.
Recurring bug fixes in object-oriented programs

Previous research confirms the existence of recurring bug fixes in software systems. Analyzing such fixes manually, we found that a large percentage of them occurs in code peers, the classes/methods having the similar roles in the systems, such as providing similar functions and/or participating in similar object interactions. Based on graph-based representation of object usages, we have developed several techniques to identify code peers, recognize recurring bug fixes, and recommend changes for code units from the bug fixes of their peers. The empirical evaluation on several open-source projects shows that our prototype, FixWizard, is able to identify recurring bug fixes and provide fixing recommendations with acceptable accuracy.
A review of quality of life instruments used in liver transplantation

With improvements in patient and graft survival after liver transplantation, recipient quality of life (QOL) has become an important focus of patient care and clinical outcomes research. To provide a better understanding of the instruments used to assess QOL in the adult liver transplant population, we conducted a systematic review of the MEDLINE database and Cochrane library. Our review identified 128 relevant articles utilizing more than 50 different QOL instruments. Generic health status instruments are the most commonly used, and among them the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) are the most prevalent. Few studies (16%) included targeted, disease-specific instruments. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Quality of Life questionnaire, the Liver Disease Quality of Life questionnaire, and the Chronic Liver Disease questionnaire are the most frequently employed targeted instruments; however, these instruments have been designed to assess QOL in patients with chronic liver disease rather than patients after liver transplantation. The present review focuses on the psychometric properties of the existing QOL instruments and discusses their individual strengths and limitations in evaluating liver transplantation recipients. The lack of a gold-standard QOL instrument for liver transplant recipients is an impediment to cross-study comparisons. We conclude that the development of a QOL instrument specifically for liver transplant recipients will improve QOL assessment in this population leading to a more nuanced understanding of the factors that influence transplant recipients' well-being.
Welfare reform, family support, and child development: Perspectives from policy analysis and developmental psychopathology

This article explores the implications of recent welfare-related policy change for the well-being of children in low-income families, and for research investigating child development processes and outcomes. It provides an overview of current welfare-related policies and explores the implications for developmental researchers. The article also synthesizes early findings from research, highlighting both overall impacts and the more nuanced evidence that while families are transitioning off welfare, only a small number are transitioning out of poverty, and a subgroup of families at risk are not faring well. It then examines, from a theoretical and methodological framework, what developmental psychopathology might bring to the study of welfare-related impacts on children in the context of this complex and changing policy landscape, and what welfare researchers might bring to the field of developmental psychopathology. The article concludes with broad recommendations for both research and policy.
A quality improvement intervention to address provider behaviour as it relates to utilisation of CA-MRSA guidelines

Aims and objectives. To evaluate the impact of a provider focused quality improvement educational intervention on appropriate prescribing for community associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. Background. Patient, provider and health system factors contribute to appropriate antibiotic prescription. Achieving appropriate prescribing is critical in decreasing the burden of antibiotic resistance. Knowledge of appropriate prescribing for community associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection is the first step in shifting prescriber behaviour to evidence-based recommendations. Design. Quality Improvement Project. Method. Following a review of best practice guidelines and application of the Stetler Research Utilization model, a brief educational intervention was delivered using voice over PowerPoint. Items in the educational intervention included indications for screening, particularly focusing on the role of watch and wait after culturing for simple abscesses. The intervention was delivered in a for-profit, nonacademic, urgent care setting, and assessed prescribing providers’ knowledge and practice. Results. Out of 48 medical doctor, physician assistant and nurse practitioner providers, 18 (375%) participated; 12 of the 18 (67%) participants showed an increase in knowledge. Forty three per cent of prescribers’ charts demonstrated improved practice through use of the guidelines. Out of 18 prescribers, 44% sent a total of 21 cultures for abscesses. There was no difference in practice behaviours between professional groups. Conclusions. In spite of the increase in knowledge scores, this improvement in knowledge did not translate in dramatic change in practice, although trends in a positive direction were noted. Relevance to clinical practice. This quality improvement project underscores the complexity of changing prescriber behaviour and the need for ongoing interventions.
Ethinyl(phenyl)iodonium-triflat, [HCCIPh]-[OSO2CF3] – Darstellung, spektroskopische Eigenschaften, Bildungsmechanismus und Röntgenstrukturanalyse†‡

One of the shortest C≡C bonds characterizes the title compound 1, which is an extremely strong CH-acid. In the synthesis of 1, the recently found high stabilization effect of β-stannyl residues for carbenium ions (R 3 Sn-C-C + ) is exploited. Upon addition of the «Zefirov reagent» PhIO/(CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 O to tri-n-butyl-stannylacetylene an energy-rich vinyl cation is formed initially; this decomposes to the iodium salt 1 and (nBu 3 Sn) 2 O
Age-related differences in skeletal muscle insulin signaling: the role of stress kinases and heat shock proteins

Aging is associated with an increase in insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, yet the underlying mechanism is not well established. We hypothesize that with aging, a chronic increase in stress kin...
Radiation therapy for epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal, clinical and treatment factors associated with outcome.

Abstract Background and purpose : In recent years, treatment with combined chemotherapy and radiation has become the standard of care for epidermoid carcinoma of the anus. However, optimal radiotherapy techniques and doses are not well established. Materials and methods : During the period 1975–1997, 106 patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal underwent radiation therapy. Treatment policies evolved from radiation therapy alone or with surgery, to combined chemotherapy and radiation followed by surgery, to combined chemotherapy and radiation. Results : Overall 74% of patients were NED (no evidence of disease) at last follow-up. The most important clinical correlate with ultimate freedom from disease (includes the contribution of salvage surgery) was extent of disease. The 5-year ultimate freedom from disease was 87±5% for T1/T2N0, 78±10% for T3N0 (15% salvaged by surgery), and 43±10% for either T4N0 or any N+ lesions ( P P =0.013, Fisher's exact test, two-tailed summation). Thirty-three additional malignancies have been seen in 26 patients. The most common additional malignancies were gynecologic (nine cases), head and neck (six cases), and lung cancer (five cases). Conclusions : For T1/T2N0 disease, moderate doses of radiation combined with chemotherapy provided adequate treatment. T4N0 and N+ lesions are the most appropriate candidates for investigational protocols evaluating dose intensification. T3N0 tumors may also be appropriate for investigation; however, dose intensification may ultimately prove counterproductive if the cure rate is not improved and salvage surgery is rendered more difficult. The volume of irradiated small bowel should be minimized for patients who have a past history of major pelvic surgery or who (because of locally advanced tumors) may need salvage surgery in the future. Because of the occurrence of additional malignancy, patients with anal cancer should receive general oncologic screening in long-term follow-up.
Anthropogenic environments exert variable selection on cranial capacity in mammals

It is thought that behaviourally flexible species will be able to cope with novel and rapidly changing environments associated with human activity. However, it is unclear whether such environments are selecting for increases in behavioural plasticity, and whether some species show more pronounced evolutionary changes in plasticity. To test whether anthropogenic environments are selecting for increased behavioural plasticity within species, we measured variation in relative cranial capacity over time and space in 10 species of mammals. We predicted that urban populations would show greater cranial capacity than rural populations and that cranial capacity would increase over time in urban populations. Based on relevant theory, we also predicted that species capable of rapid population growth would show more pronounced evolutionary responses. We found that urban populations of two small mammal species had significantly greater cranial capacity than rural populations. In addition, species with higher fecundity showed more pronounced differentiation between urban and rural populations. Contrary to expectations, we found no increases in cranial capacity over time in urban populations—indeed, two species tended to have a decrease in cranial capacity over time in urban populations. Furthermore, rural populations of all insectivorous species measured showed significant increases in relative cranial capacity over time. Our results provide partial support for the hypothesis that urban environments select for increased behavioural plasticity, although this selection may be most pronounced early during the urban colonization process. Furthermore, these data also suggest that behavioural plasticity may be simultaneously favoured in rural environments, which are also changing because of human activity.
Unanswered Questions Regarding Asbestos Exposure: Concerns for the Next Generation

Despite the numerous manuscripts published on the respiratory health effects of asbestos over the past 50 years, there are a number of clinically relevant issues that remain unresolved. In this report, the author addresses aspects of pleural disease, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and mesothelioma attributable to asbestos exposures and attempts to present reasonable evidence for his conclusions. In general, the worldwide use of asbestos has lessened over time and one is buoyed by the number of countries that have “banned” asbestos. Yet, this is not clearly the case in all countries. This worldwide initiative to “ban” asbestos leads one to be optimistic that the burden of illness that we recognize at present and which is the result of exposures of past generations will be lessened in the next generations.
The Influence Of Prospect Theory And Psychological Commitment On The Tax-Reporting Aggressiveness Of Professional Tax Return Preparers

According to prospect theory (Kahneman and Tversky 1979), decision makers perceive outcomes as gains or losses from a reference point and behave differently depending on how the outcome is framed. Decision makers will be risk-averse if the perceived outcome is viewed as a gain and riskseeking if it is perceived as a loss. Research applying prospect theory to the decision-making of tax preparers by using their client’s year-end payment status as the reference point has not been successful (see e.g., Duncan et al. 1988; Sanders and Wyndelts 1989; LaRue and Reckers 1989). One possible explanation for the lack of consistent results in this area is that tax preparers do not internalize the framing of their client’s payment status and thus do not have a psychological commitment to the decision outcome. It is the client who is in a gain or loss position, not the tax preparer. This paper reports the results of an experiment applying prospect theory and psychological commitment to tax preparer decision-making. We hypothesized that tax preparers’ personal involvement in placing their client in a particular year-end tax situation (payment due or refund) will cause them to use the client’s year-end payment status as the reference point and to behave in a manner consistent with the predictions of prospect theory. In particular, we hypothesized that personal involvement in placing their client in a year-end payment due situation will cause tax preparers to frame the decision as a loss and thus behave in a risk-seeking manner. We also hypothesized that personal involvement in placing their client in a year-end refund situation will cause tax preparers to frame the decision as a gain and engage in more risk-averse behavior than tax preparers not so involved. Using a sample of 104 professional tax return preparers, we found no evidence that psychological commitment to their client’s year-end payment status caused tax preparers to behave in a manner consistent with prospect theory. We did, however, find evidence that more experienced tax preparers took more aggressive tax-reporting positions than those with less experience. We also found that males took more aggressive tax-reporting positions than females.