cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expressive writing in people with traumatic brain injury and learning disability.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of systematic studies of expressive writing disorder (EWD) in persons with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It is unclear if TBI survivors' written expression differs significantly from that experienced by persons with learning disabilities. It is also unclear which cognitive or neuropsychological variables predict problems with expressive writing (EW) or the EWD. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the EW skill, and the EWD in adults with mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI) relative to those with learning disabilities (LD). It also determined which of several cognitive variables predicted EW and EWD. METHODS: Principle Component Analysis (PCA) of writing samples from 28 LD participants and 28 TBI survivors revealed four components of expressive writing skills: Reading Ease, Sentence Fluency, Grammar and Spelling, and Paragraph Fluency. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the LD and TBI groups on any of the expressive writing components. Several neuropsychological variables predicted skills of written expression. The best predictors included measures of spatial perception, verbal IQ, working memory, and visual memory. CONCLUSIONS: TBI survivors and persons with LD do not differ markedly in terms of expressive writing skill. Measures of spatial perception, visual memory, verbal intelligence, and working memory predict writing skill in both groups. Several therapeutic interventions are suggested that are specifically designed to improve deficits in expressive writing skills in individuals with TBI and LD. Language: en
Bounding ζ(s) in the critical strip

Abstract Assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, we make use of the recently discovered (Carneiro et al. (preprint) [1] ) extremal majorants and minorants of prescribed exponential type for the function log ( 4 + x 2 ( α − 1 / 2 ) 2 + x 2 ) to find upper and lower bounds with explicit constants for log | ζ ( α + i t ) | in the critical strip, extending the work of Chandee and Soundararajan (in press) [4] .
Transforming growth factor-β signaling is constantly shaping memory T-cell population

The long-term maintenance of memory T cells is essential for successful vaccines. Both the quantity and the quality of the memory T-cell population must be maintained. The signals that control the maintenance of memory T cells remain incompletely identified. Here we used two genetic models to show that continuous transforming growth factor-β signaling to antigen-specific T cells is required for the differentiation and maintenance of memory CD8(+) T cells. In addition, both infection-induced and microbiota-induced inflammation impact the phenotypic and functional identity of memory CD8(+) T cells.
BEST: a novel computational approach for comparing gene expression patterns from early stages of Drosophila melanogaster development

Embryonic gene expression patterns are an indispensable part of modern developmental biology. Currently, investigators must visually inspect numerous images containing embryonic expression patterns to identify spatially similar patterns for inferring potential genetic interactions. The lack of a computational approach to identify pattern similarities is an impediment to advancement in developmental biology research because of the rapidly increasing amount of available embryonic gene expression data. Therefore, we have developed computational approaches to automate the comparison of gene expression patterns contained in images of early stage Drosophila melanogaster embryos (prior to the beginning of germ-band elongation); similarities and differences in gene expression patterns in these early stages have extensive developmental effects. Here we describe a basic expression search tool (BEST) to retrieve best matching expression patterns for a given query expression pattern and a computational device for gene interaction inference using gene expression pattern images and information on the associated genotypes and probes. Analysis of a prototype collection of Drosophila gene expression pattern images is presented to demonstrate the utility of these methods in identifying biologically meaningful matches and inferring gene interactions by direct image content analysis. In particular, the use of BEST searches for gene expression patterns is akin to that of BLAST searches for finding similar sequences. These computational developmental biology methodologies are likely to make the great wealth of embryonic gene expression pattern data easily accessible and to accelerate the discovery of developmental networks.
OPSLs for quick flow cytometry

Applications for flow cytometry continue to diversify and evolve. That is because cytometry is both a widely used clinical tool for fast blood cell analysis as well as a powerful research tool. As novel therapeutic modalities (e. g. stem cell treatment) are developed, new cytometry applications often blur the traditional distinction between clinical and research measurements. Yet a single laser technology — the optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL) — is proving optimum in virtually all cases, whether the application needs high power, multiple wavelengths, low cost, small packaging or a low thermal or electrical budget. From routine counting of CD4 immune receptor cells to stem cell sorting, this article will show how and why OPSL is meeting the evolving needs of flow cytometry.
Insider Trading and Stock Splits

Stock splits have long presented a puzzle in finance. Unresolved questions are why do firms undertake them, and why do they offer abnormal returns both before and after the announcement date? Conventional explanations focus on making stocks more liquid and signaling firm prospects. However, abnormal returns, particularly before the announcement date, should raise strong suspicions of insider trading. We examined 718 split events in the emerging stock market of Vietnam and found evidence indicating illegal insider trading in stock splits by firms more vulnerable to inappropriate insider activity. Such firms were more likely to be split stocks. Their stocks also provided significantly higher returns when they did split than did other stocks. More telling, the abnormal returns prior to the split announcement for these stocks were extremely high, indeed higher than their post-announcement abnormal returns. This is precisely the pattern we would expect if insiders traded on their knowledge. Illegal insider trading, where it is possible to escape penalty, provides a new explanation for stock splits and their abnormal returns.
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance: Cooperation: the theoretical problem

There is a persistent tension in the social sciences between the theories we construct and the evidence we compile about human interaction in the world around us. It is most striking in economics, where the contrast between the logical implications of neoclassical theory and the performance of economies (however defined and measured) is startling. Certainly neoclassical theory has been a major contribution to knowledge and works well in the analysis of markets in developed countries. At the other end of the scale, however, it does not provide much insight into such organizations as the medieval manor, the Champagne fairs, or the suq (the bazaar market that characterizes much of the Middle East and North Africa). Not only does it not characterize these organizations' exchange process very well, it does not explain the persistence for millennia of what appear to be inefficient forms of exchange. The disparity in the performance of economies and the persistence of disparate economies through time have not been satisfactorily explained by development economists, despite forty years of immense effort. The simple fact is that the theory employed is not up to the task. The theory is based on the fundamental assumption of scarcity and hence competition; its harmonious implications come from its assumptions about a frictionless exchange process in which property rights are perfectly and costlessly specified and information is likewise costless to acquire.
Epitaxial growth of kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 on a Si(001) substrate by thermal co-evaporation

Abstract Using thermal co-evaporation we have prepared epitaxial Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) films on Si(001) substrates. A substrate temperature as high as 370 °C and proper substrate cleaning (HF-dip followed by thermal desorption of surface hydrogens) are found to be necessary for the epitaxial growth. Detailed transmission electron microscopy measurements and X-ray diffraction studies are used to reveal the orientation relation of the CZTS films with the underlying silicon substrate, and the formation of defects within the CZTS layer.
Amphetamine-induced inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylation in homogenates of rat corpus striatum.

Abstract Tyrosine hydroxylase activity was measured in vitro by following the rate of production of 14CO2 from [14C]-DOPA newly formed from L -[1-14C]-tyrosine in a crude synaptosomal preparation of striatal homogenates which contained only endogenous pteridine cofactor. Administration of (+)-amphetamine in vivo (0·50–5·0 mg/kg, i.p.) led to a specific local inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase activity, after a 15–30 min delay and persisted for at least 4 hr (50% inhibition at 2·5 mg/kg), in nerve endings prepared from the corpus striatum of the rat brain. (−)-Amphetamine was less potent (25% inhibition at 5 mg/kg). There was no change in the level of tyrosine hydroxylase in cell-free extracts and no inhibition of substrate-uptake into nerve endings or change in the level of endogenous tyrosine. When striatal nerve endings were exposed directly to amphetamine in vitro (10 μM), stimulation rather than inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylation occurred, although the hydroxylated metabolites p-hydroxyamphetamine and p-hydroxynorephedrine inhibited the reaction (at 0·1–10 μM). Nevertheless, the inhibitory effect of (+)-amphetamine in vivo persisted in the rat after blockade of microsomal oxidases with SKF-525A (40 mg/kg, i.p.) as well as in the guinea pig, a species in which amphetamine is weakly p-hydroxylated. Interruption of impulse flow in the nigro-striatal pathway by electrothermic lesions was found to decrease tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the striatum, possibly as a result of an increased intraneuronal accumulation of dopamine which could enhance the end-product feedback inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase. Inhibitory effects of in vivo administration of amphetamine on tyrosine hydroxylase activity in striatal synaptosomes may similarly be mediated by a decreased impulse flow in striatal dopamine neurones. The inhibitory effect of (+)-amphetamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) was interrupted by blockade of striatal dopamine-receptors with chlorpromazine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and by blockers of γ-aminobutyric acid-receptors (bicuculline or picrotoxin, 2·5 mg/kg, i.p.). Local striatal receptors of dopamine may thus be involved in this action of amphetamine or descending γ-aminobutyric acid-neurones may mediate a neurophysilogical feedback regulation of activity in the nigro-striatal pathway.
Numerical studies of wave propagation in polycrystalline shape memory alloy rods

Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) have recently been considered for various applications involving dynamic loading. An SMA body subjected to external dynamic loading will experience large inelastic deformations that will propagate as phase transformation and/or detwinning shock waves. The wave propagation problem in a cylindrical SMA is studied numerically. An adaptive Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to solve several model problems representing various boundary conditions and thermomechanical paths. The mesh adaptivity is based on the Zienkiewicz-Zhu (ZZ) error estimator. Convergence studies are performed demonstrating the ability of the adaptive FEM to accurately and efficiently capture solutions with moving shock discontinuities. The energy dissipation capabilities of SMA rods are evaluated based on the numerical simulations. Correlations with existing experimental data on impact loading of NiTi SMA bars are also performed.
Sequence-dependence of the energetics of opening of at basepairs in DNA.

Proton exchange and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are being used to characterize the energetics of opening of AT/TA basepairs in the DNA dodecamer 5′-d(GCTATAAAAGGG)-3′/5′-d(CCCTTTTATAGC)-3′. The dodecamer contains the TATA box of the adenovirus major late promoter. The equilibrium constants for opening of each basepair are measured from the dependence of the exchange rates of imino protons on ammonia concentration. The enthalpy, entropy, and free energy changes in the opening reaction of each basepair are determined from the temperature dependence of the exchange rates. The results reveal that the opening enthalpy changes encompass a wide range of values, namely, from 17 to 29 kcal/mol. The largest values are observed for the AT basepairs in 7th and 8th positions. These values, and the exchange rates of the corresponding imino protons, suggest that these two basepairs open in a single concerted reaction. The enthalpy changes for opening of the central six basepairs are correlated to the opening entropy changes. This enthalpy-entropy compensation minimizes the variations in the opening free energies among these central basepairs. Deviations from the enthalpy-entropy compensation pattern are observed for basepairs located close to the ends of the duplex structure, suggesting a different mode of opening for these basepairs.
Replication of chromosomal and cytoplasmic DNA during mitosis and meiosis in the eucaryote Chlamydomonas reinhardi

Both meiotic and mitotic replication of chromosomal and cytoplasmic DNAs in a unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardi, have been studied by isotopic transfer experiments coupled with density-gradient centrifugation analysis. It has been shown that during the vegetative cycle (1) the replication mode of chloroplast DNA, as well as γ DNA, is semiconservative; (2) in synchronized culture these two cytoplasmic DNA satellites replicate coordinately with a high degree of synchrony; (3) the replication of chromosomal DNA is independent of and separable from that of the two cytoplasmic DNAs. It has been shown that during the sexual cycle (1) the chloroplast DNA replicates semiconservatively during zygote maturation, at which time there is neither chromosomal DNA replication nor nuclear division; (2) another DNA component (M-band DNA) replicates extensively and appears in large quantity; (3) meiosis occurs during zygote germination and is accompanied by one round of semiconservative chromosomal DNA replication; (4) the M-band DNA disappears in the early germination period, and the degraded substance is not incorporated into the newly replicated chromosomal DNA. A possible origin of the M-band DNA and a few properties of the cytoplasmic DNA satellites have been elucidated. Genetic recombination and regulation of incoordinate replication in an eucaryotic system have been discussed in terms of the data obtained.
Alternative interactions of the SV40 a protein with DNA

Abstract We have characterized the DNA binding properties of SV40 A protein (T antigen) from permissive cells. The viral protein protects 110- to 115-, 60- to 65-, 40- to 45-, and 30- to 35-bp fragments of SV40 DNA from an excess of DNase 1. The 60- to 65-bp fragment extends some 30–35 by to either side of the Bgl I site at the origin of replication. DNase footprinting confirms the location of this binding region and shows that it is the most completely protected DNA binding site under our conditions. The A protein selectively recognizes the 60- to 65-bp origin fragment in the complete absence of adjacent DNA and binds to it in three alternative ways that protect 60–65, 40–45, or 30–35 by from nuclease. Thus these three interactions with isolated origins recapitulate the binding of viral protein to intact SV40 DNA. We propose that the alternative interactions of SV40 A protein with the 60- to 65-bp origin fragment may represent three different conformational alignments of protein with DNA rather than a simple repetition of a single kind of binding interaction. Viral protein also protects pBR322 and λ phage DNA from nuclease to a limited extent. Similar interactions could possibly alter the function of DNA control regions of host cells.
Association between the anaerobic threshold and the break-point in the double product/work rate relationship

A break point in the double product versus work rate relationship (DPBP) during incremental exercise has previously been reported. The aim of the current study was to investigate the frequency and degree of inter-observer agreement with which a DPBP could be detected. We also wished to determine its relationship, if any, to the lactic acidosis threshold␣(LATla). Ten normal volunteers performed continuous incremental bicycle ergometer exercise under three different concentrations of inspired oxygen (FiO2 = 0.21, 0.15 and 0.12). In addition, a group of patients with diseases expected to result in impaired exercise tolerance performed exercise under room air conditions. Gas exchange was measured continuously and double product was measured at 15-s intervals throughout exercise using an automated sphygmomanometer. Four observers, unaware of subject identity and test condition, analysed a total of 39 tests. All four observers detected a DPBP in 29 cases (74%) and an LAT in 35 cases (90%). The intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.76 for the DPBP and 0.93 for the LATla, indicating a reasonable level of agreement among observers for both break points. The DPBP was closely related to the LATla (r = 0.865, P < 0.0001), although it occurred at a slightly higher oxygen consumption (\(\)O2, bias 0.137 1 · min−1; 95% confidence intervals 0.041–0.233). We conclude that the DPBP is a common occurrence during incremental exercise. The close relationship between the DPBP and the LATla suggests that both may reflect similar events at the level of the skeletal muscle cell.
Group divisible designs with three unequal groups and larger first index

We show the necessary conditions are sufficient for the existence of group divisible designs (or PBIBDs) with block size k=3 with three groups of size (n,2,1) for any n>=2 and any two indices with @l"1>@l"2.
Relation Between Depressive Symptoms and Common Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in American Persons ≥65 Years of Age†

Few epidemiologic studies have examined the association between depressive symptoms and atherosclerosis in subjects aged ≥65 years. Most of these studies were cross sectional and could not determine the temporality between depressive symptoms and the development of abnormal common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT). To investigate the association between depressive symptoms and CCA atherosclerosis in subjects aged ≥65 years, data from 3,781 participants aged ≥65 years from the Cardiovascular Health Study were analyzed. The presence of depressive symptoms was measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, while CCA-IMT as an indicator of CCA atherosclerosis was measured by B-mode carotid ultrasonography. Multivariate generalized estimation equations adjusted for age, gender, race, alcohol intake, blood glucose status, body mass index, and time showed that subjects aged ≥65 years with depressive symptoms had larger CCA-IMTs than those who did not have such symptoms (β = 18.26 μm, SE 8.06, p = 0.03). Using 1,000 and 1,140 μm as cut-off points to exclude participants who had abnormal CCA-IMTs at baseline, the adjusted relative risks and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals of developing abnormal CCA-IMT over 3 years were 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.44) and 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.46), respectively. Similar results were obtained after excluding participants with prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline. In conclusion, these data indicate that depressive symptoms are associated with the development of atherosclerosis in subjects aged ≥65 years.
Torture in Iraq & the rule of law in America

legitimacy of American interrogation practices in the war on terror 1⁄2rst emerged in regard to Afghanistan. In January of 2003, for example, The Economist published a remarkable set of articles on torture, detailing some of America’s more dubious practices. Yet as the editors of The Economist noted, within the United States itself the discussion of torture was “desultory.” That all changed in May of 2004, when the cbs television program 60 Minutes and The New Yorker released photographs from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. These pictures provoked worldwide outrage and, even more importantly, sparked a long overdue public debate in the United States about torture and the permissible limits of interrogation in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. As one might expect in a legalistic culture such as ours, some of this debate has revolved around the de1⁄2nition of torture itself. Common lay understandings of torture are in fact quite different from those articulated by many American lawyers. One reason is that the U.S. Senate, when ratifying in 1994 the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, offered what one might call a more ‘interrogator-friendly’ de1⁄2nition of torture than that adopted by the un negotiators. Thus the Senate, as is its prerogative, stipulated while consenting to the Convention that
Performing the ‘Knights of Change’: male youth narratives and practices of citizenship in Jordanian schools

Through educational campaigns and partnerships with the international community, the Jordanian government has indicated a desire to create a more loyal, democratic, and self-enterprising citizenry. While the participation of girls in public life is encouraged by the Jordanian regime and valorised by the international community, little effort is made to ensure and understand the participation of boys in such spaces, and what this participation produces. By highlighting the experiences and narratives of boys, including those of Palestinian origin, in two government secondary schools in Amman, this article examines how top-down efforts to produce a particular national identity have engendered a performative kind of citizenship in schools, in which students interrogate official accounts of Jordanian-ness through various practices of signification. This use of performativity, adapted from Judith Butler's work on gender, raises two important points: first, the learning of citizenship and national identity is a ...
A three‐dimensional variational data assimilation scheme for the Regional Ocean Modeling System: Implementation and basic experiments

A three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme for the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), named ROMS3DVAR, has been described in the work of Li et al. (2008). In this paper, ROMS3DVAR is applied to the central California coastal region, an area characterized by inhomogeneity and anisotropy, as well as by dynamically unbalanced flows. A method for estimating the model error variances from limited observations is presented, and the construction of the inhomogeneous and anisotropic error correlations based on the Kronecker product is demonstrated. A set of single observation experiments illustrates the inhomogeneous and anisotropic error correlations and weak dynamic constraints used. Results are presented from the assimilation of data gathered during the Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network (AOSN) experiment during August 2003. The results show that ROMS3DVAR is capable of reproducing complex flows associated with upwelling and relaxation, as well as the rapid transitions between them. Some difficulties encountered during the experiment are also discussed.
A Relationship of Isentropic Back Trajectories with Observed Wind Direction and Synoptic Type in the North Atlantic

Abstract A spring season sample of isentropic back trajectories for the North Atlantic region is presented. The sample data, derived from select time periods during four spring seasons, are used to investigate the relationship of three-dimensional trajectories with observed wind direction and synoptic type. The trajectory data show a predominance of transport from the west and suggest that three-dimensional air motions in the midlatitude regions have a pronounced vertical component whose direction and magnitude are significantly related to the transport direction. Statistical results indicate that the observed wind direction and synoptic type can be used to derive a reasonably good estimate of the mean transport direction for an ensemble of 36-h or 72-h trajectories. However, neither of them provides a good estimate of the transport direction for individual trajectories. The results also show that the mean vertical and horizontal displacements of the trajectory air parcels are not strongly related to obse...
Socioeconomic change and patterns of growth in the Andes

Changes in the pattern of growth over a 20-year period are described for a combined rural and semi-urban population in the District of Nunoa (Puno) in southern Peruvian Andes. Over the past two decades, Andean regions have experienced many socioeconomic changes, including the implementation of agrarian reform policies and increased integration into a market economy. Local changes in Nunoa have included improved transportation networks, new markets, an expanded public school system, and improved health care facilities. Secular trends in stature and weight have been found to be associated with social and economic development throughout the developing world, including Peru. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a re-study of growth in the Nunoan population, and to assess whether changing conditions in Nunoa have resulted in secular increases in growth. A cross-sectional sample of 1,466 children and adults and mixed-longitudinal sample of 404 children (age 3-22), measured between 1983 and 1984, are compared to similar samples collected from the same location between 1964 and 1966. Adolescents are taller, heavier, and somewhat fatter in the present population, although these differences diminish or disappear in adulthood. Age of maturation, peak growth velocities, and cessation of growth may come 1 to 2 years earlier than in the 1960s. As was found in earlier studies, growth velocities are low, the adolescent growth spurt is small, and sexual dimorphism is delayed. No secular trends in adult stature were found. Thus, the effects of social and economic change on nutrition, health, and growth in the population are uneven and generally unclear. This points to inequalities in access to the benefits of change throughout the region.
School as a Context of Early Adolescents' Academic and Social-Emotional Development: A Summary of Research Findings

Successful youth development during adolescence is an intergenerational process, one in which youth are responsible for being open to and taking advantage of new experiences, and adults are responsible for providing youth with nourishing, growth-enhancing opportunities. In this article, we examine how adolescents perceive the nature of the opportunities they are provided by teachers and staff in middle school, and how such opportunities are related to changes in their academic and social-emotional functioning over time. Our findings indicate that specific instructional, interpersonal, and organizational dimensions of middle school life, as perceived by adolescents themselves, are associated in important ways with the quality and character of their education- and non-education-related development during the years of early adolescence.
Shakespeare's Pacifism

on human dignity and freedom, its pursuit of secular knowledge in history and psychology, and its political commitment to improving the quality of institutional and personal life.I The Humanist response to war and peace often split into opposing positions categorized as martial vs. irenic-that is militarist vs. pacifist.2 Associated with what some scholars label "civic humanism," militarists like Caxton, Machiavelli and Guiccardini lionized an ideal of the prince or courtier as soldier and scholar and regarded the warrior's activity as essential for individual achievement as well as for social order.3 Their pacifist opponents, who, like Erasmus, Thomas More, Baldassare Castiglione and Juan Vives, were often identified as "Christian Humanists," envisioned the ideal prince or courtier as a jurist and philosopher, and criticized the military ethos as irreligious, immoral and impractical.4 This debate shaped the ac
Effects of compost on loblolly pine tree growth in northeast Texas

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of compost on loblolly pine tree growth. Approximately 750 seedlings were planted, 270 of which were measured monthly, in a northeast Texas forest ecosystem. Compost was applied at rates of 5, 25, and 50 tons per acre. Planting holes were filled with either native soil or compost. The 25-ton per acre application with soil backfill (25S) increased tree survival and growth relative to a control group and other compost amendments. After two years, trees in the 25S treatment survived twice as much and grew 41 percent higher than a control group. In general, compost applications yielded higher soil moisture levels, higher survival rates, and larger growth increases than the control group.
Improved current era outcomes in patients with heterotaxy syndromes.

Objective: Patients with heterotaxy syndrome have a myriad of visceral and cardiac malformations historically resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. We sought to assess whether current era management strategies have improved outcomes in patients with visceral heterotaxy. Methods: A retrospective review (1994—2008) of our database identified 45 consecutive heterotaxy patients who underwent surgical palliation. Therewere 29 patientswith right atrialisomerism (RAI)and 16 patientswith left atrial isomerism (LAI). Functionalsingleventricle was present in 32 patients. Pulmonary outflow obstruction was present in 29 of the patients. Twenty patients had total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), of which 9 were obstructed. An initial neonatal surgical approach was performed in 27 patients. Thirty patients had systemic to pulmonary artery shunt. Mean follow-up was 43.6 47 months in RAI and 41.0 40.8 months in LAI patients (p = 0.4). Results:There were three hospital deaths, all after the first operation, and four interstage deaths (six RAI; one LAI). There were no deaths after cavopulmonary shunt, Kawashima or Fontan operation. A multivariate Cox regression identified greater than moderate atrioventricular valve regurgitation (Hazard Ratio (HR) 17.5, p = 0.017) and obstructed TAPVR (HR 17.5, p = 0.007) as factors associated with increased RAI mortality. Due to the absence of late mortality in both groups, patient survival at 3 years were 79% in RAI and 94% in LAI patients and remained stable after that (p = 0.22). All survivors but one are in NYHA class I or II, without significant cardiovascular related symptoms. LAI patients have a higher incidence of sinus node dysfunction than RAI patients (47% vs 12.5%, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Surgical outcomes in heterotaxy patients are improving in the current era. Theriskforoperativemortalityandattrition ishighestbetweenthefirstandsecondstagepalliationprocedures. Significantatrioventricularvalve regurgitation and obstructed TAPVR remain risk factors for RAI mortality. Survivors are doing well with no activity restrictions, although LAI patients maintain a higher proclivity of sinus node dysfunction. # 2008 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Psychopharmacological interventions in fragile X syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Prader‐Willi syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Smith‐Magenis syndrome, and velocardiofacial syndrome

An overview of psychopharmacological interventions in developmental disorders is presented, followed by a review of treatment in fragile X syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, and velocardiofacial syndrome. Each of these disorders has a specific behavioral phenotype, and we are making progress in clarifying each of their psychopharmacological phenotypes. Common problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mood lability are reviewed, although unique aspects of each disorder are emphasized. MRDD Research Reviews 1999;5:305–313. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
High-order locally corrected Nystro/spl uml/m solution for the electromagnetic scattering of composite material objects

A high-order locally corrected Nystro/spl uml/m (LCN) solution of a combined volume-surface integral equation is presented for the electromagnetic scattering by complex targets that consist of composite homogeneous and inhomogeneous materials and conducting objects. It is found that, for general scattering objects, the use of mixed-order basis functions accelerates the convergence of the LCN solution, eliminates spurious charges, and significantly reduces the condition number of the resulting linear system of equations. Fast iterative solvers based on a multi-level fast multipole method (MLFMM) and the quadrature sampled pre-corrected FFT (QSPCFFT) are also employed to enable the practical solution of large complex targets.
Transport characteristics of peptides and peptidomimetics: II. Hydroxyethylamine bioisostere‐containing peptidomimetics as substrates for the oligopeptide transporter and P‐glycoprotein in the intestinal mucosa

Peptide bond bioisosteres, such as hydroxyethylamine (Hea), have frequently been used to stabilize metabolically labile peptide bonds in peptidomimetic drug design in an effort to increase the oral bioavailability of drug candidates. However, the impact of the peptide bond bioisosteres on the cell permeation characteristics of peptidomimetics is not well understood, particularly with respect to the effects on the substrate activity for proteins that can restrict (e.g. P-glycoprotein, P-gp) or facilitate (e.g. the oligopeptide transporter, OPT) intestinal mucosal permeation of peptidomimetics. In this study, terminally free and terminally modified (N-acetylated and C-amidated) peptidomimetics of H-Ala-Phe-OH and H-Ala-Phe-Ala-OH with the Ala-Phe peptide bonds replaced by Hea bioisosteres were synthesized. Transport characteristics of these peptidomimetics were investigated using Caco-2 cell monolayers as an in vitro model of the intestinal mucosa. The study showed that the Hea bioisostere stabilized the peptidomimetics to protease metabolism in Caco-2 cells. All terminally free peptidomimetics showed significant affinity and substrate activity for OPT. The affinity and substrate activity for OPT were stereoselective for peptidomimetics containing an S,S-configuration for the two adjacent chiral centers related to the Hea bioisostere. Three of the four terminally modified peptidomimetics showed significant substrate activity for P-gp and, interestingly, the substrate activity for P-gp was also stereoselective; however, it was in favor of an R,R-configuration for the two adjacent chiral centers related to the Hea bioisostere.
Deoxyribonucleoside interaction as measured by rotary dispersion.

Abstract The rotary dispersion of individual nucleosides and mixtures of nucleosides has been determined. Interactions have been found as indicated by the marked departure from the simple additivity of rotary dispersions in paired mixtures of nucleosides normally found in DNA. The data are interpreted to indicate that under conditions of these experiments there appears to be interaction between deoxycytidine-deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine-thymidine molecular pairs at normal physiological pH values. The fact that no detectable interactions are found between adenine and thymine moieties or between guanosine and cytosine moieties would tend to introduce doubts into any scheme that required spontaneous assembly of complementary chains in which the nucleoside position was dictated entirely by hydrogen bonds.
Plasmacytoma of the proximal humerus

This is the case report of a 67-year-old man who developed a solitary lytic lesion of the proximal humerus. Through further studies that included MR imaging of the affected upper extremity and biopsy, a final diagnosis of plasmacytoma was given. We present the clinical, imaging, and histologic findings and review the general characteristics of this neoplastic condition.
Microdynamics of Contraction Decisions: A Cognitive Approach to Structural Change

The farm problem ... is primarily a problem of economic growth. The demand for farm products grows more slowly than the demand for nonfarm products; consequently economic growth requires a steady shift of labor and other resources from agriculture to other sectors. Since there is resistance to this shift, there are usually too many people in farming and as a result per capita farm income is depressed. -Houthakker, page 5
Mixer-ejector wall pressure and temperature measurements based on photoluminescence

Ejector side-wall pressure distribution is a key indicator of supersonic jet-mixer ‐ejector performance. When documenting pressurepatterns on an ejectorwall using pressure-sensitivepaint (PSP), onehasto considertemperaturevariationscaused by the supersonicjet e owwithin theejector becausethesecan causesignie cantlocalerrors in the PSP results. If the temperature sensitivity of PSP is not corrected for in complex internal supersonic e ows, large localized errors could contaminate the results. In the present work, temperature-sensitive paint maps the temperature distribution on the ejector wall and corrects PSP results point-by-point for temperature sensitivity. The experiments were conducted on multijet supersonic mixer ‐ejector cone gurations with straight, convergent (6-deg), and divergent (6-deg) side walls. A comparison of corrected and uncorrected PSP readings shows that at Mj = 1:55, the error with respect to true data from static pressure ports can be reduced from 4.98 to 2.84% for the case of a simple ejector with parallel walls. For the complex 6-deg convergent ejector at Mj =1:39, the error reduces by almost an order of magnitude (from 20.83 to 2.66% ). Ourresults indicatethat the use of this correction technique can signie cantly reduce PSP errors in complex internal supersonic e ow situations.
“Bad” victims?: understanding social service providers’ responses to Roma battered women

Many European Union (EU) policies encourage member countries to combat discrimination against Roma communities. This essay examines the issues related to intimate partner violence within Roma communities in Slovakia. Using interview data collected from representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations who deal with issues of interpersonal violence and provide services to victims of domestic violence, it explores the general national policies toward domestic violence, the contemporary forms of discrimination against Roma battered women, and their limited access to judicial sanctions and social services. In addition, this study seeks to make a contribution to the line of future research and policy recommendations by analyzing the historical and cultural dimensions of the Roma population and their rights.
Multiple objective programming: An approach to planning and evaluation of agroforestry systems: Part 2—An illustrative example and analysis

Abstract Four methods representing four different multiple objective programming (MOP) approaches are described in this paper. Some theoretical and computational characteristics of these methods are illustrated using an agroforestry planning problem. The solutions generated by each method correspond to alternative land allocation schemes identified by land compartment, site quality and management regime which specifies the cropping system used, the length of the timber rotation and the thinning schedule.
Production of organometallic polymers by the interfacial technique: 24. Kinetics of polycondensation and thermal properties of poly[oxy(dicyclopentadienylzirconium)oxycarbonylferrocenylcarbonyl]

Abstract Poly[oxy(dicyclopentadienylzirconium)oxycarbonylferrocenylcarbonyl] is synthesized using the interfacial technique. Polycondensation is first order with respect to the Cp 2 ZrCl 2 , zero order with respect to the 1,1′-ferrocene dicarboxylate and pseudo first order overall. A kinetic model using a modified Langmuir adsorption isotherm model is presented which is in agreement with the experimental findings. The product exhibits moderate thermal stability in both air and nitrogen. It undergoes oxidative degradation in air.
Implications of cable TV for participatory democracy

Abstract Cable TV is not TV as we know it, and it is not cable TV as we know it. It uses coaxial cable that has us re-wire the cities yet again. The two-way ‘response’ system transmits images and sound one way downstream to the user including suggested answers to questions printed on the screen, for the user to choose from (ie Yes, No, Maybe, Never, Give me more). The user's digital signals are sent upstream to the headend computers, which also provide for information retrieval services and transactions such as banking and shopping. The user operates by pushing buttons in a hand-held console, these buttons relate to the set of offered answers, or items to buy. By contrast, the two-way ‘video-to-video’ interactively transmits images and sound. This face-to-face capability which was lost as cities grew bigger can now be had electronically, so a number of neighbourhood centres can discuss issues, in the same city or intercity, and others listen in.
Polysomnographic and subjective profiles of sleep continuity before and after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in partially remitted depression.

Objectives To examine whether mindfulness meditation (MM) was associated with changes in objectively measured polysomnographic (PSG) sleep profiles and to relate changes in PSG sleep to subjectively reported changes in sleep and depression within the context of a randomized controlled trial. Previous studies have indicated that mindfulness and other forms of meditation training are associated with improvements in sleep quality. However, none of these studies used objective PSG sleep recordings within longitudinal randomized controlled trials of naive subjects. Methods Twenty-six individuals with partially remitted depression were randomized into an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) course or a waitlist control condition. Pre-post measurements included PSG sleep studies and subjectively reported sleep and depression symptoms. Results According to PSG sleep, MM practice was associated with several indices of increased cortical arousal, including more awakenings and stage 1 sleep and less slow-wave sleep relative to controls, in proportion to amount of MM practice. According to sleep diaries, subjectively reported sleep improved post MBCT but not above and beyond controls. Beck Depression Inventory scores decreased more in the MBCT group than controls. Improvements in depression were associated with increased subjective sleep continuity and increased PSG arousal. Conclusions MM is associated with increases in objectively measured arousal during sleep with simultaneous improvements in subjectively reported sleep quality and mood disturbance. This pattern is similar to the profiles of positive responders to common antidepressant medications.
Identifiability and statistical properties of two-stage learning with no successes in the initial stage

A model is considered for learning where there is an initial stage with only errors, an intermediate state with errors and correct responses, and an absorbing state with only correct responses. A model with observable states is constructed, and sufficient identifiable parameters are given for the original model. Distribution statistics and other properties of data are derived as functions of the identifiable parameters. Informal estimates and sufficient statistics are given for the identifiable parameters. A number of testable hypotheses about the theoretical parameters are described. Some identifying restrictions for the model are given, along with the estimates for the unrestricted free parameters which follow. An application is made to data from a pairedassociate learning experiment.
Flotillin-1 mediates neurite branching induced by synaptic adhesion-like molecule 4 in hippocampal neurons

Proper development of neurons in the hippocampus is essential for learning and memory. Our laboratory previously discovered a family of synaptic adhesion-like molecules (SALMs) which induce neurite outgrowth in this brain region (Wang et al., 2006). Here we establish flotillin-1 (flot-1) as a molecular mediator of neurite branching for SALM4. Knockdown of flot-1 alone in cultured hippocampal neurons using siRNA from 3-7days in vitro (DIV) impaired neurite branching, whereas overexpression of flot-1 during the same time period increased the number of processes and branching. We show that induction of neurite outgrowth by flot-1 depends on amino acids 134-151 as well as lipid raft microdomains, SoHo proteins to regulate the actin cytoskeleton, and the exocyst complex to deliver new membrane proteins to growing neurites. When each of SALMs 1-5 was overexpressed, siRNA knockdown of flot-1 prevented neurite branching by SALM4. Overall, our data reveal a flot-1 signaling pathway for hippocampal neurite branching that is regulated by SALM4.
Evidence-Based Assessment of Endoscopic Simulators for Training

This article focuses on some important key questions: Can the currently available simulators distinguish between the skill levels of a novice who has never performed endoscopic procedures and an expert who teaches the procedure? Do the cases on the simulator accurately simulate the difficulty of the procedure and the skill required to perform therapeutic maneuvers? What is the evidence that the currently available simulators can supplement or even replace bedside training? When are simulators most useful in the learning period? This article examines the published evidence regarding the efficacy of the current generation of endoscopic simulators in endoscopic training.
Midlatitude Atmosphere–Ocean Interaction during El Niño. Part II: The Northern Hemisphere Atmosphere

Abstract The influence of midlatitude air-sea interaction on the atmospheric anomalies associated with El Nino is investigated by coupling the Community Climate Model to a mixed-layer ocean model in the North Pacific. Prescribed El Nino conditions, warm sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific, cause a southward displacement and strengthening of the Aleutian Low. This results in enhanced (reduced) advection of cold Asian air over the west-central (northwest) Pacific and northward advetion of warm air over the eastern Pacific. Allowing air-sea feedback in the North Pacific slightly modified the El Nino–induced neu-surface wind, air temperature, and precipitation anomalies. The anomalous cyclonic circulation over the North Pacific is more concentric and shifted slightly to the east in the coupled simulations. Air-sea feedback also damped the air temperature anomalies over most of the North Pacific and reduced the precipitation rate above the cold SST anomaly that develops in the central Pacifi...
Depicting 3D shape using lines

Over the last few years, researchers in computer graphics have developed sophisticated mathematical descriptions of lines on 3D shapes that can be rendered convincingly as strokes in drawings. These innovations highlight fundamental questions about how human perception takes strokes in drawings as evidence of 3D structure. Answering these questions will lead to a greater scientific understanding of the flexibility and richness of human perception, as well as to practical techniques for synthesizing clearer and more compelling drawings. This paper reviews what is known about the mathematics and perception of computer-generated line drawings of shape and motivates an ongoing program of research to better characterize the shapes people see when they look at such drawings.