cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Objective Assessments of Peyronie's Disease.

Abstract Introduction Penile deformity is the most obvious manifestation of Peyronie’s disease (PD) and key to determining the optimal method of treatment. Other aspects of PD to consider include plaque size, location, and density; amount of calcification; erection quality; disease progression; and penile anatomy. Few standards exist for the objective assessment of these parameters. Aim To describe current options and new trends in the objective evaluation of PD with a focus on penile curvature and imaging modalities. Methods A literature review was performed through PubMed from 1990 to 2017 regarding objective parameters in PD, including imaging modalities, measurements of deformity, and serum markers. Non–English-language articles were excluded. Main Outcome Measures We sought to assess various objective measurements obtained in patients with PD and to evaluate their usefulness in the evaluation, treatment, and counseling of patients with PD. Results Measurement of penile curvature is most accurately performed with in-office goniometric angle measurement of a pharmacologically induced erection. However, new methods of assessing penile curvature using 3-dimensional photography and smartphone and tablet applications can aid clinicians in describing and treating PD. Ultrasound and ultrasound adjuncts provide excellent plaque characterization and assessment of penile vasculature, which can be useful for treatment planning and research. Presence of inflammation can be evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging or nuclear scintigraphy. Conclusion Current guidelines only recommend obtaining measurements of penile length and penile curvature in the erect state. However, many other options exist for the objective evaluation of PD. These options can have a role in treatment decision making and help standardize results in PD research. Chen JY, Hockenberry MS, Lipshultz LI. Objective Assessments of Peyronie’s Disease. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:438–445.
Dihydroxy acid dehydratase from spinach contains a [2Fe-2S] cluster.

Dihydroxy acid dehydratase, the third enzyme in the branched-chain amino acid biosynthetic pathway, has been purified to homogeneity (5000-fold) from spinach leaves. The molecular weights of dihydroxy acid dehydratase as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate and native gel electrophoresis are 63,000 and 110,000, respectively, suggesting the native enzyme is a dimer. 2 moles of iron were found per mol of protein monomer. Chemical analyses of iron and labile sulfide gave an Fe/S2- ratio of 0.95. The EPR spectrum of dithionite-reduced enzyme (gavg = 1.91) is similar to spectra characteristic of Rieske Fe-S proteins and has a spin concentration of 1 spin/1.9 irons. These results strongly suggest that dihydroxy acid dehydratase contains a [2Fe-2S] cluster, a novel finding for enzymes of the hydrolyase class. In contrast to the Rieske Fe-S proteins, the redox potential of the Fe-S cluster is quite low (-470 mV). Upon addition of substrate, the EPR signal of the reduced enzyme changes to one typical of 2Fe ferredoxins (gavg = 1.95), and the visible absorption spectrum of the native enzyme shows substantial changes between 400 and 600 nm. Reduction of the Fe-S cluster decreases the enzyme activity by 6-fold under Vmax conditions. These results suggest the direct involvement of the [2Fe-2S] cluster of dihydroxy acid dehydratase in catalysis. Similar conclusions have been reached for the catalytic involvement of the [4Fe-4S] cluster of the hydrolyase aconitase (Emptage, M. H., Kent, T. A., Kennedy, M. C., Beinert, H., and Munck, E. (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 80, 4674-4678).
CHROMATOGRAPHY: LIQUID | Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography

In this article we have outlined the reasoning for the development of ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Compared with HPLC, this new technique makes it possible to achieve a higher separation performance or a higher speed or a combination of higher speed with higher separation performance. This is due to the use of smaller particles at higher pressures, combined with an instrument design that permits to take advantage of these features.
IDENTIFICATION OF VARIABLES IN THE MEASUREMENT OF THE RESONANT FREQUENCIES OF HUMAN TIBIAE IN VIVO

ABSTRACT The quantification of fracture healing is important for the identification of non unions and as a guide for the allowance of weight bearing and the removal of orthotic supports. This study shows that a number of variables affect the resulting measurements of resonant frequency, including instrument location, soft tissue damping and muscle tension.
Minimal-delay FIR delayed left inverses for systems with zero nonzero zeros

Abstract This paper considers finite-time input reconstruction for discrete-time linear time-invariant systems in the case where the initial condition is unknown. There are three main results. First, a specific construction of finite-impulse-response (FIR) delayed left inverse with the minimal delay for systems with zero nonzero zeros is presented. Next, it is shown that, in the presence of an arbitrary unknown initial condition, finite-time input reconstruction is possible using a delayed left inverse H if and only if H is FIR. Finally, it is shown that a transfer function with full column normal rank has an FIR delayed left inverse with the minimal delay if and only if the system has zero nonzero zeros.
Predictors and Outcomes of Burnout Among Primary Care Providers in the United States: A Systematic Review:

Primary care providers (PCPs) in the United States work in challenging environments and may be at risk for burnout. This article identifies the predictors and outcomes of burnout among PCPs in the United States. A comprehensive literature search of eight databases was conducted to identify studies investigating predictors or outcomes of PCP burnout. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal checklists for cross-sectional and cohort studies were used for quality appraisal. Overall, 21 studies met inclusion criteria, had sufficient quality, reported personal and/or organizational predictors of burnout, and described burnout outcomes at the patient, provider, or organizational level. Prevalence of PCP burnout ranged from 13.5% to 60%. The primary care practice environment was the most common predictor of PCP burnout. In conclusion, developing interventions to improve the practice environment may help reduce PCP burnout. Future studies using robust study designs and standardized instruments to consistently measure burnout are needed.
Understanding Measurement Artifacts Causing Inherent Cation Gradients in Depth Profiles of Perovskite Photovoltaics with TOF-SIMS

Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can obtain chemical information from the hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in one dimension (standard depth profiling), two dimensions (high-resolution 100-nm imaging), as well as three dimensions (tomography combining high-resolution imaging with depth profiling). We have very recently developed thermo-mechanical methods to cleave perovskite samples at the back transparent conducting oxide/PSC interface. This allowed for depth-profiling from the back of the device to the front. The resultant profiles answered the lingering question of the apparent A-site cation gradient typically seen in TOF-SIMS depth profiles. In fact, this gradient is a measurement artifact due to beam damage that the community should be informed of as TOF-SIMS data become more commonly employed. Methods of mitigating this artifact by altering the measurement conditions are also presented.
Qualitative Inquiry with Adolescents: Strategies for Fostering Rich Meaning Making in Group Interviews

Qualitative inquiry with adolescents is challenging, especially in the field of educational research in which adults are often the gatekeepers of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers. To help diminish power dynamics, group interviews are a common method for inquiry. However, the intense desire to fit in with a group of peers and the risks associated with confidentiality can influence how adolescents respond. In this article, I summarize common obstacles to group interviews with adolescents followed by strategies qualitative researchers can employ to foster richer meaning making among adolescent participants to help create a space suitable for discussion of personal or sensitive topics and capture the rich, shared meaning making that can happen as a result of the group’s social interaction in the group interview. I conclude with implications for researchers and teachers of qualitative research methods
An Analysis of Discussions on Academic Dishonesty in "Journalism & Mass Communication Educator," Volumes 1 through 74.

Research has shown that professionals who act unethically in the workplace likely have an academic background with academic dishonesty violations. Given that understanding and teaching academic hon...
Nothing in Evolution Makes Sense Except in the Light of Biology

A key question in biology is the predictability of the evolutionary process. If we can correctly predict the outcome of evolution, we may be better equipped to anticipate and manage species' adaptation to climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, or emerging infectious diseases, as well as improve our basic understanding of the history of life on Earth. In the present article, we ask the questions when, why, and if the outcome of future evolution is predictable. We first define predictable and then discuss two conflicting views: that evolution is inherently unpredictable and that evolution is predictable given the ability to collect the right data. We identify factors that generate unpredictability, the data that might be required to make predictions at some level of precision or at a specific timescale, and the intellectual and translational value of understanding when prediction is or is not possible.
Loss of expression of YAP1 C-terminus as an ancillary marker for epithelioid hemangioendothelioma variant with YAP1-TFE3 fusion and other YAP1-related vascular neoplasms.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) with YAP1-TFE3 fusion is a recently characterized distinctive variant of EHE that accounts for a small subset (<5%) of cases. It is composed of nests of epithelioid cells with voluminous pale cytoplasm and often shows focally vasoformative architecture. TFE3 immunohistochemistry (IHC) can be used to support the diagnosis; however, studies have questioned its specificity. Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), part of the Hippo signaling pathway, is expressed in normal endothelial cells, but becomes disrupted in EHE variant with YAP1-TFE3, such that only a small N-terminal region of YAP1 is expressed in the fusion protein. A recent study also reported YAP1 rearrangements in a subset of retiform and composite hemangioendotheliomas (RHE and CHE). In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic utility of an antibody directed against the C-terminus of YAP1 (YAP1-CT) for EHE with YAP1-TFE3, RHE, and CHE. In total, 78 tumors were included in the study: EHE variant with YAP1-TFE3 (n = 13), conventional (CAMTA1-positive) EHE (n = 20), pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (n = 10), epithelioid hemangioma (n = 19), epithelioid angiosarcoma (n = 10), RHE (n = 4), and CHE (n = 2). IHC was performed using a rabbit monoclonal anti-YAP1 C-terminus antibody. EHE variant showed complete loss of YAP1-CT expression in 10 of 13 (77%) cases. All cases of RHE and CHE, with previously confirmed YAP1 rearrangements, also showed loss of YAP1-CT expression. Loss of YAP1-CT was seen in one conventional EHE (1/20; 5%). All other epithelioid vascular tumors showed retained YAP1-CT expression. Loss of expression of YAP1-CT appears to be associated with good sensitivity and specificity for EHE variant with YAP1-TFE3 fusion and may provide additional support along with TFE3 and CAMTA1 IHC in challenging cases. This marker may also be useful in the diagnosis of RHE and CHE.
The Effect of Video Self-Modeling for Black Boys with Challenging Behaviors in an Urban Setting

Black boys generally have the most disparate outcomes (i.e. exclusionary punishment and office referrals) in regard to discipline in schools, which necessitates the need for interventions to help a...
Silents Please

It is quite evident that the auditory aspects of the film used in the study superseded the visual ones. Since both sensory modalities can reinforce each other in many films, those films can be used to educational advantage. Behavioral science films, however—placing most importance not on the habit of looking, but on the power to observe with care—should be produced and selected with caution. Such films should present only material that is visually and auditorily congruent. Lacking this congruency, the films may teach what is said, not what is seen, a procedure that defeats the very purpose of the film. This kind of film teaching may further authoritarianism and armchair “philosophy, ” and may weaken the habit of accurate observation, essential both to scientific methodology and to successful everyday living. It is difficult to compare the results of this study directly with the results of other studies, since—as Allen has pointed out (1)—there is a dearth of experimental research involving “flat” pictures. Hartman, however, recently commenting on the interference and facilitation between pictorial and verbal channels, pointed out that it is dangerous to assume a mutual strengthening (3). Results of the experiment reported here suggest again that the viewer when presented “equivocal” material gives precedence to audition. By thus accepting and remembering only the narrator’s point of view, he may narrow his own judgment and inquisitiveness. In such cases, silents please!
AKT1 is Required for a Complete Palbociclib-induced Senescence Phenotype in BRAF-V600E-Driven Human Melanoma

Cellular senescence is a carefully regulated process of proliferative arrest accompanied by numerous functional and morphologic changes. Senescence allows damaged cells to avoid neoplastic proliferation, however induction of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) can promote tumor growth. The complexity of the senescence response may limit the efficacy of anti-neoplastic agents, such as CDK4/6 inhibitors (Cdk4/6i), that induce a senescence-like, non-proliferative state in tumor cells. The AKT kinase family plays an important role in cellular growth and division, and is commonly hyperactive in many cancers including melanoma. AKT activity has also been implicated in regulation of senescence. The three AKT isoforms play both redundant and unique roles in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. To interrogate the role of AKT isoforms in the induction of cellular senescence by Cdk4/6i, we generated isoform specific AKT knockout human BRAF-V600E mutated melanoma cell lines. We found that the CDK4/6i Palbociclib induced a form of senescence in these cells that was dependent on AKT1. As a potential mechanism, we evaluated the activity of the cGAS-STING pathway, recently implicated in cellular senescence. While we showed cGAS-STING function to be dependent on AKT1, pharmacologic inhibition of either cGAS or STING had little effect on senescence. However, we found SASP factors to require NF-kB function, in part dependent on a stimulatory phosphorylation of IKKα by AKT1 previously reported in other models. In summary, we provide the first evidence of a novel, isoform specific role for AKT1 in therapy-induced senescence in human melanoma cells acting through NF-kB but independent of cGAS-STING.
Control of Gene Transcription by Ethylene During Tomato Fruit Ripening

The effect of ethylene on fruit ripening has been exploited since biblical times, when gashing of figs was practiced to enhance ripening [1]. It is now known that this treatment would result in the production of wound ethylene that would promote ripening. In climacteric fruit such as tomato, the onset of fruit ripening is normally accompanied by a large increase in ethylene biosynthesis, which is autocatalytic [2]. Tomato fruit ripening involves the autolysis of cell wall pectins, the synthesis of lycopene and other carotenoid pigments, and changes in the acid and sugar content associated with taste [3]. The role of ethylene in controlling fruit ripening is supported by several decades of physiological experiments, and has recently been confirmed by analysis of transgenic tomato plants that are impaired in ethylene production [3]. Fruit with greatly reduced levels of endogenous ethylene either failed to ripen or had significantly retarded ripening. Also, a tomato mutant, Never-ripe, which is impaired in fruit ripening, has recently been shown to be defective in an ethylene receptor [4].
Influence of Dilute Hf Additions on Precipitation and Martensitic Transformation in Ni-Ti-Pd Alloys

The effect of Hf (0–1 at.%) additions in a Ni-Ti-Pd alloy on P-phase precipitation and martensitic transformations was studied. The addition of hafnium resulted in the refinement of precipitates with an increase in number density. The overlapping strain fields created due to the decrease in inter-precipitate spacing are suspected to reduce the matrix volume to be less than the critical free volume size needed for the martensitic transformation over the temperature range studied (183–573 K). Hafnium was also found to delay the aging time to achieve peak hardness, suggesting a reduction in growth and coarsening kinetics.
E‐Commerce and Internet Marketing

The advent of the Internet created a new forum for consumers and companies to interact and transformed traditional, localized “market places” into vast contemporary global “market spaces.” The transition has been enabled by features that characterize the Internet such as digitization, interconnectivity, interactivity, global reach, time-free and location-free access, personalization and customization, and market deconstruction. While e-commerce, that is, enabling buying and selling transaction via the Internet, rendered business more competitive, economic, and widespread, e-marketing, that is, marketing on the Internet, enabled marketers to create, communicate, and deliver the value to intended target markets more effectively, efficiently, and equitably. Keywords: e-commerce; e-marketing; marketing on the Internet; market space; time-free; location-free; bricks and mortar; e-communities; blogs; social media; narrowcast media; information-based democracy
A New Quadratic Bound for the Manickam-Miklos-Singhi Conjecture

More than twenty-five years ago, Manickam, Miklos, and Singhi conjectured that for positive integers n,k with n ≥ 4k, every set of n real numbers with nonnegative sum has at least n−1 k−1 � k-element subsets whose sum is also nonnegative. We verify this conjecture when n ≥ 8k 2 , which simultaneously improves and simplifies a bound of Alon, Huang, and Sudakov and also a bound of Pokrovskiy when k < 10 45 .
Email-based identification and authentication: an alternative to PKI?

E-mail-based identification and authentication is an emerging alternative to public-key infrastructure. It overcomes many problems inherent with traditional authentication techniques, such as social security numbers, and. provides functional security when used within a limited context.
Why Not Parties in Russia?: Electoral Markets and Russia's Political Smorgasbord

When Mikhail Gorbachev first introduced the USSR to competitive nationwide elections in 1989, comparative social scientists looking into a crystal ball would have seen the future they were expecting if their gaze had happened to fall on parliamentary elections in St. Petersburg's Vostochnii District a decade later. There, four major candidates were each appealing to voters on the basis of party platforms covering the most important issues of the day. Irina Khakamada, a telegenic star within the Union of Right Forces, championed radical economic reform. Stepan Shabarov extolled the patriotic socialism of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. The Yabloko Party's Yury Nesterov advocated a gentler market and emphasized human rights. And Aleksandr Morozov appealed quite specifically to the interests of the older generation as a nominee of the Pensioners' Party. Indeed, while political scientists have disagreed markedly on almost everything else, one thing upon which almost all have concurred is that political parties are inevitable in democracies. Seminal works call democracy without political parties “unimaginable” (Max Weber), “unthinkable” (E. E. Schattschneider), “unworkable” (John Aldrich). The conceptual consensus underlying such statements is that electoral institutions and important social divides combine to force sets of likeminded politicians to work together or to give up their dreams of influence. If our crystal ball were capable of ranging beyond Russia's “window to the West,” past the Urals, and on to the distant Omsk Region's Bol'sherechenskii District, however, these same political scientists would have been quite surprised by another image of the same 1999 parliamentary elections.
Patient and provider views on the use of medical services by women with intellectual disabilities

Background People with intellectual disabilities (ID) receive primary care in community-based practices and are encouraged to participate in the physician–patient relationship. However, the nature of this participation is not known. Methods Qualitative data were analysed to obtain perspectives from patients and providers regarding clinic visits. Patient participants were recruited from community organisations, while physician participants were recruited from emails and phone calls to local and regional practices and a national and regional list serve. Analysis methods derived from grounded theory were used. Results Twenty-seven women with ID and 22 family physicians were interviewed. Themes important to both groups included time, how the support worker should be used in the encounter and the nature of the physician–patient relationship. Patients expressed frustration at how little time they spent with their physician, and wished that physicians would speak directly to them instead of to their support worker. Physicians felt that patients with ID took too much time, and said that they preferred communicating with the support worker. The interviews also revealed unconscious biases about people with ID. Conclusions Patient participation is encouraged for people with ID, but is limited because of both physician and patient factors. Greater awareness of these factors may improve care for patients with ID.
Skin infections in high school wrestlers: a nurse practitioner's guide to diagnosis, treatment, and return to participation.

Purpose To provide nurse practitioners (NPs) with a current guide for the diagnosis and treatment of high school wrestlers who present with common skin infections and to familiarize NPs with the National Federation of High School Associations Sports Medicine Advisory Committee return to participation guide and medical release form. Data sources Literature review of evidence-based research, journal articles, and reference texts related to skin lesions and high school wrestlers. Conclusions High school wrestlers with skin infections present in a variety of clinical settings. Improperly diagnosed and/or managed skin infections have the potential to get worse and continue to spread among teammates. Accurate diagnosis and treatment in combination with the use of a return to participation guide can improve outcomes and return the wrestler to participation sooner. Implications for practice NPs have a responsibility to accurately diagnose and treat skin lesions in a timely, safe, and efficient manner. In wrestling, athletes are exposed to unique opportunities to develop skin infections. With a working knowledge of the clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, and return to participation recommendations for common skin diseases, spread of skin infections to other wrestlers can be prevented and the athlete can return to play safely.
Disconnection Events (DEs) in Halley's Comet 1985–1986:: The Correlation with Crossings of the Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS)

Abstract Disconnection events (DEs) from Halley's comet are analyzed as a group (in order to minimize the impact of uncertainties in any single event) for correlation with solar-wind features. This analysis utilizes new coronal source-surface model results and new fitting techniques to determine the best calculated heliospheric current sheet (HCS) location. Details for several DEs are presented. The results confirm that the 19 DEs are associated with crossings of the HCS. No other property of the solar wind shows a one-to-one association with DEs. Thus, theoretical efforts should concentrate on conditions at HCS crossings (see Y. Yiet al., 1996,J. Geophys. Res.101, 27,586–27,601).
The Ottoman Empire, 1700–1922: The Ottoman Empire from its origins until 1683

Introduction The era from 1300 until the later seventeenth century saw the remarkable expansion of the Ottoman state from a tiny, scarcely visible, chiefdom to an empire with vast territories. These dominions stretched from the Arabian peninsula and the cataracts of the Nile in the south, to Basra near the Persian Gulf and the Iranian plateau in the east, along the North African coast nearly to Gibraltar in the west, and to the Ukranian steppe and the walls of Vienna in the north. The period begins with an Ottoman dot on the map and ends with a world empire and its dominions along the Black, Aegean, Mediterranean, Caspian, and Red Seas. Origins of the Ottoman state Great events demand explanations: how are we to understand the rise of great empires such as those of Rome, the Inca, the Ming, Alexander, the British, or the Ottomans? How can these world shaking events be explained? In brief, the Ottomans arose in the context of: Turkish nomadic invasions that shattered central Byzantine state domination in Asia Minor; a Mongol invasion of the Middle East that brought chaos and increased population pressure on the frontiers; Ottoman policies of pragmatism and flexibility that attracted a host of supporters regardless of religion and social rank; and luck, that placed the Ottomans in the geographic spot that controlled nomadic access to the Balkans, thus rallying additional supporters.
Granulomatous Tonsillitis An Unusual Host Response With Benign Clinical Evolution

Seven patients with symptoms of chronic recurrent tonsillitis showed granulomatous reactions histologically in the resected specimens. There was nothing unusual about the preoperative clinical course or gross features of the tonsils. Given the usual clinical circumstances attending chronic tonsillitis, cultures were only sporadically done. No direct cultures of resected tissue were done. Special stain tests for acid-fast organisms and fungus, admittedly unreliable in the detection of their respective diseases, were negative. Five patients were followed 1-5 years and had no adverse sequelae. Granulomatous tonsillitis as a reflection of systemic disease (e.g., tuberculosis or sarcoid) has been recorded only in instances of concurrent clinical illness. The incidence of tonsillar involvement in other potential granuloma-producing conditions (e.g., Crohn's disease, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection or fungus) is unknown. Direct cultures of tonsils typically yield multiple aerobic and anaerobic organisms; h...
Vapor growth of Bi12GeO20, γ-Bi2O3 and BiOCl

The chemical vapor deposition of Bi12GeO20, γ-Bi2O3, and BiOCl in an open tube system is reported. BiOCl crystals were deposited by the hydrolysis of BiCl3 with H2O at temperatures of 750–800°C. γ-Bi2O3 formed at temperatures of 787–790°C as dendrites and oriented deposits on Bi12GeO20 substrates from the oxidation of Bi vapor with N2O. In depositing Bi12GeO20 using Bi vapor and GeCl4, it is necessary to employ multiple oxidants (N2O and H2O). Deposits of Bi12GeO20 on Bi12GeO20, sapphire, spinel, quartz and MgO were polycrystalline. It is shown that the compound Bi12GeO20 can be grown having a range of compositions, Bi12 + yGexO20 in which x can vary at least between 12 < x < 2. In attempts to vapor grow Bi12GeO20 the reaction of the deposit with substrates and reactor parts is observed and remains a major obstacle to growing this material in single crystal films.
Initiating Systems for Nitroxide-Mediated ``Living'' Free Radical Polymerizations: Synthesis and Evaluation

A variety of initiating systems for the preparation of macromolecules by nitroxide-mediated “living” free radical procedures have been prepared and evaluated. The systems can be divided into two classes, unimolecular initiators in which alkylated TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy) derivatives dissociate to provide both the initiating radical and the stable radical, and bimolecular systems in which a traditional free radical initiator, such as BPO or AIBN, is used in conjunction with TEMPO. For the unimolecular initiators it was found that an α-methyl group is essential for “living” character, while a variety of substituents could be placed on the phenyl ring or the β-carbon atom without affecting the efficiency of the unimolecular initiator. It was also found that the rate of polymerization is approximately the same for both the unimolecular and corresponding bimolecular systems; however, the unimolecular initiators afforded better control over molecular weight and polydispersity.
Robust design in geotechnical engineering – an update

This paper presents an update for the robust geotechnical design (RGD) methodology, which seeks an optimal design with respect to design robustness and cost efficiency, while satisfying the safety requirements. In general, the design robustness is achieved if the system response is insensitive to the variation in the uncertain input parameters (called “noise factors”). In other words, a design is considered robust if the system response exhibits little variation, even though there is high variation in the input parameters. Robust design achieves this desirable outcome by carefully adjusting ‘design parameters’ (i.e., the parameters that can be controlled by the designer, such as the geometry and dimensions) without reducing the uncertainty in the noise factors. In this paper, the existing RGD methodology is updated with a gradient-based robustness measure and a simplified procedure for seeking the knee point. The RGD methodology and its simplified version (with new updates) are illustrated with three desi...
Safeguarding Drinking Water: Use and Quality of Water, Case Study of Taranto Province

Abstract In Italy the water collected is distributed through the aqueducts, composed by a collection and a treatment systems for the potabilization. Apulia belongs to the Southern Apennines District. This paper describes a research activity on the territory of the Taranto province to identify the water supply trough the analysis of the main sources, distribution channels and different end-users; to analyze the potential sources of drinking water pollution [1–3]; the monitoring of the main tanks of drinking water distribution in Taranto. It permit to identify the situation of Taranto drinking water and to evaluate new kind of source of water.
Electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of paramagnetic Ni-Cu giant-moment alloys

Abstract Electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance evidence is found for the occurrence of conduction electron scattering from giant polarization clouds in paramagnetic Ni-Cu alloys.
Post-caesarean section analgesia: a comparison of epidural butorphanol and morphine.

Epidural butorphanol 1, 2 and 4 mg were compared with morphine, 5 mg, for postoperative analgesia in 92 consenting, healthy, term parturients who had undergone Caesarean section under epidural lidocaine anaesthesia in a randomized double-blind study. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale and recorded with heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate. The demographic characteristics, and the incidences of primary and repeat Caesarean sections, were not different among the four treatment groups. At 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after treatment the median pain scores following butorphanol were similar and lower than those following morphine (P less than 0.05). Calculated median percentage pain relief values for butorphanol were higher than morphine at each of these times (P less than 0.05). At 90 min and 2 hr the pain scores and pain relief values were similar. Beyond 45 min the number of patients requesting supplemental medication and dropping out of the study increased progressively in both the butorphanol and morphine treated patients. The attrition profiles for butorphanol were different from morphine (P less than 0.01). The median time in the study was greater than 24 hr for morphine, and 3, 2.5 and 4 hr for butorphanol, 1, 2 or 4 mg, respectively. No patient developed a clinically important change in heart rate or blood pressure, and none experienced a decrease in respiratory rate below 12 breaths.min-1. One of 69 patients (1.4 per cent) who received butorphanol developed pruritus compared with ten (43 per cent) of 23 patients who received morphine. The global assessments of the adequacy of analgesia were indistinguishable between morphine and butorphanol. Epidural butorphanol provides safe, effective postoperative analgesia, has a prompt onset, and a limited duration.
THE POLITICS OF LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT: MONITORING EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN SIX STATES

Legislative oversight traditionally has been viewed as a rational tool for achieving democratic accountability. Legislators conduct oversight to ensure consistency between implementation and official policy directives. The major theme of this paper is t h a t oversight is best understood as an integral part of legislative-administrative politics. By examining how six states monitored recent educational reforms, the author finds that legislators conducted oversight in ways that minimized time commitments and maximized political benefits. The paper concludes that legislative interest in controlling implementation often was secondary to political considerations. Oversight, therefore, may not really be effective as an accountability tool.
Lymphoid hyperplasia, CD45RBhigh to CD45RBlow T-cell imbalance, and suppression of Type I diabetes mellitus result from TNF blockade in NOD-->NOD-scid adoptive T cell transfer.

Sustained antibody-mediated inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity offers protection against Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The mechanism of this effect, however, has remained obscure: TNFα might be required for the development of specific immune responses to islet antigens or it could directly participate in destruction of beta cells. In this study, autoimmune destruction of beta cells was initiated in NOD-severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice by transfer of NOD splenic T-cells to induce diabetes. The blockade of TNFα activity was achieved during a narrow window of time after transfer. Transient inhibition of TNFα greatly reduced the number of islet lymphocytes and the incidence of diabetes in recipients of prediabetic NOD spleen cells. Protection extended beyond the interval of effective TNF blockade. Furthermore, the protective effect was only observed if cells were obtained from 6-week-old donors. The suppression of autoimmunity was reversible in the context of adoptive transfer as indicated by the transfer of splenocytes from the primary recipient to a second NOD-scid host led to a diabetic outcome. The blockade of TNFα was accompanied by a considerable increase in spleen size and doubling of the total splenocyte count, suggesting that TNFα might normally eliminate a transplanted T-cell subset within the recipients. Further analysis showed an increase in the absolute count of CD4 + T cells and pronounced distortion of the CD45RBhigh to CD45RBlow ratio, with a relative augmentation in the CD45RBlow count in the spleen. TNFα appears to regulate the number and subtype distribution of a transplanted T cell population. [Diabetologia (1998) 41: 1502–1510]
Hispanic Acculturation Index: Advancing Measurement in Acculturation

Hispanics experiences with cultural change are particularly important given its relationship with individual and family functioning. The current study attempts to improve the acculturation scale sensitivity by expanding response options, adding item content emphasizing cultural values, and improve scale orthogonality consistent with existing theory. Results indicate acceptable reliability for the Hispanic Acculturation Index Hispanic (HAI-H; α = .93) and White American Scales (HAI-WA; α = .88) with adequate model fit. Strong correlations between ethnic identity and the HAI-H (r = .83, p < .01) and HAI-WA (r = .61, p < .01) and a non-significant relationship with a measure of social support provided evidence supporting the scales' construct validity. Moreover, ethnicity was a statistically significant variable for HAI-H (β = .77, p < .01) and HAI-WA (β = .53, p < .01) scores.
Comunidades locales, conservación de la avifauna y de la biodiversidad en la Amazonía peruana

La Amazonia peruana ha sido vista por la mayoria de los gobiernos como una region rica en recursos, subutilizada y abierta para ser explotada. La vision de la Amazonia ha estado (y en cierto modo todavia esta) deformada por lo que algunos han dado en llamar “los mitos sobre la Amazonia” (CADMA, 1992).
Optimizing HLA matching in a highly sensitized pediatric patient using ABO-incompatible and paired exchange kidney transplantation.

Background Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease. However, since pediatric patients have long projected life-years, it is also optimal for them to get well-matched transplants to minimize long-term sensitization. In North America, pediatric kidney transplantation is largely dependent upon the use of deceased donor organs, making it challenging to identify timely, well-matched transplants. Pediatric recipients may have willing living donors who are either HLA- or ABO-incompatible (ABOi); therefore, one solution is to utilize ABOi transplants and paired exchange programs to enhance HLA matching and living donation.
Deep UV lithography for 64 megabit DRAM applications

Abstract Deep UV lithography is an enabling technology for the fabrication of 64 megabit DRAM class devices. Wafer steppers operating at 248nm currently have both the resolution and the overlay capability to meet the stringent requirements imposed by next generation memory device design. Among the available resist processes which are applicable to DUV patterning are single level negative tone resist, trilayer resist, and surface imaging resist techniques. Process capability results are shown for each type of resist approach, followed by a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each. Critical dimension control and uniformity data obtained using the DESIRE® surface imaging process for challenging patterning levels such as contact, metal, and gate on prototype 64 megabit DRAM devices are presented. Finally, outstanding issues relating to implementation of deep UV lithography are discussed. These include the areas of equipment reliability, resist performance and availability, and process throughput.
The nucleotide sequence and protein-coding capability of the transposable element IS5.

Abstract The nucleotide sequence of IS5, a bacterial insertion sequence, has been determined. It is 1195 bp long and contains an inverted terminal repetition of 16 bp with one mismatch. One open reading frame, spanning nearly the entire length of the element, could encode a polypeptide of 338 amino acids. Upon insertion into a DNA segment, IS5 causes a duplication of 4 bp. Based on seven examples, this site of insertion appears to be non-random, and the consensus target site sequence is C · T/A · A · G/A (or C/T · T · A/T · G on the opposite strand). The nucleotide sequences of IS5 insertions into the B and cim genes of bacteriophage Mu have allowed tentative identification of the protein-coding frames of B and cim .
Movement disorders in Kuru.

OBJECTIVE To describe the gamut of movement disorders (MD) seen during the clinical course of kuru. BACKGROUND Kuru is a subacute spongiform encephalopathy that was confined to several adjacent cultures in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea and resulted from contamination with brain tissue during the ritual endocannibalism practiced in those societies. This unique neurologic disease was recorded extensively with film between 1957 and 1976, and these comprehensive research documents have been donated to the American Academy of Neurology archives by one of the authors (DCG). METHODS The comprehensive assembly of film record of kuru, which was collected by one of the authors (DCG) was reviewed. This comprised two parts: The first were films from 1957–1964 and included 17,397 ft of 16-mm film featuring 204 patients (children and adults); the second is assembled from films made from 1967–1976 and includes 9138 ft. of film featuring 47 adult patients. Two MD specialists categorized all MDs observed and a representative videotape was produced. RESULTS Tremor is the most frequently encountered MD in kuru and is typically of the action/intention type, which appears early in the disease and is soon associated with other clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction. Widespread clonus is characteristic of advanced disease and can be difficult to differentiate from tremor. Dystonia/athetosis and choreiform jerks also appear as the disease progresses. Dystonia can involve the torso, distal limbs, neck, or jaw. Myoclonic jerks can be superimposed on the cerebellar or dystonic features usually with an enhanced startle response. Parkinsonian symptomatology, other than resting tremor is frequent among the filmed subjects especially in the second stage of the disease. CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of kuru involved a wide array of MDs during all three stages of the degenerative illness.
Constructing the Family in Law and Policy

It is a mean season for single women with children. But then again, it always has been. While the legal and policy response to the problems of single mothers has taken a singularly nasty turn in recent years, resistance to meeting the needs of dependent women and children has a long and not particularly honorable history. As the two books considered here reveal, condemning the dependency of single mothers is as American as apple pie. In Pitied but not Entitled, Linda Gordon, a historian, explores the development of the welfare movement in the United States from its birth in the 1890s through the emergence of a fledgling welfare state in 1935. Her meticulous historical approach focuses on how the social and political values of competing groups of welfare activists shaped the U.S. welfare system. To uncover the ideological underpinnings of the resulting institutions, Gordon looks at who set the agenda for social activism in this sphere and how those reformers viewed their missions; she examines the contradictions and con-
Long Wave Infrared Testing At NBS

At present, National Bureau of Standards (NBS) work in the Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) spectral region is performed using three calibration facilities. These facilities are: 1) a spectral calibration facility for "medium temperature" (350-1300 K) blackbodies, 2) a broadband facility for calibrating blackbodies (-50 - +150°C) against a room temperature background and 3) a facility for calibrating blackbodies (150-600 K) in a cryogenic environment. Two recent calibrations for the LWIR community will be described to illustrate the features and limitations of the present NBS facilities: for the first calibration [in facility (3)] the total radiant output at a source in a small, well-defined solid angle was measured using an electrically calibrated absolute radiometer; for the second [in facility (2)], a source was radiometrically compared with a high-quality, variable temperature blackbody using an IR radiometer with a variable wavelength filter. Future plans to enlarge and upgrade the cryogenic facility to provide increased sensitivity will be described. Systematic studies of the errors due to diffraction, polarization, and attenuation are planned. Future work to explore the possibility of basing calibrations on self-calibration techniques with LWIR detectors will also be described.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
School Web Sites: Are They Accessible to All?.

In 2002, the National Center for Educational Statistics reported that 99% of public schools had Internet access and 86% of those schools had a web site or web page (Kleiner & Lewis, 2003). This study examined accessibility issues on elementary school homepages. Using a random sample of elementary school web sites, the researchers documented accessibility errors and warnings related to Section 508 of the American Rehabilitation Act and Priority 1, 2, and 3 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The researchers used WebXACT (WebXACT, 2005) and the Accessibility Toolbar (National Information and Library Service, 2005) to evaluate the web sites. Findings indicate that 91% of the web sites had at least one accessibility error related to Section 508, and 84% of web sites had at least one Priority 1 error. The major sources of these errors were related to text equivalents (Alt tags) for images. Issues related to font sizes, screen resolutions, contrast, style sheets, and flicker are also discussed.
Seasonal and Storage Effects on Color of Red‐Fleshed Grapefruit Juice

Seasonal and storage characteristics of the juice from four red-fleshed grapefruit (citrus paradisi macf.) cultivars; Ruby Red, Henderson, Ray, and Star Ruby were determined and compared in a search for cultivars having juice with less tendency to fade as the fruit matures and on juice storage. Analyses of the single strength processed juice showed the cultivars to be similar except for lycopene and carotene values. Lycopene, the major pigment in pink and red grapefruit, declined 0.75–0.68 mg/100g, 0.36–0.25 mg/100g, 0.36–0.30 mg/100g and 0.14–0.08 mg/100g for Star Ruby, Henderson, Ray, and Ruby Red, respectively, as the season progressed. Storage of processed juice for 12 months revealed no major decrease in lycopene.
Rapid DNA detection via optofluidic lasers using saturation dye

We demonstrate an optofluidic laser using the saturation dye and double-stranded DNA mixture, and develop a rapid and direct DNA detection technique relying on highly distinguishable lasing characteristics between the target DNA and the polymorphism.