cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Excitons in metals: Exciting and revealing

Because of near-instant screening, photoexcited electron–hole pairs in metals are hard to investigate experimentally. Femtosecond spectroscopy is now shown to be a viable tool for studying them — and reveals the existence of 'transient excitons'.
Dynamic free energies, cage escape trajectories, and glassy relaxation in dense fluids of uniaxial hard particles.

We extend the naive mode coupling theory and nonlinear Langevin equation theory of coupled translational-rotational activated dynamics in dense fluids of uniaxial hard particles to more anisotropic rods, and mechanistically analyze in depth the dynamic free-energy surface, hopping process, kinetic vitrification, and fragility. Universal behavior is predicted for the transient center-of-mass (CM) localization length and angle based on a differential volume fraction that quantifies the distance from the dynamic crossover and proper geometric nondimensionalization of the localization quantities. The thermally activated real space cage escape process is increasingly controlled by the CM translation relative to the rotational motion as the particle aspect ratio grows. The mean first passage or structural relaxation time grows faster than exponentially with volume fraction, and is a nonmonotonic function of aspect ratio. The latter results in a kinetic vitrification volume fraction and dynamic fragility that va...
Abstract B25: Information on perceived breast cancer risk may help tailor risk assessment among high risk women

Abstracts: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research 2008 B25 Information on perceived breast cancer risk may help tailor risk assessment among high risk women. />Background: Women with a family history of breast cancer (FHBC) are believed to overestimate their breast cancer risk more than women from the general population. However there is little research examining which factors predict variations in perceived and actual risk among women with FHBC. We examined whether specific lifestyle and demographic factors are associated with over- or under-estimating BC risk. Methods: Cross-sectional data on 767 women with FHBC who attended the Breast and Ovarian Surveillance Service clinic at Johns Hopkins between February 1996 and March 2008 and were cancer-free were identified from a prospective database. Prior to their appointment women completed a questionnaire measuring breast cancer risk perception (5-year and life-time) and demographic and lifestyle behaviors. Detailed information on family history was also provided. Actual risk was determined using the Tyrer-Cuzick model. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of being an over-estimator or under-estimator (in comparison with accurate estimators) were estimated from age-adjusted logistic regression. Results: Risk estimates were provided by 69% (531) of women. Those who did not provide risk estimates had significantly more breast cancer-affected family members (p = 0.040) and were more likely to be African American (p=.016). The median actual risk level was 23.79% (range: 0.70%-96.33%). In comparison with women who were accurate in their BC risk estimates (n=92), women who underestimated their lifetime BC risks by more than 10 percentage points (n=37) were younger (OR=0.94, 95%CI 0.90-0.98). In comparison to accurate women, women who overestimated their lifetime BC risk by more than 30 percentage points (n = 295) had a higher body mass index (BMI) (OR=1.08, 95%CI 1.03-1.13), had fewer years of education (OR=0.86, 95%CI 0.75-0.99), had more family members affected with BC (OR=1.28, 95%CI 1.02-1.60), and were more likely to have ever smoked (OR=1.79, 95%CI 1.08-2.97). Conclusion: Distinct profiles were observed for women who underestimated, overestimated or were accurate in their risk perception suggesting they may benefit from more tailored approaches to risk assessment. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B25.
Analysis of uncertainties in estimates of components of variance in multivariate ROC analysis.

Abstract Rationale and Objectives Solutions have previously been presented to the problem of estimating the components of variance in the general linear model used for multivariate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The case where the variance components do not change across the modalities under comparison was first treated, followed by the case where they are permitted to change. No analysis of uncertainties in these estimates has been presented previously. Materials and Methods For the case where the variance components do not change across modalities, the “jackknife-after-bootstrap” resampling procedure can be used together with conventional linear propagation of variance to solve for the uncertainties in estimates of the components. For the case where the components are permitted to change across modalities, a slight elaboration of this procedure is presented. Results The approach was validated by Monte Carlo simulations, where uncertainties in estimates of the variance components calculated by the jackknife-after-bootstrap procedure were found to converge in the mean to the Monte Carlo results over many independent trials. The method is exemplified with data from a study of readers—with and without the aid of a computer-assist modality—given the task of discriminating benign from malignant masses in mammography. Conclusion The present approach is relevant to a broad class of problems where estimates of multiple contributions to the variance observed in ROC assessment of diagnostic modalities are desired, in particular, for the assessment of multiple-reader studies of computer-aided diagnosis in radiology where the variance components may change across reading modalities (eg, unaided vs computer-aided reading).
Shocks in nonlinear diffusion

Abstract Using two models that incorporate a nonlinear forward-backward heat equation, we demonstrate the existence of well-defined weak solutions containing shocks for diffusive problems. Occurrence of shocks is connected to multivalued inverse solutions and nonmonotone potential functions. Unique viscous solutions are determined from perturbation theory by matching to a shock layer condition. Results of direct numerical simulations are also discussed.
Current status of unoprostone for the management of glaucoma and the future of its use in the treatment of retinal disease.

Introduction: Optic nerve and retinal diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are significant public health concerns and have a momentous impact on patients' functional status and quality of life. These diseases are among the most common causes of visual impairment worldwide and account for billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity. The importance of adequate treatment of these conditions and the need for efficacious therapeutic drugs cannot be overstated. Unoprostone continues to be developed as a potential treatment for these debilitating diseases. Areas covered: This review provides background information on unoprostone isopropyl (unoprostone), a prostanoid and synthetic docosanoid approved for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension, and recapitulates safety and efficacy data as it relates to this indication. Additionally, this review describes potential new uses of unoprostone as therapy for dry AM...
Factors influencing redox magnetohydrodynamic-induced convection for enhancement of stripping analysis

Factors affecting the use of redox magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to enhance the stripping analysis response to heavy metals have been investigated. The analytes were Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Tl+ at concentrations ranging from 5 nM to 2 μM. Co-deposition of analytes with Hg2+ (to form a thin Hg film electrode) occurs along with reduction of a high concentration of Fe3+. The Fe3+ provides the high cathodic current necessary to produce a significant Lorentz force, and therefore enhanced convection and larger stripping signals and sensitivities, when the analysis is performed in the presence of an external magnetic field. The effects of varying Fe3+ concentration (1−100 mM), working electrode size (10 μm−3 mm), and magnetic field strengths (0−1.77 T) generated with electromagnets and NdFeB permanent magnets were investigated. Using 100 mM Fe3+ as the MHD-generating redox species at a 3-mm working electrode and in a magnetic field of 1.77 T, peak areas from linear sweep voltammetry were increased by as much as 159 ±...
Bidirectional Infection and Release of Rift Valley Fever Virus in Polarized Epithelial Cells

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) virus is an arbovirus and is responsible for large outbreaks of disease predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, several aspects of RVF virus transmission, such as high viremia, multiple vector species, and broad host range, result in a pathogen with high likelihood of geographic spread. RVF virus infection in humans and livestock is characterized by broad dissemination of RVF virus antigens throughout the body. We sought insight into the high pathogenicity and broad tropism of this virus through a characterization of its interaction with polarized epithelial cells. Our results indicate that infection and release of RVF virus in polarized epithelial cells occurs at both apical and basolateral membranes and hence is bidirectional. Furthermore, our results indicate that RVF virus causes disruptions in both the microfilament and the microtubule networks. These disruptions may provide a mechanism for bidirectional release of RVF virions.
Siderophore‐mediated iron metabolism in growth and nitrogen fixation by alfalfa nodulated with Rhizobium meliloti

Abstract This research was initiated to examine the significance of the high‐affinity iron (Fe) transport system in the nitrogen (N)‐fixing activity of Rhizobium meliloti bacteroides in nodules of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. Iron was supplied as Fe‐chelate at a concentration of 10μM for nodulation and plant growth. Nitrogen‐fixation measurements by the acetylene reduction assay were conducted on plants with adequate Fe in the hydroponic medium. Mutants of R. meliloti strain 1021 that were defective in rhizobactin 1021 synthesis produced nodules on alfalfa but fixed insignificant amounts of dinitrogen. Mutants of R. meliloti constitutive forrhizobactin 1021 synthesis also produced nodules; however, the levels of dinitrogen fixed were low. Nodules produced by a strain of R. meliloti defective in rhizobactin‐Fe uptake and subject to siderophore induction were found to fix dinitrogen at levels similar to nodules produced by wild type bacteria. Iron availability to R. meliloti in developing nodules was critica...
Myelination inhibiting and neuroelectric blocking factors in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Sensitization of Lewis rats with whole central nervous system tissue or with purified myelin induced both experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and a serum factor which inhibited myelin formation in vitro. Sensitization with the encephalitogenic factor, myelin basic protein, induced EAE, but not the myelination inhibition factor. Sensitization with cerebroside induced neither EAE nor myelination inhibition factor. The serums from control animals without EAE as well as from animals sensitized with all of the above antigens blocked evoked electrical responses in vitro.
The Bile Acid Glycochenodeoxycholate Induces TRAIL-Receptor 2/DR5 Expression and Apoptosis

Toxic bile salts induce hepatocyte apoptosis by both Fas-dependent and -independent mechanisms. In this study, we examined the cellular mechanisms responsible for Fas-independent, bile acid-mediated apoptosis. HuH-7 cells, which are known to be Fas deficient, were stably transfected with the sodium-dependent bile acid transporting polypeptide. The toxic bile acid glycochenodeoxycholate (GCDC)-induced apoptosis in these cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Apoptosis and mitochondrial cytochrome c release were inhibited by transfection with dominant negative FADD, CrmA transfection, or treatment with the selective caspase 8 inhibitor IETD-CHO. These observations suggested the Fas-independent apoptosis was also death receptor mediated. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated tumor necrosis factor-R1, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-R1/DR4, -R2/DR5, and TRAIL, but not tumor necrosis fator-α expression by these cells. GCDC treatment increased expression of TRAIL-R2/DR5 mRNA and protein 10-fold while expression of TRAIL-R1 was unchanged. Furthermore, aggregation of TRAIL-R2/DR5, but not TRAIL-R1/DR4 was observed following GCDC treatment of the cells. Induction of TRAIL-R2/DR5 expression and apoptosis by bile acids provides new insights into the mechanisms of hepatocyte apoptosis and the regulation of TRAIL-R2/DR5 expression.
Histological assessment of cholestasis

The microscopic identification of bile in sections of liver provides an important diagnostic challenge for the histopathologist, particularly in differentiating the many causes of intrahepatic cholestasis from mechanical bile duct obstruction. The pathologist's chief goal in evaluating the cholestatic liver is to distinguish intrahepatic cholestasis (seen in conditions such as drug hepatotoxicity, viral hepatitis, sepsis, or mutations affecting bile transporters) from large bile duct obstruction caused by conditions such as choledocholithiasis, pancreatic carcinoma, biliary stricture, or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). This distinction carries major therapeutic and prognostic significance, because surgical, endoscopic,or radiologically guided intervention is likely to be undertaken if the pathologic features point to mechanical obstruction of the bile ducts. The histologic assessment of cholestasis, in broad terms, therefore, is a morphologic approach to distinguish between medical jaundice and surgical jaundice.
Metastability of VPI-5: another look at hydrothermal treatment and argon adsorption on the resultant structure

Abstract The well known variations in hydrothermal stability of VPI-5 with different heat treatment conditions were studied using argon porosimetry and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. This molecular sieve is extremely water-sensitive and transforms readily into AlPO 4 -8, even under mild conditions. For example, the conditions normally used simply for outgassing prior to adsorptive characterization drive this transformation. However, if the sample is dehydrated at low temperature in vacuum prior to heating, the subsequent heat treatments do not collapse the lattice. Furthermore, the AlPO 4 -8 that is produced adsorbs argon efficiently.
Induction of ventricular arrhythmia by high and low osmolarity ionic and nonionic contrast media

Studies that used prolonged contrast media infusion in canine arteries have generated controversy regarding the arrhythmogenic potential of low osmolarity, nonionic contrast agents. In order to establish the relative safety of these agents in the more typical setting of bolus injections, 4 ml intracoronary bolus injections of Hypaque-76 (n = 54), lohexol-350 (n = 51), and lohexol-140 (n = 51) were given in random order to 10 anesthetized, open-chest dogs undergoing programmed cardiac stimulation. Hemodynamics and electrocardiogram were monitored during stimulation, both during and for 2 minutes after the end of contrast infusion. Occurrence of tachycardia did not differ statistically among agents. Sustained ventricular tachycardia (five episodes) and ventricular fibrillation (seven episodes) occurred only after Hypaque-76 injections (p < 0.002). These results differ from those in studies that use continuous contrast infusion and suggest that low osmolarity nonionic contrast agents are as safe as high osmolarity nonionic contrast media. Both appear safer than ionic contrast material.
The density functional theory evaluation of the heats of formation of some aromatic compounds through the isodesmic approach

Abstract The heats of formation (HOFs) for benzene, pyridine, pyridazine, thiophene and furan were evaluated with 24 density functional theory (DFT) methods using 6-31G(d,p) gaussian-type orbitals. The HOFs were computed using an isodesmic approach and bond separation energies. The estimated values were compared with the experimental data and the most accurate DFT methods for the evaluation of the HOFs were selected.
Immunoglobulin E Blockade in the Treatment of Asthma

Patients with moderate-to-severe asthma often have persistent symptoms despite aggressive pharmacotherapy, enthusiastic patient compliance, and proper technique in using delivery devices. Persistent symptoms have detrimental effects on patients' quality of life and result in a tremendous financial burden because of an increased utilization of health care resources. Guidelines from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program list symptom prevention, near-normal lung function, and participation in activities (e.g., school, work) as goals of successful asthma therapy. The development of pharmacologic and biologic therapies that target different aspects of airway inflammation will help patients with persistent asthma symptoms achieve these goals. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is increasingly recognized as a key component of asthma pathophysiology and contributes to both the early- and late-phase inflammatory cascade of the airways by inhibiting allergen-induced activation of mast cells. Both epidemiologic and clinical evidence support the use of IgE blockade for asthma treatment. Omalizumab is currently the only IgE-targeted therapy approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for asthma treatment. The drug improves symptoms, reduces exacerbations, and improves quality of life in certain patient populations.
Power, majority voting, and linear income tax schedules

Abstract We compare the linear income tax solutions of a version of the Aumann–Kurz ‘Power and Taxes’ game and the majority voting model. We establish that an agent whose type is in the majority receives a lower payoff in this model than in the majority voting model. This reflects the possibilities for bargaining and coalition formation considered in the Aumann–Kurz model. The solutions of an example are computed and compared with the optimal utilitarian, the optimal Rawlsian and the majority voting equilibrium linear income tax schedules.
Induction and purification of kievitone hydratase from Fusarium solani f.sp. phaseoli.

Abstract Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli is capable of detoxifying the major isoflavonoid phytoalexins produced by its host plant Phaseolus vulgaris. One of the enzymic activities involved is kievitone hydratase (KHase), a secreted glycoprotein which catalyses the conversion of kievitone to the less fungitoxic derivative, kievitone hydrate. Even under conditions of substrate induction, the enzyme is expressed at levels that are too low for satisfactory purification. Therefore, several other isoflavonoids were tested as inducers in culture. Among the phytoalexins produced by the host plant, phaseollinisoflavan was the best inducer, elevating the level of secreted enzyme eight-fold. Treatment with biochanin A, a product of chickpea, resulted in a 16-fold increase of secreted activity. The maximum rate of induction was observed 9–24 hr after addition of biochanin A, during which time several metabolises of the inducer were also present. KHase was purified from filtrates of biochanin A-induced cultures. Denaturing gel electrophoresis indicated that two species of Mr 47 000 and 49 000 copurified with the activity. N-Terminal sequence analysis indicated that the two species possessed related, or identical, polypeptide moieties. Comparison with the size of the non-denatured enzyme, previously determined to be ca 100000, indicates that its native state is a dimer.
The etiology of acrylamide neuropathy: Possible involvement of neuron specific enolase

The effect of monomeric acrylamide, a potent neurotoxic agent, on total and neuron specific enolase activity was studied in vitro and in vivo. Acrylamide (10 mM) completely inhibited total enolase activity of rat brain soluble fractions. The I50 concentration was 3.7 mM. In rats chronically treated with acrylamide (550 mg/kg total) and exhibiting marked symptoms of neurotoxicity, neuron specific enolase activity was not detectable in sciatic nerves and was only 60% of control activity in brain. Total enolase activity in both central and peripheral nervous tissues was unchanged from control. The results suggest that inhibition of neuron specific enolase may be an important factor in the development of acrylamide neuropathy by interfering with glycolysis in neuronal tissue.
Banded Phosphorus Effects on Alfalfa Seedling Growth and Productivity After Temporary Waterlogging

Phosphorus applied in a band below alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) seed can increase seedling growth. A field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of banded-P and temporary flooding stress on alfalfa seedling growth in the autumn and subsequent productivity. Experiments were seeded in late August 1994 and 1995 at two locations in Ohio on soils having P levels typical for the region. Fertilizer treatments included no fertilizer P and 27 kg P ha -1 (62 kg P 2 O 5 ha - 1 ) banded under the seed. Flooded and unflooded treatments were imposed 21 to 26 d after seeding. Flooding was maintained for 11 to 18 d, then plots were allowed to drain naturally. Before flooding was imposed, banded-P increased seedling dry weight by an average of 60%. Flooding reduced seedling dry weight regardless of P treatment. At end of the flooding period, seedlings with banded-P were larger than the flooded, no-P controls at three of the four locations. In November, flooded seedlings with banded-P had greater root dry weight at two locations and greater shoot dry weight at one location compared with the flooded, no-P controls. Flooding in the autumn reduced dry matter yield the next year at two locations. In 1995, banded-P increased yield the year after seeding ∼15% in the unflooded treatment at one location and ∼15% in the flooded treatment at the other location. Although banded-P increased seedling growth in the autumn regardless of flooding treatment, its effect on stand density and yield the year after establishment was minimal.
Comparing phonology of dyads of children with typical development and protracted development.

This study compares data from three functionally monolingual Spanish-speaking children with protracted phonological development (PPD; Chavez-Peon et al., 2012) and three language- and age-matched children with typical development (TD) at two time points to highlight similarities and differences in patterns of production. Spanish data were analyzed using an adapted version of Ingram and Ingram's Basic Analysis and an assessment of phonological similarity. Results indicate that children differed with regard to phonology at both time points. Children with PPD evidenced less developed skills at both time points and varying development across aspects. Differences within and between children were highlighted when examining scores over time. Aspects of the children's phonologies at Time 1 showed varying degrees of positive change at Time 2. These data are consistent with previous research, and additionally offer specific information gleaned from innovative analyses, which may prove to be useful in future research.
The effect of cigarette smoke inhalation on spermatogenesis in rats

Durch die Einatmung von Zigarettenrauch wurden bei Ratten Storungen der Spermiogenese beobachtet. Es kam zu einer Hemmung der Zellteilung von Spermatocyten.
The Effect of Attitude Similarity on Task Performance1

It was hypothesized in a two-person situation that students would perform significantly better on intellectual tasks when paired with a liked other than when paired with a disliked other. In a laboratory experiment, 108 male undergraduates performed one of three types of intellectual tasks with an attitudinally similar or dissimilar partner or with a partner about whom the subject had no attitude information. Individuals paired with a similar partner felt affectively more positive than those paired with a dissimilar partner (p < .01). Individuals paired with a similar other performed significantly better on the tasks than those paired with a dissimilar partner (p < .01).
Improving Health and Social Outcomes with Targeted Services in Comprehensive Substance Abuse Treatment

Background: Improved life functioning along with substance use reduction is increasingly recognized as the definition of effective addiction treatment. Objectives: To assess whether targeted health and social services contribute to improved physical/mental health and employment. Methods: This study used data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (N = 3027) and modeled the improvement in physical/mental health and employment at discharge or 12 months after discharge compared with intake measures as a function of receipts of matched services. Results: Receiving matched medical service improves physical health only at treatment discharge; receiving matched mental health services improves mental health at discharge and 12 months after discharge; receiving matched vocational services improves employment only 12 months after discharge. Conclusions: Need‐service matching contributes to improved health and social outcomes when longitudinal assessments of treatment outcomes are used to evaluate treatment effectiveness. Scientific Significance: Study findings document the value of targeted services for achieving success in health and social functioning in comprehensive substance abuse treatment.
Mathematical Problem-Solving Characteristics of Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities:

The purpose of this study was to investigate mathematical problem-solving characteristics of middle school students with learning disabilities. Cognitive, metacognitive, and affective characteristics of middle school students with learning disabilities and average-achieving and gifted students (n = 90) were studied to determine similarities and differences among good, average, and poor problem solvers. We included measures of mathematical achievement, reasoning, mathematical word problems, and strategy knowledge, use, and control. Results indicated that despite a positive attitude toward mathematics, students with learning disabilities differed significantly from average-achieving and gifted students in general mathematical achievement and problem solving. Results also suggested that students' poor mathematical problem solving may be related less to solution errors than to an ability to represent problems and predict appropriate solution equations and operations. Implications for research and practice are...
The VP within Process Nominals: Evidence from Adverbs and the VP Anaphor Do-So

Recent accounts of process nominals postulate a VP within the nominalized structure. A verb becomes a nominal by a head raising operation to a nominal affix. This view contrasts with analyses of process nominals as (pure) nominals with partial verbal properties, originally due to Chomsky (1970). Contributing to this debate, we will argue that direct evidence indicates that English process nominals contain a VP. Our evidence comes from the distribution of adverbs on the one hand, and from the presence of the VP anaphor do so in process nominals on the other. We show that a portion of the verbal extended projection specifically excluding IP or CP is present in process nominals. An array of word order facts about process nominals falls into place when we further assume that the verb is raised from VP over the subject, the object, and adverbs, adjoining to a nominal affix. Our analysis moreover adds to the evidence for functional structure above VP and supports particular claims about the syntax-morphology interface.
Robust Novelty Detection with Single-Class MPM

In this paper we consider the problem of novelty detection, presenting an algorithm that aims to find a minimal region in input space containing a fraction α of the probability mass underlying a data set. This algorithm—the "single-class minimax probability machine (MPM)"—is built on a distribution-free methodology that minimizes the worst-case probability of a data point falling outside of a convex set, given only the mean and covariance matrix of the distribution and making no further distributional assumptions. We present a robust approach to estimating the mean and covariance matrix within the general two-class MPM setting, and show how this approach specializes to the single-class problem. We provide empirical results comparing the single-class MPM to the single-class SVM and a two-class SVM method.
Academic Readiness and Career/Life Planning: A Collaborative Partnership Focused on Student Learning.

The umbrella program called Keeping Options Open, initiated by Johnson County Community College (JCCC), is a collaborative partnership between JCCC and Johnson County high schools to meet the educational and career needs of learners. Assessment of academics and interests are key components when assisting students to make the best decisions regarding their high school and postsecondary educational plans. A pilot program was designed to deliver a series of 3-year tiered career development/academic readiness workshops for students and parents beginning in the sophomore year and building through the junior and senior years. The goal was to enhance career development for high school students by linking it with academic readiness.
The Role of Spiritual Experience, Forgiveness, and Religious Support on the General Well-Being of Older Adults

This study explored the role of spiritual experience, forgiveness, and religious support on the general well-being of older adults by interviewing 143 persons 65 years old or older in Kansas. Hierarchical regression results show that higher spiritual experience is significantly associated with lower anxiety, higher positive well-being, and higher vitality of older adults. On the other hand, lack of driving capability and living alone are significantly related to a decrease in the well-being of older adults, but financial support is associated with an increase of well-being. This study suggests that social work practitioners and health care providers need to carefully assess the religious/spiritual issues of older clients. To maximize the strengths of older clients coping with health problems, religious/spiritual intervention that fits the clients' interests needs to be offered with their permission.
How did it work? Who did it work for? Mediation in the context of a moderated prevention effect for children of divorce

This study presents a reanalysis of data from an effective preventive intervention for children from divorced families (S. A. Wolchik et al., 2000) to test mediation of program effects. The study involved 157 children, age 9-12 years, who were randomly assigned to a parenting program or a literature control condition. Program effects to reduce posttest internalizing problems were mediated through improvement in mother-child relationship quality. Program effects to reduce externalizing problems at posttest and 6 months were mediated through improvement in posttest parental methods of discipline and mother-child relationship quality. The study also describes a new methodology to test mediation of Program X Baseline Status interactions. Analyses demonstrate mediation effects primarily for children who began the program with poorer scores on discipline, mother-child relationship quality, and externalizing problems.
The future for the patient with severe short gut syndrome

different ways. This also means that the information available from manufacturers is at best parochial, relating mainly to their own products. Prescribers are not, nor should it be necessary for them to be, cognizant of this when developing the best regimen for each patient. Our knowledge of what contributes to poor stability remains patchy; we still have much to learn. Clinical developments, leading to greater understanding of PN and to more refined regimens, and new applications need to evolve hand-in-hand with pharmaceutical understanding to ensure that clinical needs are not constrained by lack of pharmaceutical research to provide the evidence necessary to ensure the safety and efficacy of each PN prescription.
Comparative Collective Community-Based Learning: The “Possibilities for Change in American Communities” Program

This article introduces an approach to service learning based on students' collective engagement with a range of community organizations. We explore the particular benefits of this comparative collective community-based (CCC) learning model through a discussion of the Possibilities for Change in American Communities program, which was begun by the authors in 2001. The program exposes students to a diverse set of community contexts by integrating a 32-day sleeper-bus trip around the eastern half of the U.S. into a year-long curriculum. We discuss the distinct advantages of such a program as well as the tradeoffs associated with the comparative analysis of multiple communities. We conclude by exploring alternative ways to incorporate the CCC framework within more conventional community-based initiatives.
Federalism and the Rehnquist Court: A Normative Defense:

The revival of federalism limits on national power by the U.S. Supreme Court is a happy development for three reasons. First, judicial review is as beneficial and as needed in federalism cases as it is in Fourteenth Amendment cases, and such judicial review does not raise the problems of the countermajoritarian difficulty. Second, Congress cannot be trusted alone to police the federalism boundaries that limit its own power. Finally, federalism is an incredibly important feature of the American constitutional order. This is indicated by (1) the prominence of federalism concerns in the text of our Constitution; (2) the importance of federalism in other countries around the world today; (3) the fact that the economics of federalism suggest some well-known reasons why constitutionally mandated decentralization is a good thing; and (4) the serious concerns about the dangers of excessive national power implicated by the specific issues that the Supreme Court's federalism case law touches upon.
Lay Beliefs about the Causes and Consequences of Smoking Cessation Maintenance

Descriptive research has corroborated the Relapse Prevention (RP) model of smoking relapse, but RP interventions have been generally ineffective. This discrepancy might arise from disagreement between the theory and ex-smokers' beliefs about what determines successful maintenance. We therefore asked 100 recent ex-smokers why they believed they would (or would not) be able to abstain for the following year, and what benefits they anticipated if they did. Modal responses were that personal attributes (e.g., willpower) would determine maintenance and that improved physical health would be its most important result. Twelve-month continuous abstinence was more common among those anticipating improved feelings of psychological or physical well-being than among those anticipating a reduction in problems or a diffuse health benefit.
Hypothesis Testing Proportions

The process of drawing conclusions about an entire population on the basis of the information contained in a random sample drawn from that population is known as statistical inference. Methods of statistical inference fall into 2 general categories: estimation and hypothesis testing. With estimation, our goal is to describe or estimate some characteristic of a population of interest, such as the mean pulmonary regurgitation fraction of all patients alive 10 years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot or the proportion of children with acute Kawasaki disease who develop coronary artery abnormalities. With hypothesis testing, we begin by claiming that the population parameter of interest is equal to some postulated value (or, in the situation in which we are comparing 2 populations, that the 2 parameters are equal to each other). This statement about the value of the population parameter is called the null hypothesis (H). The alternative hypothesis (HA) is a second statement that contradicts the null. Together, the null and alternative hypotheses account for all possible values of the population parameter; consequently, 1 of the 2 statements must be true. After formulating the hypotheses needed to answer our study question, we draw a random sample from the population of interest and use the information in this sample to calculate a test statistic. The test statistic is compared with the critical values of an appropriate probability distribution. If there is evidence that the sample could not have come from a population with the postulated value of the parameter, as determined by a comparison of the magnitude of the test statistic with the critical values of the probability distribution, we reject the null hypothesis. This occurs when the probability value of the test is sufficiently small, usually <0.05. The probability value is the probability of observing a test statistic …
Extreme Sensory Complexity Encoded in the 10-Megabase Draft Genome Sequence of the Chromatically Acclimating Cyanobacterium Tolypothrix sp. PCC 7601

Tolypothrix sp. PCC 7601 is a freshwater filamentous cyanobacterium with complex responses to environmental conditions. Here, we present its 9.96-Mbp draft genome sequence, containing 10,065 putative protein-coding sequences, including 305 predicted two-component system proteins and 27 putative phytochrome-class photoreceptors, the most such proteins in any sequenced genome.
Rotational anomalies of mesoscopic rings

Abstract The electronic contribution to the moment of inertia of single-channel metal rings is analyzed. In rings threaded by a magnetic flux, the electron moment I e exhibits a periodic pattern with maxima at θ 0 = hc e or 1 2 θ 0 (modulo θ 0 ) depending on the number of electrons. For slowly rotating rings, I e diverges in the limit of weak disorder. The rotational anomalies rely on the same interference mechanism responsible for persistent currents and the Aharonov-Bohm effect.
Comparing maltreating fathers and mothers in terms of personal distress, interpersonal functioning, and perceptions of family climate

OBJECTIVE: This study compared perceptions of personal distress, interpersonal and marital problems, and aspects of family climate of maltreating fathers and mothers. METHODS: Subjects were 2841 offenders (1918 of whom were fathers or father-figures) who were identified and treated by the USAF Family Advocacy Program between 1988 and 1996. Independent variables for the analysis were parent sex (mother vs. father) as well as type and severity of maltreatment, history of repeat offenses, and history of abuse in childhood. RESULTS: Maltreating mothers were more distressed and reported more problems from individuals outside the family than maltreating fathers; fathers reported more rigid expectations for children, less cohesive families, and less organized families than did maltreating mothers. Regardless of parental sex, victimization in the family of origin was related to distress and unhappiness. Similarly, both victimization in the family of origin and history of repeated offenses were powerful predictors of a more negative family climate regardless of the offending parent's sex. No significant statistical interactions between parental sex and other independent variables were found when predicting personal and interpersonal distress, marital problems, or family climate. CONCLUSIONS: Studies rarely examine maltreating fathers except in the context of sexual abuse. Fewer still compare maltreating mothers and fathers. This study identified meaningful, though generally small, differences between maltreating mothers and fathers. Patterns suggest that maltreating mothers may tend to cope more poorly with personal distress, whereas maltreating fathers tend to operate in a family climate that is both distant and rigid, while holding inappropriate expectations for children's behavior. The absence of interactions between parental sex and the other independent variables included in the analysis indicate that these patterns do not vary by the history of victimization in the family of origin, the type or severity of child maltreatment, or the history of prior maltreatment in the family. Language: en
What decisions are made by family caregivers

Before decision support can be offered, we need to understand what decisions family caregivers face, which are considered challenging, and what causes the challenge. To address these issues, 100 caregivers were asked to:• Indicate decisions faced;• Describe challenging decisions; and• Describe specific decision making questions.Eighty surveys (80 percent) were returned and used in the analysis. The most prevalent decisions involved nursing home placement, communicating the diagnosis, and driving. The most challenging decisions involved providing care and relocation. The most prevalent question involved the timing of actions. These results will guide the design of decision aids for family caregivers.
Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy: an update

Women with inflammatory bowel disease have similar rates of conception to the general population unless they have had pelvic surgery. Once pregnant, regardless of disease activity, they have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome and should be followed as high-risk obstetric patients. Most medications are compatible with pregnancy and lactation, as described in this article. Ideally, women should discuss their plans for pregnancy with their physician prior to conception so that risks and benefits can be reviewed, medications adjusted and healthcare maintenance updated. Once pregnant, a multidisciplinary team of gastroenterologists, obstetricians and pediatricians should help to ensure the best care for the mother and child.
Identification of Genes Uniquely Expressed in the Germ-Line Tissues of the Jewel Wasp Nasonia vitripennis

The jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis is a rising model organism for the study of haplo-diploid reproduction characteristic of hymenopteran insects, which include all wasps, bees, and ants. We performed transcriptional profiling of the ovary, the female soma, and the male soma of N. vitripennis to complement a previously existing transcriptome of the wasp testis. These data were deposited into an open-access genome browser for visualization of transcripts relative to their gene models. We used these data to identify the assemblies of genes uniquely expressed in the germ-line tissues. We found that 156 protein-coding genes are expressed exclusively in the wasp testis compared with only 22 in the ovary. Of the testis-specific genes, eight are candidates for male-specific DNA packaging proteins known as protamines. We found very similar expression patterns of centrosome associated genes in the testis and ovary, arguing that de novo centrosome formation, a key process for development of unfertilized eggs into males, likely does not rely on large-scale transcriptional differences between these tissues. In contrast, a number of meiosis-related genes show a bias toward testis-specific expression, despite the lack of true meiosis in N. vitripennis males. These patterns may reflect an unexpected complexity of male gamete production in the haploid males of this organism. Broadly, these data add to the growing number of genomic and genetic tools available in N. vitripennis for addressing important biological questions in this rising insect model organism.
Cultural Encounters along a Gender Frontier: Mahican, Delaware, and German Women in Eighteenth-Century Pennsylvania

Within the past decade, much early American scholarship has con centrated on the many frontiers of seventeenth and eighteenth century North America. Historians and anthropologists have probed the various ways race, ethnicity, and cultural differences shaped interactions between Native Americans and Europeans along these frontiers. It is clear that Indians, faced with an increasingly dominant white presence by the eigh teenth century, redefined their ethnic identities through both resistance and accommodation in order to survive. Native peoples had already ex perienced tremendous changes, whether fueled by European contact or internal cultural development. Unknown diseases had taken their toll on populations and new technologies had introduced different patterns of hunting and daily living. The social dynamics within Indian communi ties also shifted as Native Americans debated new religious traditions and spiritual expression, kinship and gender roles, and their increasing par ticipation in the cross-Atlantic market economy. White colonization and settlement simply provided another precarious element to what James Merrell has called "The Indians' New World."1 Few, however, have tackled the different ways that Indian men and women reacted to this rapidly changing world, exploring what Kathleen Brown has called "gender frontiers" and their effects on encounters be tween Indians and whites.2 Most historians agree that native women were
The Interaction of Intense Picosecond Infrared Pulses with Isolated Molecules

In the past decade there has been much interest in the dynamics of highly vibrationally excited and dissociating molecules. Selectivity at high levels of excitation may eventually lead to the realization of laser-controlled photochemistry, with broad applications in such diverse areas as laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition, isotope separation, and photosynthesis. Polyatomic molecules in the ground electronic state can reach levels of excitation up to the dissociation threshold by absorbing a large number of photons from a resonant high-power infrared laser. Despite the selectivity of infrared excitation at low energy, however, at high excitation the excitation energy is no longer confined to one ‘mode’. It has been shown experimentally that for molecules excited close to or above the dissociation threshold equilibration of energy occurs, in agreement with theoretical predictions. There is no agreement, however, as to the validity of theoretical models that presuppose equipartitioning of energy in the region below the dissociation threshold. Recent spontaneous Raman spectroscopy experiments on infrared multiphoton excited molecules in our laboratory provide information on the intramolecular vibrational energy distributions of highly vibrationally excited molecules in this region. The experimental results show that an excess of energy can remain in the pumped mode up to levels of excitation close to the dissociation threshold. This paper provides a review of the results that were obtained in the past three years, part of which were published previously.