cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ensembling predictions of student knowledge within intelligent tutoring systems

Over the last decades, there have been a rich variety of approaches towards modeling student knowledge and skill within interactive learning environments. There have recently been several empirical comparisons as to which types of student models are better at predicting future performance, both within and outside of the interactive learning environment. However, these comparisons have produced contradictory results. Within this paper, we examine whether ensemble methods, which integrate multiple models, can produce prediction results comparable to or better than the best of nine student modeling frameworks, taken individually. We ensemble model predictions within a Cognitive Tutor for Genetics, at the level of predicting knowledge action-by-action within the tutor. We evaluate the predictions in terms of future performance within the tutor and on a paper post-test. Within this data set, we do not find evidence that ensembles of models are significantly better. Ensembles of models perform comparably to or slightly better than the best individual models, at predicting future performance within the tutor software. However, the ensembles of models perform marginally significantly worse than the best individual models, at predicting post-test performance.
Molecular mechanism of alcoholic fatty liver

Ethanol abuse and chronic ethanol consumption remains a major public health problem and is responsible for a high rate of morbidity. Alcohol-induced fatty liver generally begins as hepatic steatosis, and if the cause persists, this invariably progresses to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. The original biochemical explanation for an alcoholic fatty liver centered on the ability of ethanol metabolism to shift the redox state of the liver and inhibit fatty acid oxidation. Subsequent studies found repression of fatty acid oxidation and that the induction of lipogenesis can occur in alcoholic conditions. Ethanol activates sterol regulatory element binding protein 1, inducing a battery of lipogenic enzymes. These effects may be due in part to inhibition of AMP-dependent protein kinase, reduction in plasma adiponectin or increased levels of TNF-α the liver. They in turn activate lipogenic pathways and inhibit fatty acid oxidation. Besides the fatty acid synthesis and oxidation, ethanol also alters lipid droplet (LD, the storage form of triglycerides, TG) metabolism in hepatocytes and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion from liver. Because steatosis is now regarded as a significant risk factor for advanced liver pathology, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms in its etiology provides new therapeutic targets to reverse the alcoholic fatty liver.
A variational framework for tissue velocimetry in vascular optical coherence elastography

A variational approach to tissue velocimetry in optical coherence elastography (OCE) is presented. It exploits prior information about vessel wall velocities to reduce the sensitivity of conventional tracking methods to speckle decorrelation and noise.
Direct and indirect effects of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on surface energy partitioning revealed by a prolonged drought at a temperate forest site

[1] The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism that controls the variation of surface energy partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes at a temperate deciduous forest site in central Missouri, USA. Taking advantage of multiple micrometeorological and ecophysiological measurements and a prolonged drought in the middle of the 2005 growing season at this site, we studied how soil moisture, atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and net radiation affected surface energy partitioning. We stratified these factors to minimize potential confounding effects of correlation among them. We found that all three factors had direct effects on surface energy partitioning, but more important, all three factors also had crucial indirect effects. The direct effect of soil moisture was characterized by a rapid decrease in Bowen ratio with increasing soil moisture when the soil was dry and by insensitivity of Bowen ratio to variations in soil moisture when the soil was wet. However, the rate of decrease in Bowen ratio when the soil was dry and the level of soil moisture above which Bowen ratio became insensitive to changes in soil moisture depended on atmospheric conditions. The direct effect of increased net radiation was to increase Bowen ratio. The direct effect of VPD was very nonlinear: Increased VPD decreased Bowen ratio at low VPD but increased Bowen ratio at high VPD. The indirect effects were much more complicated. Reduced soil moisture weakened the influence of VPD but enhanced the influence of net radiation on surface energy partitioning. Soil moisture also controlled how net radiation influenced the relationship between surface energy partitioning and VPD and how VPD affected the relationship between surface energy partitioning and net radiation. Furthermore, both increased VPD and increased net radiation enhanced the sensitivity of Bowen ratio to changes in soil moisture and the effect of drought on surface energy partitioning. The direct and indirect effects of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on surface energy partitioning identified in this paper provide a target for testing atmospheric general circulation models in their representation of land-atmosphere coupling.
Husbandry, life span, and growth rate of the annual fish, Cynolebias adloffi E. Ahl. ☆

Abstract The mean survival time of the annual fish, Cynolebias adloffi, maintained from hatching at 22°C, was 11-11·5 months, and the maximal survival time among this population of forty-four specimens was less than 14 months. These data plus results of gross and morphologic observation support the supposition that annual fish are relatively short-lived and undergo senile changes in about one year's time. Suitable life tables of the same species maintained at 16°C were not obtained in this investigation due to the excessive incidence of tuberculosis encountered in this population. However, gross observation and measurements of egg production suggest that Cynolebias maintained at this temperature might show a decreased rate of aging as compared to those kept at 22°C. Growth rates at 16°C were considerably faster than at 22°C. Information regarding the care and breeding of annual fish is set forth.
Noise characteristics of an ideal shunted Josephson junction

Detailed computer simulations have been made of the effect of intrinsic noise current on the I-V characteristic and voltage noise spectral density S v (f) of an ideal Josephson element shunted by a capacitor and resistor. The minimum value of the parameter Β c at which hysteresis appears in the quasistatic I-V characteristic is greater than the noise-free value of ≈1. Moreover, as Β c is increased, a region of large differential resistance R d appears in the I-V characteristic that is associated with a large increase in S V(0). In this regime the noise current is seen to cause random switching between the superconducting and nonzero voltage states. For all bias conditions, S V(f) > R d 2SI(f) where S I(f) is the spectral density of the intrinsic current noise. A comparison is made between these results and previous calculations. The implications for low-noise superconducting devices are discussed.
On the Identification and the Recovery of the Goose Lake, California, Siderite (ECN =+1205,420)

Just to keep the record straight, and in justice to all concerned, the historical facts regarding the identification and the recovery of the Goose Lake, California, siderite, the fourth-largest known meteorite of the United States, are herein briefly repeated.
Comparison of dynamically coated SE‐54, SP‐2250 and carbowax 20M wall‐coated open tubular (WCOT) glass capillary columns, prepared after surface pretreatment with Superox™‐4 or with BaCO3

A new surface pretreatment for the preparation of wall-coated open tubular (WCOT) glass capillary columns has been evaluated. This technique involves the application of a non-extractable layer of Superox™-4, a 4,000,000 MW polyethylene glycol, to the glass surface as a pretreatment and deactivation agent. Unlike other polyethylene glycols, Superox-4 is stable at high temperatures (> 300°C) in the absence of oxygen, coats smoothly onto a bare glass surface and resists droplet formation. WCOT columns (SE-54, Carbowax 20M, and SP-2250) prepared using this technique are compared to columns prepared using a modified Grob [2,3] BaCO3 procedure. The Superox-4 pretreated columns were equal or superior in quality to the BaCO3 pretreated columns, based on the appearance of an activity standard and the effective theoretical plates (Neff) per meter. Chromatograms showing practical application of the WCOT columns prepared using both methods is given.
Effects of whole-body rotation on masseteric motoneuron excitability

Abstract Vestibular stimulation is a popular clinical treatment for enhancing the excitability of spinal motoneurons innervating trunk and limb muscles, but whether vestibular stimulation can also influence trigeminal motoneurons is not known. We determined whether or not vestibular stimulation evoked by rotation of a seated subject would modify the excitability of masseteric motoneurons. The amplitude and frequency of occurrence of masseteric compound action potentials evoked by standard chin taps provided measures for assessing masseteric motoneuron excitability. Eleven healthy adults with no orofacial or otologic disorders served as subjects. Each sat in a motorized dental chair with his head stabilized by a halo head-piece so that chair rotation caused labyrinthine excitation. The frequency (3/s) of chin taps and their impact force were maintained constant by microcomputer control. After each tap, a 16-ms sample of EMG recorded from surface electrodes over the right masseter was digitized and stored for subsequent visual inspection. Only compound action potentials meeting rigorous criteria in terms of latency, amplitude, duration, and waveform were accepted as responses. The mean frequencies of occurrence and the mean amplitudes of the responses showed wide variability. Histogram displays of every response for each subject, however, revealed enhanced output from the masseteric motoneuron pool during the deceleration and postrotation phases. In subjects not immediately retested this enhancement was persistent but decayed during the next 5 min. In five subjects the experiment was repeated after 1 min. The changes in response variables during phases 3 and 4 were significantly less than on the first trial, suggesting habituation. These results provide quantitative evidence that the dynamic input from vestibular ampullary receptors in response to rotation enhances masseteric motoneuron output.
Percolation in concentrated water-in-carbon dioxide microemulsions

The phase behavior and electrical conductivity of water-in-carbon dioxide (W/C) microemulsions are reported over a range of temperatures (5−65 °C), pressures (100−450 bar), and droplet volume fractions (φ = 0.0347−0.483) at a constant water-to-surfactant molar ratio (Wo) of 12.5. A φ of 0.483 is a 5-fold increase over those reported previously. A critical point is observed at a droplet volume fraction of approximately 0.12, at which the single-phase microemulsion splits into two microemulsion phases of similar volume upon lowering the pressure (upper critical solution pressure). At low temperatures, a lower critical solution pressure is also observed upon increasing the pressure. Both of the critical solution pressures result from an increase in the attractive interdroplet interactions; consequently, pressure has little effect on the conductivity in the one-phase region. The conductivity increases nearly 3 orders of magnitude with changes in the droplet concentration or temperature. Scaling analysis of th...
Vortex-Induced Vibrations of Long Marine Risers in Sheared Flows: DNS Studies

The offshore industry is moving to ever-increasing water depths, producing presently oil in depths of up to 2,500m, requiring detailed fatigue calculations for the risers and tendons used in the floating structures, see [1, 2]. Currents in the ocean are invariably highly sheared, hence the modes that can potentially be excited are many, see [3]. The calculation of how many and which modes are excited, can affect fatigue life very significantly, but there are no guidelines presently available for conducting this calculation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
The nature of ordering and ordering defects in dolomite

The apparent lack of transformation-induced domains and stacking disorder defects in natural dolomites is considered in light of the different types of order in the dolomite structure. Experimentally produced twin domain boundaries and basal stacking defects are documented in a dolomite using high-resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques. Results reveal that upon cation ordering to form the dolomite structure, a twin domain is favored over an antiphase domain. The twin domain boundaries closely resemble antiphase boundaries (APB's) and are in contrast for superlattice reflections. However, background contrast within domains is shown to be different when imaged using certain fundamental reflections. The results allow speculation about the nature of ordering at low temperatures. Observations of twin domain boundaries in samples annealed at different temperatures allow estimation of the critical ordering temperature at 1,100°–1,150° C in stoichiometric dolomite.
Cariaco Trench: Oxidation of Organic Matter and Residence Time of Anoxic Water

THE Cariaco Trench is located on the Caribbean shelf of Venezuela and has a maximum depth of 1,400 m. The surrounding shelf is nowhere deeper than 150 m, thus separating the deep water of the trench from that of the Caribbean. The deep water of the trench is devoid of dissolved oxygen1. Between the sill depth and 500 m both temperature and salinity decrease, resulting in a slight increase in density which stabilizes the water column somewhat precariously. Below 500 m the water is uniform and well mixed. Such anoxic basins are critically dependent on the balance between supply of organic matter and renewal of the deep water. Although the sediments indicate that at least the deep part of the basin has been permanently anoxic for thousands of years2 the relatively small density gradient may facilitate renewal of the deep water on a much shorter time scale. Estimates of the residence time vary between 100 and 2,000 yr (refs. 1,3). Data resulting from a cruise of RV Atlantis II in July 1971 provide a way of assessing the origin and oxidation of organic matter in the trench and the renewal rate of the deep water.
Something old and something new: comparing views about nanotechnology and nuclear energy

Much discussion surrounds the question of whether people tend to perceive new and emerging technologies in ways similar to how they perceive older, more familiar technologies. The study argues that the direct association between familiarity and support is just one way of thinking about how familiarity may affect views about emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology and nuclear energy. The study uses a probability-based survey of Americans where half received questions about nanotechnology and half received nearly identical questions about nuclear energy. Overall, it shows that the ‘standard’ predictors of technology support – risk/benefit perceptions, familiarity, and views about decision-makers – are similar for both nanotechnology and nuclear energy but that lower familiarity may also result in less ability for these variables to statistically explain support for nanotechnology. The data provide only partial evidence that citizens meaningfully differentiate between the two very different technologie...
Being the change: protest as performative discourse in the Occupy Portland encampment

A study of the lived experience of seven protesters who participated in the encampment associated with the Occupy movement in Portland, Oregon in the fall of 2011 revealed that the encampment functioned as both performance intended to engage external audiences in the goals of the movement and as a performative discourse that constituted a caring community that broke down socioeconomic barriers of wealth, class, education, race, and gender. This suggests that protests do not have to be targeted at external audiences to create change and raises questions about the role individual lifestyles play in advancing the goals of social movements.
Nucleation and polymerization of sickle hemoglobin with Leu beta 88 substituted by Ala.

Abstract We have measured the solubility, and the rates of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation on sickle hemoglobin (HbSβ6 Glu→Val) additionally modified by site-directed mutagenesis to possess Ala rather than Leu at β88, which forms part of the receptor site for β6 Val in the sickle polymer. The solubility of the hemoglobin is increased at all temperatures, and is about 29 g/dl at 25°C. Polymerization kinetics, induced by laser photolysis and observed by light-scattering intensity, showed exponential growth with rates about 300 times slower than experiments done on similar concentrations of HbS. When polymerization is carried out in small volumes, the time of measurable light-scattering signal to reach one-tenth of its final value (denoted as the tenth time) showed stochastic fluctuations, as is seen in pure HbS. Homogeneous nucleation rates were measured by observing distributions of tenth times and these rates were slowed by the mutation by almost 1000-fold relative to pure HbS. The kinetics, including the exponential progress curves and shape of the tenth time distributions, are well described by the double nucleation mechanism for polymerization. Analysis of the homogeneous nucleation rates leads to the surprising conclusion that the mutation has scarcely changed the energy of the intermolecular contacts despite the increase in solubility of the double mutant. This conclusion is supported by the stereochemistry of the modified contact site, in which the amount of exposed hydrophobic surface appears to be unchanged by the mutation. The increased solubility must therefore result from decreased motional freedom of molecules within the polymer, which could arise from tighter packing into the enlarged receptor pocket. This points up the ability of kinetic analysis to reveal important thermodynamic properties of assembly, and underlines the importance of the vibrational degrees of freedom in setting the final equilibrium constant. Chemical modifications to restrict vibrations and enhance the cost of polymerization may prove useful in constructing compounds to act as inhibitors of sickle cell gelation.
Pseudoscience, the paranormal, and science education

The study of pseudoscience and the paranormal is an important but neglected aspect of science education. Given the widespread acceptance of pseudoscientific and paranormal beliefs, science educators need to take seriously the problem of how these can be combated. I propose teaching science students to critically evaluate the claims of pseudoscience and the paranormal, something that can be accomplished in a variety of ways.
Management of the patient who develops transient neurologic symptoms after spinal anesthesia with lidocaine

Abstract The use of lidocaine for spinal anesthesia was introduced in 1948. Because of its rapid onset and predictable duration of action, lidocaine quickly became the most popular drug available for central neuraxial anesthesia. Concern about the use of lidocaine for continuous spinal anesthesia began in 1991 with published reports of cauda equina syndrome after the use of large doses of lidocaine with spinal microcatheters. Subsequently, the syndrome termed transient neurologic symptoms (TNS) was reported after single-dose spinal lidocaine. This report reviews the history of TNS, including early safety studies, and discusses the current incidence and possible causes of TNS. This article also discusses risk factors for the development of TNS, possible alternatives to the use of spinal lidocaine, and rational approaches to available treatment options. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
Quasi-option value: Some misconceptions dispelled☆

Abstract We discuss a couple of important issues in the recent literature on quasi-option value. We show that the assertion that quasi-option value can be negative in a model with independent learning is based on confusion between quasi-option value, which is always positive, and the net benefit of preservation (of a natural environment subject to development), which is not. We also explore the significance of different assumptions about the nature of learning and show that the result that quasi-option value is positive is surprisingly robust.
The co-optimal bidding strategy of pumped-storage unit in ERCOT energy market

Pumped Storage Hydro can play a unique role in the operation of modern power system. Usually they generate power in the peak load and store energy in the light load. Therefore, the unit not only improves energy efficiency but also contribute to system security and reliability. In this paper, starting from MCPE and MCPC weekly curve, a co-optimal bidding strategy for a pumped-storage generating unit in a competitive electricity market has been developed. A numerical simulation is carried out to validate the proposed bidding strategy. The simulation results show that a pumped-storage unit has the ability to make profits in a competitive energy market due to its outstanding fast response time, ramp rate, and startup and shutdown time.
Power Failure, Liver Failure

The literature on fulminant hepatic failure is studded with exotica. Hepatic failure has been caused by mushrooms, overheated hot tubs, and the infamous unripe ackee fruit that is associated with J...
Quality Assessment and Monitoring Retrospect and Prospect

A commentary on the papers in the two special issues on Quality Assurance which shows how they contribute to some important conceptual, methodological, and policy issues. These issues pertain to the definition of quality; the distinction between quality assessment and program evaluation; the role of the market in regulating the quality of care; the role of more direct consumer participation in defining and assessing quality; professional responsibility for quality; the applicability of the structure-process-outcome paradigm to quality assessment; the format, methods of formulation, and validity of the criteria; probability sampling and purposive selection of the topics to be assessed; problems of scaling and measurement; the applicability of industrial control methods to quality monitoring; bringing about behavior change in response to the findings of quality monitoring; measuring the costs and benefits of quality assessment methods, including a consideration of their screening efficiency; and the relationship between quality monitoring and cost containment through competition or by other means.
Properly interpreting scanning tunneling microscopy images: the Cu(1 0 0)-c(2×2)N surface revisited

Abstract Recent scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and photoelectron diffraction studies of the Cu(1 0 0)-c(2×2)N system have led to the proposal of a “new type of adsorbate-induced surface reconstruction” involving the movement of Cu atoms perpendicular to the surface. Claims were made that images from prior STM studies were misinterpreted. We present STM images that clearly contradict these claims. We discuss the role of tip structure in the imaging process and demonstrate how tips with asymmetric apexes can result in STM images that can easily be misinterpreted.
Tri-Trophic Linkages in Disease: Pathogen Transmission to Rainbow Trout Through Stonefly Prey

Relationships between macroinvertebrates and microorganisms in aquatic environments are only poorly understood despite the fact that many aquatic macroinvertebrates feed on microbial biofilms during some life stage. Better understanding of trophic interactions between microbial biofilms, macroinvertebrates, and fish may also help control fish diseases and loss of natural resources. It has also been suggested that pollution, habitat fragmentation, and poor water quality may contribute to increased pathogenesis and mortality in fish. Increased disease incidence is difficult to assess, however, in part because of the complexity of pathogen transmission dynamics. Several environmental pathogens exist whose reservoir(s) and means of transmission remain poorly understood, highlighting the need to study pathogen ecology and interactions with organisms other than susceptible hosts. Aeromonas salmonicida is rarely isolated from freshwater sediments. However, stonefly nymphs were found to frequently harbor A. salmonicida and were shown to preferentially feed on the bacterium. Rainbow trout juveniles were presented with different feeding regimes to determine the transmission capacity of nymphs, and all fish fed stoneflies harboring A. salmonicida expressed symptoms of disease. Although current rates of furunculosis in freshwater ecosystems are unknown, trout primarily feed on stoneflies when water oxygen levels are high and temperatures are low (winter months), which is presumed to correspond to high resistance to the pathogen. Given that furunculosis is associated with physiological stress and higher water temperatures, its natural incidence may change in response to global or regional climatological effects.
Long-term CO2 enrichment of a forest ecosystem: implications for forest regeneration and succession.

The composition and successional status of a forest affect carbon storage and net ecosystem productivity, yet it remains unclear whether elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) will impact rates and trajectories of forest succession. We examined how CO2 enrichment (þ200 l LC O 2/L air differential) affects forest succession through growth and survivorship of tree seedlings, as part of the Duke Forest free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment in North Carolina, USA. We planted 2352 seedlings of 14 species in the low light forest understory and determined effects of elevated CO2 on individual plant growth, survival, and total sample biomass accumulation, an integrator of plant growth and survivorship over time, for six years. We used a hierarchical Bayes framework to accommodate the uncertainty associated with the availability of light and the variability in growth among individual plants. We found that most species did not exhibit strong responses to CO2. Ulmus alata (þ21%), Quercus alba (þ9.5%), and nitrogen-fixing Robinia pseudoacacia (þ230%) exhibited greater mean annual relative growth rates under elevated CO2 than under ambient conditions. The effects of CO2 were small relative to variability within populations; however, some species grew better under low light conditions when exposed to elevated CO2 than they did under ambient conditions. These species include shade-intolerant Liriodendron tulipifera and Liquidambar styraciflua, intermediate-tolerant Quercus velutina, and shade-tolerant Acer barbatum, A. rubrum, Prunus serotina, Ulmus alata ,a ndCercis canadensis. Contrary to our expectation, shade-intolerant trees did not survive better with CO2 enrichment, and population- scale responses to CO2 were influenced by survival probabilities in low light. CO2 enrichment did not increase rates of sample biomass accumulation for most species, but it did stimulate biomass growth of shade-tolerant taxa, particularly Acer barbatum and Ulmus alata. Our data suggest a small CO2 fertilization effect on tree productivity, and the possibility of reduced carbon accumulation rates relative to today's forests due to changes in species composition.
Dioctahedral corrensite from Permian red beds, Lisbon Valley, Utah

Regularly interstratified chlorite/smectite (corrensite) occurs as grain coatings in marine and eolian sandstones of the Permian Cutler Formation in Lisbon Valley, Utah. Corrensite dominates the <2-μm clay size fraction along with lesser amounts of regularly interstratified illite/smectite in bleached, permeable sandstones that are interbedded with smectite-dominated arkosic, red, laterally discontinuous fluvial sandstones. Chemical and X-ray powder diffraction analyses of the corrensites show them to be di/dioctahedral with 060 spacings of 1.501 to 1.508 A and to contain significantly higher Al:Mg ratios than more common trioctahedral types. Calculated structural formulae are: corrensite, M0.6(Fe3+0.2Mg1.6Al4.6)(Al0.2Si7.8)O20(OH)10; illite/smectite, M1.5(Fe3+0.1Mg1.7Al2.8)(Al1.6Si6.4)O20(OH)4; and smectite, M0.9(Fe3+0.3Mg1.2Al2.8)(Al0.6Si7.4)O20(OH)4.
Characterization of Woody and Herbaceous Biomasses Lignin Composition with 1064 nm Dispersive Multichannel Raman Spectroscopy

Biomass representing different classes of bioenergy feedstocks, including woody and herbaceous species, was measured with 1064 nm Raman spectroscopy. Pine, oak, poplar, kenaf, miscanthus, pampas grass, switchgrass, alfalfa, orchard grass, and red clover were included in this study. Spectral differences have been identified with an emphasis on lignin guaiacyl and syringyl monomer content and carotenoid compounds. The interpretation of the Raman spectra was correlated with 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning spectra of select biomass samples. Thioacidolysis quantification of guaiacyl and syringyl monomer composition and the library of Raman spectra were used as a training set to develop a principal component analysis model for classifying plant samples and a principal component regression model for quantifying lignin guaiacyl and syringyl composition. Raman spectroscopy with 1064 nm excitation offers advantages over alternative techniques for biomass characterization, including low spectral backgrounds, higher spectral resolution, short analysis times, and nondestructive analyses.
Preparing Student Affairs Educators.

Changes in the preparation of student affairs educators are described and discussed in this chapter.
The Association Between Developmental Assets and Sexual Enjoyment Among Emerging Adults

Abstract Purpose To examine the associations between three key developmental assets and an aspect of sexual health, sexual enjoyment, which has rarely been studied in young adults, although its importance is stressed in all recent sexual health policy statements. Methods Using data from wave III (2001–2002) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, and multiple logistic and ordered logistic regression, we explored the associations between sexual pleasure and autonomy, self-esteem, and empathy among 3,237 respondents aged 18–26 years in heterosexual relationships of ≥3-month duration. We also examined the distribution of sexual pleasure across various socio-demographic groups. Results Compared with young women, young men reported more regular orgasms and more enjoyment of two kinds of partnered sexual behavior. Sexual enjoyment was not associated with age, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Among women, autonomy, self-esteem, and empathy co-varied positively with all three sexual enjoyment measures. Among men, all associations were in the same direction, but not all were statistically significant. Conclusion A substantial gender difference in enjoyment of partnered sexual behavior exists among emerging adults in the United States. This study is the first to use a representative population sample to find a relationship between developmental assets and a positive aspect of sexual health − sexual pleasure.
FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE GRIEF EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE (GEQ)

The Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ; T. W. Barrett & T. B. Scott, 1989) is a self-report measure of grief responses, including some that have been associated with grief after a suicide (e.g., feelings of rejection, responsibility, shame, stigmatization, etc.). In this study, a sample of 350 university students who had experienced the death of a significant other completed the GEQ. A principal components analysis with varimax rotation yielded an 8-factor solution with satisfactory psychometric properties. Results clearly document that the GEQ is a multidimensional measure of grief phenomenology. It is concluded that although the GEQ has broad applicability, the scale as revised herein may have a special relevance to suicide bereavement, and may be of use in both research and clinically based applications.
The role of endobronchial ultrasound in the diagnosis and staging of gastrointestinal malignancies

In addition to the critical role of endoscopic ultrasound in gastrointestinal malignancies, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) may compliment the evaluation and treatment of esophageal and nonesophageal malignancies. Using both convex and radial probe ultrasound, the mediastinum and parenchymal lung lesions may be evaluated to more precisely determine the extent of disease compared with traditional strategies. EBUS may also provide therapeutic advantages by assisting in stent placement or treating parenchymal metastases. This article aims to discuss the benefits derived from using EBUS in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies.
Loss of Periodontal Attachment in HIV‐Seropositive Military Personnel

The cross-sectional relationship between severe loss of periodontal attachment (LPA) and worsening immune status due to HIV infection was evaluated in 474 HIVinfected subjects (416 men, 58 women) aged 18 to 49 years who had been classified at stages 1 through 6 of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WR) Staging Classification System. LPA was measured at four sites per tooth using a manual probe; severe LPA was defined as ≥ 1 site/subject exhibiting ≥ 5 mm LPA. Severe LPA was found in 94 (20%) of the subjects. Modeling with multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that WR stage and peripheral CD4+ lymphocyte cell counts were not significant independent predictors of severe LPA. Severe LPA was more common in subjects at WR stage 5 or 6 who exhibited oral candidiasis (OC), a marker of immune system damage, than in persons at those WR stages without OC (odds ratio = 7.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.94–31.81). After the analysis controlled for WR stage, younger subjects receiving AZT had gr...
Solitons for breaking barriers to terabit/second WDM and OTDM transmission in the next millennium

If an optical pulse has a self-waveform-stabilization effect, it would be very useful for high-speed communication and signal processing. An optical soliton governed by the nonlinear Schrodinger equation is such a pulse, as it balances the group velocity dispersion with the fiber nonlinearity self-phase modulation. We describe progress on ultrahigh-speed optical communication in the time (TDM) and frequency domains (WDM) using soliton effects. Especially, we describe 1-Tb/s WDM soliton transmission and 1.28-Tb/s optical TDM (OTDM) linear transmission, in which the soliton effects play important roles in making the experiment successful. These techniques help pave the path for optical technology of the next century.
Youth suicide risk and preventive interventions: A review of the past 10 years.

ABSTRACT Objective To review critically the past 10 years of research on youth suicide. Method Research literature on youth suicide was reviewed following a systematic search of PsycINFO and Medline. The search for school-based suicide prevention programs was expanded using two education databases: ERIC and Education Full Text. Finally, manual reviews of articles' reference lists identified additional studies. The review focuses on epidemiology, risk factors, prevention strategies, and treatment protocols. Results There has been a dramatic decrease in the youth suicide rate during the past decade. Although a number of factors have been posited for the decline, one of the more plausible ones appears to be the increase in antidepressants being prescribed for adolescents during this period. Youth psychiatric disorder, a family history of suicide and psychopathology, stressful life events, and access to firearms are key risk factors for youth suicide. Exciting new findings have emerged on the biology of suicide in adults, but, while encouraging, these are yet to be replicated in youths. Promising prevention strategies, including school-based skills training for students, screening for at-risk youths, education of primary care physicians, media education, and lethal-means restriction, need continuing evaluation studies. Dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and treatment with antidepressants have been identified as promising treatments but have not yet been tested in a randomized clinical trial of youth suicide. Conclusions While tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of who is at risk for suicide, it is incumbent upon future research efforts to focus on the development and evaluation of empirically based suicide prevention and treatment protocols.
Some Thoughts on Energy Modeling

Several energy-modeling papers have identified a major policy theme in the correlation of increased coal reliance and the costs and methods of coal transport. The author summarizes these approaches and concludes that better techniques for model building and model verification are needed. He notes a major problem in interfacing the model builders and the decision makers, particularly in multi-issue situations where model developers suggest linking one-issue models through data banks. (DCK)
Interraction of pharmeceuticals with schardinger dextrins VI. Interactions of β‐cyclodextrin, sodium deoxycholate, and deoxycholic acid with amines and pharmaceutical agents

Data are presented for the interactions of β-cyclodextrin and sodium deoxycholate with 11 pharmaceutical agents in aqueous solution. Three of the compounds were also studied as to possible reactivity with deoxycholic acid. Interactions were observed with all of the systems studied. Similar solubility isotherms were obtained for the three pharmaceuticals when interacted with both deoxycholic acid and its sodium salt indicating possible similarities in the reaction mechanisms for these two complexing agents. The larger molecules showed a lower degree of interaction with both β-cyclodextrin and sodium deoxycholate, indicating the importance of molecular size and structure for optimum reactivity. Stoichiomet ries could he det ermined for several of the interactions due to the presence of plateau regions in their solubility isotherms. Formation constants and free energies of formation are also reported for a number of the insoluble complexes.
Imaging of the retinal nerve fibre layer for glaucoma.

Background: Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterised by retinal ganglion cell dysfunction and death. Detection of glaucoma and its progression are based on identification of abnormalities or changes in the optic nerve head (ONH) or the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), either functional or structural. This review will focus on the identification of structural abnormalities in the RNFL associated with glaucoma. Discussion: A variety of new techniques have been created and developed to move beyond photography, which generally requires subjective interpretation, to quantitative retinal imaging to measure RNFL loss. Scanning laser polarimetry uses polarised light to measure the RNFL birefringence to estimate tissue thickness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses low-coherence light to create high-resolution tomographic images of the retina from backscattered light in order to measure the tissue thickness of the retinal layers and intraretinal structures. Segmentation algorithms are used to measure the thickness of the retinal nerve fibre layer directly from the OCT images. In addition to these clinically available technologies, new techniques are in the research stages. Polarisation-sensitive OCT has been developed that combines the strengths of scanning laser polarimetry with those of OCT. Ultra-fast techniques for OCT have been created for research devices. The continued utilisation of imaging devices into the clinic is refining glaucoma assessment. In the past 20 years glaucoma has gone from a disease diagnosed and followed using highly subjective techniques to one measured quantitatively and increasingly objectively.
On the Outside Looking In: Loneliness and Social Monitoring:

The skill-deficit view of loneliness posits that unskilled social interactions block lonely individuals from social inclusion. The current studies examine loneliness in relation to social attention and perception processes thought to be important for socially skilled behavior. Two studies investigate the association between social monitoring (attention to social information and cues) and self-reported loneliness and number of close social ties. In Study 1, higher levels of loneliness are related to increased rather than decreased incidental social memory. In Study 2, individuals with fewer reported friends show heightened decoding of social cues in faces and voices. Results of these studies suggest that the attentional and perceptual building blocks of socially skilled behavior remain intact, and perhaps enhanced, in lonely individuals. Implications for recent models of belonging regulation and theories of loneliness are discussed.
Salvage Chemotherapy for Patients With Germ Cell Tumors: Is There a Best Regimen?

patients with poor-prognosis metastatic germ cell tumors. J Clin Oncol 25:247-256, 2007 6. de Wit R, Skoneczna I, Daugaard G, et al: Randomized phase III study comparing paclitaxel–bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) to standard BEP in intermediate-prognosis germ-cell cancer: Intergroup Study EORTC 30983. J Clin Oncol 30:792-799, 2012 7. Kollmannsberger C, Daneshmand S, So A, et al: Management of disseminated nonseminomatous germ cell tumors with risk-based chemotherapy followed by response-guided postchemotherapy surgery. J Clin Oncol 28:537-542, 2010 8. Olofsson SE, Tandstad T, Jerkeman M, et al: Population-based study of treatment guided by tumor marker decline in patients with metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor: A report from the Swedish-Norwegian Testicular Cancer Group. J Clin Oncol 29:2032-2039, 2011 9. Kris MG, Meropol NJ, Winer EP (eds): Accelerating progress against cancer: ASCO’s blueprint for transforming clinical and translational cancer research. http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Department%20Content/Cancer% 20Policy%20and%20Clinical%20Affairs/Downloads/Blueprint.pdf 10. Abernethy AP, Etheredge LM, Ganz PA, et al: Rapid-learning system for cancer care. J Clin Oncol 28:4268-4274, 2010 11. Frankovich J, Longhurst CA, Sutherland SM: Evidence-based medicine in the EMR era. N Engl J Med 365:1758-1759, 2011
Efficacy of once‐weekly dapsone dosing for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis post transplantation

Background Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) remains a concern after organ transplantation. In 2005, the University of Kentucky (UK) Transplant Center implemented a novel dosing regimen of weekly dapsone as an alternative for patients with contraindications or intolerability to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ), which remains the drug of choice. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of weekly dapsone with TMP-SMZ in preventing PCP post transplantation. Methods A single-center, cohort, retrospective review of kidney and liver transplant patients from January 2005 to December 2012 was conducted. Patients who were identified as dapsone cases were matched in a 1:1 ratio with TMP-SMZ controls based on type of transplant, age, primary diagnosis, and gender. The primary endpoint assessed was the diagnosis of PCP at 6 and 12 months post transplant. Results A total of 158 patients were included in the study. No documented cases of PCP occurred in either study group at 6 or 12 months (P = 1.0). In dapsone patients 35 (44%) cases of breakthrough infection occurred, compared to 24 (30%) in the TMP-SMZ group (P = 0.07) within 12 months post transplant. In the dapsone group, 52 (65%) patients were hospitalized within 6 months post transplant compared to 36 (46%) patients in the TMP-SMZ group (P = 0.01). Similar results were seen in patients hospitalized within 12 months post transplant; 49% of patients were switched from TMP-SMZ to dapsone owing to renal dysfunction. Conclusion No documented cases of PCP occurred in either study group. Future studies are warranted to show the efficacy of weekly dapsone dosing compared to other PCP prophylaxis regimens.
MAGI-3 Competes With NHERF-2 to Negatively Regulate LPA2 Receptor Signaling in Colon Cancer Cells

Background & Aims Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a potent inducer of colon cancer and LPA receptor type 2 (LPA 2 ) is overexpressed in colon tumors. LPA 2 interacts with membrane-associated guanylate kinase with inverted orientation-3 (MAGI-3) and the Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 2 (NHERF-2), but the biological effects of these interactions are unknown. We investigated the roles of MAGI-3 and NHERF-2 in LPA 2 -mediated signaling in human colon cancer cells. Methods We overexpressed or knocked down MAGI-3 in HCT116 and SW480 cells. The effects of MAGI-3 and NHERF-2 in LPA-induced cell migration, invasion, inositol phosphate generation, and nuclear factor-κB activation were determined. Expression of MAGI-3 and NHERF-2 in human colon tumor tissues was analyzed using tissue microarray analysis. Results NHERF-2 promoted migration and invasion of colon cancer cells, whereas MAGI-3 inhibited these processes. MAGI-3 competed with NHERF-2 for binding to LPA 2 and phospholipase C–β3. However, NHERF-2 and MAGI-3 reciprocally regulated LPA 2 -induced phospholipase C activity. MAGI-3 increased the interaction of LPA 2 with Gα 12 , whereas NHERF-2 preferentially promoted interaction between LPA 2 and Gα q . MAGI-3 decreased the tumorigenic capacity of LPA 2 by attenuating the activities of nuclear factor-κB and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. MAGI-3 and NHERF-2 were expressed differentially in colon adenocarcinomas, consistent with their opposing effects. Conclusions LPA 2 is dynamically regulated by 2 distinct PDZ proteins via modulation of G-protein coupling and receptor signaling. MAGI-3 is a negative regulator of LPA 2 signaling.