cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Women, Pregnancy, and Health Information Online The Making of Informed Patients and Ideal Mothers

While the Internet has emerged as a significant resource for women negotiating the questions and circumstances that arise during conception, pregnancy and childbirth, it remains unclear what role the Internet plays in challenging the current biomedical paradigm and empowering women to make meaningful choices. This article explores how women use the Internet to manage their pregnancies and mediate their doctor–patient relationships, particularly examining the role of social class and personal health history in shaping such Internet use. Drawing from in-depth interviews with white middle-class mothers, the findings show that rather than using technology to resist the dominant biomedical paradigm, most women turned to online resources that affirmed mainstream medical authority and continued to rely on their doctors. By providing the means to confirm normalcy and take control in their reproductive experiences, the Internet enables socially privileged women to more fully perform the informed patient role in or...
Adolescents' Interaction with Parents and Friends: Dialectics of Temporal Perspective and Evaluation

This research investigated the management of interaction with parents and friends as described by thirty-two high school juniors in open-ended interviews. An interpretive analysis of the respondents' remarks identified two dialectical principles informing their decisions to talk with parents and/or friends. The dialectic of historical perspective and contemporary experience regards opposing temporal orientations by parents and friends towards adolescent activities. The dialectic of judgement and acceptance involves polar evaluative tendencies demonstrated by parents and friends that were mediated by perceptions of caring. A qualitative ordering of hypotheses concerning the interplay of these principles is presented and implications are discussed.
p38 MAP Kinase Regulates Circadian Rhythms in Drosophila

The large repertoire of circadian rhythms in diverse organisms depends on oscillating central clock genes, input pathways for entrainment, and output pathways for controlling rhythmic behaviors. St...
Comparison of 14- and 90-day tests in rats for liver enlargement and stimulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes induced by the agricultural fungicide EL 241.

Abstract The relationship between liver enlargement and stimulation of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes was studied after feeding various dietary concentrations of the agricultural fungicide EL 241 [α,α-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-3-pyridinemethanol] to weanling male rates for 14 or 90 days. The dietary concentrations of EL 241 ranged from 15 to 2500 ppm. Weight gain was not affected unless the dietary concentration exceeded 200 ppm. Concentrations of 30–200 ppm increased the rate of p-nitroanisole O-demethylation in proportion to the log dose. Above 200 ppm, there was no further increase. Liver weight was increased by dietary concentrations greater than 50 ppm. Although the absolute liver weight reached a maximum at 310 ppm, the relative liver weight (g liver/100 g body weight) increased in proportion to the log dose throughout the dose range. The concentration of microsomal protein was increased in all animals that had an increased rate of p-nitroanisole metabolism. Except for the magnitude of the changes, the doseresponse relationships for induction of liver enlargement and stimulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes were comparable after either a 14- or 90-day treatment period.
A Novel Application of the MIRC Repository in Medical Education

Medical students on the radiology elective in our institution create electronic presentations to present to each other as part of the requirements for the rotation. Access was given to previous students’ presentations via the web-based system, Medical Imaging Resource Center (MIRC) project, created and supported by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). RadPix Power 2 MIRC (Weadock Software, LLC, Ann Arbor, MI) software converted the Microsoft PowerPoint (Redmond, WA) presentations to a MIRC-compatible format. The textual information on each slide is searchable across the entire MIRC database. Future students will be able to benefit from the work of their predecessors.
Addressing the theoretical and clinical advantages of combination therapy with inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system: antihypertensive effects and benefits beyond BP control.

Abstract Aims This article reviews the importance of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) in the cardiometabolic continuum; presents the pros and cons of dual RAAS blockade with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs); and examines the theoretical and practical benefits supporting the use of direct renin inhibitors (DRIs) in combination with ACEIs or ARBs. Main methods The author reviewed the literature for key publications related to the biochemical physiology of the RAAS and the pharmacodynamic effects of ACEIs, ARBs, and DRIs, with a particular focus on dual RAAS blockade with these drug classes. Key findings Although ACEI/ARB combination therapy produces modest improvement in BP, it has not resulted in the major improvements predicted given the importance of the RAAS across the cardiorenal disease continuum. This may reflect the fact that RAAS blockade with ACEIs and/or ARBs leads to exacerbated renin release through loss of negative-feedback inhibition, as well as ACE/aldosterone escape through RAAS and non-RAAS-mediated mechanisms. Plasma renin activity (PRA) is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality, even for patients receiving ACEIs and ARBs. When used alone or in combination with ACEIs and ARBs, the DRI aliskiren effectively reduces PRA. Reductions in BP are greater with these combinations, relative to the individual components alone. Significance It is possible that aliskiren plus either an ACEI or ARB may provide greater RAAS blockade than monotherapy with ACEIs or ARBs, and lead to additive improvement in BP and clinically important outcomes.
An apparatus for the study of classical fear conditioning

A photograph of an apparatus for the study of classical fear conditioning in rats is presented.
Occurrence of the rotifer, Habrotrocha cf. rosa Donner, in the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea L., (Sarraceniaceae) along the eastern seaboard of North America

Sarracenia purpurea L. plants were studiedin seven bogsalong the eastern seaboard of the United States fromNew Jersey to Georgia. Water sampled from 225 leaveswas found to contain several invertebrates. A singlebdelliod rotifer, a form of Habrotrocha cf. rosaDonner very similar to that described by Bateman(1987) in S. purpurea in western Newfoundland,was identified in 70% of the leaves. Investigationsare in progress to examine the possibility that thisstrong association indicates H. cf. rosa isspecific to S. purpurea.
Fuzzy logic techniques in multineuron studies

The following topics are discussed: parallel analyses; digital spike representation; stochastic spike representation; neural-fuzzy connection; fuzzy spike representation; artificial neural network (ANN) model; functional lesioning technique; multi-unit data; fuzzy spike trains; ANN performance; network analyses; effective connectivity. >
Dynamic behavior of glucose oxidase-containing microparticles of poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted cationic hydrogels in an environment of changing pH

Poly(diethylaminoethyl-g-ethylene glycol) microparticles were prepared by suspension polymerization of diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate and the crosslinking agent tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate in silicone oil using redox initiators. Particles of different sizes, crosslinking ratios and graft molecular weights were prepared. The changes in the swelling of the particles were studied as the pH was changed between 3.0 and 7.4. The particles showed rapid swelling/deswelling dynamics in response to changes in pH. It was evident that faster response could be obtained from smaller particles. Changing the crosslinking ratio resulted in changes in the extent of swelling, as well as the speed of response. It was also found that longer graft lengths were responsible for increasing the effect of relaxation of the swelling of the network.
Effects of prophage Mu induction on expression of adjacent host genes

The extent of induction and approximate amount of DNA replication of a Mu prophage carrying a gene for ampicillin resistance can be monitored by assaying the level of β-lactamase. The expression of thelacZ gene adjacent to either end of an induced Mu prophage remains virtually unaffected, until late in the Mu lytic cycle, while Mu DNA is replicating and transposing.
Globalization of the world economy

Abstract ‘Globalization of the world economy’ rolls trippingly off the tongue. The thing itself is 450 years old. By 1600 AD there was large-scale trade from the Americas and Asia into Europe. A poor country — Spain — used its great new mineral wealth from the Americas to support all its old unproductive habits and to buy glory. The sun never set on the Spanish domains, the first global empire in history. It did not shine there for long.
JUNIOR MORTGAGES IN REAL ESTATE FINANCE A CASE STUDY

THE NEED for a fuller understanding of the phenomenon of junior mortgage financing has been ably demonstrated by Professor Fred E. Case in a recent article in the Journal of Finance.1 Professor Case points out that this type of mortgage lending has grown in relative volume in the post-World War II period, although remaining a quantitatively minor portion of residential mortgage finance. While analysis of junior mortgage financing data from the 1950 Census of Housing is deemed significant, "the individualistic character of regional mortgage markets does not permit generalization of the findings, until studies on local mortgage market financing practices have been completed."2 One such study is provided by Professor Case for the Los Angeles County market. From an analysis of residential junior mortgage recordings for the period January 1, 1952-June 30, 1953, he finds that junior mortgages did not represent a quantitatively significant proportion of total residential mortgage financing. They were primarily purchase-money mortgages made by individuals on singlefamily owner-occupied homes, averaging $2,000 or less in size, and calling for amortization over short terms at 6 per cent interest. While the repayment record on junior mortgages was good, there was a higher delinquency rate than for conventional first mortgages. A similar study has been made for the Middletown, Connecticut, market, except that multifamily and non-residential properties have also been included. The emphasis of the Middletown study was placed on the years 1945-52. In addition, junior mortgage lending for selected years at five-year intervals from 1920 was studied to provide a historical perspective. For each year covered, a 100 per cent sample of mortgage recordings was taken from the Middletown Land Records. Each property was checked for use and ownership in the property descriptions in the Tax Assessor's Office.
Comparison of Four Sensory Evaluation Methods for Assessing Cooked Dry Bean Flavor

Flavor profile analysis (FPA), category scaling (CS), magnitude estimation (ME), and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) were compared in evaluating seven cultivars of cooked dry beans. Statistical analyses indicated that FPA, CS and QDA evaluated the beans similarly, but at different levels of flavor intensity. The methods revealed differences between beans in some characteristics but not in others. ME data (not analyzed statistically) supported results from FPA, CS and QDA except for one cultivar. There were slight differences in acceptability ratings following flavor evaluation by FPA, CS, QDA and ME. Variation between subjects was highly significant in all three methods, but subjects used the methods similarly and consistently. Choice of method thus depends on type, amount and depth of sensory information required.
Hurricane mitigation: Rational choice or market failure

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew came close to the worst-case scenario of emergency planners. Insured losses exceeded $15 billion but could have been four times that amount had the storm hit Miami directly. After the hurricane, it became obvious that the search for ways to limit property damage from future storms must include preemptive mitigation. Mitigation includes actions taken prior to a storm that limits potential damage. Economists would suggest that the most efficient way to achieve an increase in mitigation would be for property owners to perform the mitigation voluntarily. In this way, people who must live with the consequences of their decision must evaluate the cost-to-benefit trade-off themselves. However, policy makers are reluctant to rely on voluntary mitigation because the assumption has been that people ignore the risk that hurricanes pose. If this assumption were true, there would be no additional value attached to property that contained mitigation features. One obvious form of hurricane mitigation is hurricane shutters. Shutters protect the property by making it less likely for airborne debris to break windows or doors. Once a window is breached, wind pressure builds on the roof from inside the home and property damage increases dramatically. Purchasers of real estate are aware of the existence of these shutters and if voluntary mitigation has value, then homes with shutters would be expected to sell at a premium. To test this hypothesis, real estate sales data were collected from a gulf coast island community that included detailed attributes on each listing, including the existence of storm shutters. Using these data, it was possible to examine the influence of storm shutters on the eventual sale price of the home. Three key results came from the study. First, homes with shutters do sell at a premium. In fact, the premium very nearly captures the retrofit cost of installing the shutters. This means that the investment in storm shutters can almost be recouped at resale for homes that do not currently have shutters. Second, the size of the premium decreases as the risk to the home decreases. Beachfront homes contain the highest premium while homes farther away from the beach showed decreasing premiums. Homes on the mainland contained no premium, indicating that the negative aesthetic effects of the shutters outweighed the increased safety. Third, recent hurricane activity had no effect on the premium. This result indicates that the market value of shutters is constant rather than varying with recent events. In conclusion, there appears to be a viable market for hurricane mitigation. If policy makers wish to increase the use of hurricane mitigation, programs that supplement rather than replace the market may indeed be effective. This is not to suggest that initiatives such as enhanced building codes should be abandoned. It does suggest, however, that property owners evaluate the risk rationally and price the added protection accordingly. (JEL D8)
An Unusual Dephosphorylation Reaction

Abstract In the course of our work to prepare l1, Z2-seco-nucleotides, an unusual dephosphorylation reaction took place. When compound 1 was subjected to transfer hydrogenation conditions, the expected product was not obtained. Instead, a crystalline solid that proved not to have phosphorus was isolated in 78% yield. 1H and 13C nmr analyses confirmed the hydrogenolysis of the benzyl groups as well as the loss of the phenyl esters. with elemental analytical data suggested that the structure of the compound could be either the 2′,5′-anhydro (2, R[dbnd]H) or 3′,5′-an- hydro derivative 3. precluded the use of spectroscopic analyses to prove the struc-ture. However, based on our experience with related compounds, structure 2 was favored, and we set out to prove it by another synthetic route.
Transformation and transport of ammonium nitrogen in a flooded organic soil

Abstract Outdoor microcosms were used to determine inorganic-N fluxes from a flooded organic soil to the overlying water column. In the two experimental systems evaluated, the floodwater was either exposed to daylight or was covered to prevent light. During the 217-day study, the estimated inorganic-N flux from the soil to overlying water was in the range of 220–330 kg N ha−1 year−1. About 20–30% of the added 15NH4-N was lost from the soil via denitrification and NH3 volatilization. Losses of NH4-N were generally higher when the floodwater surface was exposed to light. Measured changes in porewater NH4+ concentration profiles in the soil agreed with the trends predicted by a simulation model that coupled the dynamics of N transport and transformations in both the soil and the floodwater.
Reversed experimental calibration of the garnet-clinopyroxene Fe — Mg exchange thermometer

The temperature-sensitive Fe,Mg exchange equilibrium, $$\begin{gathered} = {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 3}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 3}Mg_3 A1_2 Si_3 O_{12} + CaFeSi_2 O_6 \hfill \\ {\text{ pyrope hedenbergite}} \hfill \\ \hfill \\ {\text{ = }}{{\text{1}} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\text{1}} 3}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 3}Fe_3 A1_2 Si_3 O_{12} + CaMgSi_2 O_6 \hfill \\ {\text{ almandine diopside}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$$ has been investigated experimentally at 15 and 29 kbar and 700°–1200° C, with 59 reversals and 6 half reversals of the equilibrium clinopyroxene compositions from synthetic crystalline solid solutions. The effect of Ca in garnet was investigated with grossular mole fractions of 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. Garnet compositions in garnet-clinopyroxene reversal mixes were maintained constant during the runs by overwhelming abundance of garnet (90–95%). Reequilibration of rims of high-Fe and low-Fe clinopyroxene seeds gave tight reversal brackets. Ca and Al contents of the clinopyroxenes showed systematic variations with T and bulk compositions but were not reversed. The results calibrate a geothermometer for garnet amphibolites, granulites and eclogites with clinopyroxene low in Na. The garnet-clinopyroxene distribution curves are asymmetric, in contrast to those of the previous experimental studies of Raheim and Green (1974) and Ellis and Green (1979). There is an increase of indicated temperature of about 100° C per 10 mole percent increase of grossular in garnet and a pressure effect of about 5.5° C/kbar. Overall, the present calibration generally gives temperatures 0–60° C lower than Raheim and Green, 60–150° C lower than Ellis and Green, and 100–300° C lower than other semi-empirical and theoretical scales. When applied to many samples from granulite facies terrains, the general result is a spread of calculated temperatures, many in the range 550–650° C, with some in the range 700–800° C. This appears to indicate that retrograde resetting to lower temperatures is common and that the most reliable indication of peak or near-peak temperatures for a given terrain is the upper part of the calculated temperature range. The Fe,Mg distribution curves of this study require asymmetric non-ideal mixing in diopside-hedenbergite. The magnitude of nonideality is not as large as found by modelling Fe,Mg distributions with ilmenite (Bishop 1980) or orthopyroxene (Saxena et al. 1986).
Assessing adolescents' anticipated behavioral and emotional responses to offers of alcohol and marijuana

The Adolescent Responses to Alcohol and Drug Offers Scale (ARADOS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess a respondent's anticipated emotional reactions and intended use of cognitive-behavioral refusal skills in response to an offer of alcohol or other drug. A sample of 267 students enrolled in the 11th and 12th grades of four public high schools located in northwest Ohio completed four versions of the ARADOS. Factor analyses of the 27 listed resistance responses suggested five clusters of items comprising internally consistent though inter-correlated subscales (Inform others, Aggression, Verbal or nonverbal refusal, Deflection, Deception). Psychometric analyses revealed that ARADOS subscale scores often differed significantly as a function of drug type (alcohol or marijuana) and offerer (close friend or acquaintance), that resistance scores were generally consistent with participants' pre-existing decision to accept or reject offers of alcohol or marijuana, and that anticipated use of resistance responses was significantly correlated with resistance responses used in the past. The ARADOS is a relatively short, easily-scored, contextually-sensitive, self-administered questionnaire that could be used to evaluate education/prevention programs (and clinical interventions) designed to enhance adolescents' refusal of alcohol and drugs.
A real time system for quantifying and displaying two-dimensional velocities using ultrasound

This paper describes a system that has been developed for measuring two-dimensional velocities in real time using ultrasound. The instrument tracks interframe speckle pattern motion using a Sum-Absolute-Difference (SAD) algorithm in order to produce a vector map of 2D velocities. The system's parallel architecture allows calculation of approximately 20,000 vectors per second using the current tracking geometry. A programmable graphics processor encodes individual velocity vectors with color and displays them superimposed on the B-mode image in real time. In vitro tests indicate that the system can track velocities well over the Doppler aliasing limit in any direction in the scan plane with greater than 94% accuracy. A color encoded image obtained from a flow phantom highlights the system's ability to display lateral motion with uniform coloration, in contrast to the two-color display of current ultrasonic Doppler instruments.
A Monte Carlo Study of Isomers and Structural Evolution in Benzene−Cyclohexane Clusters: (C6H6)(C6H12)n, n = 3−7, 12

Monte Carlo simulated annealing strategies, carried out on four different potential energy surfaces, are applied to benzene-cyclohexane clusters, BC n , n = 3-7, 12, to identify low-energy isomers and to trace the evolution of structures as a function of cluster size. Initial structures are first heated to ensure randomization, and subsequent annealing yields optimized rigid, low-energy clusters. Five major structural isomers are identified for BC 3 : one assumes the form of a symmetric, modified sandwich; the remaining four lack general symmetry, assuming distorted tetrahedral arrangements. For BC 4 and larger clusters, the number of low-temperature isomers is large. It is, nevertheless, feasible to classify isomers into groups based on structural similarities. The evolution of BC n structures as a function of cluster size is observed to follow one of two primary paths: The first maximizes benzene-cyclohexane interactions and places benzene in or near the BC n cluster center; the competing path maximizes cyclohexane-cyclohexane interactions and distances benzene from the cluster's center of mass. Results for BC 3 and BC 4 are discussed with reference to experimental results and models previously applied to interpret benzene-argon cluster spectra.
Retrospective and subsequent metropolitan residential mobility

The focus of United States residential mobility research on either past or future moves has hindered an integration of demographic and social psychological perspectives of the type that have been used in the study of human fertility. This paper combines retrospective and subsequent mobility data obtained from a Los Angeles area probability sample to demonstrate that a past mobility—choice, plan—actualization sequence is congruent with subsequent moves.
Powder coating technology

POWDER coating technology has provided a means of applying resin coatings to substrates via processing techniques which have two distinct advantages over conventional coating procedures. The first and probably most significant advantage from an ecological standpoint is the elimination of solvent carriers. The absence of solvents eliminates the emission of fumes and vapours thereby providing an environment that is virtually free of pollutants. Safety standards are also improved because the hazard of fire is substantially reduced.
Virtual reality-based simulation training for ventriculostomy: an evidence-based approach.

BACKGROUND:Virtual reality (VR) simulation-based technologies play an important role in neurosurgical resident training. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Simulation Committee developed a simulation-based curriculum incorporating VR simulators to train residents in the management of common
Treatments for Recidivism Risk Among Justice-Involved Veterans

Recidivism among U.S. military veterans with criminal justice system involvement is of national concern. This article reviews evidence-based and promising treatments to reduce recidivism risk, and suggests treatment adaptations and research to ensure that treatments are effective for veterans. Interventions focus on the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, stating that treatments should target adults at high risk of recidivism, and account for individual characteristics. Promising are cognitive-behavioral treatments to change antisocial thinking, such as Moral Reconation Therapy, Reasoning and Rehabilitation, and Thinking For a Change. Treatments need evaluation within justice-involved veteran samples, and may require adaptation due to veterans' military training and experience, mental health concerns, and other characteristics. We present the Department of Veterans Affairs' efforts to reduce recidivism risk among the heterogeneous population of justice-involved veterans.
A Novel Derivatization Procedure for the Vapor-Phase Analysis of Tryptophan

Abstract L-Tryptophan is condensed with formaldehyde to yield 2,3,4,5-tetra-hydro-β-carboline-4-carboxylic acid. The trimethylsilyl derivative of this compound is suitable for selective ion monitoring during combined gas chromatography - mass spectrometry since it affords a relatively abundant molecular ion of high MSS.
Erratum to “Characterization and cloning of GP50, a Taenia solium antigen diagnostic for cysticercosis”: [Mol Biochem Parasitol 133 (2004) 115–124]

Erratum to “Characterization and cloning of GP50, a Taenia solium antigen diagnostic for cysticercosis” [Mol Biochem Parasitol 133 (2004) 115–124] Kathy Hancock a,∗, Sowmya Pattabhi a, Ryan M. Greene b, Melinda L. Yushak a, Fatima Williams c, Azra Khan a, Jeffrey W. Priest a, Min Z. Levine a, Victor C.W. Tsang a a Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bldg. 23, Room 1001, Mail Stop F-13, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA b Department of Otolarynogology, Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Illinois at Chicago, 1855 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA c Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, 3400 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
Cyclosporin treatment for aplastic anemia: A case report demonstrating a second response to second exposure to cyclosporin

Cyclosporin has been used in the treatment of aplastic anemia, often in combination with other drugs, making it difficult to make a clear distinction between the effects of cyclosporin and those of other treatments. This report demonstrates a clear response of a patient with aplastic anemia to single drug cyclosporin therapy.
Double-ended backward-wave Yagi hybrid antenna

A structurally simple antenna configuration which offers lower sidelobe levels than a conventional Yagi is described. The antenna combines a backward-wave excited array with a Yagi parasitically-excited array of dipoles.
Haptic fMRI: Combining functional neuroimaging with haptics for studying the brain's motor control representation

A challenging problem in motor control neuroimaging studies is the inability to perform complex human motor tasks given the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner's disruptive magnetic fields and confined workspace. In this paper, we propose a novel experimental platform that combines Functional MRI (fMRI) neuroimaging, haptic virtual simulation environments, and an fMRI-compatible haptic device for real-time haptic interaction across the scanner workspace (above torso ~ .65×.40×.20m 3 ). We implement this Haptic fMRI platform with a novel haptic device, the Haptic fMRI Interface (HFI), and demonstrate its suitability for motor neuroimaging studies. HFI has three degrees-of-freedom (DOF), uses electromagnetic motors to enable high-fidelity haptic rendering (>350Hz), integrates radio frequency (RF) shields to prevent electromagnetic interference with fMRI (temporal SNR >100), and is kinematically designed to minimize currents induced by the MRI scanner's magnetic field during motor displacement (<;2cm). HFI possesses uniform inertial and force transmission properties across the workspace, and has low friction (.05-.30N). HFI's RF noise levels, in addition, are within a 3 Tesla fMRI scanner's baseline noise variation (~.85±.1%). Finally, HFI is haptically transparent and does not interfere with human motor tasks (tested for .4m reaches). By allowing fMRI experiments involving complex three-dimensional manipulation with haptic interaction, Haptic fMRI enables-for the first time-non-invasive neuroscience experiments involving interactive motor tasks, object manipulation, tactile perception, and visuo-motor integration.
Reading Difficulties and Grade Retention: What's the Connection for English Language Learners?

Much of the student diversity in U.S. schools reflects increasing numbers of English language learners (ELL). ELL represent a very heterogeneous group in terms of their native language proficiency, educational experiences, access to quality early childhood programs, and immigration experiences. An unfortunate commonality they often share is poor academic achievement, particularly in the area of reading. Higher rates of grade retention and school dropout are consistently linked to poor academic performance. This article discusses literacy development, reading difficulties related to special education identification, and reading interventions for ELL. Practical strategies for reading instruction are also provided.
API usability: CHI'2009 special interest group meeting

Programmers of all types from novice end-user developers to professional software engineers make use of application programming interfaces (API) within their various designs. And, while the use of these interfaces is ubiquitous, there is little research about their design. Recently, a number of researchers and practitioners have begun to treat API design as a first-order object of study and practice. The purpose of this special interest group meeting is to bring together the community of usability researchers and professionals interested in API usability. The time will be used to discuss attendees' ideas and opinions in order to stimulate this new and exciting emerging field that crosses the boundaries between human-computer interaction and software engineering.
Scuffing Failure in Heavily Loaded Slow Speed Conformal Sliding Contacts

Scuffing failure phenomenon is studied experimentally in heavily loaded slow speed conformal sliding contacts of two flat thrust washers in a regime close to boundary lubricated condition. Lubricants used are base oils of pure mineral oil and poly-α-olefin (PAO). Speed range is 0.76–33.0 cm/s. Material studied is hardened 52100 steel for both washers in contact. Scuffing threshold load at failure, friction, and surface bulk temperature are major data measured. The surface total temperature is determined with the measure bulk temperature in addition to the surface flash temperature calculated using Jaeger’s theory. Characteristic scuffing failure mechanisms are categorized in terms of various speed ranges. A simple model is proposed to predict scuffing failure based on theories in adsorption/desorption dominated lubricated wear and metal oxide formation kinetics. Good agreement is found between experimental data and theoretical prediction in terms of threshold load in certain speed range.
A nonsexist look at the shift to risk

This paper reports the results of a study in which male and female subjects are exposed to standard shift-to-risk dilemmas in which the central character is either male or female, rather than just male as in previous research. It was found that, while subjects shift to risk on dilemmas with male characters, they generally do not show such shifts on dilemmas with female characters. Results are discussed in terms of major theories of the shift to risk and sex bias on the part of researchers in this area.
Theoretical Solid/Solution Ratio Effects on Adsorption and Transport: Uranium(VI) and Carbonate

The reactive transport of metal and radionuclide contaminants in the subsurface often significantly influences their long-term fate and effect in the environment. Typically, predictions of contaminant migration at a site involve the measurement of a distribution coefficient (K D ), which is used to describe the interactions between the contaminant and the subsurface. The typical implicit assumption is that the adsorption isotherm (e.g., K D ) is independent of the solid/solution ratio. Many geochemical factors, however, play a significant role in the reactive transport of contaminants in groundwater. The adsorption and transport of U(VI), for example, is strongly influenced by the presence of Fe oxyhydroxides and the carbonate system. However, these solutes or adsorbates and adsorbent interact with one another in a complex and highly nonlinear manner. Modeling of U(VI) adsorption has shown that under certain conditions, the solid/solution ratio can theoretically have a significant impact on the U(VI) adsorption isotherm. In particular, combining strongly interacting solutes [U(VI) and carbonate] and adsorbents [Fe(III) oxyhydroxides] that have monocomponent solute or adsorbate adsorption isotherms that are independent of the solid/solution ratio results in a multicomponent system where adsorption isotherms become dependent on the solid/solution ratio. The solid/solution ratio can therefore be critical when extrapolating the results of batch experiments, generally conducted at low solid/solution ratios, to column experiments and then to the field. These results have implications for modeling, scaling, and predicting the reactive transport of U(VI) and other strongly interacting solutes (e.g., metals and dissolved organic C) in subsurface environments.
Analyzing Human-Animal Relationship Measures

AbstractApproaches for estimating the utility of human-animal relationship measures are presented and discussed. Three primary measures of the reliability and validity of assessment instruments, Cronbach alpha, Pearson correlations, and factor analysis, are illustrated with recently developed measures of companion-animal bonding and attitudes toward animals.
Constriction of the fetal ductus arteriosus after administration of indomethacin to the pregnant ewe

The prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor indomethacin was given orally or intravenously to pregnant ewes.This resulted in the fetal pulmonary to systemic arterial mean blood pressure difference across the ductus arteriosus rising significantly, presumably secondary to constriction of the ductus arteriosus. The pressure difference was due to pulmonary arterial hypertension, and not due to a fall in systemic arterial mean blood pressure. Fetal arterial blood gas tensions and pH values were normal throughout. In five experiments the pressure difference could be promptly but temporarily reversed by the administration of PGE 1 into the fetal inferior vena cava. Indomethacin was present in fetal blood, and maternal plasma prostaglandin levels were suppressed. Indomethacin administration during pregnancy causes constriction of the fetal ductus arteriosus and fetal pulmonary arterial hypertension which, if severe, may cause rapid fetal death. It is possible that this mechanism may be one cause of persistent pulmonary hypertension or tricuspid insufficiency or both in the newborn infant.
Remembering Scottsboro: The Legacy of an Infamous Trial

Remembering Scottsboro: The Legacy of an Infamous Trial JAMES A. MILLER, 2009 Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press xii + 280 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliography and index. $27.95. “S...
Initial therapy of suspected microbial corneal ulcers: II. Specific antibiotic therapy based on corneal smears

The encounter of the microorganism with the cornea is a complex event which generates tissue destruction through multiple host and organism-derived mediators. Suspicion of microbial invasion, proper utilization of the microbiology laboratory, and initiation of effective antimicrobial agents are the crucial measures in controlling the replicating organism and preserving visual function.
Characterization of evaporated Cr-SiO cermet films for resistive-gate CCD applications

The films were evaporated from power sources of different Cr-SiO compositions. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling was carried out to measure the uniformity of the cermet composition. Electrical conduction in the cermet films was measured at temperatures ranging from 50 to 370 K, before and after annealing. The electrical characteristics of cermet/GaAs Schottky diodes were measured and compared to those of Cr/GaAs and Al/GaAs diodes. The I-V characteristics of the diodes before annealing were almost the same; however, annealing the cermet/GaAs diode at 425 degrees C for as short a time as 45 s reduced reverse leakage current by nearly two orders of magnitude, producing better Schottky diode characteristics than those of annealed Al and Cr Schottky diodes. The effects of rapid thermal annealing on the cermet/GaAs diodes and cermet films was investigated. A resistive-gate GaAs CCD delay line was fabricated and tested to demonstrate the performance of the evaporated Cr-SiO cermet as a resistive material. >
Reflux and Cough

Reflux is a significant contributor to cough in otolaryngology practice; cough is just one marker of its many negative effects on the upper aerodigestive tract. Reflux causes cough both by direct irritation/inflammation and by increasing sensitivities to other noxious agents. Detailed and diligent clinical evaluation, including laryngoscopy, is useful in advancing the working diagnosis of reflux-associated cough. Supplemental testing, including impedance monitoring of esophageal refluxate, can be important to evaluate for both acidic and nonacidic reflux exposure. The mainstay of treatment continues to be dietary and other lifestyle interventions and drug therapy. Although proton-pump inhibitor therapy is effective in most patients, especially those with acid reflux disease, prokinetic therapy is probably very important with those with combined acid and nonacid disease and those with pure nonacid disease. It is likely that failure to improve can be due to behavioral and drug compliance issues. Antireflux surgery can yield long-lasting positive outcomes in carefully selected patients despite the lower efficacy of treatment for primary upper aerodigestive tract symptoms (cough, hoarseness, sore throat) compared with heartburn and regurgitation.
Logic programs and an experimental architecture for their execution

Logic programming provides new ways of solving problems by computer, and offers opportunities for concurrent processing. The declarative style of logic programming is contrasted with the imperative style of conventional programming languages. A simple example of a logic network is used to draw out the distinction, and is followed by a review of the corresponding execution sequence. The operations of variable binding and unification are discussed in detail. The Syracuse unification machine, a coprocessor for a logic programming system, has been designed to carry out these operations efficiently with the aid of concurrent processing units and content-addressable memory.
Mycobacterium-related ocular inflammatory disease: diagnosis and management.

Introduction: Worldwide, there are approximately 8 million new cases and 3 million deaths from tuberculosis (TB) each year. TB affects the entire body and the eye. Although ocular TB is considered rare, its incidence has varied widely across time, patient populations, and geography. We report 2 patients with unique presentations of ocular TB and detail the treatment and outcome of the disease. Materials and Methods: Two cases of ocular inflammation, one with a medical history of systemic TB and the other, with that of presumed systemic TB, were examined. Choroidal granuloma developed in one, and scleritis developed in the other. The literature on ocular TB was comprehensively reviewed. Results: Both patients were diagnosed with ocular TB. The histology of the systemic TB lesions was also illustrated. They responded to aggressive antiTB and anti-inflammatory therapies. Conclusions: The diagnosis and management of ocular TB can pose a significant challenge. Physicians and ophthalmologists must include TB among the differential diagnoses of patients with ocular inflammatory diseases and treat ocular TB with a combination of anti-TB and immunosuppressive medications as needed. Immunosuppressive medications applied in this setting must be cautioned and only prescribed by ophthalmologists who are familiar with these agents. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2006;35:203-9
Effects of MMT® Fuel Additive on Emission System Components: Comparison of Clear- and MMT®-fueled Escort Vehicles from the Alliance Study

Emission studies were carried out on clear-fueled and MMT-fueled 100,000-mile Escort vehicles from the Alliance study [SAE 2002-01-2894]. Alliance testing had revealed substantially higher emissions from the MMTfueled vehicle, and the present study involved swapping the engine cylinder heads, spark plugs, oxygen sensors, and catalysts between the two vehicles to identify the specific components responsible for the emissions increase. Within 90% confidence limits, all of the emissions differences between the MMTand Clearvehicles could be accounted for by the selected components. NMHC emission increases were primarily attributed to the effects of the MMT cylinder head and spark plugs on both engine-out and tailpipe emissions. CO emission increases were largely traced to the MMT cylinder head and its effect on tailpipe emissions. NOx emission increases were linked to the MMT catalyst. In addition to heavy deposits on the valves and spark plugs from the MMT vehicle, substantial deposits were also observed on the catalyst, with approximately 20% of the channels totally blocked.
Deterministic upperbounds of the worst-case execution times of cached programs

Proposes techniques to derive the worst-case execution time (WCET) of cached programs. We focus on the analysis of one single program run on a direct-mapped cache, where no external interference could occur. The analysis complexity of the WCET of (un)cached programs is NP-complete. For nested loops, we derive some sufficient conditions in deriving the deterministic bounds of their WCET. These sufficient conditions can be used to make trade-offs between tightness of the WCET bounds and their search time. >
S. Hendrickx: Love, Sex & Long-Term Relationships: What People with Asperger Syndrome Really Really Want

The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com There is a long history of specialty self-help books regarding love and relationships for adults; however, few books target adults with Asperger Syndrome as the intended audience. Sarah Hendrickx’s book, Love, Sex & LongTerm Relationships: What People with Asperger Syndrome Really Really Want, is a welcome addition to this collection of literature. Written primarily as an instructional guide for adults with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and their partners, this book offers a direct and focused discussion about dating, relationships, love and intimacy, and sexual behaviors. Due to the often limited social interactions that individuals with AS experience throughout their life, Hendrickx attempts to provide the information and lessons that neurotypical individuals often gain through discussions with friends, intimate encounters with partners, and subtle social cues in a straightforward and concrete manner. The information and perspectives presented in this book are derived from Hendrickx’s own experience—she is a neurotypical partner of a man with AS—and also from surveys and interviews from single individuals with AS, those in relationships, and their partners—some with AS and others
Leveraging knowledge representation, usage, and interpretation to help reengineer the product development life cycle: visual computing and the tacit dimensions of product development

The rapid proliferation of visual computing technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D) modeling. 3D simulation, and virtual reality (VR), is precipitating changes in the way that designers and engineers work. Visual 3D information processing is replacing traditional two-dimensional (2D), numeric and language-based information processing. Many firms are adopting these 3D technologies (3DT) to support product development, electronic commerce and decision-making, yet very little research can be found in the Information Systems (IS) literature about how firms are strategically utilizing this technology. Our research investigated how 3D technologies mediated the knowledge explication process in product development. In this paper, we discuss an exploratory study on the innovative use of 3DT in two companies. This research contributes to the IS field by providing a theoretical framework on how visual computing technologies can better capture, represent, interpret and share organizational knowledge within a product development context.
Metabolism of N-acetylbenzidine and initiation of bladder cancer

A 100-fold increased incidence of bladder cancer is observed with workers exposed to high levels of benzidine (BZ). This review evaluates the overall metabolism of BZ to determine pathways involved in initiation of carcinogenesis. Enzymatic and liver slice incubations demonstrated N-acetylation and N-glucuronidation of BZ and N-acetylbenzidine (ABZ). With rat, N,N'-diacetylbenzidine (DABZ) is the major slice metabolite. With human, ABZ is the major metabolite along with N-glucuronides. Differences between rat and human are attributed to preferential acetylation of BZ and deacetylation of DABZ, resulting in N-glucuronide formation by human liver. Glucuronidation of BZ and its analogues exhibited the following relative ranking of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) metabolism: UGT1A9>UGT1A4>>UGT2B7>UGT1A6 approximately UGT1A1. N-Glucuronides of BZ, ABZ, and N'-hydroxy-N-acetylbenzidine (N'HA) are acid labile with the latter having a much longer t(1/2) than the former two glucuronides. O-Glucuronides are not acid labile. In urine from BZ-exposed workers, an inverse relationship between urine pH and levels of free (unconjugated) BZ and ABZ is observed. This is consistent with the presence of labile urinary N-glucuronides. Cytochrome P-450 oxidizes BZ to an inactive product (3-OHz.sbnd;BZ) and ABZ to N'HA and N-hydroxy-N-acetylbenzidine (NHA). Cytochrome P-450, PHS, and horseradish peroxidase activate ABZ to bind DNA forming N'-(3'-monophospho-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-N-acetylbenzidine (dGp-ABZ). This is the major adduct detected in bladder cells from workers exposed to BZ. An inverse relationship exists between urine pH and levels of bladder cell dGp-ABZ. Bladder epithelium contains relatively high levels of prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) and low levels of cytochrome p-450, suggesting activation by PHS. Activation by PHS involves a peroxygenase oxidation of ABZ to N'HA, while horseradish peroxidase activates ABZ to a diimine monocation. Reactive nitrogen oxygen species (RNOS) offer a new pathway for metabolism and potential activation. Results suggest BZ initiation of bladder cancer is complex, involving multiple organs (i.e. liver, kidney, and bladder) and metabolic pathways (i.e. N-acetylation, N-glucuronidation, peroxidation, and RNOS).