cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gregory Research Beliefs Scale: Psychometric properties and social work student survey results

In the United States (US) there is an increasing numbers of social work students and social work practitioners represent the majority of mental health professionals. Consequently the role of eviden...
Hydrides, Halides, and Polymers: Some Unexpected Intermediates on the Routes to First-Row Transition Metal M{N(SiMe3)2}n (n = 2, 3) Complexes.

The reaction of 2 equiv of LiN(SiMe3)2·Et2O with TiCl3(NMe3)2 or VCl3(NMe3)2 afforded the dimeric, halide bridged complexes [Ti(μ-Cl){N(SiMe3)2}2]2 (1) or [V(μ-Cl){N(SiMe3)2}2]2 (2) in moderate yields. The reduction of titanium complex 1 with 3 equiv of 5% (wt) Na/NaCl gave the mixed metal titanium/sodium hydride cluster Ti2(μ-H)2{N(SiMe3)2}3{N(SiMe3)(SiMe2CH)}(Na) (3), which was formed by activation of two C-H bonds at a single methyl group of one of the bis(trimethylsilyl)amide ligands. Attempts to form the analogous vanadium complex by reduction of 2 gave only intractable products. Treatment of Co{N(SiMe3)2}2 with 1 equiv of BrN(SiMe3)2 (which was previously shown to give the unique three-coordinate cobalt(III) trisamide Co{N(SiMe3)2}3) afforded the polymeric [(μ-Br)Co{μ-N(SiMe3)(SiMe2CH2CH2Me2Si)(Me3Si)μ-N}Co(μ-Br)]∞ (4) as a second product, which was shown by a structural analysis to possess a carbon-carbon bond formed between the two ligands. Attempts to isolate manganese and iron complexes analogous to 4 were unsuccessful. The role of bromine in these reactions was further studied by examining the reaction of 0.5 equiv of elemental bromine with [Mn{N(SiMe3)2}2]2 or [Co{N(SiMe3)2}2]2, which for manganese was shown to give the previously reported manganese trisamide Mn{N(SiMe3)2}3 but for cobalt gives the dimeric amide-bridged [Co(Br){μ-N(SiMe3)2}]2 (5).
The Sucking Lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) of Georgia, USA: Hosts, Geographical Distributions, and Medical/Veterinary Importance

Abstract Twenty-five species of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are recorded from Georgia, USA. One of these species is currently recognized as 2 distinct subspecies, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus L.) and head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer) of humans. Gray squirrels, southern flying squirrels, humans, and domestic cattle are parasitized by relatively rich faunas of sucking lice in Georgia with 3 characteristic species/subspecies recorded from each of these hosts within the state. Despite some previously published erroneous host-louse records, most species of sucking lice are host specific in Georgia. Sucking lice have been recorded from domestic hogs, cattle, equines, goats, and dogs in Georgia, and some of these lice can cause veterinary problems. The head louse is common in Georgia, especially in school children. The crab/pubic louse [Pthirus pubis (L.)] also appears to be widespread in the state. We report only one verified record of the body louse from Georgia, but we susp...
Using Domain Models for System Testing

Abstract Domain models [8, 9, 25] have long been used as a basis for software development and reuse. We present a specialized, simplified domain model that has been used for system testing in industry as the framework for a system testing approach we call application domain-based testing. Sleuth , a test-suite generation tool, is based on this concept. We report on the domain analysis, the domain model components, and industrial experience of reusing domain models and tests generated with Sleuth
On the hardness and inapproximability of optimization problems on power law graphs

The discovery of power law distribution in degree sequence (i.e. the number of vertices with degree i is proportional to i-β for some constant β) of many large-scale real networks creates a belief that it may be easier to solve many optimization problems in such networks. Our works focus on the hardness and inapproximability of optimization problems on power law graphs (PLG). In this paper, we show that the MINIMUM DOMINATING SET, MINIMUM VERTEX COVER AND MAXIMUM INDEPENDENT SET are still APX-hard on power law graphs. We further show the inapproximability factors of these optimization problems and a more general problem (ρ-MINIMUM DOMINATING SET), which proved that a belief of (1 + o(1))-approximation algorithm for these problems on power law graphs is not always true. In order to show the above theoretical results, we propose a general cycle-based embedding technique to embed any d-bounded graphs into a power law graph. In addition, we present a brief description of the relationship between the exponential factor β and constant greedy approximation algorithms.
Boron insertion reactions

Abstract Anions derived from 1- and 2-[(CH3)3MIV]B5H8 by proton abstraction reaction with (CH3)2BCl to produce 1- and 2-[(CH3)3MIV]-μ-[(CH3)2B]B5H7 (MIV = Si, Ge). Spectroscopic evidence indicates that the (CH3)2B moiety occupies a bridging position between two boron atoms in the base of the pentaborane(9) pyramid. When the (CH3)3MIV substituent is in a 2-position it appears to be attached to a boron atom adjacent to the bridging (CH3)2B group. These new B5H9 derivatives do not undergo the expected rearrangement to a corresponding hexaborane(10) derivative, whereas μ-[(CH3)2B]B5H8 itself rearranges readily.
International teachers' judgment of gifted mathematics student characteristics

Teachers play a key role in the identification and training of talented mathematicians, and their attitudes are important in improving math instruction for gifted students. We surveyed secondary ma...
A Qualitative Analysis of the Experience and Impact of Killing in Hand‐to‐Hand Combat

A growing body of research suggests that killing during military combat is closely associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as a number of other adverse mental health related conditions (e.g., dissociative experiences, violent behavior, functional impairment). This article provides first-person perspectives on the experiences and impact of killing by service members with the goal of expanding our understanding of the impact of taking a life during war. In audio-recorded phenomenological interviews, 9 service members described their experiences and the subsequent impact of killing during hand-to-hand combat. A description, supported by participant quotations, was constructed to represent the participants' experiences. RESULTS suggest the experience and aftermath of taking a life in hand-to-hand combat was disturbing, psychologically stressful, and necessitated some form of coping after the event. Service members who killed in hand-to-hand combat viewed their actions as necessary to preserve their life and that killing in hand-to-hand combat was more emotionally taxing than killing by shooting. Our findings may help to improve providers' understanding of service members' first-person experiences of killing in hand-to-hand combat and thus provide the basis for the development of a connected and genuine relationship with such military clients. Language: en
Momentum and Sports Betting

I document that momentum trading strategies are significantly profitable in an intragame NBA sports betting market. The momentum profits appear to be the result of market underreaction to news, but I find no evidence that the underreaction is driven by the psychological biases that form the foundation of existing behavioral models of momentum. Together, my results suggest that new theories of momentum might be needed.
Chapter 1 - Failed Evidence: Why Law Enforcement Resists Science

News reports about police and science like DNA identification, and popular entertainment like the television program CSI and its many imitators, give the impression that science is now the handmaiden of law enforcement. But this picture is at best misleading. Law enforcement does rely on some scientific techniques, but far more often police and prosecution prefer to ignore or even resist science that bears directly on the basics of police investigation. Years of scientific research on eyewitness testimony, police interrogation, and basic forensic techniques (other than DNA and chemical analysis) tells us how these foundational aspects of investigation go wrong. This science also explains how we can improve these aspects of how evidence is gathered and used. This work has been published, peer reviewed, and duplicated – sometimes for decades. But despite the fact that 300 cases of wrongful convictions have now been exposed using DNA, law enforcement continues to resist changes to these basic techniques that police use every day.The focus of Failed Evidence is why law enforcement resists, and what can be done to overcome it. The resistance to better, more accurate investigative techniques has its roots in two aspects of human thinking: cognitive barriers (e.g., cognitive dissonance, group polarization, and loss aversion), and institutional and political barriers (e.g., the imperatives of arrest and conviction, the ingrained “us versus them” heart of police culture). These problems keep most police and prosecutors from even considering positive change. From this understanding of why the resistance to science occurs, Failed Evidence distills six recommendations for making change happen, and gives concrete examples of progress from around the nation.
Critical Role of MicroRNA-155 in Herpes Simplex Encephalitis

HSV infection of adult humans occasionally results in life-threatening herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) for reasons that remain to be defined. An animal system that could prove useful to model HSE could be microRNA-155 knockout (miR-155KO) mice. Thus, we observe that mice with a deficiency of miR-155 are highly susceptible to HSE with a majority of animals (75-80%) experiencing development of HSE after ocular infection with HSV-1. The lesions appeared to primarily represent the destructive consequences of viral replication, and animals could be protected from HSE by acyclovir treatment provided 4 d after ocular infection. The miR-155KO animals were also more susceptible to development of zosteriform lesions, a reflection of viral replication and dissemination within the nervous system. One explanation for the heightened susceptibility to HSE and zosteriform lesions could be because miR-155KO animals develop diminished CD8 T cell responses when the numbers, functionality, and homing capacity of effector CD8 T cell responses were compared. Indeed, adoptive transfer of HSV-immune CD8 T cells to infected miR-155KO mice at 24 h postinfection provided protection from HSE. Deficiencies in CD8 T cell numbers and function also explained the observation that miR-155KO animals were less able than control animals to maintain HSV latency. To our knowledge, our observations may be the first to link miR-155 expression with increased susceptibility of the nervous system to virus infection.
Contributions of particles to electrical conductivity of colloids

Abstract A new method was developed which permits transient and background electrical conductivity measurements on supernatants and colloids with variable concentration of particles in the same cell. The method was applied to two nonaqueous titanium dioxide-xylene dispersions, one with a physisorbed charge control agent (cca) and another with a chemically attached stabilizer and cca. At particle volume fractions 0.01–0.1, the dispersions have electrical transient conductivities similar to those of the supernatants, but with measurable contribution by charged particles to the transient conduction. This agrees with estimates based on measured particle mobilities and sizes. The background conductivities increase rapidly with particle concentration and at maximum concentrations the dispersion conductivities exceed supernatant conductivities by two to three orders of magnitude. Background conductivity increases might be due to charge injection enhanced by electric field focusing by particles which have higher permittivity than the medium and to conduction along particle surfaces.
Phase II evaluation of topotecan for pediatric central nervous system tumors

BACKGROUND Topotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that has good penetration across the blood-brain barrier and significant antitumor activity against human brain tumor xenografts. In a Phase I trial in children with refractory cancer, topotecan was well tolerated when administered as a 24-hour infusion. The maximum tolerated dose was 5.5 mg/m2 and the dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression. This Phase II study of topotecan was performed to assess the activity of topotecan against childhood brain tumors. METHODS Forty-five children with either a previously treated primary brain tumor that was refractory to standard therapy, or an untreated brain stem glioma or glioblastoma multiforme, received topotecan administered as a 24-hour intravenous infusion every 21 days. The initial dose was 5.5 mg/m2 with escalation to 7.5 mg/m2 on the second and subsequent doses in patients who did not experience dose-limiting toxicity. RESULTS There were no complete or partial responses in the patients with high grade glioma (n = 9), medulloblastoma (n = 9), or brain stem glioma (n = 14). One of 2 patients with a low grade glioma had a partial response lasting more than 17 months; 3 patients with a brain stem glioma had stable disease for 12 to 28 weeks; and 1 patient with a malignant neuroepithelial tumor and 1 patient with an optic glioma had stable disease for 41 weeks and 22 weeks, respectively. Dose esalation from 5.5 mg/m2 to 7.5 mg/m2 was well tolerated in the first 11 patients enrolled on this study who had not received prior craniospinal radiation therapy. The starting dose was subsequently increased to 7.5 mg/m2 for patients without prior craniospinal radiation. CONCLUSIONS Topotecan administered as a 24-hour infusion every 21 days is inactive in high grade gliomas, medulloblastomas, and brain stem tumors. Cancer 1996;78:527-31.
Multiple modes of adjustment in unstable river channel cross-sections

Abstract Previous studies of the ways in which changing flows are accommodated by stream channels (at-a-station hydraulic geometry) suggest that there may be multiple modes of adjustment—qualitatively different ways in which hydraulic variables respond to changes in imposed flow. Extremal hypotheses for alluvial channel behavior are analyzed to determine whether multiple modes of adjustment (MMA) are inherent in those hypotheses. After showing the fundamental equivalence of the various extrema, it is demonstrated that there are essentially infinite combinations of flow width, depth, and energy grade slope which can satisfy a given extremum. It is also shown that hydraulic variables may not always respond to changing discharge in the expected direction. These represent the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of MMA. Data from 22 measured discharge changes at four different cross-sections on three different alluvial rivers show 11 qualitatively different modes of adjustment. This suggests that models of channel response to changing flow must be based on knowledge of the relative response time of hydraulic variables under a range of flow conditions.
Lymph node metastases do not impact survival in follicular variant papillary thyroid cancer.

Follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer (FVPTC) is the most common and fastest growing subtype of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with features of both PTC and follicular thyroid cancer (FTC). The purpose of this study was to determine the patient and tumor features associated with lymph node metastases (LNM) in FVPTC. This was a retrospective review of adult (≥18) patients with histologically confirmed diagnoses of FVPTC within the SEER database between 1988 and 2009. LNM were defined by at least two lymph nodes with metastatic disease. To determine factors associated with LNM, we constructed a multivariate logistic regression model from significant variables (p 4 cm (hazards ratio [HR] 5.3, 95% CI 2.2–12.8, p < 0.01) and extrathyroidal extension (HR 8.2, 95% CI 3.0–22.0, p < 0.01) were the strongest predictors of DSM. LNM occur in less than 10% of patients with FVPTC but do not impact DSM. Instead, DSM in FVPTC is related to size and local invasion.
Giant cell differentiation and lethality of homozygous Yellow mouse embryos

The evidence presented herein strongly suggests that lethality of homozygousyellow embryos is expressed at the primary implantation stage of embryonic development. Furthermore the expression of the mutant gene appears to be restricted to a specific cell type—the trophoblast giant cell. The stage of developmental arrest is determined by the degree of differentiation and implantation of these cells. Receptivity of the endometrium to giant cell attachment is also an important contributing factor to lethality of homozygousA y embryos.
Thoracic spinal cord stimulation for post-ablation cardiac pain in a patient with permanent pacemaker.

▪ Abstract Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is increasingly utilized for inoperable, intractable chest pain because of ischemia. Because patients with ischemic heart disease commonly have permanent cardiac pacemakers (PPM) or automated implantable cardio-defibrillators (AICD), concurrent use of SCS and PPM or AICD may grow. Interference between SCS and PPM or AICD devices is potentially dangerous and has been previously reported. Case report: A 51-year-old woman who underwent multiple catheter-based cardiac ablations for a variety of tachy-atrial arrhythmias. These procedures included atrioventricular node destruction, which left her PPM-dependent (third degree heart block with an intrinsic heart rate in the 30s). During the course of her cardiac treatment, she developed chest pain which was not amenable to cardiac intervention and was refractory to medical management. The patient was evaluated for consideration of SCS and ultimately underwent implantation. Procedures evaluating SCS–PPM compatibility were followed and are described. Immediately after SCS implantation and at 6 months follow-up, the patient experienced improved pain relief. Discussion: Others have reported SCS implantation in patients with PPM. This is the first report to describe safe and effective use of an Advanced Bionics® SCS in a patient with a Guidant® PPM. In addition, we speculate that this patient's cardiac pain may have been other than ischemic in origin. As such, this case may represent a unique clinical scenario. Despite many cases series and case reports demonstrating safety of concurrent SCS and PPM or AICD, the complexity of these technologies requires continued demonstration of device compatibility in novel contexts. ▪
Extraction of information on the buildup and consumption of reactive intermediates from quadruplex DNA assembly time courses.

Abstract A method was developed to detect the time course of the overall presence of intermediate species during K + -induced DNA quadruplex assembly from single-stranded d(TG 4 ) oligonucleotides in experiments in which only the combined circular dichroisms (CD) of all species present could be measured directly. The presence of intermediate species is determined unambiguously but quantitative estimates can be made only to the extent that the CD characteristics of all intermediates are known. The method consists of (i) obtaining CD spectra of known concentrations of initial and final species to determine their molar ellipticity coefficients, (ii) carrying out CD measurements of the kinetics of quadruplex assembly reactions at two different wavelengths, chosen to give optimal differentiation between the initial and final species, and (iii) using the results of (ii) to detect discrepancies between the rates of consumption of single strands and the generation of quadruplex to infer the presence of intermediate species. The analysis was facilitated by the validation and use of biphasic exponential expressions obtained from the SAS nonlinear curve fitting procedure NLIN in place of the raw CD data. The general method is described, then applied to data from [d(TG 4 ) 4 (K + ) 3 ] quadruplex assembly experiments.
Use of Mitomycin C for Refractory Esophageal Stricture following Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair

Esophageal stricture is a well-described complication following tracheoesophageal fistula repair. Herein, we report two patients who had persistent esophageal strictures after several months of repeat balloon dilatations. Each patient was treated with a single application of topical mitomycin C in addition to esophageal dilatation, which resulted in complete resolution of the stricture.
Stretching and three-layer wiring planar layouts

Abstract It is well known that every planar layout is four-layer wirable. If we decrease the number of layers, there are planar layouts that cannot be wired in three layers and the problem of determining whether a planar layout is three-layer wirable is NP-complete. A planar layout may be stretched vertically (horizontally) by introducing empty rows (columns). Clearly, stretching a planar layout increases its area; however, if it is stretched in appropriate locations it can be wired in fewer than four layers. It is well known that every planar layout W can be stretched and two-layer wired in an area not larger than twice the area of W. The bound on the wiring area is best possible, i.e. there are planar layouts that need to be stretched by this factor of two. Every planar layout W can be stretched and three-layer wired in an area not larger than ( 4 3 ) times the area of W. The bound on the wiring area is best possible for wirings obtained by partitioning diagonal diagrams, i.e. there are planar layouts that need to be stretched by the factor 4 3 when the wiring is obtained by partitioning diagonal diagrams. In this paper we investigate the problem of stretching and then wiring in three layers a planar layout. We show that for a class of planar layouts, the additional area is no more than 1 4 of the planar layout area. We develop an algorithm to construct an optimal area layout for the case when each of the sublayouts must be wirable by one of a given set of algorithms.
Development of a semiactive seeker for maneuverable projectiles

A design for an optical seeker optimized for spin-stabilized projectiles is presented. Using the spin of the bullet to scan a linear photodetector array across the target field, a relatively wide field-of-regard seeker may be constructed with an adequate SNR for homing applications. The linear photodetector array is based on room-temperature quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIP) optimized for a wavelength of 10.6 microns. The entire seeker containing the 1 × 64-element linear photodetector array, amplifiers and signal processor/flight computer can be constructed on a single 1-cm square bonded chip-on-chip. A compact folded telescope has been designed to collect light from a CO 2 laser designator to guide the projectile to the target. Details of the seeker design as well as laboratory measurements of the concept using a visible light prototype seeker will be presented.
Pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a slowly progressing neurologic movement disorder affecting nearly 1% of the population over age 65. PD is the fourth most common neurodegenerative disease of patients. Incidence is greater in men with a ratio of 3:2--men to women. Because PD is so complex, diagnosis and treatment are often very challenging. While the cause of PD is unknown, research has concentrated on genetics, exogenous toxins, and endogenous toxins from cellular oxidative reactions. The presenting symptoms of a patient with PD include muscle rigidity, tremors, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Treatment for PD has been primarily pharmacologic: levodopa, carbidopa, anticholinergics, and selegiline (a monoamine oxidase inhibitor to reestablish an equilibrium between dopamine and acetylcholine). surgical procedures (e.g., pallidotomy, thalamotomy, and tissue implants) are a possible choice of treatment for patients who have failed to respond satisfactorily to drugs.
MIS professionals: education and performance

Abstract Individuals from various disciplines have joined the MIS profession and have been successful in varying degrees. Our study involved identifying the educational background of MIS professionals (managers and non-managers), analyzing the performance of these professionals, and investigating the perceptions of both managers and non-managers with regard to the factors that contribute to professional advancement. According to the results of this study, MIS professionals come from different backgrounds and have different levels of education. Also, it seems that a significant number of MIS professionals are performing well on-the-job though they possess no formal academic training in traditional computer-related disciplines. Both MIS managers and non-managers agree that nontechnical skills are more important than technical skills for higher professional advancement; however, both also feel that technical skills are required for professional success in certain MIS areas. There are no major differences between the responses given by MIS managers and non-managers in those factors that contribute to successful MIS careers.
Electrostatic Forces, Molecular-Orbital Theory, and the Electric Field Gradient in Yttrium Iron Garnet

We report a M\"ossbauer determination of -0.46 mm/sec for the electric-quadrupole coupling energy at the octahedral ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ site in yttrium iron garnet. This and a recently determined value at the tetrahedral ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ site disagree with the results of a recent linear combination of atomic orbitals-molecular orbital calculation. It is suggested that neglect of the electrostatically produced dipoles on oxygen ions may be the major cause of the disagreement. We suggest a procedure for constructing molecular orbitals taking such dipoles into account.
Effects of genotype on the response of Populus tremuloides michx. To ozone and nitrogen deposition

Elevated O3 concentrations and N deposition levels co -occur in much of eastern United States. However, very little is known about their combined effects on tree growth. The effects of three O3 treatments: charcoal-filtered air, non-filtered air and O3, added at the rate of 80 ppb for 6 hr d−1 3 d per week), four N deposition levels (0, 10, 20 and 40 kg ha−1 yr−1), and their interactions on growth of two Populus tremuloides clones in open-top chambers at two sites 600 km apart in Michigan were examined. Our results revealed a highly significant fertilization effect of the N treatments, even at the 10 kg ha−1 yr−1 rate. Ozone alone induced foliar injury, but not significant growth reductions. There was an indication that O3 decreased growth at the O N level, but this decrease was reversed in all N treatments by the N fertilization effect. Further study is needed to more fully understand the combined effects of N deposition and O3.
Information space is action space: perceiving the partial lengths of rods rotated on an axle.

In a single experiment, perceivers held unseen rods at some position along their lengths and reported the two partial lengths—to the left and to the right of the hand. Wielding was mechanically limited to a vertical plane. Previous research suggested that the information exploited for this task is captured in a space created from the moment of inertia and gravitational torque. The experiment reported here attempted to replicate the relevance of that space and to ask how exploration might access it. Perceivers were given feedback on accuracy on Blocks 2 and 3 of a four-block experiment, and their performance and position in information space were monitored. Exploratory movements were recorded. Judgments were shown to depend on inertial and gravitational torques, as expected. Analysis of exploratory movements suggested that occupying a locus in information space is equivalent to exploring at some angular acceleration. The apparent weighting of cues (gravitational and inertial torque), which might be interpreted as a cognitive process, was instead interpreted as a consequence of manner of exploration.
Backchain iteration: Towards a practical inference method that is simple enough to be proved terminating, sound, and complete

We focus on methods for interpreting stratified datalog programs with negation, and we describe progress towards a practical, yet simple method that treats such programs as executable specifications of deductive database applications.
Who‚s afraid of the big bad bus? NIMBYISM and popular images of public transit

The rise of global warming and the depletion of US oil and gas reserves have highlighted the need to decrease Americans' dependence on automobiles. This article presents a case study of one city's attempt to do so through a system of “neighborhood circulators”: mini‐buses that link common destinations within small areas of the city. Content analysis of 736 comments regarding the circulators sent by residents to the City reveals several concerns, predicted by the “not in my back yard” (NIMBY) literature, that may lead individuals to actively oppose public transit: utility and cost, crime, risks to health and quality of life, and neighborhood deterioration and reduced property values. In addition, the data underscore three cultural themes – anti‐urbanism, the “othering” of transit, and the essentialization of automobility – that specifically underlie popular images of public transit and opposition toward it.
A study of Golgi preparations from the human lateral geniculate nucleus

The Golgi method was used to study nerve cells and their processes in the human lateral geniculate nucleus. Only a few axons were successfully impregnated. These enter the nucleus from the optic radiations and were tentatively indentified as corticogeniculate axons. In one brain from a 2-week-old infant these axons showed unusually dense terminal arbors, suggesting that significant developmental changes occur in this fiber system postnatally. Neurons in the magnocellular layers show a great variety of dendritic patterns, and are not readily grouped into well-defined morphological classes. At one extreme are cells with a restricted dendritic arbor, having dendrites that run a sinuous course close to the perikaryon. At the other extreme, cells have a more extended dendritic arbor; their dendrites are long, relatively straight in some cells, markedly tortuous in others. There is a continuous range of intermediate cell types between the “restricted” and the “extended” cells. Many magnocellular dendrites cross freely into adjacent layers; whereas the short dendrites of restricted cells rarely cross from one layer to another, the dendrites of extended cells may either be confined to a single layer (intralaminar) or may have a translaminar distribution across two or even three layers. Small cells, with dendrites entirely confined to an interlaminar region, have been seen in the magnocellular division of the nucleus on either side of layer 2. Parvocellular elements also show a wide range of dendritic patterns, but the extreme forms of restricted and extended cells are not seen. Parvocellular dendrites commonly are oriented perpendicular to the layers and generally show an intralaminar distribution; translaminar dendrites are extremely rare. A minority of parvocellular neurons have most of their dendrites confined to an interlaminar zone. These “interlaminar” cells have large perikarya close to or in the interlaminar zones, and show a predominant dendritic orientation parallel to the layers. A few parvocellular elements with complex axoniform dendrites were seen, and these dendrites, too, tend to run parallel rather than perpendicular to the layers.
The role of spider cocoons in controlling desiccation

The abilities of the cocoons of the spiders Mecynogea lemniscata and Argiope aurantia to protect the enclosed egg and spiderling stages from desiccation were investigated in the laboratory under controlled humidities, and in the field under ambient conditions. For M. lemniscata, which has a relatively small clutch (8-30 eggs) and remains in the cocoon for approximately 9-10 months, removal of the cocoon had no effect on water loss from the egg stage, nor did it adversely affect hatching or molting success. Cocoon removal did, however, significantly affect water loss and, consequently, survival in the spiderling stage at all humidities in the laboratory and in the field. The importance of the cocoon for survival is probably related to the unusually long time M. lemniscata spiderlings spend in the cocoon overwintering. For A. aurantia, which has a substantially larger clutch size (300-1400 eggs) and remains in the cocoon for a shorter 6-7 months, cocoon removal had no effect on water loss, egg hatching success, molting success, nor spiderling survival. The lack of an effect suggests that other factors (e.g., relative humidity at the oviposition site, or a large clutch size) may be more important in controlling water loss for A. aurantia.
Metal-insulator molecular multilayers of electroactive polymers intercalation of polyaniline in mica-type layered silicates

Abstract Highly oriented multilayered films of polyaniline are fabricated by intercalative polymerization of aniline in fluorohectorite, a synthetic mica-type silicate. The insulating hybrid becomes electrically conductive when exposed to HCl vapors with an in-plane conductivity of 0.05 S cm−1. The conductivity of the multilayered films is highly anisotropic with the in-plane conductivity 105 times higher than the conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the film. Electrical conduction is rationalized in terms of a granular metal below the percolation threshold. Phonon-assisted and field-assisted tunneling between localized states is the predominant mechanism at room and lower than 200 K temperatures respectively. The lower conductivities are attributed to an increased localization of charge carriers in the polymer.
Bilateral choanal atresia associated with nasal dermoid cyst and sinus: a case report and review of the literature

The relationship of choanal atresia to various systemic malformations is well acknowledged by the CHARGE acronym: colobomas, heart defects, atresia choanae, retarded growth and development, genito-urinary defects, and ear defects. In the past, we have reported the finding of an isolated skull base malformation associated with choanal atresia. We report here a unique case of choanal atresia associated with a patent foramen cecum and intracranial extension of a dermoid sinus. The embryogenesis of this condition is accounted for by the mesodermal flow theory of choanal atresia formation, and implies a need for thorough imaging of the anterior skull base in cases of bilateral atresia.
The Transmittance of a Prism

The transmittance of a prism for a circular collimated beam of light tangent to the refracting edge of the prism is derived analytically in terms of the first-order modified bessel function of the first kind. The variables involved in the formula are kλ, the absorption coefficient of the glass at wavelength λ, and Bs=B/2, the “semibase” of the prism. The variables occur in the combination kλBs.The transmittance, Tλ, computed for a circular beam of diameter d differs little from that computed for a square beam of size d×d.The problem of placing a circular collimated beam on the prism so as to obtain the maximum transmittance, Tλ, max, is reexamined following Hartmann’s treatment. Tables and graphs for determining the amount by which the prism must be withdrawn from the beam in order to achieve maximum transmittance are given, again with kλBs as variable. Tables and graphs of Tλ, max/Tλ are also given.As in the case of square or rectangular beams, the circular-beam transmittance of a combination of several prisms of a given material is found to be identical with that of a single prism of the same material, provided the train of prisms and the single prism give the same angular dispersion.
Coronary artery bypass graft disease.

Purpose: To review saphenous vein graft disease and its prevention and management. Data Sources: A MEDLINE search of articles published on saphenous vein and arterial bypass grafts. Study Selection...
Will science come to an end

WE LIVE in an era of tremendous advances of science and technology, and almost every month brings some exciting new development. The progress of scientific research is accelerating from year to year, and the number of persons involved in scientific inquiry increases correspondingly. Our big telescopes search into the far corners of the stellar universe, bringing us invaluable information about its present and its past. Our giant multibillion-volt atom smashers help us solve the secrets of the elementary particles from which all material bodies are made, and advanced methods of modern biological studies bring us to the verge of solving the mystery of all mysteries: the nature of life.
The Effects of Parenting Stress, Perceived Mastery, and Maternal Depression on Parent–Child Interaction

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to test a model that delineated the interrelationships among parenting stress, perceived mastery (defined as the belief that one's life chances are under one's own control), maternal depression, and parent–child interaction. A secondary data analysis of the Fragile Family and Child Well-Being Study was conducted, using a sample of 2,650 mothers. Results suggest that parenting stress undermines one's sense of perceived mastery which, in turn, resulted in depression. Moreover, the results also indicated that parenting stress directly affected maternal depression and parent–child interaction. There was no support for the hypothesis that parenting stress undermines one's sense of perceived mastery which, in turn, resulted in depression, which affected one's parent–child interaction. Implications of these findings for professionals working with mothers of young children are discussed. Future research should test this model using other forms of parenting behavior.
Current concepts of extracellular matrix.

I dedicate this lecture to the memory of Professor Katsuyuki Fujii, MD. Early in his career Professor Fujii studied as a postdoctoral research fellow in my laboratory. He was one of my most outstanding students and has been acclaimed as a leader by the international orthopedic community.
Memory and its Demolition: Ancestors, Animals and Sacrifice at Umm el-Marra, Syria

At Umm el-Marra in western Syria, a sequence of Bronze Age ritual installations facilitates the investigation of how Syrian elites employed memory, ancestor veneration, and animal (and perhaps human) sacrifice to reinforce their position, and how others used countermemory to contest it. Relevant data derive from an Early Bronze Age complex of elite tombs and animal interments and a Middle Bronze Age monumental platform and shaft containing animal and human bodies deposited ritually. Analysis of the spatial landscape, with patterns of access or inaccessibility, facilitates additional insights, as does the consideration of the intentionality or lack of it in ancient references to the past.
A functional role for EGFR signaling in myelination and remyelination

Cellular strategies for oligodendrocyte regeneration and remyelination involve characterizing endogenous neural progenitors that are capable of generating oligodendrocytes during normal development and after demyelination, and identifying the molecular signals that enhance oligodendrogenesis from these progenitors. Using both gain- and loss-of-function approaches, we explored the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in adult myelin repair and in oligodendrogenesis. We show that 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNP) promoter–driven overexpression of human EGFR (hEGFR) accelerated remyelination and functional recovery following focal demyelination of mouse corpus callosum. Lesion repopulation by Cspg4+ (also known as NG2) Ascl1+ (also known as Mash1) Olig2+ progenitors and functional remyelination were accelerated in CNP-hEGFR mice compared with wild-type mice. EGFR overexpression in subventricular zone (SVZ) and corpus callosum during early postnatal development also expanded this NG2+Mash1+Olig2+ progenitor population and promoted SVZ-to-lesion migration, enhancing oligodendrocyte generation and axonal myelination. Analysis of hypomorphic EGFR-mutant mice confirmed that EGFR signaling regulates oligodendrogenesis and remyelination by NG2+Mash1+Olig2+ progenitors. EGFR targeting holds promise for enhancing oligodendrocyte regeneration and myelin repair.
Responses of anteroventral cochlear nucleus neurons of the unanesthetized decerebrate cat to click pairs as simulated echoes

Abstract To elucidate the contribution of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) to `echo' processing, this study documents the responses of AVCN neurons to simulated echoes and compares them to those of auditory nerve (AN) fibers. Single unit discharges were recorded from 121 units in the AVCN of 21 unanesthetized decerebrate cats in response to click pairs with inter-click intervals ranging from 1 to 32 ms between 45 and 105 dB SPL re 20 μPa. Units were classified according to the post-stimulus time histogram (PSTH) and excitatory-inhibitory response area (EI-area) schemes. Based on their spontaneous rates (SR), units were subdivided into low- ( 20 spikes/s) SR groups. A majority of the units exhibited second-click responses whose recovery time courses were similar to those of AN fibers. These units included primary-like, chopper and onset units in the PSTH scheme and Types I, I/III and III units in the EI-area scheme. A minority of the units exhibited responses that were distinct from those of AN fibers, in that they had second-click response recovery times that were either markedly reduced or prolonged. This group of units included those with primary-like, chopper and onset PSTHs and Type I/III and III EI-areas. No significant difference was found in the second-click response among various PSTH or EI-area types. High-SR AVCN units exhibited a decrease in the second-click response with increasing level. In contrast, low-SR AVCN units showed little level-dependent change in the second-click responses. This SR-based difference was similar to that previously found among AN fibers. The present results suggest that, although a majority of AVCN units exhibit similar time courses of second-click response recovery to those of AN fibers, there do exist mechanisms in the cochlear nucleus that can substantially alter this representation. Furthermore, the difference between the second-click response recovery functions of low- and high-SR AVCN units and the consistency of this finding between AVCN and AN suggest that SR represents an important dimension for signal representation in the AVCN neurons.
The Impact of Residual Renal Function on Graft and Patient Survival Rates in Recipients of Preemptive Renal Transplants

● Background: Transplantation before the initiation of dialysis is associated with prolonged allograft survival. It is unclear if this benefit is attributable to greater residual renal function or to avoidance of dialysis exposure. The authors performed an analysis to determine whether higher renal function at transplant was associated with increased patient and graft survival rates. Methods: The authors identified individuals who between 1994 and June 2000 were > 18 years and had undergone a living donor renal transplant (Tx) as initial form of renal replacement therapy. Pre-Tx and 6-month estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were calculated using the 4-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Survival was compared in those with a pre-Tx eGFR >15mL/min to those with an eGFR less than 15 mL/min, after adjusting for demographic variables, co-morbidities, and transplant characteristics. Survival rate then was adjusted for calculated propensity scores. Results: A total of 4,046 patients were included. Mean pre-Tx eGFR was 9.9 mL/min (0.9 to 57.1 mL/min). There was no difference in graft survival rates by strata of eGFR in any of the tested models, even after correcting for propensity score (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.69 to 1.30). There was no correlation between pre-Tx eGFR and 6-month post-Tx eGFR (r 2 0.005). Conclusion: Recipients of preemptive transplants fair equally, regardless of the eGFR at which they receive their transplant. There was no relationship between pre-Tx eGFR and 6-month eGFR, suggesting that post-Tx renal function is independent of the level of pre-Tx renal function. These data suggest that preemptive kidney transplantation should be delayed as long as possible, provided the patient does not have uremic symptoms, and dialysis can be safely avoided. Am J Kidney Dis 42:1275-1282. © 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Mu and delta opioid receptors on nociceptors attenuate mechanical hyperalgesia in rat.

Abstract Sensitization to mechanical stimuli is important in most pain syndromes. We evaluated the populations of nociceptors mediating mechanical hyperalgesia and those mediating mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and delta-opioid receptor (DOR) agonist-induced inhibition of hyperalgesia, in the rat. We found that: (1) intradermal injection of both the endogenous ligand for the Ret receptor, glia-derived growth factor (GDNF), and the ligand for the tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor, nerve growth factor (NGF)—which are present on distinct populations of nociceptors—both produce mechanical hyperalgesia; (2) DOR agonist 4-[(R)-[(2S,5R)-4-allyl-2,5-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl](3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-N,N-diethylbenzamide (SNC) but not MOR agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) inhibit GDNF-induced hyperalgesia; (3) both DAMGO and SNC inhibit NGF hyperalgesia, even in rats pretreated with isolectin B4 (IB4)-saporin, a toxin that destroys IB4-binding neurons; (4) co-administration of low doses of DAMGO and SNC produce enhanced analgesia, and; (5) repeated administration of DAMGO produces cross-tolerance to the analgesic effect of SNC. These findings demonstrate that, most nociceptors have a role in mechanical hyperalgesia, only the DOR agonist inhibits GDNF hyperalgesia, and MOR and DOR are co-localized on a functionally important population of TrkA-positive nociceptors.
Reference Standards for Cortisol Production and 17-Hydroxy-Corticosteroid Excretion During Growth: Variation in the Pattern of Excretion of Radiolabeled Cortisol Metabolites

Whereas aldosterone secretion changes little during growth and adrenal androgen excretion rises sharply at adolescence, cortisol production rate (CPR) increases gradually during growth and declines in old age. Previously published data on CPR obtained in our laboratory by an in vivo isotope dilution technique, in 96 subjects from birth to age 20 years, were recorrected for body surface area (/m2), body weight (/Kg.) and creatinine excretion (/Gm. cnne), i.e., muscle mass. The highest CPRs on the basis of /m2, /Kg., and /Gm. cnne were in babies under age 5 days, and the second highest values in the period 5–20 days. There-after in the age groups 20 days-5 years; 5–10 years; 10–15 years; and 15–20 years body surface area was the best predictor of CPR which decreased relative to muscle mass. In contrast to CPR, urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroid (17-OHCS) excretion, (i.e., β-glucuronidase released Porter-Silber chromogens) was lowest in the age group less than age 5 days, and was still lowest when adjusted /m2. The recovery of 4-14C-cortisol metabolites in a “nonpolar”, conjugated (β-glucuronidase released chloroform extractable) fraction was also lowest in that age group. Nonconjugated “polar” metabolites were significant in the neonatal period. The data fail to elucidate the primary stimulus(i) for the changing rate of CPR from birth to age 20 years. However, they provide guidelines for the interpretation of adrenal function studies based on CPR or 17-OHCS determinations, and therefore are useful from the standpoints of diagnosis and therapy.