cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimism, pessimism, and the complexity of narcissism

Surprisingly, the Leadership/Authority, Superiority/Arrogance, and Self-Absorption/Self-Admiration factors of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) can predict adjustment. In the present project, these apparently healthier forms of narcissism correlated directly with optimism and inversely with pessimism; and for more clearly pathological measures of narcissism like the NPI Exploitativeness/ Entitlement factor and the O'Brien (Psychological Reports, 61, 499–510, 1987) Multiphasic Narcissism Inventory, these relationships were reversed. These data therefore revealed that the apparently more adaptive aspects of narcissism may be related to optimistic ‘illusions’ about the self which social cognitivists have linked with mental health. They also suggested that narcissistic phenomena may be relevant to the claim that there is an ‘optimal margin of illusion’ beyond which problematic psychological consequences may begin to appear.
Motive to avoid success: A profile

In a series of studies, comparisons were made between the self-descriptions of college women whose stories contained motive-to-avoid-success imagery with women whose stories did not contain motive-to-avoid-success imagery. Women exhibiting the motive to avoid success were generally career oriented but aspired to traditional female occupations and were less concerned with making a major contribution to their field. Women not exhibiting motive to avoid success were more likely to choose atraditional female occupations, and their mothers were more likely to be employed in atraditional female occupations. With regard to personality variables, women exhibiting the motive to avoid success reported lower expression of affection, lower self-concept with close associates, higher self-criticism, and higher external locus of control. In general, ambivalence characterized their view of themselves, their relationships with others, and their professional goals. In addition, two sets of verbal cues that evoked equivalent degrees of motive-to-avoid-success imagery were developed.
Characterization of 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers in the liverwort Marchantia inflexa (Marchantiaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Microsatellite markers were developed in Marchantia inflexa, a haploid liverwort with unisexual individuals, to identify clonal genotypes and measure population genetic variability. METHODS AND RESULTS Twelve polymorphic primer sets were developed from three enriched genomic libraries. Primers were fluorescently labeled, and alleles were identified by fragment analysis. These primers were tested in four natural populations and revealed a moderate level of genetic variation within four populations, as indicated by the number of alleles per locus (range = 1-5). CONCLUSIONS Development of polymorphic markers is crucial to the identification of individuals and will allow additional research into this species, particularly on its population genetics and metapopulation dynamics.
Bivariate Probit Analysis: Minimum Chi-Square Methods

Abstract In this article we propose two minimum chi-square estimators for a bivariate probit model. We call one estimator the Full Information and the other Limited Information Minimum Chi-Square because the first takes account of all the a priori information while the second does not. Both estimators are shown to be consistent. Moreover, the first is shown to be asymptotically as efficient as the maximum likelihood estimator and yet is computationally much simpler. For illustration, estimates are computed for the data used by Ashford and Sowden [1970.]
Transcardiac conducted electrical weapon (TASER) probe deployments: incidence and outcomes.

Abstract Background TASER (TASER International, Scottsdale, AZ) conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) are commonly used by law enforcement officers. Although animal studies have suggested that transcardiac CEW discharges may produce direct cardiac effects, this has not been demonstrated in human studies. Objectives This study sought to determine the incidence and outcomes of transcardiac CEW probe impact locations in a large series of actual CEW deployments. Methods A multi-center database of consecutive CEW uses by law enforcement officers was retrospectively reviewed. Case report forms were independently reviewed by three investigators to identify cases with paired probe configurations potentially producing a transcardiac discharge vector. Descriptive analysis was performed and inter-rater reliability was assessed. Results Among 1201 total CEW uses, 813 included probe deployments and 178 cases had paired anterior probe impacts potentially capable of producing a transcardiac discharge vector. This represents 14.8% of all CEW uses (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.9–16.9%) and 21.9% of CEW uses in probe mode (95% CI 19.1–24.9%). Inter-rater agreement was very good, with kappa = 0.82. There were no immediate deaths in any cases (97.5% CI 0.0–0.3%) to suggest a cardiac dysrhythmia, including those with transcardiac discharge vector. Conclusion CEW deployments with probe impact configurations capable of producing a transcardiac discharge occur in a minority of cases in field use conditions. None of these cases, transcardiac or otherwise, produced immediately fatal dysrhythmias. These data support the overall safety of CEWs and provide a benchmark estimate of the likelihood of transcardiac discharge vectors occurring in field use of CEWs.
Capsule Commentary on Price-Haywood et al., Comparative Effectiveness of Audit-Feedback Versus Additional Physician Communication Training to Improve Cancer Screening for Patients with Limited Health Literacy

Price-Haywood et al.1 compared audit-feedback vs. audit-feedback plus physician communication training [including standardized patient (SP) feedback] to improve cancer screening rates among patients with limited health literacy. Intervention physicians were rated higher in general communication about cancer risks and shared decision making related to colorectal cancer screening by the SPs who delivered the intervention. However, the intervention did not improve cancer screening rates or patient cancer screening knowledge. Three important methodological limitations impact interpretation of the study results. First, SPs both delivered the intervention and evaluated the physicians at follow-up. Individuals delivering the intervention should not be involved in the evaluation process because of potential biases that may affect the outcome.2 This study could have instead recorded the SP visits and had the recordings reviewed by individuals blinded to study condition. Second, although the investigators appropriately designed a group (cluster) randomized trial (GRT) to evaluate the intervention, they failed to appropriately power or analyze the data to account for this design. In a GRT, it is expected that outcomes from the same group (e.g., clinic) will be more similar than outcomes from other groups. The analyses presented do not account for the within-clinic (or physician) correlation. Ignoring positive correlation within groups leads to inaccurately small p values.3 Thus, the statistically significant difference in mammography screening rates at follow-up (favoring the control condition) may not be statistically significant. Finally, the study was poorly designed to assess improvement in screening rates. Recruiting patients who are ineligible for some screening tests (e.g., men for breast and cervical cancer) provides no information on the impact of the intervention on screening compliance. A study of this size should have focused on one particular cancer screening and recruited only patients eligible for such screening. The study of interventions to improve cancer screening rates especially among individuals with limited health literacy is important.4 Unfortunately, design and analytic flaws in this study may have overstated the impact of the intervention on all outcomes measured. The methodological issues raised by this study must be addressed in future studies to allow accurate conclusions about effectiveness of such interventions.
“Unmuddying” course content using muddiest point reflections

Class instruction is a living and ever evolving process aimed at providing students with a quality education. Instructors are responsible for analyzing their courses to ensure that delivery of information is effective. Changes made are usually based on student assessments; however, our reactions to assessments are flawed without student insight. One method to obtain student feedback is through muddiest point reflections. This activity asks students to reflect on what was just taught allowing students the opportunity to share what was “muddy”. This mixed-methods study provides vignettes from faculty members on their use of muddiest point reflections and an assessment of what value students associate with such an intervention. Faculty members who have used this approach say it drives change within their classes. The analysis of student value beliefs revealed muddiest point reflections as an intervention that positively impacts interest, attainment, and utility value without negative cost. The appeal of muddiest points was also evident with 77% of students hoping to see muddiest point reflections in another class and 93% agreeing to recommend their course experience to a friend. These findings suggest that students agree more than disagree that muddiest point reflections are a valuable addition to their educational experience.
Meshless local Petrov-Galerkin analysis for 2D functionally graded elastic solids under mechanical and thermal loads

Abstract Numerical solutions obtained by the meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method are presented for 2D functionally graded solids, which is subjected to either mechanical or thermal loads. The MLPG method is a truly meshless approach, as it does not need any background mesh for integration in the weak form. In this MLPG analysis, the penalty method is used to efficiently enforce the essential boundary conditions, and the test function is chosen to equal the weight function of the moving least squares approximation. Two types of material gradations are considered; one is based on the continuum model in which material properties are assumed to be analytical functions (e.g. exponential or power law variation of material properties) and the other is based on the micromechanics model in which the effective material properties are determined by either the Mori–Tanaka or self-consistent scheme. Examples are given for different types of 2D structural components made of the functionally graded materials, namely, the link bar, circular cylinder and simply supported beam. Results obtained from the MLPG method are validated by available analytical and numerical solutions. Different profiles of non-homogeneity of material constituents are also investigated to assess the response of 2D functionally graded solids.
Measurements of the Marine Boundary Layer from an Airship

Abstract In 1992 and 1993, the authors made measurements of the marine boundary layer off the coast of Oregon from an airship. In 1992, these measurements consisted of coherent microwave backscatter measurements at Ku band taken from the gondola of the airship and micrometeorological and wave height measurements made from an airborne platform suspended by a cable 65 m below the gondola so that it was between 5 and 20 m above the sea surface. In 1993, an infrared imaging system was added to the suite of instruments operated in the gondola and two narrowbeam infrared thermometers were mounted in the suspended platform. In both years, a sonic anemometer and a fast humidity sensor were carried on the suspended platform and used to measure surface layer fluxes in the atmosphere above the ocean. A laser altimeter gave both the altitude of the suspended platform and a point measurement of wave height. By operating all these instruments together from the slow-moving airship, the authors were able to measure atmos...
Traube-Rule Interpretation of Protein Adsorption at the Liquid−Vapor Interface†

Pendant-drop tensiometry of aqueous-buffer solutions of purified human proteins spanning nearly 3 orders of magnitude in molecular weight (MW) reveals that reduction in liquid−vapor (LV) interfacial tension γlv followed a systematic progression in MW with the molar concentration required to reach a specified γlv value decreasing with increasing MW in a manner reminiscent of the Traube rule for linear hydrocarbon surfactants. Furthermore, the concentration dependence of interfacial tension (dγlv/d ln CB, where CB is bulk-solution concentration) is observed to be surprisingly invariant among this disparate group of proteins (i.e., approximately constant apparent Gibbs' surface excess Γ = −1/RT dγlv/d ln CB). These findings are interpreted through a model of protein adsorption predicated on the interfacial packing of spherical molecules with dimensions scaling as a function of MW. The Traube-rule-like ordering is rationalized as a natural outcome of an invariant partition coefficient that entrains a fixed fr...
Decomposing Product Innovativeness and its Effects upon New Product Success

Does product innovativeness affect new product success? While the popular media has often extolled the virtues of innovative products, the results of empirical research are mixed, with evidence the impact of product innovativeness is contingent (Henard and Szymanski, 2001) and even curvilinear (Kleinschmidt and Cooper, 1991). The current research propose the ambiguity in findings may be due to an overly holistic conceptualization of product innovativeness, that has erroneously included the concepts of product advantage and customer familiarity. This article illustrates how the same measures have often been used to assess product advantage and product innovativeness, and product innovativeness and customer familiarity. These paired overlaps in measurement use are clarified in this research that decomposes dimensions of product innovativeness along conceptual lines into distinct product innovativeness, product advantage, and customer familiarity constructs. To further support this decomposition, structural equation modeling is used to empirically test the distinctions. The measurement model supports the conceptual separation, and the path model reveals contingent effects of product innovativeness. While product innovativeness enhances product advantage, a high level of innovativeness reduces customer familiarity. This indicates product innovativeness can be detrimental to new product success if customers are not sufficiently familiar with the nature of the new product, and if innovativeness fails to improve product advantage. This exercise in metric development also reveals that after controlling for product advantage and customer familiarity, product innovativeness has no direct effect upon new product profitability. This finding has strong implications for firms that mistakenly pursue innovation for its own sake. Consideration of both distribution and technical synergy as driving antecedents, demonstrates how firms can still enhance new product success, even if an inappropriate level of innovativeness is present. This leads to a simple but powerful two-step approach to bringing highly innovative products to market. Firstly, firms should only emphasize product innovativeness when it relates to the market relevant concepts of product advantage and customer familiarity. Secondly, existing technical and distribution abilities can be used to enhance product quality and customer understanding. Distribution channels in particular should be exploited to counter customer uncertainty toward newly introduced products.
Astrometric detection of binary companions and planets: Acceleration of proper motion

Abstract : Apparent acceleration of proper motion is one of the observable manifestations of orbital motion in binary stars. Owing to the increasing accuracy of astrometric measurements, it may also be a method to detect binarity of stars. This paper presents some analytical expressions for the effects of binary motion on proper motions when the orbital period is at least several times the span of observations. We estimate orbit dimensions and distances at which low-mass companions and planets may be detected around main-sequence stars, using preliminary estimates of precision for the AMEX, GAIA and SIM space missions.
Observations on the summability of confluent hypergeometric functions and on semiclassical quantum mechanics

Asymptotic expansions for Airy functions and more generally confluent hypergeometric functions, which are of fundamental importance in semiclassical quantum mechanics, are summable. The Stokes lines of the expansions are cuts of the Borel sums of the power series occurring in the expansions. At a Stokes line on which the function is continuous, the asymptotic expansions change discontinuously, but their composite sums do not---a fact that greatly clarifies the role of the Stokes line. On a Stokes line itself, it is still possible to evaluate the asymptotic expansion by Borel summation via analytic continuation, and as a consequence complex expansions may have real sums, and vice versa. This observation has important implications for the significance and use of asymptotic expansions recently derived for the resonances of the LoSurdo-Stark effect and for the energy eigenvalues of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$${\mathrm{}}^{+}$. For both of these problems the physical values of the expansion parameters, the electric field strength and the reciprocal of the internuclear distance, lie on Stokes lines.
Environmental Factors that Influence the Toxicity of Heavy Metal and Gaseous Pollutants to Microorganisms

(1980). Environmental Factors that Influence the Toxicity of Heavy Metal and Gaseous Pollutants to Microorganisms. CRC Critical Reviews in Microbiology: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 99-145.
Thermoreversible hydrogel scaffolds for articular cartilage engineering.

Articular cartilage has limited potential for re- pair. Current clinical treatments for articular cartilage dam- age often result in fibrocartilage and are associated with joint pain and stiffness. To address these concerns, researchers have turned to the engineering of cartilage grafts. Tissue engineering, an emerging field for the functional restoration of articular cartilage and other tissues, is based on the utili- zation of morphogens, scaffolds, and responding progeni- tor/stem cells. Because articular cartilage is a water-laden tissue and contains within its matrix hydrophilic proteogly- cans, an engineered cartilage graft may be based on syn- thetic hydrogels to mimic these properties. To this end, we have developed a polymer system based on the hydrophilic copolymer poly(propylene fumarate-co-ethylene glycol) (P(PF-co-EG)). Solutions of this polymer are liquid below 25°C and gel above 35°C, allowing an aqueous solution containing cells at room temperature to form a hydrogel with encapsulated cells at physiological body temperature. The objective of this work was to determine the effects of the hydrogel components on the phenotype of encapsulated chondrocytes. Bovine articular chondrocytes were used as an experimental model. Results demonstrated that the com- ponents required for hydrogel fabrication did not signifi- cantly reduce the proteoglycan synthesis of chondrocytes, a phenotypic marker of chondrocyte function. In addition, chondrocyte viability, proteoglycan synthesis, and type II collagen synthesis within P(PF-co-EG) hydrogels were inves- tigated. The addition of bone morphogenetic protein-7 in- creased chondrocyte proliferation with the P(PF-co-EG) hy- drogels, but did not increase proteoglycan synthesis by the chondrocytes. These results indicate that the temperature- responsive P(PF-co-EG) hydrogels are suitable for chondro- cyte delivery for articular cartilage repair. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 71A: 268 -274, 2004
RFID-based information system for preventing medical errors

A report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that as many as 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year because of medical errors. In this project, we propose an innovative IT-based approach to prevent errors in various medical processes by utilizing advances in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and wireless communications. The goal of the study is to perform an in-depth study of existing RFID technologies for patient care in medical facilities. In the paper, a new system architecture that integrates various wireless technologies such as RFID and Wi-Fi was proposed. In the pilot study, we primarily focused on the limitations and shortcomings of passive RFID technologies in medical settings. Our experimental results show the reliability challenge in the current passive EPC Gen 2 RFID systems for use in a dynamic medical environment.
Ignition of Solid Propellant Crack Tip under Rapid Pressurization

Under rapid chamber pressurization rates (~ 105 atm/s or higher), the closed end of a solid propellant crack was observed to ignite prior to the arrival of the convective ignition front. Tests were conducted in an inert crack with propellant only at the tip to eliminate some of the possible mechanisms for crack-tip ignition. Ignition delay time, defined as the time lag between the arrival of the pressure wave at the tip and the subsequent onset of emission of luminous light from the propellant surface, has been measured as a function of chamber pressurization rate. A theoretical model has been developed to explain the tip ignition phenomena. The model considers: a one-dimensional transient heat conduction equation for the solid phase; one-dimensional, unsteady mass and energy conservation equations for the gas phase near the crack tip; and an experimentall y observed pressure-time trace near the crack-tip region in place of the gas phase momentum equation. Both experimental and theoretical results indicate that the ignition delay time decreases as the pressurization rate is increased. Theoretically calculated ignition delay times are in good agreement with the experimental data. Based upon this agreement, ignition near the crack-tip region is considered to be caused by the enhanced turbulent transport of energy in the gas phase, which is driven by strong compression waves.
Task-specific Repetition Priming in Left Inferior Prefrontal Cortex

Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that activation in left inferior prefrontal cortices (LIPC) is reduced during repeated (primed) relative to initial (unprimed) stimulus processing. These reductions in anterior (∼BA 45/47) and posterior (∼BA 44/6) LIPC activation have been interpreted as reflecting implicit memory for initial semantic or phonological processing. However, prior studies do not unambiguously indicate that LIPC priming effects are specific to the recapitulation of higher-level (semantic and/or phonological), rather than lower-level (perceptual), processes. Moreover, no prior study has shown that the patterns of priming in anterior and posterior LIPC regions are dissociable. To address these issues, the present fMRI study examined the nature of priming in LIPC by examining the task-specificity of these effects. Participants initially processed words in either a semantic or a nonsemantic manner. Subsequently, participants were scanned while they made semantic decisions about words that had been previously processed in a semantic manner (within-task repetition), words that had been previously processed in a nonsemantic manner (across-task repetition), and words that had not been previously processed (novel words). Behaviorally, task-specific priming was observed: reaction times to make the semantic decision declined following prior semantic processing but not following prior nonsemantic processing of a word. Priming in anterior LIPC paralleled these results with signal reductions being observed following within-task, but not following across-task, repetition. Importantly, neural priming in posterior LIPC demonstrated a different pattern: priming was observed following both within-task and across-task repetition, with the magnitude of priming tending to be greater in the within-task condition. Direct comparison between anterior and posterior LIPC regions revealed a significant interaction. These findings indicate that anterior and posterior LIPC demonstrate distinct patterns of priming, with priming in the anterior region being task-specific, suggesting that this facilitation derives from repeated semantic processing of a stimulus.
Supercritical fluid desorption from activated carbon

Abstract Experimental data and mathematical models are presented for desorption of ethyl acetate from activated carbon with supercritical carbon dioxide as solvent. The effluent concentration was monitored continuously with a flame ionization detector (FID). With a well-mixed reactor model for the bed of small thickness, desorption was studied as a function of flow rate, pressure, temperature and particle size. External mass transfer resistance was apparent at very low flow rates. From studies on the effect of temperature at different pressures, a cross-over effect was observed, similar to that for solubility in supercritical solvents. Intraparticle diffusion resistance was found to be significant for the largest particle size studied (dia. = 3.15 mm). A first-order, reversible adsorption model successfully fitted the experimental data. The energies of activation and heats of adsorption were obtained from the optimized adsorption rates and equilibrium constants.
Review: studies on the cardiovascular effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors show mixed results

Source Citation Mukherjee D, Nissen SE, Topol EJ. Risk of cardiovascular events associated with selective COX-2 inhibitors. JAMA. 2001 Aug 22/29;286:954-9. 11509060 (All 2002 articles were reviewed...
Role of Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EndoMT) in the Pathogenesis of Fibrotic Disorders

The accumulation of a large number of myofibroblasts is responsible for exaggerated and uncontrolled production of extracellular matrix during the development and progression of pathological fibrosis. Myofibroblasts in fibrotic tissues are derived from at least three sources: expansion and activation of resident tissue fibroblasts, transition of epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells (epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT), and tissue migration of bone marrow–derived circulating fibrocytes. Recently, endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndoMT), a newly recognized type of cellular transdifferentiation, has emerged as another possible source of tissue myofibroblasts. EndoMT is a complex biological process in which endothelial cells lose their specific markers and acquire a mesenchymal or myofibroblastic phenotype and express mesenchymal cell products such as α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen. Similar to EMT, EndoMT can be induced by transforming growth factor (TGF-β). Recent studies using cell-lineage analysis have demonstrated that EndoMT may be an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of pulmonary, cardiac, and kidney fibrosis, and may represent a novel therapeutic target for fibrotic disorders.
Optimal visualization of the fetal four‐chamber and outflow tract views with transabdominal ultrasound in the morbidly obese: Are we there yet?

Background To compare optimal visualization of the four-chamber and outflow-tract views of the fetal heart on sonographic examination between morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 40 kg/m2) and nonobese (BMI < 25 kg/m2) pregnant women. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we included records and images from 509 pregnant women who had first undergone sonographic examination between 18 and 36 weeks' fetal gestational age. Results Compared with the nonobese women, morbidly obese women had lower optimal visualization of the four-chamber and outflow-tract heart views: four-chamber view, morbidly obese, 83/186 (44.6%), versus nonobese, 283/323 (87.6%), and outflow-tract view, morbidly obese, 80/186 (43%) versus nonobese, 258/290 (89%); p < 0.0001 for each comparison. Similar outcomes were observed when the results from each subcategory of morbidly obese women (ie, BMI 40–49.9, 50–59.9, and ≥60 kg/m2) were compared with that from nonobese women; p < 0.0001 for each comparison. These outcomes remained the same regardless of whether this comparison was made among those who had their examination before or at 19 weeks' or more gestational age. Among the morbidly obese women, there was no difference in optimal visualization of the four-chamber or outflow-tract views regardless of whether the examination was performed at <23 weeks' or at ≥23 weeks' gestational age: four-chamber view <23 weeks, 44.8% (78/174), versus four-chamber view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.8, and outflow-tract view <23 weeks, 43.1% (75/174), versus outflow-tract view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.9. After controlling for maternal age and race, the odds of visualizing the four-chamber and outflow-tract views in the morbidly obese were reduced compared with those in their nonobese counterparts: odds ratio (OR) for four-chamber, 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.08–0.21, and OR for outflow-tract, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.07–0.17. Conclusions Optimal visualization of the fetal four-chamber and outflow-tract views was achieved in less than 50% of morbidly obese women, compared with almost 90% in nonobese women. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:548–555, 2015
Learning to Be Smart: An Exploration of the Culture of Intelligence in a Canadian Inuit Community

The understanding of intelligence and cognitive functioning of culturally diverse peoples has long been an interest of social scientists. It has also long been recognized that environmental factors and cultural values affect both perceptual abilities and the display of cognitive functioning. While some scholars have proposed the existence of multiple forms of intelligence, others have argued that the assessment of intelligence requires the application of local definitions of intelligence and intelligent behavior. In the present paper I explore the concept of intelligence in the small Copper Inuit community of Holman. Data collected between 1978 and 1995 are used to examine the manner in which community members define, assess, and develop intelligence. Modernity has created new conditions in which intelligence is nurtured and assessed. Particular attention is paid to informant efforts to encourage the author to behave intelligently. [Inuit, theories of intelligence, participant-observation]
Deletion of Estrogen Receptor Beta in Osteoprogenitor Cells Increases Trabecular but Not Cortical Bone Mass in Female Mice

Although the role of ERα in regulating bone metabolism has been extensively studied, ERβ has been largely dismissed as a relevant modulator of bone mass. Previous studies examining ERβ utilized a germline knockout mouse expressing transcript variants of ERβ and displaying systemic hormonal changes that confounded interpretation of the skeletal phenotype. Thus, we used a conditional ERβ mouse model to achieve deletion of ERβ specifically in early osteoprogenitor cells using the Prx1-Cre driver. We observed marked increases in the trabecular bone volume fraction (of 58% [p < 0.003] and 93% [p < 0.0003] in 6- and 12-week-old female ERβ(Prx1-CKO) mice, respectively) but no changes in cortical bone. Serum estradiol and IGF-I levels were unaltered in ERβ(Prx1-CKO) mice. Bone formation and resorption indices by histomorphometry and serum assays were unchanged in these mice, suggesting that alterations in bone turnover may have occurred early in development. However, the ratio of colony-forming unit-osteoblasts (CFU-OBs) to CFU-fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) was increased in bone marrow cultures from ERβ(Prx1-CKO) compared with control mice, indicating increased differentiation of osteoblast precursor cells into osteoblasts in ERβ(Prx1-CKO) mice. Detailed quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses of 128 genes in 16 prespecified pathways revealed significant downregulation of 11 pathways in ERβ(Prx1-CKO) mice. Thus, deletion of ERβ specifically in osteoblast lineage cells, in the absence of all splice variants, increases trabecular bone mass and modulates multiple pathways related to bone metabolism. These findings suggest that pharmacological inhibition of ERβ in bone may provide a novel approach to treat osteoporosis.
Sliding mode control in hybrid systems

The sliding mode control (SMC) approach is used for a class of hybrid systems (HSs), which consist of a continuous plant, an interface and a discrete state controller. The equivalent nondeterministic discrete-state system is represented in the form of a deterministic automaton with disturbance input. The introduction of the sliding mode concept leads to a design which is invariant to disturbances, and also, the solution of the stabilization problem. >
Simultaneous Multi-Color Far-Infrared Photometry

An astronomical experiment is described which allows simultaneous viewing of the same field of view in well defined bands at 30, 50 and l00μm with Δλ/λ ∿ 1/2. Color temperatures as well as surface brightnesses are measured directly; the system has obvious advantages for airborne and balloon platforms where good absolute pointing accuracy and reproducibility are difficult. This experiment has been flown successfully on the NASA 91 cm airborne telescope.
Der gutgläubige Erwerb des Eigentums an beweglichen Sachen

Der dem Eigentumer einer beweglichen Sache in §§ 932 ff. BGB zugemutete Rechtsverlust steht seit dem Inkrafttreten des BGB im Kreuzfeuer der Kritik. Die Regelung wurde als „Sieg des Handelsgeistes uber die Eigentumsordnung, des Verkehrsrechts uber das Sachenrecht“1 bezeichnet. Und der Strafrechtler BINDING meinte in seiner beruhmten und viel geschmahten2 Streitschrift: „Die Ungerechtigkeit des Eigentums-Erwerbs vom Nicht-Eigentumer nach BGB § 932 und § 935 und ihre Reduktion auf das kleinstmogliche Mas“, das der „beruhmte, Verkehr’“ vor der Gerechtigkeit in Demut den Hut abziehen musse3.
Surface and Defect Structure of Epitaxial Gallium Phosphide on Si(001)

Epitaxial GaP films grown on silicon by chemical beam epitaxy contain planar defects that are related to three dimensional island formation of GaP nucleating on the silicon substrate. Attention in the surface preconditioning and to the surface chemistry during the initial stages of nucleation and growth allow the control from pronounced three-dimensional growth behavior toward almost two-dimensional growth. New results on defect structure and surface morphology obtained by a combination of atomic force microscope (AFM) and a new method p-polarized reflectance spectroscopy (PRS) are presented and related to growth conditions during the initial stages of heteroepitaxy.
Evaluation of Ethanol Concentrations in Decomposed Bodies

Blood samples obtained from 130 putrefied bodies were studied for endogenous ethanol (postmortem neoformation). An objective method of establishing the degree of putrefaction was developed and correlated with the determined ethanol concentration. The ethanol concentration of the vitreous humor was found to be helpful in establishing whether any ethanol detected in blood or putrefied fluid samples was endogenous or exogenous.
The Changing Role of Congress in Defense Policy-Making

The role of Congress in defense policy-making has clearly been changing since 1968. The objective of this study is to describe and explain this change through the use of systemic indicators. A set of behavioral rules for the 1947–1967 period is developed by examining previous studies. Then empirical indicators are developed for the inputs, conversion processes, and outputs of the Congressional defense policy system. These indicators point to an increased role for Congress in the 1968–1974 period. Major factors explaining this change include the Vietnam War, decreased public perception of external threat, a rise in non-DOD defense policy alternatives, increased control of military procurement, a balanced Senate Armed Services Committee, continuing debate on national priorities, and the rise of a legitimate Congressional bloc critical of defense policy. Key variables in assessing the permanence of the change appear to be public perception of threat stemming from U.S.-Soviet relations and the conflict betwee...
Reproductive anatomy and cyclicity of the bat Eonycteris spelaea Dobson (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in West Malaysia

Previous field studies suggested that Eonycteris spelaea reproduces at all times of the year, with peak periods that may be associated with the rainy seasons. This study reports the anatomical and histological features that are associated with this pattern, using specimens obtained from this study. Our data confirm that this species is indeed aseasonal and polyestrous, and that females are monotocous and appear to undergo two pregnancies a year. The gross morphology of the male and female reproductive tracts is described. Adult males were found to have spermatogenic testes and secretory accessory sex glands year around. Adult females also were reproductively active year around. Individuals were pregnant, lactating or pregnant and lactating at each sampling. Both sexes possess specialized para-anal sebaceous glandular organs whose odoriferous secretions may have a role as secondary pheromones in the reproductive behavior of Eonycteris.
A Flexible and Lightweight BGP Route Injector to Multiple Peers

The paper proposes and implements a flexible and lightweight BGP injector (mBGPInjector) that can announce both offline and real-time BGP routes to multiple peers with various filtering options. mBGP Injector also supports dynamical BGP configuration changes, such as online bringing a peer down or up, applying custom filtering rules and announcing or withdrawing arbitrary BGP routes. The implemented mBGP Injector is a lightweight perl program that consists of a few functions to read, analyze and direct BGP routes to corresponding connected BGP peers in a large size of network (eBGP or iBGP). Experiments with our mBGP Injector tool satisfy the requirements we need for research and education and demonstrate effectiveness under realistic workloads. In addition, we designed and tested the tool in Global Environment for Network Innovations (GENI) environment, where researchers and educators can take advantage of shared resource request files to repeat the same experiments without involvement of ponderous settings and configurations.
Managing Adaptation: Developing a Learning Infrastructure in the United States’ Federal System

Though there is much solid evidence that anthropogenic climate change has already had and will increasingly have substantial adverse effects on biota and ecological processes, the chief barrier to effective natural resource governance over the next few decades will likely be the exceptional uncertainty that accompanies attempts to adapt to the effects of climate change on natural systems. Consequently, the effective adaptation of natural resource management to climate change hinges on the development of a regulatory infrastructure that provides public and private actors the capacity to assess and manage uncertainty. This chapter briefly sketches the options originally considered for natural resource governance in the United States, their insufficiency in the key function of managing uncertainty, and how to build a more effective federal system for managing natural resources in preparation for climate change. Uncertainty underscores the value of regulatory experimentation and learning in a largely decentralized and overlapping federal system, and suggests a crucial role for national governments and international institutions of promoting agency learning and inter-jurisdictional information sharing.
Semiautomated segmentation of the choroid in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography volume scans

Purpose Changes in the choroid, in particular its thickness, are believed to be of importance in the pathophysiology of a number of retinal diseases. The purpose of this study was to adapt the graph search algorithm to semiautomatically identify the choroidal layer in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volume scans and compare its performance to manual delineation. Methods A graph-based multistage segmentation approach was used to identify the choroid, defined as the layer between the outer border of the RPE band and the choroid-sclera junction. Thirty randomly chosen macular SD-OCT (1024 × 37 × 496 voxels, Heidelberg Spectralis) volumes were obtained from 20 healthy subjects and 10 subjects with non-neovascular AMD. The positions of the choroidal borders and resultant thickness were compared with consensus manual delineation performed by two graders. For consistency of the statistical analysis, the left eyes were horizontally flipped in the x-direction. Results The algorithm-defined position of the outer RPE border and choroid-sclera junction was consistent with the manual delineation, resulting in highly correlated choroidal thickness values with r = 0.91 to 0.93 for the healthy subjects and 0.94 for patients with non-neovascular AMD. Across all cases, the mean and absolute differences between the algorithm and manual segmentation for the outer RPE boundary was -0.74 ± 3.27 μm and 3.15 ± 3.07 μm; and for the choroid-sclera junction was -3.90 ± 15.93 μm and 21.39 ± 10.71 μm. Conclusions Excellent agreement was observed between the algorithm and manual choroidal segmentation in both normal eyes and those with non-neovascular AMD. The choroid was thinner in AMD eyes. Semiautomated choroidal thickness calculation may be useful for large-scale quantitative studies of the choroid.
Risk factors for and assessment of symptomatic pseudarthrosis after lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy in adult spinal deformity.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes for pseudarthrosis after a lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There exists no large series that examines pseudarthrosis rates of PSOs. METHODS Data of 171 consecutive patients with adult deformity who underwent a lumbar PSO by 2 surgeons at a single institution with a minimum 2-year follow-up were analyzed. Pseudarthrosis diagnosed through sagittal malalignment and instrumentation failure noted on radiograph was confirmed intraoperatively. RESULTS Eighteen (10.5%) of 171 patients developed pseudarthrosis after a PSO. Eleven of the 18 patients (6.4% of all patients, 61.1% of the 18 patients with pseudarthrosis) had pseudarthrosis at the PSO site, L3 being the most common; other locations included the lumbosacral junction (4/18), thoracolumbar junction (2/18), and upper thoracic spine (1/18). Preoperative pseudarthrosis level was a predictor of the postoperative level of pseudarthrosis (93%). Fifteen of the 18 patients (83%) had no interbody fusion directly above or below the PSO site, 16 (88%) had a history of pseudarthrosis at the time of PSO surgery and 2 of 3 patients who had prior radiation to the lumbar region developed pseudarthrosis. Most pseudarthroses occurred within the first 2 years (n = 13/18), between 2 and 5 years (n = 3/18), and more than 5 years (n = 2/18) postoperatively. Prior pseudarthrosis (P < 0.0001), pseudarthrosis at the PSO site (P < 0.0001), prior decompression in the lumbar region (P = 0.0037), prior radiation to the lumbar region (P < 0.0001), and presence of inflammatory/neurological disorders (P < 0.0036) were identified as risk factors. All 18 patients with pseudarthroses required revision surgery (posterior-only surgery, n = 12; anteroposterior surgery, n = 6) due to loss of sagittal alignment and pain. The mean pre-revision Scoliosis Research Society score was 85, post-revision score was 95 (P = 0.0166), and the mean pre-revision Oswestry Disability Index score was 42.5, post-revision score was 34.5 (P = 0.0203). CONCLUSION The overall prevalence of pseudarthrosis was 10.5% of which 61% occurred at the actual PSO site and Scoliosis Research Society and Oswestry Disability Index scores improved significantly after pseudarthrosis repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4.
Integrating Oral and General Health Care

Americans face serious challenges in oral health that result in lost work and school hours and impose heavy costs on the health care system and society. We may be able to address the problem by ending medicine's separation between the mouth and the rest of the body.
No Static at All: Tuning Into the Complexities of Ca2+ Signaling in the Endothelium.

A correlation between increases in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration of vascular endothelial cells and release of endothelium-dependent relaxing factors was first reported decades ago by Luckhoff et al.1 In agreement with these formative observations, subsequent studies demonstrated that Ca2+-sensitive biosynthetic pathways, such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase, as well as small and intermediate conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa2.3 and KCa3.1) are primary drivers of endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Because endothelial dysfunction and loss of vasodilatory capacity are a common hallmark of cardiovascular diseases, the underlying Ca2+ signaling mechanisms are of considerable interest. Technological advances, including the development of high-affinity fluorescent Ca2+ indicator dyes, transgenic mice expressing genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator proteins selectively in the endothelium,2 high-speed, high-resolution confocal Ca2+ imaging, and total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy allow the Ca2+ signals controlling endothelium-dependent vasodilation to be probed in ever increasing detail. Application of these methods has revealed that Ca2+ mobilization pathways in the endothelium are unexpectedly complex, dynamic, and diverse. For example, spreading intracellular and intercellular Ca2+ waves are stimulated by the well-characterized endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine in many vascular beds.2 These propagating Ca2+ events may be critically important for conducted vasodilatory responses.3 Another type of Ca2+ signal was reported by Ledoux et al,4 who demonstrated that in mouse mesenteric arteries, acetylcholine enhances localized release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum through inositol trisphosphate receptors (IP3R). These subcellular Ca2+ signals, referred to as Ca2+ pulsars, are localized to membrane domains that project through the internal elastic lamina separating the endothelium from underlying vascular smooth muscle cells. Ca2+ pulsar sites colocalize with areas densely expressing KCa3.1 channels, suggesting that Ca2+ pulsars may …
From menarche to maturity. A gynecologist's approach.

Common gynecologic problems in adolescents include dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge and amenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea usually responds to analgesics, but more severe forms may require relaxin, chlorpromazine or cyclic hormones. Excessive bleeding is usually on a dysfunctional basis, and usually stops after drug therapy. Approaches to vaginal discharge and amenorrhea are also discussed.
Celecoxib combined with olanzapine in the treatment of refractory depression by randomizing double-blind controlled

Objective: To study the clinical effects of celecoxib combined with olanzapine in the treatment of refractory depression. Methods: Double-blind controlled study were used,66 cases were diagnosed as treatment-resistant depression, and were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, 33 cases for each group,the observation group were treated with celecoxib combined with olanzapine, the control group were treated with celecoxib. 1,2,4,6,8 weeks later, two groups were used the hamilton depression rating Scale (HAMD), emergent symptom scale (TESS) assessment of drug sideeffects after treatment. Results: The total effective rate of the observation group was 87.88%, and the control group was 60.61%,difference between the two groups had statistical significance( P0.05), there was no significant difference of the drug side effects between the two groups (P0.05). Conclusion: Celecoxib combined with olanzapine in the treatment of refractory depression is fast onset, high security, and can quickly improve the sleep disorder and anxiety.