cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classroom climate and students’ goal structures in high-school biology classrooms in Kenya

This study examined classroom climate and student goal structures in high-school biology classrooms in Kenya. Participants included 891 students and their teachers in Grades 10 and 11 from two same-sex boarding schools—one for boys and the other for girls. School differences were found on all classroom climate aspects except teacher support and competition. Relative to tenth graders, eleventh graders perceived their classrooms to be higher in teacher support, task focus, competition, rule strictness, and innovation. There were school and grade differences in students’ goal structures, with School 1 students, relative to School 2 students, perceiving more personal performance-approach goals and their teachers as encouraging performance-approach goals. Eleventh graders reported more performance-approach goals at both the personal and teacher levels. Teachers perceived their classroom climates more positively than their students. Observation data provides interpretative information.
A Review of Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 42

ABSTRACT Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 42 was developed in response to the recognized prevalence of co-occurring disorders (COD) and research showing the failure of treatment informed by either a mental health or addiction model of change (Drake, Mueser, Brunette, & McHugo, 2004; Hendrickson, Schmal, & Ekleberry, 2004). Based on the work of a consensus panel that gathered information from evidence-based treatment research and clinical practice, TIP 42 has the goal of presenting a “state-of-the-art” integrated treatment model. In creating TIP 42, two questions were kept in mind: “What does the clinician need to know?” and “How can information be conveyed in a manner that makes it readily accessible?”(CAST, 2005a, p. 17). This critique examines the success of TIP 42 in addressing these questions.
Sensor faults: Detection methods and prevalence in real-world datasets

Various sensor network measurement studies have reported instances of transient faults in sensor readings. In this work, we seek to answer a simple question: How often are such faults observed in real deploymentsq We focus on three types of transient faults, caused by faulty sensor readings that appear abnormal. To understand the prevalence of such faults, we first explore and characterize four qualitatively different classes of fault detection methods. Rule-based methods leverage domain knowledge to develop heuristic rules for detecting and identifying faults. Estimation methods predict “normal” sensor behavior by leveraging sensor correlations, flagging anomalous sensor readings as faults. Time-series-analysis-based methods start with an a priori model for sensor readings. A sensor measurement is compared against its predicted value computed using time series forecasting to determine if it is faulty. Learning-based methods infer a model for the “normal” sensor readings using training data, and then statistically detect and identify classes of faults.We find that these four classes of methods sit at different points on the accuracy/robustness spectrum. Rule-based methods can be highly accurate, but their accuracy depends critically on the choice of parameters. Learning methods can be cumbersome to train, but can accurately detect and classify faults. Estimation methods are accurate, but cannot classify faults. Time-series-analysis-based methods are more effective for detecting short duration faults than long duration ones, and incur more false positives than the other methods. We apply these techniques to four real-world sensor datasets and find that the prevalence of faults as well as their type varies with datasets. All four methods are qualitatively consistent in identifying sensor faults, lending credence to our observations. Our work is a first step towards automated online fault detection and classification.
Enabling security, privacy, and transparency in an on dand world

The deployment of gigabit-per-second networks; the development of Grid computing, peer-to-peer applications, and Web services; the spread of wireless networks and pervasive computing; the development of autonomic, self-monitoring systs; and the adoption of open standards that enable tighter integration of IT systs and business processes within companies and across companies are ushering in the new paradigm of open standards-based, distributed computing. Companies will be able to integrate their corporate IT systs into grids, making it far easier to move data within the company and fostering collaboration between ployees. In time, it is likely that companies and organizations will link their networked systs with those of business partners and with "utility grids" and data centers run by third parties. One barrier to the adoption of this model is that customers may doubt that their personal data can be protected when it is moving between multiple servers and storage systs scattered across the country or even around the world. In Canada and other countries this is becoming a serious policy issue and there have been proposals to ban out-of-country outsourcing of government IT services.In this changing landscape, today's privacy solutions whether technologies, services, or regulations will be unable to meet the needs of either individuals or corporations. Entirely new classes of products and services are badly needed. The paper explores new types of privacy-enhancing technologies to address ployees' and customers' privacy concerns. Some questions to be examined by this talk include: How will privacy and expectations of privacy change where distributed computing is commonplace?How can privacy and transparency be built into distributed computing systs?What can governments do to protect privacy without inhibiting the growth of distributed computing (e.g. virtualization, Web services, Grid computing, peer-to-peer applications)?
Hazards at sea

When the traffic doubles in the intersection of two sea lanes, the risk of collision between ships increases by a factor of 8. This result, reported earlier by Dr. Arne Jensen, is confirmed by an alternative approach.
Infectious complications of cyclophosphamide treatment for vasculitis

Fifteen patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, or isolated angiitis of the central nervous system were treated with cyclophosphamide according to a widely used regimen. Seventeen clinical episodes of infection were observed over 201 patient-months of cyclophosphamide therapy, and 2 patients died of pneumonia. Notably, neither the incidence of leukopenia nor the dosage or duration of cyclophosphamide or corticosteroid therapy correlated well with infection, which occurred most frequently in men over 60 years of age. Patients with Wegener's granulomatosis appeared to be at greater risk of infection than those with the other forms of vasculitis. These results suggest that this treatment regimen may not be as safe as was previously thought.
Concepts and Measurement of In Vivo Tibiofemoral Kinematics

Recent studies of tibiofemoral kinematics in 6 degrees-of-freedom have given us a new perspective and demonstrated lateral compartmental roll-back centered on a medially oriented axis over a relatively stable medial compartment during functional arcs of sagittal knee motion. This translates into coupled internal tibial rotation with increasing knee flexion, which is altered by anterior cruciate ligament <ACU injury. During terminal exten­ sion, the tensioned ACL provides an internal torque to the lateral femoral condyle with tightening of the lateral collateral ligament, culminating in the 'screw-home mechanism'. Studies of tibiofemoral kinematics in the ACL-deficient knee have demonstrated posterior and medial shifts of the femur relative to the tibia reference point. In addition, the ACL-deficient knee also demonstrates different patterns of tibiofemoral kinematics during gait. Current ACL-reconstruction techniques will restore some functions of the ACL; however, some studies have suggested that anatomical ACL-reconstruction may better restore normal tibiofemoral kinematics. Although in vitro studies have contributed much to our knowledge of knee kinematics, increasingly accurate in vivo measurement techniques now offer new insight on rotational stability. The methodologies of in vivo kinematics include radiological techniques, video-based motion analysis, electromagnetic tracking devices, and ultrasound-based systems. As management of knee pathologies continue to evolve, development of reliable measures of rotational stability may be the next challenge in clinical and functional outcome assessment.
Direct Shipping Laws, Wine and Societal Welfare

Direct shipping laws restrict the amount of wine traded between states in the United States as well as international trade in the wine industry. The effects of these laws are twofold. First, they restrict consumer choice, through higher prices and fewer goods available. This is the classic way in which barriers to trade reduce consumer and societal welfare. For the international wine company, marketing and distribution costs rise due to the fact that certain markets are not directly available. For all potential exporters to the US. these direct shipping laws add to difficulty in competing and reduce availability. The data show that the elimination of the laws would reduce prices, increase quantities sold, and increase competition in wine, especially through direct shipping. These laws affect firm choice on product delivery and market penetration.
Gangliosides in SV-40-transformed cells derived from Tay-Sachs disease fetal brain

A human glial brain cell line derived from a Tay-Sachs disease fetal cerebellum was transformed with SV-40 virus in order to obtain a transformed brain cell line which reflected the characteristics of the disease. It was shown that the transformed TSD cell line maintained an elevated level of GM2 which was similar to that shown by the nontransformed precursor. In addition, the TSD transformed line lacked hexosaminidase A.
Bayesian Multicategorical Soft Data Fusion for Human–Robot Collaboration

This paper considers Bayesian data fusion of conventional robot sensor information with ambiguous human-generated categorical information about continuous world states of interest. First, it is shown that such soft information can be generally modeled via hybrid continuous-to-discrete likelihoods that are based on the softmax function. A new hybrid fusion procedure, called variational Bayesian importance sampling (VBIS), is then introduced to combine the strengths of variational Bayes approximations and fast Monte Carlo methods to produce reliable posterior estimates for Gaussian priors and softmax likelihoods. VBIS is then extended to more general fusion problems that involve complex Gaussian mixture (GM) priors and multimodal softmax likelihoods, leading to accurate GM approximations of highly non-Gaussian fusion posteriors for a wide range of robot sensor data and soft human data. Experiments for hardware-based multitarget search missions with a cooperative human-autonomous robot team show that humans can serve as highly informative sensors through proper data modeling and fusion, and that VBIS provides reliable and scalable Bayesian fusion estimates via GMs.
Endogenous Anabolic Hormones and Hypermetabolism: Effect of Trauma and Gender Differences

Objective: Protein degradation, negative nitrogen balance and compromised structure of essential organs have been associated with resistance and decreased production of anabolic hormones. In turn, increased levels of anabolic hormones are associated with improved survival. The aims of the present study were to determine the pattern of anabolic hormones, resting energy expenditure and cytokines in severely thermally injured pediatric patients and to compare these parameters in female and male patients.
Oral Ethanol Intake and Levels of Blood Alcohol in the Squirrel Monkey

Oral alcohol ingestion and blood alcohol levels were examined in adult female squirrel monkeys to assess the feasibility of using this primate as a model for fetal alcohol effects. In one experiment, alcohol intake was evaluated in nonpregnant animals under conditions in which the concentration of ethanol, length of ethanol exposure, and degree of liquid deprivation were varied. In another experiment blood alcohol levels were measured in pregnant animals of two subtypes that had been drinking ethanol. In a third experiment, time-dependent blood alcohol levels and behavior were evaluated in nonpregnant monkeys following intubation of specific doses of ethanol. Results showed that nonpregnant monkeys drank ethanol at concentrations of 5 to 10%, and that the amount of ethanol consumed was related to the concentration and length of time ethanol was available. When given access to a 5% ethanol solution, pregnant animals drank quantities that varied between individuals and subtypes, with maximum blood levels, measured up to 6 hr after presentation, ranging from 1 to 196 mg%. Intubation of ethanol resulted in blood alcohol levels and incoordination scores that were linearly related to dose, with maximum effects occurring 1 hr after administration. Elimination of ethanol from the blood at levels above 50 mg% occurred at a rate of about 35 mg%/hr, while the rate of clearance from the body was calculated to be approximately 250 mg/kg/hr.
Effect of different lipid systems on antioxidant activity of rosemary constituents carnosol and carnosic acid with and without α-tocopherol

The effect of oxidizing lipid substrate on the antioxidant activity of carnosol and carnosic acid were evaluated in bulk and emulsified systems. In bulk methyl linoleate, carnosic acid was a better antioxidant than carnosol on the basis of conjugated diene hydroperoxide formation, and both were more active than α-tocopherol. However, in linoleic acid carnosol was more active than carnosic acid. In bulk corn oil triglycerides, α-tocopherol exhibited the most antioxidant activity followed by carnosic acid and carnosol. In all emulsified systems, α-tocopherol consistently exhibited more antioxidant activity than carnosol and carnosic acid. In mixtures, carnosol decreased and carnosic acid increased the oxidative stability of α-tocopherol in corn oil. During oxidation carnosic acid and carnosol are converted to unknown compounds which exhibit antioxidant activity. The type and polarity of the lipid system used as a model substrate significantly affect the antioxidant activity of carnosol and carnosic acid. Ke...
PREVALENCE AND RESPONSE OF BLEEDING, INCLUDING TRANSFUSION DEPENDENT BLEEDING, TO INTERVENTION IN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Loss of high molecular weight multimers (HMWM) of von Willebrand factor (VWF) and clinically significant bleeding have been described in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). However, there are no data describing the prevalence of bleeding and only case reports describing the effects of
The influences of diffusion and advective flow on the distribution of radon activity within USEPA's soil chamber

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) soil chamber was designed to study the production and transport of radon and other potential indoor air pollutants originating in the soil. This paper presents an analysis of steady-state diffusion in the soil for two different conditions of moisture. The model accounts for multiphase emanation and transport. When the position dependence of the moisture profile was taken into account, the model and measurements agreed well (average deviations of 5% – 13%). Non-steady-state measurements are also discussed. Diffusion plays an important role in radon transport even for this relatively high permeability (3 × 10−11 m2) soil. The implication is that diffusion plays an important role in transporting radon to a point near the building shell even though the entry mechanism by which radon penetrates the shell may primarily be advective flow.
DISEASE AND DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH

Hookworm and malaria, parasites that remain a significant public health threat in the tropical belt today, were endemic in the American South as late as the first half of the twentieth century. I discuss how the successful eradication of malaria and hookworm in the American South affected human-capital accumulation. I find that areas that had higher levels of (malaria or hookworm) infection prior to eradication experienced greater increases in school attendance and literacy afterwards. Moreover, I find that adults earned substantially more if they were not exposed to these diseases as children. The estimates are large relative to the subsequent convergence between the North and South in the United States, but small compared to the cross-country distribution of income. Nevertheless, the results indicate potentially large benefits of public health interventions in developing countries. (JEL: I12, J24, O10, H43)
Intracellular protease changes in acute experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Proteases are among the potentially toxic agents that may be produced by lung cells during nonspecific or specific immunologic inflammation. We studied levels of selected intracellular lysosomal proteases in an established rabbit model of acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis to determine if demonstrable changes in these proteases occurred. Cathepsins B1, B2, C and D, dipeptidylaminopeptidase II and elastolytic enzyme in lung homogenates and subcellular fractions were quantitated using specific substrates, and reported as total activity (per lung) and as specific activity (activity per mg protein). Rabbits undergoing acute inflammation had significantly increased total activity for cathepsins B1, B2, C and D in lysosomal fractions compared to controls, with increased total activity of cathepsins B1, C and D in cytoplasmic fractions as well. Specific activity was significantly increased for cathepsins B1, B2 and C in the lysosomal compartment and of cathepsin C in the cytoplasmic fraction. The intracellular lung proteases exhibited a variety of changes during systemic immunization, inhalation of aerosolized antigen and recovery from inflammation. The cellular origin of these enzymes and whether their changes contribute to injury, aid in recovery, or are simply epiphenomena remain to be determined.
Compartmental modulation of abdominal Hox expression by engrailed and sloppy-paired patterns the fly ectoderm.

Abstract In Drosophila, segmentation genes partition the early embryo into reiterative segments along the anterior–posterior axis, while Hox genes assign segments their identities. Each segment is also subdivided into distinct anterior (A) and posterior (P) compartments based on the expression of the engrailed (en) segmentation gene. Differences in Hox expression often correlate with compartmental boundaries, but the genetic basis for these differences is not well understood. In this study, we extend previous results to describe a genetic circuit that controls the differential expression of two Hox genes, Ultrabithorax (Ubx) and abdominal-A (abd-A), within the A and P compartments of the abdominal ectoderm. Consistent with earlier findings, we show that en is essential for high Abd-A levels and low Ubx levels in the P compartment, whereas sloppy-paired (slp) is required for high Ubx levels in the A compartment. Overall, these results demonstrate that the compartmental expression of Ubx and abd-A is established through a repressive regulatory network between en, slp, Ubx and abd-A. We also show that abd-A expression in the P compartment is important for the formation of abdominal-specific cell types, suggesting that en and slp modulation of Hox expression within the A and P compartments is essential for embryonic patterning.
Does Background Music Really Help Radio Commercials? The Effect of Involvement on Ad Recall

This study tested the effects of background music on the recall of radio commercials. Free and aided recall were significantly higher for subjects who heard the commercials containing no background music in the talk program compared to that of subjects hearing the commercials containing no background music in the music program. Furthermore, involvement level appears to be a factor in influencing recall. The involvement level with the music program was low compared to the involvement level with the talk program and this seems to have a mitigating effect on the recall of the commercials.
Intravenous Usage of Gammaglobulin: Humoral Immunodeficiency, Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, and Newer Indications

Intravenous gammaglobulin is effective therapy of ITP and other autoantibody-mediated immune cytopenias. All children as well as adults unresponsive to splenectomy or with known immune deficiency are probably the best candidates for treatment with IVGG. Its major advantage, in addition to its efficacy of treatment and possible remission-inducing effect, is that it has the fewest side effects of any treatment of ITP so that it is the best maintenance therapy of patients when effective. Future uses of IVGG remain to be determined. Premature infants with a high mortality from sepsis and with hypogammaglobulinemia due to termination of pregnancy prior to transplacental antibody transfer may benefit from IVGG. A preliminary study suggested such benefit and also showed safety of IVGG treatment in that there was no impaired immune responsiveness of these prematures at 2 years of age (28). Another potential usage of IVGG involves the treatment of the hypogammaglobulinemia associated with certain types of malignancy. Patients with CLL, especially in the advanced stages, are often hypogammaglobulinemic. Multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia are two other B-cell malignancies associated with antibody production defects which might benefit from antibody replacement therapy. Therapeutic IgG levels may be harder to obtain due to hypercatabolism of immunoglobulin. The issue of immune hyporesponsiveness during intensive chemotherapy is also unexplored. Secondary antibody responses do not seem to be impaired, but primary responses, as tested in numerous immunization studies, are decidedly impaired. Certain protocols, especially those treating high-risk acute leukemias and neuroblastoma during induction therapy are intensive with high rates of sepsis, and may warrant trials of prophylactic IVGG. Similarly, some form of humoral prophylaxis is becoming an important part of the handling of the patient undergoing bone marrow transplantation not only to prevent bacterial sepsis but also to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) interstitial pneumonitis. A likely additional usage is gammaglobulin replacement for patients undergoing plasmapheresis, especially if performed multiple times. Finally, the broad spectrum of antibacterial and antiviral antibodies present in the preparations (such as anti-CMV, anti-Group B strep, and antiendotoxin) and the ease and safety of delivery allow the preparations to be used in situations where a hyperimmune preparation might be desired and/or where more than one pathogen is possible. In summary, IVGG is a treatment capable of safely conferring significant benefits to selected patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Frequency-dependent hydrodynamic inductance and the determination of the thermal and quantum noise of a superfluid gyroscope

We reexamine mass flow in a superfluid gyroscope containing a superfluid Josephson weak link. We introduce a frequency-dependent hydrodynamic inductance to account for an oscillatory flow of the normal fluid component in the sensing loop. With this hydrodynamic inductance, we derive the thermal phase noise, and hence the thermal rotational noise of the gyroscope. We examine the thermodynamic stability of the system based on an analysis of the free energy. We derive a quantum phase noise, which is analogous to the zero-point motion of a simple harmonic oscillator. The configuration of the studied gyroscope is analogous to a conventional superconducting RF SQUID. We show that the gyroscope has very low intrinsic noise (1.9x10{sup -13} rad s{sup -1}/{radical}(Hz)), and it can potentially be applied to study general relativity, Earth science, and to improve global positioning systems (GPS)
A polarization controller air-core photonic-bandgap fiber

We investigate the effects of twisting on the birefringence of an air-core fiber and demonstrate the first air-core fiber polarization controller, a simple device consisting of three short twisted fiber sections, with a 20-dB extinction ratio.
Lexicon for standardized interpretation of gamma camera molecular breast imaging: observer agreement and diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose To determine interobserver agreement and diagnostic accuracy using a lexicon for standardized interpretation of molecular breast imaging (MBI) studies by breast radiologists.
Role of the Coulomb singularity in high-order harmonic generation

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) from a single hydrogen atom is studied analytically and numerically in the regime of small Keldysh parameter. The HHG spectra from different Coulomb-like model potentials, such as soft-core and/or one-dimensional (1D) potentials are compared to the three-dimensional (3D) Coulomb potential. It is shown, using analytic arguments, that the famous plateau in the HHG spectrum owes its existence to the Coulomb singularity, whereas soft-core potentials give spectra that fall off exponentially with increasing frequency. The idea is demonstrated numerically on a 3D soft-core potential that has the same long-range asymptotic behavior and ground-state energy as hydrogen. In addition, a number of widely used 1D Coulomb-like potentials are discussed. It is shown that in order that a 1D potential be a reasonable substitute for the 3D Coulomb potential, it must have a cusp singularity. A specific potential satisfying this criterion is proposed.
Endotoxin-induced Lung Maturation in Preterm Lambs Is Not Mediated by Cortisol

Antenatal exposure to glucocorticoids, amnionitis, intraamniotic interleukin (IL)-1α, or endotoxin can improve postnatal lung function after preterm delivery. The relationship between early lung maturation and the dose and duration of a proinflammatory stimulus has not been evaluated. The effects of proinflammatory stimuli on fetal plasma cortisol also have not been evaluated. We hypothesized that intraamniotic endotoxin would induce early lung maturation in fetal sheep without increasing fetal cortisol. Intraamniotic injections of 1, 4, 20, or 100 mg of Escherichia coli 055:β5 endotoxin caused 2-fold increases in compliance, 4- to 5-fold increases in lung gas volumes, and 20-fold increases in alveolar saturated phosphatidylcholine (Sat PC) when given 7 d before preterm delivery at 125 d gestation. Animals treated with 20 mg endotoxin for treatment to delivery intervals of 5 h to 15 d had no significant elevations in cord plasma cortisol levels. Increases in Sat PC in lung tissue and alveolar washes were detected 2 d after endotoxin treatment and lung function improved 4 d after endotoxin treatment. Two doses of endotoxin given 3 and 7 d or 7 and 15 d before treatment resulted in lung maturation responses equivalent to single dose comparison groups without elevations in cortisol. Early lung maturation induced by intraamniotic endotoxin in fetal sheep occurred without an increase in fetal plasma cortisol, indicating that endotoxin promoted lung maturation by a mechanism independent of cortisol.
Cerebral vasospasm after sub‐arachnoid hemorrhage as a clinical predictor and phenotype for genetic association study

Background A typology of cerebral vasospasm has been proposed based on distinct clinical manifestations: delayed cerebral ischemia, symptomatic ‘vasospasm’, angiographic vasospasm, and transcranial Doppler vasospasm. We examined each distinct clinical manifestation in a nonparametric genetic association study. Aims The purpose of this study was to examine and compare each four distinct acute clinical manifestations and test its perspectives in genetic association studies. Methods Two hundred forty-five Caucasian patients with sub-arachnoid hemorrhage were evaluated for these four distinct clinical manifestations along with 906 600 single-nucleotide polymorphisms across the human genome. Results The four clinical manifestations were significantly associated with each other as P-values ranged from 3·31 × 10−4 to 8·10 × 10−15. Transcranial Doppler vasospasm showed significant genetic association with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs999662, P = 3·39 × 10−8). Statistical P-value of rs999662 in association with delayed cerebral ischemia, symptomatic ‘vasospasm’, and angiographic vasospasm was 0·0017, 0·0017, and 0·19, respectively. Conclusions Despite different criteria for each of the four clinical manifestations, they are significantly associated with each other. Our results suggest transcranial Doppler vasospasm may be an appropriate intermediate but still clinically relevant phenotype for genetic association studies. Association with SNP rs999662 indicates a potential role for the region containing the solute carrier family 12 member 3 (SLC12A3) gene in transcranial Doppler vasospasm following sub-arachnoid hemorrhage.
Uniform oscillating gradient produced by spherical birdcage resonator

The theory and operation of a resonator which produces a uniform oscillating magnetic field gradient is described. When the resonator is operated at audio frequency, it will produce the oscillating magnetic field gradient required for use in spatial encoding in rapid acquisition magnetic resonance imaging.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for a hyper-rare cliff endemic, Erigeron lemmonii, and a more widespread congener, Erigeron arisolius (Asteraceae)

We identified eight novel polymorphic microsatellite loci in Erigeron lemmonii and nine novel polymorphic microsatellite loci in Erigeron arisolius. Of these, three loci developed for E. arisolius cross-amplified E. lemmonii DNA and four loci developed for E. lemmonii cross-amplified E. arisolius DNA. This set of 17 loci will be used to analyze patterns of genetic structure in populations of these two Erigeron species in southeastern Arizona with the ultimate goal of comparing patterns of genetic structure within a hyper-rare cliff endemic (E. lemmonii) to those of a more widespread congener (E. arisolius).
Privacy and Dot.Com Bankruptcies: Protection of Personal Data

Abstract Dot.com companies began to collapse early in 2000. Before the crash, investors would purchase stock in new technical companies without even looking at a business plan. Companies established in a programmer's family room were offering stock within months and investors were buying, creating thousands of “paper millionaires.” Financiers never bothered to investigate, for example, how long the company would have to remain in business before they could expect to make a profit. When the bubble burst, investors lost huge amounts of money. Between March 2000 and October 2002, the NASDAQ Composite lost 78 percent of its value as it fell from 5046.86 to 1114.11. Law firms specializing in bankruptcy were busier than ever before.
Theory, Measurement, and Controversy in Positive Psychology, Health Psychology, and Cancer: Basics and Next Steps

The aims of this commentary are two-fold: First, to amplify some of the points that Aspinwall, Tedeschi, Coyne, Tennen, and Ranchor have raised, noting the importance of a return to basics. Second, to posit next steps in theory development and methods at the intersection of health psychology, positive psychology, and cancer. Additional theory development, more applications of large prospective studies, and instrument refinements are warranted to understand the effects of positive constructs on health outcomes and adaptation to cancer. This area of research would be strengthened by studies that incorporate survival, health-related quality of life, and well-being outcome measures, using cancer registries and/or multiple raters. More observational studies are necessary. Attention to social justice questions is suggested in future studies at the intersection of these fields.
Coronary heart disease risk factor profiles in black patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: Paradoxic patterns

Abstract purpose: Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in black Americans consists of two variants: one with insulin resistance and one with normal insulin sensitivity. This study examined whether cardiovascular disease risk factors are significantly different between the two variants. patients and methods: Twenty-two black patients with NIDDM in near-normoglycemic remission who were receiving no pharmacologic therapy for NIDDM were evaluated for insulin sensitivity by the euglycemic insulin clamp, plasma insulin levels, degree of obesity, glucose metabolism, serum total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and fasting plasma triglyceride levels. results: Fifty-nine percent of these patients had normal insulin sensitivity (glucose disposal rate in response to a 1 mU·kg −1 ·minute −1 insulin infusion greater than 6.0 mg·kg −1 ·minute −1 ). The insulin-sensitive patients were less obese (body mass index [BMI] 26.5 ± 0.6 versus 30.8 ± 0.9 kg/m 2 ) and had lower fasting plasma insulin levels (56.9 ± 7.8 versus 88.0 ± 6.0 pmol/L), lower serum cholesterol (4.47 ± 0.30 versus 6.39 ± 0.26 mmol/L), lower serum LDL cholesterol (2.77 ± 0.31 versus 4.51 ± 0.27 mmol/L), and lower fasting plasma triglyceride levels (0.83 ± 0.08 versus 1.45 ±0.16 mmol/L) than the insulin-resistant patients. Serum HDL cholesterol was not different between the two groups and was in the highnormal range (1.31 ± 0.08 and 1.19 ± 0.07 mmol/L). Univariate analysis demonstrated that serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and fasting plasma triglycerides were highly correlated with insulin-mediated glucose disposal and fasting plasma insulin. The differences in insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles were independent of obesity, as they were present in six insulin-resistant and six insulin-sensitive patients matched for BMI. conclusions: Black patients with the insulinsensitive variant of NIDDM have a low risk factor profile for cardiovascular disease as compared with those with the insulin-resistant variant, who have a high risk factor profile. A high prevalence of the insulin-sensitive variant of NIDDM in the black population might explain the lower prevalence of angina and myocardial infarction in black patients with NIDDM as compared with white patients with NIDDM.
One-phonon thermal-diffuse scattering from Xe(111)☆

Abstract We report the first calculations of surface thermal-diffuse scattering intensities for extensive regions of reciprocal space including a number of reciprocal lattice rods. The results given here are for the (111) surface of xenon, which has been the subject of recent experimental studies.
Linewidth broadening factor in semiconductor lasers--An overview

The objective of this paper is to present an overview of topics related to one of the fundamental parameters for semiconductor lasers-the linewidth broadening factor α that describes the coupling between carrier-concentration-induced variations of real and imaginary parts of susceptibility. After introducing the definition of α and discussing its dependence on carrier concentration, photon energy, and temperature, we give a short historical summary on how the concept of α evolved over the past two decades. This is followed by a discussion of α dependence on device structure in gain-guided and subdimensional lasers (quantum wells and quantum wires). The bulk of the paper is devoted to a detailed review of laser properties influenced by α and of associated methods of estimating the value of α. Results of measurements reported to date are collected and the most reliable methods are indicated.
The Basic Difficulty of Historical Sociology

(1961). The Basic Difficulty of Historical Sociology. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 3-20.
Fidelity and Mutational Specificity of Uracil-initiated Base Excision DNA Repair Synthesis in Human Glioblastoma Cell Extracts

The fidelity of DNA synthesis associated with uracil-initiated base excision repair was measured in human whole cell extracts. An M13mp2 lacZalpha DNA-based reversion assay was developed to assess the error frequency of DNA repair synthesis at a site-specific uracil residue. All three possible base substitution errors were detected at the uracil target causing reversion of opal codon 14 in the Escherichia coli lacZalpha gene. Using human glioblastoma U251 whole cell extracts, approximately 50% of the heteroduplex uracil-containing DNA substrate was completely repaired, as determined by the insensitivity of form I DNA reaction products to cleavage by a combined treatment of E. coli uracil-DNA glycosylase and endonuclease IV. The majority of repair occurred by the uracil-initiated base excision repair pathway, since the addition of the bacteriophage PBS2 uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor protein to extracts significantly blocked this process. In addition, the formation of repaired form I DNA molecules occurred concurrently with limited DNA synthesis, which was largely restricted to the HinfI DNA fragment initially containing the uracil residue and specific to the uracil-containing DNA strand. Based on the reversion frequency of repaired M13mp2 DNA, the fidelity of DNA repair synthesis at the target was determined to be about one misincorporated nucleotide per 1900 repaired uracil residues. The major class of base substitutions propagated transversion mutations, which were distributed almost equally between T to G and T to A changes in the template. A similar mutation frequency was also observed using whole cell extracts from human colon adenocarcinoma LoVo cells, suggesting that mismatch repair did not interfere with the fidelity measurements.
Tamoxifen induction of CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α is required for tamoxifen-induced apoptosis

Low concentrations of tamoxifen or its active metabolite 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) induce estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)-dependent apoptosis. To analyze the pathway of OHT-ERalpha-induced apoptosis, we developed stably transfected lines of HeLa cells expressing wild-type ER and an inactive mutant ERalpha unable to bind estrogen response elements. HeLa cells expressing the mutant ERalpha and HeLa cells expressing wild-type ERalpha in which the ER was knocked down with an ER-specific small interfering RNA were not killed by Tam or OHT, suggesting that estrogen response element-mediated transcription is required for Tam- and OHT-induced apoptosis. Microarray analysis to identify a gene(s) whose expression is important in OHT-ER-mediated apoptosis identified 19 mRNAs that OHT up-regulated by >1.6-fold and 15 down-regulated mRNAs. Gene function and the time course of induction by OHT-ERalpha led us to further investigate CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha), which has roles in cell cycle progression and apoptosis, and p21. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot analysis, and RNA interference knockdown suggest that cell cycle arrest resulting from OHT-ERalpha induction of p21 may facilitate apoptosis. OHT-ERalpha, but not E2-ERalpha, induced C/EBPalpha mRNA and protein. RNA interference knockdown of C/EBPalpha nearly abolished OHT-ERalpha-induced apoptosis. We isolated stable cell lines that were resistant to OHT-induced apoptosis, contain full-length functional ERalpha, and undergo apoptosis in response to etoposide. In these OHT-resistant cell lines both before and after OHT treatment, C/EBPalpha levels are much lower than in OHT-sensitive cells. These studies establish a novel molecular site responsible for Tam- and OHT-ERalpha-induced apoptosis of cancer cells.
Characterization of aspirin allergies in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract Background Aspirin prevents coronary thrombosis and is used extensively in cardiovascular prophylaxis. However, patients with a prior history of an aspirin "reaction" are routinely denied this medication. Objective To characterize the clinical presentation of a cohort of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and aspirin reactions. Methods Between 2009 and 2012, using a retrospective computer analysis, information was collected on all patients within a county-wide health care system presenting with CAD and a prior history of aspirin reactions. Results Of 9,565 patients with CAD, a prior history of aspirin reactions was recorded in 142 patients. Of these 142 patients, 30 (21%) had histories compatible with cutaneous and/or respiratory reactions. The other patients described adverse effects to aspirin, mostly gastrointestinal intolerance and bleeding. Aspirin-induced anaphylaxis was recorded in patients but may have been misdiagnosed, describing instead respiratory hypersensitivity reactions. Of the 142 patients, only 34 (24%) were receiving daily cardiovascular prophylaxis with aspirin. Of 108 patients not receiving aspirin, 25 (17.6%) were prescribed clopidogrel. Conclusion Histories of aspirin reactions in patients with CAD are uncommon, occurring in only 1.5% of our study population. The 21% of patients with histories compatible with aspirin hypersensitivities can be challenged and, if the results are positive, successfully desensitized. Moreover, almost all patients with gastric intolerance to aspirin can be treated with aspirin and a proton pump inhibitor. However, both approaches, which result in restoration of cardiovascular prophylaxis, were seriously underused in our study population.
The effect of the delta snbunit on the interaction of Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase with bases in a SP82 early gene promoter

We have examined the effect of the delta subunit on the interaction of the Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase with an early gene promotor of phase SP82. Methylation by dimethyl sulfate, used to probe close approaches of polymerase to purines, revealed that noninitiated complexes formed by holo-enzyme (core-sigma-delta) had significantly fewer contacts than complexes formed by core-sigma. The presence or absence of delta had little or no effect on close approaches to purines in initiated complexes. DNAase I footprinting indicated that core-sigma was bound to the same region regardless of whether delta, initiating nucleotides, or both, were present. These data support the conclusion that delta acts prior to initiation to enhance promoter selectivity by limiting the number of possible interactions that the polymerase can make with DNA.
Orthogonal Complement-Based Divide and Conquer Algorithm: A Detailed Investigation of Its Performance

In this paper, we characterize the orthogonal complement-based divide-and-conquer (ODCA) [1] algorithm in terms of the constraint violation error growth rate and singularity handling capabilities. In addition, we present a new constraint stabilization method for the ODCA architecture. The proposed stabilization method is applicable to general multibody systems with arbitrary number of closed kinematic loops. We compare the performance of the ODCA with augmented [2] and reduction [3] methods. The results indicate that the performance of the ODCA falls between these two traditional techniques. Furthermore, using a numerical example, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the new stabilization scheme.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Veritas® bovine pericardium for immediate breast reconstruction: a xenograft alternative to acellular dermal matrix products

Background The technical advantages in utilizing human acellular dermal matrix (ADM) products as pectoral extenders in immediate breast reconstruction with tissue expanders or implants are well documented in the medical literature. In this study, the authors examine a commonly used biologic xenograft product that has not yet been described in the medical literature for use in immediate breast reconstruction to determine whether a lower overall complication rate is identified compared to published data on ADM products.
Computing the generalized aspect graph for objects with moving parts

Algorithms for computing the aspect graph representation are generalized to include a larger, more realistic domain of objects known as articulated assemblies those objects composed of rigid parts with articulated connections allowed between parts. The generalization suggests two slightly different representations: one that directly summarizes the possible general views of the object and another (hierarchical) form summarizing the possible general configurations and their respective views. Algorithms are outlined for computing both representations. The generalized aspect graphs of assemblies formed using translational connections are examined. >
Indoor Climbing Walls: The Sport of the Nineties

(1997). Indoor Climbing Walls: The Sport of the Nineties. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 68, No. 9, pp. 26-29.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in chemically induced skin tumors

Previous studies have demonstrated a role for the fos gene in promoting malignant conversion of mouse skin tumors. In the study reported here, differential display was performed to identify fos- and jun-regulated genes that are differentially expressed during premalignant progression. Total RNA isolated from variants of the papilloma cell line SP-1 transduced with retroviral vectors expressing v-jun and v-fos alone or in tandem was analyzed for the presence of differentially expressed transcripts by using 35 different primer combinations. Differentially expressed clones were rescreened by dot-blot analysis by using cDNA from chemically induced tumors with a high or low risk of malignant conversion. Three differentially displayed fragments were isolated in this analysis. Homology searches indicated that these fragments shared significant homology with the apoptosis inhibitor bcl-2, human alternative splicing factor/splicing factor 2 (ASF/SF2), and a novel gene not present in the GenBank or EMBL databases. In situ hybridization indicated that the expression levels of the bcl-2 homolog increased with malignant potential in chemically derived mouse skin tumors. A similar analysis indicated that expression of the ASF/SF2 homolog was greater in papillomas than in normal skin or in squamous cell carcinomas. Transcripts for this gene were most abundant in the granular layer. The expression pattern of the third differential display fragment was consistent with that of a tumor suppressor gene. This gene was expressed at very high levels in normal skin and benign papillomas but was essentially undetectable in squamous cell carcinomas. Through this approach, we identified known and novel genes that may contribute to malignant progression in epidermal tumors. Mol. Carcinog. 20:88–98, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Disulfide Bond Reduction: A Powerful, Chemical Probe for the Study of Structure–Function Relationships in the Hemocyanins

Abstract The copper-containing hemocyanins are a class of oxygen-transport proteins whose structures differ in arthropods and molluscs. Crystal structure analyses and amino acid sequence comparisons show that disulfide bonding is a common feature in both arthropod and mollusc hemocyanins. Reduction of the disulfide bonds of a representative set of arthropod and mollusc hemocyanins results in complete loss of their oxygen-binding capacities. Thus, retention of the disulfide bonds is essential to the functional integrity of the oxygen-binding sites in the subunits of this class of oxygen carriers, despite the very different architectures of the arthropod and mollusc molecules. Depending upon the specific hemocyanin, partial to virtually complete restoration of the oxygen-binding capacity occurs when the disulfide-bond reductant is removed by dialysis. The rate at which the functional, active-site geometry is lost and the extent to which it can be restored varies markedly with hemocyanin type, aggregation state, and experimental conditions. Consequently, a comparison of these differences provides a simple, but powerful, way to probe internal and environmental factors that govern physiologically important structure–function relationships in this entire class of oxygen-transport proteins.