cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of water balance in three species of quail—II. Utilization of saline drinking solutions☆

Abstract 1. 1. Bobwhite, California and Gambel's quail show a positive correlation between their ability to effectively utilize sodium chloride solutions and the degree of water shortage in the typical habitat of each species. 2. 2. Utilization of sodium chloride drinking solutions was evaluated with respect to drinking rates, body weight changes, ability to acclimate to high salt input, absorption of salt from the gut, plasma and urine sodium and osmotic pressure levels and kidney structure.
Catalytic conversion of carbohydrate-derived oxygenates over HZSM-5 in a tandem micro-reactor system†

In this study, carbohydrate-derived pyrolysis oxygenates were used as model compounds to investigate the effect of functional group and molecular size on the product formation from their catalytic conversion over HZSM-5. Functional groups in oxygenates were found to strongly affect the oxygen removal pathway, leading to variations in hydrocarbon formation. This study also found that oxygenates of smaller molecular size tended to form more hydrocarbons and less coke. Coking on the external surface of catalysts was greatest for the largest oxygenates. Isotopic labeling experiments demonstrated that the aldehyde group of HMF was cleaved before the furanic ring diffused into the HZSM-5 catalyst. Product distribution from catalytic pyrolysis of glucose was the same as the weighted sum of products obtained by the catalytic pyrolysis of individual oxygenates known to arise from non-catalytic pyrolysis of glucose. This suggests that oxygenates released during pyrolysis of carbohydrate have no significant interaction during their catalytic conversion over HZSM-5.
Telecommuting as a workplace alternative: an identification of significant factors in American firms' determination of work-at-home policies

Abstract Due to the changing demographics of the American workforce, telecommuting programmes for mid-level corporate workers are receiving a great deal of attention. This research presents factors that firms have found to be most significant when considering telecommuting policies. Results show that telecommuting programmes increased productivity, decreased absenteeism and turnover, and decreased in non-salary related expenses to the firms. Attachment of telecommuters to the corporate culture of the organization was an initial issue of concern and was explicitly addressed through a set of similar policies by all the organizations. The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews to investigate questions of interest to firms considering telecommuting programmes. This approach provided candid, inside views into some of the most successful telecommuting programmes in the USA.
The effect of laparoscopic instrument working angle on surgeons' upper extremity workload.

Laparoscopic surgery may be kinder to the patient, but it is more demanding on the surgeon. Fixed trocar positions often require the surgeon to work with instruments at awkward angles to their body. We studied the effect of horizontal and vertical laparoscopic instrument working angle on the surgeon’s thumb, forearm, and shoulder muscle work. Electronyographic (EMG) signals were collected from the thenar compartment (TH), flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), and deltoid (DEL) muscles of the dominant arm of eight surgeons while they were closing a standard pistol-grip disposable laparoscopic grasper against a fixed resistance of 3 N. With the aid of a special testing bench, the instruments’ position was randomly changed among 15°, 45°, and 75° of horizontal angulation relative to the surgeons’ sagital plane, and 15°, 45°, and 75° degrees of vertical angulation relative to a horizontal plane. EMG signals were rectified and smoothed using analogue circuitry and digitally sampled at 10 Hz using a National Instruments DAQCard-700 connected to a Macintosh PowerBook 5300c running LabVIEW software. Statistical analysis was carried out by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The effects of vertical and horizontal working angles on the muscle effort were as follows: TH (horizontal, N.S.; vertical, N.S.), FDS (horizontal, p 45° to the surgeon’s sagital plane significantly increases the workload of the flexor digitorium superficialis and deltoid muscles. The deltoid muscle is also adversely affected by vertical angulation of the instrument. The instrument working angle has no effect on the thenar muscles. Whenever possible, laparoscopic surgeons should strive to place their instruments and trocars so as to minimize extreme horizontal or vertical displacement of their hands away from a resting position of comfort.
Modulation of the fusiform face area following minimal exposure to motivationally relevant faces: Evidence of in-group enhancement (not out-group disregard)

Studies have shown that fusiform face area (FFA) activity increases with visual expertise. We present an fMRI study showing that faces from a social category made relevant by an experimental manipulation (members of an experimentally created in-group) preferentially recruited the FFA even when they were matched in exposure to face stimuli from a less significant social category (members of an experimentally created out-group). Faces were randomly assigned to groups and fully counterbalanced so that no perceptual cues allowed participants to visually distinguish category membership. The results revealed a pattern of in-group enhancement (not out-group disregard), such that the FFA was selectively engaged following the presentation of in-group compared with out-group or unaffiliated control faces even when the intergroup distinction was arbitrary, and exposure to in-group and out-group faces was equivalent and brief. In addition, individual differences in FFA activity for in-group versus out-group faces were correlated with recognition memory differences for in-group and out-group faces. The effects of group membership on the FFA were not affected by task instruction to respond to in-group or out-group members and were functionally dissociated from early visual processing in the primary visual cortex. This study provides evidence that the FFA is sensitive to top-down influences and may be involved in subordinate level (vs. superordinate level) encoding of stimuli in the absence of long-term exposure or explicit task instructions.
Improving visual outcomes by preserving outer retina morphology in eyes with resolved pseudophakic cystoid macular edema

Purpose To use ultra-high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) subclinical anatomic alterations to explain suboptimum vision despite pseudophakic cystoid macula edema (CME) resolution. Setting University of California–Davis, Sacramento, California, USA. Design Case study. Methods This study comprised patients who had cataract phacoemulsification surgery. Cases of resolved postoperative CME (diagnosed postoperatively by 1 month and resolved by 1 year) were included. Exclusion criteria included any other cause for decreased vision or compounding factors. Patients with a history of resolved pseudophakic CME were imaged using a purpose-built ultra-high-resolution OCT system with 4.5 μm axial resolution and an acquisition speed of 9 frames/sec (1000 A-scans/frame). The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was determined by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study standards. Statistical analysis was by the unpaired t test. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results The review identified 56 patients with a pseudophakic CME diagnosis at least 1 month postoperatively. Fifteen eyes (26.8%) had less than 20/20 CDVA despite resolution of CME; 7 participated. Four patients with 20/20 CDVA after resolution of pseudophakic CME participated. Eyes with reduced CDVA after macula edema showed ultra-high-resolution OCT evidence of blurring of outer segments of photoreceptors, while controls showed normal outer retina morphology (P Conclusions Persistent anatomic alteration of photoreceptors visualized by ultra-high-resolution OCT correlated with reduced CDVA in patients with pseudophakic CME compared with patients who had 20/20 CDVA after macula edema. This anatomic alteration in outer photoreceptor morphology is a plausible explanation for the reduced CDVA in this disease. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Psychological differentiation and clinical depression

Review of aspects of the theoretical formulations of Bibring, Beck, Seligman, and Blatt led to the suggestion that depression may be associated with a relatively global, undifferentiated cognitive style. The Embedded Figures Test was administered to 25 adult female depressed outpatients and 25 demographically comparable controls in order to test the hypothesis that depressed subjects would exhibit significantly greater field dependence, or less differentiation, than would nondepressed subjects. The results supported the present predictions. The findings are seen to be supportive of theoretical positions that have emphasized the presence of global response patterns and excessive reliance on external, contextual referents as cognitive correlates of depression.
Radiation Dose From Medical Imaging: A Primer for Emergency Physicians

uciem_westjem_6804 Abstract: Introduction: Medical imaging now accounts for most of the US population's exposure to ionizing radiation. A substantial proportion of this medical imaging is ordered in the emergency setting. We aim to provide a general overview of radiation dose from medical imaging with a focus on computed tomography, as well as a literature review of recent efforts to decrease unnecessary radiation exposure to patients in the emergency department setting. Methods: We conducted a literature review through calendar year 2010 for all published articles pertaining to the emergency department and radiation exposure. Results: The benefits of imaging usually outweigh the risks of eventual radiation-induced cancer in most clinical scenarios encountered by emergency physicians. However, our literature review
Specific modification of fatty acid synthetase from lactating rat mammary gland by chymotrypsin and trypsin.

Abstract Fatty acid synthetase from lactating rat mammary gland after limited proteolysis with chymotrypsin or trypsin synthesizes longer chain fatty acids than those produced by the native enzyme. Of the seven partial reactions of the multienzyme complex, only the thioesterase activity was decreased. The results suggest that modification of the fatty acid synthetase product specificity by chymotrypsin and trypsin results from a specific action of these proteases on the thioesterase component. Trypsin, but not chymotrypsin, cleaved a catalytically active thioesterase from the complex; it thus appears that limited trypsinization will be a useful tool for the isolation of the thioesterase component of the multienzyme.
What Role Does Grit Play in the Academic Success of Black Male Collegians at Predominantly White Institutions

This study tests the importance of a noncognitive trait, grit, to predicting grades for a sample of Black males attending a predominantly White institution. Using multivariate statistics and hierarchical regression techniques, results suggest that grit is positively related to college grades for Black males and that background traits, academic factors, and grit explain 24 % of the variance in Black male’s college grades. Grit, alone, added incremental predictive validity over and beyond traditional measures of academic success such as high school grade point average and American College Test scores. Implications for policy and practice are highlighted.
Religious orientation among a random sample of community-dwelling adults: Relations with health status and health-relevant behaviors.

This empirical study was designed as the first to describe the distribution of the four religious orientation types in the general population, based on Allport and Ross's Intrinsic/Extrinsic typology, and to test whether differences in health status and health relevant behaviors based on religious type exist. Throughout 2005–2006 individuals (N = 157) were randomly telephoned and administered a measure of religious orientation. They reported health status, height/weight, use of tobacco and alcohol, and engagement in aerobic exercise. All four religious orientation types were represented (Intrinsic = 19.1%, Extrinsic = 22.3%, Pro-religious = 36.9%, Non-religious = 21.7%). Intrinsic and Non-religious types reported the most favorable health perceptions and lowest body mass indexes. Intrinsic and Pro-religious types were least likely to smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. Religious orientation is a useful construct pertaining to health status and health relevant behaviors and further demonstrates the multidimens...
Low-amplitude songs produced by male dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) differ when sung during intra- and inter-sexual interactions

The function and relative importance of low-amplitude (quiet) acoustic signals remains a poorly understood aspect of animal communication. Research in songbirds has predominantly focused on the role of low-amplitude songs as reliable predictors of attack and signals of aggressive intent. However, many species of songbirds produce low-amplitude song in the presence of both male and female conspecifics, suggesting a broader range of functions beyond aggressive behavior. Male dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) produce two distinct types of low-amplitude song: (1) soft long-range song (LRS), which is a lower amplitude version of junco LRS, and (2) short-range song (SRS), which is substantially more complex and structurally distinct from LRS. SRS is also sung at two distinct tempos (slow and fast) and has been observed in both male- and female-directed contexts. In this study, we presented free-living male juncos with a caged male or female conspecific accompanied by playback of LRS, a female precopulatory trill, or slow SRS and quantified the songs elicited by each social condition. Males produced slow SRS only in response to a female conspecific paired with a precopulatory trill or slow SRS, never to a male, even when males were paired with slow SRS. Together these observations indicate that slow SRS is a female-directed song. In contrast, males produced both LRS and soft LRS in the presence of conspecifics of both sexes, which suggests that LRS may serve a similar function with respect to male and female receivers regardless of amplitude. These results highlight the importance of investigating the production of low-amplitude songs in both intra- and inter-sexual contexts and provide further evidence that in juncos, slow SRS functions in courtship.
Towards Graph Watermarks

From network topologies to online social networks, many of today's most sensitive datasets are captured in large graphs. A significant challenge facing the data owners is how to share sensitive graphs with collaborators or authorized users, e.g. ISP's network topology graphs with a third party networking equipment vendor. Current tools can provide limited node or edge privacy, but significantly modify the graph reducing its utility. In this work, we propose a new alternative in the form of graph watermarks. Graph watermarks are small graphs tailor-made for a given graph dataset, a secure graph key, and a secure user key. To share a sensitive graph G with a collaborator C, the owner generates a watermark graph W using G, the graph key, and C's key as input, and embeds W into G to form G'. If G' is leaked by C, its owner can reliably determine if the watermark W generated for C does in fact reside inside G', thereby proving C is responsible for the leak. Graph watermarks serve both as a deterrent against data leakage and a method of recourse after a leak. We provide robust schemes for embedding and extracting watermarks, and use analysis and experiments on large real graphs to show that they are unique and difficult to forge. We study the robustness of graph watermarks against both single and powerful colluding attacker models, then propose and evaluate mechanisms to dramatically improve resilience.
Soluble 80‐kd fragment of cell‐CAM 120/80 disrupts cell‐cell adhesion

Calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) mediate intercellular adhesion in epithelial cells and in preimplantation mammalian embryos. One of these molecules, cell-CAM 120/80, is found on cells as a 120-kd membrane glycoprotein and as a soluble 80-kd species in conditioned culture medium [Damsky et al: Cell 34:455, 1983]. We have purified to homogeneity the soluble 80-kd fragment of cell-CAM 120/80 by using monoclonal antibody affinity chromatography. We have shown that the purified molecule can disrupt cell-cell adhesion in cultured epithelial cells, thus indicating that it is directly involved in the adhesive process. In addition, we have further characterized both the 120-kd cell-associated molecule and its 80-kd fragment, including N-terminal sequence analysis.
Algorithm 915, SuiteSparseQR: Multifrontal multithreaded rank-revealing sparse QR factorization

SuiteSparseQR is a sparse QR factorization package based on the multifrontal method. Within each frontal matrix, LAPACK and the multithreaded BLAS enable the method to obtain high performance on multicore architectures. Parallelism across different frontal matrices is handled with Intel's Threading Building Blocks library. The symbolic analysis and ordering phase pre-eliminates singletons by permuting the input matrix A into the form [R11R12; 0 A22] where R11 is upper triangular with diagonal entries above a given tolerance. Next, the fill-reducing ordering, column elimination tree, and frontal matrix structures are found without requiring the formation of the pattern of ATA. Approximate rank-detection is performed within each frontal matrix using Heath's method. While Heath's method is not always exact, it has the advantage of not requiring column pivoting and thus does not interfere with the fill-reducing ordering. For sufficiently large problems, the resulting sparse QR factorization obtains a substantial fraction of the theoretical peak performance of a multicore computer.
Seasonality in Vulnerability Discovery in Major Software Systems

Prediction of vulnerability discovery rates can be used to assess security risks and to determine the resources needed to develop patches quickly to handle vulnerabilities discovered. An examination of the vulnerability data suggests a seasonal behavior that has not been modeled by the recently proposed vulnerability discovery models. This seasonality has not been identified or examined so far. This study examines whether vulnerability discovery rates for Windows NT, IIS Server and the Internet Explorer exhibit a significant annual seasonal pattern. Actual data has been analyzed using seasonal index and auto correlation function approaches to identify seasonality and to evaluate its statistical significance. The results for the three software systems show that there is indeed a significant annual seasonal pattern.
Management of Lacustrine Fisheries in the Tropics

Abstract Lake and impoundment fisheries of developing countries in the lowland tropics currently yield an average catch of 80 kg ha-1 yr-1. There are two kinds of harvest limitations: those imposed by constraints on fish production and those resulting from underdevelopment of fisheries. A first, critical step in the management of these fisheries is to predict potential yields and to compare them with current harvests. Site specific management programs can then be developed by taking into account stocking, assistance to fishermen, data collection and analysis, and program evaluation. Management of lake and impoundment fisheries in developing tropical countries is at an early stage but seems to be evolving rapidly.
The Context of Diaspora

ABSTRACT This article brings diaspora studies into a fruitful conversation with linguistic anthropology by examining the relationships among the formation of Sikh diasporic subjects, images of tortured bodies, quotidian Internet practices, and state-sponsored terror in India. The fleeting emergence of an enunciative subject of diaspora within a single poetic performance compels an examination of the impact of violence and gender normativity for those who self-identify as Sikh. Diaspora may be understood more productively as a globally mobile category of identification rather than a community of individuals dispersed from a homeland, and the “context” of diaspora may be understood through its production of disparate temporalities (anteriorities, presents, futurities) and subjects.
Perceived discrimination as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and substance use among Hispanic adolescents in Los Angeles

Objectives: Discrimination has been associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes, but few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on Hispanic adolescents. This study assessed the relation of perceived discrimination with depressive symptoms and drug use. Covariates included immigrant generation status (GS). A second objective was to examine the potentially moderating effect of neighborhoods' ethnic composition as suggested by Mair et al. Design: Secondary data analyses of a longitudinal survey examined self-reports of Hispanic adolescents in 9th grade (the first year of high school) and 11th grade at seven high schools in Los Angeles. Results: (1) Perceiving discrimination in 9th grade significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β=0.23, p<0.01) and drug use (β=0.12, p<0.01) in 11th grade, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, gender, acculturation, and GS in the USA. The third GS group reported significantly higher perceptions of discrimination compared to new...
Increasing the efficiency of a continuous motion alternative speech device through a higher dimensional sound space

An important area of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) device design is the optimization of AAC devices with respect to cognitive load and mechanical efficiency in order to allow severely speech impaired (SSI) users to more readily approach natural speech rates. The University of Virginia's Communication Aids Negating Disabilities in Youth (CANDY) Laboratory's work centers on a unique AAC device which operates in a continuous "space" of speech sounds, unlike most other AAC speech devices which utilize discrete selection of symbolic units to produce speech. Previous efforts to optimize this device were based on efficient speech sound placements in a static 2-D grid. This paper will discuss a novel higher dimensional sound space for the CANDY device which reduces user motion at the cost of increased cognitive demand.
How to hire employees effectively

Focuses on the mechanics of conducting an effective interview rather than the entire hiring process, identifying the key elements as planning, controlling, evaluating and ensuring a legal and fair interview; offers some straightforward advice in each of these areas, together with common problems to avoid. The legal advice stems from US law.
Multidimensional transition state theory and the validity of Grote-Hynes theory

The Grote-Hynes theory of nonequilibrium solvation effects on reaction kinetics is examined using the perspective provided by multidimensional transition state theory. The analysis is performed for a model in which a solute reaction coordinate is bilinearaly coupled to a harmonic solvent bath, and the authors derive intermediate quantities that shed light on the ability of Grote-Hynes theory to capture relevant physical features of the reaction dynamics. One example is a separatrix distribution, in particular, the distribution P(r) of values of the solute reaction coordinate on the variationally optimized transition state dividing surface for the multidimensional model. Another example is the reactive probability density dp/dP{sub B} on a trail transition state dividing surface orthogonal to the solute reaction coordinate. The model is seen to be capable of producing wide P(r) distributions and bimodal dp/dP{sub B} distributions. The bimodal distribution of the reactive probability density can exist on a trial transition state dividing surface transverse to the solute reaction coordinate even if there is no solvent barrier. The bimodality of the reactive probability density arises from the wings of the Gaussian solvent coordinate distribution in regions away from the saddle point. The model is in good agreement with recent simulations of Na{supmore » +}Cl{sup {minus}} ion pair dissociation in water. The deviations from conventional transition state theory can be interpreted as arising from solvent friction or from the participation of the solvent in the reaction coordinate.« less
Precision spectroscopy of a charged particle in an imperfect Penning trap

The phenomenal accuracies achieved for the spectroscopy of single charged particles suspended in Penning traps has prompted this study of the imperfect Penning trap. The principal result is a new prescription for the cyclotron frequency in terms of the observable eigenfrequencies of the imperfect trap. The new prescription is completely insensitive to a misalignment of the magnetic field direction with the axis of the Penning electrodes, and it is also insensitive to the most significant imperfections in the electrostatic potential. These systematic effects can therefore be completely circumvented in measurements of the anomalous magnetic moments of the electron and positron, and also in experiments on protons and heavier ions where the effects are much larger.
A natural observer for optimal state estimation in second order linear structural systems

Abstract A state observer for mechanical and structural systems is derived in the context of the second order differential equation of motion of linear structural systems. The proposed observer possesses similar characteristics to the Kalman filter in the sense that it minimizes the trace of the state error covariance matrix within the predefined structure of the feedback gain. The main contribution of the paper consists of the fact that the proposed observer can be implemented directly as a modified linear finite element model of the system, subject to collocated corrective forces proportional to the measured response. The proposed algorithm is effectively illustrated in two different types of second order systems; a close-coupled spring–mass–damper multi-degree of freedom system and a plate subject to transverse vibrations.
A new subgenus and species of Topomyia (Diptera: Culicidae: Sabethini) based on a remarkable male mosquito from Sabah, Malaysia.

Miyagiella Harbach, subgen. nov., is introduced as a new subgenus of Topomyia Leicester for a remarkable male mosquito, Topomyia discors Harbach, sp. nov., from Sabah, Malaysia. A diagnosis of the subgenus is provided that features unique anatomical characters of the genitalia of the holotype male. Miyagiella is very distinct from the two previously recognised subgenera of Topomyia , but is perhaps more closely related to the nominotypical subgenus than to subgenus Suaymyia Thurman. Salient differences that distinguish the three subgenera are contrasted; the holotype male of To. discors is described and its unique genitalia are illustrated.
The Natural History of Rectal Cancer 1908-2008: The Evolving Treatment of Rectal Cancer into the Twenty-First Century

While major changes in technology have brought significant advances in treating rectal cancer, the fundamental advances in this disease, over the past 100 years, has been based on an understanding of its natural history.
A synthon for C‐20 trideuterated eicosanoids: Preparation of [2H3]‐arachidonic acid

Starting from hex-5-yn-1-ol an efficient seven step synthesis of (Z)9-[2H3](non-3-en-1-yl) triphenylphosphonium bromide is described. This Wittig reagent is a key intermediate for the synthesis of C-20 trideuterated eicosanoids. Introduction of deuterium at C-20 provides standards that are stable to a wide range of reagents and reaction conditions. The utility of the Wittig synthon was demonstrated by the preparation of C-20 trideuterated arachidonic acid.
EEG, visually evoked and event related potentials in young abstinent alcoholics.

Abstract EEG, visually evoked potentials (VEP), and event related potentials (P300) were recorded from 60 males aged 25–40 (20 abstinent alcoholics, 20 social drinkers, and 20 lifetime nondrinkers). Alcoholics were at least 1 month abstinent, medication free, and neuropsychologically normal. Residual effects of alcohol abuse were not detected in EEG power and cortical coupling analyses, or VEP amplitude, latency, and amplitude/intensity slope measures. Only P300 measures, recorded while subjects were actively engaged in a visual oddball task (20% targets), differentiated alcoholics from nonalcoholics. Alcoholics had reduced N2-P3 amplitude and delayed N2 latencies compared to social drinkers and nondrinkers. Because P300 abnormalities have been reported for individuals with positive family history for alcoholism, it is not clear whether these results reflect familial influence or residual effects of alcohol abuse. Issues relating to age, health and medication status of abstinent alcoholics, and use of social drinkers as comparison groups in studies of brain dysfunction in “recovering” alcoholics are also discussed.
785 RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF VIRAL INFECTIONS IN A HOSPITAL SETTING: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Employing direct and indirect fluorescent antibody (FA) staining, and tissue culture infectivity (TCI), the specimens of external secretions, or lesion smears obtained from over 600 patients with acute viral infections were examined for the presence of adenovirus, herpes simplex (HSV), parainfluenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A positive correlation of about 95% was observed between the results of FA and TCI for identification of RSV. The isolation of infectious RSV by TCI required 1 to 3 weeks. On the other hand, RSV antigen was detected by FA within 4-6 hours in 92-95% of subjects tested. The RSV was recovered most frequently from subjects with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis (45%), penumonia (32%), asthma (29%) and croup (13%). Direct FA staining of infected tissue cultures inoculated with clinical specimens was employed to identify adenovirus, HSV, and parainfluenza viruses. The isolation of these agents by TCI took as long as 2-3 weeks and their detection by FA could be accomplished within 3-6 days without any additional passages in tissue culture. The rapidity of viral diagnosis resulted in increased awareness of the role of viruses in childhood infection and substantially reduced the indiscriminate use of antimicrobial agents in this hospital since the institution of rapid diagnosis.
Do popular students smoke? The association between popularity and smoking among middle school students.

Abstract Background Several studies have shown an association between popularity and behavior, indicating that popular people tend to reflect the norms of their group. Among adolescents, it has been hypothesized that popular students are more likely to smoke, especially in schools with high smoking prevalence. Methods Data were collected on friendship patterns and smoking from 1,486 sixth and seventh graders in 16 middle schools in southern California. Susceptibility to smoke was measured as not stating a commitment not to smoke in the future, and smoking as ever taken a puff or smoked a whole cigarette. We measured popularity as the number of times a student was chosen as a friend. Multivariate logistic regression was used to correlate popularity with susceptibility to smoke and smoking at follow-up controlling for baseline outcomes, demographic characteristics, and clustering within schools. Results Popularity was associated with increased susceptibility to smoke (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 5.64, p p Conclusions Popular middle school students were more likely to become smokers compared to their less popular peers. Although there seems some difference in the association by gender and ethnicity, the evidence does not suggest subgroup effects in this population. Implications for the study of adolescent smoking and prevention programming are discussed.
Halbseitige Rückenreflexe bei Ulcus Duodeni und Ventriculi

Wir berichteten von dem haufigen Auftreten eines halbseitigen Ruckenreflexes bei zahlreichen Fallen von Ulcus duodeni und ventriculi. Mit dem Abklingen der Ulcuserscheinungen nehmen in der Regel auch die in wechselnder Ausdehnung auftretenden Reflexe an Intensitat ab.
Of Mice and Dogs: Species-Specific Differences in the Inflammatory Response Following Myocardial Infarction

Large animal models have provided much of the descriptive data regarding the cellular and molecular events in myocardial infarction and repair. The availability of genetically altered mice may provide a valuable tool for specific cellular and molecular dissection of these processes. In this report we compare closed chest models of canine and mouse infarction/reperfusion qualitatively and quantitatively for temporal, cellular, and spatial differences. Much like the canine model, reperfused mouse hearts are associated with marked induction of endothelial adhesion molecules, cytokines, and chemokines. Reperfused mouse infarcts show accelerated replacement of cardiomyocytes by granulation tissue leading to a thin mature scar at 14 days, when the canine infarction is still cellular and evolving. Infarcted mouse hearts demonstrate a robust but transient postreperfusion inflammatory reaction, associated with a rapid up-regulation of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β. Unlike canine infarcts, infarcted mouse hearts show only transient macrophage infiltration and no significant mast cell accumulation. In correlation, the growth factor for macrophages, M-CSF, shows modest and transient up-regulation in the early days of reperfusion; and the obligate growth factor for mast cells, stem cell factor, SCF, is not induced. In summary, the postinfarction inflammatory response and resultant repair in the mouse heart shares many common characteristics with large mammalian species, but has distinct temporal and qualitative features. These important species-specific differences should be considered when interpreting findings derived from studies using genetically altered mice.
Estimating sample size for a randomized clinical trial of lung cancer screening

Abstract Background Lung cancer screening, like other screening tests, has the potential to save many lives, yet its benefit has not yet been shown in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). RCTs of screening tests require very large sample sizes and long follow-up periods. Investigators planning these trials need to know how the study design, particularly the length of accrual, the number of incident screens, the length of follow-up, and the method used to interpret the screening test, affect sample size requirements. Methods In this paper a tiered approach to sample size estimation is presented. The first tier determines the person-years at risk; the second tier considers the characteristics of the study population to estimate the frequency of preclinical disease; the third tier uses the performance of the screening test, the compliance rate, and the benefits of early treatment to estimate the incidence of clinical disease; the disease-specific mortality rates are estimated in the fourth tier. Results This sample size approach was utilized in planning a RCT of lung cancer screening with chest X-rays and a computer aided detection algorithm. Sample size was determined for various features of the study design, as well as for different assumptions about the cure rate, the treatment complication rate, and the rate of potential misclassification of the primary endpoints. Conclusion The tiered approach to sample size estimation for RCTs of screening tests allows investigators to assess how features of the study design affect sample size requirements.
Evolution of the lithosphere beneath the Michigan Basin

Using depths to formation tops from 480 wells, changes in shape of the Michigan Basin during the Phanerozoic are determined. Flexural rigidity of the lithosphere is then estimated for several time intervals by assuming that changes in shape were caused by deflection of an elastic plate subjected to an axisymmetric load. It is found that the flexural rigidity generally increased over time, from less than 10 22 N m early in the basin's history to more than 10 23 N m late in the basin's development. This increase in rigidity is attributed to cooling and thickening of the elastic portion of the lithosphere as the basin was subsiding. Low flexural rigidity early in the basin's history indicates that the lithosphere was probably rejuvenated (heated, thinned, and possibly uplifted) prior to basin subsidence. The location of the load remained approximately fixed over time. The rejuvenation process is investigated using a one-dimensional finite-difference thermal model in which a 142-km plate is temporarily heated from below. Taking the depth to the 450°C isotherm to be the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere, rigidity predicted by the thermal model is consistent with the observed increase in rigidity over time. Furthermore, phase changes produced by heating during thermal rejuvenation, combined with the predicted thermal contraction following rejuvenation, explain the two episodes of subsidence observed in the Michigan Basin. We conclude that the lithosphere in this area was rejuvenated approximately 500 m.y. ago. As the lithosphere cooled, it thickened; it also contracted and subsided. Temperatures near the surface of the crust apparently were not raised sufficiently by lithospheric rejuvenation to alter the Keweenawan and older radiometric and paleomagnetic dates of basement rocks.
Piezo-Electric Crystal-Controlled Transmitters

A discussion of piezo-electric crystals and the early history of the development of the art has been given. The development of crystal-controlled vacuum tube oscillators by the Naval Research Laboratory has been outlined and various means of amplifying the output of a crystal-controlled oscillator are cited and the best method is described. This method consists of balancing or neutralizing the various stages of amplification and also observing proper precautions tor reducing grid circuit losses by using high values of biasing voltage. A complete high-power low-frequency crystal controlled transmitter is described and a schematic wiring diagram of circuits employing in this transmitter is shown. Schematic wiring diagram and illustrations of one type of low-power high-frequency transmitter complete the subject matter covered in this paper.
Differences, Deceits and Desires: Murder and Mayhem in Italian Crime Fiction

Mirna Cicioni and Nicoletta Di Ciolla (eds) (2008) Differences, Deceits and Desires: Murder and Mayhem in Italian Crime Fiction (Newark, DE: University of Delaware Press), 228 pp., ISBN: 9780874130...
AlInAs/GaInAs HBT IC technology

Integrated circuits (ICs) fabricated with AlGaAs/GaInAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) lattice matched to InP substrates are described. The transistors used in this work consisted of an abrupt emitter-base junction design. A cutoff frequency and a maximum frequency of oscillation of 90 and 70 GHz, respectively, have been achieved with a 2*5- mu m/sup 2/ emitter size HBT. Current-mode logic (CML) was used to demonstrate ring oscillators, flip-flop divider circuits, and dual-modulus prescalers. The ring oscillator demonstrated a 15.8-ps gate delay, the CML flip-flop divider circuits demonstrated 24.8-GHz toggle rates, and the 4/5 and 8/9 dual-modulus prescalers consisting of 106 and 124 transistors, respectively, operated at clock rates of up to 9 GHz. >
Dynasore, a Cell-Permeable Inhibitor of Dynamin

Dynamin is essential for clathrin-dependent coated vesicle formation. It is required for membrane budding at a late stage during the transition from a fully formed pit to a pinched-off vesicle. Dynamin may also fulfill other roles during earlier stages of vesicle formation. We have screened about 16,000 small molecules and have identified 1, named here dynasore, that interferes in vitro with the GTPase activity of dynamin1, dynamin2, and Drp1, the mitochondrial dynamin, but not of other small GTPases. Dynasore acts as a potent inhibitor of endocytic pathways known to depend on dynamin by rapidly blocking coated vesicle formation within seconds of dynasore addition. Two types of coated pit intermediates accumulate during dynasore treatment, U-shaped, half formed pits and O-shaped, fully formed pits, captured while pinching off. Thus, dynamin acts at two steps during clathrin coat formation; GTP hydrolysis is probably needed at both steps.
Inheritance of trunk coloration in the three‐spot gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus Pallas

Trunk coloration in Trichogaster trichopterus Pallas is controlled by two autosomal loci acting in a complementary fashion with dominance at both loci required for the expression of the blue sumatranus phenotype.
The learnability of the alphabetic principle: Children's initial hypotheses about how print represents spoken language

This research examines the hypotheses about how print represents the speech that preliterate children select when they receive input compatible with several such hypotheses. In Experiment 1, preschoolers were taught to read hat and hats and book and books. Then, in generalization tests, they were probed for what they had learned about the letter s. All of the children were able to transfer to other plurals (e.g., to decide that bikes said “bikes” rather than “bike,” and that dog said “dog” and not “dogs”), but only those who knew the sound of the letter s prior to the experiment were able to decide, for example, that bus said “bus” and not “bug.” The failure to detect the phonemic value of s on the part of alphabetically naive children was replicated in Experiments 2, 3, and 4, which instituted a variety of controls. In Experiment 5, it was found that, although preschoolers who had been taught to read pairs of words distinguished by the comparative affix er (such as small/smaller) were able to generalize to other comparatives (e.g., mean/meaner), they could not generalize to pairs where er had no morphemic value (e.g., corn/corner). A similar failure by alphabetically naive children to detect the syllabic, as compared with the morphemic, status of the superlative affix est was found in Experiment 6. Overall, the results indicate that most preliterate children fail to select phonologically based hypotheses, even when these are available in the input. Instead, they focus on morphophonology and/or semantic aspects of words' referents. The research is couched in terms of the Learnability Theory (LT) (Gold, 1967), which provides a convenient framework for considering a series of interrelated questions about the acquisition of literacy. In particular, it is argued that if the data available to the child includes the pronunciation of written words, the alphabetic principle may be unlearnable, given the hypothesis selection procedures identified in these experiments.
Multiframe adaptive Wiener filter super-resolution with JPEG2000-compressed images

Historically, Joint Photographic Experts Group 2000 (JPEG2000) image compression and multiframe super-resolution (SR) image processing techniques have evolved separately. In this paper, we propose and compare novel processing architectures for applying multiframe SR with JPEG2000 compression. We propose a modified adaptive Wiener filter (AWF) SR method and study its performance as JPEG2000 is incorporated in different ways. In particular, we perform compression prior to SR and compare this to compression after SR. We also compare both independent-frame compression and difference-frame compression approaches. We find that some of the SR artifacts that result from compression can be reduced by decreasing the assumed global signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the AWF SR method. We also propose a novel spatially adaptive SNR estimate for the AWF designed to compensate for the spatially varying compression artifacts in the input frames. The experimental results include the use of simulated imagery for quantitative analysis. We also include real-video results for subjective analysis.
NFAT5 binds to the TNF promoter distinctly from NFATp, c, 3 and 4, and activates TNF transcription during hypertonic stress alone

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in a variety of infectious and autoimmune disorders. Its transcription is regulated in a stimulus- and cell-type-specific manner via the recruitment of distinct DNA/activator complexes forming secondary structures or enhanceosomes. NFATp, a member of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors, plays a critical role in TNF gene regulation under a variety of conditions. In this study, we show that NFAT5, the most recently described NFAT family member, binds to the TNF promoter in a manner distinct from other NFAT proteins and is a key mediator in the activation of TNF gene transcription during hypertonic stress alone.
Structural and Functional Vascular Alterations and Incident Hypertension in Normotensive Adults The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Vascular abnormalities may exist before clinical hypertension. Using Poisson regression, the authors studied the association of coronary artery calcium (CAC), common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), aortic distensibility, and large and small arterial elasticity with incident hypertension among 2,512 normotensive US adults free of cardiovascular disease. Incidence rate ratios for incident hypertension (blood pressure � 140/90 mm Hg or new antihypertensive medication) were calculated. Increased CAC was associated with incident hypertension in demographics-adjusted models (incidence rate ratio (IRR) ¼ 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.75; IRR ¼ 1.35, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.78; and IRR ¼ 1.59, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.25 for CAC scores of 30–99, 100–399, and � 400, respectively) but was attenuated after further adjustment. Increased common CIMT was associated with incident hypertension (IRR ¼ 1.77, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.46 for quintile 4; IRR ¼ 1.80, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.53 for quintile 5). Participants with the lowest, compared with the highest, aortic distensibility had an increased risk of hypertension (IRR ¼ 1.75, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.79), as did those with the lowest large arterial elasticity (IRR ¼ 1.49, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.99). Lower small arterial elasticity was incrementally associated with incident hypertension starting at quintile 2 (IRR ¼ 2.01, 95% CI: 1.39, 2.91; IRR ¼ 2.47, 95% CI: 1.71, 3.57; IRR ¼ 2.73, 95% CI: 1.88, 3.95; and IRR ¼ 2.85, 95% CI: 1.95, 4.16). Structural and functional vascular abnormalities are independent predictors of incident hypertension. These findings are important for understanding the pathogenesis of hypertension. arteries; elasticity; hypertension
Congenital hypoplastic thrombocytopenia in rubella embryopathy.

SUMMARY An infant born to a mother who had had rubella in early pregnancy exhibited cataract and congenital heart disease as typical features of a rubella embryopathy but had in addition purpura on the basis of a hypoplastic thrombocytopenia. It is suggested that this is a further manifestation of the rubella embryopathy. Similar cases reported in the literature may have been due to the same etiology. On the other hand congenital hypoplastic thrombocytopenia associated with aplasia of the radius is probably a genetic disorder transmitted as a recessive character.
The LAPACK for clusters project: an example of self adapting numerical software

This article describes the context, design, and recent development of the LAPACK for clusters (LFC) project (LAPACK stands for Linear Algebra PACKage). It has been developed in the framework of self-adapting numerical software (SANS) since we believe such an approach can deliver the convenience and ease of use of existing sequential environments bundled with the power and versatility of highly-tuned parallel codes that execute on clusters. Accomplishing this task is far from trivial as we argue in the paper by presenting pertinent case studies and possible usage scenarios.