cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convergent and Discriminant Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Remote Recall of Diet During Pregnancy

Abstract A pilot study was completed to determine the validity of the "Willett" food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for use in a population of recently pregnant women recalling past diet during pregnancy. Similar studies have reported correlations between nutrient intakes determined with the FFQ and intakes reported by other methods. However, concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) may be more appropriate as measures of convergent validity than simple correlations. Further, discriminant validity was neglected in previous studies. Subjects (n=9) provided monthly prenatal 3-day diet records. Two to three months following the conclusion of a normal pregnancy, subjects were asked to complete the FFQ by reporting their usual dietary intake during the recent pregnancy. Nutrient intakes as reported by the FFQ were compared to 20 ± 4 days of prenatal diet records (mean ± SD). Intakes of energy, protein, caffeine, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, folate and vitamins A, C, 6 and E as reported by FFQ were examined for convergent and discriminant validity. Discriminant validity was measured using the Multitrait-MultiMethod Matrix method and concordance correlation coefficients were used to determine convergent validity. The magnitude of agreement between intakes as reported by FFQ when compared to the diet records was sufficient to measure discrimination for calcium, caffeine and iron only. In this population, convergent and discriminant validity of the FFQ is good for calcium (0.67) and caffeine (0.50). However, convergent validity is modest for iron (0.48), energy (0.33), zinc (0.28), and folate (0.24). For the remaining nutrients examined, convergent validity is poor (range −0.08 for B 12 to 0.17 for vitamin D). Calcium and caffeine intakes as reported by the FFQ are clearly distinguished from intakes of other nutrients; however, iron intakes as reported by the FFQ are not distinct. Discriminant validity for the remaining nutrients is unknown. In conclusion, findings from this study suggest that the FFQ may not be suitable for use with this population for remote recall.
Evaluation of interactions between polymers and low molecular weight compounds by GLC. I. Methodology and interaction evaluation.

Sorption-desorption thermodynamics were evaluated for two polymers and 13 low molecular weight compounds. The polymers, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, are of major use in packaging. The sorbents were bacteriostatic agents of pharmaceutical utility and organic solvents employed in package fabrication. GLC procedures were used where the polymers constituted the stationary phases and the sorbents constituted the mobile phases of the columns. Auxiliary methods were adapted for obtaining the data necessary for the thermodynamic computations. The measurement of interaction affinities was based on Raoult's law activity coefficients. The GLC methodology was fast and convenient to perform and could be a valuable tool for applied and theoretical investigations in this area.
Norepinephrine-dopamine interactions and behavior

The proposed hypothesis is directed toward explaining a number of disparate findings in terms of a stress-related interaction between the NE- and DA-containing systems in the brain. The deleterious behavioral effects of decreased DA activity, for example, may be counterbalanced by a similar decrease occurring in NE activity, such compensation being most likely to occur under conditions of stress. This hypothesis may have application to the understanding of neurological and mental disorders such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
Hereditary febrile seizures : Phenotype and evidence for a chromosome 19p locus

The occurrence of febrile seizures (FSs) in large autosomal dominant FS kindreds makes possible accurate delineation of the pure clinical phenotype of hereditary FS among secondary FS cases, and the identification of gene loci causing susceptibility to FS. Recently FS gene loci on chromosomes 8 and 19 were identified. We studied the phenotype of FS in four large families in which FS is an autosomal dominant trait. Among 30 affected secondary FS cases, mean age of onset was 16.3 months (range 4 to 36 months), sex ratio was equal, and 43% were complex (13 of 30). Among these 30 secondary FS cases, the mean number of FSs was 2.1, half had only a single FS, and none had afebrile seizures. Penetrance was 0.67, approximately the same as in our previous larger group of 40 multicase FS families (0.64). The occurrence of DPT encephalopathy in a sib of a patient with FS raises the possibility that these two etiologies are related. Linkage studies showed that one of the four families (Family 1) was linked to chromosome 19p markers, none of the families was linked to chromosome 8q markers, and the largest FS family (Kindred 6) was unlinked to either 19p or 8q markers, supporting the hypothesis of genetic heterogeneity for FS.
Why Don't Well-Educated Adults Understand Accumulation? A Challenge to Researchers, Educators, and Citizens.

Accumulation is a fundamental process in dynamic systems: inventory accumulates production less ship- ments; the national debt accumulates the federal deficit. Effective decision making in such systems requires an understanding of the relationship between stocks and the flows that alter them. However, highly educated people are often unable to infer the behavior of simple stock-flow systems. In a series of experiments we demonstrate that poor understanding of accumulation, termed stock-flow failure ,i s a fundamental reasoning error. Persistent poor performance is not attributable to an inability to interpret graphs, lack of contextual knowledge, motivation, or cognitive capacity. Rather, stock-flow failure is a robust phenomenon that appears to be rooted in failure to appreciate the most basic principles of accu- mulation, leading to the use of inappropriate heuristics. We show that many people, including highly educated individuals with strong technical training, use what we term the ''correlation heuristic", erro- neously assuming that the behavior of a stock matches the pattern of its flows. We discuss the origins of stock-flow failure and implications for management and education.
Beclin-1 deficiency in the murine ovary results in the reduction of progesterone production to promote preterm labor.

Autophagy is an important cellular process that serves as a companion pathway to the ubiquitin-proteasome system to degrade long-lived proteins and organelles to maintain cell homeostasis. Although initially characterized in yeast, autophagy is being realized as an important regulator of development and disease in mammals. Beclin1 (Becn1) is a putative tumor suppressor gene that has been shown to undergo a loss of heterozygosity in 40–75% of human breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. Because Becn1 is a key regulator of autophagy, we sought to investigate its role in female reproduction by using a conditional knockout approach in mice. We find that pregnant females lacking Becn1 in the ovarian granulosa cell population have a defect in progesterone production and a subsequent preterm labor phenotype. Luteal cells in this model exhibit defective autophagy and a failure to accumulate lipid droplets needed for steroidogenesis. Collectively, we show that Becn1 provides essential functions in the ovary that are essential for mammalian reproduction.
Orientations of Liquid Crystals in Contact with Surfaces that Present Continuous Gradients of Chemical Functionality

We report the formation of continuous spatial gradients in the density of grafted semifluorinated chains on silicon oxide surfaces by vapor-phase diffusion of semifluorinated silanes. We quantify the orientations of the nematic liquid crystal (LC) 4-cyano-4‘-pentylbiphenyl on these surfaces as a function of local surface composition obtained by using NEXAFS. These measurements demonstrate that it is possible to obtain the full range of tilt angles of a LC on these surfaces. We also use the data provided by these gradient surfaces to test hypotheses regarding the nature of the interaction between the LC and surfaces that give rise to the range of tilted orientations of the LC. We conclude that the orientations of the LC are not determined solely by the density of grafted semifluorinated chains or by the density of residual hydroxyl groups presented at these surfaces following reactions with the silanes. Instead, our results raise the possibility that the tilt angles of the semifluorinated chains on these s...
Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum on heartnut (Juglans ailantifolia var. cordiformis).

Branch dieback was observed throughout the crown of a 25-year-old heartnut, a variety of Japanese walnut, growing in a mixed plantation with black walnut (J. nigra) in central Iowa in the spring of 1997. No cankers were evident. However, hyphal pegs and hyaline, two-celled, fusiform conidia were present on the affected 1996 branch wood. These are characteristic of S. clavigignenti-juglandacearum, the cause of branch and stem cankers on butternut, also called white walnut, (J. cinerea) (1). The fungus was isolated in pure culture from symptomatic twigs. The ability of this isolate to cause canker on butternut was compared with an isolate from butternut in Minnesota by inoculating the stems of potted, 2-year-old butternut seedlings in a greenhouse. Lignified stem portions of the seedlings were wounded by removing a 5-mm2 area of bark with a scalpel, exposing the cambium, and placing a plug cut from the margin of an actively growing culture on potato dextrose agar (PDA) fungus-side-down on the wound. Each of...
The Potential Dependence of Intermediates in Methanol Oxidation Observed in the Steady State by FTIR Spectroscopy

The structure of electrochemical intermediates of methanol oxidation on platinum in aqueous sulfuric acid has been investigated under steady state conditions using polarization modulation Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. Terminally bonded and bridge‐bonded are observed in the cathodic to anodic sequence. However, only bridge‐bonded is observed in the anodic to cathodic sequence. The conventionally assumed C‒O‒H group was not observed. The spectroscopic results are compared with similar information obtained by means of radiotracer and potentiodynamic techniques. A new mechanism is proposed which is intended to apply to the steady‐state situation and may differ from that pertaining to potential sweep data.
Strategy type and performance : The influence of sales force management

The basic premise of the strategy implementation literature is that different business strategies require different configurations of organizational practices to achieve optimal performance. Sales force management is a key functional activity and should contribute to the successful implementation of business strategy. In this study, we examine the relationship between multiple sales force management practices and performance within each of Miles and Snow's (1978) strategy types. The explanatory power of the eight models tested is quite high (incremental adjusted R2 ≥ 0.25 for six of the eight models). Thus, we find substantial support for the general proposition that the different strategy types require individualized profiles of sales force management practices for optimal effectiveness and that sales force management is important to the successful implementation of business strategy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The use of spectral analysis in insurance cycle research

Purpose – Aims to address a number of issues related to the use of spectral analysis in the study of insurance cycles.Design/methodology/approach – Spectral analysis has seldom been used in the study of insurance cycles. This may be due to the fact that no statistical test is readily available for rejecting the hypothesis that a spectrum is significantly different from random uncorrelated noise in a context in which the period of the alternative is not known. This article suggests one such test.Findings – In evaluating the proposed test, the relevant critical points, when the number of observations is small, and provided the power of the test is also explored to identify three cyclical processes: a sine process with noise, a second‐order autoregressive process, and the rational expectations process suggested by Cummins and Outreville.Originality/value – The article provides the first comprehensive analysis and discussion of spectral analysis in the context of insurance‐cycle research.
Toward development of a practical benchmark example for adaptive control: A panel discussion

A session at the 1981 JACC in Charlottesville was devoted to the development of two test examples for adaptive control. The two candidate processes were derived by two panelist pairs from the aerospace (Franklin and Stein) and the chemical process (Foss and Monopoli) control domains. The purpose was to distill those process characteristics suggesting application of adaptive control and to provide practically meaningful test examples for comparison of various adaptive schemes. This paper presents the proposed benchmark models and encourages reader participation in the second "edition" of this panel discussion to be presented as session TP1 on Thursday, December 17, 1981 at the 20th CDC in San Diego.
Relative Effect of Blood Given by Jejunostomy and Ileostomy

ConclusionsAlimentary azotemia in the dog occurs after the intragastric or intrajejunal administration of whole blood or red blood cells. On the other hand, similar amounts introduced low into the ileum or into the peritoneal cavity produced practically no rise in blood urea nitrogen. Alimentary azotemia results, then, only from the presence of blood in the upper intestinal tract.
Evolving joint-level control with digital muscles

The neuromuscular systems of animals are governed by extremely complex networks of control signals, sensory feedback loops, and mechanical interactions. Morphology and control are inherently intertwined. In the case of animal joints, groups of muscles work together to provide power and stability to move limbs in a coordinated manner. In contrast, many robot controllers handle both high-level planning and low-level control of individual joints. In this paper, we propose a joint-level control method, called digital muscles, that operates in a manner analogous to biological muscles, yet is abstract enough to apply to conventional robotic joints. An individual joint is controlled by multiple muscle nodes, each of which responds to a control signal according to a node-specific activation function. Evolving the physical orientation of muscle nodes and their respective activation functions enables relatively complex and coordinated gaits to be realized with simple high-level control. Even using a sinusoid as the high-level control signal, we demonstrate the evolution of effective gaits for a simulated quadruped. The proposed model realizes a control strategy for governing the behavior of individual joints, and can be coupled with a high-level controller that focuses on decision making and planning.
Constrained Parametric Optimization of Point Geometries in Multi-Beam-Interference Lithography

Multi-beam-interference lithography parameters are systematically analyzed and optimized. High absolute contrast and a variety of point geometries ranging from elliptical to rectilinear or rhombic intensity profiles are demonstrated.
Administration of aspartame potentiates pentylenetetrazole- and fluorothyl-induced seizures in mice

Abstract An association has recently been proposed between the incidence of seizures and prolonged consumption of the phenylalanine-containing artificial sweetener, aspartame. Since consumption of aspartame, unlike dietary protein, can elevate phenylalanine in brain, and thereby inhibit the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters known to protect against seizure activity, the effect of oral doses of aspartame on the sensitivity of mice to the proconvulsant agents, pentylenetetrazole and fluorothyl was studied. Doses of aspartame were used which increased phenylalanine more than tyrosine in brain, as occurs in humans after the consumption of any dose of aspartame. Pretreatment with aspartame significantly increased the percentage of animals convulsing after administration of pentylenetetrazole and significantly lowered the CD 50 for this convulsant. The average time to onset of seizures induced by fluorothyl in control mice was 510sec; pretreatment with oral doses of 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/kg of aspartame 1 hr earlier significantly reduced the time required to elicit seizures (394, 381 and 339 sec, respectively). The seizure-promoting effect of aspartame could be demonstrated 30, 60 or 120 min after the 1000 mg/kg dose. The seizures induced by either convulsant were potentiated by equimolar amounts of phenylalanine, a major endogenous metabolite of aspartame, while the other metabolites, aspartic acid and methanol, were without effect. Administration together with aspartame of the large neutral amino acid valine, which competes with phenylalanine for entry into the brain, completely abolished the seizurepromoting effect of aspartame. These results show that doses of aspartame which raise phenylalanine more than that of tyrosine in brain can facilitate seizure activity and suggest that this effect is mediated by the increased availability of phenylalanine to the brain.
A study of the corrosion of dental amalgam using the ring-disk electrode.

The rotating ring-disk electrode technique has been applied to the study of anodic dissolution of dental amalgam in a simulated saline solution. The electroactive domains of the silver, tin, and mercury couples (the main constituents of the amalgam) were determined from current-potential curves obtained at a rotating gold-disk electrode in solutions containing salts of the respective metals. Subsequently, anodic currents were applied to a rotating amalgam-disk electrode and the soluble products produced were identified using a concentric gold ring electrode, i.e., using the rotating gold-ring, amalgam-disk electrode. Species generated at the amalgam disk are transferred to the gold ring by convective diffusion. Tin ions were found to be the only soluble species generated at the amalgam disk. No evidence for dissolution of other components was found. The selective dissolution of tin from the amalgam is also consistant with potential shifts observed in reptititve current-potential curves of an amalgam disk. This study provides a direct proof for the selective dissolution of tin during corrosion of dental amalgam in an in vitro environment.
Surface photovoltage, band-bending and surface states on a-Si : H

Abstract We have measured the surface photovoltage (SPV) of intrinsic (i.e., undoped) and phosphorus-doped amorphous Si : H between −168 and 25°C in the spectral range from 0.5 to 2.5 eV. The a-Si : H was grown in a silane glow discharge. Vibrating Kelvin probe techniques were used for the SPV measurements; Auger spectroscopy was used for monitoring surface cleanliness and chemistry. At all temperatures and for both materials, (1) the SPV was invariably negative, (2) there was no correlation between the spectral, thermal and response-time properties of the SPV and the bulk photoconductivity, and (3) surface treatments such as sputtering and oxygen physisorption strongly affected the SPV but not the photoconductivity. These facts indicated that the SPV was due to the emptying of surface-states via surface transitions, and corresponded to the flattening of bands which, when unilluminated, were bent upwards. Intrinsic material showed a maximum SPV of about 0.2 V. The SPV was characterized at −168°C by strong electronic isolation between surface-states and valence band (i.e., once light was removed, there was no surface-state refilling or decay of the SPV), slow rise times (∼min), saturation at photon fluxes of about 10 11 /cm 2 · s, and a SPV spectral threshold occurring at 0.7 eV. At 25°C, all SPV responses were much faster ( 11 / cm 2 , a relatively low value which is consistent with the observed lack of Fermi level pinning. In both materials there is a very fast component of the SPV which suggests the presence of additional surface states below the valence band edge.
Improved chronic neural stimulation using high surface area platinum electrodes

We report a novel nano-cluster platinum (NCPt) film that exhibits enhanced performance as an electrode material for neural stimulation applications. Nano-cluster films were deposited using a custom physical vapor deposition process and patterned on a flexible polyimide microelectrode array using semiconductor processing technology. Electrode performance was characterized in vitro using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and compared with sputtered thinfilm platinum (TFPt) electrodes. We characterized electrode impedance, charge storage capacity, voltage transient properties, and relative surface area enhancement in vitro. Preliminary lifetime testing of the electrode reveals that the NCPt electrodes degrade more slowly than TFPt electrodes. The combination of material biocompatibility, electrochemical performance, and preliminary lifetime results point to a promising new electrode material for neural interface devices.
Thermal-mechanical-hydrological-chemical responses in the single heater test at the ESF

The Single Heater Test (SHT) is conducted in the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) to study the thermal-mechanical responses of the rock mass. A set of boreholes were drilled in the test region for conducting a scoping test of the coupled thermal-mechanical- hydrological-chemical (TMHC) processes. The holes for the TMHC tests include electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), neutron logging/temperature, hydrological, and optical multiple point borehole extensometers. A 4-kW heater was installed in the heater hole, and was energized on August 26, 1996. Some observed movements of the water around the heater are associated with a possible dry-out region near the heater. The water that has been moved is more dilute than the in situ ground water, except for the concentration of Ca. This indicates that fractures are the major water pathways, and the displaced water may have reached an equilibrium with carbonate minerals on the fracture surfaces. No mechanical-hydrological coupling has been observed. The tests are on-going, and more data will be collected and analyzed.
The half-life of internet references cited in communication journals

This exploratory study examines the use of online citations, focusing on five leading journals in journalism and communication. It analyzes 1126 URL reference addresses in citations of articles published between 2000 and 2003. The results show that only 61 percent of the online citations remain accessible in 2004 and 39 percent do not. The content analysis also shows that .org and .gov are the most stable domains. Error messages for `dead' URL addresses are explored. The instability of online citations raises concerns for researchers, editors and associations.
Simultaneously optimizing dose and schedule of a new cytotoxic agent

Background Traditionally, phase I clinical trial designs are based upon one predefined course of treatment while varying among patients the dose given at each administration. In actual medical practice, patients receive a schedule comprised of several courses of treatment, and some patients may receive one or more dose reductions or delays during treatment. Consequently, the overall risk of toxicity for each patient is a function of both actual schedule of treatment and the differing doses used at each adminstration.Purpose Our goal is to provide a practical phase I clinical trial design that more accurately reflects actual medical practice by accounting for both dose per administration and schedule.Methods We propose an outcome-adaptive Bayesian design that simultaneously optimizes both dose and schedule in terms of the overall risk of toxicity, based on time-to-toxicity outcomes. We use computer simulation as a tool to calibrate design parameters.Results We describe a phase I trial in allogeneic bone ma...
Fos-induction in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons receiving vasoactive intestinal polypeptide innervation is reduced in middle-aged female rats

A hallmark of reproductive aging in rats is a delay in the initiation and peak, and a decrease in the amplitude, of both proestrous and steroid-induced surges of LH and a decrease in the number of GnRH neurons that express Fos during the surge. The altered timing of the LH surge and the decline in Fos expression in GnRH neurons may be due to changes in the rhythmic expression of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), a neuropeptide that carries time-of-day information from the circadian pacemaker, located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), to GnRH neurons. The goals of our study were to determine if aging alters 1) the innervation of GnRH neurons by VIP and 2) the ability of VIP to activate GnRH neurons by examining the effects of aging on the number of GnRH neurons apposed by VIP fibers and the number of GnRH neurons that receive VIP input that express Fos. Immunocytochemistry for GnRH and VIP; or GnRH, VIP, and Fos was performed on tissue sections collected from young (2-4 mo), regularly cycling females and middle-aged (10-12 mo) females in constant estrus. The number of GnRH neurons, GnRH neurons apposed by VIP fibers, and GnRH neurons that express Fos and apposed by VIP fibers were counted in both age groups. Our results clearly demonstrate that aging does not alter the number of GnRH neurons that receive VIP innervation. However, the number of GnRH neurons that receive VIP innervation and coexpress Fos decreases significantly. We conclude that the age-related delay in the timing of the LH surge is not due to a change in VIP innervation of GnRH neurons, but instead may result from a decreased sensitivity of GnRH neurons to VIP input.
Tropospheric chemistry research

To answer basic science questions about man's influence on the Earth's troposphere and how to protect it, a National Research Council (NRC) panel has proposed a longterm international research program to study global tropospheric chemistry. The panel estimates that initial funding of $10–$20 million per year will be required, increasing yearly for the program's minimum 10-year life. According to the panel, this proposed effort would be different from existing atmospheric chemistry programs, such as those concerning acid precipitation, for two reasons: First, the proposal calls for a long-term effort, not a short-term reaction to political pressures or, as noted by one member of the panel, “crisis response.” Second, the panel emphasized the global framework and international cooperation requested in the proposal. According to panel members, many existing studies are urban or regional in nature and do not have the scope required to gain an overall understanding of the complex troposphere. Existing programs are seen as a foundation for what is envisioned as an allencompassing program.
Pancreatic acinar cells: effects of lanthanum ions on amylase release and calcium ion fluxes

1. The effect of La(3+) on amylase release and Ca(2+) fluxes in mouse pancreatic fragments in vitro was studied.2. Amylase release was increased by 0.1 mM-La(3+) and progressively inhibited by 1.0-10 mM-La(3+). Non-stimulated and bethanecol stimulated secretion were altered in an identical manner. Inhibition of amylase release was rapid and reversible.3. Uptake of (45)Ca(2+) was multiphasic with equilibrium with stable Ca(2+) still not complete after 2 hr. La(3+) (10 mM) limited uptake of (45)Ca(2+) to the extracellular space and slightly decreased total Ca(2+) content. Lower concentrations of La(3+) affected (45)Ca(2+) uptake and total Ca(2+) content in a biphasic manner which paralleled effects on amylase release.4. La(3+) restricted washout of (45)Ca(2+) to isotope in the extracellular space and abolished the bethanecol-stimulated increase in (45)Ca(2+) efflux.5. Uptake of (45)Ca(2+) into intracellular space, as measured by the ;lanthanum' method, was not affected by bethanecol.6. Tissue ultrastructure and Na(+) and K(+) content were not affected by La(3+).7. It is concluded that an influx of extracellular Ca(2+) is not important for triggering of secretion and that La(3+) may inhibit amylase release by acting on the release process rather than on Ca(2+) influx.
Management of misplaced or migrated endovascular stents

Purpose To report experience with techniques for management of misplaced or migrated endovascular stents. Materials and Methods During a 5-year period, percutaneous management of 27 misplaced or migrated endovascular stents (16 Palmaz, 11 Wallstents) in 25 patients was attempted. The 17 venous and 10 arterial stents were rescued from the aorta ( n = 9), inferior vena cava (IVC) ( n = 4), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt/IVC ( n = 2), right atrium ( n = 3), right ventricle ( n = 2), pulmonary artery ( n = 2), iliac vein ( n = 2), iliac artery ( n = 1), superior vena cava ( n = 1), and superior mesenteric vein ( n = 1). Results Stent management was successful in 26 of 27 cases (96%). Eleven stents were removed percutaneously, two were repo-sitioned and removed with a minor surgical procedure, and 13 were repositioned and deployed in a stable alternate location. The only complication was the development of tricuspid insufficiency in the single case in which the procedure failed (4% complication rate). This patient's stent was eventually surgically removed from the right ventricle. Conclusion Misplaced or migrated endovascular Palmaz and Wallstents can be effectively managed with few complications by using a variety of percutaneous techniques.
Talking Back to Primitivism: Divided Audiences, Collective Desires

L'A. propose quelques reflexions a propos du film de Zacharias Kunuk Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat, la legende de l'homme rapide). Il examine plus particulierement les reactions au film dans les mass medias dominants - dans la presse populaire a grand tirage - en Amerique du Nord et la perpetuation d'une imagerie coloniale europeenne et victorienne. Les comptes rendus et critiques du film revelent l'existence d'audiences multiples, subjectives et souvent contradictoires, impregnees de metaphores et de categories provenant directement des imaginations historiques des Inuit. La particularite culturelle et cinematographique du film Atanarjuat pose la question de l'effet des medias autochtones sur l'audience dominante et sur la construction sociale de la categorie de l'alterite. La reconfiguration potentielle des imaginations dans l'espace entre autochtones et non-autochtones font d'Atanarjuat un film activiste par excellence.
Injection laryngoplasty outcomes in irradiated and nonirradiated unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the effect of radiation therapy on voice outcome and duration of effect of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) injection laryngoplasty in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) patients. Study Design Retrospective case series. Methods UVFP patients treated with CaHA injection laryngoplasty at the University of California San Francisco Voice and Swallowing Center were identified. Demographic information, history of irradiation to the larynx, and time to additional medialization procedures were obtained. Examinations at presentation and follow-up were analyzed for laryngostroboscopic parameters and CAPE-V scores. Results Four nonirradiated and five irradiated patients underwent a total of six and nine injection laryngoplasties, respectively. Time to additional procedures was longer in irradiated patients (P = 0.02). Prior to injection, nonirradiated patients had more severe glottic insufficiency (P = 0.007, 0.002) than did irradiated patients. Postinjection, irradiated patients demonstrated improvement in overall voice quality, breathiness, and loudness, while nonirradiated patients demonstrated improved overall quality, breathiness, pitch, and loudness. Voice quality was not statistically different between patient groups. Conclusion CaHA injection laryngoplasty improved voice quality in both irradiated and nonirradiated patients. Nonirradiated patients experience greater vocal improvement compared to irradiated patients. Vocal cord stiffness due to radiation-induced changes may be responsible for the lack of improvement in pitch. Time to additional procedures was longer in irradiated patients and may be secondary to effects of prior radiation on graft resorption. Vocal fold medialization with CaHA injection remains a safe and efficacious treatment for UVFP in both irradiated and nonirradiated patients. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 124:1895–1899, 2014
New approximate confidence intervals for the difference between two Poisson means and comparison

The problem of estimating the difference between two Poisson means is considered. A new moment confidence interval (CI), and a fiducial CI for the difference between the means are proposed. The moment CI is simple to compute, and it specializes to the classical Wald CI when the sample sizes are equal. Numerical studies indicate that the moment CI offers improvement over the Wald CI when the sample sizes are different. Exact properties of the CIs based on the moment, fiducial and hybrid methods are evaluated numerically. Our numerical study indicates that the hybrid and fiducial CIs are in general comparable, and the moment CI seems to be the best when the expected total counts from both distributions are two or more. The interval estimation procedures are illustrated using two examples.
Ownership, Strategy and Performance: Is the Dichotomy Sufficient?

Do ownership characteristics moderate strategy, or is ownership a strategic vari able in itself? This is the research question that motivates this study. In order to shed light on this issue, Berle and Means' (1932) separation of ownership and control thesis as well as Demsetz and Lehn's (1985) symmetrical model of owner ship are empirically evaluated in the Canadian context. The findings indicate that neither framework is sufficient to explain the strategic conduct and profitability of firms operating in Canada. It is suggested that a broader based approach incorporating government and foreign ownership distinctions would be more promising avenues for future research than those which solely consider Berle and Means' (1932) dichotomy.
Breast Tumor Characterization Based on Ultrawideband Microwave Backscatter

Characterization of architectural tissue features such as the shape, margin, and size of a suspicious lesion is commonly performed in conjunction with medical imaging to provide clues about the nature of an abnormality. In this paper, we numerically investigate the feasibility of using multichannel microwave backscatter in the 1-11 GHz band to classify the salient features of a dielectric target. We consider targets with three shape characteristics: smooth, microlobulated, and spiculated; and four size categories ranging from 0.5 to 2 cm in diameter. The numerical target constructs are based on Gaussian random spheres allowing for moderate shape irregularities. We perform shape and size classification for a range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) to demonstrate the potential for tumor characterization based on ultrawideband (UWB) microwave backscatter. We approach classification with two basis selection methods from the literature: local discriminant bases and principal component analysis. Using these methods, we construct linear classifiers where a subset of the bases expansion vectors are the input features and we evaluate the average rate of correct classification as a performance measure. We demonstrate that for 10 dB SNR, the target size is very reliably classified with over 97% accuracy averaged over 360 targets; target shape is classified with over 70% accuracy. The relationship between the SNR of the test data and classifier performance is also explored. The results of this study are very encouraging and suggest that both shape and size characteristics of a dielectric target can be classified directly from its UWB backscatter. Hence, characterization can easily be performed in conjunction with UWB radar-based breast cancer detection without requiring any special hardware or additional data collection.
Vitamin E Deficiency and Neurologic Disease

During the recent resurgence of interest in the clinical uses of vitamin E, one of the major foci of attention has been the neurologic role of vitamin E in humans. Studies in patients with secondary vitamin E deficiency, caused by fat malabsorption disorders and total parenteral nutrition lacking an adequate supply of vitamin E, have elucidated a clinical disorder and histologic lesions of the nervous system and muscle that closely resemble those of experimental vitamin-E-deficient animal models. Investigations of the primary form of human vitamin E deficiency, the isolated vitamin E deficiency syndrome, have further substantiated the relationship between neurologic dysfunction and human vitamin E deficiency. It is now clear that vitamin E is an essential nutrient necessary for the optimal development and maintenance of the integrity and function of the human nervous system and skeletal muscle. The task for future study is to determine the mechanism by which vitamin E deficiency causes degeneration of selective regions of the nervous system and to investigate possible benefits of vitamin E supplementation in other neurologic disorders. In addition, further study of the isolated vitamin E deficiency syndrome promises to teach us more about normal physiologic mechanisms of vitamin E absorption and transport in humans.
God's Self-Communication in Christ: A Comparison of Thomas F. Torrance and Karl Rahner

Karl Rahner and Thomas F. Torrance have made enormous contributions to 20th century theology. Torrance is quick to point out that Rahner's approach to Trinitarian theology which begins with God's saving revelation (the economic Trinity) and pivots ‘upon God's concrete and effective self-communication in the Incarnation’ does indeed have the effect that Rahner intended. First, it reunites the treatises On the One God and On the Triune God. This opens the door to rapprochement between systematic and biblical theology and binds the NT view of Jesus closer to the Church's worship and proclamation of the Triune God. Second, it opens the door to rapprochement between East and West by shifting from a more abstractive scholastic framework to one bound up with piety, worship and experience within the Church. Third, it opens the door to rapprochement between Roman Catholic theology and Evangelical theology ‘especially as represented by the teaching of Karl Barth in his emphasis upon the self-revelation and self-giving of God as the root of the doctrine of the Trinity …’
Topology mapping for Blue Gene/L supercomputer

Mapping virtual processes onto physical processos is one of the most important issues in parallel computing. The problem of mapping of processes/tasks onto processors is equivalent to the graph embedding problem which has been studied extensively. Although many techniques have been proposed for embeddings of two-dimensional grids, hypercubes, etc., there are few efforts on embeddings of three-dimensional grids and tori. Motivated for better support of task mapping for Blue Gene/L supercomputer, in this paper, we present embedding and integration techniques for the embeddings of three-dimensional grids and tori. The topology mapping library that based on such techniques generates high-quality embeddings of two/three-dimensional grids/tori. In addition, the library is used in BG/L MPI library for scalable support of MPI topology functions. With extensive empirical studies on large scale systems against popular benchmarks and real applications, we demonstrate that the library can significantly improve the communication performance and the scalability of applications.
A method for designing a thermoelectric generator based on the thermal characteristics of the device

Abstract In the theory and methods for analysis of thermocouples presented in the literature, the thermal resistance between the cold junction and the heat sink is usually either ignored or considered of secondary importance. An experimental and analytical investigation of the effect of this thermal resistance has been carried out. The utilization of a good cooling system and the design methods of this paper will produce generators that require a small fraction of the thermoelectric material indicated by previous methods.
Nuclear Genes Controlling Chloroplast Development

We are interested in defining the controls of plastid differentiation in Zea mays L., a C4 plant containing dimorphic mesophyll and bundle sheath plastids as well as chromatoplasts, amyloplasts and proplastids in meristematic zones. One approach’ is to examine normal plastid developmental pathways at the light and electron microscope level and by description of the protein composition of plastids of various stages and terminal phenotypes. This study is complemented by examining the time of action and phenotypic result of nuclear genes which act to prevent normal, green plastid differentiation. So far we have utilized the nuclear genes iojap, chloroplast mutator, and japonica 1&2. From a study of these mutants we hope to gain some insight into the types of nuclear genes required for normal development and to determine what aspects of plastid function can be autonomously expressed by either the plastid or nuclear genome. In this report, we describe the theoretical background to our ongoing study and some results on the terminal phenotypes and time of action of the nuclear genes ij, cm and j 1&2.
Biological perspectives on the effects of early psychosocial experience

Abstract There is much current interest in how adverse experiences early in life might affect certain elements of physiological, behavioral, and psychological functioning across the lifespan. Recent conceptual frameworks for studying the effects of early experience have involved constructs such as experience-expectant, experience-dependent, and experience-adaptive plasticity. The latter construct is related to comparative models of developmental programming which posit the persistence of biological adjustments to the early caregiving environment. We briefly review such models and their translational implications. We then turn to human development and focus on the effects of large changes in children’s life courses as tests of hypotheses related to early experience effects. In particular, the effect of early institutionalization on children’s brain and behavioral development after changes to adoptive families or foster care is used as an example of a research area in which programming hypotheses have been proposed.
Brainstem-Evoked Response Audiometry: Normative Data from the Preterm Infant

Brainstem-evoked response audiometry (BERA) was performed on 40 preterm infants who had low neonatal risk scores. Mean latencies for waves I and V were obtained from four age-groups. 33-34, 35-36, 37-38 and 39-40 weeks conceptional age. The results indicate that BERA is a valuable and reliable tool in assessment of auditory function in the preterm infant. Also for classification of abnormality it is recommended that 2 standard deviations from the mean latency of wave V be used.Nous avons effectue une audiometrie par BER (clics de 100 μs sans plateau, a 60 dB nHL et avec un taux de repetition de 33 par seconde) chez 40 enfants prematures, dans le but d'etablir un critere acceptable des reponses normales ou anormales. Nous avons pour cela classe nos sujets en quatre categories d'aˇge: 33-34, 35-36, 37-38 et 39-40 semaines apres la conception, et etabli pour chaque categorie la valeur de la deviation standard de la latence de l'onde I et de l'onde V. Nous pensons que pour la recherche d'une anomalie (5% des ...
Economic Reform, Public Opinion, and Presidential Approval in Mexico, 1988-1993:

Mexicans behave according to normal economic voting rules: When economic conditions improve they support the president, and when the economy deteriorates they turn against him. Price increases have...
Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism: Neuropathology

Parkinsonism, the clinical term for a disorder with prominent bradykinesia and variable associated extrapyramidal signs and symptoms, is accompanied by degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system, with neuronal loss and reactive gliosis in the substantia nigra found at autopsy. Parkinsonism is pathologically heterogeneous, with the most common pathologic substrates related to abnormalities in the presynaptic protein α-synuclein or the microtubule binding protein tau. In idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), α-synuclein accumulates in neuronal perikarya (Lewy bodies) and neuronal processes (Lewy neurites). The disease process is multifocal and involves select central nervous system neurons and peripheral autonomic nervous system neurons. The particular set of neurons affected determines nonmotor clinical presentations. Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is the other major α-synucleinopathy. It is also associated with autonomic dysfunction and in some cases with cerebellar signs. The hallmark histopathologic feature of MSA is accumulation of α-synuclein within glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCI). The most common of the Parkinsonian tauopathies is progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which is clinically associated with severe postural instability leading to early falls. The tau pathology of PSP also affects both neurons and glia. Given the population frequency of PD, α-synuclein pathology similar to that in PD, but not accompanied by neuronal loss, is relatively common (10% of people over 65 years of age) in neurologically normal individuals, leading to proposed staging schemes for PD progression. Although MSA-like and PSP-like pathology can be detected in neurologically normal individuals, such cases are too infrequent to permit assessment of patterns of disease progression.
Phase Regions and Kinetics of Formation of (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox in Ag-Sheathed Tape

Ag-sheathed (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O, (2223) tapes were made by the oxide-powder-in-tube method. Tapes were heat-treated isothermally at several different temperatures in 7.5% O2/Ar, then quenched into oil to retain the phase assemblages at the reaction temperatures. 2223 formed between ∼810° and ∼837°C. The Avrami equation was applied to describe the kinetics of 2223 formation from a mixture of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox and nonsuperconducting phases, mainly Ca2PbO4 and CuO. The calculated Avrami exponent, n∼ 1, indicated that the kinetics in this system could be described as a diffusion-controlled, two-dimensional nucleation and growth process. The apparent activation energy for forming 2223 was ∼2900 kJ/mol from ∼817° to ∼825°C and ∼890 kj/mol from ∼825° to ∼837°C. A temperature-time-transformation diagram was constructed based on the kinetic data; it describes the transformational behavior of this particular system.