cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting end-of-test semen quality in bulls prior to performance testing.

Abstract The first objective of this study was to determine if serum concentrations of specific hormones (testosterone, progesterone and androstenedione) in bulls at the start of performance testing could predict semen quality at the end-of-test when used in a multivariate model. The second objective was to evaluate other clinical measurements (breed, age, body weight, hip height and scrotal circumference) for predicting end-of-test semen quality. End-of-test semen quality was related to steroid concentrations and several pre-testing measurements, including age, body weight, hip height and scrotal circumference (SC). Combining the 3 steroid concentrations into a predictive test had a sensitivity of 0.6 and specificity of 0.5 at its most accurate point. The repeatability of the test result was extremely low (r 2 = 0.16; P 0.1), suggesting that start-of-test SC was the most accurate predictor of end-of-test semen quality. Removing bulls at the start-of-test that had scrotal measurements of less than 20 cm, 24 cm, 28 cm or 32 cm resulted in sensitivities and specificities of 0.19, 0.94; 0.41, 0.81; 0.64, 0.56; and 0.94, 0.12, respectively. No cut-point had both adequate sensitivity and specificity. Because clinical tests were correlated, combining the tests to improve accuracy was not justified.
Supervisory hybrid control of piezoelectric actuators utilized in tracking piecewise continuous trajectories

Abstract This article presents a supervisory hybrid control design for piezoelectric actuators utilized in tracking trajectories with intermittent jump discontinuities. We use a previously developed robust adaptive controller and a standard PID controller to construct this hybrid control strategy. We show that when the sub-controllers are used for step tracking, while primarily tuned for continuous trajectory tracking, large undesirable oscillations occur. Conversely, when the controllers are retuned for step tracking, their performance degrades in tracking high-frequency continuous trajectories. Thus, a supervisory hybrid controller is developed to track desired trajectories with occasional discontinuities, using both the robust adaptive and the PID controllers. The robust adaptive controller performs as the primary controller for tracking the continuous segments of the desired trajectory, while the PID controller is activated when the steps occur. Results indicate that the proposed supervisory hybrid controller outperforms both sub-controllers in tracking high-frequency trajectories with intermittent discontinuities.
Cytoprotection against thermal injury: evaluation of herbimycin A by cell viability and cDNA arrays

Herbimycin A (HA), a known inducer of the heat shock response, was investigated for its ability to increase survival of a human cell line following thermal injury. Its effect on transcriptional activity was also assessed with cDNA arrays to provide new targets for cytoprotection. Pretreatment with at least 0.75 microg/ml HA significantly increased the fraction of cells surviving thermal injury by up to 50% (based on 8s exposure) compared to untreated controls. HA also significantly induced transcription of mRNA for HSP90 and HSP70, and protein production for HSP40 and HSP70. Gene expression profiling demonstrated that the most highly elevated genes included growth factors and transcription factors, while prominently suppressed genes included transcription factors and kinases. These results suggest that cytoprotection may be due to the contribution of the products of a significant number of genes in addition to the classic stress response genes, suggesting that modulation of these genes might induce thermotolerance and amelioration of thermal injury.
Sleep deprivation therapy in depressive illness and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract 1. 1. Sleep deprivation is commonly associated with feelings of fatigue and cognitive impairment. 2. 2. Patients with depressive illness, however, often experience mood improvements under these same conditions. 3. 3. Other studies now show that tremor and rigidity, in patients with Parkinson's disease, are also improved by sleep depression therapy. 4. 4. The neural substrates which underlie these effects are unclear Some recent evidence, however, suggests that sleep deprivation may activate mechanisms which are otherwise typical of conditions of metabolic stress. 5. 5. A common feature of these mechanisms is the suppression of cholinergic activity which is thought to be excessive, in relation to monoamine transmission, in both depression and Parkinson's disease.
A Cell for Rapidly Measuring Restriction to Diffusion of Macromolecules through Agar Gels of Various Pore Sizes

A Cell for Rapidly Measuring Restriction to Diffusion of Macromolecules through Agar Gels of Various Pore Sizes
Stimulation and recording of neural tissue, closing the loop on the artifact

To achieve the full potential of neural prostheses, such as those used for the treatment of epilepsy, some means to close the loop around the electrical stimulation protocol has to be provided. To be able to close the loop, it is necessary to record the effect of stimulation itself on the surrounding tissue. Such recording is made impossible by the presence of a long-lasting stimulation artifact, which is due to the presence of residual charge in the electrode. Custom electronics, implementing a novel feedback scheme, can reduce or eliminate such charge and, by making the electronics scalable, a large number of electrodes can be simultaneously accessed. In this work we present such an artifact elimination system.
Kraepelin and manic-depressive insanity: An historical perspective

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, physicians have recognized a certain relatedness between the mental states of depression and mania. In the mid-Nineteenth century, French alienists proposed a 'double' or 'circular' illness consisting of alternating depressed and manic episodes and at the beginning of the twentieth century, Emil Kraepelin introduced the term 'manic-depressive insanity.' Kraepelin's broad clinical experience resulted in compelling descriptions of the symptoms of mood disorders that have arguably never been surpassed. The Kraepelinian nosology continues to provide a touchstone for modern classification systems of the mood disorders.
Statistical Test for 85th and 15th Percentile Speeds with Asymptotic Distribution of Sample Quantiles

The 85th and 15th percentiles are two parameters that are commonly used in traffic engineering and traffic safety. For example, 85th percentile speeds are used to set speed limits and to evaluate the effectiveness of safety countermeasures, and 15th percentile speeds are used to establish typical walking speeds for traffic signal timing. But the lack of a simple statistical test for percentiles has led some researchers to omit statistical analysis or apply nonideal approaches, such as averaging the 85th percentiles or using the binomial proportion test. This paper presents a statistical test for the 85th and 15th percentiles that is based on Crammer's theory of the asymptotic distribution of sample quantiles. This test is simpler to apply than the double bootstrapping or quantile regression methods. To illustrate its practical use, this quantile test is applied to three sample case studies: sequential warning lights at nighttime work zones, residential speed limits, and pedestrian signal timing.
THE ECOLOGY OF SLAVEMAKING ANTS AND THEIR HOSTS IN NORTH TEMPERATE FORESTS

Slavemaking ants are of great interest to biologists because of their highly specialized lifestyle. Slavemakers rely on the presence of heterospecific "slaves" to perform routine chores such as foraging and brood care. While we have considerable information on the behavior of these ants, mostly gleaned from laboratory studies, we know very little of their basic ecology. Here we report data collected over 20 yr in three geographic sites on the occurrence, spatial pattern, nest site use, and demography of two slavemaker species and three of the host species they enslave; all are small ants in the tribe Formicoxenini. We found geographic and temporal variation with respect to the interaction between social parasites and their hosts. The slavemaker Protomognathus americanuts occurred in each geographic site, and in each its most common host was Leptothorax longispinosus; the other known hosts of this slavemaker, L. curvispinosus and L. ambigunts were less abundant. In a West Virginia site, slavemaker nests were smaller than in New York and Vermont sites. Additional data from West Virginia showed that the slavemaker is strongly constrained by its hosts there, but we found little impact of the parasite on its hosts. By contrast, in the New York site, we found strong evidence that the majority host was affected by the slavemaker: host nests showed important life history shifts between neighborhoods con- taining slavemakers vs. those that were parasite-free. Furthermore, the slavemaker was able to subjugate large host nests there and had large slave pools. In a third site in Vermont, parasite and host demography reflected their interaction weakly. We discovered a second slavemaking species there, and both parasites were preferentially found in areas of high host density. However, we uncovered no demographic or spatial evidence that slavemakers affected their hosts in Vermont. Likewise, we found no evidence in any site of demographic responses by the minority hosts to the presence of slavemakers. Thus our results imply that host-parasite interactions varied among host species and among geographic locales. The slavernaker system therefore is amenable to analysis in terms of parasite-host coevolution.
Multicomponent dissipative particle dynamics: Formulation of a general framework for simulations of complex fluids

The dissipative particle dynamics mesoscopic simulation method is analyzed thoroughly by identifying the scaling factors necessary to simulate a multicomponent system. A new framework of general expressions is derived relating the parameters in the system to their dimensionless quantities. The consistent non-dimensionalization used in this paper serves to connect the previous models in the literature. When the scaling factors are based on the solvent in a multicomponent system, the system of equations reduces to the well-known Groot and Warren model. Validation results for ideal, simple and binary immiscible fluids are presented and compared with established results from the literature. The framework established herein is an important step toward the practical application of dissipative particle dynamics for the analysis of complex fluid systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Catalytic hydrolytic cleavage and oxy-cleavage of lignin linkages

Abstract In this work, new strategies involving organic bases were evaluated to depolymerize lignin to reduced molecular fragments in aqueous medium. NaOH as an inorganic base was also investigated as a reference. Full nature lignin samples were used for the study. As research tools to unravel the complexity of the macro lignin structure and bulky molecular size under this study, size exclusion chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometric analysis, typically used for protein characterizations, were used to follow the progress of lignin depolymerisation by measuring the molecular weight distribution of the products and determining the key molecular mass fingerprints, respectively. The results show that sodium phenoxide and guanidine carbonate are effective catalysts for lignin depolymerization. It is observed that the organic bases enhance the oxy-cleavage effect of H 2 O 2 , which is strongest with guanidine carbonate.
The lasting legacy of war: epidemiology of injuries from landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, 2002-2006.

INTRODUCTION: Due to several decades of armed conflict and civil unrest, Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance worldwide. OBJECTIVE: The study was performed to assess the magnitude of injuries due to landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan during 2002-2006 and to describe epidemiological patterns and potential risk factors for these events. METHODS: Surveillance data including 5,471 injuries caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan during 2002-2006 were analyzed. The International Committee of the Red Cross collects data on such injuries from 490 reporting health facilities and volunteers throughout the country. These surveillance data were used to describe injury trends, victim demographics, injury types, risk behaviors, and explosive types related to landmine and unexploded ordnance accidents. RESULTS: The largest number of injuries (1,706) occurred in 2002. The number declined sharply to 1,049 injuries in 2003, and remained relatively stable with slight decline thereafter. Overall, 92% of victims were civilians, 91% were males, and 47% were children Language: en
An analysis of 3599 midfacial and 1141 orbital blowout fractures among 4426 United States Army Soldiers, 1980-2000.

Abstract Objective We sought to present the epidemiology associated with 3599 midfacial and 1141 orbital blowout fractures. Study design and setting We conducted a multicenter, 20-year retrospective analysis of hospitalization data on U.S. Army active duty soldiers. Results Men composed 96% of the patients, with men aged 20 to 29 years the most affected. Of midfacial and blowout fractures, 54.8% and 70.2% occurred with concomitant injury, with 36.2% and 50.9% sustaining other facial fractures, respectively. Three hundred forty orbital blowout fractures (29.8%) had an associated eye injury. Common mechanisms included fighting and motor vehicle accidents. Conclusions Young men comprised the most susceptible population, and assault was the predominant mechanism. A high incidence of concomitant injury in midfacial and orbital blowout fractures, particularly ocular and intracranial injury, emphasizes the importance of a thorough physical examination. Significance We report the results from one of the largest series of midfacial and orbital floor blowout fractures from a population that crosses urban, rural, and foreign boundaries.
On the staging of madrigal comedies

The brief life of the madrigal comedy spans the forty-year period from 1590 to 1630. Coming at the end of the sixteenth century, the genre marked the decline of the polyphonic madrigal style and heralded the evolution of secular vocal music's emphasis on the dramatic. As a genre, the madrigal comedy is not well known, and its designation can lead to confusion, because the term refers to collections of compositions that need not consist of madrigals or by themselves form comedies. Nevertheless it is a term that retains some usefulness in isolating a body of works from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries that share common elements. Not until the most recent edition of Grove's Dictionary was there an entry under the heading ‘Madrigal Comedy’; earlier editions had described such works as madrigal operas, clearly an even more problematic term. The brief life of the genre – from Orazio Vecchi's Selva di varia recreatione of 1590 to Banchieri's last publication, the Trattenimenti da villa of 1630 – as well as the variety of types of composition and of musical style to be found in these collections, and the fact that there are so few of them, make it particularly difficult to define more narrowly or more precisely.
Modeling nerve conduction criteria for diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy.

Introduction: In this study we aimed to deter- mine which criteria are valid for nerve conduction (NC) diagno- sis of typical diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN). Methods: Eight criteria were assessed from among diabetes databases, the Rochester Diabetic Neuropathy Study (RDNS, N ¼ 456), and in healthy subjects (RDNS-HS, N ¼ 330). Results: In the RDNS, the most frequent abnormal attributes (� 2.5th/� 97.5th percentile) are: fibular motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV; 26.3%); sural sensory nerve conduction veloc- ity (SNAP; 25.4%); tibial MNCV (24.8%); ulnar MNCV (21.3%); fibular F latency (16.9%); and ulnar F latency (16.0%). Normal deviate (from percentiles) composite scores of NC included: representative of neurophysiological abnormalities; sensitive and specific for diagnosis and useful for epidemiological sur- veys; randomized trials; and medical practice. By contrast, abnormality of one or more attributes in any nerve or abnormally of two most sensitive attributes performed poorly. Conclusions: Composite sum scores of normal deviates (from percentiles corrected for applicable variables) of sensitive NC attributes and with modifications, RDNS and AAN criteria per- formed acceptably for diagnosis of DSPN. Muscle Nerve 44: 340-345, 2011
THE RHEOLOGY OF THE BLOOD : IV. THE FLUIDITY OF WHOLE BLOOD AT 37°C.

In the preceding paper (1b) a formula was developed for the lowering of the fluidity of a medium by a mixture of proteins, given the volume concentration of each and its fluidity-lowering constant. Whole blood is now shown to follow an essentially similar formula, except that the hemoglobin content is taken from the literature as the best available measure of the volume of the blood cells Δ Φ = 0.24H, assuming the fluidity of the medium to be 53 rhes. Age, sex, diet, barometric pressure affect the hemoglobin content of the blood, but the formula may apply to any healthy human blood to about 3 per cent. The shape, number, and size of the blood cells, if known, might help to explain discrepancies as well as the state of oxidation of the blood. In disease the discrepancy becomes much greater, suggesting the possible use of rheology in diagnosis.
Reliability of a System of k Nodes for High Performance Computing Applications

Reliability estimation of High Performance Computing (HPC) systems enables resource allocation, and fault tolerance frameworks to minimize the performance loss due to unexpected failures. Recent studies have shown that compute nodes in HPC systems follow a time varying failure rate distribution such as Weibull, instead of the exponential distribution. In this paper, we propose a model for the Time to Failure (TTF) distribution of a system of k s-independent nodes when individual nodes exhibit time varying failure rates. We also present the system reliability, failure rates, Mean Time to Failure (MTTF), and derivations of the proposed system TTF model. The model is validated using observed data on time to failure.
Acceptable nutrient concentrations in agriculturally dominant landscapes: A comparison of nutrient criteria approaches for Nebraska rivers and streams

Abstract Developing numeric nutrient criteria for streams has been exceedingly complex due to uncertain background concentrations and uncertain impacts to water quality. In this study, I empirically examine the utility of multiple criteria for total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) criteria for rivers and streams of Nebraska, USA using: (1) whole-population nutrient percentiles; (2) reference stream percentiles; (3) model predicted estimates from relationships between nutrients and anthropogenic land usage; and (4) stressor–response modeling of nutrients and invertebrate and fish assemblages. I predicted that criteria developed for Nebraska would be greater than the criteria recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency for the associated nutrient ecoregions because the new criteria would be derived from streams only within this agriculturally-dominated state. Also, I predicted that criteria based on responses of biota would be higher than those based on the frequency distribution of nutrient data because biota have been filtered by their ability to endure higher nutrient concentrations. The percentage of rowcrop agriculture was responsible for the vast majority of land usage, and TN and TP were predictable by rowcrop. Nutrient ecoregions did not appear to be particularly useful in Nebraska. EPA recommendations for TP were lower than any of the new criteria we developed (from 113 to 599 μg/l) and those for TN were almost always lower than new criteria (from 552 to 2352 μg/l). Relationships of nutrients to biotic integrity were weak or non-existent; TN was not among the best three predictors of invertebrate or fish metrics and TP was only a good predictor of the pollution tolerance of fish, and this criterion was much higher than EPA recommendations (599 μg/l) and criteria based on percentiles and land usage. I discuss the applicability of criteria to agriculturally-intense streams in Nebraska.
Formation and Structure of Silicon Carbide Whiskers from Rice Hulls

A study of the distribution of Si in rice hulls was carried out to aid in understanding the observed formation of SIC whiskers by the thermal decomposition and reaction of these natural materials. Scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirm the presence of a major amount of Si in the inner and outer epidermal regions of the rice hull. The Si is present as a hydrated amorphous form of SiO2 which is evidently bound in the inner layer to organic constituents, placing it adjacent to a source of carbon but interfering with its solubility in HF. The SIC produced by pyrolysis is in the form of ultrafine particles with cubic crystal structure and whiskers exhibiting stacking faults and twins perpendicular to the whisker axis, easily visible by transmission electron microscopy. These whiskers are very similar to ones obtained by chemical vapor deposition with SiO and CO as the primary reactants.
Impacts of Transit in National Parks and Gateway Communities

The U.S. National Park Service has worked to reduce traffic congestion in parks through a transit service. Consistently, communities around parks that are planning for transit want to know what effects they will experience from introductions or changes in service. This research developed a comprehensive understanding of the encountered effects. Seven case study investigations revealed no clear patterns in visitation changes at parks with recent transit initiatives. Circulation and economic impacts depended on local situations and followed from transit planning decisions. The case study findings provide models that can inform planning for continued expansion of transit on public lands.
Cost analysis of abdominal, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted myomectomies.

Study objective To perform a cost-minimization analysis of abdominal, traditional laparoscopic and robotic-assisted myomectomy. Design Cost analysis (Canadian Task Force Classification III). Setting Academic medical center. Patients Women undergoing myomectomy by various surgical approaches. Interventions We developed a decision model to compare the costs ($2009) of different approaches to myomectomy from a healthcare system perspective. The model included operative time, conversion risk, transfusion risk, and length of stay (LOS) for each modality. Baseline estimates and ranges were based on reported values extracted from existing literature. We analyzed two different models: #1) Existing Robot model and #2) Robot Purchase model. Measurements and main results In the baseline analysis for the Existing Robot model, abdominal myomectomy (AM) was the least expensive at $4937 compared with laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) at $6219 and robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy (RM) at $7299. The abdominal route remained the least expensive when varying all parameters and costs except for two cases in which LM became least expensive: 1) If AM length of stay was greater than 4.6 days, and 2) If the surgeon's fee for AM was greater than $2410. When comparing LM to RM, the cost of RM was consistently higher unless the robotic disposable equipment costs were less than $1400. In the Robot Purchase model, only the RM costs increased while AM and LM costs remained the same. Conclusion In this cost-minimization analysis, abdominal myomectomy is the least expensive approach when compared to laparoscopy and robotic-assisted laparoscopy.
Columns: Nonstructured Materials

Novel properties arise in inorganic and organic solids, like pure metals, metallic alloys, semiconductors, oxides, new carbon phases (e.g., fullerene, nanotubes, anion-like structures), and so on when the size of these substances is reduced to a nanometric scale range, that is, less than 30–50 nanometers. The basic characteristic of a solid system made of a large number of incredibly small particles is the extremely high surface area. Differently from ordinary coarse or fine powdered solids, all atoms in such ultrafine (or superfine) structures are located at the surface.
Integrin α5 is required for survival of normal and ErbB2/Neu expressing mammary epithelial cells

A87 The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a key role in establishing tissue architecture and regulating homeostasis as cells that loose contact with matrix undergo cell death (referred to as anoikis). Certain oncogenes provide protection from anoikis that is critical during tumorigenesis by allowing cells to survive outside the natural microenvironment and disrupt tissue architecture. We are interested in understanding how oncogenes regulate anoikis at the cellular level but also during disruption of tissue architecture using in vitro 3D culture models. Key components in ECM signaling include the integrin receptors, thus we have begun to examine changes in integrin expression during anoikis and by oncogenes that allow anoikis resistance and disrupt mammary 3D morphogenesis. Using the normal mammary epithelial cell line, MCF-10A, we have found that the integrin α5 is specifically upregulated during anoikis and 3D morphogenesis. We hypothesize that induction of integrin α5 enhances cell survival during anoikis. Indeed, targeting integrin α5 with siRNA oligos, but not control oligos, causes increased sensitivity to anoikis of MCF-10A cells. Moreover, we find that MCF-10A cells overexpressing breast cancer causing oncogenes, such as ErbB2/Neu highly upregulate integrin α5 levels compared to control cells. Abrogation of integrin α5 but not integrin α3, via siRNA oligos, in oncogenic ErbB2 expressing cells inhibited colony formation in soft agar suggesting a critical role for integrin α5 in tumorigenesis. This effect on ErbB2-anchorage independence may be due to block of ErbB2-mediated survival signaling as we find that inhibition of integrin α5 in ErbB2 expressing cells causes inhibition of the Erk-MAP kinase pathway leading to induction of the apoptotic protein Bim and activation of caspase-3. Thus, integrin α5 is a major regulator of anoikis sensitivity in normal mammary epithelial cells and key mediator of anchorage independence by the ErbB2-MAP kinase pathway and may be a potential therapeutic target in breast cancers overexpressing ErbB2/Neu oncogene.
Seminars in medicine of the Beth Israel Hospital, Boston. Platelet-endothelium interactions.

The recognition that the restoration of patency to occluded blood vessels can improve clinical outcomes has led to intense interest in the formation and dissolution of platelet thrombi and in the pathobiologic features of vascular repair after an injury. To study these events in an experimental model, many investigators challenge isolated platelets or endothelium with stimuli that represent physiologic or pathologic mediators, such as thrombin or adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and find that these agonists cause the generation of intracellular mediators that can markedly alter the function of each cell type. A critical facet of thrombus formation and vascular response to . . .
Head and neck oncologic surgery: today and tomorrow.

Until recently there have been no concerted efforts to examine and attempt to resolve the present piecemeal and uncoordinated approach to the management of head and neck tumors. The author submits educational guidelines in order to delineate the basic concept of a comprehensive advanced training program in head and neck oncologic surgery.
New Techniques for Accreditation Today

Quality improvement initiatives that were developed in the field of business have been adapted by many educational institutions (Alstete 1996a). Techniques such as the balanced scorecard, benchmarking, key performance indicators, total quality management, business process reengineering, management by objectives, zero-based budgeting, and other techniques have been and are currently being used by postsecondary institutions today to help address the demands for continuous improvement. While the original purposes of higher education accreditation evolved during the twentieth century to meet the changing needs of the public, there were also tremendous increases in the number, size, and diversity of colleges and universities. Demands for increased accountability in higher education escalated in the late 1960s and early 1970s as the costs for government regulation and reporting of many college functions increased. These increased accreditation costs for institutions of higher education, along with general economic inflationary strains on institutions, forced an offloading of these expenses to students. The results yielded an increased scrutiny by the public and others of the answerability and the function of accreditation of colleges and universities. One example was a report in 1979 by COPA that called for “accreditation teams to begin to look for evidence of student achievement (outcomes) used for the award of credit and degrees, and make judgments about the quality of the institution in light of the adjudged student achievement compared with degrees awarded” (Casey and Harris 1979, p. 25).
Multicomponent Linguistic Awareness Intervention for At-Risk Kindergarteners:

This study investigated the feasibility of multicomponent linguistic awareness intervention on early literacy skills in at-risk kindergarteners. Seventeen students, including native Spanish-speaking English language learners (n = 10) and native English speakers (n = 7), participated in a 6-week small-group therapy program, for a total of 12 intervention hours. Students received therapy in one of the following: phonological awareness and letter knowledge; morphological awareness; or a three-pronged intervention that addressed all three areas. Students demonstrated moderate to large gains in word reading (d = 1.79–2.19), phonological awareness (d = 0.73–1.59), morphological awareness (d = 0.57–3.96), and morphological spelling (d = 0.77–3.0). Analyses revealed no significant differences based on the type of intervention received. These results provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility of three-pronged linguistic awareness instruction for kindergarten students at risk for later reading difficulties, i...
Group-Based Trajectory Modeling of Distress and Well-Being Among Caregivers of Children Undergoing Hematopoetic Stem Cell Transplant.

Objective To examine the trajectories of caregiver psychological responses in the year following their child's hematopoetic stem cell transplant (HSCT), and whether cognitive and social processing strategies differentiated between trajectories. Method One hundred and eight caregivers randomized to the control condition of a cognitive-behavioral intervention study completed measures of distress, coping, and social support at baseline, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year post HSCT of their child. Results The majority reported moderate or low anxiety, depression, or distress that decreased over time, but a small group demonstrated high anxiety, depression, or distress that persisted or increased over time. Maladaptive coping was highest among caregivers in the high-persistent distress subgroup compared with the moderate-decreasing and low-stable groups. Adaptive coping was minimally associated with trajectory subgroups. Conclusions Screening HSCT caregivers for distress and maladaptive coping may be useful in identifying caregivers likely to experience persistently high distress who may benefit from psychological intervention.
Securing the manufacturing environment using biometrics

Over the past decade, there has been substantial growth in global business, of which the manufacturing industry plays a large part. This, accompanied by an increase in intelligent manufacturing equipment, increased connectivity of equipment and software both internally within a company, and with external partners has led to an increase in the probability of attacks and threats to these systems. Combine this with the current events and the additional requirements of governmental regulation, and several businesses in advanced manufacturing have to increase both physical and logical security. This paper outlines a unique application of biometrics and computer integrated manufacturing systems as part of providing an applied solution to solving security problems for manufacturing and control systems, and adhering to government regulations related to the manufacturing industry.
Conservative Politics in National and Imperial Crisis: Letters from Britain to the Viceroy of India, 1926–1931. Edited by Stuart Ball. (Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014. Pp. x, 436. $180.00.)

This is a collection of letters written to Edward Wood, Lord Irwin during his tenure as Viceroy of India between April 1926 and April 1931. A moderate Conservative appointed by Stanley Baldwin, Irw...
Emotional arousal in the making of cultural selves

The highly variable selves that ethnographers have documented cross-culturally all build upon the universal human self described by neurobiologists. The link between cultural selfhood and this neurally-based self is emotional arousal. Arousal heightens the effect of synaptic plasticity, insuring that clusters of strong associations, or cognitive schemas, result from many fewer repetitions of the arousing experience. There are identifiable types of such predictably arousing experiences cross-culturally, many occurring early in life. While susceptible to individual variation, these are typically based in kinds of experience widespread in groups. Culturally elaborated, these shared experiences result in distinctive cultural selves. The argument is illustrated at length with one of these types, disciplinary childrearing practices. Early attachment, cultural psychodynamic defenses, and several other shared, culturally variable experiences that are predictably emotionally arousing are also considered: unintende...
Libertarian Administrative Law

In recent years, several judges on the nation’s most important regulatory court -- the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit -- have given birth to libertarian administrative law, in the form of a series of judge-made doctrines that are designed to protect private ordering from national regulatory intrusion. These doctrines involve nondelegation principles, protection of commercial speech, procedures governing interpretive rules, arbitrariness review, standing, and reviewability. Libertarian administrative law can be seen as a second-best option for those who believe, as some of the relevant judges openly argue, that the New Deal and the modern regulatory state suffer from basic constitutional infirmities. Taken as a whole, libertarian administrative law parallels the kind of progressive administrative law that the same court created in the 1970s, and that the Supreme Court unanimously rejected in the Vermont Yankee case. It should meet a similar fate. Two cases to be decided next Term provide an opportunity for the Court to repudiate libertarian administrative law.
Dendrimer-based selective autophagy-induction rescues ΔF508-CFTR and inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis.

Background Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder caused by mutation(s) in the CF-transmembrane conductance regulator (Cftr) gene. The most common mutation, ΔF508, leads to accumulation of defective-CFTR protein in aggresome-bodies. Additionally, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa), a common CF pathogen, exacerbates obstructive CF lung pathology. In the present study, we aimed to develop and test a novel strategy to improve the bioavailability and potentially achieve targeted drug delivery of cysteamine, a potent autophagy-inducing drug with anti-bacterial properties, by developing a dendrimer (PAMAM-DEN)-based cysteamine analogue. Results We first evaluated the effect of dendrimer-based cysteamine analogue (PAMAM-DENCYS) on the intrinsic autophagy response in IB3-1 cells and observed a significant reduction in Ub-RFP and LC3-GFP co-localization (aggresome-bodies) by PAMAM-DENCYS treatment as compared to plain dendrimer (PAMAM-DEN) control. Next, we observed that PAMAM-DENCYS treatment shows a modest rescue of ΔF508-CFTR as the C-form. Moreover, immunofluorescence microscopy of HEK-293 cells transfected with ΔF508-CFTR-GFP showed that PAMAM-DENCYS is able to rescue the misfolded-ΔF508-CFTR from aggresome-bodies by inducing its trafficking to the plasma membrane. We further verified these results by flow cytometry and observed significant (p<0.05; PAMAM-DEN vs. PAMAM-DENCYS) rescue of membrane-ΔF508-CFTR with PAMAM-DENCYS treatment using non-permeabilized IB3-1 cells immunostained for CFTR. Finally, we assessed the autophagy-mediated bacterial clearance potential of PAMAM-DENCYS by treating IB3-1 cells infected with PA01-GFP, and observed a significant (p<0.01; PAMAM-DEN vs. PAMAM-DENCYS) decrease in intracellular bacterial counts by immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Also, PAMAM-DENCYS treatment significantly inhibits the growth of PA01-GFP bacteria and demonstrates potent mucolytic properties. Conclusions We demonstrate here the efficacy of dendrimer-based autophagy-induction in preventing sequestration of ΔF508-CFTR to aggresome-bodies while promoting its trafficking to the plasma membrane. Moreover, PAMAM-DENCYS decreases Pa infection and growth, while showing mucolytic properties, suggesting its potential in rescuing Pa-induced ΔF508-CF lung disease that warrants further investigation in CF murine model.
A Fourier Series Approach to Skyline Generalization for Surface Irradiance Estimates in Alpine Terrain

The degree of generalization acceptable in defining alpine skylines in radiation budget components is explored using truncated Fourier series representations. Numerical simulations are performed for sites in the Teton range of Wyoming, U.S.A. The mean skyline approach performs poorly for all irradiances except the incoming longwave. To calculate direct and global solar and net radiation, more complex skylines are needed with several harmonics, although the requirements are less stringent if primary interest is focused on spatially-averaged radiation budgets. Nevertheless, the Fourier series approach shows promise as a means of reducing storage requirements for skyline data in computer programs to perform topoclimatic radiation calculations and as a method of generating conveniently and objectively a continuous skyline function from discrete data.
Examining the Interpersonal Nature of Criterion A of the DSM-5 Section III Alternative Model for Personality Disorders Using Bootstrapped Confidence Intervals for the Interpersonal Circumplex.

Criterion A of the alternative model of personality disorders (AMPD) involves the assessment of impairments in self and self in relation to other functioning and can be assessed using the Level of ...
The ubiquitin-protein ligase E6AP/UBE3A supports early encephalomyocarditis virus replication

Many viruses make use of, and even direct, the ubiquitin-proteasome system to facilitate the generation of a cellular environment favorable for virus replication, while host cells use selected protein ubiquitylation pathways for antiviral defense. Relatively little information has been acquired, however, regarding the extent to which protein ubiquitylation determines the replication success of picornaviruses. Here we report that the ubiquitin-protein ligase E6AP/UBE3A, recently shown to be a participant in encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) 3C protease concentration regulation, also facilitates the early stages of EMCV replication, probably by a mechanism that does not involve 3C protease ubiquitylation. Using stably transfected E6AP knockdown cells, we found that reduced E6AP concentration extends the time required for infected cells to undergo the morphological changes caused by virally induced pathogenesis and to begin the production of infectious virions. This lag in virion production is accompanied by a corresponding delay in the appearance of detectable levels of viral proteins and RNA. We also found, by using both immunofluorescence microscopy and cell fractionation, that E6AP is partially redistributed from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in EMCV-infected cells, thereby increasing its availability to participate in cytoplasmic virus replication processes.
The Relationship Between Leaders' Personality Traits and Organizational Commitment

The results of this study revealed a correlation between leaders’ personality traits and levels of organizational commitment in Apparel and/or Consumer Packaged Goods organizations. Data were collected from 50 leaders in these organizations, along with 204 of their associates in the New York and New Jersey area. Using the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), and a demographic survey, the data were collected. Leaders were comprised of Director and Vice President level managers. These leaders completed the Hogan Personality Inventory, which measured five distinct areas of personality: Ambition, Adjustment, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, and Prudence. Associates reporting to these leaders completed the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, rating their own levels of organizational commitment. Evidence supported the reliability and validity of both leader personality and organizational commitment models and instruments.This research study concluded there is a significant relationship between leaders’ personality traits and associates’ levels of organizational commitment. Specifically, leaders’ Interpersonal Sensitivity and Adjustment personality traits both influence and shape associates’ levels of organizational commitment. The remaining personality traits examined showed weak relationships with organizational commitment. Statistical data and implications for the findings are included.
The closure of a long-stay psychiatric hospital: a longitudinal study of patients' behaviour

This paper summarises longitudinal data based on repeat assessments of the behavioural functioning of 90 long-stay psychiatric patients. Data were gathered over a period of 4–5 years that spanned a hospital closure and the resettlement of patients in various alternative settings. Time-series analyses of individual data sets showed that resettlement led to no significant behavioural change in the majority of patients. However, some significant behavioural improvements were evidenced for approximately 20% of the group, while behavioural deterioration occurred in approximately 12%. Supplementary findings showed that following resettlement the quality of care provided significantly improved in many respects. However, access to social, recreational orvocational activities was reduced. In addition, the level of physical health symptomatology was shown to increase for this group of patients.
Antibiotic Proteins of Human Neutrophils: Interaction with the Surface of Salmonella

Our interest in the biology of Salmonella has centered on their responses to antibiotic proteins carried in the azurophil granules of human neutrophil phagocytes (PMN). Recently we have been working intensively with CAP37 a 37kDa antibiotic glycoprotein that is, as most of them are, cationic and hydrophobic. Several of these cationic, antibiotic proteins have in fact been isolated and characterized following our discovery of their presence in the azurophil granules of guinea pig neutrophils in 1963, in rabbit neutrophils in 1966, and in human neutrophils in 1971. Their molecular sizes range from around 3 kDa to 60 kDa. They are hydrophobic. Two are serine proteases, but the others lack known enzymic activity. Interestingly CAP37 has > 47% homology with neutrophil elastase and highly conserved structure placing it in the serine protease family; yet it lacks any serine esterase activity due to a mutation at position 41 replacing histidine with serine (Pereira et. al. 1990). Each has its characteristic antimicrobial spectrum. A concise review of this material was published in November of 1991 (Spitznagel 1991).
Substrate Specificity Study of Recombinant Rhizopus Chinensis Aspartic Proteinase

Rhizopuspepsin, a model aspartic proteinase from the fungus Rhizopus chinensis, has recently been cloned and expressed by Chen et al. (1991). High resolution crystallographic analysis of rhizopuspepsin and complexes with active site ligands has been reported by Davies’ group (Parris et al., this volume). Our initial characterization of the substrate specificity of the active site is described in this report. This study will enable future comparisons between kinetic and crystallographic data from other aspartic proteinases as well as for use in planning and analyzing site-directed mutagenesis studies.
Screening to the converted: an educational intervention in African American churches.

Background. African American women have higher incidences of breast and cervical cancers and African American men present with more advanced stages of colon and prostate cancers than do their non‐A...
Infanticide and Induced Abortion

Abortion and infanticide are methods used after conception to affect net fertility. Infanticide is widely known and practiced among most mammals, contemporaneous hunter-gatherer societies, and in the premodern world. From the nineteenth century, abortion has been a demographically important phenomenon. In the late twentieth century, approximately a quarter of all pregnancies ended in abortion. Nevertheless, among individual women and society as a whole, taboos about taking human life and the status of the fetus as a potential life lend considerable ambivalence to the abortion choice. Consistent with this ambivalence and with institutional opposition led by the Catholic Church, many governments have chosen to limit or regulate abortion. On the other side, family planning advocates urge the liberalization of abortion regulation and feminist perspectives emphasize the right of women to make informed and voluntary decisions regarding childbearing. Since World War II, the general trend has been towards fewer legal restrictions on abortion. Theoretical perspectives and empirical analyses emphasize the temporal ordering of abortion and infanticide as after sex, but before the fetus becomes a recognized member of society; and the relation of abortion choices to the demand for children and the broadly defined cost of contraception.
The Role of Organized Nonviolence in Achieving Stable Peace

The last 150 years or so has been a period of quite unprecedented social change. We have seen the application of science to the technology of production and destruction, as in the chemical industry, the electrical industry, automobiles and airplanes, and nuclear power and nuclear weapons. This period has also seen profound changes in social environments and institutions, such as the rise and now, as we have seen, the decay of centrally planned economies and welfare states. There has been a spectacular increase in the expectation of human life and a decline in infant mortality, resulting in an unprecedented population explosion. The human population of the earth has more than doubled in my own lifetime.
Intellectual Disabilities (Mental Retardation)

Adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience transitions to adulthood similar to adolescents without disabilities. At the same time, however, adolescents with ID face unique challenges that require the support of family members and professionals across a variety of disciplines. This article describes the experiences of adolescents who have ID. We first provide a brief overview of ID, before detailing the similarities and differences of individuals with ID in the context of social, transition, family, and mental health issues. Throughout the article, we provide specific suggestions for intervention.