cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Agar Dilution, Disk Diffusion, MicroScan, and Vitek Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Methods to Broth Microdilution for Detection of Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Isolates of the Family Enterobacteriaceae

Fluoroquinolone resistance appears to be increasing in many species of bacteria, particularly in those causing nosocomial infections. However, the accuracy of some antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods for detecting fluoroquinolone resistance remains uncertain. Therefore, we compared the accuracy of the results of agar dilution, disk diffusion, MicroScan Walk Away Neg Combo 15 conventional panels, and Vitek GNS-F7 cards to the accuracy of the results of the broth microdilution reference method for detection of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin resistance in 195 clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae collected from six U.S. hospitals for a national surveillance project (Project ICARE [Intensive Care Antimicrobial Resistance Epidemiology]). For ciprofloxacin, very major error rates were 0% (disk diffusion and MicroScan), 0.9% (agar dilution), and 2.7% (Vitek), while major error rates ranged from 0% (agar dilution) to 3.7% (MicroScan and Vitek). Minor error rates ranged from 12.3% (agar dilution) to 20.5% (MicroScan). For ofloxacin, no very major errors were observed, and major errors were noted only with MicroScan (3.7% major error rate). Minor error rates ranged from 8.2% (agar dilution) to 18.5% (Vitek). Minor errors for all methods were substantially reduced when results with MICs within ±1 dilution of the broth microdilution reference MIC were excluded from analysis. However, the high number of minor errors by all test systems remains a concern.
Extracting and identifying form features: a Bayesian approach

Introduces a new uncertainty reasoning-based method for the identification and extraction of manufacturing features from solid model descriptions of objects. A major difficulty faced by previously proposed methods for feature extraction has been the interaction between features. In interacting situations, the representation for various primitive features is non-unique, making their recognition very difficult. We develop an approach based on generating, propagating and combining geometrical and topological evidences in a hierarchical belief network for identifying and extracting features. The methodology combines and propagates evidences to determine a set of correct virtual links to be augmented in the cavity graph representing a depression of the object, so that the resulting supergraph can be partitioned to obtain the features of the object. >
Cultural Variability in Stress and Control An Investigation of Egyptian Middle-Class, Countryside, and Inner-City Girls

Subcultural differences in the types of stressors, coping strategies, and control beliefs reported by thirty-two 10- to 14-year-old Egyptian girls from middle-class, countryside, and inner-city backgrounds were investigated. Girls were interviewed about the types of stressors they encountered in different life domains, their coping responses in dealing with these stressors, and their general control beliefs. A translated version of Connell's Multidimensional Measure of Children's Perceptions of Control (MMCPC) was administered to the middle-class and inner-city girls. All groups differed significantly in (a) the types of stressors reported in various life domains and (b) reported life control. Middle-class and inner-city girls showed different patterns of control beliefs on the MMCPC. The implications of these findings for the study of stress and coping from the cross-cultural perspective are discussed.
Description of a New Genus and Species of Stygobiontic Diving Beetle, Psychopomporus felipi Jean, Telles, and Miller (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae), from the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer System of Texas, USA

Psychopomporus felipi Jean, Telles, and Miller, new genus and new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), is described from San Felipe Springs, Val Verde County, Texas, USA, which emerges from the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system. Psychopomporus felipi shows several features typical of subterranean diving beetles, such as depigmentation, compound eyes reduced, elytra fused, and flight wings absent. Psychopomporus differs from other hydroporine genera in having a broad elytral epipleuron, the prosternal process small and with a medial, strongly produced prominence, and the meso- and (to a lesser extent) protibia apically broadly expanded and medially distinctly curved. This is the fourth stygobiontic diving beetle described from the Edwards-Trinity aquifer system in south-central Texas, USA.
Characterizing Fishing Effort and Spatial Extent of Coastal Fisheries

Biodiverse coastal zones are often areas of intense fishing pressure due to the high relative density of fishing capacity in these nearshore regions. Although overcapacity is one of the central challenges to fisheries sustainability in coastal zones, accurate estimates of fishing pressure in coastal zones are limited, hampering the assessment of the direct and collateral impacts (e.g., habitat degradation, bycatch) of fishing. We compiled a comprehensive database of fishing effort metrics and the corresponding spatial limits of fisheries and used a spatial analysis program (FEET) to map fishing effort density (measured as boat-meters per km2) in the coastal zones of six ocean regions. We also considered the utility of a number of socioeconomic variables as indicators of fishing pressure at the national level; fishing density increased as a function of population size and decreased as a function of coastline length. Our mapping exercise points to intra and interregional ‘hotspots’ of coastal fishing pressure. The significant and intuitive relationships we found between fishing density and population size and coastline length may help with coarse regional characterizations of fishing pressure. However, spatially-delimited fishing effort data are needed to accurately map fishing hotspots, i.e., areas of intense fishing activity. We suggest that estimates of fishing effort, not just target catch or yield, serve as a necessary measure of fishing activity, which is a key link to evaluating sustainability and environmental impacts of coastal fisheries.
Widespread dynamic DNA methylation in response to biotic stress

Regulation of gene expression by DNA methylation is crucial for defining cellular identities and coordinating organism-wide developmental programs in many organisms. In plants, modulation of DNA methylation in response to environmental conditions represents a potentially robust mechanism to regulate gene expression networks; however, examples of dynamic DNA methylation are largely limited to gene imprinting. Here we report an unexpected role for DNA methylation in regulation of the Arabidopsis thaliana immune system. Profiling the DNA methylomes of plants exposed to bacterial pathogen, avirulent bacteria, or salicylic acid (SA) hormone revealed numerous stress-induced differentially methylated regions, many of which were intimately associated with differentially expressed genes. In response to SA, transposon-associated differentially methylated regions, which were accompanied by up-regulation of 21-nt siRNAs, were often coupled to transcriptional changes of the transposon and/or the proximal gene. Thus, dynamic DNA methylation changes within repetitive sequences or transposons can regulate neighboring genes in response to SA stress.
Anti–IL-5 therapy reduces mast cell and IL-9 cell numbers in pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis

Background Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathologic entity of increasing worldwide prevalence. IL-5 is essential for eosinophil trafficking, and anti–IL-5 therapy decreases esophageal eosinophilia. EoE is associated with prominent mast cell infiltration. Objective We investigated whether anti–IL-5 (mepolizumab) treatment reduced esophageal mast cell accumulation in biopsy specimens from pediatric patients with EoE from a previous randomized anti–IL-5 trial. Methods A subanalysis was completed for children treated with 0.55, 2.5, or 10 mg/kg mepolizumab monthly for 12 weeks followed by no treatment until week 24. Quantitative immunochemistry was used to assess the numbers of eosinophils, tryptase-positive mast cells, IL-9 + cells, and mast cell–eosinophil couplets before and after treatment. Results Forty-three biopsy specimens had adequate tissue for paired analysis. Forty percent of subjects responded to anti–IL-5 (defined as P P r = 0.75, P P + cell numbers decreased from 102 to 71 per hpf ( P Conclusions Pediatric patients with EoE had significantly fewer mast cells, IL-9 + cells, and mast cell–eosinophil couplets in the esophageal epithelium after anti–IL-5 therapy. Because eosinophils were one source of IL-9, they might support esophageal mastocytosis.
Phase Structure of the Semi-Classical Linear Sigma Model

In order to establish a quantitative framework for assessing the reliability of dynamical simulations of DCC phenomena with the semi-classical mean-field treatment of the linear model, we determine and discuss the phase structure implied by this approximate treatment. While the results appear to be physically reasonable for realistic scenarios, where the pion mass and the volume are finite, the approximate treatment might be less appropriate for idealized scenarios involving small masses and large volumes.
Soft Impact Assessment Methodology for Hybrid Structure Aerospace Engines

Jet engines commonly ingest birds and other foreign objects during flight. Engine manufacturers currently rely on costly, time-consuming physical tests to develop bird strikeresistant engine designs. As composites and hybrid metal-reinforced-composite structures are being progressively incorporated into primary engine components, novel computational approaches are needed to reduce the reliance on experiments to evaluate the soft impact damage tolerance of the new generation engines. A crashworthiness analysis methodology is proposed for assessing damage and failure in hybrid structures engine forward sections using an explicit finite element platform. Critical soft impact scenarios consistent with the Federal Aviation Regulations for bird strike certification were considered for a modern propulsion design and the resulting key progressive damage mechanisms explored and examined within the context of certification guidelines.
Stranded between the law, family, and society: Women in domestic violence and rulings of India’s Supreme Court

Violence against women takes diverse forms across the world. Domestic violence in South Asia has received special attention because of both its prevalence and severity. While laws are essential to address domestic violence, the authors of this article argue that the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law to rule on cases is crucial for women. Drawing on the concept of ‘being stranded’, the authors argue that women facing violence are protected by neither the law nor their marital or natal family. Using archival data comprising decisions of India’s Supreme Court on 218 domestic violence cases for the period 1995 to 2014, the article examines the outcomes for the woman (victim) as well as the text of the judgments. The woman had died in the majority of cases reaching the Supreme Court. Moreover, rulings were almost equally favorable or unfavorable in cases when the woman was alive. The thematic analysis point to the lack of protection for women facing violence.
Which Robot Am I Thinking About?: The Impact of Action and Appearance on People's Evaluations of a Moral Robot

In three studies we found further evidence for a previously discovered Human-Robot (HR) asymmetry in moral judgments: that people blame robots more for inaction than action in a moral dilemma but blame humans more for action than inaction in the identical dilemma (where inaction allows four persons to die and action sacrifices one to save the four). Importantly, we found that people's representation of the "robot" making these moral decisions appears to be one of a mechanical robot. For when we manipulated the pictorial display of a verbally described robot, people showed the HR asymmetry only when making judgments about a mechanical-looking robot, not a humanoid robot. This is the first demonstration that robot appearance affects people's moral judgments about robots.
Abstract A138: Targeting activated CRAF fusions in pediatric low-grade gliomas

This abstract has been withheld from publication due to its inclusion in the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets Conference 2015 Official Press Program. It will be posted online at the time of its presentation in a press conference or in a session: 10:00 AM ET Friday, November 6. Citation Format: Payal Jain, Tamara Fierst, Amanda Silva, Jake Budlow, Katie Boucher, Harry Han, Phillip B. Storm, Angela Waanders, Adam C. Resnick. Targeting activated CRAF fusions in pediatric low-grade gliomas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr A138.
3M: A Critical Thinking Tool for Multicultural Marketers

This paper argues that research and conceptualization about multicultual marketing should be transformed into easily operable tools for multicultural marketing practitioners. Relative to the area of marketing strategy development, the author has performed such a transformation by creating a practical marketing strategy tools that enhances critical thinking skills.
The Sewing Contest: Christina Rossetti and the Other Women

(1993). The Sewing Contest: Christina Rossetti and the Other Women. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 8, FEMINIST BIOGRAPHY, pp. 233-257.
[Lys 5 ,MeLeu 9 ,Nle 10 ]NKA-4-10

[Lys5, MeLeu9, Nle10]NKA-4-10 is a selective and potent NK-2 receptor agonist and more resistant to enzymes than NKA(4-10) …
Milestones for medical students completing a clinical genetics elective

We are not aware of any competency-based evaluation method that is specifically designed for a genetics elective for medical students. Here, we aimed to create a milestone template to improve evaluation and to use the feedback from the template to improve the elective. Through an iterative process using feedback from eight medical students and eight attendings, we crafted a milestone template for the medical student genetics rotation. A “scavenger hunt” of activities was developed to address several gaps discovered through this process. All participants felt that the milestone template was complete for the student level and that it improved evaluation. In response to faculty feedback, we modified the evaluation process such that several evaluators rated students in only selected domains. Scavenger hunt activities were designed to address five domains that the students reported to be inadequately covered. Developing a milestone template has taken us a step closer to meaningful assessment of students completing the genetics elective and simultaneously allowed us to strengthen the elective. Meaningful elective experiences in genetics that provide individual feedback within a learner-centered assessment of progress and flexible out-of-classroom activities may contribute to lifelong learning and interest in genetics and genomics. Genet Med 19 2, 236–239.
Donor IFNL4 Genotype Is Associated with Early Post-Transplant Fibrosis in Recipients with Hepatitis C.

Background and Aims Early post-transplant hepatic fibrosis is associated with poor outcomes and may be influenced by donor/recipient genetic factors. The rs368234815 IFNL4 polymorphism is related to the previously described IL28B polymorphism, which predicts etiology-independent hepatic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to identify the impact of donor and/or recipient IFNL4 genotype on early fibrosis among patients transplanted for hepatitis C (HCV). Methods Clinical data were collected for 302 consecutive patients transplanted for HCV. 116 patients who had available liver biopsies and donor/recipient DNA were included. 28% of these patients with stage 2 fibrosis or greater were compared to patients without significant post-transplant fibrosis with respect to clinical features as well as donor/recipient IFNL4 genotype. Results The IFNL4 TT/TT genotype was found in 26.0% of recipients and 38.6% of donors. Patients who developed early post-transplant fibrosis had a 3.45 adjusted odds of having donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype (p = 0.012). Donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype also predicted decreased overall survival compared to non-TT/TT genotypes (p = 0.016). Conclusions Donor IFNL4 TT/TT genotype, a favorable predictor of spontaneous HCV clearance pre-transplant, is associated with increased early post-transplant fibrosis and decreased survival.
Extinct and Extant Reptiles: A Model System for the Study of Sex Chromosome Evolution

The evolution and functional dynamics of sex chromosomes are focuses of current biological research. Although common organismal morphologies and functions of males and females are found among amniotes, underlying sex chromosome organizations and sex-determining mechanisms are widely variable. This chapter investigates the role that reptiles play in the study of sex chromosome evolution. Reptile studies have described the coevolution of genotypic sex determination and viviparity, the adaptive significance of sex-determining mechanisms, and shared ancestry of chromosomes. Novel resources, including whole-genome sequences and mapped sex-linked markers, have allowed researchers to examine sex chromosome evolution in reptiles, an important group for this type of study for their position as the sister group to mammals. Compared with mammals, reptiles exhibit much more variability in sex chromosome organization, providing raw material for study of sex chromosome evolution across amniotes.
Safety, Efficacy, and Mechanistic Studies Regarding Citrus aurantium (Bitter Orange) Extract and p-Synephrine

Citrus aurantium L. (bitter orange) extracts that contain p-synephrine as the primary protoalkaloid are widely used for weight loss/weight management, sports performance, appetite control, energy, and mental focus and cognition. Questions have been raised about the safety of p-synephrine because it has some structural similarity to ephedrine. This review focuses on current human, animal, in vitro, and mechanistic studies that address the safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action of bitter orange extracts and p-synephrine. Numerous studies have been conducted with respect to p-synephrine and bitter orange extract because ephedra and ephedrine were banned from use in dietary supplements in 2004. Approximately 30 human studies indicate that p-synephrine and bitter orange extracts do not result in cardiovascular effects and do not act as stimulants at commonly used doses. Mechanistic studies suggest that p-synephrine exerts its effects through multiple actions, which are discussed. Because p-synephrine exhibits greater adrenergic receptor binding in rodents than humans, data from animals cannot be directly extrapolated to humans. This review, as well as several other assessments published in recent years, has concluded that bitter orange extract and p-synephrine are safe for use in dietary supplements and foods at the commonly used doses. Copyright © 2017 The Authors Phytotherapy Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Plant genotype identity and diversity interact with mesograzer species diversity to influence detrital consumption in eelgrass meadows

Seagrass meadows are among the world's most productive ecosystems, and as in many other systems, genetic diversity is correlated with increased production. However, only a small fraction of seagrass production is directly consumed, and instead much of the secondary production is fueled by the detrital food web. Here, we study the roles of plant genetic diversity and grazer species diversity on detrital consumption in California eelgrass Zostera marina meadows. We used three common mesograzers—an amphipod, Ampithoe lacertosa, an isopod, Idotea resecata, and a polychaete, Platynereis bicanaliculata. Each grazer consumed eelgrass detritus at rates greater than live eelgrass or macroalgae. This detrital consumption, however, was not spread evenly over leaves shed from different eelgrass clones. Palatability and consumption varied because of genotype specific differences in leaf texture, secondary metabolites (phenolics), and nutritional quality (nitrogen). Further, detritus derived from some eelgrass genotypes was palatable to all grazers, while detritus from other genotypes was preferentially consumed by only one grazer species. Under monospecific grazer assemblages, plant genetic identity but not diversity influenced detritus consumption. However, more realistic, diverse mesoconsumer communities combined with high plant‐detrital genotypic diversity resulted in greater consumption and grazer survival. These results provide a mechanism for field observations of increased mesograzer density and diversity in genetically diverse seagrass assemblages and offer a potential explanation for variation in results of resource diversity– detrital processing experiments in the literature, which often exclude macroinvertebrate taxa. More broadly, our findings support the emerging principle that biodiversity effects are strongest when diversity in both consumer and resource taxa are present.
If You Leave, You'll Have to Work for a Living: Economic Fantasies of the Dissident Undead

If most post-1970s cannibal zombie films play with fears and fantasies tied to capitalism, the 2011 Cuban film Juan of the Dead offers an alternative: while it implies Cubans have been facing their own “zombie apocalypse” for years, the film ends with its hero, Juan, embracing communist ideologies and rejecting escape into capitalism (and the U.S.). The film thus supplies a post-apocalyptic life-after-capitalism that U.S. zombie films have been failing to provide for years.
Sex Venue-Based Network Analysis to Identify HIV Prevention Dissemination Targets for Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify sex venue-based networks among men who have sex with men (MSM) to inform HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) dissemination efforts. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, we interviewed MSM about the venues where their recent sexual partners were found. Venues were organized into network matrices grouped by condom use and race. We examined network structure, central venues, and network subgroups. Results: Among 49 participants, the median age was 27 years, 49% were Black and 86% reported condomless anal sex (ncAS). Analysis revealed a map of 54 virtual and physical venues with an overlap in the ncAS and with condom anal sex (cAS) venues. In the ncAS network, virtual and physical locations were more interconnected. The ncAS venues reported by Blacks were more diffusely organized than those reported by Whites. Conclusion: The network structures of sex venues for at-risk MSM differed by race. Network information can enhance HIV prevention dissemination...
Identification of Bruised Apples Using a 3-D Multi-Order Local Binary Patterns Based Feature Extraction Algorithm

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for identifying bruised apples based on 3-D shape information obtained by a 3-D infrared imaging system. The algorithm aims at classifying the harvested apples into two classes: bruised apples and un-bruised apples. The proposed algorithm is composed of two steps: feature extraction and classification. For feature extraction, we introduce a vertex-based mesh local binary pattern (vmLBP) operator to extract binary patterns from 3-D meshes. Specifically, we design a framework to construct ordered vertex rings (OVRs) for the computation of vmLBP codes. The constructed OVRs are designed to have the same ordering fashion as each other. For classification, we apply a support vector machine classifier to train the feature vectors generated from the histograms of vmLBP codes. Through experiments, we investigated and optimized the parameters of the proposed algorithm to achieve the highest identification accuracy. We compared the proposed algorithm with other algorithms. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has achieved a better performance for bruised apple identification than traditional algorithms, which indicates that the proposed vmLBP operator has good potential in a 3-D shape analysis due to its high discriminative power.
Modality-Independent Interaction Framework for Cross-Disability Accessibility

People with disabilities often have difficulty using ICT and similar technologies because of a mismatch between their needs and the requirements of the user interface. The wide range of both user abilities and accessibility guidelines makes it difficult for interface designers who need a simpler accessibility framework that still works across disabilities. A modality-independent interaction framework is proposed to address this problem. We define modality-independent input as non-time-dependent encoded input (such as that from a keyboard) and modality-independent output as electronic text. These formats can be translated to provide a wide range input and output forms as well as support for assistive technologies. We identify three interfaces styles that support modality-independent input/output: command line, single-keystroke command, and linear navigation interfaces. Tasks that depend on time, complex-path, simultaneity, or experience are identified as providing barriers to full cross-disability accessibility. The framework is posited as a simpler approach to wide cross-disability accessibility.
Cromwell and the Royalists

ON APRIL 20, 1653, Cromwell dissolved the remnants of the Long Parliament. No step more agreeable to all classes could have been taken, wrote Edward Conway,1 who was probably speaking for property owners in general, while the deposed bishop of Chichester panegyrized: A soldier spake, a parliament was dumb. Silenc’d it was, brave general, by thee: Well may’st thou boast of Christian liberty, For sure Christ’s power did never more increase, Than when He made the devils hold their peace.2
Electric-field noise from thermally activated fluctuators in a surface ion trap

We probe electric-field noise near the metal surface of an ion-trap chip in the temperature range from 295 to 530 K. We observe a nontrivial temperature dependence with the noise amplitude at 1 MHz frequency saturating around 500 K. Measurements of the noise spectrum reveal a $1/{f}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\approx}1}$ dependence and a small decrease in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ between low and high temperatures. This behavior can be explained by considering noise from a distribution of thermally activated two-level fluctuators with activation energies between 0.35 and 0.65 eV. Processes in this energy range may be relevant to understanding electric-field noise in ion traps; for example, defect motion in the solid state and surface adsorbate binding energies. The study of these processes may aid in identification of the origin of excess electric-field noise in ion traps---a major source of ion motional decoherence limiting the performance of surface traps as quantum devices.
Preventing the Next Wave of Foreign Terrorist Fighters: Lessons Learned from the Experiences of Algeria and Tunisia

Foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) signify a unique threat. Islamic State leaders recruited many of them specifically to conduct terrorist attacks against the West. Many of these external operations...
Abstract TP296: Does Rapid® Reduce Groin Puncture Times in Acute Ischemic Stroke ?

Background: RCTs proved the benefit of Intra-arterial therapy(IAT) in acute ischemic stroke(AIS) with large vessel occlusion (LVO) in patients with favorable imaging (CT, CTA or CTP)profile. Time t...
Neighborhood Stress and Health

Neighborhood characteristics are associated with health outcomes independently of individual-level factors. It has been hypothesized that neighborhood stressors may be one of the mechanisms linking neighborhoods to health. The most common neighborhood stressors investigated are neighborhood problems, neighborhood disorder, violence and safety, and physical ambient characteristics. There is some evidence that neighborhood stressors are related to self-reported physical and mental health. Evidence linking neighborhood stressors to objectively measured physical health outcomes is scant.
Differences in Cardiovascular Care Between Adults With and Without Opioid Prescriptions in the United States.

Background Patients prescribed opioids often have chronic conditions that increase their risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but little is known about the primary preventive cardiovascular car...
Duration of Exposure: An Important Variable in Behavioural Toxicology

A very difficult problem currently confronting researchers is how to define the consequences of long-term, low-level exposures to any of a variety of chemicals. Exposure duration is a fundamental variable in behavioral toxicology. Toxic side effects may appear only after chronic administration of drugs. Many environmental contaminants accumulate in the body with chronic exposure to small doses that are well below the threshold for acute effects. Experiments using behavior as the endpoint are especially useful in revealing critical events related to exposure duration. The repeated measurement of behavior over long exposure durations poses new methodological problems that were seldom encountered in behavioral pharmacology. However, the possibility of similarities between the gradual behavioral changes evoked by toxicants, the slow neural diseases and the aging process, represents an exciting and potentially important role for behavioral research. This paper illustrates the importance of chronic exposures and points out some new methodological problems that seldom occur in acute experiments.
Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging After Gamma Knife Radiosurgery of Brain Metastases.

Background Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is often performed to treat brain metastases (BrMs). Widely referenced guidelines have suggested post-treatment imaging studies at 3-month intervals. However, clinicians frequently obtain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies at Methods We performed a retrospective medical record review study to assess the utility of early ( Results A total of 415 GKRS procedures were performed. For 325 patients, early MRI studies were obtained. A total of 31 patients had new or worsened neurological symptoms. The early MRI studies showed adverse findings in 25 patients (78%), which in 23 (72%) had resulted in a change in treatment. For 294 patients, no new or worsened neurological symptoms were found on early MRI studies. Of these 294 patients, 86 (29%) had ≥1 adverse finding on MRI, and 60 (20%) had a change in management as a result. However, no rapidly growing tumors or other emergent adverse findings were seen. Conclusions Early MRI (within 3 months) after post GKRS will frequently show adverse findings even in asymptomatic patients, more often in patients aged
Parenting Styles, Food Parenting Practices and Dietary Intakes of Preschoolers

Previous evidence suggests that children's eating behaviors were largely influenced by the parent and home eating structure. This study examined the relationship between parenting styles (including authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and uninvolved), food parenting practices (within Structure, Coercive Control, and Autonomy Support constructs) and dietary intakes of preschoolers. Children aged 3-5 years and their parents were recruited from preschools/daycare centers and parents completed the surveys (n = 166). Dietary intakes were collected using the Harvard Service Food Frequency Questionnaire (HSFFQ), parenting style was assessed using the Parenting Dimensions Inventory-Short Version (PDI-S), and food parenting practices were measured using Comprehensive Home Environment Survey (CHES). The results showed that food parenting practices had a higher number of specific significant findings on children's nutrient and food group intakes than parenting styles. Correlation analyses showed positive parenting practices within Structure were significantly related to healthier children's intakes (e.g., vegetables, iron, and folate) and less unhealthy dietary intakes (e.g., sweets and total fats). Regression models show that children with authoritative parents consumed more fruits compared to children with authoritarian parents and indulgent parents. The results addressed the importance of parental influences for preschoolers' healthy dietary intakes, which suggested that future interventions and educational programs could enhance parenting practices to impact child diet.
Feminism and Philosophy of Science: An Introduction

Reflecting upon the recent growth of interest in feminist ideas of philosophy of science, this book traces the development of the subject within the confines of feminist philosophy. It is designed to introduce the newcomer to the main ideas that form the subject area with a view to equipping students with all the major arguments and standpoints required to understand this burgeoning area of study. Arranged thematically, the book looks at the spectrum of views that have arisen in the debate. It is broadly arranged into sections dealing with concepts such as the notion of value free-science, values, objectivity, point of view and relativism, but also details the many subsidiary ideas that have sprung from these topics.
Reporting guidelines for simulation‐based research in social sciences

Reproducibility of research is critical for the healthy growth and accumulation of reliable knowledge, and simulation-based research is no exception. However, studies show many simulation-based studies in the social sciences are not reproducible. Better standards for documenting simulation models and reporting results are needed to enhance the reproducibility of simulation-based research in the social sciences. We provide an initial set of Reporting Guidelines for Simulation-based Research (RGSR) in the social sciences, with a focus on common scenarios in system dynamics research. We discuss these guidelines separately for reporting models, reporting simulation experiments, and reporting optimization results. The guidelines are further divided into minimum and preferred requirements, distinguishing between factors that are indispensable for reproduction of research and those that enhance transparency. We also provide a few guidelines for improved visualization of research to reduce the costs of reproduction. Suggestions for enhancing the adoption of these guidelines are discussed at the end. Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Mohammad Jalali for providing excellent research assistance for this paper. We thank David Lane for his helpful suggestions.
Redundancy Effect on Retention of Vocabulary Words Using Multimedia Presentation.

This study was designed to examine the effect of the redundancy principle in a multimediapresentation constructed for foreign language vocabulary learning on undergraduate students’retention. During the experiment, students received a multimedia presentation on Turkishvocabulary and answered questions on retention test. Some students received animation, con-current narration and concurrent text (ANT group); other students received only animation andconcurrent narration (AN group). According to the
Positron emission tomography in psychiatric disorders

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been widely used in the study of psychiatric disorders. It has been used most extensively in research to determine pathophysiology as well as prognostic and diagnostic information, and response to various interventions in different psychiatric disorders. PET imaging has also been used in the clinical setting, although primarily to help differentiate or diagnose specific disorders. With the continued development of a large array of radiopharmaceuticals that can evaluate all of the components of different neurotransmitter systems (such as serotonin and dopamine), PET imaging will continue to play a key role in research and clinical applications for psychiatric disorders.
Epstein-Barr virus-associated smooth muscle tumor of the iris in a patient with transplant: a case report and review of the literature

Epstein-Barr virus infection has been linked to the development of smooth muscle tumors in immunocompromised patients with organ transplants and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A 52-year-old female recipient of a renal transplant presented with enlarging masses of the left iris. Incisional biopsy of the mass revealed a smooth muscle tumor of the iris. Epstein-Barr virus infection was confirmed by in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded, small RNA in tumor cells. Eight months after total iridectomy the patient was free of disease. Although the prognosis and classification of Epstein-Barr virus-associated smooth muscle tumors are controversial, mortalities caused by these tumors are rare.
Bulk-solids mixing: overview

In this chapter, a survey is given of various industrial applications of solids mixing and the role it plays in daily lives. This is followed by a review of the history and current status of the technology of solids mixing. Finally, a proposal is presented for further development of this technology and concomitant fundamental research. This overview focuses on both the fundamental and practical aspects of solids mixing. Particulate solids are regularly found in numerous chemical, agrochemicals, pharmaceutical, food and other products. The majority of such products comprise a multitude of components whose homogeneous distribution over any part or the entire batch of each of these products is of the utmost importance. This homogeneous distribution, often accomplished by blending or mixing, obviously plays a significant role in bulk-solids handling and processing that are ubiquitous in diverse industries and in daily lives. Various fundamental aspects of solids or powder mixing and the equipment and devices to affect it, therefore, need be explored to gain insight into the homogenization and its reverse, segregation, induced by mixing.
Audit Fees, Nonaudit Fees, and Auditor Quality: An Analysis from the Indian Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to extend the work done by Simon et al. (1995) in two ways: (1) To determine whether there is a Big Four audit fee premium in the audit market in India; and (2) To determine whether there is significant association between audit fees and nonaudit fees in India. This study has important implications for audit markets in developing countries. The results are consistent with our expectations and prior research. Consistent with prior research, we find a positive association between nonaudit services and audit services due to possible knowledge spillovers from one to the other. Local Indian audit firms might want to think of pricing strategies to either maintain or increase their market share in the audit market. They might also consider increasing the scope of nonaudit services offered to their present clients to take advantage of the knowledge spillover effect; evidenced in the present study.
Crop, Native Vegetation, and Biofuels: Response of White-Tailed Deer to Changing Management Priorities

The expansion of the cellulosic biofuels industry throughout the United States has broad-scale implications for wildlife management on public and private lands. Knowledge is limited on the effects of reverting agriculture to native grass, and vice versa, on size of home range and habitat use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We followed 68 radiocollared female deer from 1991 through 2004 that were residents of DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR) in eastern Nebraska, USA. The refuge was undergoing conversion of vegetation out of row-crop agriculture and into native grass, forest, and emergent aquatic vegetation. Habitat in DNWR consisted of 30% crop in 1991 but removing crops to establish native grass and wetland habitat at DNWR resulted in a 44% reduction in crops by 2004. A decrease in the amount of crops on DNWR contributed to a decline in mean size of annual home range from 400 ha in 1991 to 200 ha in 2005 but percentage of crops in home ranges increased from 21% to 29%. Mean overlap for individuals was 77% between consecutive annual home ranges across 8 years, regardless of crop availability. Conversion of crop to native habitat will not likely result in home range abandonment but may impact disease transmission by increasing rates of contact between deer social groups that occupy adjacent areas. Future research on condition indices or changes in population parameters (e.g., recruitment) could be incorporated into the study design to assess impacts of habitat conversion for biofuel production.
Polysaccharides associated with the exterior surface of epithelial cells: kidney, intestine, brain.

Unfixed rat kidney, duodenal mucosa, and cerebral cortex, as well as aortic wall and hyaline cartilage, have been prepared for electron microscopy by “inert dehydration,” embedment in hydroxypropyl methacrylate, and eventual staining with phosphotungstic acid. Goblet cell mucus, basement membranes, extracellular material associated with the brush border of the kidney and intestine, as well as elastica, and cartilage matrix all are stained vigorously with phosphotungstic acid. All of these are known to be PAS-positive substances. In contrast, cytoplasmic proteins are but faintly affected. Thus, it is empirically evident that phosphotungstic acid serves excellently as a seemingly specific stain for polysaccharides. Theoretical justification for this may be found in considering that the complexing of these substances depends upon unique opportunities for multiple hydrogen bonds to exist simultaneously between phosphotungstate radicals and chains of polysaccharide units. Phosphotungstate-staining material, presumably polysaccharide, also is found extending into the coiled invaginations of apical cytoplasm below the brush borders of both kidney proximal tubule cells and intestinal epithelium. Presumably these are intracellular glands manufacturing the mucoid material. In intestinal goblet cells, Golgi vacuoles and the contents of the endoplasmic reticulum also show a specific reaction contrary to what is usually observed in these organelles in cells of other types. Extensions of stained material continue from the basement membranes into the basal infoldings characteristic of kidney proximal and distal tubular epithelia. Similar extensions also are found between adjacent cells in both kidney and intestinal epithelia, becoming particularly conspicuous and regularly defined at sites of terminal bar and desmosomal contacts. The material is significantly lacking, however, in regions of “tight junctions” in the intestinal epithelium. At times these gaps also are to be observed in the kidney epithelium. In the brain, a conspicuous, regular layer of phosphotungstic acid-staining material invariably is found in synaptic clefts. Small, scattered, incomplete layers and cords of this material permeate the neuropil. An important significance of a polysaccharide layer at the surface of cells would be to trap and hold water. The domains occupied by polysaccharides can be hundreds and even thousands of times the size of individual polysaccharide molecules. Since ions and small molecules diffuse readily through these domains, such a layer upon a cell surface and between cells would ensure an aqueous exchange pathway for water and salt in the basal infoldings of the tubular cells of the kidney, and other cells involved in water and salt transport with similar specializations. The aqueous paths, similarly ensured by the mucopolysaccharide in nervous tissue, would maintain an extracellular compartment in which ions might accumulate and move. The absence of a mucopolysaccharide layer in zonulae occludentes presumably makes possible an aqueous seal.
Controlled Photon Generation in Structured Nonlinear Optical Materials

When single- or pair-photon packets are created by spontaneous wave mixing, their properties are determined by the dispersive properties of the devices used. By spatially modulating the refractive index, desirable properties can be achieved.
Specificity of Peptide-Induced Depolymerization of the Recombinant Carboxy-Terminal Fragment of BiP/GRP78☆

Abstract Inthe present study, we have used a non-denaturing gel electrophoresis assay to characterize the specificity of the peptide-induced depolymerization process of the isolated recombinant C-terminal domain (C30) of the molecular chaperone BiP, in the presence of specific synthetic peptides and with the neuropeptide Substance P. In the absence of peptidic ligand, C30 self-associates readily into multiple oligomeric species. Upon peptide addition, C30 oligomers convert into dimers, then into monomers. Our data indicate that the algorithm we previously developed to predict putative BiP binding sites in any protein sequence is also a good indicator as to whether a peptide can efficiently induce depolymerization of the C-terminal peptide binding domain and stimulate the ATPase activity of the full-length protein.
Urethrocleisis—a modification of the conventional urethral buttressing operation for the cure of genuine stress incontinence

SummaryA technique for the cure of stress incontinence (urethrocleisis) based on the anatomical and physiological mechanism of normal micturition control is described. The essential features of this technique include: (a) complete mobilisation of all except the distal 0.5 cm of the urethra; (b) permanent restoration of the normal length and calibre of the proximal three-fourths of the urethra in addition to elevating and supporting the trigone and neck of the bladder; (c) use of nonabsorbable material (Ethibond. polybutylate coated braided polyester) for the repair.A postoperative review of 81 consecutive cases was made for the period of between 6 months and 4 1/2 years following operation. A cure rate of 93 per cent was found.
Interband tunneling depopulation in type-II InAs//GaSb cascade laser heterostructure

Abstract An exact analytical representation has been obtained for electron eigenstates in the full isotropic 8-band Kane model and applied to calculate the depopulation rate of the lower lasing state in the active region of a type-II intersubband cascade laser. We show that interband tunneling rate takes its maximum value when the depopulated states belong to the upper of the coupled electron- and hole-like subbands in the “leaky window” of the broken-gap InAs/GaSb heterostructure.
Relationship of apparent myocardial T2 and oxygenation: towards quantification of myocardial oxygen extraction fraction.

Purpose To explore the relationship of myocardial T2 and oxygenation for the quantification of myocardial oxygen extraction fraction (OEF). Materials and Methods A proposed myocardial T2-OEF relationship was evaluated by computer simulation and in nine normal dogs in vivo. The relationship was based on a simplified two-compartment T2 model. In the dogs, dipyridamole was infused intravenously to increase blood flow and change in myocardial oxygen content. The accuracy of the measurement in myocardial OEF in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was determined by arterial and coronary sinus blood sampling. Results Global myocardial T2 increased 16.1% from rest to the peak of dipyridamole-induced vasodilation (44.6 ± 2.1 msec vs. 51.4 ± 2.1 msec, P < 0.001). Corresponding OEF measured by arterial and venous (AV) sampling decreased from 0.64 ± 0.15 at rest to 0.18 ± 0.08 during the dipyridamole vasodilation, whereas OEF calculated by MRI at the peak effect of dipyridamole was 20 ± 4%. Global myocardial OEF measured dynamically by MRI showed a strong correlation with OEF measured by blood sampling (correlation coefficient (CC) = 0.83) during pharmacologic vasodilation. Conclusion When combined with vasodilator stress, assessment of OEF may provide a putative measure of myocardial flow reserve, allowing consecutive monitoring of myocardial dose-responses to a variety of interventions and offering a new tool for the detection of coronary artery disease. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;20:233–241. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.