cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ICU family communication and health care professionals: A qualitative analysis of perspectives.

Summary Objectives Although ineffective communication is known to influence patient and family satisfaction with care in intensive care unit [ICU] settings, there has been little systematic analysis of the features of the perceived problem from a communication theory perspective. This study was undertaken to understand perceptions of miscommunication and the circumstances in which they present. Research methodology and design Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 health care professionals [HCPs] in five adult ICUs at an academic medical centre in the United States. Findings From qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews, four themes emerged, each containing multiple subthemes. Person factors are problems that originate within individuals, related to education, cultural background and emotion. Structural factors are associated with boundaries and coordination of institutional roles. Information management problems result from social and psychological processes by which HCPs and family members seek, distribute and understand information. Relationship management problems arise from difficulties in interpersonal interactions. Conclusions Ineffective communication is not a single problem, but rather several distinct problems that exist at different levels of abstraction and vary in over-time stability. These findings provide a framework for designing interventions to improve the well-being of patients and family members.
What Should be Next for Nutrition Education

Nutrition education is a process by which we assist people in making decisions regarding their eating practices by applying knowledge from nutrition science about the relationship between diet and health. Multiple factors affect food choice, all of which must be assessed if effective educational approaches and nutrition messages are to be developed for all segments of the population. Research enhances practice; however practice must inform research and guide its direction. There is still a need to improve our understanding of the food decision-making process, as well as the processes in and influences on changing eating behavior. Research will need to be directed into many areas in the next decade and beyond. For example, the commonalities and differences between the different ethnic groups, income levels and literacy levels in the population demand attention. Innovative techniques for reaching diverse population groups and rural areas will need to be created. Nutrition education in the future will undoubtedly involve greater collaboration both within the USDA as well as between the USDA and other agencies. Research efforts will be enhanced as will the practice of nutrition education by greater collaborations, partnerships, and linkages.
Developing Talent in Saturday and Summer Programs

The article examines the role of mentors in providing individual tutoring and support in the field of creative writing. Mentors are not only involved in the intellectual development of potential writers but also in their emotional development. The writer outlines a mentorship programme in Singapore.
Na+ channels: Structure, function, and classification

The isolation and characterization of cloned Na channels have given new insights into structure-function relationships. In particular, recent mutational analyses of the tetrodotoxin binding site and the inactivation gate have begun to clarify the structural basis for the phenomena of drug block at the extracellular mouth of the ion-conducting pore, and regulation of ion conductance by gating at the intracellular mouth. However, much more work remains to be done, particularly in regard to the receptors for the inactivation gate and for the local anesthetic class of drugs. This paper reviews the background, and some of the recent advances and future direction in Na channel structure-function studies. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Real-time system = discrete system + clock variables

This paper introduces, gently but rigorously, the clock approach to real-time programming. We present with mathematical precision, assuming no prerequisites other than familiarity with logical and programming notations, the concepts that are necessary for understanding, writing, and executing clock programs. In keeping with an expository style, all references are clustered in bibliographic remarks at the end of each section. The first appendix presents proof rules for verifying temporal properties of clock programs. The second appendix points to selected literature on formal methods and tools for programming with clocks. In particular, the timed automaton, which is a finite-state machine equipped with clocks, has become a standard paradigm for real-time model checking; it underlies the tools HyTech, Kronos, and Uppaal, which are discussed elsewhere in this volume.
Are “cervicogenic” headaches due to myofascial pain and cervical spine dysfunction?

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate whether the pain of cervicogenic headache could be due to referred symptoms from myofascial trigger points. The presence or absence of cervical spi...
A monoclonal antibody identifying a T‐cell marker in the horse

A cell surface molecule of equine T lymphocytes was identified and characterized using a mouse monoclonal antibody, HT23A. The molecule was detected on all T cells but not on other cells in peripheral blood, with the possible exception of a small subpopulation (about 5%) of B cells, as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. HT23A labelled T cell areas of horse lymph nodes and spleen when used in an indirect immunoperoxidase assay on frozen sections. Macrophages and neutrophils were not labelled by the antibody nor were frozen sections of horse liver, kidney, or brain. HT23A precipitated a molecule of approximately 69 kDa from 125Iodine labelled horse lymphocytes.
Amplification and calibration for miniature E-field probes

The amplification and signal-conditioning system for a miniature nonperturbing RF E-field probe is described. A simple calibration procedure using an X-band slotted waveguide is presented. It requires less power and space than conventional techniques requiring antenna measurements in an anechoic chamber. Measurement results demonstrate relatively small field perturbation due to the probe; and a region in the waveguide where the field is relatively uniform and suitable for calibration. Calibration accuracy is further established by comparing results with those obtained from antenna measurements in an anechoic chamber. To establish the calibration technique, the probe-amplification system is analyzed, leading to a gain equation relating the output voltage and measured field intensity, which is experimentally verified. >
Outcomes of emergent embolisation of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma in a western population

Aim To evaluate the authors' experience with interventional radiological management of tumour rupture in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a Western population. Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed of all consecutive patients treated at a single institution with transcatheter embolisation for ruptured HCC between 2000 and 2013. Patient age, sex, aetiology of liver disease, degree of underlying liver dysfunction, and clinical presentation were assessed. Embolisation was performed in a selective fashion when possible. Success, complications, and survival were assessed. Results Twenty-three patients were treated with embolisation for ruptured HCC. Of these patients, nine, nine, and five patients were Child–Pugh Class A, B, and C respectively. Embolisation was successful in 22 patients; one patient remained haemodynamically unstable and transfusion dependent despite embolisation. No major complications occurred. Median survival time was 260 days and the 30 day and 1 year survival rates were 83% and 45%, respectively. Child–Pugh class B or C ( p = 0.04), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score greater than 10 ( p = 0.04), lobar embolisation ( p = 0.04), and presence of portal vein thrombosis ( p = 0.01) were significantly associated with worse prognosis. Conclusion Transcatheter embolisation is effective at controlling haemorrhage in patients with ruptured HCC. Although major procedural complications are low, embolisation should proceed with an understanding of poor prognosis in patients with decompensated liver disease. Superselective embolisation is associated with improved prognosis and should be performed when feasible.
Real-time simulation of subsynchronous resonance in Type-III wind turbines

Subsynchronous resonance (SSR) with series-compensated transmission lines has been reported for Type-III wind turbines employing doubly-fed induction generators (DFIG). Existing theories about such SSR behavior either ignored the effects of power electronics and control, or didn't model such effects properly to allow the development of cost-effective solutions through modification of control. This paper first presents real-time simulation models for a Type-III wind turbine with typical turbine and converter-level control functions. Numerical experiments are then conducted using real-time simulation to quantify the effects of various parameters on the SSR behavior. Positive and negative sequence impedance responses of the DFIG are also obtained by real-time simulation and used in conjunction with an impedance-based system stability criterion to explain the simulated SSR behavior as well as to develop new methods for rotor-side converter control to avoid such SSR.
Wind turbine gearbox health monitoring using time-frequency features from multiple sensors

As wind energy plays an increasingly important role in the US and world electricity supply, maintenance of wind turbines emerges as a critical issue. Because of the remote nature of wind turbines, autonomous and robust health monitoring techniques are necessary. Detecting faults in complex systems such as wind turbine gearboxes remains challenging, even with the recently significant advancement of sensing and signal processing technologies. In this paper, we collect time domain signals from a gearbox test bed on which either a healthy or a faulty gear is installed. Then a harmonic wavelet based method is used to extract time-frequency features. We also develop a speed profile masking technique to account for tachometer readings and gear meshing relationship. Features from multiple sources are then fused together through a statistical weighting approach based on principal component analysis. Using the fused timefrequency features, we demonstrate that different gear faults can be effectively identified through a simple decision making algorithm.
Photoaffinity labeling of uncoupler binding sites on mitochondrial membrane.

3H 2-azido-4-nitrophenol, a photoactive uncoupler, has been synthesized, and its uncoupling action on oxidative phosphorylation and its binding to the mitochondrial membrane have been studied. The uncoupler bound covalently to the mitochondrial membrane on photoirradiation was 3–4 times that bound reversibly in the absence of light. When irradiation was carried out in the presence of serum albumin, covalent binding was significantly depressed. The pattern of loss of ATP-Pi' exchange activity with increasing amounts of the uncoupler suggests that serum albumin prevents the binding of the uncoupler to the functional sites as well. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of photoaffinity labeled submitochondrial particles in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed that a 9000 dalton peptide bound high levels of uncoupler. Other proteins in the molecular weight range of 20,000–40,000 and 55,000 were also labeled. Photolysis in the presence of serum albumin or ATP decreased the covalent binding of the uncoupler to all the proteins, but particularly to the 20,000 dalton component. Soluble ATPase and the mitochondrial proteolipid purified from labeled mitochondria showed the presence of label.
Anthropology and Advocacy A Case Study of the Campaign against the Ok Tedi Mine

■ What are the responsibilities of anthropologists towards the communities with whom they work? This article examines debates on anthropology and advocacy in relation to the Ok Tedi copper and gold mine in Papua New Guinea. Since the early 1990s, the indigenous communities living downstream from the mine have carried out on an international political and legal campaign to reduce the mine's environmental impact and gain compensation for the damage it has caused. I argue that neutrality may not be possible in disputes between transnational corporations and indigenous communities because of structural inequalities that make it easier for corporations to take advantage of anthropological expertise and silence opposing voices. This article invokes questions raised in recent discussions of cultural property rights to consider the proprietary responsibilities of anthropologists towards the information that they collect and the claims made on anthropologists by the subjects of their research. Finally, the article...
Materials Science Subsurface Damage Layer of in vivo Worn Dental Composite Restorations

Dental composite restorations have been examined using a silver staining method to elucidate in vivo wear mechanisms. Emphasis was placed on examination of material immediately beneath the wearing surfaces. Several in vitro tests were also investigated for their ability to generate in vivo-like surface defects. For all the clinically worn composite restorations, a porous layer has been observed beneath those surfaces exposed to the oral environment. A laboratory test using certain substances to simulate the oral environmental effects can reproduce this porous layer. These results suggest that the in vivo wear process of dental composites is one accelerated by environmental softening of the composites.
Defining the clinical role of pharmacogenetics in antiepileptic drug therapy.

Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,PA, USAThe Pharmacogenomics Journal (2006) 6,357–359. doi:10.1038/sj.tpj.6500379;published online 28 February 2006Evidence continues to accumulate sug-gesting that genetic variation is at leastpartly responsible for interindividualdifferences in clinical response to es-sentially all classes of drugs, includingthose used to treat patients with epi-lepsy. Despite the recent emphasisplaced upon the concept of pharmaco-genetics, it has been difficult to assessaccurately the relative importance ofgene variation in antiepileptic drug(AED) therapy. To date, the main focusof AED pharmacogenetic research hasbeen older drugs of established clinicalvalue, particularly, phenytoin (PHT)and carbamazepine (CBZ). Other stan-dard agents such as valproic acid (VPA),ethosuximide (ETX), barbiturates andbenzodiazepines have not been system-atically studied, nor have newerdrugs such as gabapentin, lamotrigine(LTG), felbamate, tiagabine, topiramate(TPM), vigabatrin (VGB), oxcarbaze-pine (OXC), levetiracetam and zonisa-mide. This limitation in fundamentaldata prohibits broad application ofgenetic information in the clinical useof AEDs at the present time.Impact of pharmacogenetics onantiepileptic drug selectionIn determining pharmacological treat-ment for any new epilepsy patient, aclinician must address two basic ques-tions: ‘Which drug?’ and ‘Whichdose?’. Ideally, the answers to thesequestions lead to an efficacious andwell-tolerated AED treatment. Basedon clinical trial data, mechanisms ofaction, and clinical experience, certainAEDs are generally preferred for focalepilepsy (CBZ, OXC, PHT) and otherAEDs are preferred for generalizedepilepsy (VPA, ETX, LTG, TPM).
Measurement of Genetic Trend

Summary A method for estimating trend in genetic merit is described for a population consisting of animals sired by artificial insemination and of animals sired naturally. The contemporary comparison of unselected progeny of an artificially used sire and their naturally sired contemporaries making first records under the same conditions constitutes a unit of observation. This observation consists of an effect of the artificially used sire, an effect due to the random sample of natural service sires with progeny making records in the same year-season, and a random error. This model is fitted by the method of least squares to estimate trend in natural service progeny. Trends in merit of artificially sired daughters and of naturally sired daughters were estimated by this procedure for New York DHIA Holstein herds. From 1951 to 1959 the natural service genetic merit increased by 17 lb. of fat and 399 lb. of milk, whereas the genetic merit of the artificially sired population increased by 25 lb. of fat and 512 lb. of milk. The artificially sired daughters were superior in all seasons for milk and fat yield.
Enhancing the Capacity of Community-Based Organizations in East St. Louis:

This article describes the efforts of students and faculty from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to strengthen the organizing, planning, and development capacity of community-based or...
Self-awareness and aversive experience in everyday life

One hundred and seven adults reported their activities, thoughts, and feelings at randomly designated intervals over seven days, resulting in more than 4,800 self-reports. The present investigation focused on the relation of self-awareness and voluntariness to the quality of experience. Results indicated that perceived voluntariness is associated with positive experience, while self-awareness is associated with lower affect, activation, and personal involvement, but only when the activity is felt to be voluntary. This conditional association between self-awareness and aversive experience is discussed as it relates to current theory on self-awareness and recent models of human motivation.
Study of bundle formation during crystallization in polymer blends

The development of texture which exists in polymer spherulites grown from single phase melts containing an appreciable amount of noncrystallizable material was investigated. This texture generally consists of lamellar bundles separated by amorphous regions, both of which are typically 0.1-1 μm thick. A space-time finite element model previously developed by us was used to simulate the growth of group of polymer lamellae. The model determines the impurity concentration field in the melt surrounding the growing lamellae and tracks the growth of each lamella. Important variables are the initial melt concentration of noncrystallizable material, the mass diffusion coefficient of noncrystallizable species, lamellar thickness, long period, and the rate of molecular attachment at the growth front. Under certain conditions, bundles did indeed develop during the simulations. These results were used to predict bundle thicknesses. The predictions of bundle texture were compared to actual textures observed in blends of syndiotactic and atactic polystyrene. It was found both experimentally and numerically that bundle thickness was a strong function of crystallization temperature and a relatively weak function of both the initial composition of noncrystallizable species and the degree of crystallinity of the lamellar stack.
Morphological variants of Sindbis virus produced by a mutation in the capsid protein.

Sindbis virus is a complex aggregate of RNA, protein and lipid. The virus is organized as two nested T = 4 icosahedral protein shells between which is sandwiched a lipid bilayer. The virus RNA resides within the inner protein shell. The inner protein shell is attached to the outer protein shell through contacts to proteins in the outer shell, which penetrate the lipid bilayer. The data presented in the following manuscript show that mutations in the capsid protein can result in the assembly of the virus structural proteins into icosahedra of different triangulation numbers. The triangulation numbers calculated, for these morphological variants, follow the sequence T = 4, 9, 16, 25 and 36. All fall into the class P = 1 of icosadeltahedra as was predicted by Caspar and Klug (1962). The data support their hypothesis that families of icosahedra would be developed by altering the distance between the points of insertion of the five-fold axis. This capsid protein defect also results in the incorporation of much of the capsid protein, into large cytoplasmic aggregates of protein and RNA. These observations support models suggesting that the geometry of a pre-formed nucleocapsid organizes the assembly of the virus membrane proteins into a structure of identical configuration and argues against models suggesting that assembly of the membrane glycoproteins directs the assembly of the nucleocapsid.
Bone mineral density in a cohort of adolescent women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate for one to two years

The purpose of this study was to examine estradiol and bone mineral density (BMD) in a cohort of adolescents using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) for one to two years. BMD was significantly decreased in the femoral neck and lumbar spine at year one. Estradiol levels suggested hypoestrogenization among subjects
Tracked vehicle simulations and seismic wavefield synthesis in seismic sensor systems

A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method models moving vehicle ground motion in 3D geologic environments, producing results similar to those from actual field experiments. Simulations provide a low-cost alternative to traditional prototype development schemes, which rely on expensive field tests.
Evaluation of vegetation in environmental planning

Abstract McBride, J.R., 1977. Evaluation of vegetation in environmental planning. Landscape Plann. , 4: 291–312. A review of the characteristics of vegetation evaluated in environmental planning and impact assessment suggests a need for a more comprehensive approach. A check list of nineteen vegetation parameters is suggested as a basis for making a complete analysis of vegetation. These parameters are grouped into five classes: amenity, human safety, ecological, economic, and scientific. A vegetation survey methodology for planners aimed at evaluating these parameters is developed. The relationship of each vegetation parameter to proper environmental planning is discussed.
Thermodynamic assessment of binary Zn-Hg, Cd-Hg, AND In-Hg amalgams

Abstract A thermodynamic assessment of the binary Zn-Hg, Cd-Hg and In-Hg systems has been completed. A set of parameters describing the Gibbs energy of each phase is given. Comparison between calculated quantities and experimental data is generally good.
THE POLITICS OF LOCAL GROWTH CONTROL

Local growth controls are categorized as controlling class composition, growth location, or growth rate. Literature concerning the motives for adopting these types of growth controls is examined. Four case studies are presented, two involving growth rate controls and two concerned with growth phasing (locational) controls. Our findings agree with earlier ones that tax minimization and quality of services are the chief motives for rate and location controls, followed by “environmental protection,” often meaning view protection or preventing traffic increases. Agricultural protection was a major factor in two of the cases. We found no desires for economic exclusion or property value enhancement in the adoption of the controls. Questions remain, however, concerning the exclusionary effect of perpetuating rate controls.
Ab initio calculations for photo‐darkening and photo‐induced structural changes in As2S3 and GeS2

Using ab initio calculations of the electronic structure, this article identifies the optical absorption transitions that initiate photo-darkening. This approach includes an intrinsic network relaxation mechanism for the initiation of photo-induced structural changes in As2S3 that does not require intra-molecular bond scission-induced defect formation, and is limited to alloy compositions such as As2S3 and GeS4 in which self-organization at the glass transition temperature minimizes bond strain in the annealed or relaxed state. For alloy compositions outside of a narrow compositional window in which this type of self-organization occurs, defect formation via intra-molecular bond scission contributes to the reported photo-induced structural changes, as in GeSe2 and elemental Se. In the context of constraint theory, As2S3 an ideal optimally-constrained glass in which the number of bonding constraints per atom exactly equals the network dimensionality, whilst GeSe2 is over-constrained, and Si is floppy, or under-constrained. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Facial Liposuction and Microlipoinjection

. Liposuction and microlipoinjection can be used to improve the contour of the face, correct certain defects, and improve signs of aging. The technique of facial liposuction as well as that of collecting and injecting the fat used for microlipoinjection (autologous fat transplantation), is described.
An exploratory examination of the relationship between flexible IT infrastructure and competitive advantage

Abstract Information technology (IT) professionals have discussed the potential value of an organization’s IT infrastructure. Unique characteristics of this infrastructure determine its value to the organization. One characteristic, flexibility, has captured the attention of managers in organizations. A flexible IT infrastructure has even been touted by some as the next competitive weapon. Despite this suggestion, empirical evidence has been sparse. The purpose of this paper is to offer an exploratory analysis into the relationship between flexible IT infrastructure and competitive advantage. A canonical correlation analysis is used to explore this relationship. The findings support the view that there is a positive relationship between flexible IT infrastructure and competitive advantage.
The state of nuclear forensics

Abstract Nuclear terrorism has been identified as one of the most serious security threats facing the world today. Many countries, including the United States, have incorporated nuclear forensic analysis as a component of their strategy to prevent nuclear terrorism. Nuclear forensics involves the laboratory analysis of seized illicit nuclear materials or debris from a nuclear detonation to identify the origins of the material or weapon. Over the years, a number of forensic signatures have been developed to improve the confidence with which forensic analysts can draw conclusions. These signatures are validated and new signatures are discovered through research and development programs and in round-robin exercises among nuclear forensic laboratories. The recent Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group Third Round Robin Exercise and an on-going program focused on attribution of uranium ore concentrate provide prime examples of the current state of nuclear forensics. These case studies will be examined and the opportunities for accelerator mass spectrometry to play a role in nuclear forensics will be discussed.
Flexible public policy: The case of the United States wheat sector

Abstract This paper tests the proposition that flexible policy rules that tie program instrument settings to changes in market conditions can improve economic welfare compared to the prevailing practice in the United States of setting agricultural policy instruments at fixed levels once every 4 years. Flexible policy rules are obtained for the U.S. wheat sector using stochastic control methods. A constraint structure representing producer and consumer behavior and a policy criterion function representing society's weighting of various groups are estimated. It is shown that the flexible policy rules developed in this paper outperform historic policy instrument settings across a wide spectrum of economic conditions.
Application Of Mathematical Morphology To FLIR Images

This paper presents an application of morphological systems to the problem of locating man-made objects in Forward Looking Infra Red I FUR) images. The FUR images, consist of compact light concentrated heat) regions corresponding to the object with a darker (cooler) background with some light distractions such as trees, or a forest. The images generally have poor contrast because of the nature of heat sensitive imagery. The goal of this research is to isolate the object (when present) from its background and to provide its exact loca tion within the imaging window. The research focuses upon the selection of the morphological operations, the choice of the shape and size of the structuring elements and the sequence in which the operations are applied. Preliminary experimental results indicate that morphological transformations may be well suited for this application. The compact light areas representing man-made objects are readily separated from the larger light ridges representing trees, or forests.© (1987) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Data mining approach using machine-oriented modeling: finding association rules using canonical names

An attribute value, in a relational model, is a meaningful label of a collection of objects; the collection is referred to as a granule of the universe of discourse. The granule itself can be regarded a label of the collection (granule); it will be referred to as the canonical name of the granule. A relational model using these canonical names themselves as attribute values (their bit patterns or lists of members) is called a machine oriented data model. For moderate size databases, finding association rules, decision rules, and etc., are reduced to easy computation of set theoretical operations of these collections. In this paper, a very fast computing algorithm is presented.
Effect of Biomimetic Nanocrystalline Apatite Surface on Bone Ingrowth

The Success of Hydroxyapatite-Coated Acetabular Components Has Not Been Consistent. Plasma-Sprayed Hydroxyapatite Coatings Work Well on Nonporous Substrates but Do Not Coat the Inner Surfaces of Open-Porous Substrates. Solution Deposition Can Generate Consistent Bioceramic Coats on Porous Surfaces that More Closely Mimic the Trabecular Pattern and Biochemistry at the Bone Interface. we Compared Bone Response to the Following Implants: Porous-Coated Ti6al4v Cylinders with 1 of 3 Treatments: Plasma Sprayed with Hydroxyapatite (HA), Coated with a Solution-Deposited Biomimetic Apatite Coating (BA), and Untreated (Control). Bilateral Femurs in 36 Rabbits Were Implanted with One of the above Implants. Bone Ingrowth for HA and BA Surfaces Was Significantly Higher than that for Control Surfaces. No Fragmentation or Debris Production Was Evident in the Apatite Coat of the BA Group. A Biomimetic Coat of Solution-Deposited Apatite May Be Resistant to Coating Delamination and Particle Generation.
Dividend Behaviour of U.S. Equity REITs

A new era began for U.S. equity real estate investment trusts (REITs) around 1992. This study is the first to document the dividend smoothing, determinants of dividend payouts, and the market reaction to dividend announcements of the modern REIT. We find the Lintner (1956) smoothing parameter suggests a high level of dividend smoothing in quarterly data and, although we observe substantially less smoothing in the annual data, modern REITs smooth dividends at least as much as their industrial counterparts. Beyond the dividend paid last period and contemporaneous earnings, usual determinants of dividend behaviour in non-REIT firms are not economically significant, which is a departure from old-era REITs. Additionally, as compared to non-REIT firms, we find muted excess stock returns upon announcements of dividend changes. Overall, our findings suggest that managers set a stable (smooth) dividend policy even in the relative absence of market imperfections.
Fatherhood, Community Reintegration, and Successful Outcomes

Prior research indicates that assuming family roles, such as parent or spouse, can aid in the transition from prison to the community and has been linked to positive outcomes after a period of confinement. Using data from a longitudinal study of men returning to the community after incarceration, this study examines how the relationship between fathers and their children immediately after release may impact aspects of fathers' lives that are important to a successful reentry transition in the first year, such as employment, abstinence from substance abuse, and mental health. Analyses show that fathers who lived with children before incarceration and had regular contact with their children during their incarceration were more likely to be involved with their children after release. Moreover, fathers who were more involved with their children in the first few months after release, when interviewed again at 8 months out, worked more hours per week, were less likely to use illicit drugs, and were less likely ...
Generalized notions of harmonic functions symmetric spaces

This is an expository paper concerned with the following problem: letG/K be a symmetric space andP be a parabolic subgroup ofG; how can one characterize by differential equations the class of Poisson integrals of (generalized) functions onG/P? The recent result by K. Johnson and the author is described and further developments are considered.
Defective whisker follicles and altered brainstem patterns in activin and follistatin knockout mice.

Whisker pad innervation and whisker-specific pattern formation were examined in mice lacking the gene for activin betaA or for follistatin. Both strains of mice die within 24 h after birth. A normal array of whisker follicles is present in the snout of either phenotype. However, activin betaA-deficient mice lack whiskers, and in follistatin-deficient mice the whiskers are thin and curled. We examined the effects of aberrant, albeit innervated, follicles on the formation of whisker-specific patterns (barrelettes) in the trigeminal brainstem. Activin betaA knockout mice lack barrelettes, although the trigeminal afferent topography is not compromised. Physiological recordings suggest that trigeminal ganglion cells in these mice are less responsive to stimulation of whisker follicles. Barrelettes in follistatin-deficient mice are not as well developed as in controls, but can be discerned in some cases. These results are consistent with the notion that formation of barrelettes depends on neural activity initiated by the whiskers.
Retest reliability of prolactin response to dl-Fenfluramine challenge in adults

Abstract Neuropharmacologic probes to assess central nervous system (CNS) serotonergic responsivity (e.g., dl-fenfluramine) stimulate serotonergic neurotransmission, thereby causing proportional release of pituitary-derived hormones into the circulation. Individual differences in these hormonal responses are thus thought to reflect dimensional variability in central serotonergic activity, which may, in turn, underlie variation in serotonin-related traits of personality (e.g., impulsivity, behavioral inhibition, harm avoidance). However, the long-term temporal stability of neuropharmacologic indices of CNS serotonergic responsivity has not previously been tested in nonpsychiatric patients. dl-Fenfluramine was administered here to 57 adults, aged 24–60 years, on two occasions 6 months apart, to examine the retest reliability of fenfluramine-induced prolactin [PRL] response to fenfluramine. Baseline PRL concentration (i.e., before administration of fenfluramine) was highly stable over the 6 months (r = 0.88). Variability in serotonergic responsivity, adjusted for baseline PRL concentration, age, sex, and drug concentration during the challenge, was moderately reproducible (r = 0.50 for peak ΔPRL and 0.57 for PRL “area under the curve,” p
Implementing and Evaluating Mentored Chemistry−Biology Technology Lab Modules To Promote Early Interest in Science

Chemistry has become increasingly multidisciplinary. Starting in middle school and high school, however, the different disciplines are taught as distinct subjects and little effort is made to emphasize overlapping concepts. Development of innovative approaches to teaching science through the integration of technology is needed to provide students with a better learning experience that embraces multiple disciplines. Here, we describe an outreach and mentoring program between college and 7th grade students to: (i) encourage 7th grade students to pursue science and engineering degrees; (ii) provide the college students with mentoring experience; and (iii) assist teachers with state-of-the-art educational tools that enhance their teaching.
Fragmentation of the deprotonated ions of peptides containing cysteine, cysteine sulfinic acid, cysteine sulfonic acid, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid.

We examined the fragmentation of the electrospray-produced [M–H]− and [M–2H]2− ions of a number of peptides containing two acidic amino acid residues, one being aspartic acid (Asp) or glutamic acid (Glu), and the other being cysteine sulfinic acid [C(SO2H)] or cysteine sulfonic acid [C(SO3H)], on an ion-trap mass spectrometer. We observed facile neutral losses of H2S and H2SO2 from the side chains of cysteine and C(SO2H), respectively, whereas the corresponding elimination of H2SO3 from the side chain of C(SO3H) was undetectable for most peptides that we investigated. In addition, the collisional activation of the [M–H]− ions of the C(SO2H)-containing peptides resulted in the cleavage of the amide bond on the C-terminal side of the C(SO2H) residue. Moreover, collisional activation of the [M–2H]2− ions of the above Asp-containing peptides led to the cleavage of the backbone N-Cα bond of the Asp residue to give cn and/or its complementary [zn–H2O] ions. Similar cleavage also occurred for the singly deprotonated ions of the otherwise identical peptides with a C-terminal amide functionality, but not for the [M–H]− ions of same peptides with a free C-terminal carboxylic acid. Furthermore, ab initio calculation results for model cleavage reactions are consistent with the selective cleavage of the backbone N–Cα bond in the Asp residue. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lithium and chlorimipramine differentially alter bilateral asymmetry in mesostriatal serotonin metabolites and kinetic conformations of midbrain tryptophan hydroxylase with respect to tetrahydrobiopterin cofactor

Abstract Lithium decreased and the tricyclic drug chlorimipramine (CMI) differentially altered hemispheric asymmetries in striatal and hippocampal concentrations of tryptophan, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the rat. The kinetic functions of tryptophan hydroxylase from the two halves of the midbrain, demonstrated by pteridine cofactor (BH 4 ) kinetic functions, also changed differentially in response to the two drugs. Bilateral asymmetries in 5-HIAA and kinetic functions with regard to BH 4 after CMI administration suggest that this drug may alter the neurophysiological activity (5-HT cell discharge rate) of the 5-HT system in one hemisphere relative to the other. In contrast, lithium evoked similar tryptophan hydroxylase kinetic functions with regard to BH 4 from both hemispheres and reduced asymmetries in metabolites, which is more suggestive of a bilaterally simultaneous biochemical “field” mechanism.
Rescue of synthetic analogs of respiratory syncytial virus genomic RNA and effect of truncations and mutations on the expression of a foreign reporter gene.

Abstract The viral genomic RNA (vRNA) of human respiratory syncytial virus is a nonsegmented negative strand that is not infectious alone. To develop methods for complementing synthetic vRNA with viral proteins, a cDNA was constructed to encode a vRNA in which all of the viral protein-coding sequences were removed and replaced with a negative-sense copy of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. Upon transfection into respiratory syncytial virus-infected cells, the synthetic vRNA was "rescued" such that it was amplified, expressed, and packaged into infectious virions. A heterologous paramyxovirus, parainfluenza virus 3, was inactive in rescue. Further internal deletions mapped the cis-acting viral sequences required for rescue to two segments totaling 105 nucleotides (nt) derived from the two vRNA ends. Rescue was unaffected by replacement of the 44-nt 3'-terminal leader region with a 50-nt sequence that is complementary to the 5' terminus and represents the 3' end of the positive-sense replicative intermediate RNA. This 5'-end complement was related to the parental leader region only near the 3' terminus (91% or 73% identical for the first 11 or 22 nt, respectively). The addition of 11 heterologous nt to the 3' end of the parental leader region ablated rescue, suggesting that the 3'-proximal conserved domain is required and cannot function from an internal site. However, deletion of the 3'-terminal 3 nt, or a double transition at positions 4 and 5, had no effect on rescue. Thus, the 3'-terminal 5 nt, although conserved between 3' ends of the negative- and positive-sense RNAs, do not appear to be essential.
Performance Persistence of Fixed Income Mutual Funds

The “winner-winner, winner-loser, gone” methodology allows tests for short-term performance persistence for government and corporate fixed income mutual funds from 1990 to 1999. Persistence occurs when “winner” (loser) funds remain “winner” (loser) funds. If intermediate-term (long-term) bond returns are higher than long-term (intermediate-term) bond returns for successive years, the z-statistic is positive. Persistence is negative in the opposite case, and the pattern holds for longer lag periods. Statistical significance and consistency between the sign of persistence and bond returns indicates persistent returns on bond funds, but the nature of persistence is driven by changes in interest rates.
Family leave legislation in the American states: Toward a model of state policy adoption

The issue of mandated family leave has drawn substantial attention in recent years. This article develops and tests empirically a model of adoption of family leave policies in the American states during the late 1980s. State family leave policies are seen as a function of three sets of variables: (a) institutional-elite variables such as partisan control of state government and the proportion of women in the state legislatures; (b) constituency disposition variables such as mass partisanship, mass ideology, and the likelihood of general support for “women's” issues; and (c) contextual-demand variables such as birth rates and women's participation in the workforce. The model provides impressive fit to the data, accurately predicting the family leave policies of 92% of the state cases. The results suggest the importance of partisan control of state government, proportion of women in the state legislature, urbanization, and feminism as a state policy as factors that affect the probability that states will adopt mandated family leave policies.
Evaluating and improving a semi-automated image analysis technique for identifying bivalve larvae

Knowledge of the distribution, abundance, and transport of bivalve larvae is limited due to their small size, similar morphologies between species, and lack of an automated approach for identification. The objective of this research is to evaluate and improve the accuracy of ShellBi, a novel supervised image classification method that uses birefringence patterns on the shells of bivalve larvae under polarized light to identify species. The performance of the ShellBi method was tested by rearing Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster) larvae at different temperatures (21.3 and 27.5°C) and salinities (10.3, 14.1, 14.4, and 20.5). Differences in rearing temperatures resulted in differences in classification accuracy, as did large variations in salinity (≥10 units). classification accuracies increased from 67–88% to 97–99% when training sets included images of larvae reared in conditions similar to those of the larvae being classified. Additional tests indicate that misclassification rates ranged from 0 to 13% for false positives and from 0 to 22% for false negatives, depending on the proportion of oyster larvae in the sample. Results suggest that this technique could be applied to field samples with high accuracy as long as the images that are used to make classifications include larvae that were reared in conditions that are similar to those in situ. In addition, these findings demonstrate that the ShellBi method can be used to measure and identify bivalve larvae in a different system than the one for which it was developed, suggesting that the method has broad applicability in marine and estuarine systems.
LM tests for spatial correlation in spatial models with limited dependent variables

Abstract Models of limited dependent variables are of great interest in econometrics. This paper focuses on the specification and hypothesis test of spatial models which have a Tobit structure. We derive an extended central limit theorem for statistics of a linear–quadratic form with multivariate random variables. We consider the LM statistics for testing spatial correlation and establish their asymptotic distributions. The tests are applied to an empirical example: we detect the presence of competition among school districts on school district income tax in Iowa.
Chronic cocaine self-administration attenuates the anxiogenic-like and stress potentiating effects of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist, FG 7142.

Stress is a well-known risk factor in relapse to drug abuse. Several forms of stress in animals have been used with varied degrees of success to elicit reinstatement of drug-seeking after chronic drug self-administration. Here, we tested the ability of the benzodiazepine (BZ) inverse agonist, FG 7142, to elicit anxiety-like behavior and potentiate stress responses in rats as measured by standard behavioral and hormonal indices and for its ability to affect reinstatement of cocaine-seeking in rats with a prior history of cocaine self-administration. FG 7142 elicited anxiety-like behavior on the elevated plus maze (EPM) in cocaine-naive rats, and cocaine-naive rats injected with FG 7142 exhibited increased plasma corticosterone levels following EPM exposure. However, in animals with a history of cocaine self-administration, FG 7142 failed to affect elevated plus maze performance and did not affect plasma corticosterone response to the EPM. Furthermore, FG 7142 failed to reinstate cocaine-seeking, nor did it alter conditioned cue-induced reinstatement. These data indicate that the anxiety-related and stress potentiating qualities of BZ inverse agonism are attenuated in cocaine-experienced animals and do not lead to reinstatement of cocaine-seeking.
Application of an autonomous landing guidance system for civil and military aircraft

The ever increasing demand in the airline industry to reduce the costs associated with weather- related flight delays and cancellations has resulted in the need to be able to land an aircraft in low visibility. This has influenced research in recent years in the development of enhanced vision systems which allow all-weather operations, by providing both visual cues to the pilot and an independent integrity monitor. This research has focused on providing aircraft users with both enhanced performance and a cost effective landing solution with less dependence on ground systems, and has interested both the military and civil aircraft operator communities. The Autonomous Landing Guidance (ALG) system provides the capability to land in low visibility by displaying to the pilot an image of the real world without the need for an onboard Category II or III (CAT II/III) autoload system and without the associated ground facilities normally required. Besides the inherent advantage of saving the cost of expensive installations at airports, ALG also has the effect of inevitably solving the airport capacity problem, weather-related delays and diversions, and airport closures. Low visibility conditions typically cause the complete shutdown of smaller regional airports and reduces the availability of runways at major hubs, which creates a capacity problem to airlines.