cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System statistics from the library computer system (LCS) at the university of Illinois

Abstract Detailed statistics on a library's collection, its use, and its users can help identify strengths and weaknesses of the collection and can facilitate decision-making in collection development for weeding, for ordering duplicates, and for ordering new titles. Automated circulation systems can provide more sophisticated statistics to be used in decision-making. Pertinent aspects of the statistical package developed for the University of Illinois' Library Computer System (LCS) are described.
Validation of a high-resolution X-ray computed tomography system to measure murine adipose tissue depot mass in situ and longitudinally.

Introduction: Obesity is a significant public health concern with considerable academic and industrial research effort underway to discover novel drugs to treat this disease. The aim of this study was to validate a recently developed high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (micro CT) system capable of measuring murine adipose tissue depot mass in situ. Methods: The micro CT was used to generate a series of cross-sectional X-ray images from which individual adipose tissue depot mass was quantified. Four individual adipose tissue depots were studied: inguinal subcutaneous, epididymal, retroperitoneal, and mesenteric. The relationship between micro CT-derived adipose tissue mass and adipose mass measured gravimetrically was determined. The effect of strain (C57/Bl6, C3H/HeNCR1BR, and db/db) and age (49 vs. 99 days) on adipose tissue depot mass was studied. Results: Validation studies in which adipose tissue depot mass was determined by micro CT and by gravimetry were conducted in the three strains of mice at 49 and 99 days of age. The correlation of micro CT and gravimetric measures of adipose tissue mass exceeded 90% in all strains at 99 days, and in the C57/Bl6 and C3H/HeNCR1BR strains at 49 days. At 49 days, the correlation in the db/db strain was 82%. Micro CT methodology distinguished both age and strain differences in the adipose tissue depots studied (P<.0001, in all cases). Discussion: Micro CT is a valid method to quantify the mass of individual adipose tissue depots in mice. This method of determining adipose tissue mass is not a terminal procedure; thus, this methodology may be particularly useful for the longitudinal assessment of the effects of drug intervention on adipose tissue depot mass.
Seasonal and developmental variation in the lipids of Acanthostepheia malmgreni (Amphipoda) from the hyperbenthos of a cold-ocean environment (Conception Bay, Newfoundland)

Total lipid (TL) and lipid-class composition in Acanthostepheia malmgreni (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from 240 m depth in Conception Bay were determined from samples collected monthly throughout 1999 and 2000. Variation in lipids among life history stages was studied in relation to the reproductive cycle of A. malmgreni and the timing of the major annual sinking event following the spring phytoplankton bloom in April. Total lipid remained relatively constant in first year juveniles [mean 4·4% dry mass (DM)], after which it gradually increased with the first signs of development of sexual characteristics and the sedimentation of spring bloom material in May. Triacylglycerol (TAG) was the dominant neutral lipid in all stages, with phospholipid (PL) the dominant polar lipid. Highest net accumulation of TL and TAG occurred in a group of large age 2+ individuals from October 1998 to May 1999, and in age 1+ immature males and immature females from July to November 2000 (1·4 mg TL month−1; 0·8 mg TAG month−1). Phospholipid quantities within the population were relatively constant at [approximate]2% DM. Maximum TL in the population (13% DM) was observed in large adults and some large immature individuals, and significant decreases in both TL and PL were recorded in mature females during the brooding period. This study reveals a dependence of A. malmgreni on seasonal lipid accumulation for reproduction, and a clear trophic link between the amphipod population and the pelagic production cycle.
The effects of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue on cytochrome P450 in rainbow trout

Profound sex-related differences in P450 levels and P450 activities in rainbow trout trunk kidney occur during the time of spawning. Since spawning in salmonids can be induced by certain analogues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), the role of the analogue, [D-Ala6, Pro9-NHEt]-LHRH (LHRH-A) in the expression of selected P450 enzymes in trunk kidney of 2-year old rainbow trout was evaluated. LHRH-A, 5 μg/ kg, injected i.p. at days 0 and 3, reduced or abolished the expression of P450 LMC2 (P4502K1) (a catalyst for aflatoxin B1 bioactivation and lauric acid hydroxylation) in trunk kidney of female, but not male trout, at days 10, 17, and 24. However, the expression of P4502K1 in liver of male and female trout was unchanged after LHRH-A treatment. P450 LMC1 (another catalyst for lauric acid hydroxylation) in trunk kidney and liver of both males and females was not affected by LHRH-A. No P4502K1 was detected in head kidney of control and LHRH-A-treated trout of both sexes. This study provides evidence that the expression of P4502K1 protein in rainbow trout may be affected by synthetic peptide hormones such as LHRH-A. Additional studies are being carried out to determine whether the LHRH analogue affects P4502K1 expression at the level of transcription.
Coeditors’ Introduction: Toward Strategically Using Languages in Pre-K–12 Classrooms

To communicate effectively, bilingual teachers and students employ language resources from two codes very strategically. Contextual factors such as language policies and audience are strong influen...
VCAM-1 ablation in nonhematopoietic cells in MxCre+ VCAM-1f/f mice is variable and dictates their phenotype

Objective The goal of the present study was to assess the extent of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) gene deletion in hematopoietic vs nonhematopoietic cells in the bone marrow (BM) of MxCre + VCAM-1 f/f mice and its impact on the phenotypic features of these mice. Methods VCAM-1 ablation was evaluated at the genomic level by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), at the mRNA level by real-time PCR, and at the protein level by fluorescein-activated cell sorting and immunohistochemistry. The homing or mobilization of colony-forming unit cultures was assessed by standard assays. Results A previously accepted interferon-induction scheme yielded efficient VCAM-1 ablation in hematopoietic cells but variable ablation in BM fibroblasts and endothelial cells. The level of ablation in the latter populations correlated with alterations in the hematopoietic phenotype. Conclusions Poly(I:C)-induced MxCre-mediated gene ablation is highly efficient in hematopoietic cells but variable and partial in nonhematopoietic cells in BM. Ablation of VCAM-1 in hematopoietic cells does not contribute to their mobilization, nor does it impair their homing. The latter is dependent on VCAM-1 ablation in nonhematopoietic cells of BM.
Root Hairs, Cuticle, and Pits.

The filamentous roots of mustard (Raphanus sativus), radish (Brassica nigra), squash (Cucurbita pepo), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) are covered throughout their length with living nucleated root hairs which may measure 1600 µ or more. The outer walls of piliferous and nonpiliferous cells consist of successive layers of mucilage, cutin, and the cellulose-pectic framework of the cell. Plasmodesmata and pits occur on all cell walls. Under the electron microscope individual pores and pits in the microfibrillar wall are evident throughout the length of the root hair. The "semipermeable membrane" of the root hair zone is thus structurally complex.
MO-G-BRF-07: Optical Characterization of Novel Terbium-Doped Nanophosphors Excited by Clinical Electron and Photon Beams for Potential Use in Molecular Imaging Or Photodynamic Therapy

Purpose: Optical properties of terbium (Tb3+)-doped gadolinium trifluoride (GdF3) nanoplates irradiated by electron and photon beams were investigated for their potential as optical probes. The contribution of induced Cerenkov radiation in exciting the nanophosphors was investigated as well. Methods: The emission spectra of Terbium-doped GdF3 dispersed in hexane, embedded in tissue mimicking phantoms were collected by an optical fiber connected to a CCD-coupled spectrograph, while the samples were irradiated by a medical linear accelerator with electron beams of energies 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV or X-ray beams of energies of 6, and 15 MV. The contribution of induced Cerenkov radiation in exciting the nanophosphores was investigated in a dedicated experimental apparatus through optical isolation of the samples and also by using 125 kVp X-ray beams whose energy is below the threshold for generating Cerenkov radiation in that medium. Results: Terbium-doped GdF3 nanoplates show characteristic cathodoluminescence emission peaks at 488, 543, 586, and 619 nm, which are responsible for the characteristic f-f transition of terbium ion. In a series of experiments, the contribution of Cerenkov radiation in the luminescence of such nanophosphors was ruled out. Conclusion: We have characterized the optical properties of Terbium-doped GdF3 nanoplates. Such nanocrystals with emission tunability and high surface area that facilitates attachment with targeting reagents are promising in situ light source candidates for molecular imaging or exciting a photosensitizer for ultralow fluence photodynamic therapy. This work is supported by the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, the American Cancer Society through IRG-78-002-28, and the University of Pennsylvania's Nano/Bio Interface Center through NSEC DMR08-32802.
Characteristics of a high-power broad-area laser operating in a passively stabilized external cavity

We narrowed the spectral bandwidth of our 2 W broad-area laser to 8±1 GHz with a coarse tunability of 12 nm centered near 790 nm in an external cavity. Our passively stabilized external cavity was designed for use with high-power semiconductor lasers. The cavity length and mount are modular with a fixed pivot point so that the optical elements can be changed to access a broad frequency spectrum and enable multiple applications. The bandwidth was observed to be dependent on the multimode transverse structure of the laser.
2-D Vision

Machine vision research has been spurred by the ease with which biological systems process visual inputs. Unfortunately, the task of understanding a scene from machine vision alone has proved to be difficult. The analogy of an image matrix to a human retina has only served to illuminate the powerful kinds of processing taking place in the visual cortex, processing that is poorly understood at present. The research of David Marr and others has tried to isolate those parts of human visual information processing that seem to operate independently, such as stereopsis, and to apply this knowledge to machine vision systems. While some progress has been made, the state of machine vision is still primitive. At present, most commercial machine vision systems are binary systems that use simple template matching of 2-D silhouettes. If the object is presented in a different pose or the lighting is such that a specularity or reflection upsets the silhouette algorithms, recognition becomes impossible. What these systems lack is a way of inferring and understanding the 3-D structure of the objects to be recognized. The human visual system has little trouble performing such tasks. We can understand and recognize the objects in a scene in the presence of noise and distortion and under a variety of different lighting conditions. We can even perceive 3-D from photographs and paintings which are inherently 2-D.
Local Atomic Density of Microporous Carbons

We investigated the structure of two disordered carbons: activated carbon fibers (ACF) and ultramicroporous carbon (UMC). These carbons have highly porous structure with large surface areas and consequently low macroscopic density that should enhance adsorption of hydrogen. We used the atomic pair distribution function to probe the local atomic arrangements. The results show that the carbons maintain an in-plane local atomic structure similar to regular graphite, but the stacking of graphitic layers is strongly disordered. Although the local atomic density of these carbons is lower than graphite, it is only {approx}20% lower and is much higher than the macroscopic density due to the porosity of the structure. For this reason, the density of graphene sheets that have optimum separation for hydrogen adsorption is lower than anticipated.
Factors affecting the dissolution kinetics of volcanic ash soils: dependencies on pH, CO2, and oxalate

Laboratory experiments were conducted with volcanic ash soils from Mammoth Mountain, California to examine the dependence of soil dissolution rates on pH and CO2 (in batch experiments) and on oxalate (in flow-through experiments). In all experiments, an initial period of rapid dissolution was observed followed by steady-state dissolution. A decrease in the specific surface area of the soil samples, ranging from 50% to 80%, was observed; this decrease occurred during the period of rapid, initial dissolution. Steady-state dissolution rates, normalized to specific surface areas determined at the conclusion of the batch experiments, ranged from 0.03 μmolSim -2h-1 at pH 2.78 in the batch experiments to 0.009 μmolSim-2h-1 at pH 4 in the flow-through experiments. Over the pH range of 2.78-4.0, the dissolution rates exhibited a fractional order dependence on pH of 0.47 for rates determined from H+ consumption data and 0.27 for rates determined from Si release data. Experiments at ambient and 1 atm CO2 demonstrated that dissolution rates were independent of CO2 within experimental error at both pH 2.78 and 4.0. Dissolution at pH 4.0 was enhanced by addition of 1 mM oxalate. These observations provide insight into how the rates of soil weathering may be changing in areas on the flanks of Mammoth Mountain where concentrations of soil CO2 have been elevated over the last decade. This release of magmatic CO2 has depressed the soil pH and killed all vegetation (thus possibly changing the organic acid composition). These indirect effects of CO2 may be enhancing the weathering of these volcanic ash soils but a strong direct effect of CO2 can be excluded. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Optimization of an Instance-Based GOES Cloud Classification Algorithm

Abstract An instance-based nearest-neighbor algorithm was developed for a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) cloud classifier. Expert-labeled samples serve as the training sets for the various GOES image classification scenes. The initial implementation of the classifier using the complete set of available training samples has proven to be an inefficient method for real-time image classifications, requiring long computational run times and significant computer resources. A variety of training-set reduction methods were examined to find smaller training sets that provide quicker classifier run times with minimal reduction in classifier testing set accuracy. General differences within real-time image classifications as a result of using the various reduction methods were also analyzed. The fast condensed nearest-neighbor (FCNN) method reduced the size of the individual training sets by 68.3% (fourfold cross-validation testing average) while the average overall accuracy of the testing s...
Myocardial infarction and thalassemia trait: An example of heterozygote advantage

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that thalassemia trait diminishes the likelihood of myocardial infarction. If the hypothesis is true the prevalence of thalassemia trait should be less in myocardial infarct patients than in a control population. Blood counts and blood chemistry data from 500 men in Taiwan with a discharge diagnosis of myocardial infarction were recorded, and similar data were gathered on 500 men admitted to the same hospital for a routine check-up. Thalassemia trait was diagnosed via a discriminant function applied to the red blood cell count and indices. The study was done in a large modern hospital in Taipei; 14 of the 500 infarct patients and 33 of the 500 non-infarct subjects had thalassemia trait as defined here. The prevalence of thalassemia trait in myocardial infarct patients is significantly less than in the control subjects. This case control study supports the hypothesis that thalassemia trait lessens the risk of myocardial infarction.
GROWTH IN YOUNG GRAY WHALES (ESCHRICHTIUS ROBUSTUS)

Mean body lengths of gray whale calves were found to increase linearly from 4.6 m at birth to 7 m by weaning at six mo. After weaning, rates of length increase diminish, with calves reaching 8 m by one yr of age and 9 m by two yr. Evaluations of the weights of nine gray whales as functions of their measured lengths and girths reduce the emphasis placed on fast-induced seasonal variations in girth by Rice and Wolman (1971). From birth weights of just under one metric ton, calves double their weights by three mo of age and double again by weaning at six mo.
Cross‐border planning at the U.S.‐Mexico border: An institutional approach

Abstract The general objective of this article is to contribute to the understanding of cross‐border issues from an urban planning perspective. Cross‐border planning in this article is approached as an institution‐building process whose primary emphasis is on the facilitation of collective action with regards to the shared natural, built, and human environments constrained by territorial politics and boundaries of nation‐states. It is argued throughout the paper that the existing institutional framework at the U.S.‐Mexico border has been the result of a “muddling through” process. The existing cross‐border planning institutions are the result of an adjustment process, to a great extent due to challenges to the status quo by border actors and organizations. The main conclusion of the article is that the environment and the uncertainty that this poses for the future is an issue that decision makers have been able to “muddle through” more successfully and should continue doing so by fine‐tuning and supportin...
Contribution of the space charge to the grain boundary energy in yttria-stabilized zirconia

A model based on the effect of a modest applied dc electric field on grain growth is proposed for the contribution of the space charge to the grain boundary (GB) energy in 3 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (3 YSZ). The model considers that the total GB energy $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^0 $$ (the capillary driving force for grain growth) consists of three major components: (a) $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^\varSigma $$ due to the misorientation between neighboring grains, (b) $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^{\text{s}} $$ due to the size misfit between the segregated solute and the solvent cations, and (c) $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^{\text{e}} $$ the electrostatic (space charge) component, which results from the segregation of the aliovalent yttrium ions to the grain boundaries. The former two components combined comprise 40 % of the total GB energy in 3 YSZ and the electrostatic component 60 %. Based on the model, the calculated magnitudes of the three components were in qualitative accord with theoretical considerations and with values reported in the literature. A reduction in $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^{\text{e}} , $$ and in turn in $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^0 , $$ results from the bias exerted by the applied field on the space charge potential that occurs with the segregation of the yttrium ions to the grain boundaries. The observed reduction of grain growth in 3 YSZ by an applied electric field is attributed mainly to the reduction in $$ \gamma_{\text{b}}^{\text{e}} $$ by the field.
Declining Power and the Preventive Motivation for War

The preventive motivation for war arises from political leaders' perceptions that their states' military power and potential are declining relative to those of a rising adversary, and from their fear of the consequences of that decline. It is conceptualized as an intervening variable between changing power differentials and the outbreak of war, and is distinguished from preemption and other sources of better-now-than-later logic. The strength of the preventive motivation is hypothesized to be a function of a state's expectations regarding its rate of military decline, the margin of its inferiority in the future, the probability of a future war, and the probability of a victorious war now with acceptable costs. It is also affected by the risk orientation of decision makers; the influence of the military in the political process; and domestic political factors that undermine the political security of decision makers as well as the military power and potential of the state.
Surface Forces in the Tapping Mode: Solvent Permeability and Hydrodynamic Thickness of Adsorbed Polymer Brushes

A surface forces apparatus modified to apply small-amplitude oscillatory displacements in the normal direction was used to measure the drainage of tetradecane (a good solvent) past polybutadiene (PB) brushes end-attached to two opposed mica surfaces. The PB was attached by selective adsorption of the poly(vinylpyridine) (PVP) block of a PB-PVP diblock copolymer. In-phase motion in the normal direction reflected elastic forces; these were found to be equivalent to the static force-distance profile measured directly. Out-of-phase motions reflected viscous flow of solvent since the PB chains did not contribute to dissipation over the oscillation frequencies studied. No frequency dependence was observed from 1 to 100 Hz. The hydrodynamic forces at a given plate separation (D) implied an effective plate separation less than D by a constant hydrodynamic thickness (RH) but otherwise the flow of a Newtonian liquid with viscosity same as in the bulk. The value of the hydrodynamic thickness was less than the value (L0) measured in the equilibrium force-distance profile, implying significant penetration of the velocity field into the brush layer. The value of RH diminished monotonically as the plate separation was reduced from 4L0to 0.2L0. In other language, the "slip plane" changed monotonically with decreasing film thickness. The magnitude of hydrodynamic forces grew in proportion toD -1.2 . This would be expected from scaling arguments for a £ solvent but deviates decidedly from the prediced D -0.5 from scaling arguments for semidilute good solvent conditions. This could reflect inapplicability of the Brinkman equation or could reflect different scaling behavior of the static and hydrodynamic screening lengths.
Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Hawaiian flycatcher, the elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis)

Thirteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from two clades of an endemic Hawaiian flycatcher, the elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis). Seven dinucleotide repeats and one trinucleotide repeat were cloned from Kauai elepaio; five dinucleotide repeats were cloned from Oahu elepaio. Polymorphism was assessed in a sample of Oahu elepaio (n = 22) revealing two to 16 alleles per locus. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.14 to 0.91. However, linkage analysis exposed highly significant linkage disequilibrium between two of the most polymorphic loci. Twelve loci are therefore expected to be useful for investigations of population structure.
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Prevention

Background: Despite the common occurrence of intrauterine meconium passage and resultant meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), controversies regarding the pathophysiology and use of appropriate preventive strategies abound. Methods: Databases from MEDLINE, MD Consult, and the Science Citation Index were searched from 1964 to the present to find relevant sources of information. Results and Conclusions: Meconium passage occurs by three distinct mechanisms: (1) as a physiologic maturational event, (2) as a response to acute hypoxic events, and (3) as a response to chronic intrauterine hypoxia. Meconium passage might merely be a marker of chronic intrauterine hypoxia or can predispose to aspiration of meconium and resultant inflammatory pneumonitis, surfactant inactivation, and mechanical airway obstruction. Aspiration can occur in utero with fetal gasping, or after birth with the first breaths of life. Many cases of MAS can be prevented by the strategies addressed in this article, but some will occur despite appropriate preventive techniques. There is not enough evidence to support the use of amnioinfusion as a standard of care for all pregnancies complicated by meconium. Pharyngeal suctioning before delivery of the shoulders is an effective preventive intervention, as is the combination of pharyngeal suctioning followed by intubation and tracheal suctioning. Suctioning of the trachea may be done on a selective basis depending on fetal vigor and consistency of meconium.
Research, Politics, and Bilingual Education

Bilingual-education research has helped to inform and to shape federal policy and funding as articulated in the Bilingual Education Act, first passed in 1968 as Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. During the Act's most recent reauthorization, the U.S. Department of Education and others proposed changing the law to fund more all-English language programs. They argued that the federal government was mandating a single approach, that there was no research evidence to support such a mandate, and that schools should be granted flexibility in designing programs to meet local needs. In fashioning this argument, proponents of change carefully selected the research literature they alluded to. That research was judged against artificially high and overly narrow criteria. Finally, they overinterpreted the research to suit their agenda. Congress was under intense political pressure to fund more all-English programs, and it did so. But a panel of experts contradicted the argument that there was no...
A Guide to Just and Fair Remediation of Counseling Students with Professional Performance Deficiencies

Ethical standards for counselor training require remediation of students with professional performance deficiencies. However, standards fail to specify the type or extent of remediation necessary to safeguard students' legal rights or justify dismissal if remediation is unsuccessful. Critical assessment of remedial practices in counselor preparation has occurred primarily in the courts when the constitutionality of specific practices was challenged. Prompted by a recent court challenge and its implications for curricular and policy change (C. R. McAdams, V. A. Foster, & T. J. Ward, 2007), this article examines court-tested methods of student remediation and presents them as a guide for developing just and fair student remediation policies.
Quality of maternal and paternal care predicts later stress reactivity in the cooperatively-breeding marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi)

Summary Variation in the early postnatal social environment can have lasting effects on hypothalamic—pituitary—adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses. Both rats and macaque monkeys subjected to low quality or abusive maternal care during the early postnatal period have more pronounced HPA responses to environmental stressors throughout development and into adulthood compared to animals reared in higher quality early maternal environments. However, little is known about the relative contributions to HPA stress response styles in developing offspring in species in which offspring care is routinely provided by group members other than the mother, such as in cooperatively breeding mammals. Marmoset monkeys exhibit cooperative offspring rearing, with fathers and older siblings providing care in addition to that provided by the mother. We evaluated the effects of early maternal, paternal, and older sibling care on HPA responses to social separation across development in captive white-faced marmoset offspring (Callithrix geoffroyi). We monitored offspring care by mothers, fathers, and older siblings in marmosets for the first 60 days of life. Later in development, each marmoset experienced three standardized social separation/novelty exposure stressors at 6, 12, and 18 months of age. During separation, we collected urine samples and analyzed them via enzyme immunoassay for cortisol levels. Infants that received higher rates of rejections from the entire family group showed higher cortisol responses to social separation. This relationship was found when mothers, fathers, and
Emergence and Flight Activity of Alpine Stream Insects in Two Years with Contrasting Winter Snowpack

Flight of alpine stream insects has not been well studied but is an important ecological process that ensures successful mating and allows gene flow among relatively isolated populations. In this study, we collected actively flying insects along a perpendicular transect from an alpine headwater stream in the Colorado Rocky Mountains (U.S.A.) during the summer emergence season in two consecutive years with contrasting hydrology: 2002 had minimal snowfall the previous winter, while 2003 snowfall was above average. Flight activity patterns among four common stream taxa were similar to previously reported results from streams below treeline: Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera declined as an inverse power function, Trichoptera declined as a negative exponential function, and Simuliidae did not decrease with lateral distance. Sex ratios typically were strongly biased, possibly a result of the harsh terrestrial environment negatively influencing the naturally more sedentary sex (which varies among taxa). In 2003, the majority of common species emerged approximately one month later than in 2002, and abundance and diversity were greater in 2003 than 2002, patterns potentially attributable to increased snowpack amount and duration. Late-emerging species, by contrast, were less abundant in 2003, likely because that year emergence was delayed to later in the season, when cooler air temperatures reduce flight activity. Our results suggest that alpine streams are sensitive to interannual variation in snowpack, and therefore more research will be needed to address the potential effects of climate change and associated winter snowfall trends on these unexpectedly diverse aquatic systems.
Epidemiologic Significance of the Sporadic Case of Tuberculosis

In a family epidemic of tuberculosis, 22 members were infected; four of these developed active disease. With the greater proportion of the population, par ticularly children and young adults, tuberculin negative and thus at risk when exposed, such small outbreaks are an ever-present threat. Pediatricians play a vital role in tuberculosis case finding by continued skin testing.
Plasmodium vivax : gametocyte infectivity of naturally infected Thai adults

Up to 200 laboratory reared Anopheles dirus mosquitoes were fed on each of 496 symptomatic Thai men who had patent, naturally acquired Plasmodium vivax gametocytaemia. Mean gametocyte densities were 455/mm3 (range: 0–3281), geometric mean oocyst number was 9 (0–142), mean frequency of infection was 43% (0–100%), and mean sporozoite number in salivary glands was 9525 (0–285 000). There was little relation between gametocyte density and either oocyst number or frequency of mosquito infection. There were, however, statistically strong positive correlations between oocyst numbers and frequency of infection, and between number of oocysts and number of salivary gland sporozoites. The data suggest that each oocyst contributed about 850 sporozoites to a gland infection.
Tracking Properness: Repackaging Culture in a Remote Australian Town

Tracking Properness: Repackaging Culture in a Remote Australian Town. Cultural Anthropology, August 2006, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 416-446.
Prediction of outcome after mitral valve replacement in patients with symptomatic chronic mitral regurgitation. The importance of left atrial size.

BACKGROUNDThe ability to predict outcome after mitral valve replacement remains limited in patients with symptomatic chronic mitral regurgitation. The aims of this study were to determine the preoperative predictors of postoperative cardiac-related mortality and to assess the additive prognostic value of tests performed in such patients.METHODS AND RESULTSAccordingly, 176 patients (mean age, 57 +/- 14 years) who underwent mitral valve replacement were followed up for 3.8 +/- 0.5 years. Four categories of variables were analyzed to predict postoperative cardiac-related mortality: clinical, laboratory, two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE), and cardiac catheterization. There were 39 cardiac-related deaths (29 due to congestive heart failure and 10 sudden). When the four categories were analyzed separately, two clinical, one laboratory, two 2DE, and one catheterization variable best predicted postoperative death. When these six variables were examined simultaneously, only three (one clinical and two 2DE) r...
Dithiol-based modification of poly(dopamine): enabling protein resistance via short-chain ethylene oxide oligomers

We present a facile strategy to modify poly(dopamine) (PDA)-coated substrates. Using thiol-terminated short chain ethylene oxide oligomers (OEG) under aqueous conditions, we explore the creation of a model surface exhibiting resistance to nonspecific protein absorption (RPA) by engineering the surface properties of a PDA adlayer. Surprisingly, dithiol-terminated OEG molecules demonstrated significantly greater coverage on PDA surfaces than analogous monothiol molecules. Successful RPA is only achieved with dithiol-terminated OEGs.
Economic Considerations Associated With Pediculus humanus capitis Infestation

An estimated 6 to 12 million head lice infestations occur in the United States annually, with children ages 3 to 12 most likely to be affected. There are significant direct costs associated with treatment and indirect costs due to lost time from school. Anecdotal reports suggest that direct costs of treatment are in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Indirect costs are also substantial but more difficult to quantify. Examples of indirect costs include missed days from schools that use a "no nit" policy, lost wages for parents who must stay home with children, and costs of daycare for parents who cannot miss work. Contributors to the expense of treating head lice include misdiagnosis, and, consequently unneeded treatment; treatment failure due to misuse of pediculicides or other agents; and developing resistance, particularly to over-the-counter pyrethroid agents. An overview of direct and indirect costs of infestation are included in this review, along with a discussion of factors that lead to misuse and overuse of pediculicides. More accurate diagnosis of head lice infestation may provide the most effective means of controlling the costs of care and ensuring proper use of pediculicides.
Microcomputer-aided data acquisition system for laboratory testing of transformers and electrical machines

The author describes a microcomputer-aided data-acquisition system for laboratory testing of transformers and electrical machines. Series, simultaneous sampling, and parallel data acquisition systems that have been developed are reviewed. Accuracy of data-acquisition, resolution, sampling frequency, and aliasing effects are discussed. The design of signal conditioning systems for voltage and current measurements is presented. The application of the software developed in synchronous machine V-curve and transformer test is described. >
Communication decisions in multi-agent cooperation: model and experiments

In multi-agent cooperation, agents share a common goal, which is evaluated through a global utility function. However, an agent typically cannot observe the global state of an uncertain environment, and therefore they must communicate with each other in order to share the information needed for deciding which actions to take. We argue that, when communication incurs a cost (due to resource consumption, for example), whether to communicate or not also becomes a decision to make. Hence, communication decision becomes part of the overall agent decision problem. In order to explicitly address this problem, we present a multi-agent extension to Markov decision processes in which communication can be modeled as an explicit action that incurs a cost. This framework provides a foundation for a quantified study of agent coordination policies and provides both motivation and insight to the design of heuristic approaches. An example problem is studied under this framework. From this example we can see the impact communication policies have on the overall agent policies, and what implications we can find toward the design of agent coordination policies.
Timing and plasticity of shoaling behaviour in the zebrafish, Danio rerio

The zebrafish has become a major model system for biomedical research and is an emerging model for the study of behaviour. Although adult zebrafish express a visually mediated shoaling preference, the onset of shoaling behaviour and of this preference is unknown. To assess the onset of these behaviours, we first manipulated the early social environment of larval zebrafish subjects, giving them three model shoaling partners of the same pigment phenotype. We then assayed the subjects' preferences using binary preference tests in which we presented subjects with two shoals, one shoal of fish showing the same pigment pattern phenotype as their models and another shoal with a radically different pigment pattern. To determine whether the visually mediated preference could be altered once it was established, we further manipulated the social environment of a number of subjects, rearing them with one model shoal and testing them, then changing their social consorts and retesting them. Our results show that larval zebrafish shoal early in their development, but do not show a shoaling preference until they are juveniles. Moreover, we found that the shoaling preference was stable, as changing the social environment of fish after they had acquired a preference did not change their preference. These findings will facilitate investigations into the mechanisms underlying social behaviour in this vertebrate model system.
An automatic statistical segmentation algorithm for extraction of fire and smoke regions

Abstract Estimation of the extent and spread of wildland fires is an important application of high spatial resolution multispectral images. This work addresses a fuzzy segmentation algorithm to map fire extent, active fire front, hot burn scar, and smoke regions based on a statistical model. The fuzzy results are useful data sources for integrated fire behavior and propagation models built using Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS) concepts that use data assimilation techniques which require error estimates or probabilities for the data parameters. The Hidden Markov Random Field (HMRF) model has been used widely in image segmentation, but it is assumed that each pixel has a particular class label belonging to a prescribed finite set. The mixed pixel problem can be addressed by modeling the fuzzy membership process as a continuous Multivariate Gaussian Markov Random Field. Techniques for estimating the class membership and model parameters are discussed. Experimental results obtained by applying this technique to two Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) images show that the proposed methodology is robust with regard to noise and variation in fire characteristics as well as background. The segmentation results of our algorithm are compared with the results of a K -means algorithm, an Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm (which is very similar to the Fuzzy C -Means Clustering algorithm with entropy regularization), and an MRF-MAP algorithm. Our fuzzy algorithm achieves more consistent segmentation results than the comparison algorithms for these test images with the added advantage of simultaneously providing a proportion or error map needed for the data assimilation problem.
Electronic media and popular discourse on Russian nationalism

This article analyzes electronic letters to the editor on the coverage of the riot in Kondopoga (2006) and the bombings in the Moscow subway (2010). Letters to electronic media are used for the first time as a source for popular opinion on nationalism and ethnic conflicts in Russia. The first argument of this study is methodological: a comparison between the polls and the letters suggests that letters to electronic media represent public opinion on nationalism even though Internet users still constitute a minority of Russian citizens. This study also claims that the letters under examination indicate a move from extreme nationalism to so called “banal nationalism,” the term coined by Michael Billig, during the period between 2006 and 2010. Finally, the article argues that the concept of the civic nation is not yet well understood or accepted by Russian citizens. Although this concept, expressed in Russian by the newly coined word rossiane, became somewhat more popular in 2010 than it had been in 2006, the...
Reliability and Validity of a Culturally Appropriate Food Frequency Questionnaire to Measure Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intakes in Midwestern African American Women of Childbearing Age

Background: Omega-3 fatty acid intakes may play an important role in maternal health outcomes and infant brain and neural development. Research has shown that pregnant African American women have intakes below recommended levels for optimal health. Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to determine the reliability and validity of a culturally specific FFQ to measure total omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid, ALA, EPA and DHA intake of Midwestern African American women (n=49) of child-bearing age and examine associations between these intakes with maternal health issues from previous pregnancies. Methods: The omega-3 FFQ questionnaire was developed by 24 hour recall interviews, analyzed for content validity and pilot tested. The final culturally appropriate 187 item FFQ was then completed by women three times, via interview by an RD, along with three non-consecutive 24 hour food recalls, during a two week period. Maternal health issues were assessed by demographic questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the FFQ was assessed by Cronbach’s coefficient alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients, respectively. Results: Mean daily consumption of total omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, EPA, DHA and DPA as estimated by the 3 administrations of the FFQ, were 2.68 + 1.37 g/day, 2.45 + 1.30 g/day, 0.07 + 0.07 g/day, 0.12 + 0.11 g/day and 0.03 + 0.02 g/day, respectively. The Cronbach’s coefficient alphas, for reliability of the FFQ, were 0.89 for total omega-3, 0.89 for ALA, 0.89 for EPA, 0.88 for DHA and 0.83 for DPA. Pearson correlation coefficients as measured for validity between the FFQ and the recalls, were 0.44, 0.44, 0.59 and 0.60 for total n-3 fatty acid, ALA, EPA and DHA (P American women with past history of low birth weight, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes and post-partum depression had a significant difference in omega-3 fatty acid intakes when compared to those without prior history. Conclusions: In conclusion, this culturally appropriate FFQ seems to be reliable and valid in measuring omega-3 fatty acid intake in Midwestern African American women. This tool may be used to assess other populations of African American women’s intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
Monte Carlo analysis of life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission for biodiesel production from trap grease

Abstract Trap grease is an environmental burden and its management has been costly and ineffective. Utilizing trap grease as a feedstock for biodiesel has the potential to reduce the cost of waste removal and biofuel production. This study presents a life cycle analysis to evaluate the energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from the trap grease-to-biodiesel production process. It was shown that utilizing the solids in the trap grease for anaerobic digestion (AD) was crucial in reducing both energy consumption and GHG emissions. Monte Carlo simulation revealed significant variation in both the life cycle energy consumption and GHG emission, which was caused by the uncertainties within several key variables. The result of the sensitivity analysis indicated that trap grease has the potential to be a more energy efficient and low-GHG-emission feedstock under certain conditions, as compared with the current common feedstocks (e.g. soybean and algae).
Internal hernia associated with perforated Meckel's diverticulum

Internal hernia resulting from a perforated Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is an extremely rare complication of MD. A child presenting with signs of obstruction and concomitant sepsis is typically presumed to have perforated acute appendicitis, until proven otherwise intra-operatively. The following case illustrates the importance of recognizing the need for emergent surgery when confronted with an acute abdomen of uncertain etiology and maintaining a broad differential whilst doing so.
World Peace: A First Step Commentary for the Special Issue on Peace, Conflict and War

The first step in achieving peace on earth must be the elimination of war and threats of war. Citizens of the United States are in a better position than others to make this happen. We spend significant portions of our tax dollars, and borrow money from foreign countries, to wage wars. We sell weapons and destabilize governments. We prioritize funding for war over spending on education, medical research, alternative energy sources, healthcare, housing and food for the needy, a balanced budget and almost everything else that can have a positive impact on this planet’s quality of life. The U.S. has a long history of waging war, from the Native American nations decimated by the U.S. Army to the recent bombing of tribal areas in Pakistan. During my lifetime, the U.S. has bombed more than 20 countries. Since the end of World War II, no other country has killed and injured more people living outside of its borders. We spend more on war, and have more soldiers in other countries, than any other nation. War is glorified in our culture. The U.S. honors its military and reinforces warrior behaviors with monuments to war-time presidents, memorials to wars and to those who have served and died in wars, with medals, promotions, ceremonies, even vanity license plates and discounts at Kmart® and Home Depot®. Children are taught that soldiers are heroes and role models. These activities and symbols are all part of sustaining the culture of war. U.S. leaders continually reinforce this by
Key Financial Audit Strategies and Considerations

Clinical research is a constant source of excitement, evolving regulatory changes, and challenges—all at the same time. As a research compliance officer, I can honestly say that financials have been the most challenging aspect of research to manage and audit. #### LEARNING OBJECTIVE After