cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic and Pharmacological Approaches in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic progressive disease affecting higher intellectual functioning. The clinical diagnosis is made when the onset of illness is insidious, the course slowly progressive and all the treatable causes of dementia have been ruled out. The use of more stringent criteria has improved clinical diagnosis, but at best only 80% of patients are accurately diagnosed. Ultimately the diagnosis depends upon pathological confirmation. The neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles described by Alzheimer, although not pathognomonic for the disease, continue to be the basis for pathological diagnosis. The aetiology and pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease are presently unknown. Epidemiological studies have suggested a genetic basis for the disorder, and many biochemical studies have linked it to degeneration of central cholinergic neurons, and possibly to abnormalities of other neurotransmitter systems. A marker which would permit accurate diagnosis early in the course of disease would be of major importance to researchers and clinicians alike. No marker has been found to date, although recent research results are promising. Various pharmacological strategies have been employed in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. More recently attempts have focused on enhancing central cholinergic transmission. Despite the well-founded rationale for these studies, results have been modest.
Significant alterations in reported clinical practice associated with increased oversight of organ transplant center performance

In the past several years, emphasis on quality metrics in the field of organ transplantation has increased significantly, largely because of the new conditions of participation issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These regulations directly associate patients' outcomes and measured performance of centers with the distribution of public funding to institutions. Moreover, insurers and marketing ventures have used publicly available outcomes data from transplant centers for business decision making and advertisement purposes. We gave a 10-question survey to attendees of the Transplant Management Forum at the 2009 meeting of the United Network for Organ Sharing to ascertain how centers have responded to the increased oversight of performance. Of 63 responses, 55% indicated a low or near low performance rating at their center in the past 3 years. Respondents from low-performing centers were significantly more likely to indicate increased selection criteria for candidates (81% vs 38%, P = .001) and donors (77% vs 31%, P < .001) as well as alterations in clinical protocols (84% vs 52%, P = .007). Among respondents indicating lost insurance contracts (31%), these differences were also highly significant. Based on respondents' perceptions, outcomes of performance evaluations are associated with significant changes in clinical practice at transplant centers. The transplant community and policy makers should practice vigilance that performance evaluations and regulatory oversight do not inadvertently lead to diminished access to care among viable candidates or decreased transplant volume.
Water and Economy-Wide Policy Interventions

Author(s): Dinar, A | Abstract: Water is a limiting factor for sustainable economic growth and development in many countries. Its allocation has significant impacts on overall economic efficiency, particularly with growing physical scarcity in certain regions. Water also has become a strategic resource, involving conflicts among those who may be affected differently by various policies. This monograph reviews work that models various policy interventions aimed at improving water allocation decisions with an economy-wide context. It focuses on the "macro-micro linkage" framework that facilitates assessment of various linkages among policies and their impacts within individual sectors and the economy. Drawing on country-based studies in Morocco, South Africa, Turkey, and Mexico, the analysis reveals difficult tradeoffs among various policy objectives, including priorities placed on different sectors, regional advantages, and general economic efficiency gains versus broader social impacts. The comparison of policy impacts demonstrates how policy makers can use such information to rank the policy interventions according to the emphasis placed on their objectives. The monograph also compares approaches used in other economy-wide studies that apply computable general equilibrium models in various contexts of water, environment, and agriculture. © 2014 A. Dinar.
Last of the Red Hot Mohicans: Miscegenation in the Popular American Romance

In his 1824 "Essay on Romance," Sir Walter Scott states that "romance turns upon marvelous or uncommon events," while the novel "accommodated to the ordinary train of human events and the modern state of society" (554). Scott's definition served as a model for James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and other American writers, who presented their works as novels because they professed to present realistic portraits.1 Yet Cooper's fledgling United States had a much more difficult time portraying its history than Scott's Great Britain, and as the U.S. and Great Britain developed different national agendas, they developed different literatures.2 As the United States found it increasingly difficult to present the verity of colonialist expansion across the West without calling the ethics of that project into question, writers like Cooper and Hawthorne eventually dispensed with claims to the presentation of objective history through literature and turned instead to the business of myth-making. Thus in his original preface to The Last of the Mohicans, Cooper warned the reader who "takes up this volume in expectation of an imaginary and romantic picture of things which never had an existence" that he or she "will probably lay it aside, disappointed" (v). Today, of course, the generic term romance has come to indicate a love story based more exclusively in the realm of fantasy, and popular romances published by Harlequin, Silhouette, and other houses comprise nearly 50% of all paperback book sales in the United States.3 Like Cooper and other popular writers before them, many romance writers have turned to the figure of the Native American in the widely popular "Indian romance," as the industry has named these novels that depict a love affair culminating in marriage between a European American character (usually the heroine) and a full- or half-blood Native American. Like Cooper and previous writers, the Native American in these texts represents more of the American cultural imaginary; these novels do not reflect reality so much as fantasy and
Memory in one component for reinforcement in another component of a complex schedule

Five pigeons pecked for food in an experiment combining a modified multiple-schedule procedure and a symbolic matching-to-sample procedure. Component A of the multiple schedule was a 60-sec blackout. A response-noncontingent reinforcer was delivered on a random half of the presentations of Component A. Such a reinforcer was randomly delivered in any one of the last 5 sec of Component A. The termination of Component A began Component B, the duration of which was varied over conditions. In Component B, the center key appeared white and a peck initiated, at the end of the component, a matching-to-sample short-term memory test: A peck to a green (red) key was reinforced if a reinforcer had (had not) been delivered in the preceding Component A. Percent correct recall in Component B of the previous reinforcer in Component A declined from 95% to 60% as the duration of Component B was lengthened from 0 to 10 sec. This result suggests that a pigeon can remember, during one component of a multiple schedule, details about reinforcement in the immediately preceding component but can do so only for a very few seconds. Accordingly, short-term memory for preceding reinforcers does not appear to be a plausible mechanism to explain reinforcement context effects in multiple schedules.
Transient inflammation-induced ongoing pain is driven by TRPV1 sensitive afferents

Tissue injury elicits both hypersensitivity to evoked stimuli and ongoing, stimulus-independent pain. We previously demonstrated that pain relief elicits reward in nerve-injured rats. This approach was used to evaluate the temporal and mechanistic features of inflammation-induced ongoing pain. Intraplantar Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) produced thermal hyperalgesia and guarding behavior that was reliably observed within 24 hrs and maintained, albeit diminished, 4 days post-administration. Spinal clonidine produced robust conditioned place preference (CPP) in CFA treated rats 1 day, but not 4 days following CFA administration. However, spinal clonidine blocked CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia at both post-CFA days 1 and 4, indicating different time-courses of ongoing and evoked pain. Peripheral nerve block by lidocaine administration into the popliteal fossa 1 day following intraplantar CFA produced a robust preference for the lidocaine paired chamber, indicating that injury-induced ongoing pain is driven by afferent fibers innervating the site of injury. Pretreatment with resiniferatoxin (RTX), an ultrapotent capsaicin analogue known to produce long-lasting desensitization of TRPV1 positive afferents, fully blocked CFA-induced thermal hypersensitivity and abolished the CPP elicited by administration of popliteal fossa lidocaine 24 hrs post-CFA. In addition, RTX pretreatment blocked guarding behavior observed 1 day following intraplantar CFA. In contrast, administration of the selective TRPV1 receptor antagonist, AMG9810, at a dose that reversed CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia failed to reduce CFA-induced ongoing pain or guarding behavior. These data demonstrate that inflammation induces both ongoing pain and evoked hypersensitivity that can be differentiated on the basis of time course. Ongoing pain (a) is transient, (b) driven by peripheral input resulting from the injury, (c) dependent on TRPV1 positive fibers and (d) not blocked by TRPV1 receptor antagonism. Mechanisms underlying excitation of these afferent fibers in the early post-injury period will offer insights for development of novel pain relieving strategies in the early post-traumatic period.
A compilation of amino acid analyses of proteins--XV. Residues per molecule--12.

Abstract A compilation of the amino acid analyses of 238 proteins is given. The data is given as residues per molecular weight.
Composite adaptive control of robot manipulators

Abstract Adaptive control of linear time-invariant single-input single-output systems has been extensively studied, and a number of globally convergent controllers have been derived. While extensions of the results to non-linear or multivariable systems have rarely been achieved, similar global convergence properties can indeed be obtained in the case of robot manipulators, an important and unique class of non-linear multi-input multi-output dynamic systems. Based on the observation that the parameter uncertainty is reflected in both the tracking error in joint motion and the prediction error in the joint torques or the power input, we recently proposed a new class of adaptive robot controllers, the parameter adaptation of which is driven by both tracking error and prediction error. In this paper, following a brief review of our earlier globally convergent direct adaptive controller, we provide a detailed analysis of these “composite” adaptive controllers. Results on global asymptotic and exponential tracking convergence are established and confirmed by simulation.
Health Locus of Control Among Rural Older Adults

Abstract The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) is a commonly used measure of health management orientation. Three general domains have been identified from MHLC: chance, internal, and powerful others. These domains have been used to identify degree of adherence to health behaviors such as weight loss, hypertension and diabetes control, and physical activity. However, there have not been many studies of the degree of adherence to health-promoting behaviors among older adults. This study examined MHLC among 76 older white, African American, and Native American adults in two rural communities. A wide variety of MHLC typologies were observed in this population. Associations of demographic and health characteristics with MHLC were found which may be useful for researchers and health care professionals in understanding these health management orientations for older rural adults.
School-to-School Variation in Disciplined Inquiry

In recent years No Child Left Behind has provided new labels to supposedly high- and low-performing schools and has identified large numbers of schools as low performing. Are school-to-school differences in the quality of instruction offered as great as the public is led to believe? Using the disciplined inquiry typology of Newman, Marks, and Gamoran, we examine whether variation in observable indicators of school quality correspond to real differences in instruction between schools. Consistent with the large body of research on school effects we find very modest school-level variation in the prevalence of disciplined inquiry.
Perceived Message Influence and Hispanic Women The Disappearance of Self-Other Perceptual Bias

The third-person effect (TPE) hypothesis states that people typically perceive the media messages to have greater influence on others than on themselves. Though this self-other perceptual bias has been shown to be robust across a variety of message contexts, past research has typically utilized Caucasian college student samples. The current study addresses this shortcoming in the literature by examining whether the TPE hypothesis holds for low-income, low-education, Spanish-speaking female adults with regard to the perceived effects of health news coverage. Our findings showed that most participants chose “equal to others” when estimating health news effects on themselves instead of “less than others” or “more than others.” Results from ordinal logistic regression showed that the propensity toward TPE was related to optimistic bias and certain indicators of acculturation. Our findings suggest the need for future TPE research in Hispanic populations and further efforts to investigate TPE from an intercultu...
Elder Abuse and Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Implications for Research and Policy - A Mini Review

Elder abuse and psychological distress are both important geriatric syndromes and are independently associated with premature morbidity and mortality. Despite recent advances, there has been little systematic exploration of the association between elder abuse and psychological distress. This systematic review synthesizes the qualitative and quantitative studies on the relationship between elder abuse and psychological distress, namely psychological distress as a risk factor and/or a consequence of elder abuse. Moreover, through this review, future research directions for elder abuse and psychological distress and their implications for practice and policy to improve the health and aging of vulnerable populations are also highlighted.
Calculi complicating renal transplantation into ileal conduits.

Abstract In 2 patients with renal transplants into ileal conduits renal calculi developed proximal to stenosis of the ureteral-ileal anastomosis. These are the only cases of urinary calculi in 600 consecutive transplants. The pathogenetic factors contributing to sepsis and stasis in such cases are reviewed and precautions suggested.
Well‐being among adolescent boys

Most studies on mental health in the adult population have found a significant relationship between mental health and social class. No study has thoroughly examined this relationship in the adolescent population. This article, based on the Bachman, O'Malley, and Johnston “Youth in Transition” data set, tests the social class/mental state relationship among adolescents. Three separate measures—well‐being, psychiatric symptoms, and depression—are used to indicate mental state. Social class is based on a composite measure of socioeconomic level that exists within the “Youth in Transition” data set. Surprisingly, no relationship was found. These results persisted even when more traditional measures of social class based on parents’ education and the Duncan ranking of the fathers’ occupations were substituted for socioeconomic level. An alternative explanation supporting social stress is discussed in light of Thornberry's developmental hypothesis.
Prescribing Exercise Intensity for Older Women

OBJECTIVE: For the purpose of prescribing exercise intensity, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) provides guidelines for relating the perceived level of exertion and the heart rate (HR) response during exercise, expressed either as a percentage of maximal HR or of HR reserve, to a percentage of maximal aerobic power (VO2max). However, because maximal HR and VO2max decline with age, it is possible that these guidelines are not appropriate for an older population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in 60-to 72-year-old women the relationships among the common methods of prescribing exercise intensity. DESIGN: Participants were 112 healthy but sedentary women, aged 66 ± 4 years, who performed treadmill walking at four speeds. SETTING: Subjects were recruited from the community, and exercise tests were performed at a university laboratory facility. MEASUREMENTS: VO2max and maximal HR were determined during treadmill walking. The HR and VO2 responses to walking 6 minutes at each of four speeds ranging from 67 to 107 m/min, along with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and plasma lactate levels, were determined on a separate day. RESULTS: The exercise bouts required an average of 55 ± 10%, 64 ± 12%, 77 ± 12%, and 91 ± 9% of VO2max. Corresponding HR values were 64 ± 8%, 70 ± 9%, 81 ± 10%, and 92 ± 7% of maximal HR, and they were within the expected ranges based on ACSM guidelines. HR values as a percentage of HR reserve were much lower than expected based on the guidelines. RPE values were lower than expected at a given %VO2max, and plasma lactate levels were also relatively low, suggesting that older women are able to exercise at a higher percentage of VO2max than levels currently recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that HR expressed as a percentage of maximal HR is an appropriate method of prescribing exercise intensity in healthy, sedentary 60- to 72-year-old women. The HR reserve method is not recommended in this population because it will likely result in the exercise being performed at a higher than expected percentage of VO2max.
Abstract 4846: Genomic analysis of high grade bladder cancer: Defining genetic subtypes and therapeutic targets

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Genomic instability, as manifested by copy number alteration (CNA) and mutation, is a hallmark of cancer. We sought to characterize the spectrum of CNAs in 97 high-grade bladder tumors (HGBT) using high-resolution comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). We then performed an integrated analysis of CNA and targeted mutation testing to construct a comprehensive profile of genomic alterations in these tumors and to identify any correlation with clinical outcome. Methods: Genomic DNA from 97 frozen HGBTs (tumor content>70% or greater) and commercially available normal human DNA (Roche) were labeled with cyanine-based fluorescent dyes and hybridized onto a one-million oligonucleotide microarray (Agilent) followed by scanning and image analysis. High-throughput Sanger sequencing of select genes was performed with validation of hotspot oncogene mutations using a mass spectrometry based multiplex Sequenom assay. Results: We found that 47% of HGBT samples possessed a high degree of CNA with widespread amplifications and deletions while 53% contained markedly fewer numbers of events. A non-overlapping pattern of mutations and amplifications was observed when events were grouped within the context of specific signal transduction or cell cycle pathways. Preliminary survival analysis suggests that patients in the high CNA group have a worse prognosis than those in the low CNA group: fifteen out of 46 patients (33%) in the high CNA group have died of their disease vs. 9 of 51 (18%) in the low CNA group. Highly focal amplification events were noted within HER2 (5% of samples), E2F3 (11%), and CCND1 (10%). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) confirmed 3+ overexpression of HER2 in 5 of 5 samples exhibiting genetic amplification. Deletion events were most frequent in CDKN2A (13%). A subset of 11 tumors with small-cell histologic features was included within the samples analyzed and 45% of these tumors possessed E2F3 amplification vs. only 8% within the non-small cell tumor set. Targeted sequencing of select genes revealed that the majority of mutation events occurred within the high-CNA HGBTs. Conclusions: Distinct genetic subsets exist within HGBT and can be classified based on CNA and mutational analysis. The finding of focal amplification events within genes known to drive tumorigenesis in other contexts, such as HER2, underscores the need for global genomic approaches in identifying targets for therapy in bladder cancer. Small-cell bladder cancer may possess a distinct genetic signature characterized by E2F3 amplification. The non-overlapping pattern of CNAs and mutations seen within specific mitogenic pathways suggests that focal driver lesions can be identified for targeted therapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4846. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4846
A discursive psychology approach to the study of pre-service teachers’ written reflections about teacher effectiveness

This article reports findings from a discourse analysis, informed by a discursive psychology (DP) perspective, of pre-service teachers’ beliefs about teacher effectiveness as constructed in reflective papers. DP treats beliefs as discursive productions that are occasioned by an interactional task and are made visible through discursive features. Our analysis highlights the discursive features employed by pre-service teachers as they wrote about teacher effectiveness in relation to their field observations. We conclude that in their texts, the pre-service teachers went about constructing identities of knowledgeable and legitimate speakers on teacher effectiveness, particularly as they gradually gained firsthand experience via classroom observations.
Management of porphyria cutanea tarda in the setting of chronic renal failure: A case report and review

Abstract The treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) in patients with chronic renal failure poses a therapeutic challenge. In the absence of renal failure, phlebotomy and oral antimalarials have been the standard of care for PCT. However, in the presence of renal failure, associated chronic anemia often precludes the use of phlebotomy, and oral antimalarials are usually ineffective. We describe a patient with severe symptomatic PCT and chronic renal failure whose disease was successfully managed with a combination of high-dose erythropoietin and small volume phlebotomy. We also review several previously reported approaches to management of PCT in the setting of renal failure, which include small repeated phlebotomy, erythropoietin, deferoxamine, chloroquine, plasma exchange, high-efficiency/high-flux hemodialysis, cholestyramine, charcoal hemoperfusion, and kidney transplantation. An algorithm for the management of these patients is proposed. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;42:645-52.)
Integrated assessment of the spatial variability of ozone impacts from emissions of nitrogen oxides

This paper examines the ozone (O3) damages caused by nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in different locations around the Atlanta metropolitan area during a summer month. We calculate O3 impacts using a new integrated assessment model that links pollution emissions to their chemical transformation, transport, population exposures, and effects on human health. We find that increased NOx emissions in rural areas around Atlanta increase human exposure to ambient O3 twice as much as suburban emissions. However, increased NOx emissions in central city Atlanta actually reduce O3 exposures. For downtown emissions, the reduction in human exposures to O3 from titration by NO in the central city outweighs the effects from increased downwind O3. The results indicate that the marginal damage from NOx emissions varies greatly across a metropolitan area. The results raise concerns if cap and trade regulations cause emissions to migrate toward higher marginal damage locations.
Wide temperature (-20/spl deg/C-95/spl deg/C) operation of an uncooled 2.5-Gb/s 1300-nm DFB laser

This letter describes a 2.5-Gb/s 1300-nm distributed feedback laser that can operate in a wide temperature range of -20/spl deg/C to 95/spl deg/C. We present RF and DC characteristics of the device and the statistical distribution of threshold current and slope efficiency at high temperature. Finally, we demonstrate the device performance in a 2.5-Gb/s small-form-factor module up to 85/spl deg/C.
Professional Problems in Treating Suicidal Persons

Because physicians, psychiatrists and other clinicians must constantly deal with suicidal people, it is important to examine the problems and limitations of actual practice. This is made difficult ...
How multiple mating by females affects sexual selection

Multiple mating by females is widely thought to encourage post-mating sexual selection and enhance female fitness. We show that whether polyandrous mating has these effects depends on two conditions. Condition 1 is the pattern of sperm utilization by females; specifically, whether, among females, male mating number, m (i.e. the number of times a male mates with one or more females) covaries with male offspring number, o. Polyandrous mating enhances sexual selection only when males who are successful at multiple mating also sire most or all of each of their mates' offspring, i.e. only when Cov♂(m,o), is positive. Condition 2 is the pattern of female reproductive life-history; specifically, whether female mating number, m, covaries with female offspring number, o. Only semelparity does not erode sexual selection, whereas iteroparity (i.e. when Cov♀(m,o), is positive) always increases the variance in offspring numbers among females, which always decreases the intensity of sexual selection on males. To document the covariance between mating number and offspring number for each sex, it is necessary to assign progeny to all parents, as well as identify mating and non-mating individuals. To document significant fitness gains by females through iteroparity, it is necessary to determine the relative magnitudes of male as well as female contributions to the total variance in relative fitness. We show how such data can be collected, how often they are collected, and we explain the circumstances in which selection favouring multiple mating by females can be strong or weak.
Insights into heterogeneous phosphodiester hydrolysis using a simple hydrogel-based copper(II)-imidazole catalyst

Abstract A family of copolymer hydrogels containing different mass percentages of vinylimidazole, acrylamide and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide were used to bind copper(II) ions. The resultant copper-loaded gels demonstrated spectroscopic features that indicated copper was bound in a distorted square planar geometry. The hydrolysis activity of these the most active of these systems towards bis(3-nitrophenyl)phosphate at pH 8 was 2.78 × 10−6 s−1, five orders of magnitude greater than the uncatalyzed reaction. While these systems obey Michaelis–Menten kinetics, they also subject both competitive and non-competitive inhibition from excess substrate and excess hydroxide due to constraints based in the coordination geometry of the copper(II) active sites.
Black holes and the nature of quantum gravity

Hawking and Wald have recently argued that the process of quantum black hole evaporation requires the violation of the fundamental physical law which asserts that the time evolution of quantum states is governed by unitary operators. I show this violation can be avoided by a change in the global boundary conditions. It is remotely possible that astronomical observation could establish whether or not the universe has these boundary conditions in which quantum mechanical time evolution is governed by unitary operators.
Anthracycline drug targeting: cytoplasmic versus nuclear – a fork in the road

The anthracycline antibiotics doxorubicin (Adriamycin; DOX) and daunorubicin (DNR) continue to be essential components of first-line chemotherapy in the treatment of a variety of solid and hematopoietic tumors. The overall efficacies of DOX and DNR are, however, impeded by serious dose-limiting toxicities, including cardiotoxicity, and the selection of multiple mechanisms of cellular drug resistance. These limitations have necessitated the development of newer anthracyclines whose structural and functional modifications circumvent these impediments. In this review, we will present recent strategies in anthracycline design and assess their potential therapeutic merits. Current anthracycline design has diverged to target either cytoplasmic or nuclear sites. Nuclear targets have been broadened to include not only topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibition through ternary complex stabilization and catalytic inhibition, but also topoisomerase I (topo I) inhibition and transcriptional inhibition. In contrast, cytoplasmic targeting focuses on anthracycline binding to protein kinase C (PKC) regulatory domain with consequent modulation of activity.
Biomarkers in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension prevalence continues to rise and remains a clinical dilemma with regards to patient recognition and management. Despite advances in our under- standing of the pathophysiology and pathogenesis behind pulmonary hypertension (PH), this heterogeneous cohort con- tinues to demonstrate significant morbidity and mortality. Biomarkers serve as a dynamic, noninvasive tool in a physi- cian's clinical armamentarium. Their role is to impact clinical decision-making and to facilitate patient education with re- spect to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic intervention. This review will elucidate the relationship between PH and serum biomarkers related to inflammation, myocardial dys- function or stress, and endothelial dysfunction. Over the last two decades, the utilization and incorporation of biomarkers into the evaluation and management of pulmonary hyperten- sion has exploded. Consequently, current guidelines and con- sensus documents have adopted their use. The additive roles of both established and innovative biomarkers in individuals withpulmonaryarterialhypertension(PAH)willbediscussed.
Intellectual Assessment of Language Minority Students: What Do School Psychologists Believe Are Acceptable Practices?.

A survey was sent to 500 school psychologists in eight states to examine the acceptability of methods used to assess the cognitive ability of language minority students. Responses of 195 participants indicated that (a) the use of a bilingual school psychologist, and (b) the use of tests in English when a student is dominant in English were usually or always acceptable. Sometimes or usually acceptable were the use of nonverbal tests and foreign-normed tests. Administering tests in English when a student is dominant in another language, and using nonverbal tests that require oral instructions without the presence of an interpreter were considered to be never or rarely acceptable. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 599–603, 2003.
Carrier photogeneration and mobility in polydiacetylene: Fast transient photoconductivity

Transient photoconductivity experiments have been carried out on single crystals of polydiacetylene-(bis p-toluene sulfonate), PDA-TS. The low--electric-field photocurrent decay consists of a temperature-independent fast (picosecond) initial component and a longer-time (nanosecond) component with magnitude that is strongly temperature dependent. Using very small spacings between electrodes on the sample, we have succeeded in achieving sweepout for the longer-lived carriers; the data yield a mobility of \ensuremath{\approxeq}5 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/V\ensuremath{\cdot}s at room temperature in the nanosecond regime. These results demonstrate that the Onsager geminate recombination model, previously used extensively for the polydiacetylenes, is not applicable to PDA-TS.
The effect of deprivation on the microstructure of feeding by the Tobacco hornworm caterpillar

An automated device was used to examine, in detail, feeding on disks of wheat germ medium by fifth-instar Manduca sextacaterpillars. Comparisons were made between some animals which had ad libitum access to food at all times and others which were deprived of food for 1–5 h before being tested. Feeding patterns of both groups indicated regulation of feeding both between and within meals. Deprived animals ate more during their first meal than did nondeprived animals chiefly by increasing (a) the number of chewing bouts (and thus the meal duration) and (b) the bite frequency. Calculations indicated that the deficit caused by deprivation was made up during the first meal. However, deprived animals continued to eat more than nondeprived ones in subsequent feeding also. Passage of food through the gut was examined by dissecting out the contents of each region of the gut at various times after a colored test meal. Food passed through the foregut directly into the anterior part of the midgut. It stayed in the middle third of the midgut longer than in the anterior and posterior thirds, and the first pellet resulting from the test meal appeared 4 h after the meal. The following mechanisms of feeding regulation are proposed: (a) volumetric feedback mediated by stretch receptors of the foregut and anterior third of the midgut which terminates meals; (b) the development and subsequent reduction of satietyspecific behaviors mediated either by stretch receptors or by some other means which, e.g., allow the next meal to begin; and (c) metabolites whose levels drop during deprivation, triggering a series of events which lead to the excess feeding observed.
Wideband radar micro-doppler applications

Wideband radar provides a significant improvement over traditional narrowband radars for micro-Doppler analysis because the high bandwidth can be used to separate many of the signals in range, allowing a simpler decomposition of the micro-Doppler signals. Recent wideband radar work has focused on micro-Doppler, but there is a point where the narrowband approach used to analyze the micro-Doppler signals breaks down. The effect is shown to be independent of frequency, but the error relative to the bandwidth is shown to be inversely proportional to the frequency and proportional to the velocity of the subject. This error can create a smearing effect in the observed Doppler if it is not corrected, leading to reduced signal-to-noise and the appearance of more diffuse targets in Doppler space. In range-space, wideband data can also break the subject into several range bins, affecting the observed signal to noise ratio. The possible applications of wideband micro-Doppler radar are also shown, including the separation of arm movement from human motion which implies that the arms are not encumbered.
Distribution and cycling of terrigenous dissolved organic matter in the ocean

Terrigenous dissolved organic matter (DOM) is continuously discharged by rivers into the ocean, yet its distribution and reactivity within ocean basins remain poorly defined aspects of the global carbon cycle1. Direct evidence for the presence of terrigenous DOM in the open ocean has been found only in dissolved humic substances isolated from surface waters of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean2. Here we report the detection of low concentrations of lignin—a biopolymer found only in terrestrial vegetation—in DOM collected from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, indicating that terrigenous DOM is distributed throughout the ocean water column. Higher lignin concentrations in Atlantic waters, relative to Pacific waters, reflect terrigenous DOM concentrations that are 2.6 times higher in the Atlantic. This finding is consistent with the 3.6-times greater riverine water-discharge to the Atlantic Ocean3,4, and with known patterns of ocean circulation5. It appears that terrigenous DOM comprises only a small fraction (0.7–2.4%) of the total DOM in the ocean, and that its oceanic residence time (21–132yr) is much shorter than that of marine DOM6,7. The regeneration of nutrients during rapid cycling of terrigenous DOM could contribute to high rates of primary production in the coastal ocean.
Electrochemical doping in electrolyte-gated polymer transistors.

By comparing the changes in π−π* absorption with the transconductance in PEO−LiClO4 electrolyte-gated FETs, we have demonstrated that the high channel currents obtained at low gate voltages result from reversible electrochemical doping of the semiconducting polymer film. At low temperatures, the conductivity of the electrochemically doped poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene), PBTTT-C14, is nonlinear with a crossover from dσ(T)/dT > 0 to dσ(T)/dT ≈ 0 as a function of the source-drain voltage. High current densities, up to 106 A/cm2 at 4.2 K, can be sustained in the electrochemically doped PBTTT-C14 films.
MRI-based sector analysis enhances prostate palladium-103 brachytherapy quality assurance in a phase II prospective trial of men with intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer

Abstract Purpose Palladium-103 ( 103 Pd) may be superior to other isotopes in brachytherapy for localized intermediate-risk prostate cancer because of its relatively short half-life, higher initial dose rate, and greater dose heterogeneity within the target volume; these properties also underscore the need for accurate target delineation and postimplant quality assurance. We assessed the use of prostate sector analysis based on MRI for quality assurance after 103 Pd monotherapy. Methods and Materials Fifty men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer underwent 103 Pd monotherapy in a prospective phase II trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dosimetric analyses on day 30 after the implant were done using both CT and fused CT/MRI scans. Dosimetric variables were assessed for the entire prostate and for each of three or six sectors. Volumes and dosimetric variables were compared with paired t tests. Results Postimplant dosimetric variables for the entire prostate were significantly different on CT vs. CT/MRI ( p = 0.019 for V 100 and p D 90 ). Prostate volumes were smaller on the CT/MRI scans ( p p V 100 and D 90 ). To date, these lower base doses have not affected biochemical outcomes for patients with disease in prostate base biopsy samples. Conclusions CT/MRI is more precise than CT for prostate volume delineation and dosimetric quality assessment and thus provides superior heterogeneity control assessment after 103 Pd monotherapy implants.
Evaluation of poly(DTH carbonate), a tyrosine‐derived degradable polymer, for orthopedic applications

The polymerization of desaminotyrosinetyrosylhexyl ester (DTH) with phosgene gives rise to poly(DTH carbonate), a new pseudopoly(amino acid). To evaluate the performance of this bioabsorbable material in orthopedic applications, the tissue responses elicited by compression-molded pins of poly(DTH carbonate) and clinically used polydioxanone pins (PDS; Orthosorb®) were compared. The two types of pins were implanted in the paravertebral muscle and in the metaphyseal proximal tibia and distal femur of 10 White New Zealand Rabbits for 1, 2, 4, and 26 weeks. The tissue response was evaluated using histologic staining of softand hard-tissue sections, fluorescent bone marker incorporation, and backscattered electron imaging. In soft tissue, both poly(DTH carbonate) and PDS elicited a mild inflammatory response resulting in encapsulation. During the disintegration phase, the PDS implants triggered a foreign body response involving the phagocytosis of polymeric debris by histiocytes and giant cells. No such response was observed for poly(DTH carbonate). In hard tissue, close bone apposition was observed throughout the 26-week test period for poly(DTH carbonate) implants. At the 26-week time point, the poly(DTH carbonate) implants exhibited surface erosion and were penetrated by new bone. In contrast, an intervening fibrous tissue layer was always present between the PDS pins and the bone. At 26 weeks, the PDS implants had partially resorbed and a foreign body response characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells, and bone resorption was observed in several of the implantation sites. This study indicates that poly(DTH carbonate) and PDS exhibit fundamentally different interactions with hard tissue, and that poly(DTH carbonate) is a promising orthopedic implant material. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Flux-creep activation energies in Tl 2 Ba 2 CaCu 2 O x single crystals

The measured frequency shift in temperature of the ac susceptibility ${\mathrm{Tl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{x}}$ single crystals is modeled by an Arrhenius-like expression to give flux-creep activation energies at various applied ac magnetic fields ranging from 15 to 200 Oe. The activation energies range from 288\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}14 meV in an applied ac magnetic field of 15 Oe to 25\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3 meV in 200 Oe. Considerable flux creep is observed. It is estimated that ${\mathit{H}}_{\mathit{c}1}$ at a temperature of about 100 K is approximately 10 Oe. The results are interpreted in terms of Anderson flux-creep model and the activation-energy values reported here are similar to those deduced from magnetic-field-dependent resistivity measurements on the Tl-based single crystals, textured films, and bulk samples. The field dependence of the activation energies is observed to vary as 1/ \ensuremath{\surd}H . This low-field dependence is explained by a scaling argument where the vortex volume is approximated by ${\ensuremath{\xi}}^{2}$${\mathit{a}}_{0}$, with \ensuremath{\xi} the coherence length in the ab plane and ${\mathit{a}}_{0}$ the Abrikosov vortex-lattice spacing along the c axis of the crystal lattice.
A note on expectation of a random quadratic form

Let be a random vector with . Useful expressions are given for expectation of quadratic forms in in terms of ∧ explicitly
Protein Arms in the Kinetochore-Microtubule Interface of the Yeast DASH Complex

The yeast DASH complex is a heterodecameric component of the kinetochore necessary for accurate chromosome segregation. DASH forms closed rings around microtubules with a large gap between the DASH ring and the microtubule cylinder. We characterized the microtubule-binding properties of limited proteolysis products and subcomplexes of DASH, thus identifying candidate polypeptide extensions involved in establishing the DASH-microtubule interface. The acidic C-terminal extensions of tubulin subunits are not essential for DASH binding. We also measured the molecular mass of DASH rings on microtubules with scanning transmission electron microscopy and found that approximately 25 DASH heterodecamers assemble to form each ring. Dynamic association and relocation of multiple flexible appendages of DASH may allow the kinetochore to translate along the microtubule surface.
Tactile Picture Recognition: Errors Are in Shape Acquisition or Object Matching?

Numerous studies have demonstrated that sighted and blind individuals find it difficult to recognize tactile pictures of common objects. However, it is still not clear what makes recognition of tactile pictures so difficult. One possibility is that observers have difficulty acquiring the global shape of the image when feeling it. Alternatively, observers may have an accurate understanding of the shape but are unable to link it to a particular object representation. We, therefore, conducted two experiments to determine where tactile picture recognition goes awry. In Experiment 1, we found that recognition of tactile pictures by blindfolded sighted observers correlated with image characteristics that affect shape acquisition (symmetry and complexity). In Experiment 2, we asked drawing experts to draw what they perceived after feeling the images. We found that the experts produced three types of drawings when they could not recognize the tactile pictures: (1) drawings that did not look like objects (incoherent), (2) drawings that looked like incorrect objects (coherent but inaccurate) and (3) drawings that looked like the correct objects ( coherent and accurate). The majority of errors seemed to result from inaccurate perception of the global shape of the image (error types 1 and 2). Our results suggest that recognition of simplistic tactile pictures of objects is largely inhibited by low-level tactile shape processing rather than high-level object recognition mechanisms.
MODELING LATERAL SOIL-PILE RESPONSE BASED ON SOIL-PILE INTERACTION

Although most designers prefer the p-y curve method as compared to elastic continuum or finite-element analysis of laterally loaded pile behavior, the profession has reached a state where it is tim...
Development and characterization of HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tumorgrafts.

Purpose: To develop a clinically relevant model system to study head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), we have established and characterized a direct-from-patient tumorgraft model of human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive and HPV-negative cancers. Experimental Design: Patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent HNSCC were consented for donation of tumor specimens. Surgically obtained tissue was implanted subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice. During subsequent passages, both formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded as well as flash-frozen tissues were harvested. Tumors were analyzed for a variety of relevant tumor markers. Tumor growth rates and response to radiation, cisplatin, or cetuximab were assessed and early passage cell strains were developed for rapid testing of drug sensitivity. Results: Tumorgrafts have been established in 22 of 26 patients to date. Significant diversity in tumorgraft tumor differentiation was observed with good agreement in degree of differentiation between patient tumor and tumorgraft (Kappa 0.72). Six tumorgrafts were HPV-positive on the basis of p16 staining. A strong inverse correlation between tumorgraft p16 and p53 or Rb was identified (Spearman correlations P = 0.085 and P = 0.002, respectively). Significant growth inhibition of representative tumorgrafts was shown with cisplatin, cetuximab, or radiation treatment delivered over a two-week period. Early passage cell strains showed high consistency in response to cancer therapy between tumorgraft and cell strain. Conclusions: We have established a robust human tumorgraft model system for investigating HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC. These tumorgrafts show strong correlation with the original tumor specimens and provide a powerful resource for investigating mechanisms of therapeutic response as well as preclinical testing. Clin Cancer Res; 19(4); 855–64. ©2012 AACR .
Diachronic Biology Meets Evo-Devo: C. H. Waddington's Approach to Evolutionary Developmental Biology

Abstract Conrad Hal Waddington (1905–1975) did not respect the traditional boundaries established between genetics, embryology, and evolutionary biology. Rather, he viewed them together as a “diachronic biology.” In this diachronic biology, evolutionary change was caused by heritable alterations in development. Stabilizing selection within the embryo was followed by normative selection on the adult. To explain evolution, Waddington had to invent many concepts and terms, some of which have retained their usage and some of which have not. In this paper I seek to explicate Waddington's ideas and evaluate their usefulness for contemporary evolutionary developmental biology.