cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HOST ABUNDANCE, JUVENILE SURVIVAL, AND OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE IN BATTUS PHILENOR.

Many phytophagous insects are highly specific with respect to the plants on which they lay eggs, restricting oviposition to plant species within one family or group of related families (Brower and Brower, 1964; Ehrlich and Raven, 1964; Eastop, 1973), or even to species or groups of species within a particular family or genus (Singer, 1971; Janzen, 1974; Wiklund, 1974, 1975; Benson et al., 1976; Chew, 1977; Ives 1978; Smiley, 1978). Although the proximate cues used for host selection by ovipositing females are known for some highly specific species (Gupta and Thorsteinson, 1960; Singer, 1971; Staedler, 1974; Nishida, 1977; Ichinose and Honda, 1978; Rausher, 1978), little is known about the advantages associated with preferring to lay eggs on some species of plants rather than on others. In this study I evaluate two alternative hypotheses that account for oviposition preference in a butterfly. Females of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor, search preferentially at any one time for only one of their two host plants in east Texas (Rausher, 1978). One hypothesis that can explain this search preference is that it ensures that females lay most of their eggs on the plant species on which eggs and larvae have a greater probability of surviving to the adult stage (Chew, 1975, 1977; Feeny, 1975; Gilbert and Singer, 1975; Wiklund, 1975; Smiley, 1978). In some situations, however, the host species on which juvenile survivorship is greater may be rarer than other potential host species. Under such circumstances, the advantage gained by preferentially searching for and ovipositing on the plant species on which juvenile survivorship is greater may be more than offset by the disadvantages associated with searching for the rarer host species. If females have a short life expectancy, for example, they may discover fewer plants and lay fewer eggs before dying if they search preferentially for the rarer host species than if they search preferentially for the more abundant host. Consequently, a second hypothesis that accounts for a specific search preference in ovipositing B. philenor females is that it ensures they search for and lay most of their eggs on the more abundant plant species. Although these two alternatives are not necessarily mutually exclusive, it has been possible to distinguish between them in this study.
SAT0527 Quantitative Evaluation of the Shoulder Inflammation in Polymyalgia Rheumatica by Power Doppler Ultrasound

Background Through the clinical experience of the power Doppler (PD) ultrasound (US) examination of the shoulder lesions in untreated patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), we noted that there were many cases presenting hyperemia adjacent to the anterior aspect of the subscapularis tendon (hyperemia on SubST). Objectives We examined whether the hyperemia on SubST correlates with the disease activity of PMR. Methods We analyzed consecutive records of 10 PMR patients and 12 elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) patients mimicking PMR, whose both shoulders were assessed routinely for the hyperemia on SubST using PDUS between July 2010 and September 2012 in our hospital. The areas of PD positive pixels on SubST (PD+ve area) were measured on representative transverse images of the shoulders using Image J (Image analysis software from NIH), and the correlation between the sum of PD+ve area of the bilateral shoulders and various clinical indicators was analyzed. Results The mean of the PD+ve area was comparable between PMR group and EORA group. In PMR group, PD+ve area significantly correlated with serum concetration of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-3 (|R|=0.886, p= 0.0006). Although weak positive correlation was shown between PD+ve area and serum CRP or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in PMR group, it was not statistically significant. There was no significant correlation between PD+ve area and serum MMP-3, serum CRP or ESR in EORA group. Image/graph Conclusions The strength of the increase in a blood flow adjacent to the anterior aspect of the subscapularis tendon detected by PDUS may serve as an index of a disease activity of PMR, possibly by representing periarticular inflammation. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
Tools for Advancing pharlllacy Practice: A Tool for Corporate Decision Making About Cognitive Pharmaceutical Services

Objective To present and discuss the models, theories, ideas, and frameworks that corporate decision makers would apply to the implementation of cognitive pharmaceutical services. Background Large chains and integrated delivery networks dominate the pharmacy marketplace. As a result, in many instances implementing cognitive pharmaceutical services, or expanding their delivery, first requires approval of a corporate decision maker, often not a pharmacist, who is schooled in marketing, management, and finance, and who necessarily views proposals for cognitive pharmaceutical services from those frames of reference. This article focuses on the following six marketing and management questions that corporate decision makers likely want answered before approving and funding the implementation of cognitive pharmaceutical services: (1) What is our product? (2) Who will pay, and what is the price? (3) Is there a market, and can it be reached? (4) What procedures must be put in place? (5) Who will deliver the service? (6) Where are the services to be delivered, and how is the facility to be presented? Discussion For a pharmacy manager charged with bringing cognitive pharmaceutical services to the marketplace, consideration of the issues detailed here meets a reasonable test of due diligence in committing human, financial, and organizational resources. Conclusion It is natural for a pharmacist to look at cognitive pharmaceutical services through a professional lens. It is just as natural for a corporate decision maker to look at cognitive pharmaceutical services through a marketing and management lens. Unless both lenses are put together, one gets only half the picture.
No Firm Size is Too Small, But Firm Size Matters: A New Analysis of Mittelstaedt, Harben, and Ward

This paper disputes the findings of an article by Mittelstaedt et al. (2003), which found that firm size of at least twenty employees was a necessary and sufficient condition for export activity. The conclusions of Mittelstaedt et al. (2003) are flawed in two major ways.Following a brief introduction and a review of literature regarding firm size, the research methodology of Mittelstaedt et al. (2003) is reviewed, using the same data to replicate the study and to demonstrate the inaccuracies of the conclusions.Analysis of the data finds that smaller firms export less, disputing the Mittelstaedt et al. (2003) findings that firms with fewer than 20 employees are too small to export at all.Findings indicate that a partition of 20 employees yields no significant results and that no minimum firm size is needed to engage in exporting.The research and policy implications of these findings are discussed, with a reminder to policy makers that large firms start as small firms that grow over time.(AKP)
Effect of heterologous antiplatelet antibody on human platelets: a new pathway to platelet alteration

Heterologous monomeric IgG anti-human platelet antibody mediates platelet aggregation and release of 14 C-serotonin from human platelets. The reaction is independent of complement and thrombin and is not inhibited by acetylsalicylic acid. Studies are presented showing that when adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was removed by apyrase, creatine phosphokinase, or pyruvate kinase, antibody-induced aggregation and serotonin release were only inhibited 50% and 35%, respectively. Inhibition of both aerobic metabolism with antimycin A (5.0 μg/ml) and anaerobic glycolysis with 2-deoxyglucose (10 mM) completely prevented ADP and thrombin-induced aggregation and release. However, inhibition of antibody-mediated aggregation and release was incomplete at high concentrations of antibody. Dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cAMP) inhibited antibody-induced aggregation and release in a dose-related fashion, but required tenfold the concentration necessary to inhibit the effect of ADP. Prostaglandin E1, which stimulates adenylate cyclase to form cAMP, inhibited the antibody effects 50% at 50-fold the concentration required for equivalent inhibition of aggregation and release by epinephrine. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor SH869 (2 μM) gave similar results. These data suggest that heterologous antibody (IgG)-induced platelet aggregation and release are mediated in part by a mechanism independent of extracellular ADP and in part independent of metabolic energy. The high concentration of cAMP required for inhibition suggests a pathway distinct from that mediated by ADP, epinephrine, or thrombin.
Marjolin's ulcer in patients with spinal cord injury.

Background: The term “Marjolin's ulcer” is now synonymous with malignant transformation, usually ectodermal and rarely mesenchymal, of chronic ulcers, sinus tracts, and burn scars.Design: Literatur...
Evaluating the patient with loss of consciousness.

Patients who have had an episode of altered awareness and are subsequently brought to the hospital for evaluation are common[9] amounting to more than 6% of all emergency room (ER) admissions. One of the key elements in properly evaluating these patients is to perform a good history. The history can come from a number of different sources including the patient, family, and/or others present at the time of the event. In each case, the information provided may be biased by the preconceptions of the person providing the history. Thus, it is critical to understand which aspects of the history are most important and most reliable in distinguishing between the possible diagnoses. For example, it is not uncommon for an observer to state that a patient was unconscious if he/she did not respond to voice. Only further questioning about other characteristics of the patient at that time such as loss of tone or abnormal movements may help sort out the actual events. It is also common for providers to lump all patients with transient alterations of awareness under the diagnosis of syncope. It is thus essential to clearly define the term syncope. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines syncope as “loss of consciousness (LOC) resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain.”[5] There are various conditions that can be mistaken for syncope and it is important that a correct diagnosis be made because management and care will differ depending on that diagnosis. In this paper we will primarily address the issue of distinguishing a neurological cause versus a cardiac cause for a transient alteration of awareness; but it is important as well to cover the factors that place a patient at high risk for a serious cardiac event. The differential diagnoses In order to obtain an optimal history, it is important to be aware of the diagnoses that could potentially cause the patient's symptoms. Soteriades[9] reviewed data from the Framingham study for all patients with a diagnosis of syncope and was able to determine the eventual cause for syncope. [Table 1] shows the incidence of various etiologies in patients with and without cardiac disease. It is clear that neurologic causes are not common compared with cardiac and vaso-vagal causes of syncope; but they nonetheless form an important subset of all patients with an initial diagnosis of syncope. [Table 2] provides a larger list of some conditions that could be associated with an apparent LOC. It is important to realize that the initial determination of LOC is generally made by a lay person without a medical background; and so the differential diagnosis must be extended to include diagnoses that medical personnel would not always associate with unconsciousness. Table 1 Causes of syncope from Soteriades[9] in patients with and without cardiovascular disease
Test and verification of vehicle positioning by infrared signal-direction discrimination

With the aid of a simple geometric relation, vehicle positioning by infrared signal-direction discrimination is tested and verified with a receiver comprising four identical planar receiving modules with a simple symmetric structure to determine the coming direction of the signal. In our test, the position of the vehicle can be precisely located in the communication area of a typical infrared short-range vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system.
Tumor genomic mutation profiling of germ cell tumors using “Profile”.

4516 Background: Malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs) are the most common solid malignancy affecting males between the ages of 15 and 35. To date, little is known about the genomic landscape of GCTs. ...
Modeling of biotic and abiotic processes affecting phosphate oxygen isotope ratios in a mineral-water-biota system.

Abstract Abiotic and biotic reactions operate side by side in the cycling of phosphorus (P) in the environment, but the relative roles of these two reactions vary both spatially and temporally. In biotic reactions, the uptake and release of P are catalyzed by enzymes and thus change phosphate oxygen isotope ratios, while in abiotic reactions, the absence of hydrolysis-condensation reactions results in no apparent changes in isotope composition, except short-term kinetic isotope effect due solely to preferential ion exchange. Therefore, isotope method could be a promising tool to differentiate relative roles of these two reactions in the environment but the relationship of the dynamic concentration and isotope exchange at the biota-water interface is largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to develop a process-based isotope model underpinning the competition of abiotic (sorption, desorption, and ion exchange) and biotic (uptake, metabolism, and release) reactions during uptake and recycling of ferrihydrite-bound P by E. coli. Our model comprises equations describing the partitioning relationship among different P pools and their corresponding oxygen isotope compositions and is based exclusively on oxygen isotope exchange at multiple sites including mineral surface, aqueous phase, and bacterial cells. The process-based model adequately reproduced the measured concentration and isotope compositions over time. Furthermore, parametric and sensitivity analyses using the model indicated that the rate of biological uptake of P was the major factor controlling the changes of phosphate isotope composition. In conclusion, our model provides new insights into a mechanistic aspect of isotope exchange and could be potentially useful for future efforts to understand the interplay of biotic and abiotic factors on phosphorus cycling in natural environments.
The Influence of Director Human and Social Capital and Firms' EO on Corporate Entrepreneurship

This study explores the link between corporate governance and corporate entrepreneurship. Surprisingly, our understanding of how boards of directors influence corporate entrepreneurship decisions a...
Efficacy of proximal colectomy for surgical management of right-sided first colorectal cancer in Lynch Syndrome mutation carriers.

Abstract Background This study analyzes the occurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Lynch syndrome (LS) mutation carriers, interval until diagnosis of metachronous CRC, and survival after proximal colectomy (PC) compared with total (TC) and subtotal colectomy (STC) for right-sided first CRC in LS mutation carriers. Methods Sixty-four LS mutation carriers with right-sided first CRC treated with PC or TC + STC were confirmed by clinical records. Bivariate analyses were examined for significance and life tables were generated for risk of metachronous CRC and survival estimates following surgery. Results One of 16 (6.3%) mutation carriers treated with TC + STC developed subsequent CRC compared with 13/48 (27%) treated by PC. There was no significant difference in survival estimates between PC compared with TC + STC through 25 years after surgery. Conclusion Risk of subsequent CRC and survival estimates following PC and TC + STC should be considered in surgical management of right-sided first CRC in LS mutation carriers.
Refining Radiation for the Next Century.

![][1] Wilhelm Roentgen's report more than a century ago describing X-ray imaging fostered in the application of ionizing radiation (IR) for cancer therapy. Today, about half of all the patients with cancer are treated with radiotherapy and it remains one of our most effective
Control of Autoclave Processing of Polymeric Composites

Polymeric composite represent a relatively new and increasingly important material. A key step in one of the most important fabrication techniques involves curing the composite laminate under pressure and temperature cycles. The quality of the resulting component is highly dependent on this processing, a process which has traditionally been performed in an open loop manner. This paper provides a qualitative review of the production of polymeric composites components from prepreg. It examines the motivation and issues involved in applying feedback control to the processing of the components in an autoclave and qualitatively reviews the possible control strategies.
Mucrobial Stabilization of Plutonium in the Subsurface Environment

This report outlines the results of work performed at the Colorado School of Mines, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Texas A and M University during the second reporting phase of this project. The sub-projects focused on this year include: (1) Biotransformation of Pu-contaminated soil; (2) Environmental colloids at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site; (3) Production, isolation and characterization of EPS (exopolymeric substances, or exopolysaccharides); (4) Colloid trapping; (5) Determination of stability constants of complexes of Pu(IV) with organic ligands; and (6) The role of bacterial EPS in the transport of Pu through saturated porous media.
Is civics enough? High school civics education and young adult voter turnout

Abstract Research on civic development in schools has identified a number of promising practices for increasing civic knowledge and interest among youth. This study examines the relationship between the most promising practices and increased political engagement as a young adult, using the likelihood of voting as a proxy. By assessing nationally representative survey data using a linear probability model, I explore whether youth who take civics in high school are more likely to vote as young adults. Results show a significant positive association between taking a civics course and extracurricular participation in high school, and likelihood of voting as a young adult, even after adjusting for other determinants of civics education and voter turnout. This paper explains the significance of these findings and makes the case for the importance of high school civic education and for further exploration of the factors involved in the process.
A new way to look at an old problem: International joint venture partner selection via constrained systematic search

Abstract Although international joint ventures (IJVs) provide many benefits to multinational enterprises (MNEs), IJVs continue experiencing high dissolution rates; there is a pressing need to re-evaluate the partner selection process for IJVs. In this article, I utilize constrained systematic search (CSS) as the proposed process by which to improve the partner selection process and reduce IJV dissolution rates. CSS is a process MNEs can utilize to gain private information about potential IJV partners. The implementation of CSS can improve the success rates for an MNE entering an IJV in two ways: MNEs can more effectively identify (1) information withholding/misleading behavior of potential partners and (2) complementary resources in potential partners.
Waist size for cusps in hyperbolic 3-manifolds

Abstract The waist size of a cusp in an orientable hyperbolic 3-manifold is the length of the shortest nontrivial curve in the maximal cusp boundary generated by a parabolic isometry. A variety of results on waist size are proved. In particular, it is shown that the smallest possible waist size, which is 1, is realized only by the cusp in the figure-eight knot complement.
Short communication: Survey of hepatic copper concentrations in Midwest dairy cows.

ABSTRACT Previous research from our laboratory and others indicates that liver copper concentrations in dairy cattle are commonly well above those recognized as adequate for the nutritional needs of the animal. It has also been speculated that hepatic copper concentrations have been increasing in recent years. Unlike other species, the threshold at which elevated liver copper concentrations becomes deleterious to hepatocytes is not known for cattle. Therefore, the objectives of this study were 3-fold: (1) to delineate differences in the range and mean dry matter hepatic copper concentration for dairy cattle in a retrospective analysis (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2015), (2) to investigate hepatic copper concentrations in Midwest cull dairy cattle, and (3) to evaluate histologic changes in hepatocellular morphology in the context of copper concentration in cull cows. Furthermore, microscopic changes in hepatocellular morphology or architecture were examined and scored for evidence of inflammation, fibrosis, necrosis, and abundance of rhodanine-stained granules using hematoxylin and eosin and rhodanine staining. The retrospective analysis found copper concentrations within a range of 3 to 1,963 µg/g, with a mean of 473 µg/g. Hepatic copper concentrations in our retrospective study did not increase with time. In our abattoir analysis, copper concentrations ranged from 15 to 978 μg/g, with a mean of 390 μg/g. This study found that the range and mean hepatic copper concentrations were comparatively less in the current abattoir study than copper concentrations in our retrospective analysis. There was no evidence for hepatocellular changes associated with increased copper burdens in this study population.
Perceptual preference for falling tones over rising tones: A study of Mandarin Chinese

Typological studies have shown that there are more falling tones than rising tones in tone languages, including Chinese. We test the hypothesis that this may be due to a perceptually-based advantage for falling tones over rising tones. Two acoustically comparable (and matched for naturalness) tonal continua in Mandarin (level-falling T1-T4, and level-rising T1-T2) were created. Identification and discrimination results were obtained from 14 native Mandarin speakers. The results revealed that it is easier to identify a falling tone than a rising tone; that is, listeners require a smaller F0 difference between onset and offset to distinguish a falling tone from a level tone as compared to a rising tone from a level tone. Additionally, there are several hints of better discrimination for the falling continuum. This disagrees with our and others’ Mandarin production data, which show that the rising tone is closer to the level tone than the falling tone is, hence a production-perception dissociation. We propose that, historically, Chinese listeners’ greater sensitivity to the level-falling contrast has resulted in the preponderance of falling tones over rising tones found across Chinese languages, and this proposed explanation may be applicable to other tone languages as well.
A Low Leakage SRAM Bitcell Design Based on MOS-Type Graphene Nano-Ribbon FET

The Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) has huge impact on the overall power consumption of any digital design. SRAM consumes a significant amount of power in the idle state. Therefore, the leakage power is one of the most critical metrics in SRAM designs. This paper evaluates the standby leakage power of GNRFET based 6T SRAM bitcell and compared to 10nm FinFET based 6T SRAM bitcell. It is observed that the 10nm GNRFET based SRAMs have 16.43 times less standby leakage power compared to the 10nm FinFET based SRAMs. The paper also presents an analysis of the stability and reliability of GNRFET based 6T SRAM circuit with a reduced supply voltage of 500mV. The static noise margin (SNM), which is a critical measure of SRAM stability and reliability, is determined for hold, read and write operations of the 6T GNRFET SRAM cell. Simulations were performed in HSPICE and Cadence tools.
Quantitative Modeling of External Ventricular Drain Output to Predict Shunt Dependency in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Cohort Study.

Acute hydrocephalus is a common complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH); however, attempts to predict shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus using clinical parameters have been equivocal. Cohort study of aSAH is treated with external ventricular drainage (EVD) placement at our institution, 2001–2016, via logistic regression. EVD-related parameters included mean/total EVD output (days 0–2), EVD days, EVD days ≤ 5 mmHg, and wean/clamp fails. aSAH outcomes assessed included ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), radiographic infarction (RI), symptomatic vasospasm (SV), age, and aSAH grades. Two hundred and ten aSAH patients underwent EVD treatment for a median 12 days (range 1–54); 85 required VPS (40%). On univariate analysis, EVD output, total EVD days, EVD days ≤ 5 mmHg, and wean/clamp trial failures were significantly associated with VPS placement (p 204 ml on days 0–2 (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.31–5.07). Multiple wean failures were associated with unfavorable functional outcome, after adjusting for age, grade, and VPS placement (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.10–2.47). We developed a score incorporating age, grade and EVD parameters (MAGE) for predicting VPS placement after aSAH. EVD output parameters and wean/clamp trial failures predicted shunt dependence in an age- and grade-adjusted multivariable model. Early VPS placement may be warranted in patients with MAGE score ≥ 4, particularly following 2 failed wean trials.
Risk factors for conversion in laparoscopic and robotic rectal cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to review risk factors for conversion in a cohort of patients with rectal cancer undergoing minimally invasive abdominal surgery. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed of consecutive patients operated on from February 2005 to April 2018. Adult patients undergoing low anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection for primary rectal adenocarcinoma by a minimally invasive approach were included. Exclusion criteria were lack of research authorization, stage IV or recurrent rectal cancer, and emergency surgery. Risk factors for conversion were investigated using logistic regression. A subgroup analysis of obese patients (BMI 30 kg/m2 or more) was performed. RESULTS A total of 600 patients were included in the analysis. The overall conversion rate was 9·2 per cent. Multivariable analysis showed a 72 per cent lower risk of conversion when patients had robotic surgery (odds ratio (OR) 0·28, 95 per cent c.i. 0·15 to 0·52). Obese patients experienced a threefold higher risk of conversion compared with non-obese patients (47 versus 24·4 per cent respectively; P < 0·001). Robotic surgery was associated with a reduced risk of conversion in obese patients (OR 0·22, 0·07 to 0·71). CONCLUSION Robotic surgery was associated with a lower risk of conversion in patients undergoing minimally invasive rectal cancer surgery, in both obese and non-obese patients.
One Size Does Not Fit All: Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Colorectal Cancer.

Background and objectives Venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) in patients who have undergone a colorectal cancer operation increases morbidity and mortality, lengthens recovery time, and are costly. The current common standard is a 28-day prophylactic regimen of 40 mg enoxaparin daily. This study aims to examine the variability in prophylaxis discharge prescriptions at one institution, report 30-day postoperative incidence of venous thromboembolisms and bleeding, and to offer a new protocol for VTE prophylaxis in postoperative patients. Methods This retrospective case series occurred at Abington-Jefferson Health Hospital in Abington, PA. The electronic medical record was searched for patients who underwent an operation for colorectal cancer from October 2019 to mid-March 2020 and all discharge prophylaxis regimens were recorded and patient demographics were analyzed. Outcomes were measured by rate of VTEs and postoperative complications such as bleeding, transfusions, re-admission, and intensive care admission in the 30-day postoperative period. Results Eighteen of 57 patients received a medication besides 40 mg of enoxaparin daily. These 18 patients were divided into six different sub-groups of various prophylaxis regimens. No patients developed a venous thromboembolism. Four of 18 patients experienced postoperative bleeding complications. Conclusions Patients with similar pre-operative comorbidities have various venous thromboembolism perioperative prophylaxis regimens prescribed. Despite prescription variations, VTE rates remain negligible. Patients with different comorbid conditions may require alterations to the traditionally prescribed 40 mg enoxaparin daily. Upon discharge, aspirin 81 mg with 40 mg of enoxaparin daily for high-risk patients shows benefits, but requires further investigation.
Evidence-Based Use of Cognitive Testing for Academic Interventions: A Critical Appraisal of Meta-Analytic Methodologies

Research suggests Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) are directly linked to specific neurocognitive deficits that result in unexpected learning delays in academic domains for children in schools. However, meta-analytic studies have failed to find supporting evidence for using neurocognitive tests and, consequently, have discouraged their inclusion in SLD identification policies. The current study critically reviews meta-analytic findings and the methodological validity of over 200 research studies used in previous meta-analytic studies to estimate the causal effect of neurocognitive tests on intervention outcomes. Results suggest that only a very small percentage (6 – 12%) of studies used in previous meta-analytic studies were methodologically valid to estimate a direct effect of cognitive tests on academic intervention outcomes, with the majority of studies having no causal link between neurocognitive tests and intervention outcomes. Additionally, significant reporting discrepancies and inaccurate effect size estimates were found that warranted legitimate concerns for conclusions and policy recommendations provided in several meta-analytic studies. Given the lack of methodological rigor linking cognitive testing to academic interventions in current research, removing neurocognitive testing from learning disability evaluations may be premature. Suggestions for future studies evaluating the impact of neurocognitive tests on intervention outcomes as well as guidelines for synthesizing meta-analytic findings are discussed.
Neighborhood Poverty and Adverse Childhood Experiences over the First 15 Years of Life

This study examines the relationship between neighborhood-level poverty and the likelihood of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) across the first 15 years of a child’s life. Using data from six waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 4,898), we employ Poisson and logit regression to examine the extent to which neighborhood-level poverty is associated with increased likelihood of ACEs. We find that above and beyond the impact of individual-level economic hardship, neighborhoods with high levels of poverty (between 20 and 39.9% residents living under the federal poverty level) and concentrated poverty (greater than 40% of residents living under the federal poverty level) at the time of birth are associated with an increased number of ACEs reported by age 15. Further, living in a neighborhood with concentrated poverty at the time of birth is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing 4 or more ACEs.
Reconsidering methods for automatic speech processing: The case of the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system

Starting around a decade ago, the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system for automatic speech processing began to be used widely by both researchers and clinicians in order to derive estimates of numbers of adult words or child vocalizations during day-long audio recordings in naturalistic environments. Widespread adoption was spurred in part by a number of studies of correlational evidence of LENA’s reliability. However, confidence in reliable and valid measurement of metrics of conversational interactions entails consideration of both true accuracy (cf. false positive and false negative rates) for frame-based classification, as well as variability in error rates in counts of communicative vocalizations. This talk reviews evidence indicating highly variable error rates across naturalistic recordings for both frame-based classification and counts of communicative vocalizations. Such findings prompt reconsideration of conditions under which LENA can be used with confidence of both high reliability and high validity for measuring communicative interactions.
Estimating and Tracking Marketing Effectiveness Using Adaptive Models

This paper presents a methodology for creating adaptive high fidelity market response models that enable the measurement and tracking of the effectiveness of a firm’s marketing interventions over long time horizons. The methodology uses log-linear models with latent classes and moving horizon based estimation to account for (a) changes in the effectiveness of the marketing interventions used by the firm, and (b) the changes in the competitive landscape caused by the addition and deletion of stock-keeping units. The methodology is well suited for use within marketing decision support systems, especially in the consumer packaged goods sector where new product introduction, pricing and marketing actions change the competitive landscape regularly. The performance of the proposed methodology was tested at two Fortune 500 firms and the results indicate that parameter estimates are efficient, stable, and most importantly, the quality of the estimates does not deteriorate over time even in dynamic market conditions.
Pre-Hearing Techniques to Promote Speed and Cost-Effec tiveness--Some Thou ghts Concerning Arbitral Process Design

This essay considers factors and pre-hearing techniques that bear on international arbitration hearings by attempting to answer this question: "What can be done to promote speed and efficiency in the hearing process?" First, it offers general observations, including the goals and by-products of efficiency, issues related to defining terms and frames of reference, the flexibility of arbitration practice techniques, and the role of technology in arbitration proceedings. Then, it discusses specific factors that influence the expeditiousness of arbitration, especially the arbitration clause and its use to define critical elements of the proceedings, such as situs, number of arbitrators, and time restrictions. The article then discusses the effect of oral vs. written submissions (simultaneous or otherwise) and the issuance of post-hearing briefs on the efficiency of the proceedings. This is followed by discussions of the benefits of pre-hearing conferences, issues related to stipulations and presumptions that narrow the scope of the controversy, and the handling of documents, including core collections, agreed bundles, and other documentary consolidations. Next, the article discusses the advantages of adjudicative and collaborative narrowing of the controversy, including bifurcation and summary judgment. The final section briefly discusses the advocate's mantra-hope for the best and prepare for the worst. The article concludes with a bibliography of related sources.
Visiting policies in pediatrics: Parents' perceptions and preferences

Abstract To establish a data base for providing nursing care that is family-centered, parents of 30 hospitalized infants and children were interviewed. The in-depth interviews focused on parents' perceptions and preferences regarding visiting policies in pediatrics. Parents articulated a variety of factors influencing their opinions on visiting policies, such as the visitor's relationship to the child, the seriousness of the illness, the anticipated length of stay, the age of the child, and the health status of the visitor. All parents felt that parents should be encouraged to visit and stay overnight. Implications for nursing include attention to individualizing visiting policies according to parent preferences.
Specifying and enforcing a multi-policy paradigm for high assurance multi-enclave systems

One fundamental key to successful implementation of secure high assurance computer systems is the design and implementation of security policies. For systems enforcing multiple concurrent policies, the design and implementation is a challenging and difficult task. To simplify this task, we present an Inter-Enclave Multi-Policy (IEMP) paradigm for information access of the Multiple Independent Levels of Security and Safety (MILS) approach to high assurance system design for security-and safety-critical multi-enclave systems. The IEMP paradigm manages multiple security policies (i.e., controls the conflicts and cooperation of policies of different enclaves) within heterogeneous systems. IEMPs are “policies about policies” that ensure the enforcement of end-to-end mandatory information flow security policies, where the management and evolution of policies can be separated from applications. Although the approach was initially designed for use in the MILS architecture, based on the concept of a separation kernel, it is applicable to a much broader range of architectures.
Eye histology of the Tytoona cave sculpin: Eye loss evolves slower than enhancement of mandibular pores in cave fish?

Despite the presence of caves in northern latitudes above 40–50oN that would typically be considered suitable environments for cave-adapted fish, stygobiotic fish are absent from these locations (Romero and Paulsen 2001; Proudlove 2001). One factor that likely hindered the distribution of cavefish in these areas was the migration of polar ice sheets during the Wisconsinan Period, which occurred approximately 20,000 years ago. The glaciers covered the majority of the Northern Hemisphere until about 12,000 years ago, making many caves in the region uninhabitable for fish until the period ended (Flint 1971).
Liver fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease

Excessive alcohol consumption causes a wide spectrum of liver disease, ranging from simple steatosis to severe forms of liver injury such as steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Moreover, alcohol consumption also accelerates liver fibrosis in patients with other types of liver diseases such as viral hepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Virtually all clinical complications of alcoholic liver disease occur in patients with established fibrosis and cirrhosis, thus making fibrosis a key parameter for treatment and prognosis of patients. Here, the authors review diagnosis, management, and antifibrotic therapy of alcoholic liver fibrosis. They discuss both the unique features of alcoholic liver fibrosis and the similarities to liver fibrosis from other etiologies, and review molecular pathogenesis and animal models. Finally, future directions for basic and clinical research on alcoholic liver fibrosis are proposed.
Substance Use and Abuse: Screening Tools and Assessment Instruments

In recent years, accountability has become a primary issue in the social services field. Accurate assessments of clients’ strengths and difficulties are essential for effective case management, treatment, and accountability. Technology is now available to assist workers in assessing clients and in referring those clients for effective interventions. Screening instruments, in particular, equip the worker with the fundamental tools necessary for accurate assessment. An inaccurate assessment, or lack of assessment, regardless of what powerful techniques the change agent possesses, results in ineffective, irrelevant, or duplicated interventions.
Spatial Filtering in Sensor Networks with Computation Codes

A data collection problem in sensor networks is formulated in which the number of channel uses per source sample is greater than one. An example of this problem is given in which the objective of the data collector is to compute a filtered and downsampled version of the sensor field. In this regime, it is shown that uncoded transmission is not appropriate and that strategies based on separating source and channel coding perform poorly. By using a novel coding strategy based on computation codes, the power-distortion tradeoff becomes more favorable than that from separation.
Effect of lens aberration on oblique-illumination stepper system

In this paper, detailed simulation and some experimental studies on stepper lens aberration effect in the case of oblique illumination source are presented. The results are compared to that of conventional illumination source. Due to the unique feature of oblique illumination source imaging, i.e., imaging by using only zero and first diffraction order light, both stepper resolution limit and depth of focus (DOF) are extended. As a result, the effect of lens aberration in resist printing are also different from that of conventional illumination source. Unlike the conventional illumination source, the net effect of stepper lens aberration in resist printing depends not only on both the amount and type of the lens aberration, but also on the mask feature pattern. In the case of lens distortion, unlike the other types of lens aberration, the oblique illumination source does not show any improvement as compared to that of conventional illumination source. It does not show pattern dependent distortion either. In the experiment, an effect of a stepper lens aberration in resist printing for both conventional illumination and quadrapole illumination sources (mostly astigmatism) were measured. The results were in agreement with our simulation results.
Immunological identification of rat tissue kallikrein cDNA and characterization of the kallikrein gene family.

A tissue kallikrein cDNA was identified by direct immunological screening with affinity-purified anti-rat tissue kallikrein antibody from a rat submandibular cDNA library constructed with the expression vector pUC8. Sequence analysis of the kallikrein cDNA revealed an encoded protein 97% homologous to the partial amino acid sequence of rat submandibular kallikrein. This cDNA was used to hybrid-select kallikrein-specific RNA from submandibular gland. Translation of the hybrid-selected RNA in a cell-free assay system resulted in the production of a 37 kDa peptide representing the preproenzyme. In addition, hybrid-selection of RNA under less stringent conditions showed cross-hybridization with other submandibular gland mRNA species. In correlation with these results, analysis of rat genomic DNA showed extensive hybridization, suggesting a family of closely related kallikrein-like genes. Consequently, a Charon 4A rat genomic library was screened for kallikrein genes by hybridization with rat tissue kallikrein cDNA. Thirty-four clones were isolated and found to be highly homologous by hybridization and restriction enzymes analyses. Fourteen unique clones were identified by restriction enzyme site polymorphisms within DNA segments which hybridized to the kallikrein cDNA probe and it was estimated that at least 17 different kallikrein-like genes are present in the rat. Sequence and structural analysis of one of the genomic clones revealed a gene structure similar to that of other serine proteinases. Comparison of the partially sequenced exon regions of the gene with the sequence of rat tissue kallikrein cDNA reveals 89% identity when aligned for the greatest homology. However, the genomic sequence predicts termination codons in all three translational reading frames, implying that this gene is nonfunctional, i.e., a pseudogene. Comparison of the rat genomic sequence to a kallikrein-like gene from the mouse reveals extensive preservation of exons, less identity within introns and no significant homology between extragenic regions.
Chronic Pain Management in Older Adults: Special Considerations

The rising prevalence of neuropathic pain and the multifaceted sequelae of pain particularly within older adults are part of the increasing challenges in providing good geriatric pain management. Aging can lead to a higher sensitivity to pain within older adults, whereas physiological changes modify the absorption, bioavailability, and transit time of pharmaceutical agents. Ultimately, these differences within older adults require clinicians treating them to provide individually tailored analgesic approaches. Progressive age increases the variance in physiology among people; thus, the management approach should reflect an individual's unique requirements and limitations based on findings at the time of assessment.
Mould and mycotoxin contamination of stored corn in Turkey.

A total of 167 corn samples, including imported and locally grown corn, were obtained from various regions and store houses in Turkey and surveyed for mould occurrence and mycotoxin content. The mould contamination level was 105 — 106 colonies/g.A. flavus, A. niger, F. oxyporum, P. variable, andRhizopus spp. However, the dominant flora showed significant differences between the imported and domestic corns. Afiatoxin B1 was found in 16 % of the samples ranging from 2–74μg/kg. Ochratoxin A and sterigmatocystin were found at minimum detection levels. Mycotoxin production characteristics of mould isolates were also determined.
Saving for Retirement Without Harming Others

This article discusses moral issues raised by defined contribution retirement plans, specifically 401(k) plans in the United States. The primary aim is to defend the claim that the federal government ought to require 401(k) plans to include a range of socially responsible investment (SRI) options. The analysis begins with the minimal assumption that corporations engage in behavior that imposes morally impermissible harms on others with sufficient regularity to warrant attention. After motivating this assumption, I argue that individual investors typically share in the responsibility for the harms imposed by corporations in which they invest, and that they therefore have a moral obligation to incorporate considerations of social responsibility into their investment decisions, when possible, to avoid being complicit in morally impermissible corporate behavior. I further argue that individuals are subject to substantial institutional and structural pressures that create a powerful incentive to invest in 401(k) plans, even though such plans typically lack any SRI options. To eliminate this pressure to commit indirect harm in the process of saving for retirement, I recommend that the federal government requires 401(k) plans to incorporate a range of SRI options, and I defend this proposal from several possible objections.
Evaluating a Cross-Continent EU Simulation.

Assessment of learning outcomes and evaluation of teaching methods are necessary in order to ensure that students are learning the lessons that faculty believe they are conveying. Quantitative data on the effectiveness of various pedagogical methods allows faculty to make adjustments to classes over time. Regular assessment of student learning outcomes allows for the collection of hard data in order to show the effectiveness of teaching techniques and activities. A pre- and posttest survey was administered to participants in EuroSim 2007, a cross-continent EU simulation run by the Trans-Atlantic Consortium for European Union Studies and Simulations (TACEUSS). This paper analyzes the results of those surveys and examines the ability of evaluation/assessment surveys to capture the effectiveness of simulations in promoting affective learning and discovering changes in patterns of student interactions as outlined by Greenblat (1973). Preliminary results indicate support for the argument that simulations spur ...