cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resolving Information Asymmetries in Supply Chains: The Role of Certified Management Programs

In this paper, I conduct one of the first evaluations of a voluntary management program that features an independent verification mechanism to determine whether it is achieving its ultimate objectives. Using a sample of thousands of manufacturing facilities across the United States, I find evidence that the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard has attracted companies with superior environmental performance, and that adoption leads to further performance improvement. This contrasts sharply with findings from prior evaluations of voluntary management programs that lacked verification mechanisms. This suggests that independent verification mechanisms such as certification may be necessary for voluntary management programs to mitigate information asymmetries surrounding difficult-to-observe management practices. Implications are discussed for the industry-associations, government agencies, and the non-governmental organizations that design these programs, the companies that are investing resources to adopt these programs, and those that are relying on them as a credible signal of superior management practices. The substantial variation in magnitude and significance of the results across comparison groups and performance metrics highlights the need for researchers to conduct robustness tests when evaluating voluntary management programs.
Advances in Concussion Research: An Applied Research Area With Significant Implications for the Future Conduct of Brain Science

The articles in this special issue are an outgrowth of the second annual meeting of the CIC/Big Ten/Ivy League Traumatic Brain Injury Summit that was held in Philadelphia on July 16 and 17, 2014. T...
BODY AND SERUM POTASSIUM IN LIVER DISEASE. I. RELATIONSHIP TO HEPATIC FUNCTION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS.

Summary Serial determinations of exchangeable potassium and ratios derived from it in the same patient or comparisons of total exchangeable potassium to total body water (K E : TBW ) with anticipated normal values for the groups studied appeared the most valid methods of assessing body potassium stores in patients with viral hepatitis or cirrhosis. Reductions of body exchangeable potassium approximating 500 mEq were found in a high proportion of patients with hepatitis or cirrhosis. Low values are present particularly in patients with severely impaired hepatic function, and repletion with potassium supplements can rarely be achieved in this group. Changes in body exchangeable potassium are unrelated to those in serum potassium concentrations during the course of hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Potential clinical utilities of prostate cancer risk-associated SNPs

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common solid organ malignancy affecting American men and the second leading cause of cancer related death. Recently, more than 30 PCa risk-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been discovered from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). These risk-associated SNPs have been consistently replicated in multiple case-control study populations of European descent. Although each of these SNPs is only moderately associated with PCa risk, a genetic score based on a combination of risk-associated SNPs can be used to identify men at high risk for PCa. However, these results were obtained from case-control studies which have several significant limitations. The validity of these genetic associations, the relative performance of genetic markers for PCa risk prediction compared to existing clinical variables such as PSA, and more importantly, whether genetic markers add value to existing clinical variables, are key questions that need to be addressed in well-controlled prospective studies prior to their consideration for clinical use. In this presentation, I will present the findings of PCa risk prediction using multiple risk-associated SNPs. I will also discuss our effort to assess clinical validity and clinical utility of these genetic markers in the Reduction by DUtasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) study, a large randomized clinical trial. All men in the REDUCE trial had a negative biopsy at baseline and were followed-up for four years, with scheduled not-for-cause (i.e. regardless of PSA levels and other clinical indications) prostate biopsies at years 2 and 4. Therefore, this study design minimizes the potential impact of PSA detection bias on associations between PCa risk and SNPs. In addition, because it is a clinical trial, a number of clinical variables, such as free/total PSA ratio and prostate volume were measured at baseline using a standardized protocol. Therefore, it allows us to compare performance of genetic markers and existing clinical variables in predicting positive prostate biopsy in the same study. Finally, the study design allows us to assess whether genomic-targeted chemoprevention, based on estimated risk from genetic markers, can improve efficacy of chemoprevention. This study represents an important next and critical step towards an assessment of the potential clinical utility of genetic markers.
The influence of achievement goals on the constructive activity of low achievers during collaborative problem solving.

Background. Previous research on small-group learning has found that level of constructive activity (solving or explaining how to solve problems using ideas stated or implied in the explanation provided by a partner) was a better predictor of post-test achievement than either a student's prior achievement or the quality of help received (Webb, Troper, & Fall, 1995). Aims. The purpose of this study was to extend this research by examining the influence of additional factors, in particular, achievement goals and comprehension monitoring, on low achieving students' constructive activity after receiving help from a high achieving peer. Sample. Thirty-two low achieving upper elementary students from an urban school district in the mid-west of the United States were paired with high achieving partners. Methods. Videotape data from a previously reported study on peer collaboration were transcribed and reanalyzed. In that study, dyads were randomly assigned instructions designed to induce either a learning or performance goal and were videotaped as they worked together to solve a set of mathematical word problems. The following day, students were individually post-tested on problems similar to the ones worked on in pairs. Results. Consistent with previous research, low achieving students' level of constructive activity predicted post-test performance. In addition, constructive activity was found to mediate the relationship between achievement goals and learning. However, achievement goals were not related to low achievers constructive use of help. Instead, achievement goals were related to low achievers' relative accuracy in comprehension monitoring, which in turn was related to level of constructive activity. Conclusions. The meaning of these results for understanding the processes by which low achievers learn from peer help and implications for classroom practice are discussed.
The integral role of triacyl glycerols in the biosynthesis of the aldehydic sex pheromones of Manduca sexta (L.)

In a gland located near the tip of their abdomens, Manduca sexta females produce a pheromone blend comprised of hexadecanal, (Z)-9-hexadecenal, (Z)- and (E)-11-hexadecenal, (E,Z)- and (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienal, and (E,E,Z)- and (E,E,E)-10,12,14-hexadecatrienal. These aldehydes are produced and released by evaporation from the surface of the gland only during a discrete period of the night. They are not stored in the gland and are found there only in very small amounts, if at all, during other times of the photoperiod. However, fatty acyl analogues of the pheromone aldehydes are present in the gland in relatively large amounts, primarily as components of triacyl glycerols, continuously from eclosion of the adults until death. The unsaturated components are produced from hexadecanoate, which is desaturated to the monoenes. Then, (Z)-11-hexadecenoate is desaturated and isomerized to form the conjugated dienes and ultimately the conjugated trienes. The fatty acyl precursors of the pheromones, stored as components of triacyl glycerols, are converted into aldehydes by a process triggered by a pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), produced in the brain-subesophageal complex. It is not yet clear whether this conversion involves direct reduction of the acyl groups to aldehydes or reduction to alcohols followed by oxidation to aldehydes.
The effect of illumination on the 10.6 μm absorption coefficient of electron-irradiated single crystal KCl

Single crystal KCl samples were irradiated with 1 MeV electrons at a dose rate of approximately 3.3 × 105 R/s while being simultaneously illuminated with F-band light. Measurements of the 10.6 μm absorption coefficient after each exposure indicated that the induced change in infrared absorption was significantly higher for samples exposed to F-light during irradiation compared with that observed for samples irradiated in the dark. The increase noted in the 10.6 μm absorption coefficient has been shown to be correlated with increasing densities of M-centers. Bleaching experiments performed after irradiation confirmed the fact that the largest changes in 10.6 μm absorption could be associated with the presence of M-centers. Other F-aggregate centers introduced during bleaching exerted a small but measurable influence on the absorption at 10.6 μm. Kaliumchlorid-Einkristalle wurden mit 1 MeV-Elektronen einer Dosis von annahernd 3,3 × 105 R/s bestrahlt. Gleichzeitig wurden die Proben mit Licht der F-Bande beleuchtet. Messungen des Absorptionskoeffizienten bei 10,6 μm nach jeder Bestrahlung zeigen, das die hervorgerufene Anderung der Infrarotabsorption bedeutend groser ist fur Proben, die wahrend der Bestrahlung dem F-Licht ausgesetzt waren als fur solche, die im Dunkeln bestrahlt wurden. Es wird gezeigt, das die Zunahme des Absorptionskoeffizienten bei 10,6 μm mit der zunehmenden Dichte der M-Zentren in Zusammenhang steht. Nach der Bestrahlung werden Bleichversuche durchgefuhrt; sie bestatigten, das die grosten Veranderungen der Absorption bei 10,6 μm mit der Anwesenheit von M-Zentren verbunden sind. Andere F-Aggregatzentren, die wahrend des Bleichen entstanden waren, ubten auf die Absorption bei 10,6 μm einen geringen, jedoch mesbaren Einflus aus.
Bone to Total Alkaline Phosphatase Ratios Improve Sensitivity and Specificity of Bone Alkaline Phosphatase Immunoassays

Abstract Objectives: Evaluate the ability of two bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP B ) immunoassays (Ostase, Hybritech Inc and Alkphase-B, Metra Biosystems) to clinically differentiate between osseous and non-osseous ALP sources. Design and Methods: Specimens from patients with either liver or bone disease (Paget’s disease or metastatic cancer) were analyzed by both methods. Results: There was a good correlation between these two assays. Values for ALP B , whether determined as a concentration by the Ostase assay or as an activity by the Alkphase-B assay, were similar for subjects with liver disease or bone disease. However, total ALP (ALP T ) activity was higher in liver disease compared to bone. When ALP B was expressed in relation to ALP T , ratios were significantly greater in subjects with bone disease than in those with liver disease. ALP B /ALP T ratios improved the specificity of the Ostase assay from 52% to 86% and the Alkphase-B assay from 58% to 74%. Conclusions: These two ALP B assays have good analytical performance and their clinical utility can be enhanced by expressing ALP B values in relation to ALP T activity.
Conflict in Africa

In the half century since independence, the African continent has experienced intra- and interstate wars, failed and collapsed states, stagnant economies, and genocide. Thus, the question of security in Africa remains of great interest to scholars and policymakers alike. This article provides a broad overview of the major historical, political, economic, and cultural factors that have contributed to violent conflict in contemporary Africa by assessing these factors on a systemic, national, and individual level, while including in the analysis the impact of globalization processes on security.
The Poetics of Indeterminacy: Corneille's Le Cid

This article theorizes that it was an aesthetic motivation that prompted Corneille to leave Le Cid open-ended, despite his assertion in the 1660 examen that it was respect for the bienseances that obliged him to close the tragedy on such an uncertain note. While moral reservations may have played a role, surely an artist as committed to his craft as Corneille was motivated by some overriding aesthetic goal as well. In consequence, Chimene's defiance at the play's end must be viewed as an integral component of the tragedy and not just a reflection of the author's reluctance to violate dramaturgical precepts. I argue that by leaving the denouement in doubt, Corneille draws deliberate attention to his aesthetic manipulation of the well-known historical/literary precedent. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, his aesthetic manipulation of history shields Chimene's heroism from the quotidian reality of degradation and devolution that are the defining traits of non-aesthetic realities.
Child maltreatment fatalities in children under 5: Findings from the National Violence Death Reporting System.

Abstract Objective To describe the distribution of child maltreatment fatalities of children under 5 by age, sex, race/ethnicity, type of maltreatment, and relationship to alleged perpetrator using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). Study design Two independent coders reviewed information from death certificates, medical examiner and police reports corresponding to all deaths in children less than 5 years of age reported to NVDRS in 16 states. Results Of the 1,374 deaths for children under 5 reported to NVDRS, 600 were considered attributable to child maltreatment. Over a half of the 600 victims of child maltreatment in this age group were under 1 year old, 59% were male, 42% non-Hispanic Whites, and 38% were non-Hispanic Blacks. Two thirds of child maltreatment fatalities in children under 5 were classified as being due to abusive head trauma (AHT), 27.5% as other types of physical abuse, and 10% as neglect. Based on these data, fathers or their substitutes were significantly more likely than mothers to be identified as alleged perpetrators for AHT and other types of physical abuse, while mothers were more likely to be assigned responsibility for neglect. Conclusions Among children under 5 years, children under 1 are the main age group contributing to child maltreatment fatalities in the NVDRS. AHT is the main cause of death in these data. These findings are limited by underascertainment of cases and fair inter-rater reliability of coding. Practice implications The findings suggest the need to develop and evaluate interventions targeting AHT to reduce the overall number of child maltreatment deaths in young children. These interventions should make special efforts to include fathers and their substitutes.
Echocardiography in coronary artery disease

Echocardiography has a major role in the evaluation of patients with CAD. To obtain the maximal amount of information using this technique, certain basic principles relating to regional myocardial mechanics during ischemia and flow-function relations are required. In addition, a detailed knowledge of cardiac anatomy and the three-dimensional orientation of the heart within the chest cavity is required to access meaningful information from two-dimensional planes. Furthermore, skill is also required in acquiring data in proper imaging planes and in separating true (actual pathology) from the false (artifacts, etc.). Echocardiography is not a "mature" technology. It is still developing and it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the advances. However, keeping abreast of these developments is essential to fully exploit the advantages of this technique. In addition, knowledge of the ever-changing aspects of CAD is required in order to correctly interpret visual information in context of a particular patient. Finally, more clinical studies are needed to further define the role of echocardiographic techniques in patients with CAD.
The Retention of Water-soluble Compounds during Freeze-Substitution and Microautoradiography.

Freeze-substitution and Epon embedment were quantitatively evaluated for their effectiveness in retaining water-soluble metabolites in plant tissues. Roughly 99% of the 80% (v/v) ethanol-extractable radioactivity in photosynthetically labeled soybean leaf discs and in petiole fragments containing translocated 14C was retained during freeze-substitution in acetone or propylene oxide and embedment in Epon. Substantially more activity was lost from 14C-sucrose-infiltrated pith blocks, but most or all of this loss came from the block surface. The procedure was effective for a sucrose concentration as low as 0.004%. Sections floated on water retained most of their 14C-sucrose, and high resolution autoradiographs could easily be prepared without resorting to dry procedures. Embedded 14C-sucrose was apparently chemically unreactive, since there was no loss of radioactivity when sections were stained with the periodic acid-Schiff reagent, nor did the embedded sucrose show staining.
Two Leibnizian manuscripts of 1690 concerning differential equations

Abstract Leibniz was very interested in developing techniques for the solution of differential equations. In 1690 he elaborated two manuscripts in which he employed the technique of separating variables. Thus he had to evaluate the logarithm of negative numbers. The present article consists mainly of a critical edition, English translation, and a commentary on these two interesting manuscripts.
Granulocyte Yields Using the Haemonetics 30

. The factors of donor selection, corticosteroid drug choice, dose, timing and route of administration were studied to optimize granulocyte yield employing the Haemonetics Model 30 Blood Processor. Our data suggest that donors giving one excellent yield do not necessarily do so again. Donors with high initial granulocyte counts had only marginal increases in counts after taking corticosteroids. Selecting donors on the basis of high previous yield or granulocyte count is not a feasible strategy for improving granulocyte yields. Highest yields of granulocytes (16times1o9 total; 4.1times109/liter processed) were obtained with any of four split-dose corticosteroid regimen. This increment is almost twice as large as the previously reported improvement using continuous-flow centrifugation. The choice of steroid, the route of administration and the timing of the split doses are not critical.
Delving into the meaning of productive reflection: A study of future teachers' reflections on representations of teaching

Abstract This study incorporated multiple methods of analysis to explore the productivity of future teachers' reflections after viewing animations as representations of algebra instruction. Two groups of future teachers posted their reflections on an asynchronous, electronic discussion board with no instructor scaffolding. The productivity of the reflections varied depending on whether their content, connectedness, or complexity was considered. This highlights the need to consider reflection as a multidimensional construct. The role of teacher educators and the benefits of using animations to facilitate productive reflection by future teachers are considered. In addition, the studying and reporting of reflection data are also discussed.
Spectroscopic detection of abnormality in chicken liver as an inspection tool

Successful differentiation of normal chicken livers from septicemic chicken livers was demonstrated using visible/near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectral data subjected to principal component analysis and then fed into a feedforward back-propagation neural network. The study used 300 fresh chicken livers, 150 collected from normal chicken carcasses and 150 collected from chicken carcasses diagnosed with the septicemica/toxemia (septox) condition as defined for condemnation under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards for food safety. Using a training set of 200 samples and testing set of 100 samples, the best neural network model demonstrated a classification accuracy of 98% for normal samples and 94% for septicemia/toxemia samples. These results show that Vis/NIR spectral methods have potential for use in chicken liver inspection as part of automated online systems for food safety inspection. Liver abnormalities are identifying characteristics of the septox condition; consequently, liver screening would be extremely useful as part of an automated inspection system to meet USDA food safety requirements for poultry. Automated inspection systems capable of real-time on-line operation are currently being developed, and spectroscopic liver inspection is potential tool that could be implemented as part of such systems to help poultry processors increase production while meeting food safety inspection requirements.
Straddling the line: cooperative and non-cooperative strategies for management of Bering Sea pollock

The eastern Bering Sea fishery for pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, yields a first wholesale value over $1 billion; it is the premier US fishery. While there is general agreement that this fishery is managed under principles that foster sustainability, the stock is not wholly contained within the US Exclusive Economic Zone. Management of straddling stocks can be highly contentious, particularly when, as is the case for pollock, the spatial distribution varies considerably. When the center of pollock abundance shifts to the northwest, an increased portion of the stock is exposed to harvest by vessels operating in the Russian Federation Exclusive Economic Zone. The lack of coordination in the management of this transboundary stock presents a risk that is not reflected in current management strategies. We use a multiple product/multiple market bioeconomic model to characterize optimal cooperative and non-cooperative harvest management strategies from the perspective of US and Russian pollock fisheries under environmentally induced changes in pollock abundance and the distribution of that abundance.
Discovery Modes-A Criterion for Teaching.

(1969). Discovery modes a criterion for teaching. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 8, Insights - Collection of Articles, pp. 25-30.
The intrinsically broad superconducting to normal transition in organic superconductors

Abstract Although organic superconductors such as κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2 are in the clean limit, the superconducting transition is intrinsically broad (e.g. ∼1 K wide for Tc≈10 K). We propose that this is due to the extreme anisotropy of these materials, which greatly exacerbates the statistical effects of fluctuations.
U.S. Government Health Literacy Tools

Health literacy tools that provide reliable information about healthy living can be found at Healthfinder.gov. Healthfinder.gov, which is a federal government Web site, is financially supported by the U.S. government rather than paid advertisements. The content is written in a plain, easy-to-read language, which makes this an ideal tool for those with limited literacy skills. The tools at Healthfinder.gov may increase the likelihood of users understanding the connection between a healthy lifestyle and healthy outcomes. This may empower users to make informed decisions regarding health issues, improve health literacy rates, improve health outcomes, and decrease health care costs.
Polygenic eruptions on Alba Patera, Mars

A combination of photogeologic mapping, analysis of Viking Orbiter thermal inertia data, and numerical modelling of eruption conditions has permitted us to construct a new model for the evolution of the martian volcano Alba Patera. Numerous digitate channel networks on the flanks of the volcano are interpreted to be carved by sapping due to the release of non-juvenile water from unconsolidated flank deposits. Using the thermal inertia measurements, we estimate the particle size of these deposits to be 3–10 µm, which, together with theoretical modelling of the disperison of explosively derived volcanic materials, leads us to conclude that the flank deposits on Alba Patera are low-relief pyroclastic flows. The recognition of numerous late-stage summit and sub-terminal lava flows thus makes Alba Patera a unique martian volcano that is transitional between the older pyroclastic-dominated highland paterae and the more recent effusive central-vent volcanoes such as the Tharsis Montes.
Heat-transfer measurements in the moving-wire technique for studying polymer flammability

Abstract A new technique was developed for measuring the laminar forced-convective heat-transfer coefficient from a hot gas to a wire, even in the presence of concurrent radiant heating. The method is especially suited for applications to the moving-wire technique (MWT) for studying polymer combustion [1]. In the MWT, a polymer is first coated on a fine wire (or fiberglass yarn) and then pulled in the direction of its axis across the O 2 -rich wake of a premixed gas-burner flame. The technique produces a steady polymer flame convenient for chemical studies. The heat-transfer coefficient from the burner flame to the coated wire can be measured by pulling a comparably sized wire thermocouple across the burner in the same way. Its rate of temperature rise determines the heat-transfer coefficient. Heat transfer was measured in three steady laboratory-scale heat sources. The first was a stream of hot N 2 , in which it was shown that the measured value of the coefficient was consistent with correlations in the literature, thus validating the technique. Measurements were then made in the wake of a CH 4 O 2 flame, and inside a blackbody oven, where radiation and convection both occurred.
Use of a dual monoclonal solid phase and a polyclonal detector to create an immunoassay for the detection of human cardiac troponin I.

Abstract Objectives: We report the development of a fully automated, random access, chemiluminescent immunoassay, for the detection of human cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) in serum and plasma for use on the ACS:180® System. Design and methods: This assay format uses a combination of two monoclonal antibodies covalently coupled to paramagnetic (PMP) particles as a solid phase and an affinity purified polyclonal antibody, specific to the N-terminal domain of cTnI (peptide-3 region) labeled with a chemiluminescent compound as the detector antibody. The assay offers excellent low-end sensitivity and precision. Results: No interferences are observed from by blood components such as HAMA and drugs used in cardiac therapy. Patient samples tested on the ACS:180 cTnI assay showed good correlation with the Stratus cTnI assay (ACS: cTnI = 1.02∗Stratus + 0.05 g/L, r = 0.96, n = 1170). Conclusion: Paired with the other ACS:180 cardiac assays, myoglobin and CKMBII, the ACS:180 system now offers an excellent panel of cardiac assay for use in rapid and accurate diagnosis of a myocardial event.
Dopamine DRD2/Cys311 is not associated with chronic schizophrenia

A mutation in the DRD2 receptor gene has been reported in association with schizophrenia in Japanese and Caucasian populations. The variation, Ser to Cys at codon 311, occurs in the third intracellular loop of the receptor and is therefore putatively functional. We report the results of screening US Caucasian schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic populations. We detected the occurrence of the DRD2 Cys311 variant in both schizophrenics and controls. Our data demonstrates no significant difference between the frequency of Cys311 in Caucasian schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic populations, indicating no association with schizophrenia.
Enantioselective syntheses of FR901464 and spliceostatin A: potent inhibitors of spliceosome.

Enantioselective syntheses of FR901464 and spliceostatin A, potent spliceosome inhibitors, are described. The synthesis of FR901464 has been accomplished in a convergent manner in 10 linear steps (20 total steps). The A-tetrahydropyran ring was constructed from (R)-isopropylidene glyceraldehyde. The functionalized tetrahydropyran B-ring was synthesized utilizing a Corey–Bakshi–Shibata reduction, an Achmatowicz reaction, and a stereoselective Michael addition as the key steps. Coupling of A- and B-ring fragments was accomplished via cross-metathesis.
Strengthening and proof testing of siliconised SiC

Experimental tests were conducted to show the degree of strengthening that can be produced in siliconized SiC by a 10 h or less, 1200° C, prestress that also serves as a proof test. A 1200° C, 10 h prestress at 86% of the room-temperature strength results in more than a 25% increase in the room-temperature strength. A similar strengthening effect occurs for bonded siliconized SiC butt joints. The Weibull distribution can be used to treat the strength populations including those that are truncated by the prestress/proof test or additional proof testing.
Computerized conferencing for knowledge acquisition from multiple experts

Abstract The increasing complecity of many expert system application areas calls for the integration of the knowledge of multiple experts. The use of multiple experts introduces some interesting new problems during the process of knowledge acquisition. The problems are further complicated when the experts are geographically dispersed or unavailable for face-to-face interactions. This article discusses the motivations for acquiring the knowledge of multiple experts, the problems related to knowledge acquisition, new issues that arise whens multiple experts interact, solutions that can be brought to bear in building multiple expert systems (particularly when experts are geographically dispersed), and new tools for knowledge engineers to use when dealing with multiple experts.
Oligopeptide sequence analysis by collision-activated dissociation of multiply charged ions.

Collision-activated dissociation of an [M + 2H]2+ ion from a tryptic peptide of molecular weight 2315.3 provides sets of overlapping fragments that allow the amino acid sequence of this peptide to be determined on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer having a mass range of 1800 Da.
Fixation of Distal Humerus Fractures: Principles and Biomechanics

Satisfactory outcome of intraarticular distal humerus fractures depends on anatomic joint restoration and stable fracture fixation to allow early motion. Orthogonal constructs (medial plate on medial column and posterior plate on lateral column) and parallel constructs (medial plate on medial column and lateral plate on lateral column) have been proposed for fixation of these fractures. However, the optimal configuration remains controversial. There are no clinical studies comparing these constructs and existing biomechanical studies had methodological limitations and reported conflicting results.© 2009 ASME
Identification and physical characterization of yeast glucoamylase structural genes.

Each one of at least three unlinked STA loci (STA1, STA2 and STA3), in the genome of Saccharomyces diastaticus controls starch hydrolysis by coding for an extracellular glucoamylase. Cloned STA2 sequences were used as hybridization probes to investigate the physical structure of the family of STA genes in the genomes of different Saccharomyces strains. Sta+ strains, each carrying a single genetically defined STA locus, were crossed with a Sta− strain and the segregation behavior of the functional locus (i.e. Sta+) and sequences homologous to a cloned STA2 glucoamylase structural gene at that locus were analyzed. The results indicate that in all strains examined there is a multiplicity of sequences that are homologous to STA2 DNA but that only the functional STA loci contain extensive 5′ and 3′ homology to each other and can be identified as residing on unique fragments of DNA; that all laboratory yeast strains examined contain extensive regions of the glucoamylase gene sequences at or closely linked to the STA1 chromosomal position; that the STA1 locus contains two distinct glucoamylase gene sequences that are closely linked to each other; and that all laboratory strains examined also contain another ubiquitous sequence that is not allelic to STA1 and is nonfunctional (Sta−), but has retained extensive sequence homology to the 5′ end of the cloned STA2 gene. It was also determined that the DEX genes (which control dextrin hydrolysis in S. diastaticus), MAL5 (a gene once thought to control maltose metabolism in yeast) and the STA genes are allelic to each other in the following manner: STA1 and DEX2, STA1 and MAL5, and STA2 and DEX1 and STA3 and DEX3.
The Context of Anticipated Performance Evaluation, Self-Presentational Motivation, and Performance Effort

Abstract We tested the usefulness of self-presentational concepts in describing the linkage between the context of an anticipated evaluation and an individual' performance effort. Undergraduate students who performed a complex problem-solving task were told that an outstanding performance would result in a better chance at getting a job with the accounting firm that employed the evaluators of their work. Instructions varied the attractiveness of the accounting firm as an employer and the evaluator' influence over its hiring practices. The subjects' ability to produce work that would impress the evaluator was varied by the description of competitors who were performing the task. Results indicated that performance effort is directly related to the self-presentational concerns of an individual.
Reliability of Drug Users' Self-Report of Economic Variables

This study examined the reliability of drug users' self-reported information regarding current work and income. Using a test-retest interval of 48 hours, the Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1991) was administered twice to 218 drug users currently not in substance abuse treatment recruited from 11 sites participating in the National Institute on Drug Abuse Cooperative Agreement on HIV/AIDS Community-Based Outreach/Intervention Research. The RBA is a structured interview questionnaire designed to collect drug-taking, sexual behavior, and demographic information. We examined test-retest reliability and found that drug users reliably report current work status and income. This will become an increasingly important issue with the emphasis on health services research.
Psychological Abuse of Women: A Review of the Literature:

A review of the research literature on the psychological abuse of women is presented including defining and measuring the construct. Implications for practice, research, and multiculturalism are explored.
Contaminant effects on ovarian development and spawning success in rock sole from Puget Sound, Washington

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was associated with altered ovarian development or reduced spawning success in rock sole Pleuronectes bilineatus. This objective was addressed in two separate phases. In the first study, concentrations of AHs and PCBs were measured in individual fish from four sites in Puget Sound, Washington (Eagle Harbor, Sinclair Inlet, Yukon Harbor, and Pilot Point) with different levels of AH and PCB contamination in sediments and their ovarian development was monitored during the 1989–1991 spawning seasons. In these fish, egg weight was negatively correlated with levels of PCBs in the liver. However, contaminant exposure levels were not significantly associated with the probability of entering vitellogenesis or with gonadosomatic index, plasma estradiol concentrations, or fecundity. In the second study, gravid female soles were taken from Eagle Harbor, Sinclair Inlet, Yukon Harbor, and...
ON THE USE OF CLIENT-DRIVEN PROJECTS IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM

ABSTRACT In this article, we discuss the use of client-driven projects – projects that are posed by business, government, and non-profit organizations and based upon real problems facing the organization. Although client-driven projects have long been used in business and engineering education, their use in the mathematics classroom is rare. Client-driven projects represent authentic connections between standard mathematics content and the world outside the classroom, but their use as teaching tools also raises many curricular and pedagogical issues. In limited evaluation, client-driven projects seem to have a positive impact on students' attitudes and motivation.
ABO blood type predicts the cytolocalization of anti-P-glycoprotein monoclonal antibody reactivity in human colon and ureter.

Abstract Classic multidrug resistance is mediated by a P-glycoprotein. Using monoclonal antibody C219 (MAb C219) in an immunohistochemical study, we found high levels of putative Golgi P-glycoprotein in normal columnar and transitional epithelium in subpopulations of patients with specific blood types. For example, Golgi staining was present in blood type A patients in 46% of normal colon samples (N = 21) and 88% of normal ureter samples (N = 17). In comparison, Golgi staining was present in blood group O patients in only 6% of normal colon samples (N = 34) and in 0% of normal ureter samples (N = 19). The association of MAb C219 Golgi staining with blood type A and lack of Golgi staining with blood type O was statistically significant in normal colon ( P = .001) and normal ureter ( P
Atmospheric chlorine chemistry in southeast Texas: impacts on ozone formation and control.

Recent evidence has demonstrated that chlorine radical chemistry can enhance tropospheric hydrocarbon oxidation and has the potential to enhance ozone formation in urban atmospheres. To assess thes...
Separating the contributions of variability and parameter uncertainty in probability distributions

Abstract This paper proposes a computational methodology to quantify the individual contributions of variability and distribution parameter uncertainty to the overall uncertainty in a random variable. Even if the distribution type is assumed to be known, sparse or imprecise data leads to uncertainty about the distribution parameters. If uncertain distribution parameters are represented using probability distributions, then the random variable can be represented using a family of probability distributions. The family of distributions concept has been used to obtain qualitative, graphical inference of the contributions of natural variability and distribution parameter uncertainty. The proposed methodology provides quantitative estimates of the contributions of the two types of uncertainty. Using variance-based global sensitivity analysis, the contributions of variability and distribution parameter uncertainty to the overall uncertainty are computed. The proposed method is developed at two different levels; first, at the level of a variable whose distribution parameters are uncertain, and second, at the level of a model output whose inputs have uncertain distribution parameters.
Cyclooxygenase inhibition with indomethacin increases human duodenal mucosal response to prostaglandin E1.

In humans, prostaglandins of the E1 class stimulate duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion, whereas the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, decreases both mucosal PGE2 and bicarbonate production. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a synthetic prostaglandin E1, enisoprost, diminished the inhibitory effects of indomethacin on mucosal bicarbonate secretion. In seven healthy subjects the proximal 4 cm of duodenum was isolated by occluding balloons. The isolated test segment was perfused with 154 mM NaCl (2 ml/min, 37° C). Each subject participated in four separate tests in random order. Indomethacin, 50 mg, or placebo was given 13 and 1 hr before testing. After measuring basal bicarbonate secretion, either 100 μg of prostaglandin E1 or placebo (in 154 mM NaCl) was perfused into the test segment over 30 min. As anticipated, PGE1 significantly increased duodenal mucosal bicarbonate secretion, and indomethacin decreased resting bicarbonate secretion. Indomethacin pretreatment significantly enhanced (P<0.03 the mucosa's response to PGE1 compared to PGE1 alone. These results further support the observations that endogenous prostaglandins, in part, regulate human proximal duodenal bicarbonate secretion. Furthermore, suppression of endogenous prostaglandin generation results in an increased sensitivity of the duodenal mucosa to PGE1.
"An effective instrument of peace" Scientific cooperation as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy, 1938-1950

Abstract The profound transformation of postwar world affairs wrought by science encompassed both competition—driven by the atomic bomb and the growing centrality of science and technology to military as well as economic security during the cold war—and cooperation, driven by the desire to use science, in the words of the 1951 Berkner report, as “an effective instrument of peace.” Of the two, the former has garnered greater attention among scholars and among public audiences; the latter, however, has also significantly influenced the organization and conduct of world affairs. In the years since World War II, scientific and technological cooperation among governments has become a prominent fixture on the global stage, in programs of development, in the existence of powerful international expert institutions, and in the day‐to‐day business of international diplomacy. Indeed, scientific and technological cooperation has transformed the institutional apparatus of the state for foreign policy, supplementing, a...
Increased complications and prolonged hospital stay in elderly cardiac surgical patients with low serum albumin

Cardiac surgery in elderly patients is associated with acceptable operative mortality but an increased complication rate. Malnutrition is common in the elderly and may adversely affect surgical outcome. To determine the effect of hypoalbuminemia on postoperative complications, 92 patients greater than or equal to 75 years (range 75 to 90) undergoing a variety of major cardiac surgical procedures were evaluated. Thirteen patients (14%) had a serum albumin level less than 3.5 g/dl preoperatively. Compared to patients with normal albumin, hypoalbuminemic patients had an increased frequency of postoperative confusion, congestive heart failure, low cardiac output, renal dysfunction and gastrointestinal complications (all p less than 0.05). Mean postoperative length of stay was markedly prolonged in these patients (27 vs 12 days; p less than 0.001), and mortality also tended to be higher (31 vs 13%; p = 0.11). Using multivariate analysis, albumin less than 3.5 g/dl was the most powerful predictor of postoperative renal dysfunction (p less than 0.01), and was also an independent predictor of increased length of stay (p less than 0.01) and gastrointestinal disorders (p less than 0.05). Thus, hypoalbuminemia is a powerful indicator of an increased risk of perioperative complications in elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Increased attention to nutritional factors is warranted in these patients.
Physical, Psychological and Chemical Triggers of Acute Cardiovascular Events Preventive Strategies

In addition to the impact of long-term stressors such as sedentary lifestyle and long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution, many studies have shown that there is an increased risk of acute cardiovascular events immediately after behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental triggers.1–8 After the landmark study documenting the increased rates of myocardial infarction (MI) related to the 1981 earthquake in Athens9 and the description of the circadian variation in the incidence of MI by Muller et al,10 various studies documented the frequency of potential triggers in the period immediately preceding MI onset. Although the observational studies examining physical, psychological, and chemical triggers of acute cardiovascular events are not without limitations, studies continue to show that short-term exposures appear to play a role in the occurrence of cardiovascular events. These triggers have been discussed in previous reviews,1–8 with a general consensus that different preventive strategies may be appropriate for particular triggers. The purpose of this review is to bring together the evidence of the association between several triggers and cardiovascular outcomes and to discuss the common underlying pathophysiology of these triggers. Rather than leading to slowly progressive atherosclerosis, triggers represent the final step in the pathophysiological process leading to cardiovascular outcomes among susceptible individuals, such as those with vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, chronic atherosclerotic disease, disorders of the cardiac conduction system, and microvascular disease. In the presence of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, chemical, physical, and psychological stressors may trigger transient vasoconstrictive and prothrombotic effects that ultimately cause plaque disruption and thrombosis. Even in the absence of an occlusive thrombus, triggers may lower the threshold for cardiac electric instability and increase cardiac sympathetic activation via centrally mediated release of catecholamines, thereby evoking primary ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.11 Figure 1 depicts several potential …
The impact of climatic and seismic events on the short-term evolution of seacliffs based on 3-D mapping: northern Monterey Bay, California

Abstract Coastal cliff retreat along the central California coast is episodic, occurring in response to single large storms or seismic events. Traditional approaches to the study of long-term seacliff retreat utilize historical aerial photography and maps to delineate the landward migration of the top edge of the cliff over periods of tens of years to a century. While these methods yield cumulative retreat amounts, they provide little or no information on the character of the individual retreat events, nor the physical processes of retreat. This study addresses the processes of episodic and short-term coastal cliff retreat through the analysis of seacliff failure styles and retreat magnitudes. The study areas are three, 1-km-long sections of cliffed coast in northern Monterey Bay. The earliest data set is vertical aerial photography from October 18, 1989, taken the day following the magnitude 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake. More recent photography, collected in late January, early February and early March of 1998, captured seacliff failure in response to the severe storms associated with the 1997–1998 El Nino. For each data set, high-resolution digital photogrammetric techniques are used to identify the top edge of the cliff. At each cliff failure location, its position, failure length and character are documented. Results suggest that on a regional scale, the seacliffs respond to seismic and climatic forcing differently. We have found variation in the magnitude of cliff response along the three sections of coast in the study area. Large-scale climatic events such as the 1997–1998 El Nino have a greater impact on both the linear extent of seacliff failure and the amount of cliff retreat.