cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A mollified space marching finite differences algorithm for the inverse heat conduction problem with slab symmetry

Abstract The one-dimensional inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) for a slab is considered. A new solution algorithm based on a data filtering interpretation of the mollification method is presented and a fully explicit space marching finite differences scheme is developed. After showing the numerical stability of the algorithm, the efficiency of the method is demonstrated by means of several examples. The numerical results show the procedure to be very useful in the presence of noisy data, even for some nonlinear cases.
The Involvement of Copper Transporter in Lead-induced Oxidative Stress in Astroglia

Lead (Pb), depositing primarily in astroglia in the brain, is a well-known neurotoxicant and a risk factor for neurologic disorders. Pb has been reported to induce oxidative stress by probably the disturbance of copper (Cu) homeostasis in astroglia. Thus, we hypothesized that Pb-induced oxidative stress is initiated by interfering with Cu transporter in astroglia. In this study, we observed Pb-induced oxidative stress as indicated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) augmentation and GRP78 and GRP94 protein induction, and it was parallel to Cu accumulation intracellularly by Pb. To further address Cu transporter as a potential Pb target, a heavy metal-binding (HMB) domain of Cu-transporting ATPase (Atp7a) was overexpressed and purified. Evidence showed that one molecule of HMB chelated 11 Pb ions or seven Cu ions and that Pb competed with Cu for binding to HMB. These findings suggest that Pb-induced oxidative stress results from the impairment of Cu metabolism by Pb targeting of Atp7a.
Does cultural adaptation have a role in substance abuse treatment

The changing ethnic composition of the nation and increasing requirements to use evidence-based treatments (EBTs) challenge mental health professionals to adapt treatments and interventions to be appropriate for their clients. This article applies the available information on cultural adaptation to substance abuse. The authors' review suggests that the most common approaches for adapting substance use interventions include some combination of either community involvement in the adaptation, existing research and literature, and/or consultation from experts to adapt EBTs. The challenges facing the development of culturally adapted interventions include the need for additional research to determine which specific EBTs warrant adaptation, the responsibility of maintaining the balance between fidelity and adaptation, and the challenge of intragroup diversity.
Yukio Mishima, the Unambiguous, and Myself: Living through a Writer’s Legacy*

The recent release by Criterion on DVD of Paul Schrader’s film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters(1985) and Mishima’s own film Patriotism(1965) has caused the author of this essay to reconsider his relationship with the late Japanese writers’ books and literary legacy. Believing that these fine films’ presence on DVD will stimulate much renewed discussion of Mishima both in the US and Japan, the author recalls his first discovery of Mishima’s existence shortly after his famous suicide in 1970, reading and responding to his literary output, and prodding famous authors such as Tennessee Williams and Cormac McCarthy for their thoughts on Mishima’s influence. The author’s two poems about Mishima are included to illustrate his changing inner perceptions of the internationally famous writer and the (now-fading) adverse reaction to his work in Japan caused by his politics and his virtually public suicide.
Preparation of Ophthalmologists for Group Practice

This paper from the Section on Ophthalmology of the Mayo Clinic emphasizes the value of group practice and the importance of ophthalmology in it. It is believed that future advances in ophthalmology will be greatest along medical lines, and therefore medical ophthalmology is especially needed for group practice. The proper training for this work must include two or three years of special opportunities and sound instruction. Presented before the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto-Laryngology at the Kansas City meeting, October, 1920.
The Veterans Affairs Saint Louis University mental status exam (SLUMS exam) and the Mini-mental status exam as predictors of mortality and institutionalization.

Objective To evaluate predictive validity of cognitive dysfunction of the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam or Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) for institutionalization and mortality after 7.5-years.
Computation of nonequilibrium, supersonic three-dimensional inviscidflow over blunt-nosed bodies

Subscripts B A computer code based on the method of characteristics is applied to the study of twoand three-dimensional chemical nonequilibrium flow over sharpand blunt-nosed bodies. Nonequilibrium flow over a wedge is used to show the approach to equilibrium flow and to demonstrate the nature of the reaction zone behind the bow shock wave. The structure and development of a blunt-body entropy layer in nonequilibrium flow is examined for a blunt cone at zero incidence. Three dimensional computations for the Space Shuttle body at 30 deg angle of attack are presented. A nondimensional scaling parameter, the Damkohler number (the ratio of flow time to chemical reaction time) is calculated and its significance discussed. .
Optical Assay of Erythrocyte Function in Banked Blood

Stored red blood cells undergo numerous biochemical, structural, and functional changes, commonly referred to as storage lesion. How much these changes impede the ability of erythrocytes to perform their function and, as result, impact clinical outcomes in transfusion patients is unknown. In this study we investigate the effect of the storage on the erythrocyte membrane deformability and morphology. Using optical interferometry we imaged red blood cell (RBC) topography with nanometer sensitivity. Our time-lapse imaging quantifies membrane fluctuations at the nanometer scale, which in turn report on cell stiffness. This property directly impacts the cell's ability to transport oxygen in microvasculature. Interestingly, we found that cells which apparently maintain their normal shape (discocyte) throughout the storage period, stiffen progressively with storage time. By contrast, static parameters, such as mean cell hemoglobin content and morphology do not change during the same period. We propose that our method can be used as an effective assay for monitoring erythrocyte functionality during storage time.
High-dose therapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin's disease patients with relapses potentially treatable by radical radiation therapy.

Purpose : A retrospective review evaluated the results of autologous bone marrow transplantation (A-BMT) for patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease (HD) who were potentially treatable by radical radiation therapy (RRT). Methods and Materials : Evaluated patient cases met the following criteria : initial treatment with chemotherapy (with or without involved field radiation therapy 20 Gy to spinal cord) ; HD at time of salvage therapy limited to lymph nodes, Waldeyer's ring, liver, spleen, direct extension sites, and/or one lung. Results : There were 23 A-BMT patients treated between 1986 and 1991 who fulfilled the criteria. Three (13%) patients died from treatment-related complications and eight (35%) developed nonfatal Grade 3-4 complications. The 3-year actuarial disease-free survival rate was 61%. The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 55% for the nine patients with at least one prior disease-free interval (DFI) > 12 months, 67% for nine patients with DFI 0.10). These results are comparable to retrospective studies of RRT results in selected relapsed HD patients. Conclusions : Long-term disease-free survival is frequently possible with either A-BMT or RRT in appropriately selected relapsed HD patients. In considering treatment options, important prognostic factors include initial stage of disease, number of prior relapses, DFI, and extent of relapsed disease.
Anal incontinence after anal sphincter disruption: a 30-year retrospective cohort study.

Objective To compare the prevalence of anal incontinence remote from delivery (approximately 30 years postpartum) in 29 women whose index delivery was complicated by anal sphincter disruption versus a matched control group of 89 women who had an episiotomy without extension to the anal sphincter and versus a group of 33 women who delivered via cesarean. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, a structured questionnaire was sent to women in the above categories who delivered at a university hospital between 1961 and 1965 and for whom we could obtain current addresses. Outcome measures included frequent fecal and flatus incontinence and bothersome fecal and flatus incontinence. Results The three groups did not differ significantly in age, weight, age at delivery, parity, weight of largest baby, postmenopausal status, estrogen replacement usage, most medical conditions, or rectocoele, rectovaginal fistula, or incontinence surgeries. Frequent flatus incontinence was reported by nine (31.0%), 38 (42.7%), and 12 (36.4%) women in the anal sphincter disruption, episiotomy, and cesarean groups, respectively (not significant). The number of women with bothersome flatus incontinence was higher in the anal sphincter disruption group: 17 (58.6%) versus 27 (30.3%) in the episiotomy only group and versus five (15.2%) in the cesarean group ( P = .001). Frequent fecal incontinence was reported by two (6.9%), 16 (18.0%), and 0 women ( P = .008 between cesarean and episiotomy only groups), whereas bothersome fecal incontinence was reported by eight (27.6%), 23 (25.8%), and five (15.2%) women (not significant) in the anal sphincter disruption, episiotomy only, and cesarean groups, respectively. Conclusion Regardless of the type of delivery, anal incontinence occurs in a surprisingly large number of middleaged women.
The Effect of the 1859 Crop Year Upon Relative Productivity in the Antebellum Cotton South

Data from the manuscript census of Social Statistics and the Parker-Gallman sample are used to investigate (1) the role of yield fluctuations (the crop year) in both the growth of cotton and corn output from 1849 to 1859 and (2) the observed relative agricultural total factor productivity relationships in the antebellum South in 1859. The major conclusions are: (1) More than 20 percent of the growth in cotton output from 1849 to 1859 can be attributed to differences in the relative crop years; (2) The 1859 cotton crop year for the New South was much better than that in 1849, but the cotton crop year in the Old South was relatively poor; (3) Adjusting for the relative crop year eliminates much of the observed productivity advantage for slave agriculture; (4) The issue of whether the crop-year-adjusted or crop-year-unadjusted results are more representative of antebellum southern agriculture remains unresolved.
Localized dynamic perturbations in metals

The effect of a localized time-dependent potential on a Fermi gas is discussed. A simple bosonlike model for the particle-hole excitations is developed. Its use appears justified for the dissipative part of the response of the Fermi gas to localized time-dependent potentials. General expressions are obtained for the probability that the Fermi gas remains in the ground state and for the energy spectrum of excited states. Several illustrative examples are discussed. We consider the effect of an exponentially switched-on localized potential. It is shown that the state reached when the potential attains its full strength $V$ is orthogonal to the ground state of the Fermi gas with the potential $V$, no matter how slow the switching. It consists of a spectrum of excited states of the full Hamiltonian with a width proportional to the switching rate. Other aspects of this failure of adiabaticity such as nonreversibility and path dependence are investigated. Some possible applications are pointed out. The potential source may have a finite mass. The effect of its recoil is calculated for the special case of a suddenly switched-on potential. The probability of finding the Fermi gas in its final ground state after the perturbation is switched on is found to be ${P}_{G}=\mathrm{exp}[\frac{{\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{V}}^{2}\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\gamma}}{(1\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{2})}]$, where $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{V}=V{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\ensuremath{\epsilon}F}$ and is a measure of the coupling of the localized perturbation to the electron gas. $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ is the mass ratio $\frac{m}{M}$. The potential source is initially at rest. The above expression is critically discussed and corrections to it are calculated. They are found to be small. The spectrum of excitations produced is also calculated. In conclusion, connections are pointed out with other particle field problems exhibiting a similar infrared singularity.
Laser excitation of Cd(1P1). Absolute quenching cross sections and branching ratios for the process: Cd(1P1) + M → Cd(3PJ) + M

Abstract Collisional quenching processes of Cd( 1 P 1 ) have been studied directly, using dye-laser excitation and time-resolved fluorescence. Absolute cross sections for the quenching of Cd( 1 P 1 ) by several gases have been determined, and the branching ratios for production of Cd( 3 P J ) for the quenching molecules N 2 , CH 4 , C 3 Hg, and i -C 4 H 10 have been shown to be close to unity.
Business student ethical values anew in the 1990s

This paper uses a Rokeach Value Survey methodology to again ask the question, now in the mid 1990s, whether business student ethics are different from non-business student ethics. Additionally, the paper addresses the question of whether a course can alter or change student ethics and values during a semester. Thirdly, this paper attempts to operationalize and empirically test and measure the new ethical concepts of “moral management” and “moral maximization.”
Numerical techniques useful in the practice of ellipsometry

While well-established methods for sample preparation and measurement make ellipsometry attractive for surface and film investigations, development of reliable methods for computing unknown physical attributes of reflecting surfaces is just beginning. This situation has arisen because the equations of ellipsometry are transcendental, have not been inverted and thus require numerical techniques for solution in all but the simplest of reflecting surface configurations. The problem of data analysis is by no means solved and remains one of the key issues in ellipsometry. This paper presents a survey of numerical techniques and principles for approximating solutions to problems, and illustrates an application of these techniques in the development of a new algorithm to address the problem.
Critical exponents of uranium telluride

Abstract Neutron and magnetization experiments have been used to determine the critical exponents β, γ and δ of the ferromagnet UTe, T c = 100.7(3) K, near the Curie temperature. The values are β = 0.291(4), γ = 1.326(9) and δ = 5.23(7). Comparisons are made with values from other ferromagnetic systems.
The characteristic response curve, I(ΔP), of a3He weak link

Abstract We report measurements of the mass current as a function of pressure difference, I(ΔP), for superfluid 3 He flowing through an aperture whose dimensions are on the order of the temperature dependent coherence length. The goal of the experiment is to see to what extent this weak link behaves like a simple Josephson junction. A model has been developed which predicts I(ΔP) for the case where the weak link is analyzed as a series connection of resistance, inductance and ideal Josephson junction. This model is found to be inadequate to explain the central feature of the data, i.e. the current increases monotonically with ΔP.
Effective maintenance communication in superior‐subordinate relationships

This study explored (a) how frequently subordinates utilized communication strategies to maintain work relationships with their superiors in escalating, deteriorating, and routine situations; (b) how perceptions of effectiveness in relationship maintenance affected the use of such strategies; and (c) how relational attributes (i.e., quality of leader‐member exchange, relationship length, and gender) influenced ways in which subordinates in varying degrees of perceived effectiveness enacted such strategies. Findings suggest significant variations in the use of maintenance communication strategies in all situations. Moreover, perceptions of effectiveness in relationship maintenance were strongly associated with strategy use. Relational attributes did not affect the use of maintenance communication strategies regardless of the extent to which the respondents perceived their effectiveness in relationship maintenance.
Pseudotumour cerebri after varicella.

Thrombotic complications in children with varicella are well known. Transient protein S deficiency due to the presence of an anti-protein S antibody seems to be responsible at least in part. In an 8-year-old girl, pseudotumour cerebri with abducens palsy and ileofemoral vein thrombosis occurred 3 weeks after chickenpox. A transient elevation of anti-protein S auto-antibodies was identified. Under treatment with heparin the pseudotumour cerebri rapidly disappeared but the iliofemoral thrombosis persisted.
Isoaccepting species differences between polysome-bound and total cellular tRNA in SVT2 cells.

Abstract Reversed-phase chromatographic comparisons of total cellular tRNAs with tRNAs isolated from a polysome enriched cell fraction establish significant enrichments for specific isoaccepting species of tRNAIle, tRNALeu, tRNALys, tRNAMet and possibly tRNAAla. Similar comparisons of tRNAAsn, tRNAAsp, tRNAHis, tRNAPhe, tRNASer and tRNATyr have been performed as well; however, no prominent differences were observed.
International Collaboration in Health Promotion and Disease Management: Implications of U.S. Health Promotion Efforts on Japan's Health Care System:

For more than 25 years, health promotion and disease management interventions have been conducted by large employers in the United States. Today there are more than 100 studies of such multifactorial, comprehensive interventions that all demonstrate positive clinical outcomes. For those interventions that have also been evaluated for return on investment, all but one have demonstrated cost-effectiveness. This article is an evidence-based overview of the clinical and cost outcomes research to elaborate on the insights gained from this research in the areas of implementation and evaluation of such programs; integration of health promotion and disease management programs into conventional, occupational medicine; accessing difficult to reach populations, such as mobile workers, retirees, and/or dependents; areas of potential conflict of interest and privacy/confidentiality issues; health consequences of downsizing and job strain; and, finally, recommendations for improved integration and evaluation of such programs for both clinical and cost outcomes. With medical costs rapidly escalating again on a global scale, these interventions with evidence of both clinical and cost outcomes can provide the foundation to improve the health, performance, and productivity of both individuals and their corporations.
Lag times for oceanic responses to climatic change

RECENT studies of deep-sea sediment cores have defined changes in surface water circulation1, in continental ice volume as recorded by oxygen isotope variations in foraminiferal tests2, and in the corrosiveness of near-bottom water to calcium carbonate3,4 during the past million years. These changes are all attributed to the major climatic changes that have occurred during the Quaternary1,2,5,6.
The Status of the Nominal in Persian Complex Predicates

The nature of preverbal nominals and their relation to the verb have been the focus of much debate in languages with a productive complex predication process. For Persian, certain analyses have argued that the bare nominals in complex predicate constructions are distinct from bare objects, while others have treated the two types of bare nominals uniformly. This paper argues that the two categories of preverbal nouns cannot receive the same analysis since they display distinct syntactic and semantic behavior: the preverbal nominals, unlike the bare object nouns, cannot be questioned, are modified differently, have different interpretations, give rise to distinct case-assignment contexts, and can co-occur with a non-specific object. The distinct properties of the two nominal categories are captured by positing distinct structural positions for these nouns. Non-specific bare nouns are internal arguments of the thematic verb, while the nominal element of the complex predicate construction is part of the verbal domain with which it combines through a process of conflation, as defined in Hale and Keyser (2002), to form a single predicate.
Teaching Ideas: Bargaining Styles and Negotiation: The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument in Negotiation Training

Many negotiation courses and executive training programs cover the subject of bargaining styles. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is a commonly used psychological assessement tool that helps students and teachers probe this topic. The TKI measures the five conflict management facets proposed by the Dual Concerns Model: competing, collaborating, compromising, accommodating, and avoiding. The author has used the TKI extensively in teaching executives about bargaining styles, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of it as a teaching aid. He also presents research on the frequency with which various TKI scores are reported in business programs. Finally, he provides thumbnail sketches of typical bargaining behavior exbibited by people with very strong and very weak predispositions for each of the five conflict modes. Some implications of theses behaviors for specific professional audiences are explored.
Evidence for Enhanced Expression of c-fos, c-jun, and the Ca2+-Activated Neutral Protease in Rat Liver Following Carbon Tetrachloride Administration

Abstract The effects of CCl 4 on hepatic c-fos and c-jun gene expression were examined, and the correspondence between intermediate-early gene expression and the expression of the Ca 2+ -activated neutral proteinase (μ and mCANP) characterized. Administration of CCl 4 to rats resulted in a pronounced dose- and time-dependent increase in c-jun and c-fos mRNA levels (∼8 to 17-fold) as detected by either Northern blot or RT-PCR analyses. The expression of μ and mCANP following CCl 4 treatment was monitored by Northern blot analysis and μ and mCANP mRNA levels were found to be elevated ∼5- to 15-fold over the time period of 18 to 24 h. Experiments were performed to determine whether the Fos-Jun heterodimeric AP-1 transcription factor complex bound the AP-1-like binding motif present in the mCANP gene. Gel retardation assays using hepatic nuclear extracts from CCl 4 -treated animals revealed binding of a protein to the AP-1-like motif present in the mCANP gene and competition and supershift assays confirmed the specificity of AP-1 transcription factor binding. These results show that CANP gene expression is enhanced in response to oxidative cellular damage and that the AP-1 complex may be involved in the regulation of CANP gene expression.
The effects of altered endocrine states and of ether anaesthesia on mouse brain.

— The effects of ether anaesthesia on metabolites of mouse brain in altered endocrine states has been examined. Alloxan diabetic mice, with elevated levels of blood and brain glucose, exhibited changes in brain metabolites after ether anaesthesia that were comparable to those seen in normal animals. Sympathectomized and/or adrenalectomized mice had decreased levels of brain glucose. The percentage elevation of glucose in the brains of these animals under ether anaesthesia approximated to normal values, although the absolute cerebral levels were lower. Increases in glycogen in the brains of these animals were somewhat diminished. In none of the altered endocrine states were the changes in brain metabolites following ether anaesthesia eliminated. The activity of UDPglucose-glycogen glucosyltransferase (UDPglucose: glycogen α-4-glucosyltransferasee, EC 2.4.1.11) in the mouse brain was measured in the absence and in the presence of glucose-6-P. Neither the total activity nor the percentage of the I form (measured in the absence of glucose-6-P) was altered by anaesthesia or by the endocrine state of the animal. The Michaelis constants with UDPglucose as substrate for the total and I forms were 0·36 mM and 1·0 mM, respectively. Considerable UDPglucose-glycogen glucosyltransferase activity was observed in the absence of added glycogen primer. The observed increase in activity in the presence of added glucose-6-P was greater than would have been anticipated if the hexose phosphate were acting at only one site.
Agronomic, economic, and environmental comparison of pest management in conventional and alternative tomato and corn systems in northern California

The effectiveness, economic efficiency, and environmental impact of pest management practices was compared in conventional, low-input, and organic processing tomato and field corn systems in northern California. Pests, including arthropods, weeds, pathogens, and nematodes, were monitored over an 8-year period. Although both crops responded agronomically to the production-system treatments, arthropods, pathogens, and nematodes were found to play a relatively small role in influencing yields. In contrast, weed abundance was negatively correlated with tomato and corn yields and appeared to partially account for lower yields in the alternative systems compared to the conventional systems. Lower pesticide use in the organic and low-input systems resulted in considerably less potential environmental impact but the economic feasibility of reducing pesticide use differed dramatically between the two crops. The performances of the organic and low-input systems indicate that pesticide use could be reduced by 50% or more in corn with little or no yield reduction. Furthermore, the substitution of mechanical cultivation for herbicide applications in corn could reduce pest management costs. By contrast, pesticide reductions in tomato would be economically costly due to the dependence on hand hoeing as a substitution for herbicides. Based on the performance of the low-input and organic tomato systems, a 50% pesticide reduction would increase average pest management costs by 50%.
Resonant enhanced low-power nonlinear tuning capability using an As2S3 waveguide on LiNbO3

In this work, we present fabrication and measurement results of an As 2 S 3 -on-LiNbO 3 ring resonator waveguide and sidewall grating cavity waveguide. The nonlinear tuning capability is demonstrated on a fabricated ring resonator waveguide by injecting the signal-pump optical power into the device and observing the nonlinear phase shift. The nonlinear tunability of our hybrid As 2 S 3 -on-LiNbO 3 grating cavity waveguide is numerically analyzed.
The degradation behavior of high-Tc BSCCO/Ag superconducting microcomposites in water

Abstract Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O/Ag (BSCCO/Ag) superconducting microcomposites with zero-resistance temperatures from 102 to 108 K and critical current densities of 300–600 A/cm2 at 77 K were produced by oxidation and annealing of metallic precursor alloys. The reaction of BSCCO/Ag specimens with water and the degradation on their superconducting properties were studied by mass loss measurement, electrical transport measurement, microstructural observation and microanalysis. Although there is a general tendency toward a decrease in the critical current density after a long time exposure in water, the specimens containing high Ag (≈80 wt.%) showed very little change in Tc and Jc up to 104 days of immersion in water. It was found that the superconducting 2-2-2-3 phase is stable in water, but some non-superconducting Ca-rich oxides dissolve and damage the connection between the superconducting grains in the low-Ag containing specimens. The excellent water resistance in the high-Ag containing BSCCO/Ag superconducting microcomposites provides an important advantage for industrial applications.
Comparison of the effect of dietary casein and cottonseed protein on food intake and growth in normal and tumorbearing rats

Abstract Male Fischer 344 rats with (tumor-bearers) and without (controls) a transplantable methylcholanthrene sarcoma were fed isonitrogenous, isoenergetic diets containing either casein or cottonseed protein (CSP) so as to compare the effects of these two proteins on the development of cancer-induced anorexia and cachexia. For both diets, tumor growth was associated with depressed food intake, decreased body weight, hypoalbuminemia and hyperlipidemia. Diet had no effect on food intake, weight gain or serum albumin for either controls or tumor-bearers; tumor weight was unaffected by type of dietary protein. Liver weights were lower for animals fed CSP than for those fed casein. Dietary CSP exerted a hypolipidemic effect in normal rats, but this differential effect of protein quality on serum lipids was abolished by tumor growth, as were differences in serum fatty acid profile associated with consumption of CSP. Tumor growth itself was associated with altered fatty acid profiles in serum, with the percentages of fatty acids as stearic and arachidonic acids being decreased and the percentages as oleic and linoleic acids being increased. Thus, dietary CSP has similar effects to casein on the development of cancer anorexia and cachexia in this animal model. The effects of protein quality on serum lipids, however, can be altered by tumor growth.
Lower agreement on behavioral factors than on medical conditions in self-reported data among pregnant Latina women.

Background. Agreement between self-reported data and data obtained from medical records is far from perfect and few studies have analyzed the element of language when self-reported data are given in one language and this information is recorded in another language in the medical record. Our objective was to assess agreement between self-reported data and medical record data with regard to prenatal risk factors in pregnant Latina women. Methods. We interviewed 350 Latina women at greater than or equal to20 weeks' gestation regardingstation regarding alcohol use, tobacco use, use of prenatal vitamins, age, education, use of prenatal care, and medical conditions. Kappa statistic (kappa) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to calculate agreement between self-reported responses and medical record data. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate effect of maternal characteristics on likelihood of disagreement. Results. Agreement between self-reported and medical record data was generally lower for behavioral factors (alcohol kappa = 0.37 and prenatal vitamin use kappa = 0.09) than for medical conditions (anemia kappa = 0.63, gestational diabetes kappa = 0.83, and hypertension kappa = 0.68). In general. maternal characteristics did not significantly predict patterns of disagreement. Conclusions. Among pregnant Latina women, self-reported data on behavioral factors had lower agreement than self-reported data on medical conditions. Further study is needed to define the effect of other factors, such as social norms, on accuracy of self-reported data during pregnancy. (C) 2004 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Inhibitory effect of curcumin on epidermal growth factor receptor kinase activity in A431 cells

We explored the mechanism of antigrowth action of Curcumin by investigating its effect on epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor intrinsic kinase activity in the human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. The short-term treatment of cells with Curcumin inhibited EGF receptor intrinsic kinase activity up to 90% in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and also inhibited EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptors. The observed early effects of Curcumin were mediated via a cellular mechanism(s), and preceded the period when inhibition of cell growth occurred.
The Effect of Peer Review on Student Learning Outcomes in a Research Methods Course

In this study, we test the effect of in-class student peer review on student learning outcomes using a quasiexperimental design. We provide an assessment of peer review in a quantitative research methods course, which is a traditionally difficult and technical course. Data were collected from 170 students enrolled in four sections of a quantitative research methods course, two in-class peer review sections, and two sections that did not incorporate in-class peer review over two semesters. For the two sections with peer review, content scheduled for the days during which peer review was used in class was delivered through the online course management system. We find that in-class peer review did not improve final grades or final performance on student learning outcomes, nor did it affect performance differences between drafts and final assignments that measured student learning objectives. Further, it took time away from in-class delivery of course content in course sections that used in-class peer review. If peer review is utilized, we recommend it be assigned as an out-of-class assignment so it does not interfere with in-class teaching.
Chemosensitization of pancreatic cancer by inhibition of the 26S proteasome.

Abstract Background. Pancreatic cancer is extremely resistant to the induction of apoptosis by chemotherapies; agents that regulate sensitivity to apoptosis may lead to chemosensitization of pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods. MIA-PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells were treated in vitro with the 26S-proteasome inhibitor PS-341. Levels of the apoptosis-regulating proteins (BCL-2, BAK, and BAX) were determined by Western blotting. The effect of PS-341 on BCL-2 gene transcription was examined using a BCL-2 promoter/luciferase reporter construct. The chemosensitizing effect of PS-341 was determined by measurement of the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine in the presence of PS-341 (10–1000 nM) using the MTT assay. A corresponding in vivo experiment using tumor xenografts in athymic mice was also performed. Results. PS-341 decreased BCL-2, without effect on BAX or BAK. The downregulation of BCL-2 by PS-341 appears to be transcriptionally mediated. PS-341 induced apoptosis at high does (1000 nM) and increased the cytotoxicity of gemcitabine at low doses (10–100 nM). Xenograft growth was inhibited 59% by gemcitabine; the addition of PS-341 increased growth inhibition to 75%. Conclusions. Inhibition of the 26S proteasome disrupts the cellular content of key regulators of cell cycle progression and apoptotic control leading to increased sensitivity to standard chemotherapeutic agents, such as gemcitabine, in pancreatic cancer. Combination therapy may lead to better response rates.
Locations of optimal stress points in higher‐order elements

The locations of optimal stress points in Lagrangian and serendipity elements are determined by using the symbolic mathematical tool MATHEMATICA©. It is found that, for the Lagrange family of elements of order more than two, the co-ordinates of optimal stress points slightly differ from those of the reduced Gauss integration points. Some of the serendipity family of elements have either none or only one optimal stress point at the element centre. Thus, when using higher-order elements in the p- or hp-version, it is more desirable to employ the Lagrange family of elements.
On the dynamics of the Hadley circulation and subtropical drying

Changes in subtropical precipitation and the Hadley circulation (HC) are inextricably linked. The original Halley–Hadley model cannot explain certain aspects of the Earth’s meridional circulation in the tropics and is of limited use in understanding regional changes in precipitation. Here, we expand on previous work on the regional and seasonal aspects of the HC, in particular how land–sea temperature contrasts contribute to the strength and width of the HC. We show that the Earth’s HC is well described by three regionally distinct cells along the eastern edges of the major ocean basins with opposite circulations elsewhere. Moreover, comparable summertime hemisphere cells emerge in each region. While it has been recognized that continents modify the meridional pressure gradient, we demonstrate that a substantial part of the Earth’s HC is driven by zonal pressure gradients (ZPGs) that only exist due to continental heating and air–sea interaction. Projected changes in land–sea temperature contrasts in a warming climate due to the relatively low thermal capacity of land will also affect ZPGs and thus HC strength and width, with implications for extremes in hydroclimate and freshwater resources across the increasingly vulnerable subtropics.
Student Gestures Aid Penetrative Thinking

ABSTRACT Penetrative thinking, or the ability to visualize and reason about the interior structure of an object based on what is visible on the surface, is critical for success in many science disciplines, especially the geosciences, where inferences about the Earth must be made from what can be seen on the surface. A growing body of research has shown that spatial thinking skills are related to achievement in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines; thus, improving such skills may enhance STEM learning. In the current study, we examined whether using gestures, embodied representations of three-dimensional (3D) spatial relationships, facilitates penetrative thinking. Participants in the gesture group used their hands to explain how they would build 3D versions of geologic block diagrams from flat layers of Play-Doh. Participants in the gesture-prohibited group were asked to explain verbally, without using their hands, how they would build 3D versions of geologic block diag...
An exploration of Robert Frank's ‘The Economic Naturalist’ in the classroom

Abstract This paper evaluates a pedagogical method pioneered by Robert Frank: ‘The Economic Naturalist Writing Assignment’, in which students pose an interesting question based on an event they have personally observed, then use economic principles to solve the question in no more than 500 words—free of algebra, graphs and complex jargon. The paper concludes with a sample of questions (and answers) posed by students when I piloted this writing assignment. It is hoped that this paper will serve as a practical case study for aspiring lecturers who wish to create a more stimulating learning environment.
ACHIEVING SUBURBAN TRANSIT POTENTIAL: SACRAMENTO REVISITED

The research examines whether fixed-route transit can serve intrasuburban travel demand. With a direct demand model estimated with travel survey data from Sacramento, California, potential transit demand to destinations in suburbs is estimated, and the link from suburban areas of heavy demand to areas with relatively high demand for beginning trips is assessed. Next, a transit service improvement scenario is simulated to test the sensitivity of suburban transit accessibility to service change based on rail transit with timed-transfer bus connections. It is found that the existing system already carries more passengers within the suburbs than from the suburbs to downtown. Suburbs account for almost 60 percent of potential transit demand in the region, and there is potential for tapping more of it. Finally, typical transit improvements can substantially improve accessibility to potential suburban transit destinations from potential transit origins.
Vaccine efficacy of an attenuated but persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis cysH mutant

The emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and the widespread occurrence of AIDS demand newer and more efficient control of tuberculosis. The protective efficacy of the current Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is highly variable. Therefore, development of an effective new vaccine has gained momentum in recent years. Recently, several M. tuberculosis mutants were tested as potential vaccine candidates in the mouse model of tuberculosis. However, only some of these mutants were able to generate protection equivalent to that of BCG in mice. This study reports the vaccine potential of an attenuated 5'-adenosine phosphosulfate reductase mutant (DeltacysH) of M. tuberculosis. Immunization of mice with either BCG or DeltacysH followed by infection with the virulent M. tuberculosis Erdman strain demonstrated that DeltacysH can generate protection equivalent to that of the BCG vaccine.
A 3-phase safe trajectory shaping for a distressed aircraft

A statistical flight plan optimization framework is developed, and a simplified version solved for a hypothetical distress situation. The framework proposed herein attempts to increase overall survivability by evaluating and optimizing the probable outcome of various flight plans, given a statistical representation of the probable outcomes of each flight plan and their respective probabilities of success. This work attempts to solve the problem using a simplified probability model and safety metric. An airport grouping strategy that groups the airports prior to path derivation is also developed to identify the convex sub problems of the non convex, continuous-discrete overall problem. The performance of this newly developed probabilistic trajectory algorithm is evaluated using numerical simulations which include variable failure rates to simulate different in-flight distress conditions, and multiple turns to accommodate realistic trajectories. The results show that it is possible to increase aircraft survivability by using this algorithm1 2
How does self-injury feel? Examining automatic positive reinforcement in adolescent self-injurers with experience sampling.

One of the most frequently reported, yet understudied, motivations for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) involves automatic positive reinforcement (APR), wherein sensations arising from NSSI reinforce and promote the behavior. The current study used experience sampling methodology with a clinical sample of self-injuring adolescents (N ¼30) over a 2-week period during which the adolescents reported NSSI behaviors, and rated if an APR motivation was present, and if so whether that motivation pertained to feeling “pain, ”“ stimulation,” or “satisfaction.” Over 50% of the sample reported at least one instance of NSSI for APR reasons. No significant differences were found on demographic factors or psychiatric comorbidity for those with and without an APR motivation. However, those with an APR motivation reported elevated NSSI thoughts, longer duration of those thoughts, and more NSSI behaviors. They also reported more alcohol use thoughts, alcohol use, impulsive spending, and binge eating. The most commonly reported sensation following NSSI for APR was “satisfaction.” However those endorsing feeling pain reported the most NSSI behaviors. These findings provide new information about the APR motivations for NSSI and shed light on the different sensations felt.
Does the Messenger Matter? Candidate-Media Agenda Convergence and Its Effects on Voter Issue Salience:

Though research has shown that candidates and the media can influence the importance voters ascribe to political issues, little work has sought to test the interactive agenda-setting effects of each—in particular, to determine whether the ability of candidates to set the public's agenda depends on the media's willingness to reflect their issue emphases. Using an experiment conducted during the early stages of the 2006 Texas gubernatorial election, the author shows that candidate attempts to influence voter issue salience are most effective when the media focus on the same topics. The findings suggest the value for candidates of enlisting the news media in helping to pass their messages along and serve as a point of departure for more work on the influence of candidate-media agenda convergence.
An output-based intensity approach for crediting greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture: explanation and policy implications

US legislators have recently proposed output-based emissions intensity metrics as an approach to credit greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets from agriculture and other uncapped sectors. This article explains the features and rationale of the output-based offset (OBO) approach, outlines a candidate accounting methodology, discusses the potential advantages and limitations of such an approach relative to the area-based offset (ABO) approach that is standard practice in some settings, and introduces possible policy implications. By incentivizing improvements in agricultural efficiency, the OBO approach strives to achieve the dual goals of food security and climate change mitigation. It expands the toolkit for achieving reductions in agricultural emissions, rewards technological advancement in both emission reductions and yields, and offers promise for addressing the problem of accounting for leakage. But because it is based on improvements in GHG efficiency in agriculture rather than on absolute reductions, emission...
From electronics to metatronics to graphene metamaterials

We discuss the concept of optical metatronics, i.e., metamaterial-inspired optical nanocircuitry, in which the metamaterials and plasmonic optics can bring together three fields of “electronics”, “photonics” and “magnetics” seamlessly under one umbrella — a paradigm which I call the “Unified Paradigm of Metatronics”. We present an over view of our most recent analytical, numerical and experimental results in developing the optical metatronics. We also show how this concept can be merged into the platform of graphene, which is one-atom-thick carbon layers, leading to the possibility of one-atom-thick infra-red metamaterials and transformation optics. Future directions in these topics will also be forecasted.
Impaired Cl− Extrusion in Layer V Pyramidal Neurons of Chronically Injured Epileptogenic Neocortex

In the mature brain, the K+/Cl− cotransporter KCC2 is important in maintaining low [Cl−]i, resulting in hyperpolarizing GABA responses. Decreases in KCC2 after neuronal injuries result in increases...
Phospholipase Dε and phosphatidic acid enhance Arabidopsis nitrogen signaling and growth

Activation of phospholipase D (PLD) produces phosphatidic acid (PA), a lipid messenger implicated in cell growth and proliferation, but direct evidence for PLD and PA promotion of growth at the organism level is lacking. Here we characterize a new PLD gene, PLD epsilon, and show that it plays a role in promoting Arabidopsis growth. PLD epsilon is mainly associated with the plasma membrane, and is the most permissive of all PLDs tested with respect to its activity requirements. Knockout (KO) of PLD epsilon decreases root growth and biomass accumulation, whereas over-expression (OE) of PLD epsilon enhances root growth and biomass accumulation. The level of PA was higher in OE plants, but lower in KO plants than in wild-type plants, and suppression of PLD-mediated PA formation by alcohol alleviated the growth-promoting effect of PLD epsilon. OE and KO of PLD epsilon had opposite effects on lateral root elongation in response to nitrogen. Increased expression of PLD epsilon also promoted root hair elongation and primary root growth under severe nitrogen deprivation. The results suggest that PLD epsilon and PA promote organism growth and play a role in nitrogen signaling. The lipid-signaling process may play a role in connecting membrane sensing of nutrient status to increased plant growth and biomass production.
Basal cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal and Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: a case report.

A case of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (Gorlin-Goltz syndrome) with basal cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal is reported. This is only the second such case.