cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BEYOND BOOT CAMP: THE IMPACT OF AFTERCARE ON OFFENDER REENTRY

Research Summary: This study is an outcome evaluation of a residential aftercare component provided to offenders graduating from the Quehanna Motivational Boot Camp in Quehanna, Pennsylvania. Capitalizing on a policy change that set up a natural experimental design, we use survival analysis to compare recidivism outcomes of a control group of 383 offenders, who graduated before the mandatory 90-day residential aftercare component was added, to an experimental group of 337 offenders, who graduated after the policy change. Our findings reveal that offenders who receive the mandatory aftercare component have significantly lower recidivism rates at six months, one year, and two years post-release. Policy Implications: These findings are important for policy related to both boot camp programs and offender reentry in general. First, our findings suggest that adding a residential aftercare component to a boot camp program has the potential to (1) greatly reduce failure rates and (2) increase the time to failure. Second, our findings have implications that reach beyond boot camp. As the number of incarcerated offenders returning to local communities continues to increase, offender reentry has become a national issue. Our findings are promising as they suggest that a continuum of care model designed to extend services and help offenders overcome immediate obstacles to reintegration may indeed reduce criminal recidivism.
Effects of morphine and chlorpromazine on the detection of shock.

A discrete-trial, two-choice, ‘yes-no’ procedure was used to determine the extent to which the perceptual effects of compounds such as morphine and chlorpromazine (CPZ) can be attributed to drug-induced changes in ability to detect shock stimuli (sensitivity). Both morphine (4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 mg/kg) and CPZ (0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced accuracy and increased the times (i.e., lowered the speeds) to initiate trials and to make choice responses. The effects of morphine appeared to be somewhat greater than those of CPZ, particularly at the lowest shock intensity (0.05 mA). When compared to appropriate saline control days, morphine, but not CPZ, significantly reduced accuracy of discrimination on trials when shocks were presented, whereas CPZ, but not morphine, reduced accuracy on no-shock trials. The effects of morphine, but not of CPZ, on accuracy (both overall and on shock trials) decreased as shock intensity increased. The effects of shock intensity were generally inversely related to the effects of morphine and directly related to the effects of CPZ.
A numerical model for periodic finite amplitude waves on a rotational fluid

Abstract An iterative finite difference model is developed to describe two-dimensional periodic gravity waves on the surface of a fluid containing vorticity in the form of a vertical shear current. A coordinate transformation due to Dubreil-Jacotin has been used to map the fluid domain into a rectangle. The full nonlinear constant pressure free surface boundary condition is used iteratively until convergence is achieved. A comparison is made to an analytical model for a linear shear current and results are also shown for a mean flow with a ( 1 7 ) power law velocity distribution.
Improved models for fractal colloidal agglomeration: computationally efficient algorithms

Abstract A variety of modeling techniques for the population balances resulting from particle coagulation were examined. The simplified models using the non-uniform discretization scheme were compared to uniform discrete models. Further, new algorithms that incorporate a non-uniform discretization were developed. The uniform discrete population balance was used as the basis of comparison as it considers a continuous distribution of size classes of particles. Comparisons included the particle collision mechanisms of perikinetic, orthokinetic, and differential sedimentation with the inclusion of flow-induced break-up. Initial particle populations considered were both monodisperse and polydisperse. The analysis focused on the resulting population distribution and a statistical comparison to the uniform discrete model. In the course of the investigation, new algorithms were found to be substantial improvements in terms of computational time over the other models and compared favorably to the discrete/continuous model with respect to accuracy. New probability distribution functions for aggregates produced in non-uniform discrete coagulation modeling were derived and incorporated into the population balance equations. These new algorithms made it possible to simulate fractal aggregate coagulation with high accuracy, perfect mass conservation and exceptional computational efficiency. Parameter sensitivity analysis showed that a break-up kernel does not influence total particle concentration within the limited range of having the break-up coefficient less than collision efficiency, but does influence the particle size distribution and coagulation patterns. An aggregate break-up study with various kernel parameters indicated that break-up rate is more influenced by particle volume and not size class or diameter as previously suspected. The new probability distribution functions are found to be useful in fractal aggregation modeling via the higher numerical stability and accuracy. The new particle population model (Eq. (17)) is shown in the investigation to be superior to all of the other models, having mass conservation factor of over 0.99 and computation time of 3.125 × 10 −2 s, thus the new model of Eq. (17) can be used to develop predictive simulations for coagulation in computational fluid dynamics and reaction modeling.
Estimation of free tryptophan in plasma. A simplified spectrofluorometric micromethod.

Abstract Plasma tryptophan can be extracted from spots on filter paper with dilute ethanol and estimated directly by spectrofluorometry in alkaline medium. The use of an inert support simplifies the required deproteinization step permitting good recovery of the free amino acid. This procedure enables the assay of a large number of samples in a short period. Results obtained for normal fasting adults are in agreement with previously published values.
UnLocIn: Unauthorized location inference on smartphones without being caught

Location privacy has become one of the critical issues in the smartphone era. Since users carry their phones everywhere and all the time, leaking users' location information can have dangerous implications. In this paper, we leverage the idea that Wi-Fi parameters not considered to be “sensitive” in the Android platform can be exploited to learn users' location. Though the idea of using Wi-Fi information to breach location privacy is not new, we extend the basic idea and show that clever attackers can do so without being detected by current malware detection techniques. To achieve this goal, we develop the Unauthorized Location Inference attack (UnLocIn) that is transparent to both the victim user and the malware detection software, using the seemingly insensitive permission to access Wi-Fi state. This permission is used by 51 of the top 100 free apps on Google Play. We demonstrate that the UnLocIn attack allows the attacker to infer the victim's location with 50 meter accuracy in 20% of cases and within a few hundred meters on average. In addition, we discuss potential defenses against our proposed UnLocIn attack.
Thrombocytopenia Associated With One Type of Polysulfone Hemodialysis Membrane: A Report of 5 Cases

Much progress has been made in the biocompatibility of hemodialysis membranes with the development of synthetic membranes. However, despite better biocompatibility, thrombocytopenia has been observed in patients who are dialyzed with various polysulfone membranes. Recent publications have attributed this phenomenon to the electron-beam sterilization of dialyzers. We report 5 cases of thrombocytopenia in patients treated by hemodialysis with an electron-beam sterilized polysulfone membrane. The thrombocytopenia resolved after switching to either of 2 polysulfone membranes, one of which also was electron-beam sterilized. Although we were unable to elucidate the exact biochemical mechanism, the cause of the thrombocytopenia in this series appears to be related to the type of polysulfone and not due to the sterilization technique.
Decision-theoretic active sensing for autonomous agents

Classification is a sub-task common to many problems faced by autonomous agents. Traditional treatment of classification in the Machine Learning literature assumes that a feature vector is given as input. This ignores the essential role of an autonomous agent as a proactive information gatherer. In this paper, we present a framework for making optimal sensing and information gathering decisions with respect to classification goals by formulating the problem as a partially observable Markov decision process and solving for the optimal policy. We demonstrate the utility of this approach on a simulated meteorite collection task faced by an autonomous rover.
Global attractivity in a higher order difference equation with variable coefficients

In this paper, we establish several sufficient conditions for the global attractivity of solutions of the following higher order difference equation: where is a continuous function on a closed and bounded interval , is an arbitrary sequence in and k is a non-negative integer. Applications to some difference equations derived from mathematical biology are also given.
Author Affiliation Index: A New Approach to Marketing Journal Ranking.

Previous research has adopted various methods to assess the relative quality of academic marketing journals. This study, as a replication and extension of Chen and Huang (2007), introduces the Author Affiliation Index (AAI) as an alternative approach to assessing marketing journal quality. The AAI is defined as the ratio of articles authored by faculties at the world's top marketing programs divided by the total number of articles by all authors. We rank current marketing journals using the AAI approach, and provide a cross-validation of journal ratings established by previous researchers. We also study the authorship/coauthorship patterns across journals. Advantages of the AAI approach and its implications are discussed.
Theory of electrical conduction in high magnetic fields

Abstract It is pointed out that previous quantum-mechanical theories of transport in high magnetic fields are deficient in that they neglect the effect of the electric field on scattering. It is demonstrated here that in the case of large Hall angles, i.e. ω 0 τ > 1, the transverse current can be obtained by a direct expansion in powers of the scattering potential. Both elastic and inelastic collisions are considered. It is found that the transverse current can be described in terms of the drift of the centers of cyclotron orbits of the electrons in the magnetic field. This justifies the original semi-classical method of calculation of T iteica . It is pointed out, however, that such a procedure is correct only for a non-oscillating electric field. No applications are made.
Polynomial extensions of IDF-domains and of IDPF-domains

An integral domain is IDF if every non-zero element has only finitely many non-associate irreducible divisors. We investigate when R IDF implies that the ring of polynomials R[T] is IDF. This is true when R is Noetherian and integrally closed, in particular when R is the coordinate ring of a non-singular variety. Some coordinate rings R of singular varieties also give R[T] IDF. Analogous results for the related concept of IDPF are also given. The main result on IDF in this paper states that every countable domain embeds in another countable domain R such that R has no irreducible elements, hence vacuously IDF, and the polynomial ring R[T] is not IDF. This resolves an open question. It is also shown that some subrings R of the ring of Gaussian integers known to be IDPF also have the property that R[T] is not IDPF.
Acquisition of categorized named entities for web search

The recognition of names and their associated categories within unstructured text traditionally relies on semantic lexicons and gazetteers. The amount of effort required to assemble large lexicons confines the recognition to either a limited domain (e.g., medical imaging), or a small set of pre-defined, broader categories of interest (e.g., persons, countries, organizations, products). This constitutes a serious limitation in an information seeking context. In this case, the categories of potential interest to users are more diverse (universities, agencies, retailers, celebrities), often refined (e.g., SLR digital cameras, programming languages, multinational oil companies), and usually overlapping (e.g., the same entity may be concurrently a brand name, a technology company, and an industry leader). We present a lightly supervised method for acquiring named entities in arbitrary categories. The method applies lightweight lexico-syntactic extraction patterns to the unstructured text of Web documents. The method is a departure from traditional approaches to named entity recognition in that: 1) it does not require any start-up seed names or training; 2) it does not encode any domain knowledge in its extraction patterns; 3) it is only lightly supervised, and data-driven; 4) it does not impose any a-priori restriction on the categories of extracted names. We illustrate applications of the method in Web search, and describe experiments on 500 million Web documents and news articles.
A Superbend X-Ray Microdiffraction Beamline at the Advanced Light Source

Beamline 12.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source is a newly commissioned beamline dedicated to x-ray microdiffraction. It operates in both monochromatic and polychromatic radiation mode. The facility uses a superconducting bending magnet source to deliver an X-ray spectrum ranging from 5 to 22 keV. The beam is focused down to {approx} 1 um size at the sample position using a pair of elliptically bent Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors enclosed in a vacuum box. The sample placed on high precision stages can be raster-scanned under the microbeam while a diffraction pattern is taken at each step. The arrays of diffraction patterns are then analyzed to derive distribution maps of phases, strain/stress and/or plastic deformation inside the sample.
Persistence and degradation of maize-expressed vaccine protein, Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin subunit B, in soil and water

Transgenic plants represent an innovative platform for the cost-effective large-scale production of various pharmaceutical proteins. The eventual open-field production of plant-made pharmaceuticals (PMPs) requires risk assessment to determine the potential for harm to the surrounding ecosystem. In the present study, the environmental persistence of a transgenic maize-expressed antigen, Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin subunit B (LTB), was studied under laboratory conditions. To semiquantitatively monitor the persistence of LTB in soil, extraction with a high-salt, high-pH extraction buffer was optimized using the closely homologous Vibrio cholerae enterotoxin subunit B (CTB) as a test substance. The time to dissipation of 50% (DT50) of the extractable fraction of maize-expressed LTB was 4 to 15 d in pond water and 35 to 90 d in soils. Both extraction efficacy and persistence were strongly affected by the matrix type and incubation conditions. In contrast with maize-expressed LTB, the DT50 for bacterially produced LTB and CTB was less than 4 d both in pond water and soil. Although maize-expressed LTB was more stable than bacterially produced analogue, its dissipation was governed by an initial lag, which could be attributed to release from the plant material, followed by rapid decline.
Purification of Moloney murine leukemia virus chromatin from infected cells by an affinity method.

Our goal was to develop a system to study proteins that associate in vivo with the Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) enhancer elements by the isolation of intact proviral chromatin. The M-MuLV long terminal repeats (LTRs) contain tandemly repeated transcriptional enhancer sequences consisting of smaller motifs that bind cellular DNA-binding proteins implicated in transcriptional regulation. The M-MuLV enhancers are also important for disease specificity and latency of disease induction. To enrich for proviral chromatin containing M-MuLV LTR sequences, an affinity purification scheme was employed that relies on the affinity of bacterial Lac repressor protein for Lac operator (LacO) DNA sequences. An infectious M-MuLV recombinant was constructed that contains bacterial LacO sequences inserted into a nonessential region downstream from the 5′ LTR of the virus (M-MuLV-LacO). Nuclei from M-MuLV-LacO-infected cells were digested withPvull (which will liberate an LTR fragment containing LacO sequences), and digested chromatin was leached from the nuclei in hypotonic buffer. M-MuLV-LacO chromatin was then recovered by binding to an affinity matrix consisting of a β-galactosidase-Lac repressor fusion protein anchored to acrylamide beads by an anti-β-galactosidase monoclonal antibody [7]. Specifically bound chromatin was eluted under physiological conditions by incubation with the galactose analog isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside. Southern blot analysis confirmed the specific enrichment of M-MuLV proviral chromatin by this method.
Investigation of electron–hole correlation using explicitly correlated configuration interaction method

Abstract The explicitly correlated configuration interaction (XCCI) method is presented as a general technique for accurate description of electron–hole interaction. The XCCI method is a variational method where an R12-explicitly correlated wavefunction that depends on the electron–hole separation is used as the zeroth order reference wavefunction for performing the CI expansion. This is the main feature that differentiates the XCCI from the conventional CI method. Benchmark calculations on parabolic quantum dot using XCCI, FCI, and R12-FCI methods are presented and the results demonstrate that XCCI wavefunction is variationally superior to the FCI wavefunction for the ground and the excited states.
Noninvasive in vivo imaging reveals differences between tectorial membrane and basilar membrane traveling waves in the mouse cochlea

Sound is encoded within the auditory portion of the inner ear, the cochlea, after propagating down its length as a traveling wave. For over half a century, vibratory measurements to study cochlear traveling waves have been made using invasive approaches such as laser Doppler vibrometry. Although these studies have provided critical information regarding the nonlinear processes within the living cochlea that increase the amplitude of vibration and sharpen frequency tuning, the data have typically been limited to point measurements of basilar membrane vibration. In addition, opening the cochlea may alter its function and affect the findings. Here we describe volumetric optical coherence tomography vibrometry, a technique that overcomes these limitations by providing depth-resolved displacement measurements at 200 kHz inside a 3D volume of tissue with picometer sensitivity. We studied the mouse cochlea by imaging noninvasively through the surrounding bone to measure sound-induced vibrations of the sensory structures in vivo, and report, to our knowledge, the first measures of tectorial membrane vibration within the unopened cochlea. We found that the tectorial membrane sustains traveling wave propagation. Compared with basilar membrane traveling waves, tectorial membrane traveling waves have larger dynamic ranges, sharper frequency tuning, and apically shifted positions of peak vibration. These findings explain discrepancies between previously published basilar membrane vibration and auditory nerve single unit data. Because the tectorial membrane directly overlies the inner hair cell stereociliary bundles, these data provide the most accurate characterization of the stimulus shaping the afferent auditory response available to date.
The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae): life history, relationship to plant diseases, and management strategies.

The potato/tomato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) has been a major pest of solanaceous crops for decades. This pest can cause damage to crop plants by direct feeding and, as has been recently discovered, by transmitting the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter psyllaurous (a.k.a. Ca. L. solanacearum). Many studies have been conducted to determine the relationship of this pest to plant injury and to develop management strategies to alleviate the damage caused by this pest in a wide variety of solanaceous plants. Studies in the past decade have documented substantial genetic variability in this invasive species, enhanced our rapidly-evolving understanding of the interactions between the insect and the pathogen it carries, and improved our appreciation of the invasive potential of the pest. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive update to B. cockerelli life history, relationship to plant diseases, and the current state of management strategies against B. cockerelli.
A Practical Method for Tradespace Exploration of Systems of Systems

Systems of Systems (SoS) are a current focus of many organizations interested in inte- grating assets and utilizing new technology to create multi-component systems that deliver value over time. The dynamic composition of SoS along with the managerial independence of their component systems necessitates systems engineering considerations and methods beyond those of traditional systems engineering, particularly during SoS concept design. Qualitative and heuristic-based guidance for SoS design is available in the literature, but there is a need for methods that will allow decision makers to quantitatively compare diverse multi-concept SoS designs in order to select value robust designs during concept exploration. In this paper, a quantitative method for SoS conceptual design, known as System of Systems Tradespace Exploration Method (SoSTEM), is presented. This method is based on the existing Dynamic Multi-Attribute Tradespace Exploration (MATE). MATE is a formal methodology for tradespace exploration during system design that allows the decision maker to make trades between both stakeholder preferences and systems early in the design process and includes the consideration of dynamic issues such as unarticulated stakeholder preferences and changing system context. SoSTEM enables the generation of SoS tradespaces where multi-concept architectures can be compared on the same per- formance and cost basis. This method allows the SoS designer to distinguish between component systems having high likelihood of participation in the SoS and those with lower likelihood of participation, based on the level of 'Eective Managerial Authority' that the SoS designer has over the component. In this paper, SoSTEM is demonstrated through ap- plication to two case studies, an Operationally Responsive System for Disaster Surveillance and a Satellite Radar System.
Association of chemically induced forestomach cell proliferation and carcinogenesis.

Abstract A number of chemicals have been shown to cause malignant neoplasms in the forestomach of Fischer 344 rats when administered chronically by gavage. The present study was designed to identify early forestomach lesions following 2-week repeated gavage administration of some of these forestomach carcinogens. In this manner, we attempted to examine the hypothesis that early cell proliferation is associated with repetitive gavage administration of these chemicals. Groups of 8 or more male F344 rats received 1 of 6 reported forestomach carcinogens (ethyl acrylate (EtAc), diglycidyl resorcinol ether(DGRE), 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE), 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1-chloro-2-methylpropene (dimethylvinyl chloride, DMVC) and 3-chloro-2-methylpropene (CMP)), 1 of 2 structurally related chemicals (methyl methacrylate (MMA) and dichloroethane (DCE)) which were negative in chronic carcinogenicity studies or the vehicle (corn oil) alone 5 days/week for 2 weeks. Histopathologic examination of forestomachs of rats killed 24 h after the last dose indicated no significant difference in the incidence or severity of epithelial cell proliferation in the rat forestomach between the vehicle control group and the 2 negative control groups. In contrast, the incidence and severity of epithelial cell proliferation of the rat forestomach in every group treated with a forestomach carcinogen was significantly higher than the incidence in the vehicle or negative control groups. These results suggest that early epithelial cell proliferation of the forestomach may be associated with at least some chemicals that induce forestomach neoplasia following chronic administration by gavage.
The eclipse of 20 July 1963 spectrophotometry of atmospheric emissions

Abstract Observations of atmospheric emissions from a high-flying aircraft were made near Great Slave Lake, N.W.T., Canada during the eclipse of 20 July 1963. Emissions detected in the day airglow were: λ 5577 [OI], λ 6300 [OI] and λλ 5890–5896 (Na). Extrapolation to a fully illuminated atmosphere leads to an estimated intensity of 21 to 33 kR for the NaD lines, with an estimated altitude of 77 ± 5 km. The photon flux of the OI green line was observed to be 780 R at mid-totality while the OI red line measured 630 R near third contact. In the case of λ6300, u.v. dissociation of O2 is estimated to be responsible for less than 0.7 kR of the red line dayglow in the fully illuminated atmosphere. The brightness and spectral distribution of zenith total radiant flux, measured during totality, is comparable to that measured in the zenith during twilight at a solar depression angle of 7°48'. The observed asymmetry of the total light curve about midtotality is attributed to the shape of the Moon.
Organometallic transition metal derivatives containing fluorine I. Perfluorocarboxylate derivatives

Abstract Reactions of various π-cyclopentadienyl and carbonyl halides with silver perfluorocarboxylates in dichloromethane solution yield new organometallic transition metal perfluorocarboxylates by metathetical reactions. The following types of compounds have been prepared: (a) red-orange, RfCO2Fe(CO)2C5H5; (b) red-brown RfCO2Mo(CO)3C5H5; (c) yellow RfCO2Mn(CO)5; (d) white RfCO2Re(CO)5; (e) yellow-orange [C5H5Mo(NO)(CO2Rf)2]2; (f) yellow RfCO2Fe(CO)3(π-C3H5); (g) red-brown RfCO2Co(CO)(C3F7)(C5H5); (h) red-orange (C5H5)2Ti(CO2Rf)2; (i) white (C5H5)2Zr(CO2Rf)2. In most cases the trifluoroacetates (Rf = CF3), pentafluoropropionates (Rf = C2F5), and heptafluorobutyrates (Rf = n-C3F7) were prepared. In these compounds the perfluorocarboxylate groups appear to be bonded to the transition metal thru the oxygen atom. They exhibit a characteristic v(CO) frequency in the range 1680-1730 cm-1 arising from the carbonyl group of the perfluorocarboxylate ligand. The force constants k1, k2, and ki calculated from the v(CO) frequencies in the RfCO2M(CO)5 (M = Mn or Re) compounds by the Cotton-Kraihanzel procedure were found to be similar to those in the metal carbonyl halides M(CO)5X (M = Mn or Re) indicating similar bonding properties of the perfluorocarboxylate and halide ligands.
The 2012 Surviving Sepsis Campaign: Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock—An Update on the Guidelines for Initial Therapy

With the 2012 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines, clinicians have access to evidence based guidelines for the treatment of adults with severe sepsis. Some of the important changes include: new recommendations for screening of adults with sepsis for organ dysfunction (grade 1C); lactate normalization as a therapeutic target in early resuscitation (grade 2C); colloids no longer recommended for initial resuscitation (grade 1B); a minimum of 30 mL/kg for initial fluid resuscitation (grade 1C); norepinephrine as the initial vasopressor of choice (dopamine allowed only under specific circumstances) (grade 1B); removal of recombinant human activated protein C for the treatment of severe sepsis (ungraded); removal of permissive hypercapnea as a recommendation (ungraded); and a change of the target blood glucose level to <180 mg/dL (previously 150 mg/dL) (grade 1A). In this article, we review the evidence base for these and other guideline changes for the early treatment of severe sepsis in adults.
Parenteral treatment of episodic tension-type headache: a systematic review.

Background Tension-type headache is highly prevalent in the general population and is a consistent if not frequent cause of visits to acute care settings. Analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and salicylates are considered first-line therapy for treatment of tension-type headache. For patients who present to an acute care setting with persistent tension-type headache despite analgesic therapy, it is not clear which parenteral agent should be administered. We performed a systematic review of the medical literature to determine whether parenteral therapies other than salicylates or nonsteroidals are efficacious for acute tension-type headache. Methods We performed a systematic review of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google scholar, and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials from inception through August, 2012 using the search terms “tension-type headache” and “parenteral or subcutaneous or intramuscular or intravenous.” Our goal was to identify randomized trials in which one parenteral treatment was compared to another active comparator or to placebo for the acute relief of tension-type headache. Parenteral was defined as intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous administration. We only included studies that distinguished tension-type headache from other primary headache disorders, such as migraine. The primary outcome for this review was measures of efficacy one hour after medication administration. Data abstraction was performed by two authors. Disagreements were resolved by a third author. We assessed the internal validity of trials using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. Because of the small number of trials identified, and the substantial heterogeneity among study design and medications, we decided that combining data and reporting summary statistics would serve no useful function. The results of individual studies are presented using Number Needed to Treat (NNT) with 95%CI when dichotomous outcomes were available and continuous outcomes otherwise. Results Our search returned 640 results. One hundred eighty-seven abstracts were reviewed, and 8 studies involving 486 patients were included in our analysis. The most common reasons for exclusion of abstracts were no assessment of acute pain relief, use of nonparenteral medications only, and no differentiation of headache type. Risk of bias ranged from low to high. The following medications were more effective than placebo for acute pain (NNT, 95%CI): metamizole (4, 2-26), chlorpromazine (4, 2-26), and metoclopramide (2, 1-3). The combination of metoclopramide + diphenhydramine was superior to ketorolac (4, 2-8) The following medications were not more effective than placebo: mepivacaine, meperidine + promethazine, and sumatriptan. Conclusions Various parenteral medications other than salicylates or nonsteroidals provide acute relief of tension-type headache. Comparative efficacy studies are needed.
Preventative conservation measures for an ethnographic collection

Abstract In museum collections the perishable nature of many ethnographic objects presents special problems for curators. Even under the best of circumstances, the nature of the materials used in many of these specimens leads to early deterioration. This natural tendency is further exacerbated by crowded storage conditions, fluctuations in temperature and humidity, and susceptibility to devastating insect infestations. All of these conditions were slowly destroying a collection of native American ethnographic objects curated at the University of California, Davis, Department of Anthropology. Special funds were obtained from the National Science Foundation's Systematic Anthropology Collections Division to renovate the curation of the C. Hart Merriam Ethnographic Collection. This report details the problems encountered and the preventative conservation measures taken to protect the collection in the future.
Synthesis of ansa-2,2′-bis[(4,7-dimethyl-inden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl and nsa-2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyltitanium and -zirconium dichlorides

Abstract 2,2′-Bis[(4,7-dimethyl-inden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl and [2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides have been synthesized from 2,2′-bis(bromomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthylene. 2,2′-Bis(bromomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthylene was alkylated with the lithium salt of 4,7-dimethylindene to yield 2,2′-bis[1-(4,7-dimethyl-indenylmethyl)]-1,1′-binaphthylene (S)-(−)- 9 . The lithium salt of 9 was metalated with either titanium trichloride followed by oxidation or zirconium tetrachloride to give titanocene dichloride (S)-(+)- 10 and zirconocene dichloride 11 . The known complexes ansa-[2,2′-bis[(1-indenyl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides were formed and hydrogenated to ansa-[2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides 12 and 14 or to ansa-[2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,8,8′-octahydro-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium dichloride 13 whose solid state structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 13 adopts a C 1 -symmetrical conformation in the solid state, but is conformationally mobile in solution, exhibiting C 2 -symmetry in its room temperature NMR spectra.
Photooxidation of dibenzothiophene on TiO2/hectorite thin films layered catalyst

Abstract A new titanium(IV) oxide–hectorite nanofilm photocatalyst was prepared on quartz slides. It was evaluated in the photooxidation of dibenzothiophene (DBT) in nonpolar organic solution (tetradecane), as a model for diesel fuel. A removal regimen was developed consisting of catalytic photooxidation followed by adsorption of products on silica gel. Photooxidation of DBT was performed with and without catalyst, at 254 and 300 nm. Comparison was made with a commercially available TiO 2 catalyst, Degussa P25. The catalyst was analyzed by nitrogen adsorption, XRD, SEM, and TGA-DTA. DBT concentrations were measured by HPLC and UV spectrophotometry. Preliminary qualititative analysis of products was performed by UV and HPLC. Results indicated that the outlined process was effective in reducing sulfur levels to below 10 ppm sulfur.
Thermal studies on aquopentamminecobalt(III) hexacyanocobaltate(III)

Abstract Dehydration of [Co(NH 3 ) 5 H 2 O][Co(CN) 6 ] to produce [(NH 3 ) 5 CoNCCo(CN) 5 ] has been studied isothermally and by DSC. The reaction follows first order kinetics with an activation energy of 34.4 kcal/mole. Some HCN is also evolved before the reaction is complete. Three reactions were indicated by DSC and they correspond to loss of H 2 O, HCN and NH 3 , respectively. Enthalpy values for these reactions are 5.2, 13.4 and 5.1 kcal/mole, respectively.
Hydrogels formed by oxo-ester mediated native chemical ligation

Oxo-ester mediated native chemical ligation (OMNCL) is a variation of the more general native chemical ligation reaction that is widely employed for chemoselective ligation of peptide fragments. While OMNCL has been used for a variety of peptide ligations and for biomolecular modification of surfaces, it is typically practiced under harsh conditions that are unsuitable for use in a biological context. In this report we describe the use of OMNCL for polymer hydrogel formation, in vitro cell encapsulation, and in vivo implantation. Multivalent polymer precursors containing N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) activated oxo-esters and N-cysteine (N-Cys) endgroups were chemically synthesized from branched poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Hydrogels formed rapidly at physiologic pH upon mixing of aqueous solutions of NHS and N-Cys functionalized PEGs. Quantitative 1H NMR experiments showed that the reaction proceeds through an OMNCL pathway involving thiol capture to form a thioester intermediate, followed by an S-to-N acyl rearrangement to yield an amide cross-link. pH and temperature were found to influence gelation rate, allowing tailoring of gelation times from a few seconds to a few minutes. OMNCL hydrogels initially swelled before contracting to reach an equilibrium increase in relative wet weight of 0%. This unique behavior impacted the gel stiffness and was attributed to latent formation of disulfide cross-links between network-bound Cys residues. OMNCL hydrogels were adhesive to hydrated tissue, generating a lap shear adhesion strength of 46 kPa. Cells encapsulated in OMNCL hydrogels maintained high viability, and in situ formation of OMNCL hydrogel by subcutaneous injection in mice generated a minimal acute inflammatory response. OMNCL represents a promising strategy for chemical cross-linking of hydrogels in a biological context and is an attractive candidate for in vivo applications such as wound healing, tissue repair, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.
Lens structure in MIP‐deficient mice

In this study we used correlative light, scanning, and transmission (freeze-etch) electron microscopy to characterize lens structure in normal mice and compare it with that in mice deficient in the major intrinsic protein (MIP) of fiber cells. Grossly, wild-type lenses were transparent and had typical Y sutures at all of the ages examined. These lenses had fibers of uniform shape (hexagonal in cross section) arranged in ordered concentric growth shells and radial cell columns. In addition, these fibers had normal opposite end curvature and lateral interdigitations regularly arrayed along their length. Ultrastructural evaluation of these fibers revealed anterior and posterior end segments characterized by square array membrane on low-amplitude wavy fiber membrane. Approximately 13% of the equatorial or mid segments of these same fibers were specialized as gap junctions (GJs). In contrast, heterozygote lenses, while initially transparent at birth, were translucent by 3 weeks of age, except for a peripheral transparent region that contained fibers in the early stages of elongation. This degradation in clarity was correlated with abnormal fiber structure. Specifically, although the mid segment of these fibers was essentially normal, their end segments lacked normal opposite end curvature, were larger than normal, and had a distinct non-hexagonal shape. As a result, these fibers failed to form typical Y sutures. Furthermore, the nuclear fibers of heterozygote lenses were even larger and lacked any semblance of an ordered packing arrangement. Grossly, homozygote lenses were opaque at all ages examined, except for a peripheral transparent region that contained fibers in the early stages of elongation. All fibers from homozygote lenses lacked opposite end curvature, and thus failed to form any sutures. Also, these fibers were essentially devoid of interlocking devices, and only 7% of their mid segment was specialized as GJs. The results of this study suggest that MIP has essential roles in the establishment and maintenance of uniform fiber structure, and the organization of fibers, and as such is essential for lens function. Anat Rec Part A 273A:714–730, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Pox in the North American Backyard: Volepox Virus Pathogenesis in California Mice (Peromyscus californicus)

Volepox virus (VPXV) was first isolated in 1985 from a hind foot scab of an otherwise healthy California vole (Microtus californicus). Subsequent surveys in San Mateo County, CA, revealed serological evidence suggesting that VPXV is endemic to this area, and a second viral isolate from a Pinyon mouse (Peromyscus truei) was collected in 1988. Since then, few studies have been conducted regarding the ecology, pathology, and pathogenicity of VPXV, and its prevalence and role as a potential zoonotic agent remain unknown. To increase our understanding of VPXV disease progression, we challenged 24 California mice (Peromyscus californicus) intranasally with 1.6×103 PFU of purified VPXV. By day five post infection (pi) we observed decreased activity level, conjunctivitis, ruffled hair, skin lesions, facial edema, and crusty noses. A mortality rate of 54% was noted by day eight pi. In addition, internal organ necrosis and hemorrhages were observed during necropsy of deceased or euthanized animals. Viral loads in tissues (brain, gonad, kidney, liver, lung, spleen, submandibular lymph node, and adrenal gland), bodily secretions (saliva, and tears), and excretions (urine, and/or feces) were evaluated and compared using real time-PCR and tissue culture. Viral loads measured as high as 2×109 PFU/mL in some organs. Our results suggest that VPXV can cause extreme morbidity and mortality within rodent populations sympatric with the known VPXV reservoirs.
IEA-HIA Task 26 Research and Development Progress in Renewable Hydrogen Production Through Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Abstract Photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production, using sunlight to directly split water, is one of the key enabling technologies for a future where hydrogen is widely deployed as an energy carrier. However, the “traditional” semiconductor-based PEC material systems studied to date, including simple metal oxides such as TiO2, WO3 and Fe2O3, have not been successful in meeting all the performance, durability and cost requirements for practical hydrogen production. Technology-enabling advances in the development of new, advanced PEC materials and systems have been needed. Toward this end, the International Energy Agency's Hydrogen Implementation Agreement (IEA-HIA) Task-26, working in close conjunction with “Working Group on PEC Hydrogen Production” in the Fuel Cell Technology Program at the U.S. Department of Energy, has brought together experts in materials theory, synthesis, characterization and analysis from research sectors across the world. This endeavor has resulted in exciting recent progress over a broad range of PEC materials classes, including high efficiency crystalline semiconductors (e.g., III-V materials), promising thin-film semiconductors (including Fe2O3-,WO3-, and CuGaSe2- based films), novel photocatalyst powders (such as Cs-Modified WO3) and innovative photocatalyst nano-particles (e.g., MoS2). The research and development progress in these important PEC materials classes will be summarized, and key implications discussed.
Ethnicity‐related variation in breast cancer risk factors

BACKGROUND. A variety of factors are predictors of breast cancer risk. However, the studies conducted to establish these risk factors have rarely included African American women. The few studies with sufficient numbers of African-American women suggest that risk factors for breast cancer among African-American women are similar to those of white women. Although risk factors may be similar for African-American and white women, differences in the prevalence of risk factors may explain the differences in patterns of incidence. METHODS. The authors reviewed the epidemiologic studies of breast cancer among African-American women and identified resources with information regarding the prevalence of risk factors among African American and white women. RESULTS. Considerable variation exists in the studies of breast cancer risk factors among African American women. Because few studies have included sufficient numbers of African-American women, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding whether risk estimates for African American women differ from those of white women. Estimates of the prevalence of breast cancer risk factors indicate that African American and white women differ in terms of their ages at menarche, menstrual cycle patterns, birth rates, lactation histories, patterns of oral contraceptive use, levels of obesity, frequency of menopausal hormone use, physical activity patterns, and alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS. The risk factor profile of African-American women appears to differ from that of white women. This may explain in part, the higher incidence rates for African Americans before age 45 years and the lower incidence rates at older ages. Discussions of these data at a workshop highlighted the need for future research on breast cancer risk among African Americans. This research should acknowledge the heterogeneous heritage, cultural beliefs, and cultural knowledge of African-American women. Studies conducted in collaboration with the African-American community of women and with the breast cancer advocacy community can benefit from assistance in the design of questionnaires and recruitment of participants.
Lavender and Blue: Attitudes About Homosexuality and Behavior Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Among Police Officers

Most victims of antigay/lesbian hate crimes never report these crimes to police for fear of hostility and abuse. Similarly, lesbian/gay officers fear a negative response if they come out at work. Research assumes but has not shown that dislike of lesbians and gay men translates into negative behavior. This article employs original survey data to examine the relationship between attitudes and behavior toward lesbians and gays among subsets of sworn officers. We employ the concept “sexual project” to argue that this relationship is shaped by experiences that determine respondents' relationship to (homo)sexuality, masculinity, and civil rights. We conclude by outlining implications of homophobic attitudes within law enforcement.
Fracture strength of Type IV and Type V die stone as a function of time

Abstract Statement of problem. During the removal of casts from the impression there is the risk of stone fracture. Purpose. This study evaluated the fracture resistance of four die stone materials at different time intervals. Material and methods. Additional silicone impressions were made of a maxillary master cast. Two Type V, one Type IV die stones and one Type IV resin reinforced stone were tested. A total of 80 casts were prepared, separated, and tested on the Instron Universal Testing Machine at ½, 1, 12, and 24 hours to measure resistance to fracture. Results. Significant differences to fracture resistance of the different die stone materials were observed at all time intervals except at 24 hours. The data were analyzed with ANOVA at α = 0.005 and n = 5. Conclusion. It is recommended to wait at least 12 to 24 hours when separating casts from impressions to avoid fracturing casts. Residual moisture content in a stone cast may contribute to fracture. (J Prosthet Dent 1997;78:554-9.)
Resonant enhancement of inverse photoemission transitions in bulk niobium

We report the observation of the resonant enhancement of inverse photoemission transitions involving bulk band states of niobium when the energy of the transition corresponds to the plasma frequency. On resonance the cross-section increases by a factor of \ensuremath{\sim}5. Comparison with earlier reflectivity data confirms that the resonance occurs at the plasma frequency but the mearsured plasmon energy of 19.3 eV is slightly less than the 20.8 eV found in the earlier study. We do not observe resonant enhancement of transitions into surface states or interface states.