cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parity-specific fertility intentions and uncertainty: the United States, 1970 to 1976

A theoretical and analytic model of fertility intentions is proposed which treats “don’t know” responses and other uncertain responses as distinct from more firm intentions. Methodologically, these analyses show that “don’t know” responses need not be treated as missing data, but instead are both valid and meaningful responses. Furthermore, eliminating these uncertain respondents would have the negative effects of distorting across survey comparisons in intentions due to shifts in aggregate uncertainty, reducing the likelihood of accurately detecting shifts in fertility intentions, and lessening the representatives of the sample analyzed. Substantively, in conjunction with Morgan (1981), these results show that the sharp 1965–76 decline in the likelihood of intending more births at parities 2 through 5 occurred as women halted childbearing at minimal acceptable levels and postponed further childbearing. With time (or age), this delayed fertility became fertility about which the respondent was uncertain and, finally, fertility foregone. Since 1970, similar shifts are observed at parities 0 and 1, perhaps foreshadowing an increase in voluntary childlessness and one-child families.
Activated ribonucleotides undergo a sugar pucker switch upon binding to a single-stranded RNA template.

Template-directed polymerization of chemically activated ribonucleotide monomers, such as nucleotide 5′-phosphorimidazolides, has been studied as a model for nonenzymatic RNA replication during the origin of life. Kinetic studies of the polymerization of various nucleotide monomers on oligonucleotide templates have suggested that the A-form (C3′-endo sugar pucker) conformation is optimal for both monomers and templates for efficient copying. However, RNA monomers are predominantly in the C2′-endo conformation when free in solution, except for cytidine, which is approximately equally distributed between the C2′-endo and C3′-endo conformations. We hypothesized that ribonucleotides undergo a switch in sugar pucker upon binding to an A-type template and that this conformational switch allows or enhances subsequent polymerization. We used transferred nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (TrNOESY), which can be used for specific detection of the bound conformation of small-molecule ligands with relatively wea...
Three-Dimensional Micron-Resolution X-Ray Laue Diffraction Measurement of Thermal Grain-Evolution in Aluminum

A new technique for investigating 3D grain growth in polycrystalline materials using white x-ray microdiffraction with micron point-to-point spatial resolution is presented. This technique utilizes focused polychromatic x-rays at the Advanced Photon Source, differential aperture depth-profiling, CCD measurements, and automated analysis of spatially-resolved Laue patterns to measure local lattice structure and orientation. 3D thermal grain growth studies of hotrolled aluminum have been initiated to demonstrate the capabilities of this method. Complete 3D grain orientation maps were obtained from a hot-rolled aluminum polycrystal. The sample was then annealed to induce grain growth, cooled to room temperature, and re-mapped to measure the thermal migration of all grain boundaries within the same volume region. Initial observations reveal significant grain growth above 360°C, involving movement of both low- and high-angle boundaries. Systematic measurements have been obtained of the as-rolled grain structure and of the microstructural evolution after annealing at successively higher temperatures. Small second-phase precipitates have been identified. Such measurements will provide the detailed 3D experimental link needed for testing theories and computer models of 3D grain growth in bulk materials.
The Role of Media Distrust in Partisan Voting

As an institution, the American news media have become highly unpopular in recent decades. Yet, we do not thoroughly understand the consequences of this unpopularity for mass political behavior. While several existing studies find that media trust moderates media effects, they do not examine the consequences of this for voting. This paper explores those consequences by analyzing voting behavior in the 2004 presidential election. It finds, consistent with most theories of persuasion and with studies of media effects in other contexts, that media distrust leads voters to discount campaign news and increasingly rely on their partisan predispositions as cues. This suggests that increasing aggregate levels of media distrust are an important source of greater partisan voting.
HLA—‐DR4 is not a requisite for autoimmunity to collagen in rheumatoid arthritis

Immunogenetic studies in rheumatoid arthritis have demonstrated an increased frequency of the HLA—-DR4 alloantigen in individuals with both the sporadic and familial forms of the disease. To investigate the significance of this association, we ascertained whether the possession of DR4 is necessary for the expression of cellular and humoral immunity to native human type II collagen. Our results indicate that the presence of DR4 is not required for the development of autoimmunity to collagen in rheumatoid arthritis.
The Gulf and a New Middle East Security System

At rare historical junctures, states grapple with the fundamental problem of international relations: how to create and maintain order in a world of sovereign states. These junctures come at dramatic moments of upheaval and change within the international system, when the old order has been destroyed by war and newly powerful states try to reestablish basic organizing rules and arrangements. – G. John Ikenberry
Host Plant Preferences of Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) for Onions and Associated Weeds on the Southern High Plains

Thrips species composition and host preference for onions and eight common weed species were determined in onion fields on the Southern High Plains in Texas. Eleven thrips species were collected, and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) was the most abundant in both 1989 (57.1%) and 1990 (99.5%). Thrips tabaci Lindeman was abundant (40.4%) in 1989; however, only two specimens were collected in 1990. T. tabaci exhibited a strong preference for Allium cepa L. F. occidentalis did not exhibit a preference for A. cepa but rather, in 1989, exhibited preference for Salvia sp ., Amaranthus palmeri Wats, and Kochia scoparia (L.) Schard., in descending order of preference, and in 1990 exhibited a preference for K. scoparia in only one field. Immature thrips occurred predominantly on A. cepa in 1989 and on the weed species in 1990. These associations indicate that the immatures collected in 1989 were probably T. tabaci , whereas those collected in 1990 were probably F. occidentalis because they followed similar patterns of association as the respective adults. In addition, a modified aromatic Berlese funnel for rapid plant sampling and thrips extraction in the field is described. Percentage extraction efficiency was dependent on plant species and ranged from 81 to 98.3 for adult thrips and 72.2 to 100 for immatures.
Neglect of quality-of-life considerations in intensive care unit family meetings for long-stay intensive care unit patients

The challenges of communication with families of long-stay intensive care unit (ICU) patients and surrogates facing end-of-life decisionmaking have been a focus on numerous investigations and professional guidelines (1–5). Despite this attention, research continues to reflect the difficulty of implementing consistent approaches that are effective in addressing informational and support needs of surrogate decisionmakers. This is particularly true in situations in which there is considerable prognostic uncertainty and questions about treatment limitations, a common occurrence for long-stay ICU patients. Regular family meetings have been recommended as an effective approach for assuring that families receive updated information, have an opportunity to get questions answered, and receive support for shared decisionmaking with the clinical team (6). Although reports suggest having a system of regular meetings can facilitate decisionmaking, minimize use of ineffective interventions, and improve family satisfaction (7–10), there is evidence that style and elements of communication (e.g., topics, empathic statements) are equally important. Curtis (11) reported that in almost one-third of family conferences where bad news was discussed, there were missed opportunities to provide information or support. We also reported on a trial of an “intensive communication system” of regular weekly meetings with families of long-stay ICU patients (12) where meetings were not associated with length of stay, aggressiveness of care, or resource use. In this report we describe findings from the audio recordings of 116 family meetings held as part of a larger parent study that examined the impact of a structured family meeting intervention on ICU resource use. Description and outcomes from the parent study have been presented elsewhere (12). For the descriptive study presented here, we were interested in examining the frequency with which quality of life (QOL) was discussed because of the uncertain trajectory of recovery and high mortality and morbidity associated with the long-stay ICU patient population. As part of this investigation, we wanted to describe the components of the conversation, including the frequency of emotionally oriented comments and specific meeting topics (e.g., patient preferences, medical update, prognosis) and to examine whether there were patient or family decisionmaker (FDM) characteristics that were associated with discussions of QOL. A secondary purpose was to describe the extent of treatment limitation discussion and key characteristics associated with those discussions.
Dispersion, mass transfer and chemical reaction in multiphase contactors: Part I: Theoretical developments

The convective dispersion theory of Gill and Sankarasubramanian is extended to allow for multiphase mass transfer interactions in column-type contactors, and for multisolute, reversible and irreversible, homogeneous and wall-catalyzed heterogeneous chemical reactions in the individual phases. This theory can now be applied in any transverse average, not just the area average used in the past, and additional interactions between the phases not normally accounted for in the traditional axial dispersion model are indicated.
Effects of Testosterone Propionate and Estradiol Benzoate—Alone or in Combination—on Serum LH and FSH in Orchidectomized Rats

In adult rats, the post-castration rise in serum LH and FSH 5 days following orchidectomy was prevented by daily subcutaneous injections of testosterone propionate (@100 μg/100 g body wt) or estradiol benzoate (@1 μg/100 g body wt). No differential effects on LH and FSH release were observed following treatment with either steroid. No significant changes in serum gonadotropin levels were produced by treatment with testosterone propionate over a range of 0.001-15 μg or by treatment with 0.00008-0.1 μg estradiol benzoate. Synergism between testosterone propionate and estradiol benzoate was not observed when 4 doses of testosterone propionate (0.15, 1.5, 15 and 30 μg/100 g) were given in combination with each of 4 doses of estradiol benzoate (0.0025, 0.025, 0.25 and 0.5 μg/100 g). However, all 4 doses of testosterone propionate antagonized the gonadotropin inhibiting action of the highest dose of estradiol benzoate. Concentrations of LH and FSH in sera of orchidectomized, adrenalectomized rats were indisting...
Working Class Rosies: Women Industrial Workers during World War II

After joining the industrial workforce during World War II, women disappeared from industrial employment with postwar reconversion. This article uses data from Ford Motor Company employee records to describe female industrial workers, their work histories before Ford, and their exit patterns from Ford. We draw a more complete picture of these industrial workers and discuss the differences between those who chose to leave Ford and those who left involuntarily. Contrary to popular myth it was housewives, along with African-American and older women, those with the fewest outside opportunities, who were more likely to be laid-off.
The effects of a second stimulus on the auditory steady state response (ASSR) from the inferior colliculus of the chinchilla.

AbstractThe auditory steady-state response (ASSR) is an auditory evoked potential which follows the envelope of the stimulus. One of the advantages of the ASSR is that multiple stimulation frequencies can be tested simultaneously. In experiment 1, we evaluated the effects of simultaneously presenting two separate stimuli on ASSR response amplitude. In experiment 2, we evaluated the effects of presenting two ASSR-generating stimuli monotically vs. dichotically, either ipsilaterally or contralaterally to the recording electrode. Recordings were made from the chinchilla inferior colliculi, in response to tonebursts, two-tones, or sinusoidally-amplitude modulated tones. We found that the addition of a second stimulus resulted in a reduction in ASSR response amplitude at moderate to high stimulus levels. The amount of amplitude reduction was typically larger in the monotic (e.g. ∼50%) vs. dichotic condition (e.g. ∼10–20%), regardless of whether the responses were recorded ipsilaterally or contralaterally to th...
Interaction of Very Intense Radiation Fields with Atomic Systems

In this paper a theory is developed which permits one to treat radiation processes involving a large number of photons in first- or second-order perturbation theory. The theory is applied to the interaction of an atomic electron with a very intense linearly polarized laser beam. It is found under certain approximations that induced radiation will occur at all harmonics $n{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$ of the fundamental laser frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$. The intensity distribution of this radiation is symmetric about the axis of polarization of the primary beam and is peaked at an angle of about 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with respect to direction of propagation of the secondary radiation and the polarization of the incident radiation for the first few modes. This angle markedly shifts toward 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for increasing $n$ (higher harmonics). The transition probabilities are high enough to make the effect readily observable.
Statistical multisensor image segmentation in complex wavelet domains

We propose an automated image segmentation algorithm for segmenting multisensor images, in which the texture features are extracted based on the wavelet transform and modeled by generalized Gaussian distribution (GGD). First, the image is roughly segmented into textured and non-textured regions in the dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT-CWT) domain. A multiscale segmentation is then applied to the resulting regions according to the local texture characteristics. Finally, a novel statistical region merging algorithm is introduced by measuring a Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD) between estimated GGD models for the neighboring segments. Experiments demonstrate that our algorithm achieves superior segmentation results.
Crew Pairing and Aircraft Routing for On-Demand Aviation with Time Window

On-demand air transportation provides passengers a convenient option flying point-to-point directly anytime at their requests. Although it's convenient to customers, this type of non-scheduled service posts great challenge to the management companies, who must serve customer demand by efficiently arranging their aircraft. A set-partitioning model is proposed to optimize the crew pairing and aircraft routing problem with minimum cost. The model takes into account multiple types of aircraft and FAA crew regulations. It is implemented with object-oriented programming and solved using CPLEX. In the model, a time window strategy is considered to allow flexible departure time during high demand day. The results show great improvement on cost savings over the company's original schedule. Especially, the flexible departure time emerges significant improvement on aircraft utilization and charter reduction. Moreover, the proposed methodology offers an efficient approach to evaluate business strategies, and provides valuable insight to help business decision-making.
Fatty acid esterase production by ectomycorrhizal fungi

Several reports have indicated the stimulating effeet of fatty acid-containing materials on the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Growth of dif? ferent ectomycorrhizal fungi can be stimulated by lipids (Schisler and Volkoff, 1977; Fries et al, 1985), Tween 80 (Straatsma and Bruinsma, 1986), or certain free fatty acids (Lindeberg and Lin? deberg, 1974). Palmer and Hacskaylo (1970) re? ported no growth stimulation using the synthetic lipid triacetin, but this may have been the result of acetate inhibition (Lindeberg and Lindeberg, 1974) or the inability to use acetate as a sole carbon source.
Daily Motor Activity and Corticosterone Secretion in the Meadow Vole

A study was conducted of daily adrenocortical activity in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus , with regard to corticosteroid production as a function of daily patterns of motor activity under controlled conditions of temperature and photoperiod, and comparison of corticosteroid levels in males and females, and in wild-caught and laboratory-raised voles. Meadow voles exhibited successive short cycles of motor activity with peaks averaging from 1 to 5 hr in length. Longest periods of activity and greatest variability in activity occurred during the hours of darkness. Fluorometric determinations revealed steroid levels several times greater than have been observed in laboratory mice and rats. Voles displayed a daily rhythm of corticosterone secretion, the peak occurring during the lowest ebb of motor activity. Females were generally observed to have higher levels of both serum and adrenal corticosterone than males. Sex differences were more pronounced in wild-caught than in laboratory-raised voles. Wild-caught voles generally had higher corticosterone levels than those born in captivity. These higher levels were particularly pronounced in the wild-caught females.
Effect of 3D matrix compositions on the efficacy of EGFR inhibition in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells.

Therapeutics to inhibit signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been suggested as a potential treatment for pancreatic cancers, and two-dimensional (2D) cell culture techniques are commonly used to identify and/or verify the therapeutic efficacy of EGFR inhibitors. However, drug targets identified from conventional cell culture techniques may not exhibit desired functions when these drugs are tested in animal studies, in large part due to the complicated tumor microenvironments. Hence, it is crucial to develop a biomimetic cell culture system capable of recapitulating aspects of tumor niches for studying cancer cell fate processes under the influence of various environmental stimuli. In this study, we utilized a versatile PEG-peptide hydrogel system to demonstrate the influence of matrix properties and EGFR inhibition on the growth of a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell line (PANC-1). PANC-1 cells were encapsulated in 8-arm PEG-norbornene (PEG8NB) hydrogels cross-linked by matrix meta...
MCP-1 in pleural injury : CCR2 mediates haptotaxis of pleural mesothelial cells

Pleural injury results in the death of mesothelial cells and denudation of the mesothelial basement membrane. Repair of the mesothelium without fibrosis requires proliferation and migration of mesothelial cells into the injured area. We hypothesized that monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) induces proliferative and haptotactic responses in pleural mesothelial cells (PMCs) and that the MCP-1 binding receptor CCR2 mediates the pleural repair process. We demonstrate that PMCs exhibited MCP-1-specific immunostaining on injury. MCP-1 induced proliferative and haptotactic responses in PMCs. PMCs express CCR2 in a time-dependent manner. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-2 upregulated CCR2 protein expression in PMCs, whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS) downregulated the response at the initial period compared with that in resting PMCs. However, the inhibitory potential of LPS was lost after 12 h and showed a similar response at 24 and 48 h. Haptotactic migration was upregulated in PMCs that were cultured in the presence of IL-2. The increased haptotactic capacity of mesothelial cells in the presence of IL-2 correlated with increased CCR2 mRNA expression. PMCs cultured in the presence of LPS showed decreased haptotactic activity to MCP-1. Blocking the CCR2 with neutralizing antibodies decreased the haptotactic response of PMCs to MCP-1. These results suggest that the haptotactic migration of mesothelial cells in response to MCP-1 are mediated through CCR2, which may play a crucial role in reepithelialization of the denuded basement membrane at the site of pleural injury and may thus contribute to the regeneration of the mesothelium during the process of pleural repair.
Observations on Glyoxylic Acid Reaction in Mental Disease.

ConclusionsA positive result with glyoxylic acid test was obtained in 62.5% of schizophrenic patients, while only 8% of non-schizophrenics gave a positive test. Though non-specific the test affords a statistically significant distinction which cannot be explained by the non-experimental variables. Because of the chance that the test has a significant association with the disease, schizophrenia, further investigation seems warranted.
A survey of anthropometry and physical accommodation in ergonomics curricula.

The size and shape of users are an important consideration for many products and environments. Designers and engineers in many disciplines must often accommodate these attributes to meet objectives such as fit and safety. When practitioners have academic training in addressing these issues, it is typically through courses in Human Factors/Ergonomics (HF/E). This paper investigates education related to physical accommodation and offers suggestions for improvement. A survey was conducted wherein 21 instructors at 18 universities in the United States provided syllabi for 29 courses, which were analysed to determine topics related to anthropometry and resources used for the courses. The results show that within the US, anthropometry is covered in the majority of courses discussing physical ergonomics, but important related concepts were often omitted (e.g. digital human modelling, multivariate accommodation and variability across global populations). Curricula could be improved by incorporating more accurate ...
Semi-arid vegetation response to antecedent climate and water balance windows

Questions Can we improve understanding of vegetation response to water availability on monthly time scales in semi-arid environments using remote sensing methods? What climatic or water balance variables and antecedent windows of time associated with these variables best relate to the condition of vegetation? Can we develop credible near-term forecasts from climate data that can be used to prepare for future climate change effects on vegetation? Location Semi-arid grasslands in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Methods We built vegetation response models by relating the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from MODIS imagery in Mar–Nov 2000–2013 to antecedent climate and water balance variables preceding the monthly NDVI observations. We compared how climate and water balance variables explained vegetation greenness and then used a multi-model ensemble of climate and water balance models to forecast monthly NDVI for three holdout years. Results Water balance variables explained vegetation greenness to a greater degree than climate variables for most growing season months. Seasonally important variables included measures of antecedent water input and storage in spring, switching to indicators of drought, input or use in summer, followed by antecedent moisture availability in autumn. In spite of similar climates, there was evidence the grazed grassland showed a response to drying conditions 1 mo sooner than the ungrazed grassland. Lead times were generally short early in the growing season and antecedent window durations increased from 3 mo early in the growing season to 1 yr or more as the growing season progressed. Forecast accuracy for three holdout years using a multi-model ensemble of climate and water balance variables outperformed forecasts made with a naive NDVI climatology. Conclusions We determined the influence of climate and water balance on vegetation at a fine temporal scale, which presents an opportunity to forecast vegetation response with short lead times. This understanding was obtained through high-frequency vegetation monitoring using remote sensing, which reduces the costs and time necessary for field measurements and can lead to more rapid detection of vegetation changes that could help managers take appropriate actions.
Technical Tips: Cyanoacrylate Better Than Collodion?

(2002). Technical Tips: Cyanoacrylate Better Than Collodion? American Journal of Electroneurodiagnostic Technology: Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 119-121.
Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Secreting Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and Dopamine With Pulmonary Emboli: A Case Report

Context: The vasoactive intestinal peptide-secreting neuroendocrine tumor (VIPoma) is a very rare pancreatic tumor. We report the first case of a patient with VIPoma that co-secreted dopamine and had pulmonary emboli. Case Description: A 67-year-old woman presented with 2 months of watery diarrhea, severe generalized weakness,6.8 kg of weight loss, a facial rash, and hypokalemia. Colonoscopy did not reveal the cause of the chronic diarrhea. Initial biochemical testing showed markedly elevated serum vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pancreatic polypeptide. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a 5.4-cm distal pancreatic mass. Octreoscan showed an intense uptake in the area of the pancreatic mass. Incidental pulmonary emboli were found and treated. Additional biochemical testing revealed a markedly elevated urinary dopamine level. The patient received preoperative α-blockade and octreotide. She underwent a successful laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. Postoperative urinary dopam...
A Content Analysis of Nine Literacy Journals, 2009-2014:

The purpose of this study was to determine the topics being studied, theoretical perspectives being used, and methods being implemented in current literacy research. A research team completed a con...
An Examination of Specific Child Behavior Problems as Predictors of Parenting Stress Among Families of Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorders

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Studies have shown that parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) exhibit higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children or children with other types of developmental delays (DD). This relationship appears to be mediated by elevated levels of behavior problems observed in children with PDD. However, little is known about what specific child behavior problems are most common in this population or how these behavior problems relate to parental stress. We examined the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems in parents of young children with PDD. Method: The current study utilized data from the Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) project and included 72 parents of children with PDD. The mean age of the parents in the current study was 34.81 years (SD = 7.67) and the mean age of the children was 3.86 years (SD = 0.98). Results: The most commonly endorsed classes of child behavior problems included attention ...
Rotating Cross-Arm and Winter Row Covers for Floricane Blackberry (Rubus Subgenus Rubus Watson) Production in North Dakota

North Dakota State Board of Agricultural Research and Education and Doyle’s Thornless Blackberry Inc.
Stigma and substance use disorders: An international phenomenon

Purpose of reviewTo collect and update published information on the stigma associated with substance abuse in nonclinical samples, which has not been recently reviewed.Recent findingsSearching large databases, a total of only 17 articles were published since 1999, with the majority of studies conduc
A pseudo-coupled DEM-non-linear PBM approach for simulating the evolution of particle size during dry milling

Abstract A multi-scale modeling approach is formulated which combines the use of the discrete element method (DEM) and population balance model (PBM) to simulate the evolution of particle size distribution (PSD) in dry milling. As a major novelty, a pseudo-coupled DEM–non-linear PBM approach is proposed, in which the parameters of a non-linear PBM were calibrated using the DEM simulations of the microdynamic environment in a mill by using the DEM intermittently. To demonstrate the application of this approach, breakage dynamics of silica particles in a vibrating cylindrical vessel containing an alumina grinding ball was simulated numerically. DEM simulations were performed to obtain the collision frequency and impact energy spectra, calculate the first-order breakage rate parameters from short milling of mono-sized feeds, and calibrate the parameters of the effectiveness factor of the non-linear PBM. As another novelty, the form of the effectiveness factor chosen accounted for both acceleration effects and deceleration effects simultaneously, which have been observed in various experimental milling studies. By incorporating DEM input, the non-linear PBM with the effectiveness factor was used to simulate the evolution of the PSD. This study demonstrates that a non-linear PBM, whose parameters were calibrated using DEM at early milling times, could predict the PSD evolution during prolonged milling and potentially obviate the need for using computationally expensive DEM simulations for the whole milling duration.
Haunting the future: narratives of Jewish return in Israeli and Moroccan cinema

This paper investigates the common theme of haunting in recent cinematic works from Morocco and Israel that thematize Jewish-Moroccan immigration and identity. While this theme is usually explored ...
Лерканидипин в лечении артериальной гипертензии

Aim: To search the literature assessing lercanidipine effectiveness, tolerability, and benefits in arterial hypertension (AH) treatment. Data sources: The literature search was performed using MEDLINE (1966 – September 2006), EMBASE Drugs and Pharmacology (1980 – September 2006), and Current Contents/Clinical medicine (Week 24, 2005 – Week 30, 2006). Medication instructions were also studied for lercanidipine, nifedipine, and amlodipine, to compare adverse event information. Study and data selection: The English-language papers presenting clinical trials, abstracts, and literature reviews were included. Data synthesis: Lercanidipine is a new dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (CA), used for AH treatment. Although the medication is not available in USA, it is widely used in other countries. In two randomised controlled studies, including 400 patients with mild to moderate AH, lercanidipine effectiveness was similar to that in two other dihydropyridine CA – felodipine and slow-release nifedipine, as demonstrated by a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) levels after four weeks. In a longer study (12 months), lercanidipine (10 mg/d) normalised BP in 49% of the patients as soon as after 4 weeks of the therapy. A post-marketing study, including 9500 patients, confirmed the previous results: in 64%, DBP level reached 90 mm Hg or lower, and in 32%, BP was controlled (<140/90 mm Hg). In elderly patients, lercanidipine, similar to lacidipine and nifedipine, demonstrated a decrease in DBP comparable to that for nifedipine (-18,3 and -17,7 mm Hg, respectively). In contrast to the other dihydropyridine CA, lercanidipine is characterized by lower rates of adverse effects (lower leg edema, in particular). One study showed that fewer participants stopped their treatment due to adverse effects in the lercanidipine (0,9%) and nifedipine (3,8%) groups than in the felodipine group (4,5%). Lercanidipine also demonstrated antihypertensive activity similar to that in other antihypertensive medications, such as atenolol, captopril, and losartan. Conclusions: Lercanidipine could be used as a first-choice medication for AH treatment, since the available literature data confirm its comparative effectiveness and better tolerability, comparing to other antihypertensive agents. Further randomised double-blind clinical trials should be performed to clarify the place of lercanidipine among other medications for AH treatment.
An atomic displacive model for 101¯21¯011 twinning in hexagonal close packed metals with the emphasis on the role of partial stacking faults in formation of {101¯2} twins

Abstract Anomalous basal type stacking faults (SFs) called partial SFs (PSFs) have been observed extensively within { 10 1 ¯ 2 } or extension twins for a variety of hexagonal close packed (HCP) metals. The formation of PSFs can generate a stacking sequence in which every other basal plane has been displaced by a 1 / 3 " open=" 10 1 ¯ 0 vector. Based on this special structural property of HCP metals, a new crystallographic model is developed for 10 1 ¯ 2 " open=" 1 ¯ 011 twinning system. In contrast to homogenous lattice shearing process in classical twinning model, the new model describes that formation of PSFs can provide transient locations of atoms in such a way that a subsequent zonal-twinning mechanism including a set of relatively simple shear and shear-shuffle atomic displacements toward twinning direction is sufficient to accomplish 10 1 ¯ 2 " open=" 1 ¯ 011 twinning. These shear and shear-shuffle atomic displacements are formally determined, and their analytical expressions are given in a generalized explicit form for a whole twinned domain of any HCP crystal with c / a ratio between 1.5 and 1.9. It will be shown that the macroscopic effect of spontaneous cooperative movements of atoms in the new mechanism is a simple shear, and the invariant plane strain condition of { 10 1 ¯ 2 } or twinning plane is preserved.
Who is sexually faithful? Own and partner personality traits as predictors of infidelity:

Infidelity can have harmful consequences for all those involved. Although prior research has demonstrated some reliable associations between certain personality traits and infidelity, the associati...
Nrf2a modulates the embryonic antioxidant response to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the zebrafish, Danio rerio.

Abstract The glutathione redox system undergoes precise and dynamic changes during embryonic development, protecting against and mitigating oxidative insults. The antioxidant response is coordinately largely by the transcription factor Nuclear factor erythroid-2 (Nrf2), an endogenous sensor for cellular oxidative stress. We have previously demonstrated that impaired Nrf family signaling disrupts the glutathione redox system in the zebrafish embryo, and that impaired Nrf2 function increases embryonic sensitivity to environmental toxicants. Here, we investigated the persistent environmental toxicant and reported pro-oxidant perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and its impact on the embryonic glutathione-mediated redox environment. We further examined whether impaired Nrf2a function exacerbates PFOS-induced oxidative stress and embryotoxicity in the zebrafish, and the potential for Nrf2-PPAR crosstalk in the embryonic adaptive response. Wild-type and nrf2afh318−/− mutant embryos were exposed daily to 0 (0.01% v/v DMSO), 16, 32, or 64 μM PFOS beginning at 3 h post fertilization (hpf). Embryonic glutathione and cysteine redox environments were examined at 72 hpf. Gross embryonic toxicity, antioxidant gene expression, and apoptosis were examined at 96 hpf. Mortality, pericardial edema, and yolk sac utilization were increased in wild-type embryos exposed to PFOS. Embryonic glutathione and cysteine redox couples and gene expression of Nrf2 pathway targets were modulated by both exposure and genotype. Apoptosis was increased in PFOS-exposed wild-type embryos, though not in nrf2a mutants. In silico examination of putative transcription factor binding site suggested potential crosstalk between Nrf2 and PPAR signaling, since expression of PPARs and gene targets was modulated by both PFOS exposure and Nrf2a genotype. Overall, this work demonstrates that nrf2a modulates the embryonic response to PFOS, and that PPAR signaling may play a role in the embryonic adaptive response to PFOS.
Editorial Commentary: Don't Throw Away the Retractors: Complications of Open Versus Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Could Be Influenced by Indications.

Abstract Shoulder surgeons must carefully interpret literature that compares outcomes and complications of open and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques. It is important for shoulder surgeons to be facile with both techniques.
Socioeconomic status of parents with children participating on youth club sport teams

Abstract Objectives To describe the socioeconomic status, measured by household income and educational attainment, of parents with children participating on youth club sport teams. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Local sport events. Participants 949 parents (571 female) of youth athletes between 10 and 18 years old were recruited at club team events and practices to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Main Outcome Measures SES variables included total household income (THI) and educational attainment. Sport specialization was classified as low, moderate, or high using a previously utilized 3-point specialization scale. Chi-square tests were used to compare frequencies SES categories with child specialization. Results Parents reported spending a median of 1500 [500-3000] USD per year on their children's club sports activities. Most parents reported a THI greater than 100,000 USD per year and a bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Parents in the higher THI categories were more likely to have a child that is highly specialized in one sport. Conclusion The current youth sports system in the United States, which emphasizes year-round participation on club teams, may be limiting the participation of families without the resources to participate in this system.
Community Art as a Transformative Experience: Reflective Explorations of an Artist-in-Residence

Art has long been viewed by many as the exclusive domain of a cultural elite. The perception that creators of art and their audience are somehow different from the common man has led to a chasm that has been difficult to bridge. The 'bridge builders,' those who bring art to communities and communities to art have learned as much from the communities they serve as the communities have learned from them. One of the most important lessons that decades of work has reaped is that the approaches that work best are those bottom up approaches where context-specific knowledge is gathered in a culturally sensitive manner and reflected upon before one even begins to work with any community. Gathering context-specific knowledge helps one understand the community one will be working with in order to better determine what learning activities are apt to be more effective than others. Gathering this information about the specific cultural traditions and behaviors of a particular community has an added benefit if it's done in a culturally sensitive manner; it helps the artist build trust with the members of that community and thus is less likely to be perceived as an outsider whose activities are suspect, and so less likely to be resisted. Based on what has been learned from and about those one seeks to serve needs to be the foundation on which art programs are conceived, for only then can one hope to create art programs that are responsive and provide opportunities for authentic engagement to take place. This is the story of one such artistic journey that an artist in residence and the members of a small community of emerging writers embarked on, and the lessons that were reaped from it. It is my hope that by sharing our story, the importance of understanding the emerging artists one is guiding, and of reflecting on the experiences that emerge, the challenges of bottom-up reflective approaches will be better understood and thus it will become easier to translate theory into practice leading to more effective implementation.
Latent Profiles of Residential Stepfamily Relationship Quality and Family Stability

Stepfamilies are an increasingly common context in which adults and children reside. Past research has examined family processes that promote family resilience, such as dyadic relationships marked ...
A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding Mu-Fi Interventions on the Digital Divide

Grounded theory is the most rigorous method of providing preliminary research in an area where research is scarce. Using grounded theory, this paper explores the extent to a recent government initiative failed to achieve its goal. Specifically, the study explored the role of U.S. municipal wireless broadband networks (Mu-Fi) in bridging the so-called “digital divide.” Grounded theory was useful as it allowed the researcher to present an interdisciplinary and holistic vision of Mu-Fi vis-a-vis a complex and evolving division between groups with access to ICT to those without. The paper aims to stimulate discussion about how governments may effectively remedy this social ill.
La jadeíta y la cosmovisión de los olmecas

Los olmecas se distinguieron como expertos talladores de jade en cuentas, figurillas y hachas, estas ultimas estrechamente relacionadas con el simbolismo del maiz y la fertilidad agricola. Esta importancia simbolica –como en el caso de las hachas finamente labradas en Europa durante el Neolitico– deriva en parte del hecho de que se usaran para desbrozar la maleza y preparar los terrenos para el cultivo. Un rasgo distintivo de los olmecas fue su gran aprecio por el jade, que trabajaron con un grado notable de destreza y perfeccion. A pesar de ser una piedra muy dura y densa, el jade fue labrado y pulido por los olmecas hasta adquirir el brillo de un espejo. El jade preferido por los olmecas, y por todos los pueblos mesoamericanos posteriores, no fue el jade nefrita de los antiguos chinos, sino la jadeita
Laparoscopic Resection of Rectal Cancer

The diagnosis, staging, and treatment of rectal cancer are well established and will be covered briefly. The main intent of this chapter is to describe laparoscopic techniques that adhere to oncologic requirements for the resection of rectal cancer. It is important to remember that the remainder of the complex treatment of rectal cancer should not be influenced by consideration of a laparoscopic approach.
Dose, Dose Rate, Radiation Quality, and Host Factors for Radiation-Induced Life Shortening

This paper reviews the effects of ionizing radiations on disease incidence and life shortening in experimental animals, with the aim of establishing a phenomenological model of the dose and time kinetics for the production of late radiation damage. Aspects of this problem have been discussed previously (Sacher, 1956a). At that time, mammalian cellular radiology had barely begun its dramatic development, and there were no experimental data against which to test the hypothesis adopted then, that the phenomena of radiation life shortening are due to chromosome breakage and rejoining. This hypothesis was stated most explicitly by Muller (1950), but it was also implicit in the discussion of lethal effects in cells by Lea (1947), and in a real sense it was a development that epitomized the classical period of radiation genetics.
Managing state for Ajax-driven web components

Ajax-driven Web applications require state to be maintained across a series of server requests related to a single Web page. This conflicts with the stateless approach used in most Web servers and makes it difficult to create modular components that use Ajax. We implemented and evaluated two approaches to managing component state: one, called reminders, stores the state on the browser, and another, called page properties, stores the state on the server. Both of these approaches enable modular Ajax-driven components but they both introduce overhead for managing the state; in addition the reminder approach creates security issues and the page property approach introduces storage reclamation problems. Because of the subtlety and severity of the security issues with the reminder approach, we argue that it is better to store Ajax state on the server.
Calculations of Submarine Flows by a Multiblock Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Method

In the present study, the multiblock Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method of Chen et al. [1] has been revised and extended to incorporate second-order Reynolds stress closure models for the calculations of turbulent, incompressible flows around submarine configurations. The convective transport equations for mean flow and turbulence quantities were transformed from a triply-orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system to nonorthogonal body-fitted coordinates. Calculations have been performed using both the second-moment closures and the isotropic eddy-viscosity models for three submarine configurations, the SUBOFF bare hull, the SUBOFF body with ring wing, and an appendage/flat-plate junction for which experimental data are available. Extensive comparisons between calculations and measurements have been made to facilitate a critical assessment of the second-order effects due to Reynolds stress anisotropy.
Postnatal exposure to ethanol increases its oral acceptability to adolescent rats

The aversive flavor of ethanol limits intake by many consumers. We asked whether intermittent consumption of ethanol increases its oral acceptability, using rats as a model system. We focused on adolescent rats because they (like their human counterparts) have a higher risk for alcohol overconsumption than do adult rats following experience with the drug. We measured the impact of ethanol exposure on 1) the oral acceptability of ethanol and surrogates for its bitter (quinine) and sweet (sucrose) flavor components in brief-access lick tests and 2) responses of the glossopharyngeal (GL) taste nerve to oral stimulation with the same chemical stimuli. During the exposure period, the experimental rats had access to chow, water and 10% ethanol every other day for 16 days; the control rats had access to chow and water over the same time period. The experimental rats consumed 7-14 g/day of 10% ethanol across the exposure period. This ethanol consumption significantly increased the oral acceptability of 3%, 6% and 10% ethanol, but had no impact on the oral acceptability of quinine, sucrose or NaCl. The ethanol exposure also diminished responses of the GL nerve to oral stimulation with ethanol, but not quinine, sucrose or NaCl. Taken together, these findings indicate that ethanol consumption increases the oral acceptability of ethanol in adolescent rats and that this increased oral acceptability is mediated, at least in part, by an exposure-induced reduction in responsiveness of the peripheral taste system to ethanol per se, rather than its bitter and sweet flavor components.