cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osteophytic reaction to a polytetrafluoroethylene temporomandibular joint implant

Alloplastic disk substitutes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) used in the management of late stage temporomandibular joint disease have often been accompanied by morbid tissue reactions and resultant destructive changes. Numerous clinicians have reported cases of severe radiographic and clinical bony destruction and degeneration accompanied by marked foreign body giant cell reactions in the adjacent soft tissues. The case reported here demonstrates just the opposite event. Osteophytic enlargement of the lateral portion of the zygomatic arch and glenoid fossa, with adaptation to the contours of the implant, along with severe condylar osteophytosis, was diagnosed through tomographic and CT imaging and was confirmed at surgery.
Major bleeding resulting from a single dose of dicumarol.

Excerpt Multiple doses of Dicumarol have frequently been reported to cause major bleeding episodes. On the other hand, it has been often emphasized1, 2that large single doses of Dicumarol given to ...
Path memory in real-world and virtual settings

Using a technique common in the orientation- specificity literature, we set up an experimental study in an outdoor setting and used it as the basis for a parallel study involving a virtual version of that setting. After viewing the path, participants made a series of directional and scene recognition judgments involving locations along that path after either being moved directly to the testing site or being moved there via a circuitous route. At the site, participants were situated in alignment or counter-alignment with their previous viewing position. Similarities between performance in real-world and virtual setting included participants' use of stable landmarks in both environments and improvement in performance through repeated testing. In addition, previously published patterns of performance that signify specific means of achieving orientation-free performance in this task were not replicated, presumably because the time-space dimensions of the setting. We concluded that in light of the similarities and lack of strong differences in results, virtual environments can be viable options for researchers wishing to eliminate confounding and nuisance variables that may be present when doing spatial tests in large-scale spaces.
Transdisciplinary personnel preparation for special physical education in rural/remote Montana:

The personnel preparation of rural based special physical education teachers should be premised on a proactive approach of the notion of universal excellence, rural transfer and adaptation strategi...
How to run C++ applications on a bare PC?

Most of the computer applications today run on a given operating system environment. The application programs written in a programming language such as C++ are intertwined with operating system and environment to run on a given machine. Thus, a C++ program requires a processor such as an Intel Pentium and an operating system such as a Microsoft Windows. Why do we have to run applications in such a constrained environment? It may be because, that is how evolution of computing happened since the inception of personal computers in the 80s. In this paper, we describe details on how to run C++ applications on a bare machine. We provide some benefits of running applications on a bare machine without any operating system. We present some sample applications that are built to demonstrate the capability of running C++ applications on a bare machine. Finally, we describe our future research direction that may potentially offer a revolution in computing architecture and application development.
Commentary on the Treatment of Gender Variant and Gender Dysphoric Children and Adolescents: Common Themes and Ethical Reflections

This commentary offers preliminary ethical reflections on the range of treatments for gender variant and gender dysphoric children, adolescents, and young adults described in the preceding five clinical articles. After clarifying the terminology used to discuss these issues, this commentary reviews several common themes of the clinical articles. Focusing on ethical values of informed consent, full disclosure, the minimization or avoidance of harm, and the maximization of life options, the commentary expresses concerns about various treatment options endorsed by some of the articles. In particular, this commentary focuses on how these practices problematically reproduce social prejudices and stereotypes and how they fail to acknowledge and embrace the multiple pathways for expressing one's gender. It also compares and contrasts the ethical issues related to gender variant and gender dysphoric youths and youths who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors

OBJECTIVES: The full potential of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), in the treatment of unresectable intrahepatic malignancies, has yet to be realized as our experience is still limited. Thus, we evaluated SBRT outcomes for primary and metastatic liver tumors, with the goal of identifying factors that may aid in optimization of therapy. METHODS: From 2005 to 2010, 62 patients with 106 primary and metastatic liver tumors were treated with SBRT to a median biologic effective dose (BED) of 100 Gy (42.6–180). The majority of patients received either three (47%) or five fractions (48%). Median gross tumor volume (GTV) was 8.8 cm3 (0.2–222.4). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 18 months (0.46–46.8), freedom from local progression (FFLP) was observed in 97 of 106 treated tumors, with 1- and 2-year FFLP rates of 93% and 82%. Median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 25.2 months, with 1- and 2-year OS of 81% and 52%. Neither BED nor GTV significantly predicted for FFLP. Local failure was associated with a higher risk of death [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.1, P = .0007]. One Child-Pugh Class B patient developed radiation-induced liver disease. There were no other significant toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: SBRT provides excellent local control for both primary and metastatic liver lesions with minimal toxicity. Future studies should focus on appropriate selection of patients and on careful assessment of liver function to maximize both the safety and efficacy of treatment.
On Marangoni effects in a heated thin fluid layer with a monolayer surfactant. Part I: model development and stability analysis

We develop a model for surface tension driven flow induced by an insoluble surfactant monolayer on a heated thin fluid layer. The mathematical model is based on a perturbation analysis for a thin fluid layer. The resulting model involves coupling of flow and heat transfer to an additional transport equation for surfactant concentration on the surface. We develop the stability analysis of this coupled system. We characterize the stability behaviour and induced wave motion into four parametric regions based on linear stability analysis. A finite element formulation and numerical studies of the behaviour in the various stability regimes are given in Part II
Ischemic Preconditioning in Unstable Coronary Syndromes: Evidence for Time Dependence

Abstract Objectives. We hypothesized a time-dependent relation between angina occurring spontaneously before percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and the likelihood of an ischemic response during initial balloon occlusion. We further hypothesized that the ability to elicit the “classic” mode of PTCA-related preconditioning would vary with the interval from clinical angina to PTCA. Background. Antecedent angina represents a potential for myocardial preconditioning in unstable ischemic coronary syndromes. Methods. We studied 67 patients with Braunwald class III unstable coronary syndromes undergoing PTCA. The interval between the last spontaneous episode of angina preceding PTCA and initial balloon inflation was categorized as follows: 0 to 6 h; 6 to 12 h; 12 to 24 h; and >24 h. Results. Across the various intervals, there was a significant difference (p = 0.004) in the proportion of patients with an absent ischemic response during the first balloon inflation (0 to 6 h, 50%; 6 to 12 h, 35%; 12 to 24 h, 23%; and >24 h, 4%). There was, however, no difference between the first and second inflations in the proportion of patients with a diminished ischemic response until 6 to 12 h (p = 0.017) had elapsed since the last spontaneous episode of angina. Patients whose angina last occurred >24 h before the first inflation showed the greatest inducibility of PTCA-related preconditioning. Conclusions. Strong evidence exists for the occurrence of ischemic preconditioning in unstable coronary syndromes. Although the protective effect of spontaneous angina appears to wane beyond 6 h, recovery of preconditioning occurs from 6 to 12 h. Thus, preconditioning can be reinduced during PTCA with a marked potentiation of the effect at 24 h. This suggests an underlying time-dependent mechanism with a physiologic “half-life” of 6 to 12 h.
Self-ascription without qualia: A case study

In Section 5 of his interesting article, Goldman suggests that the consideration of imaginary cases can be valuable in the analysis of our psychological concepts. In particular, he argues that we can imagine a system that is isomorphic to us under any functional description, but which lacks qualitative mental states, such as pains and color sensations. Whether or not such a being is empirically possible, it certainly seems to be logically possible, or conceptually coherent. Goldman argues from this possibility to the conclusion that our concepts of qualitative mental states cannot be analyzed entirely in functional terms.
Leakage current in single electron device due to implanted gallium dopants by focus ion beam

Focus ion beam (FIB) technology has been employed to fabricate quantum dot based devices such as the single electron transistor (SET) on a silicon substrate with Cr/Au/Al"2O"3 film stack. It was discovered that the dwell time of FIB gallium beam on an area impacted the dosage of gallium ions implanted into the insulating substrate, creating a highly doped region which could lead to device leakage current. This work focus on the potential electron transport possible when an over-dosed gallium rich Al"2O"3 layer will lead to leakage current between otherwise electrically isolated contact pads. Using the Keithley 4200 semiconductor parametric analyzer (SPA) and the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) analysis; we demonstrate the detrimental effect of leakage current in the range of pA, observed between drain/source electrodes due to the high dose of gallium implanted into the insulating Al"2O"3. The optimized FIB etching parameters to produce a high quality of device functionality with no leakage current is also demonstrated.
Fluorescein distribution in retinas of normal and diabetic rats

Quantitative fluorescence microscopy was used to study fluorescein distribution across the blood-retinal barrier in control and streptozotocin diabetic rats at 2 min, 1 and 2 hr after dye injection (12.5 and 125 mg kg-1 i.v.). Fluorescence intensities of choriocapillaris and retina were compared with plasma fluorescein levels. Diabetic rats had only one-half the total plasma fluorescein concentration of controls by 1 hr after injection, but the proportion of free fluorescein was greater in diabetic animals than in controls, providing the total plasma dye levels did not exceed the binding capacity of plasma proteins. Diabetic rats also had more unbound fluorescein glucuronide in plasma. With fluorescence microscopy no focal fluorescein leakage from retinal capillaries or pigment epithelium was seen in any diabetic or control eye. However, the dye was detected in retinas of diabetic and control animals at all intervals except 2 hr after injection of the lower dose when its fluorescence was too low to measure. Initial fluorescein entry occurred from the choroid by diffusion through pigment epithelial cells creating a steep intensity gradient decreasing from outer to inner retinal layers. With time this gradient flattened and then completely reversed, suggesting removal of dye from outer retinal layers and concomitant equilibration of inner layers with a pool of fluorescein in vitreous humor. Although the pattern of transretinal fluorescence distribution was similar in all rats, in specific instances, retinal fluorescence intensity differed significantly between control and diabetic animals. Fluorescence intensity was higher in diabetic than in control rats at 2 min after the 12.5 mg kg-1 dose and lower at 1 hr after the 125 mg kg-1 dose (P less than 0.05). These differences were directly related to transient differences in plasma free fluorescein concentrations, and in both cases, retinal fluorescence in diabetic rats returned to control values in conjunction with return to control levels of their plasma free fluorescein concentrations. The amount of dye detected in diabetic retinas was not in excess of normal levels at any interval after injection when related to concurrent plasma free fluorescein concentrations. These data do not indicate blood-retinal barrier dysfunction in the diabetic rat, but interpretation of the results is limited by the experimental conditions. With the high dose there was probably initial saturation of active transport mechanisms for dye removal, and with the low dose, dye distribution could not be followed to 2 hr when evidence of abnormal accumulation in retina may be more apparent.
The histrap proposal: Heavy-ion storage ring for atomic physics

Abstract HISTRAP, Heavy-Ion Storage Ring for Atomic Physics, is a proposed 46.8-m-circumference synchrotron-cooling-storage ring optimized to accelerate, decelerate, and store beams of highly charged very-heavy ions at energies appropriate for advanced atomic physics research. The ring is designed to allow studies of electron-ion, photon-ion, ion-atom, and ion-ion interactions. An electron cooling system will provide ion beams with small angular divergence and energy spread for precision spectroscopic studies and also is necessary to allow the deceleration of heavy ions to low energies. HISTRAP will have a maximum bending power of 2.0 T m and will be injected with ions from either the existing Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility 25-MV tandem accelerator or from a dedicated ECR source and 250 keV/nucleon RFQ linac.
Modelling joint response under constant or variable normal stiffness boundary conditions

The response of a rock joint to shear loading in situ depends not only on the joint surface properties but also on the boundary conditions that are applied across the joint surfaces. These boundary conditions can take multiple forms and vary as the rock mass is subject to cycles of loading and unloading. For instance, in rock slope stability, the moving block above a critical joint surface is free to move upward. In this case, the normal stress across the joint remains essentially constant. On the other hand. a block constrained between dilatant joints in the roof or sidewalls of an underground excavation does not move as freely as in the previous case. As the block moves, joint dilation is restricted by the surrounding rock and is controlled by the deformability (or stiffness) of the rock mass. Hence, the normal stress across the joint planes along which sliding takes place, is no longer constant but increases. In general, joint shear strength under increasing normal stress will be different from its shear strength under constant normal stress. The range of joint normal loading conditions in situ and the importance of properly modelling rock joint behaviour have been emphasized by Goodman [1], Heuze [2], Leichnitz [3] and Goodman and Boyle [4] among others. Lam and Johnston [5] also recognized the importance of properly modelling the joint interface between concrete and rock when assessing the side resistance induced in concrete piles in rough rock sockets as the pile is loaded and displaced vertically. The range of joint normal loading conditions can best be represented by assuming that the deformability of the surrounding rock mass is modelled by a spring with normal stiffness K = dan/dr where da, and dv are the changes in joint normal stress and displacement, respectively. The stiffness K varies between zero for a joint under constant normal stress (as in slope stability problems) and infinity if the rock mass is very stiff for which no change in joint normal deformation is allowed. The stiffness is constant if the change in joint normal stress remains proportional to the change in normal displace-
Aging unmasks adverse effects of gestational exposure to methylmercury in rats

Abstract The consequences of developmental exposure to methylmercury on behavior in aged animals were investigated. Methylmercury exposure was arranged by placing 0, 0.5 or 6.4 ppm Hg in the drinking water of female rats at least 4 weeks before mating and continuing until post-natal (PN) day 16. Brain Hg concentrations in cohorts of low- and high-dose offspring were 0.5 and 9.1 ppm at birth and 0.04 and 0.52 ppm at weaning (described in another report). Lever pressing of female offspring was maintained under a Multiple Differential Reinforcement of High Rate 9:4 Extinction schedule of food reinforcement (Mult DRH 9:4 EXT). Under the DRH 9:4 schedule, a food reinforcer was delivered when nine responses occurred within 4 s. Under the Extinction schedule, responding had no programmed consequences. No exposure-related differences in reinforcement rate under the DRH schedule or discrimination between the DRH and extinction components were apparent initially. At 950 days of age, the overall response rates of controls had shown a gradual decline over the previous 500 days to about 80% of their beginning levels, but, otherwise, most controls were healthy. A gradual decline in the reinforcement rate began to appear in low- and high-dose rats at about 500 and 800 days of age, respectively. Microanalyses of the nine-response burst maintained by the DRH schedule revealed that the lever-press duration increased, the inter-response time (IRT) was unaffected, and the time between response bursts increased. Overall, the nine-response burst remained intact as a coherent response unit. The increased time between response bursts caused the decline in reinforcement rate. All rats displayed these effects as they aged, but the mercury-exposed rats did so sooner.
Effect of hormones and environmental factors on lactic dehydrogenases.

There are two types (M and H) of lactic dehydrogenase that are found in most animals. The M-type is found largely in the more anaerobic tissues, such as voluntary skeletal muscles; the H-type is found in aerobic tissues, such as cardiac muscle. In the immature uterus, the level of M units is considerably less than that found in the mature uterus. Injection of estradiol leads to a marked increase in M units in the immature uterus, but there is no significant change in the concentration of the H form. Testosterone and progesterone, in contrast, promote a proportional increase in the two lactic dehydrogenases in the immature uterus. Testosterone, however, induces a selective synthesis of M units in the seminal vessels of the immature rat. Hypophysectomy leads to a decrease in M units of skeletal muscle. The effects of various hormones on the composition of lactic dehydrogenase of the rat and chicken will be summarized.
A new preconditioning technique for solving large sparse linear systems

Abstract A new sparse approximate triangular factorization technique for solving large sparse linear system by iterative methods is proposed. The method is based on the description of the triangular factorization of a matrix as a product of elementary matrices and provides a general scheme for constructing incomplete preconditioners for the given matrix. In particular, the familiar incomplete Choleski decomposition can be incorporated into this scheme. The algorithm, based on choice by value, compares favorably with the incomplete Choleski preconditioner and, equipped with a user-controlled parameter, is able to tackle extremely ill-conditioned problems arising in structural analysis, semiconductor simulation, oil-reservoir modelling, and other applications. When applied to a positive definite symmetric matrix, the algorithm produces a preconditioning matrix preserving that property.
Inverse Heat Conduction by Direct Inverse Laplace Transform

The Laplace transform technique is used to solve the inverse heat conduction problem. The inverse Laplace transform is carried out directly by using a novel technique that is both simple and accurate. Exact and noisy data are used to infer the boundary temperature. It is shown that the present method is accurate and also quite insensitive to measurement errors.
HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF GENE ONTOLOGY TERMS USING THE GOstruct METHOD

Protein function prediction is an active area of research in bioinformatics. Yet, the transfer of annotation on the basis of sequence or structural similarity remains widely used as an annotation method. Most of today's machine learning approaches reduce the problem to a collection of binary classification problems: whether a protein performs a particular function, sometimes with a post-processing step to combine the binary outputs. We propose a method that directly predicts a full functional annotation of a protein by modeling the structure of the Gene Ontology hierarchy in the framework of kernel methods for structured-output spaces. Our empirical results show improved performance over a BLAST nearest-neighbor method, and over algorithms that employ a collection of binary classifiers as measured on the Mousefunc benchmark dataset.
Sieving functional morphology of the gill raker feeding apparatus of atlantic menhaden

Menhaden occupy an important position in estuarine food webs, thus the rate processes associated with their feeding are critical to the ecosystem management of fishery and ecological resources. Atlantic menhaden feed on a wide range of plankton, the size and food quality of which change ontogenetically. We analyzed the functional morphology of the menhaden feeding apparatus in a size series of menhaden representative of juveniles and the adult migratory stock. The physical dimensions of gill arches and rakers increased isometrically with fish length; however, branchiospinule spacing, the dimension that forms the sieve apertures of the branchial basket, scaled allometrically with fish length. Juvenile menhaden from North Carolina have branchiospinule spacings that averaged 12 µm, with three arch subsections of average spacing <10 µm. Spacings did not increase with juvenile growth until the first allometric inflection point at approximately 100 mm fork length (FL). Spacing data for juveniles from other locations suggests spacing increases with latitude. Spacings increase with fish length in adults until a second inflection at 200 mm FL, after which spacing averages 37 µm. These data suggest menhaden juveniles filter smaller plankton with higher filtration efficiency than previously considered and that regional recruitment may affect adult distribution through foraging preferences. J. Exp. Zool. 305A, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Several MPN models for serial dilutions with suppressed growth at low dilutions

Most probable number (MPN) estimates of microbial concentrations from serial dilutions employ a usual model of probabilities of the various possible outcomes. Outcomes challenge the usual model when they occur at markedly different rates from what the usual model predicts. Too many outcomes that suggest suppression of growth at low dilutions have occurred in some foods. These challenge the usual model and suggest new models. This paper provides four new models: growth suppression by a toxicant released from the food product by sample preparation; interference by a non-target species of microbe; disaggregation of clumped microbes at a single dilution step; disaggregation spread evenly over several dilution steps. The assumptions and discussion of how to find the maximum likelihood estimate for the parameters are given.
Anomalous magnetic moment of the nucleon

Miyazawa’s method of calculation of the anomalous magnetic moment of the nucleon is given a covariant extension by using covariant dispersion relations. In this connection, some attention is paid to the difference between; covariant and non-covariant definitions of magnetic moment from meson current contribution.
Lipid Signaling in Experimental Epilepsy

Glutamate release activates signaling pathways important for learning and memory, and over-stimulation of these pathways during seizures leads to aberrant synaptic plasticity associated with hyper-excitable, seizure-prone states. Seizures induce rapid accumulation of membrane lipid-derived fatty acids at the synapses which, evidence suggests, regulate maladaptive connectivity. Here we give an overview of the significance of the arachidonyl- and inositol-derived messengers, prostaglandins (PGs) and diacylglycerol (DAG), in experimental models of epilepsy. We use studies conducted in our own laboratory to highlight the pro-epileptogenic role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and its products, the PGs, and we discuss the possible mechanisms by which PGs may regulate membrane excitability and synaptic transmission at the cellular level. We conclude with a discussion of AA-DAG signaling in synaptic plasticity and seizure susceptibility with an emphasis on recent studies in our laboratory involving DAG kinase epsilon (DGKepsilon)-knockout mice.
NASA focusing beyond space shuttle era

[1] Although the NASA space shuttle Atlantis is set to close out the space shuttle era in July with the STS-135 mission, this final shuttle mission will not mark the end of America's leadership in human spaceflight, NASA administrator Charles Bolden said in a 1 July speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D. C. “When I hear people say, or listen to media reports [that indicate], that the final shuttle flight marks the end of U.S. human spaceflight, I have to say, ‘these folks must be living on another planet.’ We are not ending human spaceflight; we are recommitting ourselves to it and taking the necessary and difficult steps today to ensure America's preeminence in human space exploration for years to come.”
Numerical investigation of nanoparticle-assisted laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy toward tumor and cancer treatments

In this work, we numerically investigated nanoparticle-assisted laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy for tumor/cancer treatments. The goal of the study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of treatment conditions including laser wavelength, power, exposure time, concentrations of tailored nanoparticles, and optical/thermal properties of the tissue that is under treatment. It was found that using absorbing preferential nanoparticles as the photothermal agent weakens fluence rate distributions in terms of lowering fluence rate peaks and reducing laser penetration depths. However, the local enhancement in laser photon absorption induced by nanoparticles is so significant that the reduced fluence rate will be balanced out, and the eventual medical hyperthermia is greatly prompted by using nanoparticles. Also, the results of numerical simulations indicated that with constant laser illumination, an increase in nanoparticle concentration beyond a certain range has only an insignificant impact on hyperthermia.
Racial Differences in Factors that Influence the Willingness to Participate in Medical Research Studies

PURPOSE: The relative absence of racial/ethnic minorities among medical research subjects is receiving considerable attention because of recent government mandates for their inclusion in all human subject research. We examined racial differences in the prevalence of sociocultural barriers as a possible explanation for the underrepresentation of African Americans in medical research studies. METHODS: During 1998‐1999, a total of 198 residents of the Detroit Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) participated in a survey that examined impediments to participation in medical research studies. Chi square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between race, issues related to trust of medical researchers, and the willingness to participate in medical research studies. RESULTS: Study results indicate that African Americans and whites differ in their willingness to participate in medical research. Racial differences in the willingness to participate in a medical research are primarily due to the lower level of trust of medical research among African Americans. African American respondents were also somewhat less willing to participate if they attribute high importance to the race of the doctor when seeking routine medical care, believed that minorities bear most of the risks of medical research, and if their knowledge of the Tuskegee Study resulted in less trust in medical researchers. CONCLUSION: These data reiterate the need for medical researchers to build trusting relationships with minority communities. Researchers can begin by acknowledging the previous medical abuse of minority research participants, discussing their specific plans to assure the protection of study participants, and explaining the need for the participation of racial/ethnic minorities including studies that specifically target or that are likely to result in disproportionate representation of racial/ethnic minorities among study participants. Ann Epidemiol 2002;12:248‐256 . © 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
On p-adic multiple zeta and log gamma functions

Abstract Text We define p -adic multiple zeta and log gamma functions using multiple Volkenborn integrals, and develop some of their properties. Although our functions are close analogues of classical Barnes multiple zeta and log gamma functions and have many properties similar to them, we find that our p -adic analogues also satisfy reflection functional equations which have no analogues to the complex case. We conclude with a Laurent series expansion of the p -adic multiple log gamma function for ( p -adically) large x which agrees exactly with Barnesʼs asymptotic expansion for the (complex) multiple log gamma function, with the fortunate exception that the error term vanishes. Indeed, it was the possibility of such an expansion which served as the motivation for our functions, since we can use these expansions computationally to p -adically investigate conjectures of Gross, Kashio, and Yoshida over totally real number fields. Video For a video summary of this paper, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9Bv_CycEd8 .
A Latent Growth Model of Adolescent Physical Activity as a Function of Depressive Symptoms.

Abstract Background Research indicates a possible relationship between adolescent depressive symptoms and physical activity, yet few studies have examined whether trajectories of adolescent physical activity differ among adolescents with and without elevated depressive symptoms. Purpose This study documented change in physical activity from ages 12–17 years among youth with and without elevated depressive symptoms, and examined the influences of key family, physiological, and demographic covariates on activity patterns. Methods Data were from 371 youth. The sample was 50% female; 76% White, 12% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% American Indian, and 4% other or mixed races. Mean age was 12.05 years (SD = 1.63) at Time 1. Latent growth curve modeling (LGM), a cohort-sequential design, and a multiple-group design by level of depressive symptoms were employed. Results Adolescent physical activity declined significantly from ages 12–17 for those with and without elevated depressive symptoms. Adolescents with elevated symptoms had lower initial levels of physical activity than individuals without. For youth with low depressive symptoms, male sex and parental support of physical activity were related to higher initial levels of physical activity. For youth with elevated depressive symptoms, male sex, being White, and parental support were related to higher initial levels of physical activity. Additionally, for both groups, increases in parent physical activity were related to less of a decline in adolescent physical activity trajectories. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of parental support in promoting physical activity among adolescents with and without elevated depressive symptoms.
The Mourning Virgin and Saint John

In studies of the iconography of the Crucifixion, the emphasis is usually on the central figure of Christ, and less attention has been given to the figures of the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist who stand on either side of the cross.
Unsteady boundary layers: convective heat transfer over a vertical flat plate

In this paper, we extend the results in the literature for boundary layer flow over a horizontal plate, by considering the buoyancy force term in the momentum equation. Using a similarity transformation, we transform the partial differential equations of the problem into coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations. We first analyse several special cases dealing with the properties of the exact and approximate solutions. Then, for the general problem, we construct series solutions for arbitrary values of the physical parameters. Furthermore, we obtain numerical solutions for several sets of values of the parameters. The numerical results thus obtained are presented through graphs and tables and the effects of the physical parameters on the flow and heat transfer characteristics are discussed. The results obtained reveal many interesting behaviours that warrant further study of the equations related to non-Newtonian fluid phenomena, especially the shear-thinning phenomena. Shear thinning reduces the wall shear stress.
Role of external oversight in quality activities: Accreditation, credentialing, licensure, and deemed status

Abstract There currently exist a number of organizations which provide quality oversight to the ESRD program in the United States. The state surveyors confirm that dialysis facilities comply with Medicare's conditions of coverage, but surveyor activities have traditionally followed a quality assurance rather than a continuous quality improvement (CQI) model. State surveyors focus primarily on nursing homes, so their content knowledge of ESRD quality issues may be limited. The ESRD Networks have CQI expertise on their staffs, and their quality agenda is driven by their medical review boards, whose members bring scientific and technical expertise from the provider community. The success of the Networks in achieving quality goals has been hampered by personnel and resource limitations and by inconsistent direction by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Texas has developed a dialysis facility licensure program that partners its ESRD Network and its Medicare state surveyors in quality oversight activities. This collaboration has led to improved patient outcomes and may prove to be a model for other states. Non-Medicare payers may contract with dialysis providers based on performance specifications that exceed those of Medicare's conditions of coverage. A private credentialing mechanism for dialysis facilities that satisfies the performance specifications of all payers has been proposed but, in the absence of deemed status for Medicare survey and certification activities, is unlikely to achieve widespread acceptance. (Am J Kidney Dis 1998 Dec;32(6 Suppl 4):S177-81)
Effect of grain shape on environmental embrittlement in Ni3Al tested at elevated temperatures

This paper describes the effect of grain shape on environmental embrittlement in boron-doped Ni/sub 3/Al (24 at. % Al). The allow showed severe embrittlement when tested at 600 and 760 /sup 0/C in air. The embrittlement can be alleviated by control of grain shape, and the material with a columnar-grained structure produced by directional levitation zone remelting shows good tensile ductilities when tested in oxidizing environments. The columnar-grained structure with vertical grain boundaries minimizes the normal stress and consequently suppresses nucleation and propagation of cracks along the boundaries.
Subjectivity in decision making: common problems and limitations

Subjectivity is an inescapable part of the diagnostic and decision making process. Limitations on memory are compensated for by invoking "diagnoses" as devices for managing information during diagnosis. Thus, large amounts of information can be stored as confirmations and departures from the diagnostic hypotheses. Well-documented limitations in probabilistic reasoning interfere with diagnosis and patient management. Uncommon diagnoses may be invoked inappropriately. Misconceptions of chance may lead to erroneous conclusions about health care. Most perplexing is that physicians attempting to incorporate patient preference in decision making are confronted with problems of subjective inconsistencies in patient valuation of outcomes of health care. The major problems of quantification and analysis are amenable to management through education, computing, and better patient data management. Problems of utility elicitation will require further research.
The Effect of Social Information on Giving from Lapsed Donors: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Using data from an experiment carried out by a large nonprofit organization, this paper finds that lapsed donors who received a solicitation letter referencing a relatively high donation made by another donor (high social information) were more generous in giving, but overall less likely to make a donation, relative to the baseline (low social information) group. After using the propensity score matching to correct for pretreatment differences in the two experimental groups, the estimated effect of high social information on the average donation amount is an increase of $14.95 (45 %). However, high social information is also found to reduce the probability a lapsed donor will give by 4.1 %. Thus, high social information can have potentially offsetting effects when applied to lapsed donors. Nonprofits should consider this trade-off when employing social information fundraising techniques to solicit donations from lapsed donors.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of the switching mechanism in heterostructure hot-electron diodes

We report a theoretical analysis of the switching mechanism in the heterostructure hot‐electron diode which confirms our earlier qualitative description. In addition, we present new experimental data on improved multilayer structures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition which show the same negative differential resistance as reported previously. We show that these experimental data are in overall agreement with the theoretical results.
SmartGPA: how smartphones can assess and predict academic performance of college students

Many cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors impact student learning during college. The SmartGPA study uses passive sensing data and self-reports from students' smartphones to understand individual behavioral differences between high and low performers during a single 10-week term. We propose new methods for better understanding study (e.g., study duration) and social (e.g., partying) behavior of a group of undergraduates. We show that there are a number of important behavioral factors automatically inferred from smartphones that significantly correlate with term and cumulative GPA, including time series analysis of activity, conversational interaction, mobility, class attendance, studying, and partying. We propose a simple model based on linear regression with lasso regularization that can accurately predict cumulative GPA. The predicted GPA strongly correlates with the ground truth from students' transcripts (r = 0:81 and p
Guinea Pig Mammary Gland Milk Content by Isotope Dilution Methods Using 141Ce and 14C-Polyethylene Glycol-4000

Abstract The use of 141 Ce and 14 C-polyethylene glycol-4000 ( 14 C-PEG) as contained-milk volume indicator labels was tested in the guinea pig mammary gland. Labels in aqueous solution were introduced into the mammary gland, the gland was manipulated periodically during a waiting period, and then samples of milk were serially drawn from the glands with the aid of oxytocin. Neither label penetrated uniformly into all milk compartments. A portion (approximately 10%) of the 14 C-PEG was absorbed during the experimental time of 90 to 115min and precluded its use as a dilution indicator label in the guinea pig. Ninety eight percent of the 141 Ce was recovered from the gland; however, its nonuniform distribution produced an underestimate of the contained-milk volume. A method is described whereby the initial underestimate of milk volume can be corrected. The method is based on a sample of milk taken under conditions of nonuniform dispersion of 141 Ce and an estimate of the deviation of the ratio (% of initial milk estimate)/(% of accumulated dose) for total milk from the theoretical value of 1. By this method, 141 Ce can yield reliable estimates of the contained-milk content of the guinea pig mammary gland.
Representation theory of comtrans algebras

Abstract Representations of a comtrans algebra are equivalent to representations of an associative universal enveloping algebra. The structure of the universal enveloping algebra is described.
Medical microbiology: A toxin contest

The bacterium Clostridium difficile can cause life-threatening human disease. The question is which of the organism's two toxins is the more crucial to its pathogenicity. The answer is one or the other, or both. See Letter p.711 Clostridium difficile, the most common cause of infectious diarrhoea in hospitals in Europe and North America, produces two toxins. Their relative importance has been widely debated, and although animal studies had indicated that purified toxin A alone can induce most of the pathology observed in C. difficile infections, a recent Nature paper ( http://go.nature.com/oh6un5 ) suggested that the other toxin, toxin B, was the main cause of disease symptoms. Now a new study, involving C. difficile strains producing either toxin A or toxin B alone and — for the first time — a double-mutant strain producing neither, demonstrates that both toxins are important for disease, and need to be considered for diagnosis and treatment.
THE HYDROXYINDOLENINE DERIVATIVE OF VOACANGINE, A NEW INDOLE ALKALOID FROM VOACANGA AFRICANA

Abstract A new alkaloid from Voacanga africana was identified as the hydroxyindolenine derivative ( 6 ) of voacangine, and its structure was proven by synthesis. A rearrangement product of 6 , the pseudoindoxyl 9 , was also encountered and characterized. Two additional new alkaloids, the hydroxyindolenine ( 7 ) and pseudoindoxyl ( 10 ) derivatives of voacristine were synthesized. Mass spectra of all compounds are presented and interpreted.
Chemical transformation of nitrile to reactive oxazoline functionality on a preformed polymer

The chemical transformation of nitrile to oxazoline functionality via a soluble zinc salt-catalyzed reaction was conducted on a series of nitrile-containing copolymers, i.e., styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) and nitrile rubbers. The results show that triad tacticity of the acrylonitrile groups is important in understanding the relative reactivity of SAN copolymers. Furthermore, the dielectric properties of the comonomer is also a prime factor in understanding the different degrees of reactivity of SAN, nitrile rubbers, and its hydrogenated analog forms. Enhanced reaction rates are noted with higher dielectric constants. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Oral DNA vaccines target the tumor vasculature and microenvironment and suppress tumor growth and metastasis

Four novel oral DNA vaccines provide protection against melanoma, colon, breast, and lung carcinoma in mouse models. Vaccines are delivered by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium to secondary lymphoid organs and respectively target vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, transcription factor Fos-related antigen-1, anti-apoptosis protein survivin and Legumain, an asparaginyl endopeptidase specifically overexpressed on tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). These vaccines are all capable of inducing potent cell-mediated protective immunity against self-antigens, resulting in marked suppression of tumor growth and dissemination. Key mechanisms induced by these DNA vaccines include efficient suppression of angiogenesis in the tumor vasculature and marked activation of cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and antigen-presenting dendritic cells. The vaccine targeting Legumain establishes the new paradigm whereby a reduction in the density of TAMs in the TME decreases the release of factors potentiating tumor growth and angiogenesis. This, in turn, remodels the TME and decreases its immunosuppressive milieu and thereby potentiates the DNA vaccine's ability to effectively suppress tumor cell proliferation, vascularization, and metastasis. It is anticipated that such research efforts will lead to novel DNA-based vaccines that will be effective for the treatment of cancer.
A pedagogically targeted logic design and simulation tool

JLS is a GUI-based digital logic simulation tool specifically designed for use in a wide range of digital logic and computer organization courses. It is comparable in features and functionality to commercial products, but includes many student and instructor-friendly aspects not found in those products such as state-machine and truth table editors, extensive error checking, and multiple simulation-result views. Students quickly become proficient in its use, enabling them to concentrate on circuit design and debugging issues. The circuit drawing interface is convenient enough to allow instructors to use it for classroom presentations, and circuits can be modified and tested so quickly that it promotes exploring alternatives not prepared for in advance. Its non-interractive (batch) execution capability, with parameter settings, configuration files and textual output simplifies the grading of large numbers of student projects.
Electronic detection of dsDNA transition from helical to zipper conformation using graphene nanopores

Mechanical manipulation of DNA by forced extension can lead double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to structurally transform from a helical form to a linear zipper-like form. By employing classical molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical nonequilibrium Greenʼs function-based transport simulations, we show the ability of graphene nanopores to discern different dsDNA conformations, in a helical to zipper transition, using transverse electronic conductance. In particular, conductance oscillations due to helical dsDNA vanish as dsDNA extends from a helical form to a zipper form while it is transported through the nanopore. The predicted ability to detect conformational changes in dsDNA via transverse electronic conductance can widen the potential use of graphene-based nanosensors for DNA detection.
A fuzzy-nets training scheme for controlling nonlinear systems

A fuzzy-nets system has been developed to create fuzzy rule banks and to control nonlinear systems. The training procedure includes five steps. First, fuzzy regions of input and output spaces are defined based on the boundaries of the system. The second step is to generate fuzzy rules by given data sets which are feedback data from the system. Then, conflicting rules are resolved through bottom-up and top-down methodologies. In the fourth stage the rules are combined to generate a fuzzy rule base. Finally, an appropriate defuzzification methodology is defined for controlling the systems. To test the system, experimental data for a backing up a truck were collected and trained through the training scheme. An optimal fuzzy rule bank was then developed and various tests were performed and evaluated. The simulation results show that the scheme is able to produce an appropriate rule bank for controlling a nonlinear system.