cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polar mesospheric clouds at the South Pole

We made the first lidar observations of polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) at the South Pole and in the southern hemisphere with an Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 austral summer seasons. Strong PMC activities were observed at the South Pole and extensive data were collected. Here we summarize the lidar observation results including the interannual, seasonal and diurnal variations of PMC altitude, brightness and occurrence probability. In particular, our data show that PMC at the South Pole are a few kilometers higher than in the northern hemisphere and PMC at the South Pole exhibit seasonal trends in both altitude and brightness. We explore the possible causes through the study of atmospheric thermal structure and upwelling wind by using NCAR TIME-GCM model and then presenting a PMC altitude model. Our initial conclusion is that these hemispheric differences and seasonal trends in PMC altitudes are the combination results of the hemispheric differences in thermal structure and upwelling wind, which are caused by the Earth orbital eccentricity and inter-hemisphere difference in gravity wave forcing.
Adrenal medulla in water diuresis and water intoxication.

THE FACT that adrenalectomy reduces markedly the diuretic responseto water and increases the susceptibility to water intoxicationhas generally been attributed exclusively to adrenal cortical and notmedullary deficiency. Eversole, Edelmann and Gaunt (1940) notedsome deficiency in handling water in rats with one adrenal removedand the second demedullated, but since this was easily repaired bycortical extract, it was taken as evidence of a slight functional incapacityof this single regenerated cortical gland. Other evidence isavailable that one adrenal cannot maintain animals during stress aswell as two (Horvath, Hitchcock and Hartman, 1938; Ingle, 1940). It is known, however, that epinephrine injections affect renal circulation (Richards and Plant, 1922 a, b; Chasis, Ranges, Goldring and Smith, 1938). Both polyuria (Richards and Plant) and oliguria (Rydin and Verney, 1938; Chasis, et al.) have been reported to follow the use of epinephrine, and according to Toth (1938) which result is seen depends upon dosa...
Transgenic mice expressing an altered murine superoxide dismutase gene provide an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily involving motoneurons. A subset of individuals with familial autosomal dominant forms of the disease have mutations of the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD, SOD-1) gene, which encodes a ubiquitously expressed enzyme that plays a key role in oxygen free radical scavenging. This observation suggests that altered or reduced SOD-1 activity may play a role in the neurodegenerative process. To explore this possibility further, we have introduced a mutation into the mouse SOD-1 gene that corresponds to one of the changes found in the human gene in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Integration and expression of this mouse gene in transgenic mice was identified by the presence of a unique restriction enzyme site in the transgene coding sequence generated by introduction of the mutation. We report here that high expression of this altered gene in the central nervous systems of transgenic mice is associated with an age-related rapidly progressive decline of motor function accompanied by degenerative changes of motoneurons within the spinal cord, brain stem, and neocortex. These findings indicate a causative relationship between altered SOD activity and motoneuron degeneration. Moreover, biochemical studies indicate normal levels of total SOD activity in transgenic mouse tissues, results that indicate that the neurodegenerative disorder does not result from a diminution of activity and, as such, represents a dominant "gain of function" mutation.
Effects of Peer Academic Reputation on Achievement in Academically At-Risk Elementary Students.

664 relatively low achieving first grade children were recruited into a longitudinal study. Measures of peer academic reputation (PAR), peer acceptance, teacher-rated academic engagement and achievement, and reading and math achievement were obtained in Year 2, when the majority of students were in second grade, and 1 year later. Measures of academic self concept were obtained in Year 1 and in Year 3. As young as second grade, children's perceptions of classmates' academic competence were distinct from their perceptions of peers' other social and behavioral characteristics. SEM analyses found that Year 2 PAR predicted Year 3 teacher-rated academic engagement and reading (but not math) achievement test scores, above the effects of prior scores on these outcomes and other covariates. Furthermore, the effect of PAR on academic engagement and achievement was partially mediated by the effect of PAR on children's academic self concept. Implications of these findings for educational practice and future research are discussed.
Thermal desorption of Ba from tungsten

Scandate cathodes have demonstrated extremely high electron emission densities, and developments are underway to improve the emission uniformity and the replenishment of the active surface layer under ion bombardment. A thorough understanding of the emission mechanism is needed to guide the approach of the development. Much of the surface studies characterize the equilibrated films, and little understanding has been known about the dynamics of the interactions. Some insight into the desorption dynamics can be gained through temperature-programmed desorption studies in which a direct-line-of-sight quadrupole mass analyzer is employed to monitor a specific desorbing atomic or molecular species as a function of the substrate temperature. In this paper, we discuss the experimental method in applying the technique to study Ba/BaO on a tungsten substrate. Multiple adsorption states were observed and each appeared as a distinct desorption feature, from which one is able to determine separately for each state the binding energy, the desorption kinetics and the population. In ascending order of binding energy, we have observed the multilayer Ba adsorption state, Ba-on-W adsorption state, and oxygen-enhanced adsorption state.
Quantum Riemann surfaces. II : The discrete series

We continue our study of noncommutative deformations of two-dimensional hyperbolic manifolds which we initiated in Part I. We construct a sequence of ℂ*-algebras which are quantizations of a compact Riemann surface of genus g corresponding to special values of the Planck constant. These algebras are direct integrals of finite-dimensional ℂ*-algebras.
Risk factors for inhibitor formation in haemophilia: a prevalent case-control study.

Inhibitor formation is a major complication of haemophilia treatment. In a prevalent case-control study, we evaluated blood product exposure, genotype and HLA type on haemophilia A inhibitor formation. Product exposure was extracted from medical records. Genotype was determined on stored DNA samples by detection of virtually all mutations-SSCP (DOVAM-S) and subcycling PCR. HLA typing was performed by PCR amplification and exonuclease-released fluorescence. Cases experienced higher intensity factor, 455 vs. 200 U per exposure, P 0.100. Genotype was not associated with race. Time to immune tolerance was shorter for titres or = 120 BU/mL, six vs. 16 months, P 0.50. Inhibitor formation is associated with high intensity product exposure, CNS bleeding, African-American race and low frequency of missense mutations. The ideal time to initiate prophylaxis to reduce CNS bleeding and inhibitor formation will require prospective studies.
CoolPression - a hybrid significance compression technique for reducing energy in caches

This paper describes CoolPression, a hybrid hardware-based significance compression technique for reducing energy in caches. The scheme exploits data compression opportunities at bit granularity by employing two compression schemes: a significance compression scheme that counts leading ones and zeros, and a dynamic zero compression technique. Based on actual data, the more energy-efficient scheme is selected dynamically to minimize bitline drives needed for each cache access. Using SPECint2000 benchmark, our experiments show that the CoolPression improves dynamic energy consumption by more than 35% against a baseline cache, while having a saving ranged from 5 to 15% compared to each scheme applied alone.
Interactive Models for Ground Water Flow and Solute Transport

This article reviews a suite of interactive, web-based models of ground water flow and solute transport developed by staff and faculty at the University of Illinois (see http://www.cee.uiuc.edu/transport/ ). It appears in the journal ''Ground Water'' as an installment of the regular feature ''Software Spotlight.''
Identification, transfer, and characterization of cloned herpes simplex virus invasiveness regions.

Following peripheral inoculation of experimental animals, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) strains are more virulent than HSV-1 strains, and clinical studies suggest that they possess enhanced virulence in humans. One dramatic type-specific difference in virulence is observed following inoculation of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chicken embryo: HSV-2, but not HSV-1, makes large pocks on the CAM, invades the mesoderm, generalizes in the embryo, and kills the chicken. These properties have been believed to be specific for HSV-2, and their molecular basis is unknown. We now report that an HSV-1 strain, ANG, behaves even more efficiently than HSV-2. In addition, we have transferred restriction fragments of ANG DNA to another HSV-1 strain, 17 syn+, conferring the CAM virulence phenotype on the normally CAM-avirulent 17 syn+. Like ANG, these recombinant viruses are 10(6)-fold more virulent (PFU/50%) lethal dose [LD50] ratio, less than or equal to 10(2)) than the parental 17 syn+ strain (PFU/LD50 ratio, greater than or equal to 10(8)). A molecularly cloned library of ANG DNA was used to identify two distinct regions containing the virulence functions. Transfer of sequences contained in either cloned ANG EcoRI fragment A (0.49 to 0.64 map units) or F (0.32 to 0.42 map units) DNA to 17 syn+ confers CAM virulence, whereas other cloned regions of the ANG genome do not. Using cloned DNA, we derived and plaque purified several virulent recombinant viruses with inserts from either the ANG EcoRI fragment A (INV-I) or F (INV-II) areas. In each instance, the transfer of the cloned INV-I or INV-II sequences enhanced virulence for the chicken embryo 10(6)-fold (PFU/LD50 ratio, less than or equal to 10(2]. In addition, the transfer of the cloned ANG EcoRI-F INV-II sequences resulted in a 10(3)-fold enhancement of neuroinvasiveness and virulence for mice. Following footpad inoculation, these recombinants kill mice with a PFU/LD50 ratio of approximately 10(3) (similar to HSV-2 strains) compared with 10(6) for 17 syn+. Thus, we have identified, cloned, and transferred two DNA regions from HSV-1 ANG which contain virulence genes (INV-I and INV-II) important in mesodermal invasiveness on the CAM and, in the case of INV-II, neuroinvasiveness in the mouse. In each instance, the recombinant HSV-1 viruses have attained enhanced virulence beyond that described for HSV-1 strains and similar to that seen with HSV-2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Images
Future economic outlook of Nebraska rural community pharmacies based on break-even analysis of community operational costs and county population.

Abstract Background There is growing concern over increasingly limited access to local health care, including pharmacies, for rural citizens of the United States. Although geographically distant from most competitors, rural pharmacies may still struggle to generate an acceptable profit to remain economically viable. Therefore, a method for calculating the economic viability for a community pharmacy to recruit a potential new owner to assume the entrepreneurial risk is an important issue to consider when evaluating rural pharmacy access. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to use a modified break-even analysis to predict the future financial potential of the current pharmacy business to attract a new owner. The secondary objective was to forecast a risk level for a Nebraska county to sustain the number of pharmacies in the country beyond current ownership. Methods This research used data provided by pharmacies that responded to a Nebraska Medicaid cost of dispensing (COD) survey in addition to data from the US Census Bureau, US Office of Management and Budget, and the Nebraska State Board of Pharmacy. Break-even analysis was used to determine the point where the prescription volume of the pharmacy not only covered the variable and fixed costs but also maintained a reasonable profit to attract new ownership. Counties were classified into 3 risk levels based on the projected available prescription volume and the number of pharmacies in each county. Sensitivity analysis was performed on the risk levels to determine the impact of variance in projected available prescription volume on the projected future outlook for the pharmacies in each county. Results Regression analysis of responses to the COD survey indicated that the annual break-even prescription volume ranged from 44,790 to 49,246 prescriptions per pharmacy per annum. The number of rural Nebraska pharmacies was projected to decline from 126 to 78. The number of counties in Nebraska without a single pharmacy was projected to increase from 19 to 26, and the number of counties with just one pharmacy was projected to increase from 17 to 31. Thus, the number of counties with 1 or no pharmacy was projected to increase to 57 out of the total 93 Nebraska counties. Conclusions The forecasted closure of pharmacies in rural areas will cause significant portions of the state to be without a pharmacy. Low county populations will be unable to sustain a local prescription volume large enough to remove them from the high risk of pharmacy closure.
Plasmid and chromosomal DNA recovery by electroextraction of cyanobacteria

High voltage electroporation has been investigated as a method for rapid recovery of plasmid and chromosomal DNA from the cyanobacteria Nostoc PCC 7121, Synechococcus PCC 7002, and Anabaena PCC 7120. Pulses of 18 kV/cm and higher applied to concentrated Nostoc cells carrying a shuttle plasmid (pRL25) resulted in copious release of nucleic acids and phycobiliproteins into the suspending medium. Small portions of these supernatants, when electroporated with Escherichia coli, gave rise to hundreds of E. coli transformants which contained pRL25. Electroporation of Synechococcus carrying plasmid pAQE19 did not cause detectable release of macromolecules but did reveal a low-level, voltage independent ‘leakage’ of pAQE19 into the medium. Electroextraction of Nostoc or Anabaena followed by addition of E. coli and delivery of a second high-voltage pulse permitted direct, one-cuvette transfer of shuttle plasmids from these cyanobacteria into E. coli. Electroextraction of single cyanobacterial colonies, as shown for Nostoc, also released sufficient chromosomal DNA for amplification of specific sequences by the polymerase chain reaction.
Environmental Influence on Sn Whisker Growth

This paper considers the influence of 1) humidity and 2) acidic humidity on the growth of Sn whiskers. Sn whisker morphology was observed over a six-month period. The results show that the electroplated surfaces exposed to pure humidity are populated with Sn whiskers dimensionally smaller than surfaces exposed to acidic humidity. Variables analyzed include surface condition, Cu-Sn inter-metallic formation at the film/substrate interface by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and film thickness.
The Involvement of Proline-Rich 15 in Early Conceptus Development in Sheep

The ruminant conceptus undergoes a period of elongation that is required for maternal recognition of pregnancy, prior to attaching to the endometrium. The purpose of these studies was to investigate the role of proline-rich 15 (PRR15) in the sheep conceptus by examining mRNA expression, protein localization, and the effect of PRR15 mRNA degradation. Conceptuses were collected on Days 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, and 30 after mating. Quantitative RT-PCR showed expression of PRR15 mRNA corresponded with the process of trophoblast elongation, with peak expression occurring on Days 15 and 16. A recombinant ovine PRR15 was generated and used to create polyclonal antibodies against PRR15. Immunohistochemistry of a Day 15 conceptus indicated that PRR15 was localized predominantly in the nucleus of the trophectoderm and extraembryonic primitive endoderm. To test whether PRR15 was required during early conceptus development, RNA interference was employed. Blastocysts collected on Day 8 after mating were infected with a lentivirus expressing a short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) that targeted PRR15 mRNA for degradation, an shRNA containing a three-nucleotide mismatch to PRR15 mRNA, or a lentivirus expressing no shRNA. After infection, blastocysts were transferred into recipient ewes and collected back on Day 15 of gestation. Although the majority of the control and mismatched shRNA-treated conceptuses elongated and survived to Day 15, none of the embryos treated with the lentivirus expressing shRNA against PRR15 mRNA elongated, and most died. In conclusion, expression of PRR15 mRNA occurred during a narrow window of conceptus development, and degradation of PRR15 mRNA led to conceptus demise or abnormal development.
Dissolution Kinetics of Phlogopite. II. Open System Using an Ion-Exchange Resin

The rate of dissolution of phlogopite in an open system was measured at low temperature and pressure and at pH 3-5. The maximum dissolution rate was achieved by maintaining extremely low ionic concentrations in the solution using a cation-exchange resin (hydrogen form) as a trap for released cations. The resin also served as a source of hydrogen ions and acted as a buffer. The concentrations of ions ad- sorbed on the resin and remaining in solution were measured, along with surface area and cation-exchange capacity. The amount of phlogopite dissolved after 1010 hr was 67 times that dissolved using a COs-buff- ered, closed-system method. During the first hour of the experiment, dissolution was incongruent, but later became congruent from 1 to 1010 hr. From 1 to 200 hr the reaction had linear kinetics. The dissolution rate for the first 200 hr of the reaction was 2.0 x I0 14 mole KMg3A1Si~Olo(OH)JcmZ/sec. Since no evidence of parabolic kinetics was found, there is no reason to postulate the formation of a "protective layer."
Building successful home visitor-mother relationships and reaching program goals in two Early Head Start programs: A qualitative look at contributing factors

This paper presents the results of two qualitative studies, conducted independently in two Early Head Start programs, exploring the reasons given by mothers and home visitors for family success or lack of success in achieving program goals and for engagement in the mother–home visitor relationship. Several patterns pertaining to family issues and program characteristics emerged. The family factors that seemed most important included the press of mild to serious stressors, social support from relatives and romantic partners, and individual parent characteristics such as personality, health, and motivation. On the program side, home visitor conscientiousness, home visitor/mother match in terms of personality and personal history, and efforts to build program loyalty seemed to have particularly strong influences.
The interacting roles of testosterone and challenges to status in human male aggression

This paper reviews the literature on sex and cultural differences in physical aggression and argues that only through understanding the interactions among evolutionary predispositions, hormonal influences, and social/situational factors can we possibly make sense of the patterns of human aggression that we see around us. Specifically, it is proposed that the process of natural selection has shaped hormonal responses in males that are sensitive to situations involving challenges to status and/or competition with other males, and that these hormonal changes are essential ingredients of the aggressiveness that occurs in these situations. Models of aggression that focus only on situational and cognitive/emotional triggers of aggressive behavior and attempt to understand human aggression without any reference to biology are destined to be incomplete at best.
The Road to Baghdad: Ideas and Intellectuals in Explanations of the Iraq War

Why did the Bush administration take the United States to war with Iraq in the aftermath of September 11, 2001? The constructivist approach used in this article to answer this question argues that the ideas of a handful of policy intellectuals affected political outcomes in remarkably consequential ways. These ideas shaped administration assessments of every major aspect of the Iraq war, beginning with its necessity and justification. Although the administration's ideational commitments were complex and evolving, four sets of ideas were central to its risk-filled gambit in the Middle East: a belief in the necessity and benevolence of American hegemony, a Manichaean conception of politics, a conviction that regime type is the principal determinant of foreign policy, and great confidence in the efficacy of military force. Taken together, these ideas defined the social purpose of American power, framed threats to the United States, and determined appropriate solutions to core problems. Ideas are not the sole...
Patterns, causes and consequences of defensive microbiome dynamics across multiple scales

The microbiome can significantly impact host phenotypes and serve as an additional source of heritable genetic variation. While patterns across eukaryotes are consistent with a role for symbiotic microbes in host macroevolution, few studies have examined symbiont-driven host evolution or the ecological implications of a dynamic microbiome across temporal, spatial or ecological scales. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and its eight heritable bacterial endosymbionts have served as a model for studies on symbiosis and its potential contributions to host ecology and evolution. But we know little about the natural dynamics or ecological impacts of the heritable microbiome of this cosmopolitan insect pest. Here we report seasonal shifts in the frequencies of heritable defensive bacteria from natural pea aphid populations across two host races and geographic regions. Microbiome dynamics were consistent with symbiont responses to host-level selection and findings from one population suggested symbiont-driven adaptation to seasonally changing parasitoid pressures. Conversely, symbiont levels were negatively correlated with enemy-driven mortality when measured across host races, suggesting important ecological impacts of host race microbiome divergence. Rapid drops in symbiont frequencies following seasonal peaks suggest microbiome instability in several populations, with potentially large costs of 'superinfection' under certain environmental conditions. In summary, the realization of several laboratory-derived, a priori expectations suggests important natural impacts of defensive symbionts in host-enemy eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Yet negative findings and unanticipated correlations suggest complexities within this system may limit or obscure symbiont-driven contemporary evolution, a finding of broad significance given the widespread nature of defensive microbes across plants and animals.
Gill anatomy and the evolution of symbiosis in the bivalve family Thyasiridae.

Among families of bivalves with chemoau- totrophic symbionts, the Thyasiridae may vary the most in their anatomical characters and in the extent of their nutri- tional reliance upon symbionts. Since only a fraction of thyasirid species are symbiotic, and the symbionts are mostly observed to be extracellular, this group may be representative of early stages in the evolution of bacterium- bivalve symbioses. To better understand the distribution of symbiosis among thyasirid genera, and the relationships between gill structure and symbiont occurrence, the gills of 26 thyasirid species were studied by light and electron microscopy. Observations revealed three gill types, which are generally constrained within genera or subgenera. Sym- bionts were found in two gill types: the most simple, ho- morhabdic filibranch morphotype, and the most derived and thickened morphotype, which resembles the gill structure of other chemosymbiotic bivalves. In all observable cases, the symbionts were located extracellularly among the microvilli of the bacteriocytes. Among individuals of the species Thyasira (Parathyasira) equalis, the quantity of symbionts varied. The results suggest an evolutionary sequence: a homorhabdic filibranch gill structure with few symbionts among the epithelial cell microvilli eventually thickened abfrontally, and thereby offered a larger surface for coloni- zation by symbionts. Eventually, the symbionts persisted and grew in vacuoles within epithelial cells.
Modeling arbitrarily directed slots that are narrow both in width and depth with regard to the FDTD spatial cell

The hybrid thin-slot algorithm (HTSA) integrates a transient integral-equation solution for an aperture in an infinite plane into a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) code. A general implementation for arbitrary thin slots is described. The 3-D FDTD code TSAR was selected for the implementation. The implementation of the HTSA into TSAR is based on a slot data file that includes the cell indices where the desired slots are to exist within the FDTD mesh. For an HTSA-defined slot, the wall region local to the slot is shorted, and, therefore, to change the slot's topology simply requires altering the file to include the desired cells. Results are presented for a rectangular hatch-type aperture coupling into a rectangular cavity. >
Lack of Clinical Significance of Early Ischemic Changes on Computed Tomography in Acute Stroke

ContextThe prevalence and clinical significance of early ischemic changes (EICs) on baseline computed tomography (CT) scan of the head obtained within 3 hours of ischemic stroke are not established.ObjectiveTo determine the frequency and significance of EIC on baseline head CT scans in the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) rt-PA (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) Stroke Trial.Design and SettingThe original study, a randomized controlled trial, took place from January 1991 through October 1994 at 43 sites, during which CT images were obtained within 3 hours of symptom onset and prior to the initiation of rt-PA or placebo. For the current analysis, detailed reevaluation was undertaken after October 1994 of all baseline head CT scans with clinical data available pretreatment (blinded to treatment arm).PatientsOf 624 patients enrolled in the trial, baseline CT scans were retrieved and reviewed for 616 (99%).Main Outcome MeasuresFrequency of EICs on baseline CT scans; association of EIC with other baseline variables; effect of EICs on deterioration at 24 hours (≥4 points increase from the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score); clinical outcome (measured by 4 clinical scales) at 3 months, CT lesion volume at 3 months, death at 90 days; and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) within 36 hours of treatment.ResultsThe prevalence of EIC on baseline CT in the combined rt-PA and placebo groups was 31% (n = 194). The EIC was significantly associated with baseline NIHSS score (ρ = 0.23; P<.001) and time from stroke onset to baseline CT scan (ρ = 0.11; P = .007). After adjusting for baseline variables, there was no EIC × treatment interaction detected for any clinical outcome, including deterioration at 24 hours, 4 clinical scales, lesion volume, and death at 90 days (P≥.25), implying that EIC is unlikely to affect response to rt-PA treatment. After adjusting for NIHSS score (an independent predictor of ICH), no EIC association with symptomatic ICH at 36 hours was detected in the group treated with rt-PA (P≥.22).ConclusionsOur analysis suggests that EICs are prevalent within 3 hours of stroke onset and correlate with stroke severity. However, EICs are not independently associated with increased risk of adverse outcome after rt-PA treatment. Patients treated with rt-PA did better whether or not they had EICs, suggesting that EICs on CT scan are not critical to the decision to treat otherwise eligible patients with rt-PA within 3 hours of stroke onset.
Park’s Theory of Conflict and His Fall From Grace in Sociology

Following a brief exposition and new interpretation of Robert Park’s theory of conflict, it is subjected to critical examination. Since Park deduced his explanation of race relations from this more general theory and since his ideas about race relations and work for Booker T. Washington are intimately connected with his loss of favor in sociology, they are included as part of this examination. On the one hand, it is found that the characterizations of Park’s ideas on race relations, especially his famous notion of the “race-relations cycle,” as inherently conservative and his work on behalf of Washington as that of a “race-broker” are misguided. On the other hand, it is found that his general theory of conflict suffers from several shortcomings, including that he failed to (a) distinguish dominance from power, (b) make dominance disputes his basic unit of analysis, and (c) identify the stages which conflicts or, more precisely, dominative disputes, unfold. Dispute these flaws, Park’s analysis of conflict ...
Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function

Right ventricular (RV) function is a powerful prognostic factor in congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, but assessing RV function is a challenge because of the right ventricle's complex geometry, its extreme sensitivity to loading conditions, and a limited understanding of underlying mechanisms of right heart failure. At present, a single widely accepted and generally applicable index of RV function is not available. Current approaches to assessment of RV function include physical examination, catheterization, conventional contrast and radionuclide angiography, nuclear perfusion scintigraphy, cardiac CT, MRI, echocardiography, and positron emission tomography. This review will discuss assessment of RV function in the context of RV physiology.
Statistics test anxiety and female students.

Research suggests that high-anxious female students underperform in time-limited examinations compared to their low-anxious counterparts. Consequently, the purpose of this investigation was to determine whether differential performance on time-limited and time-unlimited statistics examinations, would be associated with test anxiety. Twenty-one female graduate students, enrolled in a statistics course, were assigned randomly to either a time-unlimited or time-limited examination condition. An interaction was found between test anxiety and examination condition, with high anxiety tending to be associated more strongly with underachievement in the time-limited than the time-unlimited condition. Implications for increasing the statistics performance of female students are discussed.
Experiment setup for temporal distributed intrusion detection system on Amazon's elastic compute cloud

In order to test the proposed distributed intrusion detection system there is a need for sufficient hardware and software in place as to provide a reasonable approximation of the actual conditions that such a system would expect to encounter if deployed in a live environment. These hardware and software requirements are compounded when attempting to test a distributed grid computing system because such systems typically can often scale to the hundreds or even thousands of computers. Even if sufficient hardware is obtainable, the generation of accurate test data accurately depicting normal patterns of network or Internet traffic can provide additional challenges, especially when the data is time sensitive. This paper demonstrates a method by which a distributed grid based IDS can be designed and implemented using virtual servers deployed on Amazon.com's Elastic Compute Cloud service.
Understanding online donor behavior: the role of donor characteristics, perceptions of the internet, website and program, and influence from social networks

Online donation platforms, albeit a recent phenomenon, are becoming more important for human service nonprofits, allowing them to reach a broader target population of donors at relatively little cost. In developing countries such as India, internet use is flourishing, and this has allowed fund-raisers to reach a population hitherto difficult to reach. A cross-sectional research design was utilized to survey donors of one online donation program in India (n = 479). This research was exploratory, investigating the factors that influence people's willingness to donate online, including the socio-demographic characteristics of donors. Results show that gender, perception of the organization, and influence from others are variables that influence the likelihood of donating online. Further research and implications for human service nonprofits seeking to undertake online charitable campaigns are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Workers' Compensation Fiscal Structure and Economic Growth - A West Virginia Issue?

Richard Hatcher, Michael J. Hicks, and Kristy L. Wilburn ask whether West Virginia's workers' compensation system retards the state's economic growth and conclude that it does not. The authors found that during 19 of the 21 years included in a study, West Virginia employers expended a lower percentage of payroll on workers' compensation than comparable employers did on average in 47 other jurisdictions. Changes in workers' compensation benefits paid may have a statistically significant impact on economic development in just over half the states. However, the impact is so small that it is economically insignificant, the authors say.
Wiki as a Platform - Turning Dissemination into Collaboration

In research projects, data collection and dissemination are considered as two discrete and independent activities. The focus is on the research question, and not on how to best collect, present and subsequently share data. Although most US funding agencies now require that researchers data share, the tools available to operationalize this requirement are lacking. We propose show how the open source MediaWiki system can provides a lightweight, collaborative, and inexpensive tool to support new data sharing practices. This note serves to illustrate how interactive data collection and dissemination supported by a Wiki server can be used by scientists both during the project and for subsequent dissemination.
NATURAL SELECTION ON FLORAL TRAITS IN TWO SPECIES OF LOBELIA WITH DIFFERENT POLLINATORS.

Using both multivariate and univariate regression techniques, I measured selection acting through female reproductive success in two hermaphroditic species with precise pollen placement but different pollinators: hummingbird-pollinated Lobelia cardinalis and bumblebee-pollinated L. siphilitica. Six traits were analyzed in two populations of L. cardinalis and one population of L. siphilitica: flower number, mean number of flowers open per day, inflorescence height, number of days in flower, median-flower date and nectar-stigma distance. In another study it was found that female reproductive success in one population of L. cardinalis was much less pollen limited than in the other two populations, and it was therefore expected that selection of female reproductive traits in this population would be weaker. In the univariate analyses correlations caused nearly all traits to have significant directional selection coefficients. However, in the multivariate analyses no traits in L. siphilitica experienced directional or quadratic selection. Selection acted differently in the two L. cardinalis populations. The less pollen-limited population experienced positive directional selection on flower number and median-flower date, while in the other L. cardinalis population there was positive directional selection on flower number and nectar-stigma distance and both positive directional and positive quadratic selection on height. The functional significance of floral traits in these two species and the probable effect of increased sample sizes are discussed.
Influence of Preferred Orientation in Indium Tin Oxide.

We investigated the electrical and optical properties, the chemical composition, the surface morphology and the crystallinity of sputtered Sn-doped In2O3 films deposited on different substrate positions. Both the electric conductivity and the optical transparency are related to the free carrier density and moreover the preferred crystal orientation. The former relation is attributed to the Burstein-Moss effect and the latter suggests the Sn doping mechanism.
Global health diplomacy: a call to action.

Complex humanitarian emergencies (CHEs) are human crises that are characterized by confl ict, population displacement, food shortage, political instability, social disruption, and loss of infrastructure. Over 200 million people live in countries devastated by CHEs. 1 Global health issues such as maternal and child health, chronic disease, armed confl ict, and infectious disease contribute to the self-feeding cycle of poor infrastructure and instability of complex emergency situations. To address the ever-changing, complex nature of global health and foreign policy, a new interdisciplinary approach is needed to foster collaboration, ensure proper allocation of resources, and promote diplomacy. Global health diplomacy is emerging as a unique discipline required to address the multifaceted issues associated with CHEs.
Predicting N-Nitrosamines: N-Nitrosodiethanolamine as a Significant Component of Total N-Nitrosamines in Recycled Wastewater

N-Nitrosamines are key contaminants of concern for wastewater reuse. Although research has focused on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), measurements indicate that NDMA accounts for only ∼9% of total N-nitrosamines in wastewaters, similar to previous findings in drinking and recreational waters. Recognizing the limited time scale for biological transformation during wastewater treatment, we targeted N-nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA) as a component of total N-nitrosamines based upon the widespread usage of its triethanolamine precursor in consumer products. NDELA accounted for ∼6% of total N-nitrosamines, exceeding NDMA concentrations in some cases, and those of all other specific N-nitrosamines measured. While ozone and chloramines increased NDMA concentrations by up to an order of magnitude, and chloramines increased NDELA concentrations in some cases, other N-nitrosamine concentrations did not increase. Total N-nitrosamine concentrations increased by only 38–89% during ozonation and 23–65% during chloraminati...
How Pathogens Penetrate the Blood-Brain Barrier: To reach the central nervous system, meningitis-causing strains of E. coli and other pathogens exploit microbial and host factors

Central nervous system (CNS) infection continues to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity. Almost all microorganisms that are pathogenic to human beings have the potential to cause CNS infection, but only a relatively small number account for most cases of CNS infection, and the reasons are incompletely understood.
Down syndrome and genetics — a case of linked histories

Down syndrome, the most common genetic cause of intellectual disabilities, was first described in 1866, during an era of great change in our understanding of genetics and evolution. Because of its importance, the history of research on Down syndrome parallels the history of human genetics. In many instances, research on Down syndrome has inspired progress in human genetics. In this article, we describe the interplay between advances in the understanding of genetics and the understanding of Down syndrome from its initial description to the present, and on the basis of this historical perspective, speculate briefly about the future of research on Down syndrome.
Expert systems application in environmental geotechnology

ABSTRACT This paper examines the basic factors involved in the successful application of problem-solving (EXPERT) systems and computer graphics to hazardous waste investigations. Following a suggested methodology presented herein, an engineer can systematically assess the level of hazard at a contaminated site. Recommendations and conclusions may then be drawn as to costeffective remedial measures to be taken. It is illustrated how the EXPERT system can be coupled with remote sensing devices to improve the interpretation of in-situ data as well as to aid an engineer during the complex decision-making process of evaluating remedial actions.
Breast cancer screening practices with high-risk women: A cross-sectional survey.

1550Background: Little literature exists on primary care providers’ knowledge and preferences towards breast cancer screening for high-risk women. While guidelines recommend MRI and mammography, it is unclear how frequently these recommendations are used. Methods: This web-based survey of providers licensed to practice in Minnesota was conducted. This analysis focuses on breast cancer screening practices for high-risk women. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics; professional characteristic comparisons were conducted using Chi-squared tests. Results: 805 of 10,392 (8%) invitees completed the survey. 72.2% were female. 43.9% were physicians (20.8% internists, 71.7% family medicine, 6.3% gynecology), 11.4% physician assistants (PAs), 44.8% advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). 84.8% were in community practice, 38% > 20 years of experience and 27.1% < 10 years. When asked how effective screening was for reducing cancer mortality in high risk women, mammography was thought to be very effect...
Vector Bundles on Projective Spaces

We generalise a criterion of G. Kempf for a vector bundle on projective space to be decomposable. We also give a similar criterion for a vector bundle to be homogeneous.
Atopic Dermatitis: Disease Background and Risk Factors

Multiple risk factors have been associated with the development of atopic dermatitis (AD). Recent advances in understanding the role of genetics in this disease have been made, with discovery of the filaggrin (FLG) gene as the most notable so far. In addition to FLG gene mutations as a risk factor for AD, a positive family history of atopic or allergic disease in either parent, has been shown to confer a greater risk of developing AD. Atopic dermatitis usually presents early in life and is thought to represent the initial-step in the “atopic march” which is characterized by the development of other atopic diseases later in life such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and/or rhinoconjunctivitis, food allergies and hay fever. Other comorbid diseases that have been associated with AD include increase risk of viral and bacterial skin infections, neuropsychiatric diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Patients with AD, have also been found to have worse sleep quality overall compared to patients without AD. In this chapter, we will discuss the risk factors associated with development of atopic dermatitis as well as the most commonly reported comorbidities in patients with this disease.
Coupled inductor implementation improves performance of output feedback ZVT in full bridge inverters

This paper proposes a topology based on output feedback zero-voltage-transition (ZVT) technique with coupled inductor to realize zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) for all the main switches of the full bridge inverters, and inherent zero-current-switching (ZCS) for the auxiliary switches. The advantages of the strategy include the provision to implement zero state modulation schemes such as unipolar or hybrid scheme in the full bridge inverters to decrease the THD significantly, naturally adaptive auxiliary inductor current and without the requirement of large balancing capacitors. The coupled inductor can decrease the core loss compared with the previously reported individual inductor method and can decrease the auxiliary current needed to realized ZVS of the main switches. The modulation scheme and the commutation process are analyzed in detail. Finally a 1 kW, 400 kHz switching frequency inverter of the proposed topology using SiC MOSFETs has been built to validate the theoretical analysis. The proposed ZVT with hybrid modulation technique is implemented in DSP TMS320F28335 resulting in full ZVS for the main switches. Compared with no ZVT case, the proposed method can improve the system CEC efficiency significantly from 95.58% to 97.29% and peak efficiency from 96.29% to 97.86%.
Studie II: Struktur- und Domänenreplikation, Messinstrumenteentwicklung und Mediationsanalysen

In Studie II wurden zwei Hauptanliegen verfolgt, namlich (1) weitere Messinstrumente entwickeln und zu validieren sowie (2) die Erkenntnisse aus Studie I zu Struktur, transsituationaler Spezifitat sowie Determinanten und Konsequenzen selbstbezogener Ziele zu replizieren und zu erweitern.
“Ghana must Progress, but we are Really Suffering”: Bui Dam, Antipolitics Development, and the Livelihood Implications for Rural People

In late-2013, Bui Dam was commissioned on Ghana’s Black Volta River. The hydroelectric project inundated 444 km2, flooding communities, forests, crops, and a national park. State elites promoted the dam through nationalistic discourses while simultaneously framing rural people responsible for accessing its trickle-down economic benefits. Drawing from critical development literature within a political ecology framework, this article examines tensions between discourses underpinning construction of Bui Dam and the lived experiences of rural people. Drawing from data collected in 82 interviews, the dam’s implications for resettlement, food security, mental health, agricultural production, and fishing livelihoods are detailed. I argue interlocking discourses, laws and processes—from eminent domain and compensation metrics to party politics—combined to work as an “antipolitics machine.” Hydroelectric development renders invisible structural processes shaping inequality and creates new injustices. As Bu...