cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Simple Framework for Assessing Technical Skills in a Resident Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): Vaginal Laceration Repair

Objectives Educators of trainees in procedure-based specialties need focused assessment tools that are valid, objective, and assess technical skills in a realistic context. A framework for hybrid assessment using standardized patient scenarios and bench skills testing might facilitate evaluation of competency. Methods Seven PGY-1 obstetrics and gynecology residents participated in a hybrid assessment that used observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) by a standardized patient who had sustained a vaginal laceration during vaginal delivery. The residents elicited a history and counseled the patient, and then completed a laceration repair on a pelvic model. The residents were rated on their performance in the scenario, which included issues of cultural competency, rapport-building, patient counseling. The technical skills were videotaped and rated using a modified global assessment form by 2 faculty members on a 3-point scale from “not done” to “partly done” to “well-done.” Residents also completed a subjective assessment of the station. Results Mean technical performance of the residents on the technical skills was 55% “well-done,” with a range of 20%-90%. The assessment identified 3 residents as below the mean, and 1 resident with areas of deficiency. Subjective assessment by the residents was that juggling the technical, cognitive, and affective components of the examination was challenging. Conclusions Technical skills can be included in a case-based assessment using scenarios that address a range of cognitive and affective skills required of physicians. Results may help training programs assess individuals' abilities as well as identify program needs for curricular improvement. This framework might be useful in setting standards for competency and identifying poor performers.
Effects of eddy viscosity and thermal conduction and Coriolis force in the dynamics of gravity wave driven fluctuations in the OH nightglow

The chemical-dynamical model of Walterscheid et al. (1987), which describes wave-driven fluctuations in OH nightglow, was modified to include the effects of both eddy thermal conduction and viscosity, as well as the Coriolis force (with the shallow atmosphere approximation). Using the new model, calculations were performed for the same nominal case as used by Walterscheid et al. but with only wave periods considered. For this case, the Coriolis force was found to be unimportant at any wave period. For wave periods greater than 2 or 3 hours, the inclusion of thermal conduction alone greatly modified the results (in terms of a complex ratio 'eta' which expresses the relationship between the intensity oscillation about the time-averaged intensity and the temperature oscillation about the time-averaged temperature); this effect was reduced with the further inclusion of the eddy viscosity.
Characterization of a fracture specimen for crack growth in epoxy due to thermal fatigue

Abstract Finite element simulations are carried out to characterize a new fracture specimen, consisting of an outer circular epoxy ring bonded to an inner circular invar plate for accelerated thermal fatigue testing. Radial cracks are introduced in the epoxy ring. The growth of these radial cracks is correlated to the applied energy release rate G . We studied the dependence of G on the crack length, the specimen geometry and the elastic modulus. For short cracks, G is obtained in closed form. Analysis is carried out to determine the critical thermal buckling load the specimen can withstand. Experimental results show that the fatigue crack growth rate per thermal cycle d a /d N is given by d a /d N = 0.51(Δ G ) 0.38 for cycling between 4 and 100 °C but by d a /d N = 0.25(Δ G ) 0.24 for cycling between 20 and 85 °C, where Δ G is the difference of the energy release rate between the highest and lowest temperatures during a thermal cycle. More severe thermal cycles produce considerably larger fatigue crack growth rates than less severe ones at the same Δ G . This result also implies that isothermal fatigue tests will probably be inadequate to predict thermal fatigue crack growth in epoxies.
Primary mucosal desmoplastic melanoma of the head and neck

Background. Desmoplastic variants of melanoma rarely affect the mucosa. Method. The clinicopathologic features and p53 status of seven primary mucosal desmoplastic melanomas of the oral and nasal cavity were studied. Results. The patients included six men and one woman (median age, 61 years; range, 23–74 years). Desmoplastic melanoma involved the lip in two, alveolus in three, buccal mucosa in one, and nasal vestibule in one patient. Four tumors infiltrated up to lamina propria, and three infiltrated bone and/or cartilage. All were amelanotic spindle cell tumors, five were neurotropic, and two were vasoinvasive. Aberrant p53 expression was seen in six tumors. All tumors recurred locally, and distant metastasis developed in three. Six patients died with disease (survival, 1–41 years; median, 8 years), and one patient was free of disease (survival 20 years). Conclusions. Primary mucosal desmoplastic melanomas are clinically characterized by local recurrence and may lead to distant metastasis and death even after several years. Alterations in p53 expression are frequently associated with desmoplastic melanoma. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck26: 373–377, 2004
Numerical micromagnetics of small particles

The results of applying the authors' micromagnetic code to a homogeneous spherical particle that is large enough to support inhomogeneous magnetization are given. For smaller particles, magnetization reversal is by coherent rotation. Larger particles initially exhibit curling as the applied magnetic field is reduced from a saturating value. Then one of two new behaviors is observed. For weak crystalline anisotropy, the axis of the curling state rotates and bends, and the magnetization reversal process is reversible, or nearly so. For strong crystalline anisotropy, a sudden discontinuous transition occurs to a vortex state with axis perpendicular to the anisotropy axis, and the vortex moves across the particle as reversal of the applied magnetic field continues. The formation and disappearance of the vortex are irreversible, but all other aspects of the process are reversible. >
Achieving business agility with WebSphere ILOG JRules and WebSphere BPM

Business Process Management (BPM) and Business Rule Management (BRM) are two technologies that are used to improve the agility, flexibility and efficiency of operational processes. Many people have questioned the differences between the two, or use the terms interchangeably---there are, however, clear differences in terms of the functionality and the value of each. BPM is focused on defining, orchestrating and monitoring long running processes that are comprised of both people- and system-based activities. BRM on the other hand, is focused on defining, maintaining and executing decision logic that is used at specific points within a process or as part of automated decisions within business systems. Overall, the complement, or synergy, between BPM and BRM is about reaching further---expanding the breadth of problems that can be solved with a single solution. Both technologies share goals such as improving the efficiency and visibility of business processes, but they do so at different levels in a solution.
Novel modes of localization and function of nanos in the wasp Nasonia

Abdominal patterning in Drosophila requires the function of nanos (nos) to prevent translation of hunchback (hb) mRNA in the posterior of the embryo. nos function is restricted to the posterior by the translational repression of mRNA that is not incorporated into the posteriorly localized germ plasm during oogenesis. The wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Nv) undergoes a long germ mode of development very similar to Drosophila, although the molecular patterning mechanisms employed in these two organisms have diverged significantly, reflecting the independent evolution of this mode of development. Here, we report that although Nv nanos (Nv-nos) has a conserved function in embryonic patterning through translational repression of hb, the timing and mechanisms of this repression are significantly delayed in the wasp compared with the fly. This delay in Nv-nos function appears to be related to the dynamic behavior of the germ plasm in Nasonia, as well as to the maternal provision of Nv-Hb protein during oogenesis. Unlike in flies, there appears to be two functional populations of Nv-nos mRNA: one that is concentrated in the oosome and is taken up into the pole cells before evidence of Nv-hb repression is observed; another that forms a gradient at the posterior and plays a role in Nv-hb translational repression. Altogether, our results show that, although the embryonic patterning function of nos orthologs is broadly conserved, the mechanisms employed to achieve this function are distinct.
Housing conditions effect plasma lipid concentrations and early atherogenesis independent of treatment in hamsters

Abstract The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the affect of housing conditions on various lipid parameters and early atherogenesis. In experiment 1, 35 Golden Syrian hamsters, nine weeks of age, were initially housed five to a cage and fed a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) for 26 weeks. Plasma total lipoprotein cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were measured enzymatically at 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 23, and 26 weeks of the study. At week 9, the animals were placed in individual cages for 7 weeks and then regrouped a second time at week 16 of the study. Three blood samples were taken during each of the 3 treatment periods. In experiment 2, part 1, two groups of hamsters (n=6) were either housed individually or grouped and fed the same HCD for 14 weeks. In part 2, two groups of hamsters (n=5) were either housed individually or grouped and fed a chow diet for 14 weeks. Plasma lipids were measured enzymatically at weeks 4, 7, 10, 12, and 14 in experiment 2. Also, the hamsters in part 1 of experiment 2 were euthanized at week 14 and examined for aortic fatty streak formation. In experiment 1, animals fed HCD that were grouped for the first 9 weeks had significantly higher plasma TC (59%, p
The Shan-Dany Museum: Community, Economics, and Cultural Traditions in a Rural Mexican Village

The Shan-Dany Museum was founded by Mexico's National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH) and the leaders of Santa Ana del Valle, Oaxaca, in 1986 and has grown to become a multigalleried cultural center for the community. While the museum has had successes, it is also the site of many conflicts. This paper examines the development of the Shan-Dany and its role in social, economic, and cultural disputes in Santa Ana and between the village and the state.
Multiplicity features of adiabatic autothermal reactors

In this paper singularity theory, large activation energy asymptotic, and numerical methods are used to present a comprehensive study of the steady-state multiplicity features of three classical adiabatic autothermal reactor models: tubular reactor with internal heat exchange, tubular reactor with external heat exchange, and the CSTR with external heat exchange. Specifically, the authors derive the exact uniqueness-multiplicity boundary, determine typical cross-sections of the bifurcation set, and classify the different types of bifurcation diagrams of conversion vs. residence time. Asymptotic (limiting) models are used to determine analytical expressions for the uniqueness boundary and the ignition and extinction points. The analytical results are used to present simple, explicit and accurate expressions defining the boundary of the region of autothermal operation in the physical parameter space.
Utilization of CTR to measure the evolution of electron-beam microbunching in a self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL)

We report on the first measurements of the z-dependent evolution of electron-beam microbunching as revealed through coherent transition radiation (CTR) measurements in a visible self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser experiment. The increase in microbunching was detected by tracking the growth of the visible CTR signals as generated from insertable metal mirrors/foils after each of the last three undulators. The same optical imaging diagnostics that were used to track the z-dependent intensity of the undulator radiation (UR) were also used to track the electron beam/CTR information. Angular distribution, beam size, and intensity data were obtained after each of the last three undulators in the five-undulator series, and spectral information was obtained after the last undulator. The exponential growth rate of the CTR was found to be very similar to that of the UR and consistent with simulations using the code GENESIS.
Unexpected analyte oxidation during desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

During the analysis of surface-spotted analytes using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS), abundant ions are sometimes observed that appear to be the result of oxygen addition reactions. In this investigation, the effect of sample aging, the ambient lab environment, spray voltage, analyte surface concentration, and surface type on this oxidative modification of spotted analytes, exemplified by tamoxifen and reserpine, during analysis by DESI-MS was studied. Simple exposure of the samples to air and to ambient lighting increased the extent of oxidation. Increased spray voltage also led to increased analyte oxidation, possibly as a result of oxidative species formed electrochemically at the emitter electrode or in the gas phase by discharge processes. These oxidative species are carried by the spray and impinge on and react with the sampled analyte during desorption/ionization. The relative abundance of oxidized species was more significant for the analysis of deposited analyte ha...
Income and expenditure in a spatial economy

The question explored in this paper is whether the center attracts more spending by all agents in a spatial economy than do peripheral locations, and why this might be so. This is the macroeconomics pendant to the microeconomic concern with accessibility.
Performance management—Making it work

Senior managers are often frustrated at their lack of direct control. After all, managers can bring about improvement only by influencing their employees, who sometimes don't manage to do what's best for the company as a whole. The solution to this dilemma is performance management, which provides managers and employee teams at all levels the ability to move directly toward their defined strategies. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stresses and displacements around a circular tunnel in a three-layer medium—I Use of a ‘finite element’ model in the anlyses of stress and displacement distributions in a plate under simple loading (vertical, horizontal and midlayer)

Abstract The stress and displacement fields about a circular tunnel, located in a layer of soft material and surrounded by layers of hard material, are determined for different values of the ratio of the height of soft layer to tunnel diameter using the finite element method. The results obtained are compared with available experimental data. The influence of the distribution of the stresses upon the determination of the ground stress tensor in a layered medium is discussed.
Knee osteoarthritis in obese women with cardiometabolic clustering.

Osteoarthritis (OA), based on radiographs, is a highly prevalent joint disease affecting 30–50% of adults aged 65 years or greater (1,2). Age, female sex, obesity, and previous injury are consistently reported risk factors for OA (3). Obesity is the most conspicuous risk factor (4–7) and of great interest because it is potentially modifiable. Further, there is concern that with the increasing frequency of obesity, including the escalating frequency of morbid obesity worldwide, there will be an arthritis epidemic. There is debate about how obesity contributes to the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis; resolution of this debate could inform the selection of viable interventions. Candidate mechanisms for the contribution of obesity to joint health status include 1) an excessive and/or misdirected biomechanical load that stimulates excess osteoblast or chondrocyte biosynthesis in the bone or cartilage (8); 2) a generalized negative metabolic environment reflecting a systemic inflammatory response (9–13) or response to the secretory products of adipose tissues; or 3) both biomechanical and metabolic effects. Hart and Spector (4) hypothesized that the association between obesity and OA in non-weight bearing joints includes a metabolic mechanism, but the data associating osteoarthritis with obesity-related metabolic factors is mixed. Some studies have reported significant associations between knee OA or hand/wrist OA and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, uric acid, cholesterol) (10,11) while other knee OA studies have failed to identify significant relationships (12,13). While some studies have related higher concentrations of C-reactive protein to both greater prevalence and incidence of knee osteoarthritis (9,14,15), not all studies have reported this (16,17). The patterns (10,11,16,18) of associations between metabolic factors and osteoarthritis has led some to declare that the primary contribution of obesity to OA may be joint-specific and dependent upon the degree to which obesity contributes to the mechanical loading of articular cartilage at a specific site (19–21). For example, varus knee alignment is thought to place mechanical loads, including those loads generated by excess body mass, mostly on the medial tibiofemoral compartment (22). The impact of excess body mass at this site could generate both mechanical and metabolic contributions whereas the impact of excess body mass on hand OA may be more reflective of the metabolic contribution. We hypothesized that obesity was associated with both a metabolic component and with joint asymmetry in relation to radiograph-defined knee OA. We also hypothesized that these metabolic and biomechanical components would be associated with knee joint pain and measures of physical functioning.
Abstract 95: Phylogenetic classification, structural evolution, and functional divergence of the ABC-type transporters: Inferences derived from CDTree/Cn3D software applications

The NCBI9s Conserved Domain Database (CDD; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/cdd/cdd.shtml), is a collection of annotated multiple sequence alignment models representing ancient conserved protein domains, basic units of protein function and protein evolution. Domain models are annotated with functional sites and can be viewed as sequence alignments together with corresponding 3D structure using the CDTree/Cn3D software applications. CDTree/Cn3D is a domain hierarchy editor which lets the user view and examine conserved domain hierarchies interactively and in great detail. A domain hierarchy is a structured collection of domain models reflecting the domain family9s molecular evolution. Here we present our current, functionally annotated evolutionary classifications of the nucleotide-binding domain, transmembrane domain, and periplasmic binding proteins of the ABC (ATP binding cassette)-type transport systems which are involved in the transport of a wide variety of substrates such as sugars, ions, peptides, and more complex organic molecules across membranes. Mutations in ABC transporters cause or contribute to multi-drug resistance, cystic fibrosis, and a range of other human diseases. Using CDTree/Cn3D functionality, subfamilies present in diverse organisms were inferred from the multiple sequence alignments, phylogenetic trees, and the domain architectures of the proteins involved. Furthermore subfamilies, some of which are only comprised of uncharacterized proteins, were annotated with molecular and cellular function and the location of conserved sites, as available in the literature and evident from protein 3D structure. We demonstrate the utility of CDTree/Cn3D in studying the molecular evolution of protein and domain families, and in accelerating the discovery of orthologous groups. CDTree/Cn3D are freely available for download via the CDD website. A version of CDTree, which supports both Mac OSX and Windows operating systems, has recently been made available. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 95.
Future highly-efficient optical networks

In the 10-year horizon, optical networks may take evolutionary or revolutionary paths towards higher capacity, robustness, configurability, and flexibility. We will explore key technical challenges that are being pursued within the areas of monitoring for plug-&-play operation, packet switching, and traffic convergence.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt versus H-graft portacaval shunt in the management of bleeding varices: A cost-benefit analysis☆

Background. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is popular in treating portal hypertension because of its perceived efficacy and cost benefits, although it has never been compared with surgical shunting in a cost-benefit analysis. This study was undertaken to determine the cost benefit of TIPS versus small-diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt (HGPCS). Methods. Cost of care was determined in 80 patients prospectively randomized to receive TIPS or HGPCS as definitive treatment for bleeding varices, beginning with shunt placement and including subsequent admissions for complications or follow-up related to shunting. Results. Patients were similar in age, gender, severity of illness/liver dysfunction, and urgency of shunting. After TIPS or HGPCS, variceal rehemorrhage (8 versus 0, respectively; p = 0.03), shunt occlusion (13 versus 4; p = 0.03), shunt revision (16 versus 4; p < 0.005), and shunt failure (18 versus 10; p = 0.10) were compared; all were more common after TIPS. Through the index admission, TIPS cost $48,188 ± $43,355 whereas HGPCS cost $61,522 ± $47,615. With follow-up, TIPS cost $69,276 ± $52,712 and HGPCS cost $66,034 ± $49,118. Conclusions. Early cost of TIPS was less than, though not different from, cost of HGPCS. With followup, costs after TIPS mounted. The initially lower cost of TIPS is offset by higher rates of subsequent occlusion and rehemorrhage.
On Generalized Linear Model Method for Detecting Dispersion Effects in Unreplicated Factorial Designs

There are numerous approaches to screen location effects for unreplicated experiments, but only a handful to screen dispersion effects. Generalized linear models, popular in analyses of non-normal data, were recently proposed to screen both location and dispersion effects simultaneously. This paper illustrates and explains the impact of unidentified location effects on dispersion effects identification for such procedures. A remedy is proposed to recover the loss of power of the GLM method due to such impact.
Magnesium borohydride complexed by tetramethylethylenediamine.

A complex of magnesium borohydride, Mg(BH4)2·Me2NC2H4NMe2, has been synthesized and structurally characterized. This monomer complex has a pseudotetrahedral geometry around the Mg atom with tridentate BH4 groups and short Mg···B distances.
Introduction to the SCiP special issue

Several of the articles in this issue are based on presentations at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology (SCiP). The conference was held in Minneapolis, MN on November 15, 2012 and included talks, posters, and symposia on topics as diverse as cognitive and neural processes, computational linguistics, online learning, eyetracking tools, and data mining. The keynote address was given by Brian MacWhinney on “Using the Web to Study Real-Life Language Learning: Measures, Experiments, Models, Tutors, and Tours.” Ping Li also hosted a presidential symposium, “Innovative Technologies and the Science of Learning: Language Acquisition by Children and Adults.” A copy of the conference program can be found at http://www.scip.co/scip-2012/. Alexandra Paxton from the University of California, Merced received the John Castellan Student Paper award for the presentation “Linguistic Alignment in Debate.” All of the SCiP articles in this special issue were treated to the same reviewing and publication standards as other articles in Behavior Research Methods. My thanks to the authors, reviewers, and consulting editors for quickly moving the papers through the review process. The 43rd Annual Meeting of SCiP will be in Toronto, Canada on November 14, 2013. Additional information can be found at http://www.scip.co/scip-2013/. The Society for Computers in Psychology is a nonprofit organization of researchers interested in applications of computers in psychology. Its primary purpose is to increase and share knowledge about the use of computers in psychological research. Membership is open to any person who has an academic degree and who is active in scientific applications of computers to psychological research. Membership information can be found at the SCiPWeb site at http://www.scip.co/. The officers of SCiP 2012 included president, Ping Li, Pennsylvania State University; president elect, Michael Jones of Indiana University; past president, Joseph Magliano of Northern Illinois University; and secretarytreasurer, Rick Dale of the University of California, Merced. The steering committee included Patrick Conley of the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point; Rick Dale of the University of California, Merced; Randy Jamieson of the University of Manitoba, Chris Koch of George Fox University, Kay Livesay of Linfield College; Otto MacLin of the University of Northern Iowa; Danielle McNamara of Arizona State University; Douglas Mewhort of Queens University; Ulf-Dietrich Reips of University of Deusto; Yana Weinstein of Washington University, St. Louis; and Xiaowei Zhao of Emmanuel College.
Transonic Shock-Turbulent Boundary Layer Interaction with Suction and Blowing.

Abstract : A basic theory of weak normal shock - turbulent boundary layer interactions is given for two-dimensional non-separating flows including mass transfer across the wall throughout the interaction region. Even small amounts of suction are found to significantly reduce both the streamwise scale and thickening effect of the interaction and delay the onset of separation. This is shown to be a consequence of the large mass transfer effect on the shape of the incoming boundary layer Mach number profile away from the wall. Parametric study results showing the influence of Reynolds and shock Mach number as well as mass transfer parameter on the interaction, plus favorable comparisons with various experimental data, are also presented.
Serendipitous renal cell carcinoma in the post-CT era: continued evidence in improved outcomes.

Purpose: To compare patient and tumor characteristics, including survival data, between serendipitous and non-serendipitously discovered renal cell carcinoma (RCCA) in an era of more frequent use of CT scanning and ultrasonography. Materials and methods: The Tumor Registry of the Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio, TX, was reviewed for new diagnoses or initial treatment of RCCA from January 1985 through December 1999. Records were evaluated as to whether the initial diagnosis of RCCA was made serendipitously. Prognostic and epidemiological variables, were collected and disease-specific and overall survival data were computed. Results: Of 257 patients with RCCA, 93 (36.2%) presented with serendipitously discovered tumors and 100 presented with metastases at diagnosis. Mean tumor size was smaller in the serendipitous group, compared both pathologically (6.74 cm vs. 4.49 cm, P < 0.0001) and by radiographic measurement (8.04 cm vs. 4.87 cm, P < 0.0001). Sixty-six (71%) of 93 serendipitously discovered tumors were Stage I at diagnosis, vs. only 30 (18.4%) of 163 non-serendipitous tumors (P < 0.0001). When non-serendipitous tumors with metastatic disease at presentation were excluded, the percentage of patients with Stage I disease was lower than for serendipitous tumors (46.8% vs. 71%, P = 0.004). Pathologically confirmed tumor stage was more favorable for serendipitously discovered tumors: 40 of 77 (60%) non-serendipitous tumors were <pT3, vs. 70 of 86 (81.4%) serendipitous tumors (P < 0.0001). Overall and disease-specific survival was better in the serendipitous group as well, with a 5-year disease-specific survival of 94%, contrasted with 35% in the non-serendipitous group (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The widespread use of CT scanning and ultrasonography has led to a continued increase in the serendipitous diagnosis of a significant number of all RCCA which are associated with significantly lower stage at diagnosis, and thus with significantly improved survival.
The FOXD1 lineage of kidney perivascular cells and myofibroblasts: functions and responses to injury

Recent studies have identified a poorly appreciated yet extensive population of perivascular mesenchymal cells in the kidney, which are derived from metanephric mesenchyme progenitor cells during nephrogenesis at which time they express the transcription factor FOXD1. Some studies have called these resident fibroblasts, whereas others have called them pericytes. Regardless of nomenclature, many are partially integrated into the capillary basement membrane and contribute in important ways to the homeostasis of peritubular capillaries. Fate-mapping studies using conditional CreER recombinase-mediated tracing of discrete cell cohorts have identified these pericytes and resident fibroblasts as the major precursor population of interstitial myofibroblasts in animal models of kidney disease. Here, we will review the evidence that they are the major population of myofibroblast precursors, highlight some critical functions in homeostasis, and focus on the cell signaling pathways that are important to their differentiation into, and persistence as myofibroblasts.
DEVELOPMENT OF PHENOBARBITAL-SENSITIVE CONTROL MECHANISMS FOR URIDINE DIPHOSPHATE GLUCURONYLTRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN CHICK EMBRYO LIVER

Uridine diphosphate (UDP) glucuronyltransferase activity in chick liver rises at hatching from near zero to adult levels. This rise will occur prematurely in embryo liver during organ culture. Increase in enzyme activity during organ culture differs with embryo age: in liver from 11-day old embryos it ceases at adult values; in liver from 5-day old embryos it continues to much higher-than-adult levels. Phenobarbital added to culture medium accelerates these rises in enzyme activity and elevates the plateau reached in 11-day embryo liver to that observed in 5-day embryo liver. Kinetic analysis of the changes in enzyme activity induced by phenobarbital during culture suggests that the regulatory mechanisms for enzyme activity are different in 5- and 11-day embryo liver and that these differences reflect developmental changes occurring in ovo.
Competency Assessment in the McMaster Psychotherapy Program

In January 2001 the Residency Review Committee (RRC) mandated that all psychiatric training programs must demonstrate competency in five forms of psychotherapy. Assessing competency in psychotherapy is a complex and difficult task, with many conceptual and practical issues needing consideration before programs are implemented. Existing competency-based programs can offer some assistance to institutions struggling with this issue. This paper discusses competency assessment in the McMaster Psychotherapy Program, paying special attention to instruments used in the evaluation process. Preliminary results with respect to resident satisfaction with the Program and resident competency in certain therapies are also discussed.
Structure, expression, and chromosomal localization of the mouse Atox1 gene.

Copper trafficking in eukaryotes involves small proteins termed metallochaperones, which mediate copper delivery to specific intracellular sites. Previous studies in yeast and human cell lines have suggested that Atox1 plays a critical role in copper delivery to the secretory pathway. In the present study, a mouse Atox1 (mAtox1) cDNA was cloned and shown to encode an open reading frame with 85% amino acid identity to human Atox1. RNA blot analysis revealed that mAtox1 was expressed as a single transcript in multiple tissues, and immunoblotting indicated that the relative abundance of mAtox1 mRNA directly correlated with mAtox1 protein. Analysis of the mAtox1 gene locus revealed a genomic structure with four exons encompassing a total of 14.5 kb. RFLP and haplotype analyses indicated that the mAtox1 locus was tightly linked to the Trhr and D15Bir7 loci on mouse chromosome 15. Taken together, these data reveal marked evolutionary conservation of Atox1 structure and provide a genomic organization and localization that will aid in the genetic deciphering of the molecular role of this protein in copper homeostasis.
Arsenic leachability and speciation in cement immobilized water treatment sludge.

Abstract Arsenic leachability and speciation in cement immobilized water treatment sludge were investigated with leaching tests and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The As leachability in the sludge determined with the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and the waste extraction test (WET) was 283 and 7490 μg l−1, respectively. Extractions with a lower liquid to solid ratio, under anaerobic conditions, and using citric acid buffer solution dramatically increased the leachate As concentration. XANES results showed that the As(III) composition was reduced from 51.1% of the total As content in the sludge to 16.3% in the cement treated sample with 28 days of cure. When the cement treated sample was cured for two years, the As(III) composition was decreased to 7.4%. The cement treatment reduced the As leachability. The leachate As(III) and total As concentrations were of the same order of magnitude in the samples cured for 28 days as for 2 yr. However, consistently lower concentrations were detected in samples with longer cure time. The results of this study improve our understanding of arsenic speciation and leachability in the cement matrix after long cure times.
Current-mode analog signal processing: a tutorial

A tutorial overview of current-mode analog and digital circuit design techniques is presented. Basic current-mode analog signal processing circuits are reviewed. Switched-current sampled-data filtering techniques are covered, and recent advances in current-mode continuous-time filtering techniques are described. Current-mode digital techniques for use in precision mixed-mode applications are summarized. Current-mode circuits are a viable alternative to voltage-mode circuits for implementation in low-voltage scaled CMOS and BiCMOS technologies. >
E2F-1 Functions in Mice to Promote Apoptosis and Suppress Proliferation

Members of the E2F transcription factor family (E2F-1-E2F-5) are believed to be critical positive regulators of cell cycle progression in eukaryotes although the in vivo functions of the individual E2Fs have not been elucidated. Mice were generated that lack E2F-1 and, surprisingly, these mice develop and reproduce normally. However, E2F-1-/- mice exhibit a defect in T lymphocyte development leading to an excess of mature T cells due to a maturation stage-specific defect in thymocyte apoptosis. As E2F-1-/- mice age they exhibit a second phenotype marked by aberrant cell proliferation. These findings suggest that while certain members of the E2F family may positively regulate cell cycle progression, E2F-1 functions to regulate apoptosis and to suppress cell proliferation.
Expression and regulation of CCN genes in murine osteoblasts.

Abstract Members of the CCN family of genes include cysteine-rich 61 (CYR61), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV), and Wnt-induced secreted proteins (WISP) 1, 2 and 3. CCN proteins play a role in cell differentiation and function, but their expression and function in skeletal tissue is partially understood. We examined the expression and regulation of CCN genes in primary cultures of murine osteoblasts treated with transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, or cortisol. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of CYR61, CTGF, NOV, and WISP 1 and 2 transcripts in murine osteoblasts, but not WISP 3 transcripts. Northern and Western blot analyses revealed that TGF β, BMP-2, and cortisol increased CYR61 and CTGF mRNA and protein levels. TGF β decreased NOV and increased WISP 2 mRNA and protein levels, and TGF β and BMP-2 increased, whereas cortisol decreased WISP 1 mRNA and protein levels. Nuclear run-on assays revealed that TGF β, BMP-2 and cortisol enhanced CYR61 and CTGF transcription, TGF β and BMP-2 induced and cortisol suppressed WISP 1, and TGF β induced WISP 2 transcription. Suppression of NOV transcription could not be detected due to low control levels. In conclusion, five of the six known CCN genes are expressed by osteoblasts and their transcription is regulated by TGF β, BMP-2 and cortisol.
Sequential Analysis of Variance under Random and Mixed Models

Abstract Sequential tests for certain hypotheses in the analysis of variance under random models are developed through the principle of invariance. Particular attention is paid to the one-way layout, the randomized block design, the two-way layout with balanced replications and the two-stage nested design. The test criterion is the likelihood ratio of a suitably chosen function of the sample whose size is increased at successive stages of sampling. Some possible merits of the test are judged against the corresponding fixed-sample F-test as well as certain alternative sequential tests. A conjectural study is made for the ASN. The theory is subsequently extended to solve similar problems under the mixed model.
Should I Stay or Should I Go Now? Partisanship, Approval, and the Duration of Major Power Democratic Military Interventions

How does the domestic political climate within democratic states affect the duration of their foreign military engagements? To answer this question we combine a rationalist model of war termination with a theory about how partisan politics affects the policy preferences of national leaders to predict the duration of democratic military interventions. Specifically, we examine how changes in a chief executive’s public approval ratings interact with partisanship to affect decisions about the timing of conflict termination. We test our expectations on a set of 47 British, French, and American cases from a new dataset of military interventions by powerful states. Our results suggest that partisanship mediates the effect of public approval on the duration of military operations initiated by powerful democratic countries. As executive approval declines, governments on the right of the political spectrum are inclined to continue to fight, while left-leaning executives become more likely to bring the troops home.
Anophthalmia, cleft lip/palate, facial anomalies, and CNS anomalies and hypothalamic disorder in a newborn: a midline developmental field defect

We describe an infant with a unique pattern of midline defects, including anophthalmia, cleft lip and palate, macrocephaly, cutis aplasia, and micrognathia. CNS anomalies including massive hydrocephalus with destruction of most recognizable structures were observed. The infant also developed panhypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, and a seizure disorder. We postulate that this patient could represent a more complex form of the Delleman syndrome or a new morphogenetic syndrome secondary to ventral induction with extension to the developmental fields of the first and second branchial arches.
Depression and Cardiovascular Disorders

During the past two decades, research in the field of depression and cardiovascular disorders has exploded. Multiple studies have demonstrated that depression is more prevalent in populations with cardiovascular disease, is a robust risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in healthy populations, and is predictive of adverse outcomes (such as myocardial infarction and death) among populations with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Mechanistic studies have shown that poor health behaviors, such as physical inactivity, medication nonadherence, and smoking, strongly contribute to this association. Small randomized trials have found that antidepressant therapies may improve cardiac outcomes. Based on this accumulating evidence, the American Heart Association has recommended routine screening for depression in all patients with coronary heart disease. This review examines the key epidemiological literature on depression and cardiovascular disorders and discusses our current understanding of the mechanisms responsible for this association. We also examine current recommendations for screening, diagnosis, and management of depression. We conclude by highlighting new research areas and discussing therapeutic management of depression in patients with cardiovascular disorders.
Temporal order identification for tone/noise stimuli with onset transitions.

Temporal order of onset identification boundaries and difference thresholds (DLs) were measured for stimuli modeled after two formant speech stimuli that varied in voice onset time (VOT). The stimuli had dynamic onset transitions and consisted of a tone pair that varied in onset relative to a noise whose center frequency matched the higher frequency tone. DLs were measured relative to 0- and 7-msec onset delays (as well as 49- and 56-msec onset delays) by using a method of constant stimuli with a two-interval temporal forced choice psychophysical procedure. Discrete thresholds were found for noise lead conditions, but tone lead conditions were very difficult for most subjects. With rising-onset stimuli, evidence was found for long DLs based upon a fixed threshold location at 32–38 msec, and thus independent of the standard stimulus. With falling-onset stimuli, the short (5- to 20-msec) DLs were roughly proportional to the standard (0- or 7-msec) onset difference, although there was evidence for an additional fixed perceptual boundary at a longer (30- to 40-msec) onset difference. A noise burst at stimulus onset seemed to act as a type of masking stimulus, causing a shift in temporal order threshold to longer onset differences. The 30- to 40-msec fixed threshold location is similar in magnitude to those typical of VOT voicing boundaries for stop consonants of English.
Thermal processes for metal cans compared to retortable plastic containers

Comparison of the heating process and determination of the critical heating point was studied for homogeneous and nonhomogeneous products in 211 × 214 retortable plastic containers and metal cans. The fh, j, and Fo values for bentonite dispersions (4-10%), were significantly different at α= 0.05 for the metal cans versus the plastic containers with metal lid oriented up or down. The slowest heating point was mathematically determined and found to be influenced by the container material and the lid orientation for the plastic containers. Results indicated the design of thermal processes in plastic containers must take into account nonsymmetrical external heat transfer due to the presence of the metal lid.
Development and validation of green eating behaviors, stage of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy scales in college students.

Abstract Objective To develop and validate an instrument to assess environmentally conscious eating (Green Eating [GE]) behavior (BEH) and GE Transtheoretical Model constructs including Stage of Change (SOC), Decisional Balance (DB), and Self-efficacy (SE). Design Cross-sectional instrument development survey. Setting/Participants Convenience sample (n = 954) of 18- to 24-year-old college students from a northeastern university. Analysis The sample was randomly split: ( N 1 ) and ( N 2 ). N 1 was used for exploratory factor analyses using principal components analyses; N 2 was used for confirmatory analyses (structural modeling) and reliability analyses (coefficient α). The full sample was used for measurement invariance (multi-group confirmatory analyses) and convergent validity (BEH) and known group validation (DB and SE) by SOC using analysis of variance. Results Reliable (α > .7), psychometrically sound, and stable measures included 2 correlated 5-item DB subscales (Pros and Cons), 2 correlated SE subscales (school [5 items] and home [3 items]), and a single 6-item BEH scale. Most students (66%) were in Precontemplation and Contemplation SOC. Behavior, DB, and SE scales differed significantly by SOC ( P Conclusions and Implications Successful development and preliminary validation of this 25-item GE instrument provides a basis for assessment as well as development of tailored interventions for college students.
Gambling as a Social Activity of Older Adults

A significant number of senior citizens (aged 65+) spend their leisure time in gambling casinos in this country. For some older adults eager for a stimulating social outlet, casino gambling can become a virulent and destructive addiction. While prevalence studies have examined the incidence of problem gambling in other age groups, little attention has been paid to the impact of casino gambling on older adults. This study investigated the prevalence of casino gambling as a social activity for active senior citizens (aged 65+). Activity directors from residential and assisted-care facilities as well as from senior and retirement centers completed mailed surveys of eleven different types of social activities available to older adults. Results of the survey of activity directors found bingo the most highly frequented on-location-type social activity and casino gambling the most highly frequented day-trip-type social activity for 6,957 active senior citizens represented in the activity directors' survey. On average, 16 percent of the senior citizens were reported by the activity directors to have taken part in facility-sponsored trips to the casino on at least a once-a-month basis. In addition, the casinos themselves had offered additional gambling day-trips to 66 percent of the facilities, which were accepted in 58 percent of the cases. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness of the impact casino gambling may have on senior citizens in this country.
Stabilizing NaCl particles with Cd2+ in a saturated solution during ex situ PSD measurement

Abstract The measurement of a particle size distribution (PSD) of a soluble salt, NaCl, dispersed in a saturated solution using laser light scattering (LLS) is fraught with difficulty since this apparatus and others like it do not have strict temperature control in the sample chamber. A slight increase or decrease in temperature produces conditions where the crystals grow or dissolve spontaneously from or into background solution during PSD analysis. The difficulties introduced in particle size analysis can be overcome by adding 100 ppm CdCl2 to the saturated solution used to disperse the crystals for analysis. The Cd2+ ion is known to adsorb on the surface of NaCl in solution, thus inhibiting the crystal growth/dissolution rate by pinning steps of NaCl crystals (Growth Crystal 8, (1969), 3). With this additive the PSD of NaCl produced during the crystallization from a NaCl contaminated 38 wt% CaCl2 solution cooled from 70°C to 30°C in a 1.4 liter jacketed-baffled-stirred tank is stabilized so that it can be reproducibly measured with the LLS.