cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promoting social competence and preventing childhood aggression: A framework for applying social information processing theory in intervention research

Abstract Advances in social information processing (SIP) theory have contributed to the understanding of the ways in which cognitive operations lead to aggressive behavior in childhood. Despite these advances, applying SIP theory to the design of interventions to promote social competence and prevent aggressive behavior remains in a formative stage. Few programs have explicitly applied the SIP theory. Moreover, among the relatively few programs that have used SIP as a theoretical basis, the applications of the SIP theory vary widely. This article provides a general framework for applying the SIP theory to school-based interventions. We review key elements of the SIP model and distinguish SIP from the more general social problem-solving perspective. We discuss several methodological issues in conducting the SIP intervention research.
A Crop Analysis Technique for Studying the Food Habits and Preferences of Chickens on Range

Abstract THE food consumed by chickens and certain other grain-eating birds remains virtually unchanged in the crop for a considerable period. Since enzymes are not secreted in the crop, digestion as such does not occur there. Digestive enzymes originating in the saliva and carried into the crop do not appear to play a significant role. Most investigators, Mussehl, Blish and Ackerson (1933), Farner (1942), Buckner, Insko and Henry (1944) report all parts of the alimentary canal, including the crop, to be acid. The pH of the crop contents of the chicken as determined by Farner (1942) is 4.51. This acidity is such that microorganisms would tend, as in ensilage, to be inactivated or at least inhibited. This acidity, together with the fact that the material while in the crop is more or less sealed off from aerobic microorganisms, probably contributes to its good keeping qualities. Even when frozen and thawed several…
Exacting resort developers to create non-tourism jobs

Abstract This paper describes and evaluates an innovative economic diversification policy implemented in 1990 by the state of Hawaii. The policy requires hotel developers to create one non-tourism job in the economy in order to obtain state government permission to build one hotel room in resort developments that require land to be reclassified from agricultural, rural, or conservation uses to urban use. Alternatively, the developer may make a front-end cash payment of $25, 000 per proposed hotel room to finance job training, business loan, and other incentive programs to facilitate economic diversification. The purpose of the policy is to extract economic rents from resort developers to finance non-tourism related development.
Availability and capacity of substance abuse programs in correctional settings: A classification and regression tree analysis

Abstract Objective to be addressed The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural and organizational factors that contribute to the availability and increased capacity for substance abuse treatment programs in correctional settings. We used classification and regression tree statistical procedures to identify how multi-level data can explain the variability in availability and capacity of substance abuse treatment programs in jails and probation/parole offices. Methods The data for this study combined the National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices (NCJTP) Survey and the 2000 Census. The NCJTP survey was a nationally representative sample of correctional administrators for jails and probation/parole agencies. The sample size included 295 substance abuse treatment programs that were classified according to the intensity of their services: high, medium, and low. The independent variables included jurisdictional-level structural variables, attributes of the correctional administrators, and program and service delivery characteristics of the correctional agency. Results The two most important variables in predicting the availability of all three types of services were stronger working relationships with other organizations and the adoption of a standardized substance abuse screening tool by correctional agencies. For high and medium intensive programs, the capacity increased when an organizational learning strategy was used by administrators and the organization used a substance abuse screening tool. Implications on advancing treatment practices in correctional settings are discussed, including further work to test theories on how to better understand access to intensive treatment services. This study presents the first phase of understanding capacity-related issues regarding treatment programs offered in correctional settings.
Acetaminophen normalizes glucose homeostasis in mouse models for diabetes

Abstract Loss of pancreatic beta cell insulin secretion is the most important element in the progression of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Since oxidative stress is involved in the progressive loss of beta cell function, we evaluated the potential for the over-the-counter analgesic drug and antioxidant, acetaminophen (APAP), to intervene in the diabetogenic process. We used mouse models for type 1 diabetes (streptozotocin) and type 2 diabetes (high-fat diet) to examine the ability of APAP to intervene in the progression of diabetes. In C57BL/6J mice, streptozotocin caused a dosage dependent increase in fasting blood glucose (FBG), from 100 to >600 mg/dl. Daily APAP (20 mg/kg BW, gastric gavage), significantly prevented and partially reversed the increase in FBG levels produced by streptozotocin. After 10 weeks on a high-fat diet, mice developed fasting hyperinsulemia and impaired glucose tolerance compared to animals fed a control diet. APAP largely prevented these changes in insulin and glucose tolerance. Furthermore, APAP prevented most of the increase in body fat in mice fed the high-fat diet. One protective mechanism for APAP is suggested by studies using isolated liver mitochondria, where low micromolar concentrations abolished the production of reactive oxygen that might otherwise contribute to the destruction of pancreatic β-cells. These findings suggest that administration of APAP to mice, in a dosage used safely by humans, reduces the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen and concomitantly prevents the development of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in established animal models.
Reproducibility of electron-beam CT measures of aortic valve calcification.

Abstract Rationale and Objectives The authors performed this study to establish the interscan, interobserver, and intraobserver reproducibility of aortic valve calcification (AVC) measurements obtained with electron-beam computed tomography (CT). Materials and Methods The authors evaluated electron-beam CT scans from all patients who had undergone two serial examinations on the same day as part of a study of coronary artery calcification reproducibility. In patients in whom aortic valve calcium was identified at electron-beam CT, AVC scores were measured with both the Agatston and the volumetric methods, which were developed previously to quantify coronary calcium. Results Forty-four asymptomatic patients (mean age, 66 years ± 9) with AVC at electron-beam CT were included in the analyses. AVC score reproducibility was excellent with both the Agatston and the volumetric methods (R2 = 0.99, P = .0001 for both), with median interscan variabilities of 7% and 6.2%, respectively. Interscan reproducibility was similar, whether the analysis included all scans or was restricted to those with scores greater than 10 or greater than 30. For the volumetric method, the median interobserver variability was 5% and the median intraobserver variability was 1%. Conclusion The low interscan, interobserver, and intraobserver variabilities at electron-beam CT suggest that this method should be useful for the noninvasive monitoring of AVC changes over time and for assessing the efficacy of therapies aimed at slowing AVC accumulation.
Impact of 64-Slice Multidetector Computed Tomography on Other Diagnostic Studies for Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract Background The clinical role of cardiovascular multidetector computed tomography (CT) remains in evolution, and application varies widely. Understanding its impact on the utilization of other cardiovascular diagnostic modalities could help define best practices. Methods Utilization of diagnostic testing was examined for the initial 1053 consecutive patients who underwent cardiovascular multidetector CT examinations after scanner installation in 2005. Yearly procedural volumes in the invasive catheterization and noninvasive stress laboratories were assessed before and after the introduction of multidetector CT. Results Ninety-one patients (8.6%) of the 1053 required invasive diagnostic catheterization; of these, nearly half subsequently underwent percutaneous or surgical intervention. Diagnostic catheterization and interventional volumes maintained their previous rates of annual increase, while the volume of stress testing decreased once multidetector CT became available. Conclusions The major impact of multidetector CT in initial cardiovascular practice is on the need and frequency of stress testing, with far less impact on utilization of cardiac catheterization and coronary interventions.
Disulfide bond cleavage in neutral substrates by the dimethylene ketene radical cation inside a mass spectrometer

Abstract The reactivity of the dimethylene ketene radical cation (a distonic ion) toward organic disulfides was examined inside a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The radical cation efficiently cleaves the disulfide bond in all the disulfides studied. Hence, this radical cation provides a potentially useful tool for the mass spectrometric characterization and location of disulfide bonds in neutral substrates without the requirement of prior derivatization.
Empowerment in Context: Lessons from Hip-Hop Culture for Social Work Practice

Hip-hop culture can be used as a conduit to enhanced cultural competence and practice skills through the individual and community empowerment framework. This framework is introduced as a tool for direct practice that allows social workers to understand the competing messages within hip-hop culture and how they may impact youths by promoting or inhibiting positive youth development. The individual and community empowerment framework can inform direct practice skills for improved communication and relationships by providing a structure for collaborative development of goals and change strategies. The individual and community empowerment assessment tool and a sample music index are included.
Anomalous Concentrations and Chlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Sediment Downwind of Lake Ontario

Relatively high concentrations (up to 98.5 ng/g dry wt) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found in two cores penetrating fluvial sands east of Lake Ontario. One core was taken from the upper Salmon River reservoir on the Tug Hill Plateau and the other from Rice Creek near the lake at Oswego. In both instances, portions of the cores containing PCBs and other organochlorines (OCs) lack excess radiogenic 210Pb and 137Cs, implying depositional ages predating widespread OC commercial production, use, and release. Within each core there is little vertical variation in PCB composition and highly chlorinated congeners dominate the pattern. In addition, the PCB signature is analytically indistinguishable between cores despite collection over 50 km apart. This argues against local sources, and implies deposition and accumulation by processes operating over a substantial area and time period. Transport and introduction of a residual fraction of colloidal-bound PCBs to the sands via tannin-rich riverine waters is proposed. The PCB congener-specific pattern of air samples collected during the spring and summer of 1999 downwind of the lake at two locations (Rice Creek and Sterling) are similar to the sediments and display anomalous concentrations and chlorination with respect to other air sampling localities in the Great Lakes. A link between the residual fraction of PCBs observed in the sediment and air patterns via volatilization from the terrestrial surface is proposed. Elevated PCB concentrations and chlorination in non radiogenic fluvial sands and air may reflect regional accumulation and weathering processes operating over many decades and/or enhancement of contaminant deposition and partitioning downwind of the lake related to lake-effect precipitation.
Effect of magnetic order on sound propagation in linear antiferromagnet RbNiCl3

Abstract The elastic moduli of RbNiCl3 have been measured down to 4.2 K using a phase-comparison method. Effects due to magnetic ordering along the chains below 100 K are clearly visible in the constant C33. The relative changes in velocity are compared to predictions of a simple hydrodynamic model for the spin-phonon interaction.
Wag the Tail: Structural Dynamics of Actomyosin

Data from crystallography, in vitro assays and muscle fibers provide a plausible sequence of events in energy transduction by actomyosin. An interdomain motion between the CD and LC domains, like a dog wagging its tail, coupled to opening of a cleft in the CD and release of Pi, produces force and translates the cargo. A preceding disorder-to-order transition of the CD may contribute to force generation. This depiction should be completed by crystal structures of myosin bound to actin or mutated to arrest the cycle at known intermediates and by complementary dynamic studies on the functioning system in vitro or in muscle fibers.
Natural language acquisition by a robot

“... nothing reveals our ignorance about a phenomenon more clearly than an attempt to define it in constructional terms.” (W. Grey Walter, The Development and Significance of Cybernetics) We present a model of language acquisition which demonstrates that considerable language competence can be acquired without presupposing innate linguistic factors. Vague or magical properties are avoided by describing the model as a design for a robot using clearly defined algorithms and mechanisms which can be simulated or constructed. Described first is the development of a simplified semantic system using a minimum of cognitive apparatus operating in a restricted environment. This works in conjunction with an algorithm to develop grammatical competence. No innate grammatical knowledge is needed; only interaction with an environment and a native speaker of the language is required. Grammatical competence is portrayed in terms of a new syntactic model, whose power is demonstrated by a game “simulation” in which the players make connections allowed by the syntactic rules to generate and parse English sentences. The paper closes with a second game which simulates the robot and its “parent” by a team of human players. This simulation shows how the robot develops its semantic and syntactic systems through its experience in the world.
Stress Increases Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid in the Hypothalamus and Pituitary

Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a member of the nerve growth factor family that is important for neuronal survival and plasticity. We recently demonstrated that stress decreases BDNF messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in the hippocampus, which raises the possibility that BDNF may play a role in regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether BDNF expression is present and influenced by stress in other brain areas relevant to control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Using in situ hybridization, we found that BDNF mRNA is present in the parvocellular portion of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the lateral hypothalamus, and the anterior and neurointermediate lobes of the pituitary in rats. Acute (2-h) or repeated immobilization stress increased BDNF mRNA in all of these areas. This was in distinct contrast to stress-induced decreases in extrahypothalamic areas, including the basolateral amygdala, claustrum, and cingulate cortex as well as the hippocampus. BDNF was expressed in both CRF and TRH neurons in the PVN. Reducing glucocorticoid or thyroid negative feedback increased BDNF mRNA in the PVN and anterior pituitary, but not in the neurointermediate lobe. These results suggest that BDNF is a stress-responsive intercellular messenger that may be an important component of the stress response.
Social capital, collaborative exchange and microenterprise performance: the role of gender

The success or failure of microenterprises often depends on social capital, or to the resources and opportunities created through the interactions of people. Because a majority of new microenterprises are created by women, the role of gender needs to be examined in the context of microentrepreneurial social capital. Hence, this paper presents a conceptual model of the relationships between microentrepreneurs' gender, social capital configuration, collaborative exchange and microenterprise performance. The model proposes that the configuration of microentrepreneurs' social capital is defined through three attributes: network diversity, network size and relationship strength. These three attributes influence the collaborative exchange process, or the actions taken by microentrepreneurs to utilise their social capital and gain information and resources. This process, in turn, influences microenterprise performance. In addition, the model also proposes that gender affects the relationships between social capital, collaborative exchange and microenterprise performance.
Relationship of glomerular hypertrophy and sclerosis: Studies in SV40 transgenic mice

Relationship of glomerular hypertrophy and sclerosis: Studies in SV40 transgenic mice. We previously described the development of glomerulosclerosis in mice transgenic for large T-antigen, a gene whose in vitro expression markedly increases proliferation of cultured cells. In the current study we sought to determine the effect of unilateral nephrectomy on these sclerosis-prone animals which have a genetically defined potential for increased renal growth. In comparison with sham nephrectomy animals, nephrectomized transgenic female mice had significantly larger kidneys, larger glomeruli (5886 µ 2 npx vs. 3796 µ2 sham), more cells per glomerulus and more severe glomerulosclerosis. Nephrectomized transgenic male animals had variable increases in kidney size, no significant increase in glomerular size (4750 µ 2 npx vs. 4502 µ 2 sham) or cellularity, and no worsening of glomerulosclerosis. In non-transgenic female animals nephrectomy induced an increase in kidney size but not in glomerular size (2640 µ 2 npx vs. 2625 µ 2 sham) and failed to induce glomerular lesions. A close correlation (r = 0.91) was found between glomerular size and severity of glomerulosclerosis in these animals. This finding supports the hypothesis that a pathophysiologic link exists between glomerular enlargement and glomerulosclerosis. We also found that increases in total kidney size and glomerular size did not consistently parallel each other, that is, renal hypertrophy may occur without an increase in glomerular size. This finding suggests that total kidney growth and glomerular growth may be independently regulated or may have different thresholds for activation following unilateral nephrectomy.
Homogeneous feedback controls for homogeneous systems

Abstract Let X(x) = Σj=2n aj(x)ϖ/ϖxj be a real analytic, n-dimensional vector field with X(0) = 0 which is homogeneous of degree m⩽0 with respect to a dilation δerx = (er1x1,…, ernxn) and Y = ϖ/ϖxj. We show that control system x = X(x) + uY admits a continuous, asymptotically stabilizing, feedback control u(x), then a one-dimensional dynamic extension of the system admits a homogeneous, asymptotically stabilizing (dynamic) feedback control u (τ, x) such that the vector field W (τ, x) = ατ 1−m ϖ/ϖτ + u (τ, x)ϖ/ϖ 1 + δ j=2 a j (x)ϖ/ϖx j describing the extended, controlled, system is homogeneous of degree m with respect to the extended dilation σer(τ, x) = (eτ, er1x1, …, ernxn).
Genome editing strategies: potential tools for eradicating HIV-1/AIDS

Current therapy for controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and preventing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) progression has profoundly decreased viral replication in cells susceptible to HIV-1 infection, but it does not eliminate the low level of viral replication in latently infected cells, which contain integrated copies of HIV-1 proviral DNA. There is an urgent need for the development of HIV-1 genome eradication strategies that will lead to a permanent or “sterile” cure of HIV-1/AIDS. In the past few years, novel nuclease-initiated genome editing tools have been developing rapidly, including zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These surgical knives, which can excise any genome, provide a great opportunity to eradicate the HIV-1 genome by targeting highly conserved regions of the HIV-1 long terminal repeats or essential viral genes. Given the time consuming and costly engineering of target-specific ZFNs and TALENs, the RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 technology has emerged as a simpler and more versatile technology to allow permanent removal of integrated HIV-1 proviral DNA in eukaryotic cells, and hopefully animal models or human patients. The major unmet challenges of this approach at present include inefficient nuclease gene delivery, potential off-target cleavage, and cell-specific genome targeting. Nanoparticle or lentivirus-mediated delivery of next generation Cas9 technologies including nickase or RNA-guided FokI nuclease (RFN) will further improve the potential for genome editing to become a promising approach for curing HIV-1/AIDS.
Dipolar Sums in the Primitive Cubic Lattices

Dipole-wave sums, important in many magnetic and electric problems involving dipole-dipole interactions, are defined, and numerical values are given at sets of independent points in k-space equivalent to a 512-fold sampling of the first Brillouin zone of each of the three primitive cubic lattices. Strong size, shape, and position dependence of these sums is shown to occur in a pathological region about the origin in k-space. The dipole-wave sums are shown to be related to dipole-field factors at points within the unit cell. The dipolar anisotropy energy in the antiferromagnet MnO is discussed as an illustration of the use of dipole-wave sums.
Subaperture testing approaches: a comparison.

Two methods of reducing subaperture interferograms to produce full aperture aberration coefficients now exist: the Kwon-Thunen and the simultaneous fit method. The results of a numerical comparison show that for no flat-to-flat alignment the two work equally well and are equally sensitive to both higher-order noise and random noise. For ideal flat-to-flat alignment the Kwon-Thunen approach is less sensitive to noise by a factor of ~3. The simultaneous fit method requires fewer sample points and runs faster than the Kwon-Thunen method.
SAR of tertiary carbinamine derived BACE1 inhibitors: role of aspartate ligand amine pKa in enzyme inhibition.

Abstract The optimization of tertiary carbinamine derived inhibitors of BACE1 from its discovery as an unstable lead to low nanomolar cell active compounds is described. Five-membered heterocycles are reported as stable and potency enhancing linkers. In the course of this work, we have discovered a clear trend where the activity of inhibitors at a given assay pH is dependent on pKa of the amino group that interacts directly with the catalytic aspartates. The potency of compounds as inhibitors of Αβ production in a cell culture assay correlated much better with BACE1 enzyme potency measured at pH 7.5 than at pH 4.5.
A blast wave from the 1843 eruption of η Carinae

Very massive stars shed much of their mass in violent precursor eruptions as luminous blue variables (LBVs) before reaching their most likely end as supernovae, but the cause of LBV eruptions is unknown. The nineteenth-century eruption of eta Carinae, the prototype of these events, ejected about 12 solar masses at speeds of 650 km s(-1), with a kinetic energy of almost 10(50) erg (ref. 4). Some faster material with speeds up to 1,000-2,000 km s(-1) had previously been reported but its full distribution was unknown. Here I report observations of much faster material with speeds up to 3,500-6,000 km s(-1), reaching farther from the star than the fastest material in previous reports. This fast material roughly doubles the kinetic energy of the nineteenth-century event and suggests that it released a blast wave now propagating ahead of the massive ejecta. As a result, eta Carinae's outer shell now mimics a low-energy supernova remnant. The eruption has usually been discussed in terms of an extreme wind driven by the star's luminosity, but the fast material reported here indicates that it may have been powered by a deep-seated explosion rivalling a supernova, perhaps triggered by the pulsational pair instability. This may alter interpretations of similar events seen in other galaxies.
West Nile virus meningoencephalitis

Since its first appearance in the US in 1999, the arthropod-borne flavivirus West Nile virus has emerged as the main cause of epidemic meningoencephalitis in North America. DeBiasi and Tyler review the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and prognosis of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, and discuss current treatments and prospects for future therapies. Since its first appearance in the US in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has emerged as the most common cause of epidemic meningoencephalitis in North America. In the 6 years following the 1999 outbreak, the geographic range and burden of the disease in birds, mosquitoes and humans has greatly expanded to include the 48 contiguous US and 7 Canadian provinces, as well as Mexico, the Caribbean islands and Colombia. WNV has shown an increasing propensity for neuroinvasive disease over the past decade, with varied presentations including meningitis, encephalitis and acute flaccid paralysis. Although neuroinvasive disease occurs in less than 1% of infected individuals, it is associated with high mortality. From 1999–2005, more than 8,000 cases of neuroinvasive WNV disease were reported in the US, resulting in over 780 deaths. In this review, we discuss epidemiology, risk factors, clinical features, diagnosis and prognosis of WNV meningoencephalitis, along with potential treatments.
Maternal serum diamine oxidase in fetal death and low-birth-weight infants.

Summary. Serum diamine oxidase was measured at different gestational ages in 681 pregnancies resulting in live births and 102 pregnancies resulting in fetal deaths. Statistical analysis revealed that gestational age-adjusted diamine oxidase levels in the fetal-death group were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those in the live-birth group. Moreover, the relative risk associated with a low diamine oxidase level, compared with a normal level, increased from 3.7 at 8 weeks to 16.6 at 12 weeks. Pregnancies resulting in low-birth-weight infants exhibited normal serum diamine oxidase levels. The association between low diamine oxidase and subsequent fetal death is discussed in view of the hypothesis that polyamines and polyamine-degrading enzymes interact to protect the fetoplacental unit from immune rejection.
Abstract B55: Barriers to care reported among patients with cervical and breast abnormalities in the Ohio Patient Navigation Research Program.

Purpose: To evaluate patient-reported barriers to care among patients with cervical and breast abnormalities in the Ohio Patient Navigation Research Program. Methods: Patients from 18 primary care and specialty clinics within the Ohio State University Medical Center and Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers with an abnormal cervical or breast cancer screening test were eligible for this group-randomized trial. Clinics were paired and randomized within pairs to usual care or patient navigation (PN). Navigators were not clinic-based, but followed the American Cancer Society-PN model where navigators mainly used phone contact from a non-clinic location. During conversations, the navigators documented patient-reported barriers, actions taken to address barriers, and the amount of time spent. We report data on 406 patients with cervical (n=150) or breast (n=256) abnormalities from clinics assigned to the PN arm and who were reached and did not refuse navigation. Differences between patient groups were compared using t-test (demographics) and Fisher9s exact test (barriers). Cox proportional hazard models examined the effects of barriers on time to resolution (i.e., cancer diagnosis or determination of a benign condition) of patients9 abnormalities. Results: Patients with breast abnormalities were older than patients with cervical abnormalities (mean age: 53 vs. 36 years; p Conclusions: Patients with breast and cervical abnormalities reported similar barriers to care. However, patients with cervical abnormalities reported the barriers more often, which may be due to differences in key demographic characteristics. Patients who reported at least one barrier were slower to resolution of their abnormality and the most common barriers reported provide clues as to where the health care system is breaking down for patients and how patient navigation can help. Citation Format: Mira L. Katz, Paul L. Reiter, G. Young, Electra D. Paskett. Barriers to care reported among patients with cervical and breast abnormalities in the Ohio Patient Navigation Research Program. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B55.
Proliferative capacity of vein graft smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts in vitro correlates with graft stenosis

Objective About a quarter of peripheral vein grafts fail due in part to intimal hyperplasia. The proliferative capacity and response to growth inhibitors of medial smooth muscle cells and adventitial fibroblasts in vitro were studied to test the hypothesis that intrinsic differences in cells of vein grafts are associated with graft failure. Methods Cells were grown from explants of the medial and adventitial layers of samples of vein grafts obtained at the time of implantation. Vein graft patency and function were monitored over the first 12 months using ankle pressures and Duplex ultrasound to determine vein graft status. Cells were obtained from veins from 11 patients whose grafts remained patent (non-stenotic) and from seven patients whose grafts developed stenosis. Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) derived from media and fibroblasts derived from adventitia were growth arrested in serum-free medium and then stimulated with 1 μM sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), 10 nM thrombin, 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF), 10 ng/ml platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), PDGF-BB plus S1P, or PDGF-BB plus thrombin for determination of incorporation of [ 3 H]-thymidine into DNA. Cells receiving PDGF-BB or thrombin were also treated with or without 100 μg/ml heparin, which is a growth inhibitor. Cells receiving thrombin were also treated with or without 150 nM AG1478, an EGF receptor kinase inhibitor. Results SMCs and fibroblasts from veins of patients that developed stenosis responded more to the growth factors, such as PDGF-BB alone or in combination with thrombin or S1P, than cells from veins of patients that remained patent ( P = .012). In addition, while PDGF-BB-mediated proliferation of fibroblasts from grafts that remained patent was inhibited by heparin ( P P > .5). Conclusion Inherent differences in the proliferative response of vein graft cells to PDGF-BB and heparin may explain, in part, the variability among patients regarding long term patency of vein grafts.
Omega‐3 Fatty Acids and Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls in 26 Dietary Supplements

: A limited sampling and analysis of commercial supplements found 51% to 124% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 61% to 153% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as provided on product labels. Daily intakes of EPA plus DHA from label recommendations would provide 123% to 1087% of the adequate intake (AI) for pregnant and lactating women (that is, 0.13 to 0.14 g/day) and up to 43% of the daily reference dose (RfD) for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) for a 60-kg person. However, if a smaller dose of the supplements were taken to meet the AI, only 0.9% to 11.5% of the RfD for PCB would be obtained. Algal oil supplements did not have detectable PCB residues, but those products only provided DHA and not EPA.
Sliding mode control of DC/DC converters

Abstract Sliding mode control algorithms for buck and boost power converters are surveyed in the paper. Current and voltage controls are demonstrated for the both cases. It is shown, that direct voltage control for a boost converter results in unstable zero dynamics. Chattering suppression based on harmonic cancellation principle along with switching frequency control is demonstrated.
The Impacts of Charter Schools on Student Achievement: Evidence from North Carolina

Abstract Using an individual panel data set to control for student fixed effects, we estimate the impact of charter schools on students in charter schools and in nearby traditional public schools. We find that students make considerably smaller achievement gains in charter schools than they would have in public schools. The large negative estimates of the effects of attending a charter school are neither substantially biased, nor substantially offset, by positive impacts of charter schools on traditional public schools. Finally, we find suggestive evidence that about 30 percent of the negative effect of charter schools is attributable to high rates of student turnover.
Congenital abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system: Perinatal evaluation and long-term outcome

Many musculoskeletal malformations can be detected by prenatal US. Whether isolated or part of a syndrome, these anomalies can have a significant impact on the entire life of the individual. Nonfatal conditions may be subtle and become more recognizable in the second and third trimester. After delivery, radiography helps confirm the diagnosis. US, CT, and MRI all have a role in imaging the primary abnormality, the follow-up effects of treatment, and in monitoring for potential complications that may develop over time. Three-dimensional imaging has an increasing role, in US, CT, and MRI, both in the prenatal and postnatal periods.
Ab initio calculations on large molecules using molecular fragments: Comparison of charge distribution and molecular electrostatic potential for ethyl chlorophyllide a and related molecules

An analysis of the electronic charge distributions of porphine and chlorin, their magnesium-substituted analogs, and ethyl chlorophyllide a has been carried out, using point-charge and symmetrically orthogonalized representations of ab initio molecular fragment scf-mo wave functions. The results indicate that both representations provide essentially identical descriptions. Molecular electrostatic potential calculations have also been carried out using the point-charge representation and from the wave function directly. Both approaches are in good agreement in regions beyond the van der Waals radius of the various atoms in the molecule.
Geosmin As an Odorous Metabolite In Cultures of A Free‐Living Amoeba, Vannella Species (Gymnamoebia, Vannellidae)

Geosim was identified as the cause of a distinct earthy/grassy odour detected in cultures of a free-living amoeba, Vannella species. Volatile components of cell lysates were isolated and concentrated by the Closed Loop Stripping method. Capillary, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to identify odorous compounds. Bacterial symbionts observed in the cytoplasm of the amoebae may be responsible for production of the geosmin. This appears to be the first report of odorous compounds associated with a free-living protozoan and suggests that in some circumstances, Vannella sp. may contribute to taste and odour problems in drinking water.
A hardware investigation of robotic SPECT for functional and molecular imaging onboard radiation therapy systems.

Purpose: To construct a robotic SPECT system and to demonstrate its capability to image a thorax phantom on a radiation therapy flat-top couch, as a step toward onboard functional and molecular imaging in radiation therapy. Methods: A robotic SPECT imaging system was constructed utilizing a gamma camera detector (Digirad 2020tc) and a robot (KUKA KR150 L110 robot). An imaging study was performed with a phantom (PET CT PhantomTM), which includes five spheres of 10, 13, 17, 22, and 28 mm diameters. The phantom was placed on a flat-top couch. SPECT projections were acquired either with a parallel-hole collimator or a single-pinhole collimator, both without background in the phantom and with background at 1/10th the sphere activity concentration. The imaging trajectories of parallel-hole and pinhole collimated detectors spanned 180° and 228°, respectively. The pinhole detector viewed an off-centered spherical common volume which encompassed the 28 and 22 mm spheres. The common volume for parallel-hole system was centered at the phantom which encompassed all five spheres in the phantom. The maneuverability of the robotic system was tested by navigating the detector to trace the phantom and flat-top table while avoiding collision and maintaining the closest possible proximity to the common volume. The robot base and tool coordinates were used for image reconstruction. Results: The robotic SPECT system was able to maneuver parallel-hole and pinhole collimated SPECT detectors in close proximity to the phantom, minimizing impact of the flat-top couch on detector radius of rotation. Without background, all five spheres were visible in the reconstructed parallel-hole image, while four spheres, all except the smallest one, were visible in the reconstructed pinhole image. With background, three spheres of 17, 22, and 28 mm diameters were readily observed with the parallel-hole imaging, and the targeted spheres (22 and 28 mm diameters) were readily observed in the pinhole region-of-interest imaging. Conclusions: Onboard SPECT could be achieved by a robot maneuvering a SPECT detector about patients in position for radiation therapy on a flat-top couch. The robot inherent coordinate frames could be an effective means to estimate detector pose for use in SPECT image reconstruction.
High-efficiency diode-pumped rubidium laser: experimental results

A diode-pumped rubidium laser with an optical slope efficiency of 69% has been constructed. This study utilized a narrow-line diode laser pump source for the experiments. The trade space study included optimization of various parameters such as lasing cell composition, temperature, and output coupler reflectivities. The results of the experimental study are given.
Commonality and the Complexity of “We”: Social Attitudes and Social Change:

The present article explores the complex role of collective identities in the development of intergroup biases and disparities, in interventions to improve orientations toward members of other groups, and in inhibiting or facilitating social action. The article revolves around the common ingroup identity model, examining general empirical support but also acknowledging potential limitations and emphasizing new insights and extensions. It proposes that the motivations of majority group members to preserve a system that advantages them and the motivations of minority group members to enhance their status have direct implications for preferred group representations and consequent intergroup relations. In particular, the effects of majority group members' preferences for a common, one-group identity and minority group members' preference for a dual identity (in which differences are acknowledged within the context of a superordinate identity) are considered in terms of intergroup attitudes, recognition of unfair disparities, and support for social action.
ICE‐BASED CENSUS OF BOWHEAD WHALES MIGRATING PAST POINT BARROW, ALASKA, 1978‐1983

Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) census data obtained during the northward spring migration are summarized for 1978–1983. Population size estimates are derived from counts made by observers standing on the seaward edge of shorefast ice in the vicinity of Point Barrow, Alaska, from mid-April to early June. The research design utilized two counting stations: South Perch, the primary counting station, and North Perch, used to determine the number of whales missed by South Perch observers. The percentage missed is estimated for each visibility category and used here to correct the census counts. Each season's population estimate is calculated as the sum of the number of trials of several independent multinomial distributions representing different visibility conditions. Corrections are applied for unwatched hours and hours with inferior visibility. A mean estimate of the number of whales passing within view of the census station was computed as 3,674 ± 299. This estimate was based on data collected in 1978, 1981, 1982, and 1983, years with the least apparent biases. Aerial survey data provide estimates of the proportion of whales passing at various distances seaward of the census sites as follows: 0.58 from the ice edge to 2 km, 0.76 to 3 km, and 0.80 to 4 km. Correcting for whales too far offshore to be seen by the ice-based observers results in a population estimate of over 4,200 bowheads.
OBSERVATIONS OF BREINLIA BOOLIATI IN A NEW HOST, RATTUS RATTUS JALORENSIS, FROM KUANTAN, STATE OF PAHANG, MALAYSIA

Breinlia booliati Singh and Ho, 1973 is described from the Malaysian wood rat, Rattus rattus jalorensis Bonhote. The parasites presented here were originally discovered in 1955 in Kuantan, Malaysia, but were not classified until now. On the basis of morphological observations of anatomical structures and comparisons with other species of Breinlia, it was determined that the parasites were B. booliati. The parasites discussed here show slight deviation from B. booliati, but they do not warrant a new species classification. There is some variation in anatomical measurements, the number of male caudal papillae, and the morphology of the microfilariae. Breinlia booliati from a new host is described in this article, with a brief discussion on Rattus species that are hosts of B. booliati and vectors that transmit the parasite. The occurrence of B. booliati in R. r. jalorensis represents the first report of the parasite in this host.
Place markers: Tracking spatiality in Brazilian hip-hop and community radio

Community radio and hip-hop constitute sociopolitical agency in the (sub)urban, working-class neighborhoods of Sao Paulo. Practitioners and performers have defined themselves, in part, by their success in “conquering space” and, in turn, have created a productive public sphere. Members of both groups consistently describe what they do as public exchange, a viable and visible option on the part of the disenfranchised to engage in a Habermasian ideal sphere of civic agency. In this article, I argue that it is this epistemology of knowledge as exchange coupled with a sociogeographical presence that make hip-hop and community radio provocative to local residents and periodically irritating to state authorities.
Quantitative detection of bubble dynamics by Doppler ultrasound

Bubble cavitation is one of the major mechanisms for ultrasound-induced bioeffects. Characterising the bubble dynamics, expansion and collapse is of importance in understanding the cavitation phenomenon and estimating the consequent outcome. In this study, Doppler ultrasound method was firstly used to measure the bubble wall velocity. Bubbles were generated in water using a beam of high-intensity focused laser light or inside a vessel phantom using a shock wave generator. Agreement was found between the determination by high-speed photographs and Doppler method. Overall, it is suggested that Doppler ultrasound could be a noninvasive method of quantitatively detecting bubble dynamics in vivo.
Korean American storeowners' perceived barriers and motivators for implementing a corner store-based program.

Based on substantial formative research, the authors developed and implemented a year-long corner store-based program in East Baltimore focusing on Korean American (KA) stores. To understand acceptability of the intervention by storeowners, the authors examined the motivating factors for program participation, barriers to program implementation, perceived effectiveness of intervention materials, and perceptions about the program. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews with seven corner store owners, field notes by interventionists, and a follow-up survey. Stores varied considerably in terms of owners’ perceptions about the program, supportive atmosphere, and acceptability of intervention strategies. The storeowners who showed strong or moderate support for the program were more likely to sustain the stocking of promoted foods such as cooking spray and baked or low-fat chips after the program was completed as compared to less supportive stores. The level of support and active participation of...
Determining the Diagenetic Conditions of Concretion Formation: Assessing Temperatures and Pore Waters Using Clumped Isotopes

Carbonate-δ^(18)O paleothermometry is used in many diagenetic studies to unravel the thermal history of basins. However, this approach generally requires an assumed pore-water δ^(18)O (δ^(18)O_(pw)) value, a parameter that is difficult to quantify in past regimes. In addition, many processes can change the original isotopic composition of pore water, which further complicates the assignment of an initial δ^(18)O_(pw) and can lead to erroneous temperature estimates. Here, we use clumped-isotope thermometry, a proxy based on the ^(13)C–^(18)O bond abundance in carbonate minerals, to evaluate the temperatures of concretion formation in the Miocene Monterey Formation and the Cretaceous Holz Shale, California. These temperatures are combined with established carbonate–water fractionation factors to calculate the associated δ^(18)O_(pw). Results demonstrate that diagenetic processes can modify the δ^(18)O of ancient pore water, confounding attempts to estimate diagenetic temperatures using standard approaches. Clumped-isotope-based temperature estimates for Monterey Formation concretions range from ∼ 17 to 35°C, up to ∼ 12°C higher than traditional δ^(18)O carbonate–water paleothermometry when δ^(18)O_(pw) values are assumed to equal Miocene seawater values. Calculated δ^(18)O_(pw) values range from +0.3 to +2.5‰ (VSMOW)—higher than coeval Miocene seawater, likely due to δ^(18)O_(pw) modification accompanying diagenesis of sedimentary siliceous phases. Clumped-isotope temperatures for the Holz Shale concretions range from ∼ 33 to 44°C, about 15 to 30°C lower than temperatures derived using the traditional method. Calculated δ^(18)O_(pw) values range from −5.0 to −2.9‰ and likely reflect the influx of meteoric fluids. We conclude that the use of clumped isotopes both improves the accuracy of temperature reconstructions and provides insight into the evolution of δ^(18)O_(pw) during diagenesis, addressing a longstanding conundrum in basin-evolution research.
Single Relay Lens Magnification Effects In Off-Axis Particle Field Holography

Transverse and volume magnification effects are described for the case of a single lens used to relay the object space in off-axis holography of micro-objects. Using a single calibration of the transverse magnification at a mean longitudinal image distance, we derive relationships for transverse and volume magnifications for a given control volume. The validity of simple limiting solutions in relevant physical conditions is also discussed. Using the knowledge of the transverse magnification at two longitudinal locations, we determine a simple solution for the magnification calculation at any third location. The exact solutions for the transverse and volume magnifications are then obtained in a simpler manner.