cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relation of White Matter Hyperintensities to Cognitive Performance in the Normal Old: Education Matters

This study examined whether the severity of cerebral white matter abnormalities (evident on MR images as white matter hyperintensities (WMH)) was related to the cognitive performance of 141 high-functioning older adults. The elderly showed the typical age decrement on measures of processing speed, working memory, and inhibition; however WMH severity was significantly related only to processing speed. The strength of this relationship was, however, influenced by the educational level of the participants, such that processing speed was more associated with WMH severity in less-educated than in well-educated participants. This is consistent with recent concepts of cognitive reserve, but does raise a question as to the underlying source of the cognitive decrement found in the sort of well-educated elders typically used in cognitive-aging studies.
Assessment Tools for Adult Bipolar Disorder

This article reviews the current state of the literature on the assessment of bipolar disorder in adults. Research on reliable and valid measures for bipolar disorder has unfortunately lagged behind assessment research for other disorders, such as major depression. We review diagnostic tools, self-report measures to facilitate screening for bipolar diagnoses, and symptom severity measures. We briefly review other assessment domains, including measures designed to facilitate self-monitoring of symptoms. We highlight particular gaps in the field, including an absence of research on the reliable diagnosis of bipolar II and milder forms of disorder, a lack of empirical data on the best ways to integrate data from multiple domains, and a shortage of measures targeting a broader set of illness-related constructs relevant to bipolar disorder.
hZIP1 zinc transporter down-regulation in prostate cancer involves the overexpression of ras responsive element binding protein-1 (RREB-1).

Background A marked decrease in the level of zinc is a consistent characteristic of prostate cancer; which results from down regulation of ZIP1 zinc transporter. The aim of this study was to determine if RREB-1 transcription is involved in the down regulation of ZIP1 gene expression; and to determine the expression of RREB-1 in benign and cancerous prostate in situ.
Comparison of calmodulin binding to brain synaptic and coated vesicles.

Abstract Several characteristics of calmodulin association with brain synaptic and coated vesicles were analyzed and compared. Radioimmunoassay revealed that both classes of vesicles contain approx. 1 μg of calmodulin per mg of vesicle protein. Discontinuous sucrose gradients revealed that coated and synaptic vesicles preparations were homogeneous and had different sedimentation properties. Binding of 125I-labeled calmodulin to synaptic and coated vesicles was Ca2+ dependent and displaced by unlabeled calmodulin but not by troponin-C. Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of two binding sites. In both vesicle types there was one high-affinity, low-binding-capacity site ( K d = 1–39 nM and B max = 4–16 pmol / mg ) and one low-affinity, high-binding-capacity site ( K d = 102–177 nM and B max = 151–202 pmol / mg ). (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity was stimulated in both synaptic and coated vesicles by calmodulin. Thus synaptic and coated vesicles may possess similar calmodulin binding sites.
Coherent radiation from spatiotemporally modulated gyrating electron beams

An electron beam from a cyclotron autoresonant accelerator passing adiabatically along a down-tapered axisymmetric static magnetic field can propagate as an axis-encircling helix. This helix rotates temporally at the fundamental pump frequency of the accelerator, and varies spatially with an axial pitch that depends upon the difference between the pump frequency and the local gyrofrequency. We show that the pitch can thus be freely adjusted so as to allow both frequency and wave-number matching between the beam and a guided fast wave at each harmonic of the pump frequency. As a result, power transfer from beam to wave can occur in a process that is first order in the wave amplitude. Examples of a harmonic converter based on this concept are given for 94- and 1000-GHz sources employing magnetic fields no stronger than 10 kG. Since the electrons can maintain phase coherence during the interaction, one can speculate that the power transfer can be fairly efficient. Practical advantages of this harmonic converter for high-power applications may include alleviation of mode competition, direct output coupling, lower wall heat loading, and simpler beam collectors than for corresponding cavity gyrotron oscillators and noncryogenic magnets.
Mechanical response of pig skin under dynamic tensile loading

Abstract Uniaxial tensile experiments were performed on pig skin to investigate the tensile stress–strain response at both quasi-static and dynamic rates of deformation. A Kolsky tension bar, also called a split Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB), was modified to conduct the dynamic experiments. Semiconductor strain gages were used to measure the low levels of the transmitted signal from pig skin. A pulse shaper technique was used for generating a suitable incident pulse to ensure stress equilibrium and approximate constant strain rate in the specimen of a thin skin sheet wrapped around the ends of the bars for minimizing radial inertia. In order to investigate the strain-rate effect over a wide range of strain rates, quasi-static tests were also performed. The experimental results show that pig skin exhibits rate-sensitive, orthotropic, and non-linear behavior. The response along the spine direction is stiffer at lower rate but is less rate sensitive than the perpendicular direction. An Ogden model with two material constants is adopted to describe the rate-sensitive tensile behavior of the pig skin.
Tricuspid valve candida endocarditis: Successful treatment with valve-sparing debridement and antifungal chemotherapy in a multiorgan transplant recipient

Tricuspid valve Candida albicans endocarditis developed in a multiple-organ transplant recipient six months after successful treatment of Candida peritonitis. She has had no recurrence or valvular incompetence two years after valve-sparing debridement of the vegetation and prolonged therapy with amphotericin B. This is the second report of long-term success following valve-sparing debridement for tricuspid valve Candida endocarditis. In selected patients without annular involvement or gross valve destruction, excision of the fungal vegetation may allow for long-term cure and a competent valve.
Regulation of c-myb oncogene expression in immature and mature murine T cells

Abstract The c-myb oncogene encodes a nuclear binding protein which may play a major role in differentiation during early T cell development. However, the functionally important transcription regions in the GC promoter site have not been defined and the significance of the regulation of this promoter site in T cell differentiation has not been determined. Therefore, the promoter strength was determined by measurement of the CAT activity in cell extracts of EL-4 cells that were transfected with a CAT expression vector that contained cloned segments of the 5′ myb gene. Stepwise removal of DNA sequences between −2300bp and −346bp upstream from the ATG initiation codon resulted in a gradual loss of 50% of CAT activity, whereas deletion of DNA sequences from −346 to −295 and −232 to −155bp upstream from the ATG initiation codon eliminated promoter activity. On analysis of the CAT activity after transfection of various cell lines with these same constructs, it was found that the same two promoter regions were required for high CAT activity in all the cell lines, including murine cell lines which express the α /β TCR and high levels of c-myb (BW5147), the α/β TCR and low levels of c-myb (Yac-1), or the γ/δ TCR (KN 12.1 and KN 2.4 T), a murine fibroblast T cell line (NIH-3T3), and a human epithelial cell line (HeLa). However, the CAT activity did not correlate with steady state levels of expression of the c-myb gene in the murine cell lines. Our data indicate that the c-myb oncogene promoter is constitutively expressed, is highly dependent on a limited region of the 5′ myb gene, requires two DNA elements for optimal activity, and is functional in diverse T cell lines.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy from Armstrong to HIPEC: challenges and promise.

The treatment of advanced stage ovarian, primary peritoneal and fallopian tube cancer represents a therapeutic challenge as evidenced by the 70 %–80 % recurrence rate. Our understanding of the synergy between surgical cytoreduction and effective systemic chemotherapy continues to evolve, with research supporting maximal cytoreductive effort followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Specifically, analysis of phase III clinical trials has shown a median survival of 110 months in those treated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, when surgery results in no visible residual disease. Additionally, incorporation of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy at the time of surgical resection has gained attention as an alternate therapeutic option, in an attempt to obviate toxicities encountered with repetitive cycles of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Currently, surgical cytoreduction in the hands of an experienced gynecologic oncologist, followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy is thought to portend the greatest survival benefit in patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer spectrum cancers. Additional investigation regarding the oncologic outcomes and morbidity of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is warranted.
Comparing reading speed for horizontal and vertical English text

There are three formats for arranging English text for vertical readingVupright letters arranged vertically (marquee), andhorizontal text rotated 90- clockwise or counterclockwise. Previous research has shown that reading is slower for all threevertical formats than for horizontal text, with marquee being slowest (M. D. Byrne, 2002). It has been proposed that the sizeof the visual spanVthe number of letters recognized with high accuracy without moving the eyesVis a visual factor limitingreading speed. We predicted that reduced visual-span size would be correlated with the slower reading for the three verticalformats. We tested this prediction with uppercase and lowercase letters. Reading performance was measured using twopresentation methods: RSVP (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation) and ﬂashcard (a block of text on four lines). On average,reading speed for horizontal text was 139% faster than marquee text and 81% faster than the rotated texts. Size of thevisual span was highly correlated with changes in reading speed for both lowercase and uppercase letters and for bothRSVP and ﬂashcard reading. Our results are consistent with the view that slower reading of vertical text is due to adecrease in the size of the visual span for vertical reading.Keywords: visual span, letter recognition, reading speed, vertical readingCitation: Yu, D., Park, H., Gerold, D., & Legge, G. E. (2010). Comparing reading speed for horizontal and vertical Englishtext. Journal of Vision, 10(2):21, 1
Object-oriented simulation of paratrooper-vortex interactions

The C-17 Airdrop Model provides the Air Force and Army test and evaluation community with the capability to (i) assess the risk of vortex encounters, and (ii) predict ground dispersal patterns on the drop zone. Written in MODSIM III, aircraft vortices and paratroopers are modeled as objects whose behavior accurately reflect s their real-world counterparts through the use of pre-validated aerodynamic and trajectory equations within the objects’ methods. This model has provided the joint airborne community with a preliminary estimate of paratrooper/vortex encounter rates and locations as a function of formation element separation and wind conditions, as well as a tool for simulating alternative C-17 aircraft formation configurat ions prior to actual flight. Future use of the model suggests simulating brigade-size operations; expanding to include equipment drops, new parachute deployment systems, and precision airdrop; visualization; and, evaluating new airborne combat tactics.
Nanostructured Titania−Polymer Photovoltaic Devices Made Using PFPE-Based Nanomolding Techniques

We fabricated ordered bulk heterojunction photovoltaic (PV) cells using a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) elastomeric mold to control the donor−acceptor interfacial morphology within devices. Anatase titania nanostructures with postlike features ranging from 30 to 100 nm in height and 30 to 65 nm in spacing were fabricated using the Pattern Replication In Nonwetting Templates (PRINT) process. The nanostructured devices showed a 2-fold improvement in both short-circuit current (Jsc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) relative to reference bilayer cells. Additionally, the titania was functionalized with Z907 dye to increase both the short-circuit current (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc). As a result we observed a device efficiency (ηeff) of 0.6%, the highest recorded efficiency value so far for an imprinted titania−P3HT device.
Kinetic modeling of hydrocarbon adsorbers for gasoline and ethanol fuels

Abstract Adsorption–desorption kinetic model for hydrocarbons on zeolites is developed for ethanol and gasoline fuels using representative hydrocarbons (ethanol, toluene, i-octane and acetaldehyde). Individual experiments (with a predominant isothermal adsorption phase followed by isothermal desorption and then a temperature programmed desorption, TPD) were performed for each hydrocarbon and a Langmuir isotherm was generated to represent the equilibrium data. A first order kinetic model for adsorption and desorption for various hydrocarbons was developed. The kinetic model is able to predict the experimental data very well. The applicability of the kinetic models obtained using the individual hydrocarbon experiments is evaluated for experiments performed with a mixture of hydrocarbons.
The Effect of Among-Group Dependence on the Invariance Likelihood Ratio Test

When comparing latent variables among groups, it is important to first establish the equivalence or invariance of the measurement model across groups. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is a commonly used methodological approach to examine measurement equivalence/invariance (ME/I). Within the CFA framework, the chi-square goodness-of-fit test and chi-square difference tests are used to evaluate ME/I, and these tests rely on the assumption of independence among groups. Limitations in the study design can hinder the practicality of the independence among groups assumption. This article illustrates, algebraically, the effects of violations independence on the chi-square goodness-of-fit and chi-square difference test statistics in a multigroup CFA.
Early understandings of numbers: paths or barriers to the construction of new understandings?

Abstract We propose that concept development is facilitated when existing conceptual structures overlaps with the structure of the to-be-learned data. When the new inputs do not map readily or are inconsistent with available mental structures, the risk is high that the data will be misinterpreted as examples of what is known. Results of two kinds of studies with children aged 5 to 7 years provide support for these predictions. Children's knowledge of counting and addition facilitated their acquisition of a concept that is not taught in school, the Successor Principle, that is that every natural number has a successor. In contrast, even the eldest children could not rank order correctly numbers that contained fractional notations. The several kinds of solutions invented by the children were based either on classification strategies or a natural number ordering rule.
Isolation of Kinetoplast-Mitochondrial Complexes from Leishmania tarentolae*

SYNOPSIS. Kinetoplast-mitochondrial complexes were liberated from Leishmania tarentolae by passing hypotonically swollen cells in dilute Tris-EDTA through a needle at 100 1bs/in2. The complexes formed an equilibrium band by flotation in Renografin gradients at a density of 1.22 g/ml. The band was monitored by several mitochondrial and kinetoplastic markers: [3H]DNA, succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity, [50Fe]hemoproteins and optical density at 600 nm. Electron microscopy showed that the sole component of the 1.22 g/ml band was the kinetoplast-mitochondrial complex.
Screening efficiency of the Hardy–Rand–Rittler (HRR) colour test (4th edn)

This study evaluates the screening efficiency of the Hardy–Rand–Rittler (HRR) 4th edition colour test. This test was also compared with results from the Ishihara test. Thirty-nine subjects with congenital red–green deficiency and 120 colour normal subjects participated in the study. The subjects were shown the Ishihara (concise version, 2001) and the HRR (4th edn) pseudoisochromatic plates. Each plate was viewed for 3 s. A Macbeth Easel lamp was used for illumination (70 foot-candle). The HRR test had 100% sensitivity and the specificity was 63%. The overall efficiency of the HRR test was less than that of the Ishihara. The results also indicated that plate seven of HRR (4th edn) has poor screening efficiency. Thus the HRR is good for identifying colour deficient subjects but a caveat is that it fails too many normals.
Cardiac preconditioning with local laser-induced hyperthermia.

Background Whole body hyperthermia has been shown to be highly effective in preconditioning cardiac tissue against reperfusion injury. The current study was aimed to assess the ability of regional sublethal laser-induced hyperthermia to precondition cardiac tissue against ischemic-induced myocardial infarction. Methods and results Diode laser radiation was used to locally heat (42°C) the left ventricle by irradiating the epicardial surface of rat heart for 20 min. As control, another group of animals were treated with whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) for 20 min. After a 4-h recovery period, the left coronary artery was occluded for 30 min followed by 4 h of reperfusion. A significant degree of reduction in infarct size as assessed by percent of at-risk area was observed in animals that were subjected to laser-induced local hyperthermia (15.4 ± 3.1; n = 5) versus the sham group (49.8 ± 6.6; n = 5). The degree of cardiac protection induced by local hyperthermia was similar to the protection observed when the animals were preconditioned with WBH. Furthermore, regional laser-induced hyperthermia and WBH induced similar degree of up-regulation of heat shock protein 70 in cardiac tissue. Regional hyperthermia up-regulated heat shock protein in regions of the heart beyond that directly subjected to laser-induced heat stress. Conclusion Sublethal local heating of the heart with diode laser irradiation can improve myocardial salvage and may provide a practical approach for tissue preconditioning against reperfusion injury.
An interaction between S-Adenosyl-L-methionine and pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, and its effect on Saccharomyces cerevisiae

S-Adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) interacts with pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) as determined by spectrophotometeric analysis, and this interaction can cause inhibition of PLP-requiring enzymes in vitro. SAM inhibition of tyrosine aminotransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is of a competitive nature with regard to PLP. The apparent KM for PLP is 1.2 · 10−5 M, and the apparent K1 for SAM is approximately 1 · 10−3 M. Evidence of SAM interacting with PLP in vivo was obtained utilizing S. cerevisiae grown in excess methionine. S. cerevisiae overproduces SAM and exhibits growth inhibition when cultured in a medium containing an excess of the amino acid. An analysis of the cofactor and enzyme levels indicates that SAM inhibition of PLP-dependent enzymatic reactions could cause, or contribute to, the growth inhibition.
THE MEASUREMENT OF THE DIAMETERS OF ERYTHRO‐CYTES. III.—CHANGES IN THE DIAMETER IN ANAEMIA RESULTING FROM HAEMORRHAGE

Measurements of the diameter of rabbit erythrocytes in plasma show that repeated haemorrhage results in a small increase in the mean diameter (about 0.5µ). An increase in the scatter of the distribution of the cell sizes sometimes occurs, but this is an inconstant feature. This investigation was carried out under a grant from the Medical Research Council, and was commenced in the Department of Physiology, Edinburgh University, during the time that one of us (W. G. M.) was holding a Crichton Scholarship.
Differential expression of genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis revealed by profiling the post mortem cortex

The possible causes of ALS are unknown and multiple biological systems have been implicated. The goal of this study was to use gene expression profiling to evaluate a broad spectrum of systems in ALS. For this study, the medial lip of the human motor cortex and adjacent sensory cortex were collected at autopsy from five ALS patients and three normal individuals. Quantitative filter analysis revealed differential expression of mRNAs normalized to internal standards. A significant difference in expression of 275 genes was found in the ALS motor cortex; of the genes whose expression was changed, 10 were up-regulated and 265 were down-regulated. Six of the up-regulated genes were associated with cell surface activity and two were glutamate receptors; the latter is potentially consistent with the idea of excitotoxicity contributing to neurodegeneration in ALS. Of the down-regulated genes, the largest number were associated with transcription followed by those involved in antioxidant systems, inflammation, regulation of motor neuron function, lipid metabolism, protease inhibition, and protection against apoptosis including vascular endothelial growth factor. There were no significant differences in gene expression patterns between the sensory and motor cortex in the ALS brains. A total of 10% of the genes identified by microarray were chosen from each of the gene groups for validation by quantitative real time PCR (QRT-PCR). In order to increase the reliability of our gene array data, newly acquired motor and sensory cortex of ALS and control cases (n = 4 each) were used for validation. Of these, 86.4% changed in the same direction as determined in the microarrays. The gene profile data reported here are consistent with evidence that the ALS brain is characterized by an environment that is permissive for apoptosis, excitotoxicity and abnormal ubiquitination. This gene array study also suggested that a metal imbalance particularly for zinc could exist in ALS. Finally, given the amount of cellular stress that is thought to be part of the pathogenesis in ALS, there was a notable lack of increase in genes required to mount a protective response. This latter observation provides a conceptual framework in which to consider the possibility that ALS could result from a failure to mount adequate protective responses to physiological insults that, left unchecked, could progress to neurodegeneration.
Successful treatment of refractory cutaneous warts using topical 3% cidofovir in a child after heart transplant.

Figure 1 Dramatic resolution of warts involving the hands over 3 months after initiating cidofovir treatment. Successful treatment of refractory cutaneous warts using topical 3% cidofovir in a child after heart transplant Aoife Cleary, MB, Rosemarie Watson, FRCPI, and Colin J. McMahon, FRCPI From the Departments of Paediatric Cardiology, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland; and the Departments of Dermatology, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
The Tragic Voice of the Feminine and its Significance for Phenomenology

This chapter explores the phenomenological appropriation of the feminine which it characterizes in terms of the “tragic.” This theme is traced by means of a meandering of thoughts that find their way from Derrida’s reading of “woman” in Nietzsche’s text, back into Nietzsche and finally, further back into what is identified, with the assistance of Karl Kerenhyi’s philological work, as the tragic voice of the feminine. This voice, manifest in the tragic heroine Medea, announces the withdrawal of transcending desire and with it the death of the souL The issue of the degree to which Derrida, Nietzsche and phenomenology in general account for the conditions of this withdrawal and death comprises the focus of the discussion.
Decentralisation, Democratisation and Liberalisation: The History of Revenue Sharing in Argentina, 1934–1999

This article critically evaluates hypotheses that attribute decentralisation in Latin America to democratisation and economic liberalisation. It examines these hypotheses in historical perspective by looking at the experience over time with revenue decentralisation and recentralisation in Argentina, one of Latin America's early decentralisers. Because neither the democratic election of subnational officials nor the pursuit of economic liberalisation is unique to the contemporary period in Argentina, the Argentine case represents an opportunity to gain analytical leverage on the theories emerging in the contemporary period. The paper presents qualified support for the argument that democratisation drives decentralisation and confounding evidence for the liberalisation hypothesis.
Geography, Marx and the Concept of Nature

An understanding of nature is fundamental to the manner in which science sees and conducts itself, yet the concept is generally taken for granted. Nature is constituted as an external repository of facts that live according to autonomous natural laws. The "nature" of natural science is deemed autonomous from human activity while that of social science is seen as socially created. Geography has been particularly resistant to simplistic, contradictory concepts of nature. Mainly concerned with the relationship between human kind and nature, geographers have generally been more sensitive to the complexity of "nature" and less willing to see it in simple dualistic terms. Nature separate from society had no meaning for Marx; nature is always related to societal activity. He meant this materially as well as ideally; the entire earth bears on its face the stamp of human activity. Under capitalism, the relation with nature is a use-value relation only in the most subordinate sense.
Household carbon emissions from driving and center city quality of life

In metropolitan areas with a vibrant center city, residents are more likely to live downtown, spend more time downtown and use public transit more. Due to these factors, we posit that household carbon emissions from the transportation sector will be lower in metropolitan areas with more vibrant center cities. We use metro-level and household-level data to test this hypothesis. In metropolitan areas where a larger share of college graduates live downtown, the center city's population grows faster and more people use public transit and drive less. We document that carbon emissions for a standardized household are lower in metropolitan areas featuring a higher concentration of college graduates living downtown.
Feasibility and evaluation of a pilot community health worker intervention to reduce hospital readmissions

Objective. To pilot-test the feasibility and preliminary effect of a community health worker (CHW) intervention to reduce hospital readmissions. Design. Patient-level randomized quality improvement intervention. Setting. An academic medical center serving a predominantly low-income population in the Boston, Massachusetts area and 10 affiliated primary care practices. Participants. Medical service patients with an in-network primary care physician who were discharged to home (n= 423) and had one of five risk factors for readmission within 30 days. Intervention. Inpatient introductory visit and weekly post-discharge telephonic support for 4 weeks to assist patient in coordinating medical visits, obtaining and using medications, and in self-management. Main Outcome Measures. Number of completed CHW contacts; CHW-reported barriers and facilitators to assisting patients; primary care, emergency department and inpatient care use. Results. Roughly 70% of patients received at least one post-discharge CHW call; only 38% of patients received at least four calls as intended. Hospital readmission rates were lower among CHW patients (15.4%) compared with usual care (17.9%); the difference was not statistically significant.
Gearing ratios of a magnetic gear for wind turbines

The wind turbine industry is growing at an incredible rate as numerous governments demand an increase in renewable energy generation capacity. The great multitude of turbines on windfarms throughout the world range from ones which are controlled mechanically with gears to ones which are controlled with power electronics and no gears. A drivetrain for a wind turbine which eliminates the problems of a mechanical gearbox and avoids the size and weight issues of directly-driven wind turbines is desired. A magnetic gear is proposed to reduce the size of the generator and achieve similar torque reduction provided by a mechanical gearbox, without the maintenance and breakdown issues. A magnetic gearbox, of the concentric planetary type will be studied for the high-torque, low-speed requirements of a wind turbine hub. Torque ripple is investigated across multiple models to determine acceptable torque transfer performance.
Transient motion of a confined rarefied gas due to wall heating or cooling

The direct Monte Carlo method is used to simulate the transient motion of a confined rarefied gas as a container wall is rapidly heated or cooled. Results show that, for the rapid wall temperature changes, the gas response is better measured by an acoustic, rather than conduction, timescale, with steady state conditions being achieved after about ten wave crossing times.
Prevalence of Male Intimate Partner Abuse in Vietnam

The present study investigated the prevalence of both current and lifetime physical partner abuse among Vietnamese males who reside in Vietnam. Participants (N = 315) were randomly selected to participate in the study. Participants completed the Vietnamese version of the Conflict Tactics Scale–2. A total of 47% (n = 148) of the sampled participants were identified as current physical abusers and 68% (n = 214) as past abusers. Four of the most common abusive tactics abusers exhibited toward their partner were (a) throwing something at their wife (80%), (b) pushing or shoving their partner (78%), (c) beating up their partner (54%), and (d) twisting their partner's arm or hair (60%).
LTP-Induced Long-Term Stabilization of Individual Nascent Dendritic Spines

Learning new tasks has been associated with increased growth and stabilization of new dendritic spines. We examined whether long-term potentiation (LTP), a key cellular mechanism thought to underlie learning, plays a role in selective stabilization of individual new spines during circuit plasticity. Using two-photon glutamate uncaging, we stimulated nascent spines on dendrites of rat hippocampal CA1 neurons with patterns that induce LTP and then monitored spine survival rates using time-lapse imaging. Remarkably, we found that LTP-inducing stimuli increased the long-term survivorship (>14 h) of individual new spines. Activity-induced new spine stabilization required NMDA receptor activation and was specific for stimuli that induced LTP. Moreover, abrogating CaMKII binding to the NMDA receptor abolished activity-induced new spine stabilization. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that, in addition to enhancing the efficacy of preexisting synapses, LTP-inducing stimuli promote the transition of nascent spines from a short-lived, transient state to a longer-lived, persistent state.
Brassica cover cropping: II. Effects on growth and interference of green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)

Abstract Field studies have shown that weed density and biomass were lower in crops following incorporation of brassica cover crops compared with fallow but have not determined whether weed-suppressive effects are solely a consequence of reduced establishment, as evidenced in our companion paper, reduced growth of established plants, or both. In 2002 and 2003, canola and yellow mustard were seeded in early May, mowed in early July, and the residues incorporated. Green bean and redroot pigweed were then planted at fixed densities. Plant height and biomass were measured weekly; leaf area and biomass of component plant parts were measured at three harvests. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) at discreet sampling points, growth of redroot pigweed and green bean in monoculture or mixture were similar following fallow and incorporated brassica cover crops. However, based on aboveground biomass fitted to a Richards function, redroot pigweed growth in monoculture was reduced by the yellow mustard cover crop co...
Filtering and parameter estimation for a jump stochastic process with discrete observations

A compound Poisson process is considered. We estimate the current position of the stochastic process based on past discrete-time observations (non-linear discrete filtering problem) in Bayesian setting. We obtain bounds for the asymptotic rate of the expected square error of the filter when observations become frequent. The bounds depend linearly on jump intensity. Also, estimation of process' parameters is addressed.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: Health Concerns, Services, and Care

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth have emerged only recently, during the 1990s, as a separate cultural group. In earlier decades, relatively few youth self-identified or came out...
Comparison of scatter rejection and low-contrast performance of scan equalization digital radiography (SEDR), slot-scan digital radiography, and full-field digital radiography systems for chest phantom imaging.

Purpose: To investigate and compare the scatter rejection properties and low-contrast performance of the scan equalization digital radiography (SEDR) technique to the slot-scan and conventional full-field digital radiography techniques for chest imaging. Methods: A prototype SEDR system was designed and constructed with an a-Se flat-panel (FP) detector to improve image quality in heavily attenuating regions of an anthropomorphic chest phantom. Slot-scanning geometry was used to reject scattered radiation without attenuating primary x rays. The readout scheme of the FP was modified to erase accumulated scatter signals prior to image readout. A 24-segment beam width modulator was developed to regulate x-ray exposures regionally and compensate for the low x-ray flux in heavily attenuating regions. To measure the scatter-to-primary ratios (SPRs), a 2 mm thick lead plate with a 2-D array of aperture holes was used to measure the primary signals, which were then subtracted from those obtained without the lead plate to determine scatter components. A 2-D array of aluminum beads (3 mm in diameter) was used as the low-contrast objects to measure the contrast ratios (CRs) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) for evaluating the low-contrast performance in chest phantom images. A set of two images acquired with the same techniques weremore » subtracted from each other to measure the noise levels. SPRs, CRs, and CNRs of the SEDR images were measured in four anatomical regions of chest phantom images and compared to those of slot-scan images and full-field images acquired with and without antiscatter grid. Results: The percentage reduction of SPR (percentage of SPRs reduced with scatter removal/rejection methods relative to that for nongrid full-field imaging) averaged over four anatomical regions was measured to be 80%, 83%, and 71% for SEDR, slot-scan, and full-field with grid, respectively. The average CR over four regions was found to improve over that for nongrid full-field imaging by 259%, 279%, and 145% for SEDR, slot-scan, and full-field with grid, respectively. The average CNR over four regions was found to improve over that for nongrid full-field imaging by 201% for SEDR as compared to 133% for the slot-scan technique and 14% for the antiscatter grid method. Conclusions: Both SEDR and slot-scan techniques outperformed the antiscatter grid method used in standard full-field radiography. For imaging with the same effective exposure, the SEDR technique offers no advantage over the slot-scan method in terms of SPRs and CRs. However, it improves CNRs significantly, especially in heavily attenuating regions. The improvement of low-contrast performance may help improve the detection of the lung nodules or other abnormalities and may offer SEDR the potential for dose reduction in chest radiography.« less
Evaluation of Needle Exchange Programs

Needle exchange programs exist in every major population area in the United States and in many other countries. Some operate legally under emergency health decrees issued by local departments of health, with the stated intention of risk reduction through the removal of used injection equipment from use by injection drug users. It is theorized that this results in a reduced transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, and, possibly, other blood-borne diseases. Needle exchange programs also offer access to drug treatment programs for the participants. It is a difficult but necessary task to evaluate these programs. This article examines examples of evaluations attempted in the past and discusses the challenges of such evaluations. Experimental evaluations, economic program analysis, legal aspects, and risk-benefit assessment along with ethical aspects are considered. An outline of program evaluation is proposed. Needle exchange programs offer an opportunity to encourage risk reduction and to offer counseling and access to health care for individuals at high risk. It is essential that such programs demonstrate their effectiveness. Assumptions of efficacy are insufficient for health care in the twenty-first century.
On Average Case Complexity of Problems that are Intractable in the Worst Case

The worst case setting seems to be the most important setting for studying complexity of approximately solved problems. Unfortunately, some problems of practical importance are intractable or even unsolvable in the worst case setting and to cope with the inherent difficulty of such problems one has to switch to other settings. A natural alternative is provided by the average case setting under which worst case intractable and/or unsolvable problems become tractable. In this paper we will discuss some results on multivariate integration and function approximation and show by how much the complexity is reduced when the average case is utilized.
A Hill-Area-Restricted Geographic Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks

In mobile ad hoc and sensor networks, greedy-face-greedy (GFG) geographic routing protocols have been a topic of active research in recent years. Greedy routing is applied first and may fail at concave nodes, in which case, face routing is applied to recover from the greedy fail. This may cause extra hops in routing and decrease the routing efficiency in networks containing voids. In this paper, we propose a Hill-Area-Restricted (HAR) routing protocol. It avoids the extra hops as in the original GFG routing, which makes it more efficient in hop count. Compared with the previous work of Node Elevation Ad hoc Routing (NEAR), the proposed HAR guarantees the packet delivery and decreases the communication cost largely. Our simulation results show that the communication cost in bytes of all messages sent by each node in the proposed HAR is 99.2% less than that in NEAR. This makes the HAR more desirable for mobile ad hoc and sensor networks.
High efficiency solar cells based on spontaneous emission inhibition in photonic crystals

The design of a photonic crystal photovoltaic device is described. We discuss the feasibility of demonstrating that inhibition of spontaneous emission can be used to increase the efficiency of solar cells.
Models, prediction, and estimation of outbreaks of infectious disease

Conventional SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered) models have been utilized by numerous researchers to study and predict disease outbreak. By combining the predictive nature of such mathematical models along with the measured occurrences of disease, a more robust estimate of disease progression can be made. The Kalman filter is the method designed to incorporate model prediction and measurement correction. Consequently, we produce an SEIR model which governs the short term behaviour of an epidemic outbreak. The mathematical structure for an associated Kalman filter is developed and estimates of a simulated outbreak are provided.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Induces Mast Cell Recruitment during Mouse Mammary Gland Stromal Remodeling

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a dietary chemopreventive agent that induces apoptosis in the mammary adipose vascular endothelium and decreases mammary brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT). To determine onset and extent of stromal remodeling, we fed CD2F1/Cr mice diets supplemented with 1 or 2 g/100 g mixed CLA isomers for 1-7 wk. BAT loss, collagen deposition, and leukocyte recruitment occurred in the mouse mammary fat pad, coincident with an increase in parenchymal-associated mast cells in mice fed both levels of CLA. Feeding experiments with purified isomers (0.5 g/100 g diet) demonstrated that these changes were induced by trans-10, cis-12 CLA (10,12-CLA), but not by cis-9, trans-11 CLA (9,11-CLA). This stromal remodeling did not require tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, a major cytokine in mast cells, as TNF-alpha null mice demonstrated collagen deposition, increased leukocytes, and BAT loss in the mammary fat pad in response to 10,12-CLA. To test the hypothesis that mast cells recruited in response to 10,12-CLA were required for stromal remodeling, Steel mice (WBB6F1/J-kit(W)/kit(W-V)), which lack functional mast cells, were examined for their stromal response to 10,12-CLA. Both wild-type and Steel mice showed a significantly increased leukocytic adipose infiltrate, collagen deposition, and decreased adipocyte size, although BAT was maintained in Steel mice. These results demonstrate that 10,12-CLA induces an inflammatory and fibrotic phenotype in the mouse mammary gland stroma that is independent of TNF-alpha or mast cells and suggest caution in the use of 10,12-CLA for breast cancer chemoprevention.
Individual sustainability: Preliminary research

All societal change begins with the individual. One cannot do for a community what one cannot do for one's self. The topic of Individual Sustainability is a controversial one, as students often appear to be unable to align their demonstrated behaviors with their admirable values related to sustainability. Individual behavior creates the foundation for action in social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and potentially guides our ability to work with one another to make life-affirming decisions. In short, it is a matter of aligning our day-to-day behaviors with our well-stated values that will result in greater sustainable community action. The general objective of this research is to help students align their behaviors with their values. This change is a necessary precursor to demonstrating sustainable community behavior. We believe that creating a “cognitive dissonance” between an individual's values and behaviors tends to encourage individuals to balance more effectively the self-knowledge that motivates intentional personal development towards more sustainable behavior. While most students indicated they believed their behaviors consistently reflected their values, the students' broad range of responses and survey responses revealed behaviors quite in conflict with their values.
Production of stable-isotope-labeled bovine heme and its use to measure heme-iron absorption in children.

Background: The use of stable isotopes has provided valuable insights into iron absorption in humans, but the data have been limited to nonheme iron. Objective: Our objectives were to produce heme iron enriched in 58 Fe and to use it to study the absorption of heme iron and the effect of iron and zinc intakes on heme-iron absorption in children. Design: Labeled bovine heme was produced in a bovine model. Forty-eight children were randomly assigned to consume identical meals containing 1 of 3 doses of labeled heme iron (2,4, or 8 mg as hemoglobin) and 1 of 2 doses of inorganic zinc (1 or 9 mg); successful measurements of iron absorption, zinc absorption, or both were made in 40 of these subjects. We hypothesized that fractional heme-iron absorption would decrease as heme-iron intake increased and that higher zinc intakes would decrease heme-iron absorption. Results: 58 Fe heme was produced with an enrichment (mass/mass) of 9.5%. Fractional iron absorption in children was significantly affected by the intake of heme iron (P = 0.0013) and of zinc (P = 0.0375), but, contrary to expectations, heme-iron absorption was higher at higher zinc intakes. Absolute heme-iron absorption was higher in the group with higher zinc intakes, but only for those with the lowest heme-iron intake (2 mg; P = 0.0147). Although fractional zinc absorption decreased as zinc intake increased (P = 0.031), absolute zinc absorption continued to increase across the intake range studied (P = 0.018). Conclusions: Heme iron intrinsically labeled with 58 Fe can be produced at sufficient enrichments for use in human studies. In children, heme iron and zinc absorption decrease as the dose of each mineral increases. Heme iron did not inhibit zinc absorption. At lower heme intakes, zinc intakes may increase heme-iron absorption.
Physiological and morphological responses of red alder and sitka alder to flooding

Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and sitka alder (A. viridis ssp. sinuata [Regel] Love & Love) are nitrogen-fixing woody species that grow sympatrically along the Pacific coast of North America. Red alder is found in poorly drained lowlands, as well as in soils of moist upland slopes, whereas sitka alder generally colonizes well-drained soils. To identify factors that contribute to flood tolerance, we conducted greenhouse experiments subjecting both species to a 20-day flood and 10-day recovery and red alder to a 50-day flood and 20-day recovery. We determined the effect of this stress on nitrogenase activity, root and nodule alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, lenticel and adventitious root development, relative growth rate (RGR), and leaf gas exchange. After 24 h of flooding, nitrogenase activity could not be detected in either species. Limited nitrogenase activity did return in red alder at the end of a 10-day recovery following the 20-day flood, but sitka alder showed no recovery of nitrogenase activity. After 50 days of continuous flooding, red alder nitrogenase activity returned to pretreatment levels. Red alder root and nodule ADH activity was more than twice that of sitka alder under flooded conditions. Sitka alder showed extensive root mortality and leaf abscission over the same 20-day flooding period. Flooded red alder exhibited an initial decline in root RGR, but recovered between days 10 and 20 with the formation of adventitious roots. Furthermore, initiation of adventitious roots in red alder coincided with an increase in stomatal conductance without a similar recovery of carbon dioxide exchange rate. Sitka alder formed few adventitious roots, lost much of its root and leaf biomass, and showed no restoration of growth during flooding or recovery. Different responses of red and sitka alder to flooding serve as a partial explanation for the different patterns of distribution of these species and suggest some adaptations of red alder that permit flood tolerance.
Variability of Recommendations for Serum Alkalinization in Tricyclic Antidepressant Overdose: A Survey of U.S. Poison Center Medical Directors #

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) are widely used in clinical practice. Not surprisingly, TCA toxicity continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with drug overdoses [1...