cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction: Making a Difference in Response to Hurricane Katrina Planning, Hope, and Struggle in the Wake of Katrina: Ken Reardon on the New Orleans Planning Initiative Challenges of Disaster Response, or What the Textbooks Don't Teach Us Politics, Inspiration and Vocation: An Education in New Orleans An International Student's Perceptions of Hurricane Katrina

When disasters strike cities, universities can make a real difference “on the ground”, as well as in the classroom. Behind news stories of student volunteers gutting houses lie many possibilities o...
Oxidative Chemical Vapor Deposition of Electrically Conducting Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Films

An oxidative chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is presented as an alternative to conventional solution-based processing of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin films. This solventless technique yields PEDOT with higher conductivities and conformally coats fibers and other high area morphologies, important for enhancing efficiencies in some organic electronic devices. The CVD method eliminates corrosive poly(styrenesulfonate) that is used to disperse PEDOT in an aqueous suspension for solution-based processing. A mechanistic approach is presented that favors the deposition of the conjugated, conducting form of PEDOT. We achieved conductivities as high as 105 S/cm and demonstrated films about 100 nm thick that do not crack upon bending and are more than 84% transparent to visible light. The compatibility of oxidative CVD deposition of PEDOT is demonstrated on silicon, glass, plastic, and paper substrates.
Diamond exploitation in Sierra Leone 1930 to 2010: a resource curse?

This paper uses the resource curse hypothesis to explore diamond exploitation in Sierra Leone during the period 1930–2010. Focusing on national and local level analysis, it examines whether the net impact of diamond exploitation was a ‘resource curse’ or ‘blessing’ during four time periods: colonial and early post-independence era, the APC era, the civil war period, and post-war era. The paper argues that the net impact of diamond exploitation in Sierra Leone has not been constant; rather it has changed between resource blessing and curse over different major periods of Sierra Leone’s history and at local and national scales since inception of diamond exploitation. This paper illustrates that during the period 1968–1992 patrimonial politics undermined official diamond exploitation and significantly contributed to a pendulum shift in the net effects of diamond exploitation from resource blessing to curse. The study shows that the net effect of diamond exploitation was: a resource blessing (especially at the national level) prior to 1968; more of a resource curse during the APC era; a full blown manifestation of the curse during the civil war period; and that governance of the diamond sector has improved sufficiently in post-civil war Sierra Leone to start the gradual transformation of diamonds to resource blessing, at national and local levels.
A stability result for linear parameter-varying systems

Abstract A negative-real-part eigenvalue assumption on a linear parameter-varying system implies exponential stability under a condition that includes either slowly varying parameters, or slowly accelerating parameters.
Structures and Design Phase I Summary for the NASA Composite Cryotank Technology Demonstration Project

A description of the Phase I structures and design work of the Composite Cryotank Technology Demonstration (CCTD) Project is in this paper. The goal of the CCTD Project in the Game Changing Development (GCD) Program is to design and build a composite liquid-hydrogen cryogenic tank that can save 30% in weight and 25% in cost compared to state-of-the-art aluminum metallic cryogenic tank technology when the wetted composite skin wall is at an allowable strain of 5000 in/in. Three Industry teams developed composite cryogenic tank concepts that are compared for weight to an aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) cryogenic tank designed by NASA in Phase I of the CCTD Project. The requirements used to design all of the cryogenic tanks in Phase I will be discussed and the resulting designs, analyses, and weight of the concepts developed by NASA and Industry will be reviewed and compared.
41 IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF EARLY EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE DELAY

Expressive language delay (ELD) is a developmental disorder characterized by substantial delay in expressive language compared with receptive language and IQ. Prior study of the problem yields a prevalence estimate of 3% of preschool children and substantial negative sequelae in school performance and psychological health. This paper focuses on the initial 4 children (X age =2.5 yrs) in a longitudinal study of the etiology and treatment of ELD. Each child had normal receptive and nonverbal intellectual skills for age but extremely retarded expressive skills (< 20 words). Each child was studied for a 3 to 4 month treatment in which a baseline period of home observation was followed by 7 assignments given to parents in biweekly sessions and administered by the parents at home. Treatment progress was monitored by novel and powerful analyses of child-parent verbal interactions based on computer analysis of home tape-recordings. Findings included development of age appropriate expressive function within 3 months for all subjects (expressive vocabulary X IQ = 95.2), and highly significant prepost differences. Time-series analyses demonstrated that improvement was caused by treatment procedures. Baseline verbal interaction analyses revealed high use of inefficient strategies to elicit child language which were markedly reduced by treatment instructions. ELD is therefore treatable and substantially remediable using a short parent-based therapy program.
Incarcerated Juvenile Offenders' Right to Rehabilitation

In the 1970s a series of legal decisions in lower federal courts created momentum for establishing incarcerated juvenile offenders' right to rehabilitation. However, in the 1980s this momentum was halted following attacks upon the legal foundation of juveniles' right to rehabilitation. The author of this paper reviews the opponents' rationale for rejecting the right to rehabilitation and finds it incorrect and unsupported. The author reasserts juvenile offenders' right to rehabilitation.
Development of Pesticide-Treated Spheres for Controlling Apple Maggot Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae): Pesticides and Residue-Extending Agents

Dimethoate, azinphosmethyl, methomyl, tralomethrin, malathion, fenvalerate, and carbaryl were evaluated in the laboratory for contact toxicity to apple maggot flies, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), with or without a feeding stimulant (sucrose) during a 10-min exposure period. Addition of sucrose decreased LC50s and LC90s of all insecticides tested but had no effect on toxicity relationships among insecticides. In combination with sucrose, dimethoate was most toxic; azinphosmethyl, tralomethrin, and methomyl were more toxic than malathion and fenvalerate; and carbaryl was least toxic. At a concentration of insecticide equal to five times the LC90value established in laboratory tests, all insecticides tested in field cages, except dimethoate and malathion, reduced the duration of fly visitation and feeding on sucrosecoated, insecticide-treated red spheres. Spheres treated with a mixture containing 1.05% (AI) dimethoate or methomyl, 58.95% com syrup, and 40% latex paint as a residue-extending agent killed 76-87%, and 50-62%, respectively, of alighting flies at 0 residual days (before exposure to weather). However, the spheres were ineffective after exposure to 6.6 mm rainfall. Effectiveness of pesticide-treated spheres in killing visiting flies was limited more by loss of feeding stimulant as a result of wash off by rainfall than by degradation of insecticide. Retreating weather-exposed (up to 35 d) dimethoate-treated spheres with 16% sucrose restored effectiveness in killing alighting flies. Neither dimethoate nor methomyl in combination with latex paint and com syrup had a negative effect on the attraction of flies to treated spheres.
Update on toll-like receptor ligands and allergy: Implications for immunotherapy

Innate responses to microbes are mediated in large part via toll-like receptors (TLRs) that recognize a diverse family of ligands produced by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Great effort has been directed toward translating this knowledge into the development of therapies for the prevention and treatment of diseases, including those fueled by allergic (Th2-biased) hypersensitivities. In this review, we consider the ways in which ligands for different TLRs influence the allergic phenotype. In addition, an update on safety and efficacy data from clinical trials of allergic patients treated with TLR9 ligand-based interventions is provided. Finally, recent experimental results that help elucidate how ambient TLR ligand exposures influence allergic risk and their relevance to the development of TLR ligand-based therapeutics are discussed. Investigations presented within this opinion paper suggest that several TLR ligands could have clinical utility in the treatment of allergic diseases, whereas other TLR ligands appear less attractive, as they facilitate development of Th2-biased hypersensitivities in murine studies.
Zero Crossing Of Second Directional Derivative Edge Operator

We use the facet model to accomplish step edge detection. The essence of the facet model is that any analysis made on the basis of the pixel values in some neighborhood has its final authoritative interpretation relative to the underlying grey tone intensity surface of which the neighborhood pixel values are observed noisy samples. Pixels which are part of regions have simple grey tone intensity surfaces over their areas. Pixels which have an edge in them have complex grey tone intensity surfaces over their areas. Specifically, an edge moves through a pixel if and only if there is some point in the pixel's area having a zero crossing of the second directional derivative taken in the direction of a non-zero gradient at the pixel's center. To determine whether or not a pixel should be marked as a step edge pixel, its underlying grey tone intensity surface must be estimated on the basis of the pixels in its neighborhood. For this, we use a functional form consisting of a linear combination of the tensor products of discrete orthogonal polynomials of up to degree three. The appropriate directional derivatives are easily computed from this kind of a function. Upon comparing the performance of this zero crossing of second directional derivative operator with Prewitt gradient operator and the Marrâ"Hildreth zero crossing of Laplacian operator, we find that it is the best performer and is followed by the Prewitt gradient operator. The Marr-Hildreth zero-crossing of Laplacian operator performs the worst.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Sex Differences on a Measure of Conformity: Comments on a Recent Study:

Reysen and Reysen's recent article made a contribution to understanding of sex differences by interpreting the results through the lens of conformity research. Reinterpretation could refer to differences in perceptual sensitivity. The results, then, are theoretically and empirically consistent with the literature.
Synthesis and characterization of Pt/MCM-41 catalysts

Abstract The preparation of Pt/MCM-41 catalysts was studied. Three different precursors were used: platinum acetyl acetonate Pt(AcAc) 2 , tetraamine platinum (II) nitrate Pt(NH 3 ) 4 (NO 3 ) 2 , and hydrogen hexachloroplatinate (IV) hydrate H 2 PtCl 6 . With these precursors, the catalysts were prepared by three different methods: equilibrium adsorption, ion exchange, and a new method, which we call vacuum evaporation impregnation (VEI). Through the characterizations by XRD, physisorption, chemisorption, XAFS, and XANES-TPR, it was demonstrated that a structured, high loading (0.5–2 wt.%) and high dispersion (>1.0 calculated from CO and/or H 2 chemisorption) Pt/MCM-41 catalysts was obtained by the new preparation method VEI.
The validity of the California Q-set Alexithymia Prototype

The author examined the validity of the California Q-set Alexithymia Prototype (CAQ-AP), an observer- and self-report measure of the alexithymia construct. Alexithymia similarity scores (based on observer reports) were correlated with scores on several relevant self-report scales in a sample of 155 undergraduate college students. Alexithymia was positively correlated with neuroticism, depression, and anxiety; and negatively with extraversion, openness, and emotional expression. These correlations were statistically significant (P
Association of body weight with total mortality and with ICD shocks among survivors of ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Summary Aim Studies have shown an association between obesity and total mortality among people with and without coronary artery disease. This study reviews outcomes among obese survivors of ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods All survivors of ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who presented in Rochester, MN from November 1990 to September 2006 were included and classified by body weight. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks administered were determined by review of subsequent device interrogations. Results Among a study population of 226, 99 (44%) survived to hospital discharge with neurological recovery. Data to calculate body mass index were available in 213 cases (95%). There was no significant difference in the relative distribution of body weight between hospital survivors and non-survivors, nor in cardioverter defibrillator implantation rates. Mean follow-up was 5.8 ± 4.4 years; 5-year survival was 80 ± 5%, lower among underweight and normal compared with heavier individuals. The 5-year survival free of implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks was 61 ± 7%, with no weight-based difference in shocks. Conclusion There was no apparent weight-based influence on resuscitation survival after ventricular fibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. People of normal or low weight had a lower long-term survival and represent at population high risk from primarily non-cardiac diseases.
CLASPing Microtubules at the trans-Golgi Network

Microtubule (MT) arrays can be formed either from centrosomes or from noncentrosomal locations. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Efimov and colleagues report a role of CLASPs, the MT plus end-binding proteins, in MT formation from Golgi, implicating Golgi-originated MT arrays in efficient cell migration (Efimov et al., 2007).
Biology ofIphiaulax kimballi [Hym.: Braconidae], a parasite ofDiatraea grandiosella [Lep.: Pyralidae]

Iphiaulax kimballiKirkland is a gregarious ectoparasite of the mature larval stage ofDiatraea grandiosellaDyar in Mexico. The developmental rate from egg to adult is 16.3±1.0 (x±S.D.) at 29°C. The sex ratio is 1.7∶1 (♀∶♂) in the field. Following host paralysis the female deposits 63.5±2.1 eggs during der 28.6±6.4 day adult-life span; laying 4.6±3.1 eggs on each host. Females held at 10°C lived a maximum of 3 months.
Expression systems and developments in plant‐made vaccines

Delivery of vaccines to mucosal surfaces can elicit humoral and cell-mediated responses of the mucosal and systemic immune systems, evoke less pain and discomfort than parenteral delivery, and eliminate needle-associated risks. Transgenic plants are an ideal means by which to produce oral vaccines, as the rigid walls of the plant cell protect antigenic proteins from the acidic environment of the stomach, enabling intact antigen to reach the gut associated lymphoid tissue. In the past few years, new techniques (such as chloroplast transformation and food processing) have improved antigen concentration in transgenic plants. In addition, adjuvants and targeting proteins have increased the immunogenicity of mucosally administered plant-made vaccines. These studies have moved plant-made vaccines closer to the development phase.
Dissolution studies of CsAISi5O12

Abstract CsAlSi 5 O 12 was exposed to a variety of aqueous media, with most of the experiments being conducted at 70°C. The Cs extraction was approximately proportional to the square root of the dissolution time. As found previously at 25°C the Cs extraction at 70°C varied as [H + ] 0.4 in the pH = 1–4 range and increased with increasing alkalinity beyond pH = 7. No substantial change in the Cs dissolution rate at neutral pH was found in 1 M CaCl 2 , as against deionized water, a possible slight increase was observed in 0.01 M NaHCO 3 relative to KOH of about the same pH, and a sixfold increase was observed at neutral pH in 1 M NaCl relative to deionized water. The dissolution rate increased by a factor of ∼ 10 on heating from 25 to 70–100°C, but not with further increase of temperature. The Cs dissolution rate of Cs-loaded Na mordenite which was rendered X-ray amorphous by subsolidus heating at 1000°C was found to be ∼ 1 g·m −2 ·day −1 in a Soxhlet test.
Growth and Population Size of Grass Carp Incrementally Stocked for Hydrilla Control

Abstract In weed control plans that use Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella for intermediate control of hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata, the knowledge of population dynamics improves efficacy of management. Our objective was to characterize growth, mortality, and associated population metrics of long-lived (up to 16 years) triploid Grass Carp that were incrementally stocked into Lake Gaston, Virginia–North Carolina, starting in 1995. Grass Carp (ages 1–16) were collected by bowfishers during 2006–2010. Growth of Grass Carp was described by the von Bertalanffy growth model as Lt = 1,297[1 − e −0.1352(t +1.52)], where Lt is TL at age t. We used three methods to estimate Grass Carp mortality, and annual abundance and biomass of Grass Carp were estimated from each mortality estimate. Estimated annual mortality ranged from 0.20 to 0.25 depending on the method used. The use of constant mortality rates versus age-specific mortality rates produced divergent models of Grass Carp biomass and represented a different a...
Probability inequalities with exponential bounds for U-statistics

Abstract I present some probability inequalities with exponential bounds for U-statistics. In particular, I develop a probability inequality for U-statistics based on kernels which are Bernoulli random variables. In the special case of the simple average of i.i.d. Bernoulli random variables, the result provides a bound which is sharper than the results of Kambo and Kotz (1966) and Young, Turner and Seaman (1988).
Measurement of conscious symptom exaggeration by questionnaire: A clinical study

Abstract This study compared measures of conscious exaggeration of symptoms by 157 patients with chronic pain who were involved in personal injury litigation with 106 patients not seeking compensation who were also attending a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Pain severity was assessed using a visual analogue scale and the adjectival check-list of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. There was no difference between the two groups on scores obtained on the Conscious Exaggeration (CE) scale; it was found that there was a significant correlation between CE scores and trait anxiety, hostility, state anxiety, and pain descriptors in the ‘Miscellaneous’ category of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. It was concluded that there is no support for the claim that the Conscious Exaggeration scale can detect deception with the object of financial gain among chronic pain patients involved in litigation.
Excitatory Synaptic Function and Plasticity is Persistently Altered in Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons after Prenatal Ethanol Exposure

Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) is one of the developmental factors leading to increased addiction propensity (risk). However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying this effect remain unknown. We examined whether increased excitatory synaptic transmission in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons, which is associated with drug addiction, was impacted by PE. Pregnant rats were exposed to ethanol (0 or 6 g/kg/day) via intragastric intubation from gestational day 8–20. Amphetamine self-administration, whole-cell recordings, and electron microscopy were performed in male offspring between 2 and 12-week-old. The results showed enhanced amphetamine self-administration in PE animals. In PE animals, we observed a persistent augmentation in calcium-permeable AMPA receptor (CP-AMPAR) expression, indicated by increased rectification and reduced decay time of AMPAR-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (AMPAR-EPSCs), enhanced depression of AMPAR-EPSCs by NASPM (a selective CP-AMPAR antagonist), and increased GluA3 subunits in VTA DA neuron dendrites. Increased CP-AMPAR expression in PE animals led to enhanced excitatory synaptic strength and the induction of CP-AMPAR-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP), an anti-Hebbian form of LTP. These observations suggest that, in PE animals, increased excitatory synaptic strength in VTA DA neurons might be susceptible to further strengthening even in the absence of impulse flow. The PE-induced persistent increase in CP-AMPAR expression, the resulting enhancement in excitatory synaptic strength, and CP-AMPAR-dependent LTP are similar to effects observed after repeated exposure to drugs of abuse, conditions known to increase addiction risk. Therefore, these mechanisms could be important neuronal substrates underlying PE-induced enhancement in amphetamine self-administration and increased addiction risk in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Towards accurate ab initio QM/MM calculations of free-energy profiles of enzymatic reactions.

Reliable studies of enzymatic reactions by combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approaches, with an ab initio description of the quantum region, presents a major challenge to computational chemists. The main problem is the need for a large amount of computer time to evaluate the QM energy, which in turn makes it extremely challenging to perform proper configurational sampling. This work presents major progress toward the evaluation of ab initio QM/MM free-energy surfaces and activation free energies of reactions in enzymes and in solutions. This is done by exploiting our previous idea of using the empirical valence bond (EVB) method as a reference potential and then using the linear response approximation (LRA) approach to evaluate the free energies of transfer from the EVB to the QM/MM surfaces in the reactant and product state. However, the new crucial step involves the use of a constraint at the transition state that fixes the system at a given value of the reaction coordinate and al...
Where technology intersects with marketing

In today's world, technology and business professionals have to collaborate to create success in the marketplace for their organizations. Gone are the days when the technology department of an organization creates new products and throws them over the fence for sales and marketing to sell. Today, engineers, salespeople, and marketers are in a cross-functional team from the earliest stages of product development. The lifeblood of many technology organizations is creating and launching new products to stay relevant and differentiated from competition in the marketplace. Strong collaboration between technology and marketing professionals is essential to develop successful new products and businesses. Engineers are well placed to take advantage of the above trend. An engineering background combined with good business training provides a unique skill set to market new products and solutions that make a real impact on the world.
An Assessment of Patterns of Co-Authorship for Academic Accountants Within Premier Journals: Evidence from 1979-2004

Abstract This study examines several important aspects of co-authorship by accounting researchers in premier journals for the years 1979–2004. Logistic regression analysis reveals that collaboration is growing significantly. This increasing trend of co-authorship is substantially greater in premier non-accounting journals than premier accounting journals. The extent of co-authorship within taxation research is notably less than financial, managerial, or auditing research. On the other hand, non-specialized articles have significantly higher co-authorship ratios. Meanwhile, trends of co-authorship are not statistically different between U.S. academic researchers and their international academic cohorts. However, co-authorship rates for non-academic researchers are significantly less than academic researchers which may indicate that the ‘publish or perish’ phenomena for academic researchers is a more significant factor of increased co-authorship rates than other universal factors, e.g., decreased cost of sophisticated communication technology. Also, we find no evidence of university tier level or doctoral granting status effects on the co-authorship ratios of researchers.
Bacterial vaginosis: an ecologic mystery

Excerpt In 1955, Gardner and Dukes (1) reported a new vaginal syndrome that they attributed toHaemophilus vaginalis, an organism first described in their report. The same organism is now calledGard...
Treatment of the Umbilical Cord of the Newborn

Daily painting of the umbilical stump with Betadiner`3 during the stay in the maternity ward reduced the incidence of umbilical infections. In clinical use a tiny rubber ring for closure of the cut umbilical cord proved more practical and cheaper than a clip, the use of the ring in conjunction with painting with Betadiner` accelerated the separation of the stump.
Interactive visualization of 3D configuration spaces

We present a tool that enables interactive exploration of the configuration space of a planar robot that navigates static obstacles. The robot and obstacle boundaries consist of circular edges, and our visualization provides both 2D and 3D views of the contact surfaces of these objects. We work from an exact parametric representation of the free space boundary and construct a triangle mesh approximation that is used for interactive rendering.
Stenosis at the origin of an anomalous left main coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery in a symptom-free adolescent girl: Transesophageal echocardiographic findings

We report an unusual finding of ostial stenosis of an anomalous left main coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery in a symptom-free adolescent girl. Transesophageal echocardiography with Doppler color imaging correctly identified all of the salient features of this anomaly including proximal stenoses of the right and left coronary arteries. These findings were subsequently confirmed at cardiac catheterization.
Measurement unit invariant coefficients in multiplicative-logarithmic functions

It has been demonstrated that the coefficients of the non-multiplicative terms of a multiplicative-logarithmic function are dependent on the units used. In addition, Dickey-Fuller tests on the multiplicative terms are unit sensitive. It is demonstrated that a simple transformation circumvents these problems. It is still true that individual coefficients of logarithmic variables in such functions are meaningless and that the Dickey–Fuller test is disturbingly arbitary. However, the transformation appears to increase the meaningfulness of a technical change trend in a translog cost function.
Aggregation of ubiquitin and a mutant ALS-linked SOD1 protein correlate with disease progression and fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus.

Abstract Transgenic mice that express the G93A mutation of human Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1 G93A ), found in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS), showed clinical symptoms and histopathological changes of sporadic ALS, including fragmentation of the neuronal Golgi apparatus (GA). The finding of fragmented neuronal GA in asymptomatic mice, months before the onset of paralysis, suggests that the GA is an early target of the pathological processes causing neuronal degeneration. Transgenic mice expressing human SOD1 G93A have aggregates of mutant protein and ubiquitin in neuronal and glial cytoplasm; they appeared first in the neuropil and later in the perikarya of motor neurons, where they were adjacent to fragmented GA. The aggregates of SOD1 G93A appeared in neuronal perikarya of asymptomatic mice containing fragmented GA. The numbers of neurons with deposits of SOD1 G93A and fragmented GA progressively increased with age. Immuno-electron microscopy using colloidal gold showed labeling of ubiquitin and SOD1 over 13 nm thick cytoplasmic filaments. Spinal cord extracts showed a 20-fold increase of SOD1 G93A in transgenic mice compared to the wild-type protein in controls. The results suggest a causal relationship between the aggregation of mutant SOD1 and ubiquitin, fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus of motor neurons and neurodegeneration.
Femtosecond light source synchronized with molecular motion

Summary form only given. We have demonstrated that highly coherent molecular motion can modulate light to produce a wide comb of mutually coherent spectral sidebands. The spectrum, which covers several octaves of optical bandwidth, can be used to synthesize periodic trains of shaped pulses, with a theoretical possibility of subfemtosecond and sub-cycle pulse compression. We have used this Raman light source to demonstrate coherent control of multiphoton ionization on a few-femtosecond time scale, under conditions where photoionization requires eleven photons of the lowest frequency and five photons of the highest frequency of the spectrum. Furthermore, we have used the multiphoton ionization process to characterize our light source. Experiment-to-theory comparison implies generation of a single-cycle pulsed structure, with a 2 fs pulse duration.
Heegner points and the arithmetic of elliptic curves over ring class extensions

Abstract Let E be an elliptic curve over Q and let K be a quadratic imaginary field that satisfies the Heegner hypothesis. We study the arithmetic of E over ring class extensions of K, with particular focus on the case when E has analytic rank at least 2 over Q . We also point out an issue in the literature regarding generalizing the Gross–Zagier formula, and offer a conjecturally correct formula.
Characterization of Transparent Conducting Oxide Surfaces Using Self-Assembled Electroactive Monolayers

The electronic properties of various transparent conducting oxide (TCO) surfaces are probed electrochemically via self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). A novel graftable probe molecule having a tethered trichlorosilyl group and a redox-active ferrocenyl functionality (Fc(CH2)4SiCl3) is synthesized for this purpose. This molecule can be self-assembled via covalent bonds to form monolayers on various TCO surfaces. On as-received ITO, saturation coverage of 6.6 × 10−10 mol/cm2 by a close-packed monolayer and an electron-transfer rate of 6.65 s−1 is achieved after 9 h of chemisorption, as determined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and synchrotron X-ray reflectivity. With this molecular probe, it is found that O2 plasma-treated ITO has a significantly greater electroactive coverage of 7.9 × 10−10 mol/cm2 than as-received ITO. CV studies of this redox SAM on five different TCO surfaces reveal that MOCVD-derived CdO exhibits the greatest electroactive coverage (8.1 × 10−10 mol/cm2) and MOCVD-derived ZITO (ZnIn2.0Sn1.5O) ...
A Selenium-deficient Caco-2 Cell Model for Assessing Differential Incorporation of Chemical or Food Selenium into Glutathione Peroxidase

Assessing the ability of a selenium (Se) sample to induce cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in Se-deficient animals is the most commonly used method to determine Se bioavailability. Our goal is to establish a Se-deficient cell culture model with differential incorporation of Se chemical forms into GPx, which may complement the in vivo studies. In the present study, we developed a Se-deficient Caco-2 cell model with a serum gradual reduction method. It is well recognized that selenomethionine (SeMet) is the major nutritional source of Se; therefore, SeMet, selenite, or methylselenocysteine (SeMSC) was added to cell culture media with different concentrations and treatment time points. We found that selenite and SeMSC induced GPx more rapidly than SeMet. However, SeMet was better retained as it is incorporated into proteins in place of methionine; compared with 8-, 24-, or 48-h treatment, 72-h Se treatment was a more sensitive time point to measure the potential of GPx induction in all tested concentrations. Based on induction of GPx activity, the cellular bioavailability of Se from an extract of selenobroccoli after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion was comparable with that of SeMSC and SeMet. These in vitro data are, for the first time, consistent with previous published data regarding selenite and SeMet bioavailability in animal models and Se chemical speciation studies with broccoli. Thus, Se-deficient Caco-2 cell model with differential incorporation of chemical or food forms of Se into GPx provides a new tool to study the cellular mechanisms of Se bioavailability.
Light-dependent systemic infection of solanaceous species by cauliflower mosaic virus can Be conditioned by a viral gene encoding an aphid transmission factor.

Abstract Gene II of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), which encodes an 18-kDa protein originally identified as an aphid transmission factor (ATF), influences host specificity in a light-dependent manner. A point mutation within the ATF gene that occurs in several CaMV strains was responsible for conditioning light-dependent systemic infections. A point mutant of CaMV strain W260 that carried the single mutation within the ATF gene was able to systemically infect Nicotiana bigelovii at low light intensity (100–180 μmol m −2 sec −1 ), but not at a higher light intensity level (350–450 μmol m −2 sec −1 ), while the wild-type W260 virus could systemically infect N. bigelovii under both light conditions. The same point mutation also affected the stability of the amorphous CaMV inclusions and previous studies have shown that it abolishes transmission of CaMV by aphids. The point mutation within the ATF gene that mediated light-dependent infections was complemented by transgenic N. bigelovii plants that express the CaMV gene VI product, a viral protein that has been identified as a translational transactivator. The complementation studies indicated that the ATF gene may influence systemic infections through an interaction with the CaMV gene VI product. The ATF gene of CaMV may contribute to viral infections by regulating expression of downstream genes or by influencing cell-to-cell or long distance movement within the plant.
To breed or not to breed: a model of partial migration

Migration is used by a number of species as a strategy for dealing with a seasonally variable environment. In many migratory species, only some individuals migrate within a given season (migrants) while the rest remain in the same location (residents), a phenomenon called ‘partial migration’. Most examples of partial migration considered in the literature (both empirically and theoretically) fall into one of two categories: either species where residents and migrants share a breeding ground and winter apart, or species where residents and migrants share an overwintering ground and breed apart. However, a third form of partial migration can occur when non-migrating individuals actually forgo reproduction, essentially a special form of low-frequency reproduction. While this type of partial migration is well documented in many taxa, it is not often included in the partial migration literature, and has not been considered theoretically to date. In this paper we present a model for this partial migration scenario and determine under what conditions an individual should skip a breeding opportunity (resulting in partial migration), and under what conditions individuals should breed every chance they get (resulting in complete migration). In a constant environment, we find that partial migration is expected to occur when the mortality cost of migration is high, and when individuals can greatly increase their fecundity by skipping a year before breeding. In a stochastic environment, we find that an individual should skip migration more frequently with increased risk of a bad year (higher probability and severity), with higher mortality cost of migration, and with lower mortality cost of skipping. We discuss these results in the context of empirical data and existing life history theory.
Recanalization of a thrombosed carotid artery following endarterectomy.

Recanalization of perioperative carotid artery thrombosis following carotid endarterectomy, managed with anticoagulation therapy alone, has not been reported. We describe here the case of a patient with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis who underwent endarterectomy. During the perioperative period, carotid artery thrombosis was discovered after an episode of amaurosis fugax. Anticoagulation therapy was instituted, and during follow-up the carotid artery was recanalized.
Analysis of a 5′ leader sequence on murine leukemia virus 21S RNA: Heteroduplex mapping with long reverse transcriptase products

The majority of the mRNA that specifies retrovirus glycoproteins is known to be derived from the 3′ half of the genome. To examine whether the glycoprotein mRNA of murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) might consist of portions derived from both the 5′ and 3′ ends of the viral genome, we performed hybridization with a 5′-specific probe and heteroduplex analysis with long reverse transcribed DNA. A 5′ probe was made by purifying a discrete 50 nucleotide-long reverse transcript attached to its tRNA primer. This probe was found to hybridize to RNA of the size of glycoprotein mRNA—21S, poly(A)-containing RNA—indicating that the mRNA could have a 5′ leader sequence. The 5′-specific sequences were studied by electron microscopic examination of hybrids between 21S RNA and the two longest discrete cDNA species synthesized in the endogenous reverse transcriptase reaction. One of these species, 8.8 kb long, is only made in the absence of actinomycin D, but it does not contain any self-complementary sequences, and therefore appears to be a complete transcript of the viral genome. The shorter of the two species, 8.2 kb long, is synthesized whether or not actinomycin D is present; it must terminate 500–600 nucleotides internal to the 5′ end of the template RNA. The structures observed in heteroduplexes of 21S RNA and these DNAs indicated the presence of a leader sequence approximately 500 nucleotides long at the 5′ end of the 21S RNA. Sequences comprising this leader segment in the 21S RNA mapped at the 5′ end of the genome RNA; the rest of the 21S RNA consisted of sequences from the 3′ portion of the genome. Analysis of heteroduplexes with 8.2 kb DNA suggested that actinomycin D could block the reverse transcription of most of the sequence in the genome RNA that appears as a leader in the 21S RNA.
High resolution X-ray diffraction from small numbers of Langmuir-Blodgett layers of manganese stearate

We used a highly collimated monochromatic X-ray beam to measure the diffraction from a single monolayer and from odd numbers (up to 11) of layers of manganese stearate (MnSt2). The molecules were deposited in layers by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. For the larger numbers of layers we can distinguish that the continuous diffraction pattern consists of several orders of (00l) Bragg peaks and “subsidiary” maxima which arise between these. Below the (001) peak some subsidiaries are larger than the largest Bragg peak. Qualitative explanations of the results are given. The diffraction patterns are quantitatively explained by calculations of the interference of X-rays reflected from layers whose electron density corresponds to the structure of MnSt2. Good fits to the data are obtained with parameters of the layers that are close to a priori estimates. The results also show that our silicon substrates were smoother for our films than glass microscope slides were.
Hematospermia: imaging findings

Hematospermia is an anxiety provoking but otherwise generally benign and self-limited condition that is infrequently associated with signiflcant underlying pathology, and is most often considered to be idiopathic in nature. Management with routine clinical evaluation, watchful waiting, and reassurance generally suffice without further diagnostic workup or treatment. Noninvasive imaging may play an important role in the diagnostic workup of men with hematospermia, particularly in those who are >40 years old, have other associated symptoms or signs of disease, or have persistence of hematospermia. Many entities may be encountered in association with hematospermia at imaging, and specific therapeutic interventions may be used if certain treatable underlying pathologies are coincidentally detected. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the potential etiologies, diagnostic workup, imaging techniques, relevant male pelvic anatomy, imaging appearance of speciflc associated pathologies, and treatment for hematospermia.
Study on relationship between inter-area oscillation damping and operating conditions in power systems

Inter-area oscillation problem is an important subject in power system stability and control research. This paper focuses on the influence of network operating conditions on inter-area oscillation damping. Since concerned study lacks enough theoretical analysis, the general rule has not been revealed. Using theoretical deduction, the relationship between electromechanical oscillation damping and rotor angle difference under general cases in two-generator interconnected power system is illuminated. Accordingly, the complex inter-area oscillation damping characteristics in real complex power system is theoretically explained. The moving trend of inter-area oscillation damping with the change of inter-area transfer power is determined by the comparison of damping per inertia of generators in equivalent two-generator interconnected system. Three illustrative examples are proposed to verify the validity of the theoretical analysis.
Focusing on the essentials: learning for performance

As The World health report 2006 emphasized, there is increasing consensus that training programmes should focus on "know-how" instead of "know-all." Health workers need to know how to do the job they will be expected to do. IntraHealth International's Learning for performance: a guide and toolkit for health worker training and education programs offers a step-by-step, customizable approach designed to develop the right skills linked to job responsibilities. Using Learning for performance (LFP) yields more efficient training that focuses on what is essential for health workers to do their jobs and on effective learning methods, while addressing the factors that ensure application of new skills on the job. This brief communication describes the Learning for performance approach and initial findings from its application for pre-service education and in-service training in three countries: India, Mali and Bangladesh. Based on IntraHealth's experiences, the author provides thoughts on how LFP's performance-based learning approach can be a useful tool in training scale-up to strengthen human resources for health.
Does Reducing Length of Stay Increase Rehospitalization of Medicare Fee‐for‐Service Beneficiaries Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facilities?

Objectives To analyze the relationship between length of stay and rehospitalization. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Six thousand five hundred thirty-seven hospitals nationwide from January 1999 through September 2005. Participants Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries associated with 2,101,481 hospitalizations. Measurements Thirty-day rehospitalization derived from Medicare hospital claims using the implementation of Medicare's post-acute care transfer policy as a quasi-experiment. Results Medicare's post-acute care transfer policy led to immediate declines in length of stay. A 1-day decrease in length of stay was associated with an absolute increase in 30-day rehospitalization of 1.56 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.30–2.82) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with major complications and 0.81 percentage points (95% CI = 0.03–1.60) for kidney infection or urinary tract infection (UTI) without major complications. Individuals hospitalized for AMI without major complications, heart failure, or kidney infection or UTI with major complications had no increase in 30-day rehospitalization. Conclusion A 1-day reduction in hospital length of stay was not consistently associated with a higher rate of rehospitalization.
Cognitive processes in depression

Tested hypotheses derived from Beck's cognitive theory of depression using 60 depressed and nondepressed males and females. Ss rated performance before and after they received feedback on a social interaction task. Ss then attempted to recall feedback and explain their post-feedback self-rating. Results showed that depressed males and females had more negative evaluation of present circumstances and poorer memory for feedback. Further, depressed males lowered their self-evaluation after feedback significantly more than did nondepressed males. Results with regard to differential response to neutral and positive feedback were not found because Ss apparently perceived all levels of feedback as somewhat negative. Data were partially supportive of Beck's cognitive theory of depression, especially with regard to males.
Cocaine and beta-blockers: The paradigm

Cocaine is one of the most commonly used substances of abuse. The use of beta-blockers in cocaine induced acute coronary syndrome has long been a matter of debate. While it is widely believed that beta-blockers are contraindicated in cocaine toxicity, there appears to be some recognizable role for certain beta-blockers in ameliorating the cardiovascular as well as central nervous system effects of cocaine. This article explores the role of beta-blockers in the management of cocaine toxicity.
Static strain-aging in commercial purity alpha titanium

Static strain-aging was investigated in commercial purity α-Ti, containing 0.41 at. pct of oxygen as the principal interstitial impurity. 17 μM grain size specimens, prestrained to 0.02 strain at a nominal strain-rate of 3.3×10−4S−1, were agedin situ between 555 and 630 K for lengths of time between 150 and 2.55×105 seconds. Both the upper and lower yield point increments were employed as measures of the aging progress. Under the stated conditions, the static strain-aging response of the titanium appeared to consist of four stages, of which only Stages 1 and 2 were considered in this work. Stage 1 corresponded to a Haasen and Kelly type of yield point, while Stage 2, after correcting for the time-independent yield point increment of Stage 1, conformed to Cotrell aging,i.e., the increase in flow stress after aging followed at 2/3 behavior. The activation energy deduced for the process is in good agreement with that for the diffusion of oxygen in titanium.