cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dopaminergic and GABAergic modulation of glutamate release from rat subthalamic nucleus efferents to the substantia nigra

The regulation of the glutamatergic projection from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) to the substantia nigra (SN) was investigated using dual-probe microdialysis in the awake behaving rat. Reverse dialysis of the cholinergic receptor agonist carbachol (1 mM) into the STN caused an increase in the extracellular concentrations of glutamate and dopamine in the SN. The increase in glutamate was transient and returned toward basal values despite the continued perfusions of the STN with carbachol. Carbachol-stimulated glutamate release was prolonged by perfusion of the selective D2 dopamine receptor antagonist raclopride (100 microM) into the SN and was attenuated by the perfusion of the selective D2-like receptor agonist quinpirole (10 microM). In contrast, perfusion of the D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH-23390 (100 microM) did not alter the carbachol-stimulated glutamate release even though it increased basal glutamate concentrations. Perfusion of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (10 microM) into the SN prolonged the carbachol-stimulated glutamate release in similar fashion as raclopride. The present findings suggest that somatodendritically released dopamine in the SN regulates glutamate release from subthalamic axon terminals by differentially activating dopamine D2 and D1 receptors. Activation of D2 heteroreceptors, located on STN axon terminals, provides a negative feedback control on stimulated subthalamic glutamate release, while D1 receptor activation preferentially regulates basal glutamate concentrations. The findings of the present study also indicate that GABA exerts an inhibitory control on glutamate release in the SN through GABAA receptors.
Hyperglobulinemia with an increased anion gap

Plasma proteins, especially albumin, account for much of the normal anion gap. The relationship between globulins and the anion gap has not received much attention except for reports of a narrowing of the gap associated with certain monoclonal immunoglobulin G gammopathies. The author presents a patient with polyclonal gammopathy, the magnitude of which correlated strongly and positively with the anion gap, along with data from 400 patients attending a renal hypertension clinic, which show a significant positive correlation between the anion gap and total globulins. These results indicate that both albumin and globulin concentrations should be taken into account when attempting to explain abnormalities or changes in the magnitude of the gap.
Two-Stage Revision TKA Is Associated with High Complication and Failure Rates

Despite two-stage revision remaining the gold standard in treating periprosthetic infection of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), there remains uncertainty regarding the actual success rate and the risk factors for failure. We retrospectively reviewed 58 knees with mean follow-up of 38 months who underwent two-stage revision TKAs from 1998 to 2012 by a single surgeon. Failure was defined as persistent infection or reoperation after two-stage revision TKA surgery. Failure occurred in 36%. The overall mortality was 22%. The mean time to reinfection was 26 months. Polymicrobial infection was associated with a higher risk of failure (RR 3.31, P < 0.001). Knees requiring soft tissue coverage were also at a greater risk of failure (RR 2.67, P = 0.001), as were knees that underwent four or more additional surgeries after the primary TKA and prior to stage-one explantation (RR 2.25, P = 0.020). Thus, opportunities exist for improvement in management of infected TKA.
Subsurface lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystems (SLMEs) in igneous rocks: prospects for detection

Evidence is accumulating to show that the Earth's biosphere extends underground into deep igneous rock formations. In certain formulations, abiotic energy-yielding reactions between reduced rocks and groundwater provide a potential for in situ primary production by anaerobic microorganisms-- thus obviating any dependence on a surface ecosystem. Conceivably, such ecosystems could exist in the subsurface of other planets in the solar system. The main requirements are water, ferrous silicate minerals, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. Unfortunately, observation of the subsurface is difficult. For example, current estimates suggest that the hydrosphere on Mars might be more than 2 km below the surface. Living SLMEs might be detected through conduits to the subsurface, such as wells, springs, or seeps in deep canyon walls. Signals produced by SLMEs might include cells, metabolic products (such as reduced gases) and their isotope ratios, and isotope ratios in residual substrates. Rocks in which now-defunct SLMEs once existed might be more accessible if they are brought to the surface by rock cycle processes. Signals of extinct SLME remnants have not yet been investigated, but might include microfossils, certain secondary mineralization patterns, and isotope ratios of secondary materials. Examples of both extant and extinct SLMEs have been identified on Earth, and are available for study and experimentation.
Discrete spectral peak estimation in incoherent backscatter heterodyne lidar. I. Spectral accumulation and the Cramer-Rao lower bound

The theory of the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) and maximum-likelihood (ML) estimators is summarized in the context of a heterodyne lidar. Numerical experiments are described that indicate the scaling of this CRLB with parameters such as the signal bandwidth and the level of noise. This CRLB is also compared with the CRLB of a highly idealized noiseless direct detection system using photon counting. It is found that the asymptotic bounds developed in the radar literature for the heterodyne CRLB should not be used as approximations for the correct expression in lidar applications at intermediate signal levels. Moreover, the variance of the ML estimator may be greater or even less than the heterodyne CRLB, depending on the mechanism leading to the departure from the bound. >
An interactive calculus theorem-prover for continuityproperties

The work reported concerns the development of an interactive theorem-prover for the foundationsof the differential and integral calculus. The main tools are a resolution theorem-prover VERIFY, previously developed for interactive proofs in set theory, and the symbolic computation program REDUCE. The use of REDUCE in a theorem-proving context is described in detail. Sample proofs are given with data on computation time per step on an IBM-4381.
The Limits of Jim Crow: Race and the Provision of Water and Sewerage Services in American Cities, 1880-1925

This article addresses two related questions. To what extent did cities and towns provide African Americans adequate water and sewer services during the era of Jim Crow (1880-1925)? Whatmotivated local governments to allowAfrican Americans access to water and sewerage services? In light of the treatment African Americans received from state and local governments in areas such as education and police protection, it seems odd that blacks would have received any water and sewer service. Two explanations considered focus on fear of epidemic disease, and variation in the extent of residential segregation over time and across cities. The institutions and cultural norms that defined Jim Crow were pervasive, and there is no doubt that they extended, in some degree, to the provision of local water and sewer services as well. What remain unclear are the precise nature and extent of such discrimination, and the sources of variation in discrimination observed across cities.' Some writers argue that black and poor white neighborhoods received water and sewer service a half century or more after affluent white neighborhoods.2 One historian suggests black neighborhoods in Atlanta may have never received
Rational design of [Co(acacen)L2]+ inhibitors of protein function

Cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes, such as [Co(acacen)L2]+, inhibit the function of Zn(II)-dependent proteins through dissociative exchange of the axial ligands with key histidine residues of the target protein. Consequently the efficacy of these compounds depends strongly on the lability of the axial ligands. A series of [Co(acacen)L2]+ complexes with various axial ligands was investigated using DFT to determine the kinetics and thermodynamics of ligand exchange and hydrolysis. Results showed excellent agreement with experimental data, indicating that axial ligand lability is determined by several factors: pKa of the axial ligand, the kinetic barrier to ligand dissociation, and the relative thermodynamic stability of the complexes before and after exchange. Hammett plots were constructed to determine if the kinetics and thermodynamics of exchange can be modulated by the addition of an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) to either the axial ligand itself or to the equatorial acacen ligand. Results predict that addition of an EWG to the axial ligand will shift the kinetics and thermodynamics so as to promote axial ligand exchange, while addition of an EWG to acacen will decrease axial ligand lability. These investigations will aid in the design of the next generation of [Co(acacen)L2]2+, allowing researchers to develop new, more effective inhibitors.
Metacarpal fractures in the athlete.

Fifty-six fractures of the metacarpal occurring in 53 athletes were studied from September 1985 to Decem ber 1986, regarding mechanism of injury, type of frac ture, type of treatment, and time lost from sport. Age range of the patients was 8 to 28 years with greater than 77% being in the 14 to 18 year age range, the high school athlete. Twenty-nine of the fractures oc curred in football, 14 in basketball, and the remainder were divided between various other sports. The most common mechanism of injury involved falls or hitting an object such as a helmet or another player. Fractures were evenly divided regarding which digit was involved in football, whereas most basketball injuries occurred in the fourth and fifth metacarpal. Fractures were ana lyzed as to type of radiographic appearance and this was correlated with time lost from competition or par ticipation. No significant difference among fracture type regarding time lost was noted.Forty-six of the fractures (82%) were minimally dis placed or undisplace...
Indirect warnings and instructions produce behavioral compliance

Most research on warnings assumes a direct flow of information from the source directly to receivers. Reading a manufacturer's product label or manual are examples of directly received warnings. Some communications, however, involve one or more intervening entities (e.g., another person or organization) that serve to convey warning information to the ultimate receiver. With indirect warnings the information does not come directly from the source manufacturer but comes from another entity. The present research examined whether indirectly received warnings benefit compliance in the absence of directly relayed warnings. Participants performed a computer-memory installation task, in which compliance to three (subtask) behaviors given in the complete instructions-warnings was measured. The effectiveness of indirect warnings was evident. Indirect warning compliance was nearly as high as (but not significantly different from) the direct warning. Implications for the design of hazard communication systems and for warnings in forensic investigations are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improving packet reception performance in high traffic sensor networks

The increasing capabilities of software and hardware in sensor networks enable a broad range of data-intensive applications such as sensor databases, image and video processing, real-time object localization and tracking, and pervasive health monitoring [1]. These applications require high data rates to complete node collaboration tasks. Thus, a reliable and efficient data receiving mechanism is needed for these emerging applications. Existing operating systems dedicated to sensor networks, however, show little support for high traffic data rate; reliability and congestion control are pushed to upper networking layers [2], [3]. These strategies increase the overhead of communication between sensor nodes because of state transitions through message exchanges. Due to energy constraints, the overhead imposed by these protocols will also reduce the lifetime of the network.
Natural Disasters: Triggers of Political Instability?

This study engages with the question: Do different types of natural disasters—droughts, earthquakes, floods, storms, and others—trigger political instability? It revisits an ongoing debate over the...
Teaching Life Concerns to Kids Who Don't Care:

If we are to combat the negative impact of such crises as the AIDS epidemic, violence, and adolescent sexual behav ior, schools must broaden their curricula. Students must be provided with charac ter and values education in addition to instruction in academic and intellectual skills.
Can we talk? How the cognitive neuroscience of attention emerged from neurobiology and psychology, 1980–2005

This study uses author co-citation analysis to trace prospectively the development of the cognitive neuroscience of attention between 1980 and 2005 from its precursor disciplines: cognitive psychology, single cell neurophysiology, neuropsychology, and evoked potential research. The author set consists of 28 authors highly active in attentional research in the mid-1980s. PFNETS are used to present the co-citation networks. Authors are clustered via the single-link clustering intrinsic to the PFNET algorithm. By 1990 a distinct cognitive neuroscience specialty cluster emerges, dominated by authors engaged in brain imaging research.
Gastroduodenal Artery Pseudoaneurysm Associated with Hemosuccus Pancreaticus and Obstructive Jaundice

A 42-year-old male was admitted with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and new-onset jaundice. Computed tomography showed a persistent gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm and dilated intrahepatic and extrahepatic ducts consistent with obstructive jaundice. This patient had two previous coil embolizations, which failed to prevent recurrent bleeding. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for definitive treatment of his pseudoaneurysm. We report this case and review the literature.
Rapid Changes in Cochlear Nucleus Cell Size Following Blockade of Auditory Nerve Electrical Activity in Gerbils

Large spherical cells of the mammalian anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) receive direct excitatory input from auditory nerve axons. Trans-synaptic regulation of neuronal cell size and cell number after cochlear ablation has been previously demonstrated in neonates of several vertebrate species, including the gerbil. Such changes may be related to loss of spontaneous or evoked auditory nerve electrical activity or to loss of activity-independent factors. We have developed a method to chronically, yet reversibly, block auditory nerve electrical activity without violating the integrity of the inner ear. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) was embedded in an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin (Elvax). A small piece of Elvax containing TTX was placed next to the round window membrane, which allowed TTX to diffuse into the inner ear. As a measure of the effectiveness of manipulation, the onset, duration, and magnitude of the auditory threshold shift were measured by the auditory brainstem response. The sound-evoked response was abolished within 10 minutes of placement of TTX on the round window membrane. The duration of threshold shift was dose-dependent and lasted 24-46 hours. Implants of Elvax without TTX did not produce a significant threshold shift. TTX, which blocks voltage-gated sodium channels, did not abolish the potassium-based cochlear microphonic response. The consequence of blocking afferent electrical activity on gerbil AVCN large spherical cells was examined by measuring their cross-sectional area after each of four manipulations: unilateral auditory nerve action potential blockade with TTX; unilateral surgical cochlear ablation; ipsilateral TTX exposure/contralateral cochlear ablation; and unilateral sham operation (Elvax without TTX).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mechanochromic Photonic Gels

Polymer gels are remarkable materials with physical structures that can adapt significantly and quite rapidly with changes in the local environment, such as temperature, light intensity, electrochemistry, and mechanical force. An interesting phenomenon observed in certain polymer gel systems is mechanochromism - a change in color due to a mechanical deformation. Mechanochromic photonic gels are periodically structured gels engineered with a photonic stopband that can be tuned by mechanical forces to reflect specific colors. These materials have potential as mechanochromic sensors because both the mechanical and optical properties are highly tailorable via incorporation of diluents, solvents, nanoparticles, or polymers, or the application of stimuli such as temperature, pH, or electric or strain fields. Recent advances in photonic gels that display strain-dependent optical properties are discussed. In particular, this discussion focuses primarily on polymer-based photonic gels that are directly or indirectly fabricated via self-assembly, as these materials are promising soft material platforms for scalable mechanochromic sensors.
A Review of the Neurological and Neurosurgical Implications of Tuberculosis in Children

Tuberculous involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) and vertebral column is the most lethal and disabling form of tuberculosis (TB). Several factors contribute to poor outcome, including cerebrovascular involvement with ischemia, hydrocephalus, direct parenchymal injury and formation of abscess and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, hyponatremia, seizures, and delayed diagnosis. Spinal spondylitis from TB and associated spinal deformity is the leading cause of paraplegia in developing countries. The evidence for supportive treatment of TB infection of the CNS is limited, leading to substantial differences in management protocols. Many of the treatment approaches used in TB infection of the CNS have been extrapolated from treatment of other acute neurological disorders such as bacterial meningitis and traumatic brain injury. We review data from the available literature and highlight questions relating to the neurological and neurosurgical care of children with TB infection of the CNS and vertebral column.
Optimal database reorganization policies: a stochastic control approach

The problem of determining optimal reorganization policies for databases which use file structures with overflow chaining is studied. The dynamics of the file performance driven by update transactions and reorganizations is formulated as a stochastic control model which incorporates microlevel design parameters of the physical file structure. Polynomial-time procedures for solving the optimization models are developed for two cases: when the file size is stationary as in the steady-state and when the file size evolves stochastically with a nonlinear trajectory. The model and the solution procedures are applied to an ISAM file, an order-preserving random-access file, revealing the effectiveness of the solution procedures and the relationship between file-design parameters and the optimal policy. >
A Preliminary Investigation of IEP Quality and Content Associated with Placement in General Education versus Special Education Classes.

An analysis was conducted of the quality and curriculum content of the individualized education programs (IEPs) written by 11 teachers for 22 students with severe disabilities who attended a specia...
Fabrication Process for Bonded Multi-Layer Dual Target Assemblies Used for the Russian Damage (RD) Series of Experiments for the Los Alamos HEDH Program

Summary form only given. The Los Alamos HEDH program, (USA), in conjunction with VNIEF, (Russia), have jointly conducted spallation experiments over the past several years. The latest fabrication techniques use bonding methods for holding and separating the different target components. This poster describes the latest techniques used for fabricating dual stacked and bonded target assemblies for the Russian damage (RD) series of experiments. The 200 mum adhesive shock isolation layers, that separate the glide plane interfaces, now replace a previously used O-ring style interface. This new-method ensures precise concentricity and parallelism between critical target features along with making a more robust target assembly. This poster describes these new manufacturing methods that have improved precision and eased assembly procedures.
A maximum-principle preserving finite element method for scalar conservation equations

This paper introduces a first-order viscosity method for the explicit approximation of scalar conservation equations with Lipschitz fluxes using continuous finite elements on arbitrary grids in any space dimension. Provided the lumped mass matrix is positive definite, the method is shown to satisfy the local maximum principle under a usual CFL condition. The method is independent of the cell type; for instance, the mesh can be a combination of tetrahedra, hexahedra, and prisms in three space dimensions.
Anomalous venous circuit: a detour to the heart.

We report a case of a complicated vascular access secondary to systemic venous defects, which have not been previously reported. Evaluation revealed an atypical coursing of a subclavian vein-persistent superior vena caval system into the hemizygos–azygos system and ultimately into the right (proper) superior vena cava. The clinical and surgical considerations of such an anomaly are discussed therein. We look at embryological origins of such a merger and share our experience in troubleshooting through the anomaly.
Influence of SLCO1B1 and CYP2C8 gene polymorphisms on rosiglitazone pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers.

Polymorphisms in drug transporter genes and/or drug-metabolising enzyme genes may contribute to inter-individual variability in rosiglitazone pharmacokinetics in humans. We sought to determine the joint effects of polymorphisms in the SLCO1B1 drug transporter gene and the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8-metabolising enzyme gene on rosiglitazone pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers. Healthy Caucasian subjects were prospectively enrolled on the basis of SLCO1B1 521 T > C genotype. Additionally, subjects were genotyped for SLCO1B1 11187 G > A, - 10499 A > C and 388 A > G polymorphisms, and the CYP2C8*3 polymorphism. SLCO1B1 haplotypes and diplotypes were computationally assigned. Rosiglitazone plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and analysed using non-compartmental methods. The study population consisted of 26 subjects, with a mean age of 33 ± 9 years, and a mean weight of 66.6 ± 11.7 kg. There were no significant differences in rosiglitazone pharmacokinetic parameters between SLCO1B1 diplotype groups. Subjects with the CYP2C8*1/*3 genotype (n = 7), however, had significantly lower rosiglitazone area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and significantly higher rosiglitazone oral clearance, compared with CYP2C8 wild-type homozygotes (n = 19). Stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that CYP2C8 genotype (p = 0.006) and weight (p = 0.022) were significant predictors of rosiglitazone AUC (overall p = 0.002; R2 = 41.6 per cent). We concluded that polymorphisms in the CYP2C8 drug-metabolising enzyme gene, but not the SLCO1B1 drug transporter gene, significantly influence rosiglitazone disposition in humans. Future studies examining the influence of CYP2C8 genotypes and haplotypes on thiazolidinedione disposition and response in patients with type 2 diabetes are warranted.
The Developmental Niche: A Conceptualization at the Interface of Child and Culture:

Anthropological approaches to human development have been oriented primarily to the socialized adult, at the expense of understanding developmental processes. Developmental psychology, in contrast, has traditionally been concerned with a decontextualized, 'universal' child. After a brief historical review, the 'developmental niche' is introduced as a framework for examining the cultural structuring of child development. The developmental niche has three components: the physical and social settings in which the child lives; the customs of child care and child rearing; and the psychology of the caretakers. Homeostatic mechanisms tend to keep the three subsystems in harmony with each other and appropriate to the developmental level and individual characteristics of the child. Nevertheless, they have different relationships to other features of the larger environment and thus constitute somewhat independent routes of disequilibrium and change. Regularities within and among the subsystems, and thematic continu...
Food texture descriptors based on fractal and local gradient information

This work is motivated by the desire to use image analysis methods to identify and characterize images of food items to aid in dietary assessment. This paper introduces three texture descriptors for texture classification that can be used to classify images of food. Two are based on the multifractal analysis, namely, entropy-based categorization and fractal dimension estimation (EFD), and a Gabor-based image decomposition and fractal dimension estimation (GFD). Our third texture descriptor is based on the spatial relationship of gradient orientations (GOSDM), by obtaining the occurrence rate of pairs of gradient orientations at different neighborhood scales. The proposed methods are evaluated in texture classification and food categorization tasks using the entire Brodatz database and a customized food dataset with a wide variety of textures. Results show that for food categorization our methods consistently outperform several widely used techniques for both texture and object categorization.
Learning on Weighted Hypergraphs to Integrate Protein Interactions and Gene Expressions for Cancer Outcome Prediction

Building reliable predictive models from multiple complementary genomic data for cancer study is a crucial step towards successful cancer treatment and a full understanding of the underlying biological principles. To tackle this challenging data integration problem, we propose a hypergraph-based learning algorithm called HyperGene to integrate microarray gene expressions and protein-protein interactions for cancer outcome prediction and biomarker identification. HyperGene is a robust two-step iterative method that alternatively finds the optimal outcome prediction and the optimal weighting of the marker genes guided by a protein-protein interaction network. Under the hypothesis that cancer-related genes tend to interact with each other, the HyperGene algorithm uses a protein-protein interaction network as prior knowledge by imposing a consistent weighting of interacting genes. Our experimental results on two large-scale breast cancer gene expression datasets show that HyperGene utilizing a curated protein-protein interaction network achieves significantly improved cancer outcome prediction. Moreover, HyperGene can also retrieve many known cancer genes as highly weighted marker genes.
Teaching computer networks through modeling

Modern computer scientists need to understand both the theoretical and practical aspects of computer networking. As computer science teaching methods continue to mature, experiences in mixing theory and application have been shared in the community [Marti 96]. While the literature is rich with experiences in applied or project based courses in artificial intelligence, architecture, software engineering, data structures and algorithms, few have addressed the challenge of coordinating theory and practice in computer networking courses.Combining theory and practice in a single course on computer networks is difficult because of the complexity and scale of modern networks. Classroom modeling of networks is a technique to illustrate the theoretical aspects of networking through practical models of computer networks. At West Point we are evolving our network course to use network modeling and simple simulation as a visualization tool to show how networks operate and the performance tradeoffs associated with network design decisions. This approach provides the opportunity to do more than teach an undergraduate survey course in computer networking.
Pressure-Assisted Lysis of Mammalian Cell Cultures Prior to Proteomic Analysis

Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of specimens derived from mammalian cell cultures and tissues provides informative views into the complex molecular mechanisms of cellular processes. Good control, efficiency, and reproducibility of protein extraction from cells and tissues are essential aspects for downstream proteomic assays, as well as for other diverse biological and basic research applications. However, common cell lysis techniques suffer from multiple limitations including the lack of reproducibility in protein extraction, covalent alteration of the sample molecules, and misrepresentation of subpopulations of cellular proteins, among others. In this work we have examined the effect of altering both the lysis buffer and the mechanism of lysis in order to enhance proteomic coverage from a cell culture sample. Ultra-high hydrostatic pressure cycling and the addition of fluorinated alcohol in the lysis buffer have been tested due to their proposed individual abilities to solubilize and change conformations of proteins in order to facilitate downstream enzymatic digestion and LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis. The resulting data shows that both changes in the cell lysis method demonstrate enrichment for different classes of proteins and protein classes, including membrane- and organelle-associated proteins, meanwhile increasing the total number of recovered proteins and peptides when compared to the conventional lysis methods.
Compiler blockability of numerical algorithms

An attempt was made to determine whether a compiler can automatically restructure computations well enough to avoid the need for hand blocking. To that end, programs in LAPACK were studied for which it was possible to examine both the block version and the corresponding point algorithm. For each of these programs, it was determined whether a plausible compiler technology could succeed in obtaining the block version from the point algorithm. The results are encouraging: one can block triangular and trapezoidal loops, and many of the problems introduced by complex dependence patterns can be overcome by the use of the transformation known as index-set splitting. In addition, it was shown that knowledge about which operations commute can enable a compiler to succeed in blocking codes that could not be blocked by any compiler based strictly on dependence analysis. >
Marital Quality for Men and Women in Stepfamilies: Examining the Role of Economic Pressure, Common Stressors, and Stepfamily-Specific Stressors

Although economic pressure and family stress models have been examined with samples of men and women in first marriages, previous models have neglected to focus on men and women in stepfamilies and to examine stress sources unique to stepfamilies. This study examines the effect of economic pressure on both common stressors and stepfamily-specific stressors and the subsequent effects on negativity, positivity, and marital quality. Results of structural equation modeling with a sample of 490 men and women in stepfamilies indicate that the proposed stepfamily stress model fit the data well for both men and women. For women, stepfamily-specific stressors have a direct inverse effect on positivity, negativity, and marital quality. For men, stepfamily-specific stressors were predictive of both positivity and marital quality. Findings from the study advance previous research on economic pressure, family stress, and marital quality.
Developing a web site to support the implementation of medical home.

The MedHome Portal is a web site aimed at providing information and resources to primary care physicians and families to improve care of children with special health care needs and support the Medical Home model of comprehensive care. Its development is a collaborative effort among a University’s Department of Pediatrics and its Health Sciences Library, the state Department of Health, a family advocacy organization, and others. The Portal’s development to date, unique features, results in terms of content and utilization, lessons learned, and future directions are detailed.
Low-Dose Aronia melanocarpa Concentrate Attenuates Paraquat-Induced Neurotoxicity

Herbicides containing paraquat may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Paraquat induces reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis in neurons, which is a primary mechanism behind its toxicity. We sought to test the effectiveness of a commercially available polyphenol-rich Aronia melanocarpa (aronia berry) concentrate in the amelioration of paraquat-induced neurotoxicity. Considering the abundance of antioxidants in aronia berries, we hypothesized that aronia berry concentrate attenuates the paraquat-induced increase in reactive oxygen species and protects against paraquat-mediated neuronal cell death. Using a neuronal cell culture model, we observed that low doses of aronia berry concentrate protected against paraquat-mediated neurotoxicity. Additionally, low doses of the concentrate attenuated the paraquat-induced increase in superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and oxidized glutathione levels. Interestingly, high doses of aronia berry concentrate increased neuronal superoxide levels independent of paraquat, while at the same time decreasing hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, high-dose aronia berry concentrate potentiated paraquat-induced superoxide production and neuronal cell death. In summary, aronia berry concentrate at low doses restores the homeostatic redox environment of neurons treated with paraquat, while high doses exacerbate the imbalance leading to further cell death. Our findings support that moderate levels of aronia berry concentrate may prevent reactive oxygen species-mediated neurotoxicity.
Melanoma involving the surgical scar following surgery and craniospinal irradiation for childhood medulloblastoma: case report and literature review

Patients with childhood cancer are at increased risk of developing melanoma as a secondary malignancy. It is unclear whether this risk is related to underlying patient predisposition or secondary to treatment effect. We report a case of a 43-year-old male with a history of childhood medulloblastoma at the age of 13 treated with surgery and craniospinal irradiation who presented with an enlarging occipital mass and contiguous, cutaneous, ulcerated nodule. The nodule appeared to arise within the patient’s occipital surgical scar. Imaging revealed a large mass in the posterior neck soft tissues with associated lytic destruction of the occiput and C1 vertebrae. Biopsy was consistent with melanoma, epitheliod and small cell types. No other sites of disease or cutaneous lesions were identified. Despite aggressive therapy with radiation therapy and chemotherapy, the lesion progressed and the patient died of complications of obstructive hydrocephalus. It is hypothesized that this patient developed melanoma as a result of his radiation therapy exposure or that tumor arose de novo in the surgical scar tissue. The presentation of the melanoma in this case and the potential etiologies are unique.
Rules vs. Standards, Naturalized: Using Philosophy and Behavioral Experimentation to Identify the Determinants of Constraint in a Legal Context

This dissertation is a philosophically-minded, empirical study of constraint in the judicial decisionmaking context. It seeks to provide insight into the fundamental questions regarding law’s role in judicial deliberation. Does law make judges more likely to decide in accordance with its dictates? If so, does the specificity of the law’s directive matter? And if so, do extralegal factors play an important role? Our progress in answering these questions tells us something about judges, of course, but it tells us something about law’s capacities too. What makes this project unique is that it applies methodologies drawn from both behavioral experimentation and philosophy to legal phenomena. While its focal point is judicial interpretation, it is distinct from many philosophical examinations of that subject in part because it takes observed human behavior so seriously; the very design of its testing instruments anticipates that interpreters are — somewhat predictably — motivated, fallible human beings. And it is distinct from many empirical analyses of that subject because it takes our concept of law and the phenomenological contours of interpretation very seriously, especially as they pertain to the rules/standards distinction in legal norm content. I use rules (bright-line norms) and standards (evaluative norms) as a framework for understanding how people respond to law in judging scenarios. In most instances, I consider “pure” examples of rules and standards; these reflect law at its plausible maximal and minimal constraining power, at least according to conventional wisdom and most philosophical accounts. Because rules and standards have these differential characteristics and because they are present in virtually all real world legal systems, they serve as useful research tools; their combined use sets the parameters for law’s intrinsic capacity to influence the behavior of those subject to it. As for the conditions extrinsic to the law, I have chosen those that both appear likely to affect constraint and that do not pose extraordinary challenges to implementation in a behavioral study. These conditions have the power fundamentally to alter the situation in which legal interpretation takes place because they connect with key aspects of the relationship between text and interpreter: namely, interpreter ability, availability of outside viewpoints, and interpreter motivation. To tap into these dimensions, I control the experimental interpreter’s ability to use resources, vary the interpreter’s access to party argumentation, and maintain and monitor the ideological salience of the facts underlying the disputes that the interpreter resolves. As a result, we gain insight into the manner in which law interacts with the interpretive environment and, thus, learn about the extent of law’s role in constraint.
Convergence refinement

Refinement tools such as compilers do not necessarily preserve fault-tolerance. That is, given a fault-tolerant program in a high-level language as input, the output of a compiler in a lower-level language will not necessarily be fault-tolerant. We identify a type of refinement, namely "convergence refinement", that preserves the fault-tolerance property of stabilization. We illustrate the use of convergence refinement by presenting the first formal design of Dijkstra's little-understood 3-state stabilizing token-ring system. Our designs begin with simple, abstract token-ring systems that are not stabilizing, and then add an abstract "wrapper" to the systems so as to achieve stabilization. The system and the wrapper are then refined to obtain a concrete token-ring system, while preserving stabilization. In fact, the two are refined independently, which demonstrates that convergence refinement is amenable for "graybox" design of stabilizing implementations, i.e., design of system stabilization based solely on system specification and without knowledge of system implementation details.
Gigapixel holography

Relatively low cost focal plane arrays and the availability of high performance digital memory and processing enable computational holographic imaging on unprecedented scale. Recent progress in registration and optimization enables coherent imaging over relatively large sensor arrays based on scanning. This talk describes work on large pixel count holographic imaging in our group and discusses multi-sensor array image fusion in computational holographic imagers.
Hassles and uplifts during the freshman year of medical school.

New Hassles and Uplifts Scales were administered monthly for 9 mo. to a representative sample of 55 (of 180) freshman medical students. Hassles most frequently reported related to academic-social concerns and uplifts to hedonic concerns. No significant sex differences were found.
Spotted fever group rickettsiae in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).

To determine the prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum , 2,333 adult A. americanum collected from Mississippi and Kentucky were individually tested in 1983 and 1984. In 1984 a total of 734 specimens was also collected from Oklahoma and Texas. Results indicated that 41 (9.5%) of 421 ticks tested from Mississippi were hemolymph-test (HT) positive, and 23 of the HT positive ticks were fluorescent-antibody (FA) positive. From Kentucky, 195 (10.2%) of 1,912 were HT positive, and 96 of these were FA positive. In Oklahoma, 45 (7.0%) of 645 ticks were HT positive, and 15 of these were also FA positive. Of the 89 ticks examined from Texas, 12 (13.5%) were HT positive, and 3 of these were FA positive. Micro-immunofluorescence assay of 138 ticks positive by FA revealed that 38 produced titers 2:1:32 (21 seropositive to Rickettsia parkeri and 17 to the WB-8-2 strain of Rickettsia sp.); the remaining 100 sera revealed low titers (1:8 or 1:16) to R. parkeri , WB-8-2, R. rickettsii, R. sibirica , or R. conorii . One rickettsial isolate obtained in Vero cell culture from an FA-positive tick was identified as WB-8-2. This study did not reveal virulent spotted fever rickettsiae in the ticks examined. Our results suggest that A. americanum may not be a major vector of R. rickettsii , the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Extraction of Hemicellulose from Loblolly Pine Woodchips and Subsequent Kraft Pulping

A mild borate assisted alkaline pretreatment was applied to Loblolly pine chips prior to kraft pulping to extract hemicelluloses. The extraction was performed at 90 °C for 4 h with 6% (w/w based on o.d. sample) alkali and 5% (w/w based on o.d. sample) boric acid. This process could recover 37.7% hemicellulose from the woodchips with only a 6.9% decrease in the cellulose degree of polymerization (DP). During the subsequent kraft pulping of the extracted woodchips, the process requires careful optimization to obtain the same yield (∼52%) and maintain high pulp quality as the control cook. For the kraft cooking of extracted chips, similar pulp yield and physical strength could be reached by either decreasing the cooking time (reduced H-factor by 30%) or decreasing the chemical charge by 25% in comparison with the control cook.
Genetic ecotoxicology I: DNA integrity and reproduction in mosquitofish exposed in situ to radionuclides

Female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were collected from two sites located on the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation that are contaminated with 137Cs, 90Sr, other radionuclides and chemical genotoxicants. Fish from non- radionuclide contaminated environments located off the reservation were also collected. DNA, extracted from liver tissue and blood cells, was examined by gel electrophoresis for structural damage in the form of strand breakage. In general, the level of DNA strand breaks was elevated in fish from radionuclide-contaminated sites with observed differences in the number and type of strand breaks between liver tissue and blood cells. The number of malformed embryos was higher in fish at the contaminated sites, and varied with season. Fecundity was negatively correlated with the level of double strand breaks in the DNA of fish from one contaminated site. Females with broods that included malformed embryos had more DNA strand breakage than those that did not; and furthermore, a threshold effect was observed between the occurrence of malformed embryos and the presence of double strand breaks in the DNA of the mother. These findings have implications for both ecological risk assessment and evolutionary ecology
New Defensive Thinking in the Soviet Union, 1986–89

This chapter examines the rise of defensive thinking in the USSR under Gorbachev during 1986–89. In doing so, it considers three main propositions: that Western-originated thinking on non-provocative defence influenced NATO only through its influence on the Soviet Union; that new thinking in the Soviet Union owed much to non-official Western influences but largely legitimised itself by drawing on the Soviet past; and that Western offensive policies may have facilitated the emergence of Soviet defensive policies. After briefly reviewing earlier Soviet defensive thinking, I discuss the main claims of the new Soviet thinking under Gorbachev, examining evidence of a shift towards defensive doctrine after 1986. I then consider Soviet defensive advocates’ main assumptions and modes of discourse, concluding by considering how the Soviet defensive debate may have contributed to ending the Cold War.
The Role of Pheromone Trails in the Sociobiology of Snakes

In his review of reptilian social systems, Brattstrom (1974) stated that “nobody has, in my opinion, designed the appropriate experiments to study social behavior in snakes properly.” In the subsequent decade, studies of snake behavior have proliferated, but Brattstrom’s comments regarding studies of snake sociobiology are essentially still true. Most reports remain observational accounts and descriptions of ritualistic behaviors involved in reproductive and agonistic encounters (reviewed by Carpenter, 1977; Carpenter and Ferguson, 1977). Very few biologists have attempted to experimentally examine the sociobiological functions of such displays. However, for a good example, see Gillingham et al.’s (1983) test of courtship activity of male diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox), after combat dances.
Transition to ENFit enteral devices: Special challenges for pediatric institutions

Asentinel event alert issued by the Joint Commission in August 2014 cited over 100 errors and 21 deaths attributed to the administration of enteral nutrition through intravenous lines.[1][1] In order to prevent these errors, the Global Enteral Device Supplier Association (GEDSA) coordinated efforts
Race, Trust in Government, and Self-Employment:

This paper examines the effects of trust in government on the self-employment decision. For black Americans the decision to be self-employed, and the associated returns are likely to be particularl...
Software engineering team studios

Training of students on software engineering methods and practices demands more than the development of a project by a team. It demands effective training and monitoring on the software process, process tracking and team dynamics. Furthermore, lack of a dedicated space for team activities acerbates software development by teams and does not foster team effectiveness. We established a set of Software Engineering Team Studios with the vision to provide an environment in which to bring to focus issues that arise in the development of software by teams and which allows us to put into practice lessons learned in the classroom on software engineering methods and best practices.
Admission, discharge, and triage in critical care: principles and practice

This article reviews the practices of admission, discharge, and triage to or from a special care unit and how they differ based on unit type and patient load. The need to solve the excess patient/ insufficient resources dilemma is also addressed.