cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood disadvantage, childhood adversity, bullying victimization, and adolescent depression: A multiple mediational analysis.

ABSTRACT Background Each of the home, school, and neighborhood environmental factors for adolescent depression has received substantial attention in the literature; however, there remains a paucity of research which systematically examines the mechanisms whereby neighborhood structural and social characteristics in early childhood affects later depressive symptoms in adolescence as transmitted through family and school adversities. Methods The present study used nationally representative sampled data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal survey following a cohort of 4,898 children along with their parents and teachers at the child's birth and at 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15 years of age. Public and restricted-use data were used to merge individual surveys and neighborhood profiles. Results Our findings suggest that both neighborhood structural disadvantage and collective efficacy have direct impacts on adverse childhood experiences, bullying victimization, and social emotional development as well as indirect impacts on adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Neighborhood collective efficacy, but not structural disadvantage, was found to directly contribute to later depressive symptoms of adolescents. Limitations Resilience factors such as familial support and stable relationships were not considered in the current study. Due to the unavailability of data, potential reciprocal relationships among peer bullying, social emotional problems, and depressive symptoms were not examined. Conclusions Our finding that neighborhood characteristics contribute to the development of adolescents’ depression emphasizes the importance of a healthy neighborhood environment, which also provides implications for multi-faceted interventions to promote neighborhood resources and support systems, as well as community-wide bullying prevention programs and childhood adversity screenings.
A novel mode-dependent and probabilistic semi-discrete damage model for progressive failure analysis of composite laminates - Part I: Meshing strategy and mixed-mode law

Abstract A novel semi-discrete damage model (SD2M) is proposed for the progressive failure analysis (PFA) of composite structures. The presented method utilizes a separation of fiber and matrix failure modes and introduces a material strength distribution to thin strips of matrix-splitting elements in order to capture the progression of transverse crack density. With the proposed meshing strategy, the discreteness is greatly enhanced, while the model remains efficient and simple by using solely continuum elements. The SD2M approach aims to unify desirable features of both smeared and discrete methods and utilizes a practical and simple mesh generation procedure. In addition, a novel mixed-mode law is proposed to capture the damage evolution of matrix cracks. The proposed mixed-mode formulation ensures smooth and simultaneous vanishing of traction components and is suitable for generic softening laws. Applications of SD2M to several examples are presented in part II [1] of this two-part paper.
Adolescent measures of family socioeconomic status: Reliability, validity, and effects on substance use behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood.

Abstract Socioeconomic status (SES) is a robust predictor of health disparities in adolescence and early adulthood, yet obtaining accurate and reliable measurements of family SES from younger participants remains a challenge. We evaluated the reliability and validity of a subjective SES measure, i.e., perceived family financial security (PFS), which assesses adolescents’ perceptions of whether their family has enough money to meet their needs. We also examined the predictive associations of PFS and parental education (adolescent reports) with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use during adolescence and young adulthood. Longitudinal data were obtained from 593 parent-child dyads in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, who were assessed eight times between 2005 to 2014. Present analyses included data from four annual assessments conducted when the participating children were adolescents (age range = 10.25 – 16.33 years) and a final follow-up in young adulthood (age range = 20 – 23.42 years). PFS had good test-retest reliability and convergent validity with other parent and adolescent reported SES measures. Adolescent-reported PFS significantly predicted tobacco use frequency in young adulthood, whereas adolescent-reported parental education predicted alcohol use frequency. PFS was not a significant predictor of alcohol or marijuana use. Findings suggest that PFS can be a psychometrically sound measure to assess a unique dimension of SES in adolescent samples, with differential predictive associations among substance use outcomes in young adulthood compared to more traditional measures like parental education. Future research should evaluate the psychometric properties and utility of PFS as a complementary SES measure.
An amide mimic of desTHPdactylolide: Total synthesis and antiproliferative evaluation

(-)-Zampanolide is a unique microtubule stabilizing agent (MSA) with covalent-binding mechanism and low nanomolar anitproliferative potency towards multi-drug resistant cancer cells. MSAs have a special connection with prostate cancer by inhibiting androgen receptor nuclear translocation. Zampanolide and the structurally related dactylolide have thus been sought after by us as lead compounds for development of anti-prostate cancer agents. DesTHPdactylolide is a simplified mimic of dactylolide and has previously been synthesized by us in both configurations, with the (17R) configuration being more potent in suppressing prostate cancer cell proliferation. The current study aims to synthesize an amide mimic of (17R) desTHPdactylolide that was anticipated to be metabolically more stable than (17R) desTHPdactylolide. To this end, the amide mimic has been successfully synthesized through a 26-step transformation from 2-butyn-1-ol. Our WST-1 cell proliferation assay in five human prostate cancer cell models indicated that the lactam moiety can serve as a bioisostere for the lactone in desTHPdactylolide.
Pneumothorax Prevalence and Mortality per Gestational Age in the Newborn

Objectives Pneumothorax (PTX) in newborns is a life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality especially in premature infants. The frequency of PTX in neonates at different gestational ages (GA) and its impact on neonatal mortality have not been quantified. We aimed to determine: (1) the prevalence of PTX in neonates at different GA from ≤24 to ≥37 weeks, (2) the impact of PTX on mortality per GA, and (3) the impact of PTX on the length of stay (LOS) per GA. Methods The national Kids' Inpatient Database for the years of 2006-2012 were used. We included all infants admitted to the hospital with a documented GA and International Classification of Disease 9 code of PTX. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results A total of 10,625,036 infants were included; of them 3665 infants (0.034%) had a diagnosis of PTX, with highest prevalence at ≤24 weeks GA (0.67%), and lowest at term (0.02%). The overall mortality rate of patients with PTX was 8.8%, and greater in preterm (16.3%) versus term infants (2.7%). The association of mortality with PTX was greatest at GA of 29-32 weeks (OR = 8.55; 95% confidence interval: 6.56-11.13). Infants who survived until discharge had a median of 2-12 days longer LOS depending on GA category. Conclusions The prevalence of PTX peaks in infants less than 24 weeks, however, its impact on mortality is greatest at 29-32 weeks. PTX is associated with longer LOS in survivors.
Targeting community-based naloxone distribution using opioid overdose death rates: A descriptive analysis of naloxone rescue kits and opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Abstract Background Rates of fatal opioid overdose in Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island (RI) far exceed the national average. Community-based opioid education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs are effective public health interventions to prevent overdose deaths. We compared naloxone distribution and opioid overdose death rates in MA and RI to identify priority communities for expanded OEND. Methods We compared spatial patterns of opioid overdose fatalities and naloxone distribution through OEND programs in MA and RI during 2016 to 2019 using public health department data. The county-level ratio of naloxone kits distributed through OEND programs per opioid overdose death was estimated and mapped to identify potential gaps in naloxone availability across geographic regions and over time. Results From 2016 to 2019, the statewide community-based naloxone distribution to opioid overdose death ratio improved in both states, although more rapidly in RI (from 11.8 in 2016 to 35.6 in 2019) than in MA (from 12.3 to 17.2), driven primarily by elevated and increasing rates of naloxone distribution in RI. We identified some urban/non-urban differences, with higher naloxone distribution relative to opioid overdose deaths in more urban counties, and we observed some counties with high rates of overdose deaths but low rates of naloxone kits distributed through OEND programs. Conclusions We identified variations in spatial patterns of opioid overdose fatalities and naloxone availability, and these disparities appeared to be widening in some areas over time. Data on the spatial distribution of naloxone distribution and opioid overdose deaths can inform targeted, community-based naloxone distribution strategies that optimize resources to prevent opioid overdose fatalities.
Definitive roles of TOMM40-APOE-APOC1 variants in the Alzheimer's risk

Abstract Despite advances, the roles of genetic variants from the APOE-harboring 19q13.32 region in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain controversial. We leverage a comprehensive approach to gain insights into a more homogeneous genetic architecture of AD in this region. We use a sample of 2,673 AD-affected and 16,246 unaffected subjects from 4 studies and validate our main findings in the landmark Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium cohort (3,662 AD-cases and 1,541 controls). We report the remarkably high excesses of the AD risk for carriers of the e4 allele who also carry minor alleles of rs2075650 (TOMM40) and rs12721046 (APOC1) polymorphisms compared to carriers of their major alleles. The exceptionally high 4.37-fold (p=1.34 × 10−3) excess was particularly identified for the minor allele homozygotes. The beneficial and adverse variants were significantly depleted and enriched, respectively, in the AD-affected families. This study provides compelling evidence for the definitive roles of the APOE-TOMM40-APOC1 variants in the AD risk.
Right ventricular dysfunction by computed tomography associates with outcomes in severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Abstract Background Although cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) assessment of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) is feasible, the incremental prognostic value remains uncertain in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) evaluation. This study sought to determine the incremental clinical utility of RVD identification by CCTA while accounting for clinical and echocardiographic parameters. Methods Patients who underwent multiphasic ECG-gated CCTA using dual-source system for routine TAVR planning were evaluated. Biphasic contrast protocol injection allowed for biventricular contrast enhancement. CCTA-based RVD was defined as right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) Results A total of 502 patients were included (median [IQR] age, 82 [77 to 87] years; 56% men) with a median follow-up of 22 [16 to 32] months. Importantly, 126 (25%) patients were identified as having RVD by CCTA that was not identified by echocardiography. CCTA-defined RVD predicted death and the composite outcome in both univariate analyses (HR for mortality, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.44–3.22; p Conclusions Functional CCTA assessment correctly identified 25% of patients pre-TAVR with RVD that was not evident on echocardiography. The presence of RVD on CCTA independently associates with clinical outcomes post-TAVR.
Narrative and the Stability of Intention

This paper addresses a problem concerning the rational stability of intention. When you form an intention to φ at some future time t, you thereby make it subjectively rational for you to follow through and φ at t, even if—hypothetically—you would abandon the intention were you to redeliberate at t. It is hard to understand how this is possible. Shouldn't the perspective of your acting self be what determines what is then subjectively rational for you? I aim to solve this problem by highlighting a role for narrative in intention. I'll argue that committing yourself to a course of action by intending to pursue it crucially involves the expectation that your acting self will be ‘swept along’ by its participation in a distinctively narrative form of self-understanding. I'll motivate my approach by criticizing Richard Holton's and Michael Bratman's recent treatments of the stability of intention, though my account also borrows from Bratman's work. I'll likewise criticize and borrow from David Velleman's work on narrative and self-intelligibility. When the pieces fall into place, we'll see how intending is akin to telling your future self a kind of story. My thesis is not that you address your acting self but that your acting self figures as a ‘character’ in the ‘story’ that you address to a still later self. Unlike other appeals to narrative in agency, mine will explain how as narrator you address a specifically intrapersonal audience.
Brokers and the Equilibrium Price Function

This paper describes the equilibrium price function generated by brokers in a market in which heterogeneous buyers meet heterogeneous sellers through a matching process with frictions. The equilibrium price function relates the price to alternative ratios of buyers and sellers offered by different brokers. The paper shows how brokers can enter a matching market and charge fees that yield a profit while making both buyers and sellers better off. Computational methods for deriving the equilibrium price function are developed and the solution is related to the market for access to trading partners.
Are European Banks in Economic Harmonay? An HLM Aproach

A reduced-form equation relating the log of the capital account ratio to several micro and macro variables, particularly the profitability variable, for the commercial banks in nine European countries over eleven years, 1991-2001, was constructed. The equation consisted of a fixed-effects part and a random-effects part. The Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) approach was used to test the harmonization hypothesis relating the capital account ratio to the profit rate across the countries and over the years. The statistical results indicated that while some differences in bank behavior as indicated by the intercept and slope deviations across countries and over years did exist, by and large, most of the differences or deviations from the fixed-effects means were not significantly different from zero. The harmonization hypothesis was accepted. European bank behavior gave evidence of being in harmony and uniform over countries and years. Some policy implications are discussed briefly.
Bioorthogonal Chemical Reporters for Analyzing Protein Sulfenylation in Cells

Protein sulfenylation (RSOH), the redox-based modification of cysteine thiol side chains by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is an important mechanism in signal transduction. Likewise, dysregulated protein sulfenylation contributes to a range of human pathologies, including cancer. Efforts to elucidate the diverse roles of protein sulfenylation in physiology and disease have been hampered by the lack of techniques to probe these modifications in native environments. To address this problem, selective chemical reporters have been developed for the detection and identification of sulfenylated proteins directly in cells. In the approach described here, a cyclic β-diketone warhead is functionalized with an azide or alkyne chemical handle. An orthogonally functionalized biotin or fluorescent reporter is then appended to the probe post-homogenization via click chemistry for downstream analysis. These bi-functional probes are exquisitely selective for protein sulfenyl modifications, non-toxic, and do not perturb intracellular redox balance. These reagents have been utilized to investigate sulfenylation in vitro and to identify intracellular protein targets of H2O2 during cell signaling. These methods provide a facile way to detect protein sulfenic acids and to study the biological role of cysteine oxidation with regard to physiological and pathological events. Curr. Protoc. Chem. Biol. 4:101-122 © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: thiol modification; protein sulfenylation; redox signaling; click chemistry; in-gel fluorescence; western blotting
Faculty Members' Readiness for E-learning in the College of Basic Education in Kuwait

E-learning exposes students and instructors to different learning models such as constructivism rather than the traditional learning. E-learning as a part of today's technology has proven that it is appropriate for most students' mentalities and is a mind tool which promotes different learning models, such as problem solving strategy, collaborative learning, and critical thinking. The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) in Kuwait consists of more than 10 academic colleges with a total number of 120 faculty members. The College of Basic Education (CBE) is one of them. The implementation of e-learning at the College of Basic Education requires that all the learning community members, instructors and students, understand that an e-learning course is like a learning community with the privilege of sharing knowledge, opinions, experiences related to class subject, and productive outcomes that are beneficial to this learning community. This study indentified the statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics of e-learning adopters and non-adopters among faculty members at CBE, examining faculty members' attitudes and skills toward e-learning readiness. The study will explore perceived barriers that face e-learning at CBE. Applying the Rogers diffusion of innovation theory, the influence of 4 factors was examined regarding faculty readiness for e-learning at CBE. Chi-square techniques, t-tests, and factor analysis were conducted to analyze the data and answer research questions. Statistically significant differences were identified among e-learning adopters and non-adopters regarding age difference and department discipline, both technical and non-technical.
Chamber Size Effects on the Collaborative Structure of Legislatures

The collective nature of legislating forces legislators to rely on one another for information and support. This collaborative activity requires a choice about partnerships in an environment of uncertainty. The basic size and organization of a legislature amplifies this uncertainty in relational choices. Analysis of collaborative patterns between all the U.S. state legislators in 2007 corroborates this expectation, indicating that large legislatures have highly partisan collaborative networks with generally low density, while larger legislative committees mitigate these effects. Thus, even when the attributes of legislators do not change, the organizational size of the legislature can shape how those legislators interact.
Precision measurements of nuclear quadrupole moments by muonic X-rays

The electric multipole hyperfine interaction in muonic atoms is discussed. In particular, the influence of the finite size of the nuclear electric multipole-charge distribution on the values of nuclear spectroscopic multipole moments that are extracted from muonic hyperfine measurements is considered. It is shown that nuclear electric quadrupole moments can be deduced from the observed hyperfine splittings of muonic M X-ray transitions with high precision and practically independently of the model nuclear quadrupole-charge density. Measurements of the ground-state electric quadrupole moments of 11 deformed nuclei in and near the rare-earth region are discussed.
NMR study of the kinetics of ligand-exchange reactions of ethylenediamine with tetrakis(ethylenediamine)lanthanide(III) complexes

The kinetics of the exchange reactions of N-deuterated ethylenediamine with paramagnetic Ln(en-d[sub 4])[sub 4][sup 3+] (Ln[sup 3+] = Pr[sup 3+], Nd[sup 3+], Eu[sup 3+], Er[sup 3+], Yb[sup 3+]) complexes in deuterated acetonitrile were investigated over the temperature range 233-343 K using [sup 1]H NMR. The data were analyzed by line shape analysis using the equation for a two-site exchange. The mean ligand residence times, [tau][sub m], were observed to increase across the lanthanide series. The erbium and ytterbium systems demonstrated both the slow- and fast-exchange limits over this temperature range on both the 300- and 100-MHz time scales; however, exchange involving complexes of the large metal ions revealed coalescence of the coordinated and free ligand peaks even at the lowest temperature studied (233 K). A linear dependency of 1/[tau][sub m] on the concentration of free ligand was observed for complexes derived from the larger ions (Pr[sup 3+], Nd[sup 3+], Eu[sup 3+]), corresponding to a rate law that is first order in ethylenediamine concentration. The mechanism proposed for these reactions is discussed in terms of a nine-coordinate intermediate. For complexes of the smaller ions (Ln[sup 3+] = Er[sup 3+], Yb[sup 3+]), 1/[tau][sub m] was nearly independent of the ethylenediamine concentration atmore » higher temperatures and revealed a nonlinear dependency on ethylenediamine concentration at lower temperatures. Parallel I[sub d] and D exchange mechanisms are proposed to be operating in these systems. 29 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less
Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis: An outbreak associated with raw oysters in the pacific northwest

During a 3-month period in the late summer and fall of 1981, six cases of gastroenteritis and one wound infection due to Vibrio parahaemolyticus were reported to public health agencies in Washington and Oregon. An investigation revealed that all of the gastroenteric illnesses were associated with eating raw oysters; that oysters eaten by five of the six patients were harvested at four divergent sites at Willapa Bay, Washington, a large commercial growing area; and that the V. parahaemolyticus isolates from those five patients were all Kanagawa positive, belonged to serotype 04:K12, and exhibited an atypical biochemical reaction, urea hydrolysis. No further cases linked to Willapa Bay oysters have been reported, and the infecting strain could not be found in sediment samples from the bay in February 1982. Thus, even though the origin of this self-limiting outbreak is obscure, the investigation demonstrated that the geographic distribution of V. parahaemolyticus infection in the United States includes the Pacific seacoast . Furthermore, oysters must be considered, along with crabs, shrimp, and lobster, as a vehicle of transmission of this infection in the United States.
Effect of the incident at Columbine on students' violence- and suicide-related behaviors

Abstract Background: This study examined the impact that the violent incident at Columbine High School may have had on reports of behaviors related to violence and suicide among U.S. high school students. Methods: Nationally representative data from the 1999 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. Results: Students who completed the 1999 YRBS after the Columbine incident were more likely to report feeling too unsafe to go to school and less likely to report considering or planning suicide than were students who completed the 1999 YRBS before the incident. Conclusions: These results highlight how an extreme incident of school violence can affect students nationwide.
Fish Species of the Little River Basin, Western Kentucky, 2000–2003

Abstract Fish community studies were carried out in the Little River basin of western Kentucky in 2000 and 2003. Thirteen families and 45 species of fish were collected at 16 sites. Thirty-three percent of all taxa were considered intolerant of high turbidity, siltation, and low dissolved oxygen. The most frequently encountered species were scarlet shiner (15 of 16 sites), striped shiner (14 of 16 sites), bluntnose minnow (13 of 16 sites), and longear sunfish at 13 of 16 sites. Other taxa occurring at 75% of all sites included bluegill, largescale stoneroller, banded sculpin, and green sunfish. The highest number of species (21) was found at Site 11 on the Sinking Fork. No federally threatened or endangered species were found. The Little River continues to be an impaired system for aquatic biota.
Noise characterization of an AlGaAs interdigitated metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector (MSM-PD)

The noise characterization of an InGaAs interdigitated metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector (MSM-PD) illuminated with 1.3- mu m wavelength radiation is presented. The range of frequencies for the noise measurements included is (0.1-100 kHz) and (500 MHz to -1 GHz). A description of the high-frequency measurement setup, as well as the noise spectra for low and high frequencies, is included. While full shot noise was expected at high frequencies, a value of
The effect of playoff series length on the outcome

Best–of–k playoff series are typically used in postseason tournaments of the North American major professional sport leagues. For longer series, there tends to be relatively little fan (consumer) interest in the early games of the series. However, conventional wisdom is such that a longer series is more fair, in that it increases the probability that the superior team will win the series. We show that this is not necessarily true, as the specific home/away sequence of games that is used may, in fact, decrease this probability with longer series. The analysis is then extended to determine under what circumstances this anomaly is realised.
Range image-based object detection and localization for HERMIES III mobile robot

Range images can provide very useful information for operating robotic systems in cluttered and dynamic environments. Development of an integrated mobile robotic system which can acquire, process, analyze and perform actions based upon such analysis, in real time, involves the resolution of many complex issues. In this paper we describe research activities to demonstrate development and operation of an autonomous mobile robotic system capable of detecting 55 gallon drums in range images, and then performing complex radiation survey tasks on the detected drums. The robot must perform tasks such as precision navigation with crabbing, object identification and localization, docking with the located object, and scanning of the object for radiation. The processing of range data involved five steps: (1) correction of the cosine effect, (2) image filtering, (3) calculation of surface normals, (4) image segmentation, and (5) object recognition and localization. The results of the range processing procedures are presented. The novelty of the techniques is that they are being adapted, combined, and applied to real data obtained form a sensor-based mobile robot in a cluttered environment. Experimental results demonstrating the robustness of the approach on real range data are presented. We also present some experimental results of a Geometric Modeling and Sensor Simulation System for generating synthetic range imagery using 3D world models.
Wheat Volatilized Ammonia and Resulting Nitrogen Isotopic Fractionation

The potted wheat yielded sensitive double-peaked senescent N bands representing 3 to 4% of the N within the in-chamber crop. The NH 3 -N emission was from the internal N pool of the plant. Wheat tissue total N was determined by gravimetric Kjeldahl procedures employing tube diffusion. Fractionation of 14 N and 15 N isotopes, previously observed with tube diffusion and steam distillation, provided a basic model for similar fractionation caused by wheat volatilization of NH 3 . The varying atom percent 15 N trends fit a model of continuously increasing wheat 15 N content due to volatilization of NH 3 with lower 15 N content
Masking produced by spectral uncertainty with multicomponent maskers.

The first experiment examined thresholds for signals at 250, 1000, and 4000 Hz presented simultaneously with maskers that had from 1 to 100 sinusoidal components. The number of masker components remained constant throughout a block of trials, but the component frequencies were drawn at random from a 5000-Hz range for each presentation. Maskers with as few as 10 components produced more masking than maskers with up to 100 components or than broadband noise. The amount of masking decreased dramatically if the same masker occurred in both intervals of a forced-choice trial, even if the masker changed between trials. The second experiment examined whether judgments of the number of components present in a stimulus might aid signal detection. Such a strategy would not be effective, since about 50% more components are needed to discriminate between stimuli, regardless of the initial number of components. These experiments indicate that listeners sometimes are unable to use a single-filter detection strategy, even when it is advantageous to do so.
Conserved peptides in the proteins of vesicular stomatitis virus.

Abstract The structural proteins of several isolates of the Indiana serotype (Orsay, Glasgow, and San Juan) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were compared by sizing peptides generated by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease or α-chymotrypsin. These digestions yielded nearly identical peptide patterns for all the VSV proteins except for the glycoprotein, indicating that the major surface antigen, even of these closely related isolates, is subject to change. When two serologically distinct VSV isolates (Indiana and New Jersey) were similarly examined, each protein had a peptide pattern characteristic of that serotype. The glycoprotein of the two serotypes had no peptides in common, while the internal viral proteins L, N, NS, and M showed various degrees of similarity. Digests of the L (polymerase) and M (membrane) protein, in particular, generated groups of small peptides with identical mobilities, suggesting that there may be core regions in the Indiana and New Jersey strain which are conserved. These conserved regions may in turn represent essential functions of rhabdovirus proteins and are promising targets for broad-spectrum antivirals.
Improving the nutritional quality and maintaining consumption quality of akara using curdlan and composite flour

Summary Soybean flour and curdlan were incorporated into cowpea flour to determine their effect on lowering the fat content and on the physical properties of akara. At 20% substitution, soybean flour lowered the fat content of akara by 7.7% and increased the protein content by 28.7% without significantly affecting the firmness or the colour of akara. Addition of 1% curdlan decreased the fat content by 32.2% but significantly increased the firmness of akara and produced a darker-coloured product. The paste moisture content of akara containing 20% soybean flour and 1% curdlan was modified to obtain product characteristics comparable with the control (100% cowpea flour) while maintaining a lower fat content. Optimum results were obtained for paste with 63% moisture content. Firmness of this modified product was similar to the control and the fat content was lower (17%) compared with the control (26%).
Large Diurnal Sea Surface Temperature Variability: Satellite and In Situ Measurements

Data from a surface mooring located in the Sargasso Sea at 34°N, 70°W between May 1982 and May 1984 were compared with satellite data to investigate large diurnal sea surface temperature changes. Mooring and satellite measurements are in excellent agreement for those days on which no clouds covered the site at the time of the satellite pass. During the summer half-year at this site, there is a 20% charm of diurnal warming of more than 0.5°C, with values of up to 3.5°C observed in the two-year period. Diurnal warming observed at the mooring has been simulated well by a one-dimensional model driven by local beat and momentum fluxes. Under the conditions of very light wind and strong insolation that produce the Largest surface warming, the surface mixed-layer depth reduces to the convection depth, and wind-mixing becomes unimportant. The thermal response is then limited to depths between 1 and 2 m, making it likely that such events have been underreported in routine ship observations. In all cases observed, the spatial extent of warming events as determined by satellite data are well correlated with the corresponding atmospheric pressure patterns. Conditions giving rise to the largest diurnal warming events are often associated with a westward-extending ridge of the Bermuda high. In the region studied, 57°–75°W and 29°–43°N, diurnal warming of more than 1°C was found on occasion to cover areas in excess of 300 000 km2, with warming of more than 2°C coveting areas in excess of 130 000 km2.
Sprouting capability of 17 tropical tree species after overstory removal in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract While carrying out an overstory removal/natural regeneration study, the number of sprouts from the trees that were cut down were recorded. Seventeen species with average diameters from 9 to 36 cm were studied. The number of sprouts varied from 1 to 6, and sprout heights from 1.0 m to 5 m, 3 years after the original trees were cut. Overall, the number of sprouts and the height of the sprouts increased as the parent tree diameter increased. This information can be very useful in managing the forest for products other than timber. Firewood, medicinal plants, construction materials, edible fruits, and forages are among the different uses of the observed species. Specific stands might be coppiced to satisfy some of the most immediate needs of the region's inhabitants.
Two-Provider Technique for Bimanual Uterine Compression to Control Postpartum Hemorrhage

Introduction: Bimanual uterine compression may provide a reasonable treatment option for controlling or arresting postpartum hemorrhage in areas where access to care and advanced medical interventions are limited. Preliminary evidence suggests that correctly performed bimanual uterine compression is unsustainable for more than a few minutes, despite empirical evidence and practice recommendations that support extended compression for optimal effect. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of team-based (pairs) bimanual uterine compression for managing postpartum hemorrhage from uterine atony. Methods: Obstetricians, nurse-midwives, midwifery students, and unskilled birth attendants (N = 30) in Ghana performed bimanual uterine compression using a simulator with objective performance feedback (6 lights) corresponding to pressure sensors on the uterus. For each participant, we tracked the degree and duration of maintained uterine compression. Birth attendants were then paired (15 pairs) and were similarly assessed performing the technique as a team, with 1 attendant providing external compression to the uterine fundus using 2 hands and the other providing internal pressure against the body of the uterus with a single hand. Results: Individuals were unable to fully compress the uterus and maintain compression for more than 150 seconds without fatiguing. All paired teams were able to fully compress the uterus and maintain the compression for the maximum allotted time of 5 minutes. Discussion: Results suggest that bimanual uterine compression is more effective when performed by a team, with a primary attendant maintaining internal lower uterine segment pressure and monitoring the patient's condition and a partner applying external pressure to the uterine fundus. For cases where access to advanced medical care is limited or delayed, team-applied bimanual uterine compression could enhance the ability to control or arrest postpartum hemorrhage and increase the likelihood of maternal survival.
Does learning produce song conformity or novelty in white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys?

Song learning in birds makes it possible for males to faithfully imitate tutors and also to generate novel improvisations. Within local dialects of the Puget Sound white-crowned sparrow, most males share the terminal trill phrase in their songs. In contrast, the introductory note complex is more variable within local populations and appears to encode individual identity. We studied the song-learning process during initial territory establishment in a wild population of white-crowned sparrows. Although most adult males sing a single song type, many yearling males overproduce song types early in their first singing season before deleting all but one song type from their repertoire. We asked whether this attrition process favours retention of a song with a note complex that resembles that of a male's neighbour, as would be predicted by various hypotheses assuming a benefit to song sharing, or whether it favours retention of a distinctive note complex, which would produce individuality in song. We found that males that initially overproduced song types retained shared note complexes, and that these males were more likely to share their adult note complex with neighbours than were young males that did not overproduce. Only 51% of recruits overproduced, however, and we close by speculating that overproduction and close song sharing may be correlates of male quality and learning ability.
ULCERATIVE COLITIS IN YOUNG ADULTS: COMPLEXITIES OF DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT

Ulcerative colitis should be considered in any patient with chronic diarrhea or rectal bleeding. Diagnosis depends on a combination of findings from physical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histopathologic examinations, together with the exclusion of other causes and continued observation over time. The mainstays of treatment are sulfasalazine for mild to moderate disease and corticosteroids for moderate to severe disease. Side effects of sulfasalazine, due to the sulfa moiety of the drug, limit its use in some patients. Newer, sulfa-free 5-ASA agents, although expensive, are appropriate for patients who cannot tolerate sulfasalazine. Refractory ulcerative colitis is best treated surgically. Most patients require maintenance therapy with sulfasalazine or a sulfa-free 5-ASA preparation. Cancer risk is increased in patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis.
Failure to Replicate Depletion of Self-Control

The limited resource or strength model of self-control posits that the use of self-regulatory resources leads to depletion and poorer performance on subsequent self-control tasks. We conducted four studies (two with community samples, two with young adult samples) utilizing a frequently used depletion procedure (crossing out letters protocol) and the two most frequently used dependent measures of self-control (handgrip perseverance and modified Stroop). In each study, participants completed a baseline self-control measure, a depletion or control task (randomized), and then the same measure of self-control a second time. There was no evidence for significant depletion effects in any of these four studies. The null results obtained in four attempts to replicate using strong methodological approaches may indicate that depletion has more limited effects than implied by prior publications. We encourage further efforts to replicate depletion (particularly among community samples) with full disclosure of positive and negative results.
Thermodynamic and kinetic properties of short RNA helices: the oligomer sequence AnGCUn

Abstract We studied the thermodynamic, kinetic and optical properties of the double helices formed by the series of self-complementary oligonucleotides, (AP)nGpC(pU)n, 2 ≤ n ≤ 4, and found that the shortest helix, containing just 6 base pairs, is less stable than would be predicted from the properties of the larger molecules. It also shows a markedly smaller hyperchromism on melting than expected. These anomalous properties of a short helix indicate that one cannot always assume that base pair free energies and extinction coefficient changes are independent of helix size.
Corneal topography for selective suture removal after penetrating keratoplasty.

Twenty-nine suture removals from 20 eyes(21patients) on which penetrating keratoplasty had been performed were analyzed in a nonrandomized consecutive study to evaluate the role of computer-assisted corneal topography in selective suture removal to reduce astigmatism. Topographic guidance for suture removal resulted in a net decrease in refractive and keratometric astigmatism in 21 of the 29 cases. The net reduction in astigmatism averaged 1.4, 0.9, and 1.0 diopters when measured by refraction, keratometry, and topography, respectively. The preliminary choice of sutures to be removed on the basis of refraction, keratometry, and inspection was changed in 20 of the 29 cases when information added by the topographic map was considered. Although many variables of suture removal remain unpredictable, computer-assisted corneal topography is a powerful means of describing corneal power after penetrating keratoplasty and is useful as a guide in selective suture removal for reduction of astigmatism.
Electrooxidation of Carbon Monoxide on Gold Nanoparticle Ensemble Electrodes: Effects of Particle Coverage

Gold nanoparticles were attached to amine-functionalized indium tin oxide substrate to form particle ensemble electrodes with controlled particle coverage. Electrooxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) on these particle ensemble electrodes was studied in CO-saturated alkaline solutions by means of cyclic voltammetry, with an emphasis on the effects of particle coverage. CO oxidation half-wave potential was found to decrease with increasing particle density. However, the current density was significantly larger at lower particle coverage electrodes. On the basis of a model for electron transfer on a partially covered electrode, the observations were explained in terms of the change in reactant mass transport pattern with varying particle coverages: CO diffusion is predominantly mixed spherical and linear at low particle coverages and changes to mostly linear at high particle coverages. The possibility of contributions from particle agglomeration is also briefly discussed.
The Theory of Limited and Unlimited Discrimination

I. Practice of discriminating monopolists often under conditions at variance with the common theoretical assumptions, 490. — II. The theoretical problem of unlimited and limited discrimination in its simplest form, 491. — III. Limiting conditions, 491. — IV. Fixed price difference, 492. — V. Varying price difference, 493. — VI. Adjusting the price difference to maximize profit, 495. — VII. Increase or decrease of prescribed price difference might increase profits, 496. — VIII. Comparison of discriminating monopoly and monopoly without discrimination, 496. — IX. The necessary restrictive assumptions, 497. — X. Illustration of proposition II, 499. — XI. Conclusion, 500.
Surgical treatment of adult atrial septal defect: early and long-term results.

Objectives. The purpose of this study is to determine the early and late results of the surgical repair of atrial septal defect in adults. Background. Progressively limiting, untreated atrial septal defect can lead to the early death of middle-aged adults. Recently if has been suggested that the closure of atrial septal defects might be accomplished with interventional cardiac techniques. Although the long-term results of the transcatheter closure are as yet unknown, the outcome of surgical therapy has been shown to be beneficial for almost 40 years. Methods. Between 1971 and 1991, 166 consecutive patients underwent surgical repair of a secundum or sinus venosus atrial septal defect, or both, at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston. There were 120 women and 46 men in this group; the mean age was 44 years and 58 (35%) of the patients were ≥50 years old. The average pulmonary to systemic flow ratio was 3.0, and 57 patients had a peak systolic pulmonary artery pressure 30 mm Hg. Results. There were two operative deaths (early mortality rate 1.2%), and 13% of the patients had a perioperative complication. One hundred fifty-three of the 164 survivors were followed up for a mean of 90 months (range 2 to 247), There were eight late deaths (late mortality rate 4.9%) and a late morbidity rate of 12.4% (in most cases due to arrhythmias). The 5- and 10-year survival rates are 98% and 94%, respectively, and the probability of event-free survival (with no morbidity or mortality) at 5 years is 97% and at 10 years is 92%. Conclusions. The results indicate that the surgical correction of atrial septal defect in adults is safe and efficacious as confirmed by 20 years of follow-up.
Influence of solar irradiance on hyperspectral imaging-based plant recognition for autonomous weed control

Canopy reflectance in the visible and near infrared region (384–810 nm) was examined to discriminate between plant species, grown under various sunlight intensities, using ground-based hyperspectral imaging technology. Black nightshade and pigweed were grown with processing tomatoes under two levels of solar irradiance. The canonical Bayesian classifiers based on the full spectral range (400–795 nm) achieved an overall classification accuracy of 88.2% for the low solar irradiance treatment and 95.1% for the high solar irradiance treatment, using internal cross-validation analysis. The plant species exposed to higher solar irradiance were more easily distinguished in the feature space. The classifier trained with the plants grown in the low solar irradiance treatment was more robust to varying sunlight conditions; and correctly identified 88.7% of the plants for both sunlight intensity growing conditions. Global calibration achieved an optimum classification rate of 90% over the studied range of solar irradiance using 270 plants in the global domain as the training samples. It provided an alternative method to mitigate the effect on species discrimination and to improve classification robustness due to changing canopy optical properties across variation in solar irradiance during plant establishment.
Quantitation of uracil in rodent diet.

Abstract Feeding of high levels of uracil to laboratory rodents results in the formation of calculi in the lumen of the urinary bladder. This urolithiasis stimulates cellular proliferation in the bladder and has been used in studies of two-stage carcinogenesis. Quantitation of uracil in rodent diet was achieved by extraction from the diet with ammonium hydroxide. The extract was applied to a strong anion-exchange solid-phase extraction column. Uracil is not retained on this matrix which adsorbs the majority of contaminants in the extract. The uracil was quantitated by HPLC on an ODS microbore column (100 × 2 mm internal diameter) eluted at 0.5 ml/min with 200 m m KH 2 PO 4 , pH 3.5, at 30°C. Three structurally related pyrimidine bases, cytosine, uracil, and thymine, showed increasing retention on this column/solvent combination, thereby demonstrating selectivity of the analysis. Recovery of uracil was 76–90% with lower values observed when dietary levels of uracil were in excess of 4.5%.