cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Child Symptom Severity on Stress Among Parents of Children with ASD: The Moderating Role of Coping Styles

We examined the impact of autism severity and parental coping strategies on stress in parents of children with ASD. Children’s autism symptoms and parental coping strategies (task-oriented, emotion-oriented, social diversion, and distraction) were evaluated as predictors of four types of parental stress (parent and family problems, pessimism, child characteristics, and physical incapacity). In order to examine potential buffering effects of coping strategies on stress associated with the child’s symptom severity, the interactive effects of autism symptoms with coping strategies were also examined. Participants included 77 primary caregivers of a child with ASD. Using multiple regression analyses, emotion-oriented coping scores were associated with more parent and family problems, and task-oriented coping was associated with lower physical incapacity scores. The child’s autism severity was the strongest and most consistent predictor of stress. Further, emotion-oriented coping moderated the relationship between pessimism stress and autism symptomatology, and distraction coping was a moderator between parent and family stress and autism symptoms. Results indicate that increasing our knowledge of the coping strategies that are more or less effective and under what conditions some coping strategies may be either beneficial or harmful for this population of parents has direct implications for treatment and parent education efforts.
Coherent interaction of femtosecond extreme-uv light with He atoms

We show experimentally that spectral phase manipulation of ultrashort extreme-uv light pulses can induce and control coherent transient excitation of the $\mathrm{He}(1s3p)$ excited state by the nonresonant components of the broadband extreme-ultraviolet light. The spectral phase manipulation of the 15th harmonic of an intense $805\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, $80\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$ pulse is achieved by propagation of the euv light through a variable optical density of He gas. The acquired spectral phase due to the dispersive interaction of the off-resonance components in the euv pulse with the $\mathrm{He}(1s3p)$ resonance enhances and modifies the transient excitation. The temporal evolution of the coherently prepared transient $\mathrm{He}(1s3p)$ amplitude is probed by ionization to the continuum with a $400\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, $80\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$ pulse.
Candida utilis catheter-related bloodstream infection

Central venous catheter-related fungemia are increasing in the last years, also due to rare fungi. We report the case of a Candida utilis catheter-related bloodstream infection in a patient with metastatic carcinoma of the bladder and a long term totally implanted venous catheter. The diagnosis was done by paired blood cultures and differential time to positivity. The Candida species was rapidly identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The patient was successfully treated with anidulafungine.
Dual AV nodal pathways--vagal influences on AV nodal conduction.

This 52-year-old male presented with syncope and demonstrated two distinct PR intervals on the electrocar-diogram. Electrophysiologic studies showed dual A V nodal path ways. Right-sided carotid sinus massage induced prolonged periods of sinus arrest with no change in AH interval. Left-sided carotid sinus massage produced long AH intervals (slow pathway conduction) with some slowing of sinus rate. Whenever sinus rhythm with slow pathway conduction was observed (long AH) a 20-30 mmHg drop systolic pressure was seen. Following implantation of an AV sequential pacemaker, the patient has been asymptomatic.
Comparison of unit addition and fast Fourier transform methods for generation system reliability evaluation

Several methods have been proposed to improve the efficiency of convolution of generating unit probability distributions, since this is the most basic step in reliability and production cost studies. These methods can be broadly classified into those based on discrete convolution and others based on approximations using continuous distributions. The traditional approach to discrete convolution is based on unit addition algorithms. Another approach transforms this convolution into discrete Fourier domain, where the Fourier transform of the system can be obtained by the product of the Fourier transform of the unit probability distributions. The objective of this paper is to provide a comparison between unit addition algorithm and the Fast Fourier Transform method of building capacity outage probability tables.
Microbial activity and functional composition among northern peatland ecosystems

Abstract The extent to which complex interrelationships between plants and microorganisms influence organic matter dynamics is critical to our understanding of global C cycles in changing environments. We examined the hypothesis that patterns of soil microbial activity and functional composition differ among vegetation types in northern peatland ecosystems. Microbial characteristics were compared among peatlands differing in plant growth form (tree, shrub/moss, sedge) in two regions (New York State and West Virginia). Microbial activity (basal respiration) was greater in surface (0–15 cm) than subsurface (15–30 cm) peat and from sites dominated by shrubs and Sphagnum moss (3.9±0.65 μg C g−1 h−1) compared to forested (1.8±0.20 μg C g−1 h−1) or sedge-dominated sites (1.9±0.38 μg C g−1 h−1). Microbial activity was not related to decomposability of peat organic matter among vegetation types, and activity was unexpectedly higher in sites with lower peat pH and higher water table level. Substrate-induced respiration (SIR) did not show a clear pattern among vegetation types, but was greater in surface than subsurface peat. Microbial responsiveness to added glucose was very low. The ratio of basal respiration to SIR varied between 0.39 and 0.72 and, like activity, was highest in shrub/Sphagnum sites. Microbial substrate utilization patterns (assayed with BIOLOG® GN plates) also differed between shrub/Sphagnum sites and forest or sedge sites, suggesting that C fluxes were mediated by different assemblages of microorganisms in shrub/Sphagnum peatlands. Principal component (PC) scores indicated more utilization of N-containing compounds and carboxylic acids, and less utilization of carbohydrates by microbial communities in shrub/Sphagnum sites. PC scores were much more variable both within and among vegetation types for sites in West Virginia than in New York State, and a greater diversity of C sources were utilized in WV (57±3) than NYS (47±2) peat. Our results suggest a link between microbial respiratory activity and microbial functional composition as they vary among these peatland vegetation types.
Histopathological changes in grass shrimp exposed to chromium, pentachlorophenol and dithiocarbamates

Abstract This report deals with the histopathological/ultrastructural changes in various tissues of grass shrimp ( Palaemonetes pugio ) exposed to hexavalent chromium, pentachlorophenol (PCP) and two dithiocarbamate formulations: Aquatreat DNM-30® (15 % sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate plus 15 % disodium ethylene bis-dithiocarbamate) and Busan-85® (50 % potassium dimethyl dithiocarbamate). The pathological alterations induced by dithiocarbamates and PCP were most severe and first evident in the gills. Of the biocides tested, the dithiocarbamates caused the most extensive branchial damage—the so-called black gill syndrome, involving early melanization and eventual lamellar truncation. Hexavalent chromium, on the other hand, did not induce marked changes in the gills, but it caused invasive melanized cuticular lesions (particularly at the articulations of the pereiopods, pleopods and abdominal segments). Additionally, chromium caused apparent labyrinth hypoactivity in the antennal glands, whereas the dithiocarbamates seemed to induce labyrinth hyperactivity. Hepatopancreatic histopathology was more severe in shrimp exposed to chromium and PCP than in dithiocarbamate-exposed shrimp. The apparent mitotic activity in the hepatopancreas was increased in Aquatreat-exposed shrimp and suppressed in chromium-exposed shrimp; many mitotic figures in the latter case were abnormal. All four compounds caused varying degrees of midgut epithelial hypertrophy, cytoplasmic vacuolization and diminution of basal tubular endoplasmic reticulum, but only PCP caused widespread rupture of midgut epithelial cell apices. Additional notable ultrastructural anomalies included: mitochondrial compartmentalization in PCP-exposed shrimp; mitochondrial fusion in dithiocarbamate-exposed shrimp; and unusual intranuclear inclusions in different tissues of chromium-exposed shrimp. These pathological changes point to differences in the mechanisms of pollutant toxicity and indicate their potential use in the biological monitoring of aquatic pollutants.
Recombinant Cytokines and Pulmonary Host Defense

ABSTRACT The recent discovery of several cytokines and their purification using recombinant DNA technology has uncovered their role as critical factors in pulmonary host defense. The importance of tumor necrosis factor, interferon-γ, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in lung infections was first elucidated in animal models and has been confirmed with neutralization studies. This article reviews these three cytokines, their recent use in human subjects, and their potential use in the future.
Effect of varying and nonvarying stimulus consequences on visual persistence in twenty-month-old infants.

Sr/mmnry.-40 Ss, divided into 4 groups, peered into a chamber and by so doing, exposed a slide. For half the Ss, continued peering regularly presented a new slide which consisted either of colorful pictures (varied-picture group) or a lighted screen of various brightness levels (varied-light group) while for the other half, continued peering always re-presented the same slide which consisted either of a colorful picture (constant-picture group) or a lighted screen (constant-light group). The varied-picture group relative to the other groups exposed the rnosr slides and tended ro take a single long look when a slide was exposed. In terms of this visual persistence pattern, the constant-picture group outperformed the remaining two groups. No significant differences were found between the constant-light and varied-light groups on any measure of persistence. The amount of time an organism appropriates to an inspection of its visual surroundings is related to a number of factors, one of which probably depends upon whether the environment changes or remains invariant over a specified time span. Butler and Woolpy ( 1963) found that adult rhesus monkeys spent significantly more time exposing and viewing an assortment of slides that periodically changed from one occasion to the next in comparison to a single slide that never changed. Considering the recent and widespread interest in the process of visual attention and persistence in human infants, it is surprising that the role of scimulus-change consequences has not received greater experimental examination. Prevailing conditioning methods to smdy visual persistence are inadequate because the visual reinforcers used are often available only briefly and thus there is no guarantee that S will pay close attention to them. The present experiment resolves some of these problems through the design of a setting which more nearly ensures visual contact and which gives S greater control in determining the duration of a stimulus presentation as well as its total frequency. On the basis of Butler and Woolpy's findings, it was predicted chat Ss will more economically persist in instrumental behavior that produces a stimulus change than when this behavior leaves the environment unchanged. Moreover, the control over persistence behavior by stimulus change consequences was expected to apply equally well to comparisons at two levels of stimulus complexity.
Antioxidant and Prooxidant Actions of Prenylated and Nonprenylated Chalcones and Flavanones in Vitro

Prenylated flavonoids found in hops and beer, i.e., prenylchalcones and prenylflavanones, were examined for their ability to inhibit in vitro oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The oxidation of LDL was assessed by the formation of conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and the loss of tryptophan fluorescence. At concentrations of 5 and 25 μM, all of the prenylchalcones tested inhibited the oxidation of LDL (50 μg protein/ml) induced by 2 μM copper sulfate. The prenylflavanones showed less antioxidant activity than the prenylchalcones, both at 5 and 25 μM. At 25 μM, the nonprenylated chalcone, chalconaringenin (CN), and the nonprenylated flavanone, naringenin (NG), exerted prooxidant effects on LDL oxidation, based on TBARS formation. Xanthohumol (XN), the major prenylchalcone in hops and beer, showed high antioxidant activity in inhibiting LDL oxidation, higher than α-tocopherol and the isoflavone genistein but lower than the flavonol quercetin. When combined,...
Dynamic inference of likely metamorphic properties to support differential testing

Metamorphic testing is an advanced technique to test programs without a true test oracle such as machine learning applications. Because these programs have no general oracle to identify their correctness, traditional testing techniques such as unit testing may not be helpful for developers to detect potential bugs. This paper presents a novel system, Kabu, which can dynamically infer properties of methods' states in programs that describe the characteristics of a method before and after transforming its input. These Metamorphic Properties (MPs) are pivotal to detecting potential bugs in programs without test oracles, but most previous work relies solely on human effort to identify them and only considers MPs between input parameters and output result (return value) of a program or method. This paper also proposes a testing concept, Metamorphic Differential Testing (MDT). By detecting different sets of MPs between different versions for the same method, Kabu reports potential bugs for human review. We have performed a preliminary evaluation of Kabu by comparing the MPs detected by humans with the MPs detected by Kabu. Our preliminary results are promising: Kabu can find more MPs than human developers, and MDT is effective at detecting function changes in methods.
Thermal Decomposition of Wood and Cellulose in the Presence of Solvent Vapors

The thermal decomposition of white birch wood and filter pulp was studied in water and methanol vapor at 2 MPa pressure in a flow-through reactor. The abundance of the volatile products was monitored by on-line GC/MS using repetitive sampling in combination with fast separation on a short capillary column. The reactor was heated to 400 °C at 20 °C/min and the intensity profile of the product ions within the 30−200 amu range recorded. The system was capable of separating the profiles of typical hemicellulose products evolved at lower temperature from the characteristic cellulose and lignin products detected from wood. Char yields in methanol were similar to those in an inert gas atmosphere; however, the presence of water markedly increased the amount of char produced. The product distribution of cellulose was strongly affected by the solvents. In methanol, pyran derivatives dominate besides levoglucosan and glycolaldehyde, whereas the relative abundance of 2-furaldehyde and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde ...
Pollution abatement cost savings and FDI inflows to polluting sectors in China

This paper uses a nested logit model to examine whether potential pollution abatement cost savings adjusted by institutional and socio-economic conditions influence the location choices of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) among Chinese provinces. It incorporates individual polluting firms’ characteristics instead of looking only at location attributes. The results show that (i) FDI firms in polluting industries tend to locate in provinces with higher potential abatement costs savings adjusted for local environmental regulation; (ii) relatively dirtier firms are more likely to locate in less developed provinces or provinces with fewer similar polluting industries; (iii) firms in pollution-intensive industries are more sensitive to regulation and development status than firms in non-polluting industries; and (iv) firms tend to locate in provinces where they have more bargaining power with local governments. These findings suggest the existence of domestic pollution havens in China.
Randomized clinical trial comparing the safety and efficacy of a hydromorphone titration protocol to usual care in the management of adult emergency department patients with acute severe pain.

Study objective We test the efficacy and safety of the "1+1" (1 mg plus 1 mg 15 minutes later if needed) hydromorphone protocol against usual care of emergency department (ED) patients with acute severe pain. Methods This was a prospective, randomized clinical trial of ED patients with acute severe pain. The 1+1 protocol specifies administration of 1 mg intravenous hydromorphone, followed by a second dose of 1 mg intravenous hydromorphone 15 minutes after the first bolus if the patient answers yes to the question, "Do you want more pain medication?" Usual care is the administration of any intravenous opioid, with type and dose chosen by the ED attending physician. Usual care patients who wanted more medication at 15 minutes were treated at the physician's discretion. At 60 minutes, all patients were asked again whether they wanted more pain medication. The primary outcome was successful treatment defined a priori as not wanting additional analgesia at either 15 or 60 minutes after the initial bolus. The primary endpoint was the difference in the proportion of patients with successful treatment who received the complete 1+1 protocol versus usual care with a per-protocol analysis. An intention-to-treat analysis was also performed. A 10% difference in rate of successful treatment was chosen a priori as a clinically meaningful difference. Results Of 167 patients in the 1+1 group, 156 received the full 1+1 protocol, whereas 171 received usual care. Of patients who received the 1+1 protocol, 92.3% (144/156) had successful treatment versus 76.6% (131/171) of usual care patients (difference=15.7%; 95% confidence interval 7.9% to 23.3%). In the intention-to-treat analysis, 86.8% (145/167) of patients randomized to the 1+1 group received successful treatment versus 76.6% (131/171) of usual care patients (difference=10.2%; 95% confidence interval 2.0% to 18.3%). No patient required naloxone. One patient in the 1+1 group and 2 patients in the usual care group had transient oxygen saturation less than 95%. The incidence of all adverse effects was similar in both groups. Conclusion When analyzed per protocol or with the more conservative intention-to-treat analysis, the 1+1 hydromorphone protocol is statistically and clinically more efficacious than usual care. Safety profiles were similar in both groups.
Real-time operating system needs

Abstract When attempting to standardize real-time features for computer languages, one quickly runs up against the large differences between the operating systems under which the processes will run. One is then left with the choice of doing only part of the job or attempting to cope with the differences at the compiler implementation level. The latter approach leaves something to be desired in efficiency and denies access to some desirable features that are only available within the operating system. In this paper the needs of real-time systems are discussed and attempts are made to establish the need for standards for real-time operating systems.
Kinetic Evidence That Glut4 Follows Different Endocytic Pathways than the Receptors for Transferrin and α2-Macroglobulin

Insulin regulates glucose uptake through effects on the trafficking of the glucose transporter Glut4. To investigate the degree of overlap between Glut4 and the general endocytic pathways, the kinetics of trafficking of Glut4 and the receptors for transferrin (Tf) and α2-macroglobulin (α-2-M; LRP-1) were compared using quantitative flow cytometric assays. Insulin increased the exocytic rate constant (kex) for both Glut4 and Tf. However, the kex of Glut4 was 5–15 times slower than Tf in both basal and insulin-stimulated cells. The endocytic rate constant (ken) of Glut4 was also five times slower than Tf. Insulin did not affect the ken of either protein. In basal cells, the ken for α-2-M/LRP-1 was similar to Glut4 but 5-fold slower than Tf. Insulin increased ken for α-2-M/LRP-1 by 30%. In contrast, the kex for LRP-1 was five times faster than Glut4 in basal cells, and insulin did not increase this rate constant. Thus, although there is overlap in the protein machineries/compartments utilized, the differences in trafficking kinetics indicate that Glut4, the Tf receptor, and LRP-1 are differentially processed both within the cell and at the plasma membrane. It has been reported that insulin decreases the ken of Glut4 in adipocytes. However, the effect of exocytosis on the “internalization” assays was not considered. Because it is counterintuitive, the effect of exocytosis on these assays is often overlooked in endocytosis studies. Using mathematical modeling and simulation, we show that the reported decrease in Glut4 ken can be entirely accounted for by the well established increase in Glut4 kex.
Lp-stability of solutions to a class of delay-differential control system

Abstract The concern of this paper is with the Lpinstability to a class of delay-differential control system. The system considered is the same as those of Shanholt (1970) where stability of solutions is examined. Our results give the relationship between instability and exponential stability. A sufficient criterion for Lp-stability is also derived.
Computable general equilibrium models for trade policy analysis in developing countries: A survey

Abstract This paper surveys the contributions of computable general equilibrium (CGE) simulation models designed to quantify the implications of alternative trade policy scenarios in developing countries. The paper starts with a review of the basic structure of CGE models, using a one-sector model with product differentiation on the import and export side. The basic properties of CGE models are established and a series of applications to trade policy, internal-external balance and growth, and intertemporal issues are discussed.
Computational Vision Models of Early Vision for Target Acquisition

Target acquisition methodology for infrared (IR) and visual man-in-the-loop imaging sensors has several limitations for many sensor performance assessment applications. Recent advances in computational vision modeling (CVM) have made dramatic improvements in the understanding of early human vision processes. A simple model of neural receptive fields consists of a generic image representation of the spatial processing characteristics for early vision cortical areas. The input image is first divided into its three color opponent components with each axis further decomposed into a set of band pass spatial frequency filters with different center frequencies and orientations. The spatial frequency decomposition is accomplished by an efficient encoding algorithm incorporating a hierarchical cascading Gaussian pyramid algorithm which is an alternating sequence of image output passing through Nyquist low pass spatial filter and subsampling local operators for image encoding. This paper examines the limitations of earlier target acquisition models and describes a computational model which starts with actual stimulus images as an input. It predicts human performance of experimental tasks by attaching a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to each spatial frequency channel, and then uses a combining function to define a composite d' parameter for a signal detection theory calculation of probabilities of detection and false alarm. Several examples of the model are applied to various detection applications.
Limitations to the Use of Woven Roving Glass Fibers in Plastic Composites, or the Case Against Woven Roving

Abstract Composite materials consist of at least two chemically distinct phases basically having a reinforcing material supported in a matrix material with a distinct reinforcement/matrix (R/M) interface separating the components; the components must be combined three-dimensionally. The composite has properties distinctly different from the properties of any constituents, which generally would not be achieved in any of the constituents acting alone. The principle is to use the plastic flow in the matrix to load the reinforcement in the direction of the applied load. To do this it is necessary to transfer and share the externally applied service loads of the composite through the weak matrix to the stronger reinforcement by a shear loading action. The job of the matrix is to transmit and distribute the stresses onto the individual fibers and to maintain the separation and orientation of the fibers. The interface is the critical factor that determines to what extent the potential properties of the composite...
Nitrogen metabolism and seed composition as influenced by foliar boron application in soybean

The physiological effects of foliar boron application (FB) on nitrogen metabolism and seed composition have not been well established in soybean [(Glycine max(L.)Merr.)]. Therefore, the effect of FB on nitrogen metabolism and seed composition was investigated. Nitrate assimilation was evaluated by measuring nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and nitrogen fixation was evaluated by measuring nitrogenase activity and natural abundance of 15N/14N. NRA were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in plants that received FB than the control plants. Higher rate of FB (One application of four times of commercial rate) inhibited nitrogen fixation as measured by natural abundance of 15N/14N ratio, but increased NRA. The higher activities of NR and nitrogenase by FB were accompanied with a higher B concentration in leaves. The significant (P < 0.0001) enrichment of 15N/14N, accompanied with a higher rate of FB, suggested a possible mechanism where nitrate assimilation may compensate for the decrease in nitrogen fixation. FB increased seed protein by 13.7% and oleic acid by 30.9% compared to the control plants. This alteration was accompanied by a higher B concentration in leaves and seed. The results suggest that FB affects nitrogen metabolism and alters seed compositions, especially protein and unsaturated fatty acids.
The mechanisms by which lipids coordinately regulate the formation of the protein and lipid domains of the stratum corneum: Role of fatty acids, oxysterols, cholesterol sulfate and ceramides as signaling molecules.

The formation of a permeability barrier between the external environment and the host is essential for survival. To provide this barrier keratinocytes undergo a complex pathway of differentiation, which culminates in keratinocyte cornification and the formation of extracellular lipid enriched lamellar membranes in the stratum corneum. The mechanisms that coordinately regulate the parallel formation of the corneocytes and lamellar membranes are unknown. The extracellular lamellar membranes are derived from the exocytosis of lamellar bodies and to synthesize lamellar bodies the keratinocyte must have abundant quantities of cholesterol, fatty acids and ceramides. These lipids could serve as signaling molecules and thereby coordinately regulate the formation of the stratum corneum. Fatty acids activate PPARs and studies have shown that PPAR activation stimulates keratinocyte differentiation. Cholesterol is converted to oxysterols that activate LXR and studies have shown that LXR activation also stimulates ker...
Reduced sensitivity to glucocorticoid feedback and reduced glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle

We examined the effects of the menstrual cycle on hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis regulation in healthy women with no history of psychiatric illness by measuring plasma cortisol responses to a low-dose (0.25 mg) of dexamethasone (N = 23) and by measuring glucocorticoid receptor (type II) mRNA expression in lymphocytes using Northern blotting (N = 19). Both measures were performed in the early follicular and mid-luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Dexamethasone suppression of plasma cortisol was greater in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle compared to the mid-luteal phase (p < .01). In addition, type II glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in lymphocytes was 78% higher in the follicular phase compared to the mid-luteal phase (p < .02). These results indicate that glucocorticoid feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is reduced in the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Reduced feedback regulation of central stress response systems may play a role in generation of common premenstrual symptoms of irritability and dysphoria.
Variable camshaft timing engine control

Retarding camshaft timing in an engine equipped with a dual equal camshaft timing phaser reduces the unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NO/sub x/) emitted to the exhaust system. Apart from this positive effect to feedgas emissions, camshaft timing can cause large air-to-fuel ratio excursions if not coordinated with the fuel command. Large air-to-fuel ratio excursions can reduce the catalytic converter efficiency and effectively cancel the benefits of camshaft timing. The interaction between the camshaft timing and the air-to-fuel ratio results in an inherent tradeoff between reducing feedgas emissions and maintaining high catalytic converter efficiency. By designing and analyzing a decentralized and a multivariable controller, we describe the design limitation associated with the decentralized controller architecture and we demonstrate the mechanism by which the multivariable controller alleviates the limitation.
Pulmonary Edema Associated with Electrical Injury

The occurrence of cardiogenic pulmonary edema following alternating current electrical injury has not been reported. A patient developing severe pulmonary edema immediately following an electrical injury-induced episode of ventricular fibrillation is described. Evidence that the etiology of the pulmonary edema was cardiogenic is derived from both hemodynamic data and the calculation of the pulmonary edema fluid to serum colloid osmotic pressure ratio.
Health Claims and Disclaimers: Extended Boundaries and Research Opportunities in Consumer Interpretation

Abstract In Pearson v. Shalala, the court restricts FDA authority by allowing sellers of dietary supplements to make health claims based on less than “significant scientific agreement” when these claims are accompanied by a disclaimer. The authors raise issues regarding the lack of standards for substantiation and the effectiveness of disclaimers in light of the untested nature of some supplements and the vulnerabilities of some supplement consumers.
Reading Alphabet Books in Kindergarten: Effects of Instructional Emphasis and Media Practice

Abstract This study compared literacy learning for kindergartners as 12 teachers read 10 popular alphabet books aloud, emphasizing meanings or phonemes, and used centers for independent practice with an alphabet book on audiotape or CD-ROM over a period of four weeks. Researchers taught half the teachers to read the books with an emphasis on phonemes represented by the letters and the other half to focus on meanings of words as the books were read. Within each meaning- or phoneme-emphasis group, teachers had students work with one of the alphabet books, Dr. Seuss's ABC, in a computer center with an animated CD-ROM, or in a listening center with an audiotape and print copy. A total of 152 kindergartners completed pre- and posttests measuring knowledge of vocabulary in the alphabet books, letter names, phonetic cue reading, and phoneme identities. Results for phoneme identities indicated a significant interaction between type of instructional emphasis and media practice. An emphasis on phonemes combined wit...
The Effects of Youth Employment Program Participation On Later Employment

A three-year follow-up of a national sample of 419 youth employment training program participants and356 nonparticipants of comparable background showed that participants obtained more months of employment and had greater job satisfaction. These statistically significant differences were sustained even after controlling for the effects of age, sex, race/ethnicity, economic status, and local unemployment rate as well as for preprogram levels of education and reading ability. Program effectiveness, as determined by par ticipant-control differences in months of employment, was greater for minority than nonminority youth and greater for females than for males.
Myocardial, Perivascular, and Epicardial Fat

Myocardial fat content refers to the storage of triglyceride droplets within cardiomyocytes. In addition, the heart and arteries are surrounded by layers of adipose tissue, exerting vasocrine and paracrine control of the subtending tissues. The rapid development of the field of noninvasive imaging has made it possible to quantify ectopic fat masses and contents with an increasing degree of accuracy. Myocardial triglyceride stores are increased in obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes. The role of intramyocardial triglyceride accumulation in the pathogenesis of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction remains unclear. Increased triglyceride content is associated with states of fatty acid overload to the heart, saturating the oxidative capacity. It may initially serve as a fatty acid sink to circumscribe the formation of toxic lipid species and subsequently foster cardiac damage. Epicardial and perivascular fat depots may exert a protective modulation of vascular function and energy partition in a healthy situation, but their expansion turns them into an adverse lipotoxic, prothrombotic, and proinflammatory organ. They are augmented in patients with metabolic disorders and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the progressive association between the quantity of fat and disease severity in terms of extent of plaque calcification or noncalcified areas, markers of plaque vulnerability, and number of vessels involved is less confirmed. Functional or hybrid imaging may contribute to a better definition of disease severity and unveil the direct myocardial and vascular targets of adipose tissue action.
Alternative Axiomatizations of Seasonal Adjustment

Abstract The Jorgenson and Lovell axiomatizations of the process of seasonal adjustment are contrasted in this paper. It is argued that dummy variables rather than data subject to prior seasonal adjustment should be employed when time series are utilized in estimating the parameters of a linear economic model.
Attention, probability, and task demands as determinants of P300 latency from auditory stimuli.

Abstract A series of 3 experiments investigated factors which could affect the morphological quality and latency of the P3 ERP componentfrom auditory stimuli. Manipulations of attention and probability of the target tone changed P3 amplitude but typically demonstrated little effect on P3 latency. No differences for either component measure were obtained when recording were made with the subjects' eyes open or closed. Passively ignoring the stimulus items decreased P3 amplitude and increased its latency relative to active stimulus dsscrimination.
Male–female differences in the risk of progression from first use to dependence upon cannabis, cocaine, and alcohol

Abstract Introduction We extend prior reports about the risk of dependence on specific drugs by providing developmental-specific risk estimates for progression from first use to meeting criteria for DSM-III-R dependence upon cannabis, cocaine, or alcohol, as well as male–female differences. Methods The data are from the National Comorbidity Survey, with a national probability sample of persons 15–44 years old in the United States, which included many respondents who used cannabis, cocaine and alcohol on at least one occasion ( n = 3558, 1337, and 6149, for cannabis, cocaine, and alcohol, respectively). Survival analysis procedures provided cumulative risk estimates of progression from first use to dependence upon each drug. Results The estimated risk of cannabis dependence among male cannabis users was 1% in the first year after first use, and reached a peak at 4% per year 2 years later, before declining. In contrast, the estimated risk of cannabis dependence among female cannabis users remained at 1% per year for 3 years, without the peak. For both male and female cocaine users, the estimated risk for developing cocaine dependence was 5 to 6% within the first year after first use. Thereafter, the estimated risk declined from the peak value, with a somewhat faster decline for females in the next 3 years after first use. For alcohol, the estimated risk period extended for many years after the first drink, with female drinkers becoming alcohol dependent at a rate of about 1% per year; with somewhat higher risk for male drinkers. For both male and female drinkers, the period of risk for developing alcohol dependence extended for a span of more than 20 years since first use; for cannabis and cocaine, the estimated period of risk was much shorter. Comment There are male–female differences in the risk of becoming cannabis dependent during the first several years after initiation of cannabis use, less pronounced male–female differences for alcohol, and relatively smaller male–female differences for cocaine. These results should interest scientists whose focus is upon the origins of male–female differences in the occurrence of drug dependence.
Erratum to: Sellarsian Behaviorism, Davidsonian Interpretivism, and First Person Authority

Versions of this paper were delivered to audiences at Ohio University, Denison University, and the University of South Florida. I am grateful to the members of each for their input. I also made significant progress on the paper while funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities at the 2011 Summer Seminar on Quine and Davidson (hosted by Princeton University, Gilbert Harman and Ernest Lepore, directors). Special thanks to Al Martinich and to two anonymous referees of this journal for their helpful comments. Philosophia (2014) 42:457 DOI 10.1007/s11406-013-9503-9
Holding it all together: How enabling relations facilitate young children's event recall ☆

Abstract Although it is apparent that enabling relations in events facilitate ordered recall, the source of the advantage derived from them has been largely unexplored. One suggestion for the source of the advantage is that enabling relations actually reduce the mnemonic demands associated with remembering events characterized by them. This study investigated two means by which reduction in memory load could be accomplished. The first and strongest hypothesis, that enabling relations reduce memory load by allowing one to infer the temporal order of an event, rather than explicitly remember it, received little support (Experiment 1). Experiments 2 and 3 tested the second hypothesis: enabling relations reduce memory load by licensing the “chunking” of separate elements into an organizational unit. One implication of this suggestion, that aspects of events connected by enabling relations would be resistant to separation by other elements, was tested with 20- and 25-month-olds. In both experiments, unequivocal support for the hypothesis was obtained. Together, the results suggest that enabling relations in events facilitate ordered recall not by eliminating the necessity to remember temporal order explicitly, but rather by fostering the organization of to-be-remembered material, thereby increasing the amount of information that can be recalled.
Two-Stage Budgeting and Exact Aggregation

This paper presents an econometric model of demand for energy based on two-stage budgeting. The model provides own-price and cross-price elasticities of demand for energy and nonenergy commodities for the United States. These elasticities are estimated separately for households classified by family size, age of head, region, race, and urban versus rural residence. Price elasticities are presented conditional on total energy expenditure and total expenditure on all commodities. The model combines individual cross-section data with aggregate time series data and is based on exact aggregation over individual demand functions.
Robotic and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: a matched-pair comparison from a high-volume centre

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relative merits of robotically assisted partial nephrectomy (RPN), using a matched-pair analysis, with laparoscopic PN (LPN). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between July 2006 and August 2007, 12 patients had RPN for tumour; the outcomes were compared retrospectively with 12 matched patients who had LPN. Patients were matched for age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, tumour side, size and location, and the specific technique used (early vs conventional unclamping). Operative measures evaluated included operative time, estimated blood loss, warm ischaemia time (WIT), and number of ports used. Outcomes measured included serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate before and after surgery, length of hospital stay, transfusion rate, operative and 30-day complication rate, and surgical margin status. RESULTS Overall there were no differences in perioperative variables (WIT, estimated blood loss, surgery time, length of stay) between the groups. Fewer ports were used during LPN. Renal functional outcomes, transfusion rate and complication rates were comparable. Two RPN cases required conversion to standard LPN. A subset analysis of six patients in each group who had early unclamping showed a 7-min shorter WIT with LPN (14 vs 21 min, P = 0.05), despite larger tumours being treated with LPN (3 vs 2.4 cm, P < 0.01) in this subset. CONCLUSIONS RPN is a developing procedure, and is technically feasible and safe, albeit with a longer warm WIT than LPN. Further experience is necessary to determine the relative merits of RPN.
An experimental investigation of natural convection flow on an inclined surface

Abstract A thermocouple and two hot-film anemometer probes in the form of an “inverted V” were used to investigate the boundary region flow formed over an inclined surface dissipating a uniform heat flux. Temperature and the longitudinal and transverse components of velocity were measured. A single longitudinal vortex system arises. It causes a spanwise variation of the temperature and velocity fields, which results in a spanwise variation of heat transfer. The spanwise mean-flow variation, or vortex system, arises first downstream for angles greater than 11°. Our local measurements permit detailed comparison with well-established disturbance mechanisms in vertical flows. Frequency filtering of periodic disturbances is again found. The beginning of transition is postulated in terms of disturbance magnitude. The location is found to depend on the distance from the leading edge, in addition to the Grashof number, in the same way as in vertical flows.
Preliminary Study on the Effects of Surface Microtopography on Tracer Transport in a Coupled Overland and Unsaturated Flow System

AbstractSurface microtopography influences both spatial and temporal distributions of a series of hydrologic processes including infiltration, surface runoff, and unsaturated flow. Importantly, surface roughness and depressions also affect the fate and transport of pollutants throughout surface and subsurface environments. The objective of this study was to experimentally investigate the effects of surface microtopography on overland flow, infiltration, and tracer bromide (Br) runoff, and leaching into the subsurface system under simulated rainfall. Both rough and smooth surfaces were created by using sieved soil and scanned by an instantaneous-profile laser scanner to acquire high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of the soil surfaces. A mold surface, featuring a number of depressions of varied sizes and relationships, was used to create the rough soil surface. The Windows-based puddle delineation (PD) software was applied to characterize surface microtopography, determine flow directions and ac...
A MAC layer protocol for wireless networks with asymmetric links

We introduce AsyMAC, a MAC layer protocol for wireless networks with asymmetric links and study a protocol stack consisting of AsyMAC and the A^4LP routing protocol. The two protocols are able to maintain connectivity where the standard IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol coupled with either AODV or OLSR routing protocols may loose connectivity. A comparative study shows that AsyMAC improves on two previously proposed protocols' accuracy in determining the nodes to be silenced to prevent collisions.
A Liquid-Metal Monopole Array With Tunable Frequency, Gain, and Beam Steering

A reconfigurable five-element Yagi-Uda monopole array is presented that utilizes pressure-driven liquid-metal elements. There is one centrally located driven element and six parasitic elements in the array, all of which utilize liquid metal so that their physical lengths can be varied. This allows the array to tune to different operational frequencies, vary the number of director elements, and change parasitic elements from reflectors to directors, and vice versa. The measured results show beam steering along a single axis and 1.33 dB of gain tuning at 2.4 and 3.87 GHz.
Effect of platelet inhibitors on platelet and fibrin deposition following transluminal angioplasty of the atherosclerotic rabbit aorta

Experimental atherosclerosis was induced in a rabbit model by intimal damage of the infrarenal aorta followed by two months cholesterol feeding. The influence of four different antiplatelet drug regimens on acute platelet and fibrin deposition after transluminal angioplasty of the atherosclerotic abdominal aorta was then evaluated. The study group consisted of 32 New Zealand rabbits: 7 controls, 7 treated with prostacyclin (10mg/kg/min i.v.), 5 treated with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (2 mg/kg i.v.), 7 treated with acetyl-salicylic acid (5 mg/kg i.v.) and dipyridamole (2 mg/kg i.v.), and 6 treated with low molecular dextran (5 ml/kg). By 2 hours after angioplasty, there was a significant increase of the deposition of platelets (P
Forget the worm-does the early bird avoid developing egg allergy?

Methods: Infants 11 to 15 months of age brought to councilrun immunization sessions across Melbourne, Australia, between June 2008 and January 2010 were recruited. During the observation period after immunization, the infant underwent skin prick testing (SPT) to egg white and three other foods while a parent completed an intervieweradministered questionnaire detailing the age at which egg and egg-containing foods were introduced into the infant’s diet. The questionnaire was completed prior to knowledge of the egg white SPT result. Parents also completed a self-administered questionnaire describing the duration of breastfeeding, the timing of introduction of solid foods, and the presence of other potential confounders. Infants with an SPT response to egg white were offered an inpatient food challenge to raw egg white within the next 4 to 8 weeks unless they were considered egg allergic based on a definite reaction to egg during the previous month. Oral challenges consisted of incremental doses of raw egg white from 1 drop to the amount in a 60-g egg administered at 15-minute intervals. Late reactions were documented by telephone contact the following day. Infants tolerating the initial challenge were fed a single daily serving of the raw egg white from a whole egg for the next 7 days, and daily symptom questionnaires were completed. The age at initial reported egg introduction (4–6, 7–9, 10–12, or >12 months) and the type of first egg exposure (cooked egg or egg in baked goods) were determined. Breastfeeding duration was categorized ( 12 months), as was the timing of solid food introduction ( 6 months). Identified confounders were family history of allergy, eczema, and parent-reported child reactions to foods. Statistical analysis of the data yielded the following results.