cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of semen collection location and time to processing on sperm parameters and early IVF/ICSI outcomes.

We aimed to assess whether home collection and increased time to semen processing are associated with altered sperm parameters, fertilization rates (FR), day 5 usable quality blastocyst development rates (D5-UQBR), or pregnancy rates (PR) in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing IVF/ICSI before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (“clinic” collection, n = 119) and after COVID-19 (“home” collection, n = 125) at an academic fertility practice. Home collection occurred within 2 h of semen processing. Patient sperm parameters, FR (#2PN/MII), D5-UQBR (# transferable and freezable quality blastocysts/# 2PN), and PR in fresh transfer cycles were compared between clinic and home groups with t-tests. The association between time to processing on outcomes was assessed with regression modeling, controlling for potential confounders. Mean male age was 37.9 years in the clinic group and 37.2 years in the home group (p = 0.380). On average, men were abstinent for 3.0 days (SD 1.7) in the clinic group and 4.1 days (SD 5.4) in the home group (p = 0.028). Mean time to semen processing was 35.7 min (SD 9.4) in the clinic group and 82.6 min (SD 33.8) in the home group (p < 0.001). There was no association between collection location and increased time to processing on sperm motility, total motile count, FR, D5-UQBR, or PR. Our data suggest that increased time to processing up to 2 h with home semen collection does not negatively impact sperm parameters or early IVF/ICSI outcomes.
Absence of cardiolipin from the mitochondrial inner membrane outer leaflet restricts Opa1-mediated fusion

Abstract Cardiolipin is a tetra-acylated di-phosphatidylglycerol lipid enriched in the matrix facing (inner) leaflet of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Cardiolipin plays an important role in regulating mitochondria function and dynamics. Yet, the mechanisms connecting cardiolipin distribution and mitochondrial protein function remain indirect. In our previous work, we established an in vitro system reconstituting mitochondrial inner membrane fusion mediated by Opa1. We found that the long form of Opa1 (l-Opa1) works together with the proteolytically processed short form (s-Opa1) to mediate fast and efficient membrane fusion. Here, we extend our reconstitution system to generate supported lipid bilayers with asymmetric CL distribution. Using this system, we find the presence of CL on the intermembrane space-facing (outer) leaflet is important for membrane tethering and fusion. We discuss how the presence of CL in this leaflet may influence protein and membrane properties, and future applications for this approach.
A National Review of State Laws for Stock Epinephrine in Schools.

BACKGROUND Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction with significant risk for children with allergies. Access to potentially life-saving medication is critical for these children. This review aims to describe state laws and policies guiding stock epinephrine in schools for allergic or anaphylactic events and detail recommendations for best practices. METHODS This paper is a comprehensive review of the 50 states and the District of Columbia's (DC) laws and policies for stock epinephrine at schools for children in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. RESULTS All 50 states and DC allow undesignated epinephrine in schools to use for allergic or anaphylactic reactions. A key difference arises in whether states allow (N = 37) or mandate (N = 14) that schools stock epinephrine. States exhibit differences in the body responsible for developing stock epinephrine policy (N = 48), along with stakeholders responsible for developing procedures (N = 30) and implementing them (N = 19). Differences also exist in state epinephrine procurement, administration, training, and liability. CONCLUSIONS This review of stock epinephrine laws and policies highlights the significant variation in state legislation despite widespread adoption. Only one-quarter of states mandate that schools have stock epinephrine available for emergency use, underscoring need for a more unified approach with consistent guidelines, comprehensive training, and possible funding for implementation.
Wireless Channel Characterization in the 5 Ghz Microwave Landing System Extension Band for Airport Surface Areas

In this project final report, entitled "Wireless Channel Characterization in the 5 GHz Microwave Landing System Extension Band for Airport Surface Areas," we provide a detailed description and model representation for the wireless channel in the airport surface environment in this band. In this executive summary, we review report contents, describe the achieved objectives and major findings, and highlight significant conclusions and recommendations.
Comparing Samples of Men Who Have Sex with Men Recruited Online and in Venues, Jiangsu Province, China, 2013

Abstract Purpose: Two common methods to sample men who have sex with men (MSM) for HIV research are venue- and internet-based approaches. However, it is unclear which is best to sample Chinese MSM. Methods: We conducted side-by-side comparisons of time-location sampling (TLS) and an online sample of MSM in Nanjing, China. Results: TLS-recruited MSM tended to be older and of lower socio-economic status compared to online-recruited MSM, whereas online-recruited MSM reported higher risk behavior and lower frequency of HIV testing. Conclusion: Significant differences were observed between the two separate samples. Without a gold standard, the choice of sampling method or recruitment approach should be guided by the segment of the population targeted to be reached.
Shopping.com: when e-commerce isn't a bargain

This paper tells the tale of a Ph.D. student who used action-research to establish an information systems design methodology. It describes how he initiated his project, how he came across action-research, and how he slowly evolved in his search for coherence until he felt he could progress confidently. The paper is mainly intended to offer to readers who are unfamiliar with action-research a context where they can become aware of some of the difficulties of its use, how they can be solved, and recognize some criteria that can be met to ensure that the results obtained are scientifically valid. The paper concludes by reflecting on the close relationship between action-research and the epistemology of the information systems field, suggesting that this relationship should be the object of further exploration.
Complications of Apheresis

In general, therapeutic apheresis is a relatively safe procedure with the most commonly seen complications caused by citrate-induced hypocalcemia and urticarial reactions to the protein-containing replacement fluid. Depletion coagulopathy and immunoglobulin depletion must be anticipated when albumin is used as the replacement fluid and becomes more profound as the number of treatment increases. The most serious complications are seen when there is an anaphylactoid reaction to the multiple units of fresh frozen plasma required when used as the replacement fluid. The overall incidence of death is 0.05%, but many of these deaths were in patients with severe preexisting conditions in which the apheresis procedure, itself, may not have been the precipitating cause. As with all extracorporeal treatments requiring large bore vascular access, catheter-related trauma, clotting, infection, and bleeding may also occur.
Implementation of integrated therapies for comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders in community substance abuse treatment programs.

Issues The high prevalence of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) presents a number of treatment challenges for community treatment providers and programs in the USA. Although several evidence-based, integrated therapies for the treatment of comorbid PTSD/SUD have been developed, rates of utilisation of such practices remain low in community treatment programs.
Half-Against-Half multi-class support vector machines

A Half-Against-Half (HAH) multi-class SVM is proposed in this paper. Unlike the commonly used One-Against-All (OVA) and One-Against-One (OVO) implementation methods, HAH is built via recursively dividing the training dataset of K classes into two subsets of classes. The structure of HAH is same as a decision tree with each node as a binary SVM classifier that tells a testing sample belongs to one group of classes or the other. The trained HAH classifier model consists of at most K binary SVMs. For each classification testing, HAH requires at most K binary SVM evaluations. Both theoretical estimation and experimental results show that HAH has advantages over OVA and OVO based methods in the evaluation speed as well as the size of the classifier model while maintaining comparable accuracy.
Is Guanxi Ethical? A Normative Analysis of Doing Business in China

This paper extends the discussion of guanxi beyond instrumental evaluations and advances a normative assessment of guanxi. Our discussion departs from previous analyses by not merely asking, “Does guanxi work?” but rather “Should corporations use guanxi?” The analysis begins with a review of traditional guanxi definitions and the changing economic and legal environment in China, both necessary precursors to understanding the role of guanxi in Chinese business transactions. This review leads us to suggest that there are distinct types of, and uses for guanxi. We identify the potentially problematic aspects of certain forms of guanxi from a normative perspective, noting among other things, the close association of particular types of guanxi with corruption and bribery. We conclude that there are many different forms of guanxi that may have distinct impacts on economic efficiency and the well-being of ordinary Chinese citizens. Consistent with Donaldson and Dunfee (1999), we advocate a particularistic analysis of the different forms of guanxi.
Fuzzy keyword search on spatial data

In recent years, many websites have started providing keyword-search services on maps. In these systems, users may experience difficulties finding the entities they are looking for if they do not know their exact spelling, such as the name of a restaurant. In this paper, we present a solution to support fuzzy keyword search on spatial data. We combine a spatial index structure with inverted indexes on grams to efficiently answer fuzzy queries on maps. We show two system prototypes to demonstrate the practicality of our solution.
SAB 101 Compliance: Revenue Accrual Management and the Cost of Capital: The Airline Industry

Incorporating the pricing dynamics of external jet fuel markets, this paper investigates the regulatory impact of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 101 on discretionary revenue accrual behavior, profitability and the firm's cost of capital in the airline industry. Prior to SAB 101, we posit that airlines could use GAAP flexibility to manage revenues to compensate for fuel price shocks on profitability and the firm's cost of capital. While the regulatory motivation for SAB 101 was to restrain misleading revenue management, we argue that after SAB 101, the potential for additional SEC scrutiny caused airlines to be more conservative in their air traffic liability-revenue accruals leading to increase in airline firms' costs of capital for the airlines making more conservative accruals. First, we find that prior to SAB 101, the air traffic liability account is significantly inversely related to both airline profitability and fuel prices. We then find that an unexpected change in the air traffic revenue liability account affects unexpected profitability. After SAB 101, the relation between profitability and changes in the air traffic revenue liability changed dramatically even after controlling for work disruptions and other economic factors related to the profitability. At the same time, average airlines' cost of capital as measured by bid-ask spreads increased markedly. This increase in the airlines' cost of capital suggests that the SEC intended revenue regulation guidance that did not change GAAP, did impose capital markets consequences on the airline industry.
Novel antigenic determinants of the T200 glycoprotein expressed preferentially by activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

This report describes the production and characterization of MAb specific for neoantigenic determinants, called CT antigens, present on the T200 glycoprotein of CTL. The CT determinants are expressed at high levels only on activated CTL. Although differences had previously been noted in the cell surface protein profile of distinct T cell subsets, this is the first description of a lineage-specific activation antigen. Furthermore, these determinants appear to have functional significance, because the CT-specific MAb block cytolytic function. Immune precipitation experiments indicated that the appearance of the CT antigens correlated with m.w. changes and the appearance of additional T200 protein species that were CTL specific. MLC cells cultured in the presence of IL 2-containing supernatants undergo a gradual shift from relatively low CT antigen expression to very high CT expression. This shift is accompanied by modifications of T200 eventually leading to a T200 protein profile identical to that of CTL clones. However, MLC cells propagated without the addition of IL 2-containing supernatants do not undergo a shift in CT antigen expression. Thus, the extent to which modifications occur in the T200 molecule is regulated by soluble factors. Competitive binding assays with two CT-specific MAb indicated that at least two distinct but overlapping neo-epitopes appear as the result of the T200 alterations. In sum, we have discovered the presence of CTL-lineage-specific activation antigens whose expression is regulated by lymphokines and is linked to cytolytic function. MAb specific for determinants such as these could be invaluable tools in the enumeration and depletion of specific T cell subsets in in vivo situations.
Sparse, random array processing for space-based radar

We investigate moving target detection with a space-based cluster of radar satellites, modeled as a random sparse array. Results show that improvement in signal to interference is a sensitive function of the pulse repetition frequency and varies over a large dynamic range. Achievable improvement factor maxima are moderately degraded by array pitch (satellite cluster rotation) and strongly degraded with increasing position errors. In general, with increased randomness, fewer elements contribute to form DPCA pairs so that satellite usage efficiency and SNR are degraded.
Petroleum-soluble Fluorescent Constituents of Leaves

WHEN petroleum ether extracts of dried leaf material are passed through Tswett adsorption columns composed of magnesia and siliceous earth, the leaf pigments are adsorbed, and colourless solution percolates through the column1. The very first portions of the percolate contain colourless hydrocarbons recoverable in crystalline form. Other colourless substances are slightly adsorbed on the magnesia, and may be recovered from subsequent portions of the percolate. The weakly adsorbed, colourless leaf constituents absorb ultra-violet light, in contrast to the non-adsorbed hydrocarbons which are transparent. Of particular interest, however, are fcwo products which are strongly fluorescent in ultraviolet light. These substances form fluorescent bands or zones on the adsorption columns just below the a-carotene band. The light emitted by the fluorescent bands appears white to the eye, but, in the hand spectroscope, it ranges from the long green to the short red wave-lengths. Crystals, obtained after elution of the fluorescent bands with petroleum ether and ethanol, were strongly fluorescent, being comparable to anthracene and carbazole in this respect. Upon exposure to air the crystals slowly lost their fluorescent properties. Each fluorescent substance, dissolved in cyclohexane, exhibited strong absorption of ultra-violet light, particularly at shorter wavelengths, but no maxima or minima were observed.
Formation and breakdown of ABA

The phytohormone, abscisic acid (ABA) is found in all photosynthetic organisms. The amount of ABA present is determined by the dynamic balance between biosynthesis and degradation: these two processes are influenced by development, environmental factors such as light and water stress, and other growth regulators. ABA is synthesized from a C40 carotenoid precursor and the first enzyme committed specifically to ABA synthesis is a plastid- localized 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, which cleaves an epoxycarotenoid precursor to form xanthoxin. Subsequently, xanthoxin is converted to ABA by two cytosolic enzymes via abscisic aldehyde, but there appears to be at least one minor alternative pathway. The major catabolic route leads to 8'-hydroxy ABA and phaseic acid formation, catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 enzyme ABA 8'-hydroxylase. In addition, there are alternate catabolic pathways via conjugation, 4'-reduction and 7'-hydroxylation. As a consequence of recent developments, the mechanism by which the concentration of hormonally active ABA is controlled at the cellular, tissue and whole plant level can now be analyzed in detail.
Playing with sandpiles

Abstract The Bak–Tang–Wiesenfeld sandpile model provides a simple and elegant system with which to demonstrate self-organized criticality. This model has rather remarkable mathematical properties first elucidated by Dhar. I demonstrate some of these properties graphically with a simple computer simulation.
Asymptotic properties of linear field equations in minkowski space

The aim of this paper is to derive the uniform asymptotic behavior of solutions to linear field equations in Minkowski space, based on geometric consideration and generalized energy estimates. Our method relies on a systematic use of the invariance properties of the field equations with respect to the conformal group of the Minkowski space and thus departs substantially from the classical method of analyzing the fundamental solution
Method for Comparative Performance Assessment and Evaluation of Consolidating Community Water Systems as a Regional Water System

Community water systems (CWS) are facing significant external forces for change from decreasing water-resource availability, stricter water-quality regulations, decreasing levels of federal subsidy, increasing public scrutiny, decreasing financial health, and increasing infrastructure replacement costs. (The Environment Protection Agency defines a community water system as a public water supply service that serves at least 25 people or 15 connections year round.) The combination of these external forces necessitate increasing consolidation responses by small CWS. The results of the consolidation response are significant economy of scale benefits such as the elimination of service duplication and greater buying power through bulk-rate purchasing. However, the consolidation and subsequence operations of small CWS as a regional water system (RWS) requires the development of a method for comparative performance assessment and evaluation that facilitates open and transparent decision making. (A regional water system is defined as a collection of similar CWS that operate under a single governing authority.) The goal of this paper is to propose such a method for comparative PAE for consolidating CWS that operate as a RWS. The objectives of the paper are: (1) to propose a standard efficiency metric (SEM) parameter for the performance assessment of CWS; (2) to propose a standard efficiency comparison metric (SECM) parameter for the summative evaluation of performance that permits benchmarked comparison among CWS; and (3) to demonstrate how the proposed SEM and SECM parameters promote open and transparent decision making within the RWS.
Status of study of rainfall, runoff, and related factors by the Mississippi Valley Committee of the Public Works Administration in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey

The members of the Mississippi Valley Committee are: Morris L. Cooke, of Philadelphia, chairman; Professor Harlan H. Barrows, of the University of Chicago; Herbert S. Crocker, of Denver; Dean Henry S. Graves, of Yale University; the Chief of Engineers, General Edward M. Markam, who is represented on the Committee during his absence by Colonel Glen E. Edgerton; Charles H. Paul, of Dayton; Dr. Harlow S. Person, of New York City; and Professor Sherman M. Woodward, of the University of Iowa. The Committee meets in Washington every second or third week and acts as a consulting board to the Administrator of Public Works on projects and problems relating to the Mississippi River Valley.
Deblurring of tomosynthesis images using 3D anisotropic diffusion filtering

Breast tomosynthesis is an emerging state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology that demonstrates significant early promise in screening and diagnosing breast cancer. However, this kind of image has significant out-of-plane artifacts due to its limited tomography nature, which affects the image quality and further would interrupt interpretation. In this paper, we develop a robust deblurring method to remove or suppress blurry artifacts by applying three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear anisotropic diffusion filtering method. Differential equation of 3D anisotropic diffusion filtering is discretized using explicit and implicit numerical methods, respectively, combined by first (fixed grey value) and second (adiabatic) boundary conditions under ten nearest neighbor grids configuration of finite difference scheme. The discretized diffusion equation is applied in the breast volume reconstructed from the entire tomosynthetic images of breast. The proposed diffusion filtering method is evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively on clinical tomosynthesis images. Results indicate that the proposed diffusion filtering method is very powerful in suppressing the blurry artifacts, and the results also indicate that implicit numerical algorithm with fixed value boundary condition has better performance in enhancing the contrast of tomosynthesis image, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed filtering method in deblurring the out-of-plane artifacts.
A method for evaluating friction using a backward extrusion-type forging

Abstract A method is proposed for estimating the value of the shear friction factor using a backward extrusion-type forging. This method uses forging load multiplied by the bottom thickness in a backward extrusion test as a measure to calibrate the friction factor. The advantages of the proposed method are: (1) the friction factor can be determined for forming processes where the interface pressure is high and new surface generation is large, e.g., cold forging and precision forging, and (2) the value of the friction factor can be determined continuously during the forming process. Thus, the performance of a lubricant during the entire test can be monitored.
Glucocorticoid Antagonist RU 486 Reverses Agonist‐Induced Apoptosis and C‐Myc Repression in Human Leukemic CEM‐C7 Cells

A synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of clone CEM-C7 cells, but not in clone CEM-C1 cells, even though they contain glucocorticoid receptors (GR). We previously showed that suppression of c-myc is a critical step in glucocorticoid-induced cell lysis of C7 cells. It is not reduced in C1 cells. In this study we review the basis for this conclusion and present evidence that the glucocorticoid antagonist RU 486 rescues DEX-treated C7 cells from cell death. An increase in DEX-repressed c-myc mRNA levels precedes the recovery of cell growth. A threshold level of Myc expression appears to be required to maintain growth and viability of C7 cells. Although C1 cells are highly resistant to lysis by glucocorticoids, addition of forskolin, an inducer of protein kinase A, synergizes to evoke complete apoptosis. This synergistic effect is prevented by RU 486, indicating direct involvement of the GR.
Left atrial scar burden determined by delayed enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance at post radiofrequency ablation: association with atrial fibrillation recurrence

Background Left atrial (LA) radiofrequency (RF) ablation has become routine treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) but still suffers from AF recurrence requiring a repeat procedure. LA-RF ablation success rates vary between 53% and 85%. Delayed-enhancement Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (DE-CMR) can be used to noninvasively visualize LA hyperenhancement (scar). We have utilized DECMR to quantify LA scar extent post LA-RF-ablation and related this measure to AF recurrence.
T-type Ca2+ channels are abnormal in genetically determined cardiomyopathic hamster hearts.

Although there is substantial evidence of abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis in heart cells of the cardiomyopathic Syrian hamster (Bio 14.6 strain), the mechanism by which these myocytes become Ca(2+)-overloaded is not known. To elucidate the role of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels in the pathogenesis of myopathy, whole-cell Ca2+ currents were measured in myopathic and normal control cardiac myocytes. These studies demonstrate the presence of two voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channel types in ventricular myocytes isolated from 200- to 300-day-old cardiomyopathic and age-matched normal hamsters. The two Ca2+ channel types were identified by their unitary conductance properties and pharmacologic sensitivities. Both L-type and T-type Ca2+ channels were present in cardiomyopathic and normal cells. Current density through L-type Ca2+ channels was the same in cardiomyopathic and normal control myocytes. However, the mean current density of T-type Ca2+ channels in cardiomyopathic cells was significantly higher than in normal cells (myopathic, 12.3 +/- 1.8 pA/pF; normal, 5.8 +/- 1.1 pA/pF; n = 8; P < .01). The T-type Ca2+ current in cardiomyopathic myocytes was activated and inactivated at more negative potentials than in cells from normal hamster hearts. These findings demonstrate no abnormality of the dihydropyridine-sensitive voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channel. In contrast, the observed abnormalities in T-type Ca2+ channel function in cardiomyopathic hamster myocytes suggest that this alteration may be related to the pathogenesis of Ca2+ overload and the arrhythmias in this genetically determined form of cardiomyopathy.
Muskellunge egg incubation habitat in the upper Niagara River

Abstract Identification, conservation, and restoration of spawning and nursery habitats are essential for conserving the self-sustaining population of muskellunge ( Esox masquinongy ) in the upper Niagara River. The objectives of this study were to describe muskellunge egg incubation habitat, identify the most important habitat features associated with the presence of eggs, and make comparisons between spawning habitats identified through visual observation of spawning adults and collection of eggs. We conducted surveys for muskellunge eggs at four locations from 2012 through 2014 and used logistic regression to identify habitat features related to the presence or absence of eggs. We used Bayesian information criterion to select the most likely model and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve tests to determine variable importance and evaluate the model. One-hundred-thirty-six viable muskellunge eggs and two yolk-sac larvae were collected from 30 locations. The most likely model contained parameters for the percent rank of algae or aquatic macrophyte cover of the substrate and water depth. The percent rank of algae or aquatic macrophyte cover was the most important predictor of egg occurrence, and the odds of collecting a muskellunge egg increased by 100% for every 10 percentile increase in percent rank of cover. Spawning habitat features identified in this study were similar to those identified through visual observation of spawning adults. Muskellunge egg incubation locations and habitats should be protected from development and alteration to ensure the sustainability of muskellunge in the Niagara River.
Musculoskeletal manifestations of osteomalacia: report of 26 cases and literature review.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to describe the musculoskeletal manifestationsin a selected population of 26 patients with biopsy-proven osteomalacia (OM) and provide a literature update. Methods: The 26 patients with biopsy-proven OM were selected from a totalnumber of 79 patients who underwent anterior iliac crest biopsy. The diagnosis of OM was confirmed by the presence of an osteoid volume greater than 10%, osteoid width greater than 15 μm, and delayed mineralization assessed by double-tetracycline labeling. Results: OM was caused by intestinal malabsorption in 13 patients, whereas six other patients presented with hypophosphatemia of different causes. Five elderly patients presented with hypovitaminosis D, and in two patients the OM was part of renal osteodystrophy. Twenty-three patients presented with bone pain and diffuse demineralization, whereas three other patients had normal or increased bone density. Characteristic pseudofractures were seen in only seven patients. Six of the 23 patients with diffuse demineralization had an “osteoporotic-like pattern” without pseudofractures. Prominent articular manifestations were seen in seven patients, including a rheumatoid arthritis-like picture in three, osteogenic synovitis in three, and ankylosing spondylitis-like in one. Two other patients were referred to us with the diagnosis of possible metastatic bone disease attributable to polyostotic areas of increased radio nuclide uptake caused by pseudofractures. Six patients also had proximal myopathy, two elderly patients were diagnosed as having polymalgia rheumatica, and two young patients were diagnosed as having fibromyalgia. One of the patients who presented with increased bone density was misdiagnosed as possible fluorosis. Conclusion: OM is usually neglected when compared with other metabolic bonediseases and may present with a variety of clinical and radiographic manifestations mimicking other musculoskeletal disorders.
Improving the Reliability of Retrospective Survey Measures: Results of a Longitudinal Field Survey

Data from a panel study of the impact of a low-income cooperative on its members are employed to compare the relative advantages of three different methods of measuring change. Although analysis confirmed the often reported unreliability of retrospective compared to true panel measurements, it also showed that "pseudo panel" retrospective approximations of panel measurements are greatly superior to change assessments made by respondents themselves. Finally, the three different types of change measures are compared in actual estimations of the impact of project participation on members. Results of this comparison confirm that, although true longitudinal designs arepreferable, pseudo panel measures of change may sometimes be acceptable and should definitely be preferred to the third, more subjective assessments of change.
The age of the castrato voice.

In our time of rapidly changing life styles it is useful to understand that voices also mirror the spirit of an era. The study of the history of vocal styles may give valuable clues to a better und...
Ergonomics in Agriculture: Workplace Priority Setting in the Nursery Industry

Although agriculture is generally recognized as the nation's most hazardous industry and displays high rates of musculoskeletal disorders with evidence to suggest that ergonomic risk factors are involved, there is very little history of application of ergonomic approaches in agricultural workplaces. A three-year National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-supported study has been initiated in California nurseries to describe and design engineering interventions for priority musculoskeletal disorders. In this article are reported the results of the project's initial workplace job task screening for ergonomic risk factors and associated musculoskeletal disorder reports to define landmark ergonomic risk factors for the nursery industry and select priority job tasks for intervention.
Modeling an emittance-dominated elliptical sheet beam with a -dimensional particle-in-cell code

Abstract Modeling a 3-dimensional (3-D) elliptical beam with a 2 1 2 -D particle-in-cell (PIC) code requires a reduction in the beam parameters. The 2 1 2 -D PIC code can only model the center slice of the sheet beam, but that can still provide useful information about the beam transport and distribution evolution, even if the beam is emittance dominated. The reduction of beam parameters and resulting interpretation of the simulation is straightforward, but not trivial. In this paper, we describe the beam parameter reduction and emittance issues related to the initial beam distribution. As a numerical example, we use the case of a sheet beam designed for use with a planar traveling-wave amplifier for high power generator for RF ranging from 95 to 300 GHz [Carlsten et al., IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 33 (2005) 85]. These numerical techniques also apply to modeling high-energy elliptical bunches in RF accelerators.
NDE Engineering in the Materials Life Cycle

The emergence of nondestructive evaluation as a factor to be considered in the entire life cycle of materials, from design, through fabrication of components and structures, to in-service monitoring, is reviewed. Current directions in research and development and in practical application are discussed within the context of NDE as an engineering function
Interspecific Competition Between Seeds: Relative Planting Date and Density Affect Seedling Emergence

The interactions between seeds in the soil are poorly understood. We per- formed greenhouse experiments to investigate the effects of seed density, relative frequency, and relative planting date on the emergence of seedlings in the species Senecio vulgaris, Capsella bursa-pastoris, and Poa annua. We found that for both Poa and Senecio, the probability of emergence significantly decreased with an increase in total seed density. Neither the density of conspecifics nor heterospecifics alone could explain this decline in the probability of emergence. We also found that, for all three species studied, the rate of emergence accelerated in the presence of previously planted seeds. A second experiment indicated that this acceleration involves a response to leachate from previously germinated seeds.
Using a Science Writing Heuristic to enhance learning outcomes from laboratory activities in seventh-grade science: quantitative and qualitative aspects

Science laboratory activities within secondary science have traditionally followed prescriptive outlines both in the structure and reporting of the activity. Building on current understandings of writing to learn science strategies, a Science Writing Heuristic has been developed that encourages students to examine laboratory activities much more carefully in terms of having to justify their research questions, claims and evidence. This study reports on the implementation of the heuristic within a Year 7 biology classroom. A mixed-method approach was used to determine whether student performance on conceptual questions improved when using the heuristic and if using a more non-traditional write-up of laboratory activities was beneficial for students in terms of learning. Results indicate that students who used the Science Writing Heuristic performed better as a group than students who did not, and that students who completed a textbook explanation as a write-up performed better as a group than those who completed a more traditional write-up format. Student interview responses indicate a development of understanding of science inquiry and an awareness of cognitive and metacognitive processes needed to complete the activities.
Examining individuals' desire for shorter commute: The case of proximate commuting

Much of the theoretical and empirical debate about transport and land-use planning has focused upon the strength and vitality of the connection between the two. Studies increasingly find that this connection is weakening and thus attempts to address urban transport problems with land-use policies are ineffective. The author introduces proximate commuting, a novel employer-based program that decreases urban commuting by providing marginal accessibility improvements to its participants. With the aid of a case study involving a commercial bank in the Western Detroit Metropolitan Area, the author examines individuals' motivations for participating in a proximate-commuting program. Results show that 25% of bank tellers surveyed state that they are willing to take advantage of this accessibility-improvement program. Estimation of a discrete-choice model reveals that gender; expected improvements in accessibility; and better job prospects are three key factors explaining individuals' stated willingness to proxim...
Modeling of the Effect of Preferential Texturing on the Interfacial Forces in Sub-5 nm Ultra-Low Flying Head-Disk Interfaces

Preferential surface texturing is expected to significantly improve tribological performance of ultralow flying magnetic storage head-disk interfaces (HDIs) by modifying the roughness and reducing the contact area preferentially, thereby reducing the relevant interfacial forces, such as friction, contact, and adhesive forces. Because of the different etch rates in the titanium carbide (top surface) and alumina (bottom surface) portions of the slider air-bearing surface (ABS), during reactive ion etching the surface heights possess a distinct bimodal distribution. In order to accurately and realistically capture the interfacial phenomena of the ultralow flying HDI with a preferentially textured slider ABS, a probability density function was proposed by linking two different Gaussian asperity distributions. The proposed bimodal asperity distribution was then directly incorporated into a previously developed rough surface contact model to calculate the corresponding interfacial forces. The results were then directly compared to a single Gaussian approximation (ignoring the bimodality) as well as a high-order polynomial curve-fit approximation (encompassing the bimodality). Comparative studies revealed that the proposed bimodal distribution method has a main advantage of being able to resolve the top and bottom asperity contributions separately, which is physically more accurate, and thereby providing interfacial force estimates that are more physically accurate. Other simpler methods, by assuming a single continuous distribution over the entire surface, are not able to isolate the top and bottom asperity distributions and thus are more likely to overestimate the interfacial forces in sub-5 nm flying HDIs.
Directional mutation pressure, mutator mutations, and dynamics of molecular evolution

Using a general form of the directional mutation theory, this paper analyzes the effect of mutations in mutator genes on the G + C content of DNA, the frequency of substitution mutations, and evolutionary changes (cumulative mutations) under various degrees of selective constraints. Directional mutation theory predicts that when the mutational bias between A/T and G/C nucleotide pairs is equilibrated with the base composition of a neutral set of DNA nucleotides, the mutation frequency per gene will be much lower than the frequency immediately after the mutator mutation takes place. This prediction explains the wide variation of the DNA G + C content among unicellular organisms and possibly also the wide intragenomic heterogeneity of third codon positions for the genes of multicellular eukaryotes. The present analyses lead to several predictions that are not consistent with a number of the frequently held assumptions in the field of molecular evolution, including belief in a constant rate of evolution, symmetric branching of phylogenetic trees, the generality of higher mutation frequency for neutral sets of nucleotides, the notion that mutator mutations are generally deleterious because of their high mutation rates, and teleological explanations of DNA base composition.
A conformationally constrained competitive inhibitor of the sodium-dependent glutamate transporter in forebrain synaptosomes: l-anti-endo-3,4-methanopyrrolidine dicarboxylate ☆

A series of l-3,4-methanopyrrolidine dicarboxylate isomers were investigated as potential inhibitors of the high affinity, sodium-dependent glutamate transporter in rat forebrain synaptosomes. Of the isomers tested, only l-anti-endo-3,4-methanopyrrolidine dicarboxylate (l-anti-endo-MPDC) blocked the uptake of [3H]d-aspartate, a non-metabolized substrate. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that l-anti-endo-MPDC is a potent competitive inhibitor (Ki = 5 μM) comparable to that of l-glutamate and l-trans-2,4-pyrrolidine dicarboxylate (l-trans-2,4-PDC). Conformational analysis of l-glutamate, l-trans-2,4-PDC and l-anti-endo-MPDC are used to refine the pharmacophore model of the transporter binding site.
Colloidal properties of aqueous fullerenes: isoelectric points and aggregation kinetics of C60 and C60 derivatives.

Aqueous colloidal suspensions of C60 (aqu/C60) and the C60 derivatives PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester) and the corresponding butyl and octyl esters, PCBB and PCBO (aqu/PCB-R, where R is an alkyl group), were produced by stirring in double deionized water for 5 months. Kinetically stable fullerene aggregates were formed using this procedure that ranged in intensity-averaged hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) from 193 ± 2 nm (95% C.L.) for aqu/C60 to 259 ± 6 nm for aqu/PCBO. Measured zeta potentials (ζ) were < −50 mV, and the isoelectric points (pI) were <1.0 for all of the aqu/fullerenes. Time-resolved dynamic light scattering (TRDLS) was used to measure aqu/fullerene Dh change with time and as a function of background solution ionic strength. The critical coagulation concentration (CCC) values for the aqu/PCB-R fullerenes were significantly higher than that of aqu/C60, indicating that the phenyl alkyl ester moieties of the aqu/PCB-R fullerenes were impeding the aggregation process.
Supply and demand challenges to modern contraceptive use in Azerbaijan.

Objectives We conducted a survey of health facilities and household members to determine supply and demand aspects of contraceptive use in Azerbaijan.Methods In June 2005, we conducted interviews with 758 women and 253 men in a community-based survey in 40 communities in five districts. We also surveyed a sample of health facilities and pharmacies and conducted interviews with key informants.Results Both men and women in these communities desire small families, yet significant supply and demand impediments exist. Despite community interest, lack of knowledge of contraception is prevalent. Fear of side effects plays a role in non-use and discontinuation of modern methods, although little opportunity exists for counselling on side effects, since few health workers are trained. An obstacle to use is legislation that only allows contraception to be prescribed by gynaecologists, who are mostly concentrated in the hospitals of urban centres. However, the main handicap to increased use of modern contraception, i...
Determining ellipsoids by intersections with flats

This paper considers the problem of reconstructing a d-dimensional ellipse from its intersection with a set of n parallel j-flats. The minimum value of n is determined for this problem and some related ones.
Determinants for the DNase I-hypersensitive chromatin structure 5' to a human HSP70 gene

Abstract A DNase I hypersensitive site was detected in chromatin formed over a human hsp70 gene segment after amplification in COS7 cells. Deletion mutant analysis was used to evaluate the sequence requirements for this chromatin structure. Determinants sufficient to form the hypersensitive site are contained in a 280 base-pair sequence corresponding approximately to the region that is hypersensitive. Deletion of sequences from either end of this region resulted in reduced hypersensitivity, suggesting that multiple genetic elements contribute to the formation of this chromatin structure. As has been reported for other heat shock genes, the hypersensitive chromatin structure is present prior to heat treatment and does not change in intensity or position after heat shock, in spite of the fact that hsp70 gene expression is completely dependent on heat induction. Sequence requirements for hypersensitivity were generally similar to those for heat-induced gene expression when mutant plasmids were tested at low copy number (e.g. in HeLa cells or in COS cells without amplification); however, deletion of sequences between −223 and −162 with respect to the start of transcription abolished the hypersensitive site but had no effect on gene expression. A barrier to exonuclease III digestion was detected within this region (near an imperfect inverted repeat sequence centered at position −202), suggesting that proteins are tightly bound to the DNA at this location.
Semantic Processing in the Right Hemisphere May Contribute to Drawing Inferences from Discourse

After listening to multiple-episode stories that promoted coherence inferences, right hemisphere-damaged patients answered Inference questions about the stories less accurately than Explicit questions, whereas normal elderly subjects answered both question types equally well. In addition, while subjects listened to the stories they made lexical decisions to tests words that were related to the promoted inferences or were unrelated to the stories. Right hemisphere-damaged patients responded more slowly to inference-related words than to unrelated words, whereas normal elderly subjects responded more quickly to interference-related words than to unrelated words. Furthermore, the episode boundaries did not affect either group's accuracy on Inference questions, and the boundaries equally affected both groups' lexical decision latencies, suggesting that the patients' inferencing deficit was not due to an impairment in organizing the mental substructures used to represent discourse. These results suggest that the right hemisphere-damaged patients lacked activation of semantic information necessary for drawing coherence inferences.
Validation of a novel extraction method for studying hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5 triazine (RDX) biodegradation by ruminal microbiota

Abstract A simple, fast liquid–liquid extraction method was developed for studying hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5 triazine (RDX) biodegradation using small sample volumes. The method was tested in vitro with anaerobic incubations of RDX with whole rumen fluid (WRF) and a commercial Sporanaerobacter acetigenes strain in methanogenic media for RDX. Additionally, validation experiments were conducted in deionized water in order to show applicability toward various aqueous matrices. Conditions for extraction were as follows: 300 μL of sample were mixed with an equal volume of a 0.34 M ammonium hydroxide solution to reach a basic pH, extracted with a hexane/ethyl acetate 1:1 (v/v) solution (1 mL) and shaken vigorously for 10 s. The resulting organic phase was transferred, then dried under a constant flow of N2 and reconstituted with acetonitrile (300 μL) for HPLC–UV and LC–MS/MS analysis. Percent recovery values were obtained (83–101%) in all matrices for RDX. In WRF (n = 3 animals), RDX degradation was observed with almost 100% elimination of RDX after 4 h. The five nitroso and ring cleavage metabolites were observed by mass spectrometry. Liquid cultures of S. acetigenes did not show significant RDX biodegradation activity. RDX extractions from deionized water samples indicated acceptable recoveries with low variability, suggesting suitability of the method for aqueous matrices. Overall, the new method demonstrated acceptable efficiency and reproducibility across three matrices, providing an advantageous alternative for studies where complex matrices and small volume samples are in use.