cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allometric constraints and variables of reproductive effort in brachyuran crabs

Allometric relationships of reproductive output were compared in 20 species from 7 families of brachyuran crabs from the east and west coasts of North America, using regression analysis of log reproductive parameters versus log body weight. Comparisons of crabs spanning 4 orders of magnitude in body weight indicated that female body size was the principal determinant of reproductive output: 95% of the variance in brood weight, 79% of the variance in the number of eggs per brood, 63% of the variance in annual brood weight, and 74% of the variance in annual fecundity were explained by body weight. Brood weight exhibited an isometric constraint to about 10% of body weight. Allometric limitations on space available for yolk accumulation in the body cavity appeared to be the main constraint on brood size. Ovum size increased significantly, but only slightly, with increasing body size. There was a significant trade-off between ovum size and the number of eggs per brood. There was no significant relationship between the number of broods per year and body size. The number of eggs per brood was significantly better than brood weight as a predictor of the number of broods produced per year by a species, indicating that demographic pressure on fecundity rather than energetic considerations is the primary selective mechanism influencing annual reproductive effort. Each of the 7 families of crabs exhibited trends toward distinct patterns for the suite of co-adapted reproductive traits. However, no interspecific reproductive patterns were apparent with respect to the variables of feeding type, salinity tolerance, habitat, and geographic range represented by the 20 species.
USE OF PROTEIN DYE-BINDING VALUES AS INDICATORS OF THE “CHEMICAL AGE” OF CONVENTIONALLY MADE CHEDDAR CHEESE AND HYDROLYZED-LACTOSE CHEDDAR CHEESE

A dye-binding method using amido black dye was developed for determining the “chemical age” of Cheddar cheese. Samples of cheese from two manufacturing processes were analyzed during 8 months of ripening: conventional cheese manufacture and a hydro-lyzed-lactose process that results in a more rapidly ripening cheese. Free amino acid analyses were also made and those data compared with dye-binding values (DBVs). The DBVs correlated to the free amino acid values by 0.85 and 0.84 in the conventional and hydro-lyzed-lactose processes, respectively. A quadratic model was established between the DBVs and the free amino acid data. In the different cheese samples analyzed this resulted in a multiple correlation coefficient of 0.82 for the following regression equation: μg = 1374–130.4 (DBV) + 2.83 (DBV)2. The standard error of estimate of this method was 2.4 mg/g of cheese.
Poly(β-aminosulfonamides) as gene delivery vectors: synthesis and in vitro screening

A series of poly(β-aminosulfonamides) was synthesized and demonstrated to be efficient in vitro transfection reagents.
Hazard Rate Regression Using Ordinary Nonparametric Regression Smoothers

Abstract This article proposes a method for nonparametric estimation of hazard rates as a function of time and possibly multiple covariates. The method is based on dividing the time axis into intervals, and calculating number of event and follow-up time contributions from the different intervals. The number of event and follow-up time data are then separately smoothed on time and the covariates, and the hazard rate estimators obtained by taking the ratio. Pointwise consistency and asymptotic normality are shown for the hazard rate estimators for a certain class of smoothers, which includes some standard approaches to locally weighted regression and kernel regression. It is shown through simulation that a variance estimator based on this asymptotic distribution is reasonably reliable in practice. The problem of how to select the smoothing parameter is considered, but a satisfactory resolution to this problem has not been identified. The method is illustrated using data from several breast cancer clinical t...
Dynamics of spontaneous emission of quantum dots in a one-dimensional cholesteric liquid crystal photonic cavity

We investigate the modulation of recombination lifetimes of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) dispersed in a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) photonic cavity. Using ultrafast spectroscopic techniques we focus on the time-resolved emission from QD ensembles in CLC matrices with either planar or homeotropic alignment. In the case of planar alignment and a well-defined spectral stop-band (reflection band) we observe the emergence of a second, faster decay time of less than 2 ns. This short recombination pathway is observed only in samples where the QD emission spectrum partially overlaps the CLC stop-band by 50% or more. Samples prepared with homeotropic alignment do not have a stop-band and, consequently, do not lead to spectral or dynamical modulation of the QD emission. Our observations indicate that coupling between the excitonic and the photonic cavity modes results in an enhancement and modulation of spontaneous emission in the liquid crystal medium.
Calibration Uncertainty in Ocean Color Satellite Sensors and Trends in Long-term Environmental Records

Launched in late 2011, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) spacecraft is being evaluated by NASA to determine whether this sensor can continue the ocean color data record established through the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). To this end, Goddard Space Flight Center generated evaluation ocean color data products using calibration techniques and algorithms established by NASA during the SeaWiFS and MODIS missions. The calibration trending was subjected to some initial sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. Here we present an introductory assessment of how the NASA-produced time series of ocean color is influenced by uncertainty in trending instrument response over time. The results help quantify the uncertainty in measuring regional and global biospheric trends in the ocean using satellite remote sensing, which better define the roles of such records in climate research.
Risk factors for surgical site infection after major breast operation.

Background Understanding surgical site infection (SSI) risk factors after breast operation is essential to develop infection-prevention strategies and improve surgical outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective case-control study with subjects selected from a cohort of mastectomy, breast reconstruction, and reduction surgical patients between January 1998 and June 2002 at a university-affiliated hospital. SSI cases within 1 year after operation were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes for wound infection and complication or positive wound cultures, or both. Medical records of 57 patients with breast SSI and 268 randomly selected uninfected control patients were reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for SSI. Results Significant independent risk factors for breast incisional SSI included insertion of a breast implant or tissue expander (odds ratio [OR] = 5.3; 95% CI, 2.5 to 11.1), suboptimal prophylactic antibiotic dosing (OR = 5.1; 95% CI, 2.5 to 10.2), transfusion (OR = 3.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 9.0), mastectomy (OR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 7.7), previous chest irradiation (OR = 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6.5), and current or recent smoking (OR = 2.1; 95% CI, 0.9 to 4.9). Local infiltration of an anesthetic agent was associated with substantially reduced odds of SSI (OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.1 to 0.9). Conclusions Suboptimal prophylactic antibiotic dosing is a potentially modifiable risk factor for SSI after breast operation. SSI risk was increased in patients undergoing mastectomy and in patients who had an implant or tissue expander placed during operation. This information can be used to develop a specific risk stratification index to predict SSI and infection-preventive strategies tailored for breast surgery patients.
Evidence for a transposon in caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract The C. elegans genome contains a 1.7 kb repeated DNA sequence (Tc1) that is present in different numbers in various strains. In strain Bristol and 10 other strains analyzed, there are 20 ± 5 copies of Tc1, and these are located at a nearly constant set of sites in the DNA. In Bergerac, however, there are 200 ± 50 interspersed copies of Tc1 that have arisen by insertion of Tc1 elements into new genomic sites. The interspersed copies of Tc1 have a conserved, nonpermuted structure. The structure of genomic Tc1 elements was analyzed by the cloning of a single Tc1 element from Bergerac and the comparison of its structure with homologous genomic sequences in Bristol and Bergerac. Tc1 elements at three sites analyzed in Bergerac undergo apparently precise excision from their points of insertion at high frequency.
Sequence domains and integer-valued polynomials

Abstract A problem of recent interest has been to characterize all commutative integral domains D such that Int( D ) (the integer-valued polynomial ring on D ) is Prufer. It is known that if D is Noetherian, then Int( D ) is Prufer if and only if D is Dedekind with all residue fields finite. Moreover, it is known that if Int( D ) is Prufer ( D Noetherian or not), then D is almost Dedekind with all residue fields finite. The case where D is non-Noetherian has been attacked by Chabert [2, 3], Glimer [5], and Loper [10], but is far from settled. This paper considers a special class of non-Noetherian almost Dedekind domains with finite residue fields which can be constructed by intersecting a sequence of Noetherian valuation domains which has a particular convergence property. These domains are called sequence domains. The especially simple ideal structure of sequence domains allows us to draw conclusions about the ideal structure of the integer-valued polynomial rings. For example, we show that a two-part boundedness condition proposed by Chabert in [3] completely characterizes the sequence domains D for which Int( D ) is Prufer. Also, in [3] Chabert posed a condition he called “behaving well under localization” which he proved to be a sufficient condition for Int( D ) to be Prufer, but left unsettled the question of its necessity. We characterize the sequence domains D for which Int( D ) behaves well under localization and show by means of an example that this condition is not necessary. We construct many other examples as well, all of which are overrings of Z [ x ].
Chenier versus Barrier, Genetic and Stratigraphic Distinction: ABSTRACT

Barrier islands and cheniers are elongate, narrow sand bodies which may appear similar where preserved in the sedimentary record. However, their modes of origin and sequence of development are distinctive. Differentiation of these features is important in the interpretation of the depositional environments, paleogeography, and geologic history of coastal areas. Chenier development begins with progradation by deposition of clay, silt, and sand. Rapid sedimentation precludes removal of fine material. Progradation is followed by reworking, shore retreat, and formation of a ridge at the head of the beach. Fines are transported seaward and along the shore. Sand is concentrated on the upper beach and over the adjacent marsh, and is transported along the shore, possibly accumulating in areas not actively eroding. The contact of the chenier with marsh and mud-flat deposits is disconformable beneath transgressive sand deposits, but may be intertonguing for laterally transported deposits. Increasing rates of sedimentation reinitiate mud-flat progradation and the sand ridge is left as chenier. Holocene cheniers are commonly less than 15 feet thick. Barriers originate from a topographic ridge at the head of the beach which subsequently is partly submerged. Lagoonal-marsh sediments are deposited behind the barrier; however, continued subsidence accompanied by transgression may result in a complex intertonguing of barrier and lagoonal-marsh sediments. Barriers also form as spits and may develop seaward from a pre-existing barrier. Repeated spit formation results in the formation of sand bodies enclosed in finer sediments. Barriers, like cheniers, may be eroded, reworked, and moved landward over the adjacent marsh. Barriers predate the lagoonal-marsh sediments, whereas the sand ridge of the chenier develops on, and seaward from, existing marsh and mud-flat deposits. End_of_Article - Last_Page 471------------
Reconnecting Strategy Instruction With Its Theoretical Roots

This article revisits the rich theoretical and empirical literatures that undergird strategy instruction, with the goal of identifying a principled approach to the teaching of strategies to enhance reading and learning with text.
Analysis of cytokine gene expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Cytokine production in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck may directly influence the clinical behavior of this aggressive neoplasm since cytokines act as autocrine/paracrine growth factors, as well as immunomodulators. In the present study, the cytokine profiles of 16 SCCs of the head and neck and matched autologous, noncancerous mucosa were determined and compared to normal oral mucosa. Cytokine gene expression in noncancerous mucosa was similar to normal oral mucosa. Levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA expression were significantly increased in SCC relative to the mean +/- 2 SD of noncancerous mucosa or normal mucosa (p<0.05). Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that GM-CSF protein was produced by epithelial cells in the SCC. The overall mRNA expression relative to noncancerous-mucosa or normal mucosa of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not significantly increased in SCC, however, individual tumors did show selected increases in mRNA expression for these cytokines. These extensive differences in the levels of cytokine mRNA expression could modulate interactions between the tumor cells and the corresponding host cells affecting the behavior of head and neck SCC.
Updated optical testing bibliography.

An updated bibliography on optical testing—some 1300 references—is now available on a dbase diskette.
Right Ventricular Hypertrophy Detected by Echocardiography in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea

We used polysomnography, echocardiography and ventilatory measurements to study 50 patients suspected of having OSA to determine a link to RVH. Twenty-eight patients (56 percent) had OSA and 20 (71 percent) of those had isolated RVH. We evaluated patients with RVH and divided them into two groups, those with apnea and those without apnea. The patients with sleep apnea were younger, weighed more, had greater BSA and had lower average oxygen saturations during the sleep study period. We divided the group with apnea into those with RVH and those without it. Those patients with RVH had a higher AI, longer average apnea time, a greater duration of longest apnea and a lower average oxygen saturation for the period of the sleep study. In addition, those with RVH had a lower average oxygen saturation during each apneic episode with a p value equaling 0.09. (Chest 1991; 100:347-50)
Cutaneous angiosarcoma as a second malignancy in a lymphedematous leg in a Hodgkin's disease survivor

Angiosarcoma is a rare and highly malignant neoplasm. Cutaneous angiosarcoma not associated with postmastectomy lymphedema is rare. There are only eight reported cases of development of cutaneous angiosarcoma in a lymphedematous extremity in a patient with pre-existing malignancy other than breast cancer. This is the first reported case of development of cutaneous angiosarcoma in a lymphedematous extremity in a Hodgkin's disease survivor. A review of cutaneous angiosarcoma associated with lymphedema and a discussion of the pathogenesis of angiosarcoma are included.
Invited commentary: how research on public school closures can inform research on public hospital closures.

The literature on social capital and civic engagement as they relate to health and health services outcomes is nuanced and sometimes conflicting, and has been a topic of much investigation in the pages of Social Science and Medicine. Ko et al. (2014) add to this research by considering two health services outcomes: the closure and privatization of public hospitals. We draw from education research on the role of community/civic engagement in public school closures to identify areas for future research to better understand these nuances. Qualitative research on school closures suggest that there are both well-managed and poorly managed closure decisions, and there are diverse community groups with interests in the decision who can interact with each other in nuanced ways. Furthermore, across stakeholder groups, there is not always agreement as to if closure would help or harm their students' education. We encourage health and health services researchers to glean insights from education research and other disciplines disparate but related and relevant to public health when developing research questions and considering alternative methodologies.
X-ray-induced specific-locus mutation rate in newborn male mice

Abstract The specific-locus mutation frequency resulting from 300 R of acute X-irradiation has been determined for the germ cells present in newborn male mice. The frequency is 13.7·10−8 mutations/locus/R, which is statistically significantly lower than that of 29.1·10−8 mutations/locus/R found earlier for the same loci in spermatogonia of the adult male by W. L. Russell . The mutation rate for newborn males does not differ significantly from the induced specific-locus frequency reported for fetal males by T. C. Carter et al. The incidence of clusters of specific-locus mutations found following the irradiation of the newborn males was statistically significantly higher than the cluster incidence reported by W. L. Russell for similar irradiation of adult males. This presumably indicates the survival of relatively fewer reproductive cells following irradiation of the day-o testis. Although there are suggestions that the distribution of mutations among the loci following irradiation of the newborn males may be different from that of the irradiated adults, no statistically significant differences are demonstrated. It is quite possible that the testis of the newborn mouse may be comparable to the relatively undifferentiated human testis which persists for approx. 10 years. Until the present research was undertaken, no attempt had been made to determine the specific-locus mutation frequency resulting from X-irradiation of newborn male mice. Although some important questions still remain concerning the explanation for the lower mutational response of the newborn mouse testis, from the hazard standpoint it is reassuring that the mutation frequency of the newborn male is statistically significantly lower than that of the adult.
K4GeP4Se12: a case for phase-change nonlinear optical chalcogenide

We report on broadband nonlinear optical (NLO) responses from a phase-change chalcogenide compound K4GeP4Se12. Its glassy phase exhibits unusual second-harmonic generation (SHG) due to the preservation of local crystallographic order. The SHG efficiency of the glassy form can be boosted by more than 2 orders of magnitude by simple heat treatment. Strong SHG and third-harmonic generation from both glassy and crystalline compounds were characterized over a wide wavelength range of 1.2–4.0 μm. Our results imply that K4GeP4Se12 can be utilized for various NLO applications in the mid-infrared spectrum.
Modulation and signal selection for digital data systems

The statistical decision model of a communication channel is used to discuss a variety of signal modulation techniques intended to overcome the problems met in the use of voice-bandwidth channels for high-performance digital data transmission. The importance of proper transmission of timing and word-start information is emphasized. The equivalence of various modulation schemes to selection from an alphabet of signal waveforms is pointed out; also that, in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise, the performance of such simple-waveform systems as AM (amplitude modulation), phase reversal, and FSK (frequency shift keying) is the same to within a few db (decibels). Implications of the fact that the channel noise is not Gaussian, but impulsive in character, are briefly explored.
Budget Variance Analysis of a Departmentwide Implementation of a PACS at a Major Academic Medical Center

In this study, the costs and cost savings associated with departmentwide implementation of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) as compared to the projected budget at the time of inception were evaluated. An average of $214,460 was saved each year with a total savings of $1,072,300 from 1999 to 2003, which is significantly less than the $2,943,750 projected savings. This discrepancy can be attributed to four different factors: (1) overexpenditures, (2) insufficient cost savings, (3) unanticipated costs, and (4) project management issues. Although the implementation of PACS leads to cost savings, actual savings will be much lower than expected unless extraordinary care is taken when devising the budget.
Antihistamine Drug Misuse and Dependency in Headache Patients: A Case Series in a Tertiary Care Headache Center

Aims: To report antihistamine abuse at a tertiary headache center including 6 patients who meet the criteria for substance abuse for intramuscular diphenhydramine (DPH). Presentation of the Cases: Six patients were identified who were prescribed intramuscular DPH and developed escalating drug use. All patients were female, with a mean age of 40.6 (32-53), with diagnosis of medication overuse headache. Five had chronic migraine and 1 new daily persistent headache. All 6 patients were disabled. Three patients had history of misuse of other drugs including benztropine, hydromorphone and clonazepam. Comorbid psychiatric disorders included 3 patients with major depressive disorder, 2 with ADHD, 1 with post-traumatic stress disorder and social phobia. All of these patients had a history of receiving intravenous DPH as part of their migraine treatment to avoid complications from neuroleptics. Discussion and Conclusion: A literature search revealed eight case reports of DPH abuse
A molecular orbital study of the changes that accompany rotation of the HO group in phenol, and the barrier height

Abstract The geometry, energy, dipole moment and total atomic charge distribution have been calculated for torsional angles of 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° with respect to rotation about the CO bond in phenol using the 6-31G basis set, assuming that the ring, the bonded O-atom, and the ring H-atoms all lie in the same plane, but otherwise with full geometry optimization. Additional calculations, using the 6-31G* (5D) basis set, showed very similar changes in geometry in going from the 0° (planar) to the 90° structure. Complete relaxation of the planarity constraint results in the ring taking up a very shallow boat-type conformation, o 7 C 1 ⋯C 4 = 1.4°, and a change in energy of only 0.05 kcal mol −1 . Evidence for an attractive interaction between the oxygen lone pair and the nearest ring hydrogens is discussed.
Structure-activity relationships of the melanocortin tetrapeptide Ac-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-NH2 at the mouse melanocortin receptors. 4. Modifications at the Trp position.

The melanocortin pathway is an important participant in skin pigmentation, steroidogenesis, obesity, energy homeostasis and exocrine gland function. The centrally located melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors (MC3R, MC4R) are involved in the metabolic and food intake aspects of energy homeostasis and are stimulated by melanocortin agonists such as alpha-melanocyte stimulation hormone (alpha-MSH). The melanocortin agonists contain the putative message sequence "His-Phe-Arg-Trp," and it has been well-documented that inversion of chirality of the Phe to DPhe results in a dramatic increase in melanocortin receptor potency. Herein, we report a tetrapeptide library, based upon the template Ac-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-NH(2), consisting of 26 members that have been modified at the DPhe(7) position (alpha-MSH numbering) and pharmacologically characterized for agonist and antagonist activity at the mouse melanocortin receptors MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. The most notable results of this study include the identification of the tetrapeptide Ac-His-(pI)DPhe-Arg-Trp-NH(2) that is a full nanomolar agonist at the mMC1 and mMC5 receptors, a mMC3R partial agonist with potent antagonist activity (pA(2) = 7.25, K(i) = 56 nM) and, but unexpectedly, is a potent agonist at the mMC4R (EC(50) = 25 nM). This ligand possesses novel melanocortin receptor pharmacology, as compared to previously reported peptides, and is potentially useful for in vivo studies to differentiate MC3R vs MC4R physiological roles in animal models, such as primates, where "knockout" animals are not viable options. The DNal(2') substitution for DPhe resulted in a mMC3R partial agonist with antagonist activity (pA(2) = 6.5, K(i) = 295 nM) and a mMC4R (pA(2) = 7.8, K(i) = 17 nM) antagonist possessing 60- and 425-fold decreased potency, respectively, as compared with SHU9119 at these receptors. Examination of this DNal(2')-containing tetrapeptide at the F254S and F259S mutant mMC4Rs resulted in agonist activity of this mMC4R tetrapeptide antagonist, similar to that observed for the SHU9119 peptide, supporting our previously proposed hypothesis that the Phe 254 and 259 transmembrane six receptor residues are important for differentiating melanocortin sequence-based MC4R antagonists vs the agouti-related protein (AGRP) sequence-based antagonists.
Comment-Contrasting Deep-water Records from the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic of South Tibet and British Columbia: Evidence for a Diachronous Mass Extinction (Wignall and Newton, 2003)

“Happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” Tolstoy (1878). As in this famous first line of Anna Karenina, each Permian–Triassic boundary section is unhappy in its own way. Wignall and Newton (2003) are to be commended for showing that this great mass extinction had different effects at different localities, such as deep oceanic warming in Tibet, but they have not demonstrated their chief claims that (1) mass extinction was globally diachronous by a half million years, or (2) due to dysoxia from oceanic stagnation. Furthermore, their foraminiferal disaster taxa are better explained by a methane-outburst hypothesis (Krull and Retallack, 1999; Berner, 2002), which they fail to mention. There is a difference between diachronous mass extinction, where most species become extinct at different times in different places, and selective survival, where some species survive the mass extinction. Wignall and Newton's (2003) claim for diachroneity comes from range truncation of foraminifera assigned to …
Developmental aspects of the innervation of skeletal muscle fibers in the chick embryo.

The M. complexus in the chick, commonly called the hatching muscle, undergoes conspicuous growth during the latter stages of embryonic development. Myogenesis of this muscle was compared to that of M. biceps femoris with regard to development of types of muscle fiber and their innervation. In both muscles β fibers are of relatively uniform size and show little growth in diameter between 12 days of development and hatching; α fibers develop continuously and display a wide range of diameters at all stages.
Confounding from cryptic relatedness in case-control association studies.

Case-control association studies are widely used in the search for genetic variants that contribute to human diseases. It has long been known that such studies may suffer from high rates of false positives if there is unrecognized population structure. It is perhaps less widely appreciated that so-called “cryptic relatedness” (i.e., kinship among the cases or controls that is not known to the investigator) might also potentially inflate the false positive rate. Until now there has been little work to assess how serious this problem is likely to be in practice. In this paper, we develop a formal model of cryptic relatedness, and study its impact on association studies. We provide simple expressions that predict the extent of confounding due to cryptic relatedness. Surprisingly, these expressions are functions of directly observable parameters. Our analytical results show that, for well-designed studies in outbred populations, the degree of confounding due to cryptic relatedness will usually be negligible. However, in contrast, studies where there is a sampling bias toward collecting relatives may indeed suffer from excessive rates of false positives. Furthermore, cryptic relatedness may be a serious concern in founder populations that have grown rapidly and recently from a small size. As an example, we analyze the impact of excess relatedness among cases for six phenotypes measured in the Hutterite population.
Sociology and the Study of Non-Western Societies

This paper attacks parochialism, ethnocentrism, and universalism in Western sociology. Conceptual limitations of the discipline are discussed in light of the emergent transnational scene. The author argues that new or revised analytical and theoretical concepts in the discipline are essential for sociological studies in non-Western societies. The professional role of the sociologist undertaking research in a non-Western society is discussed from the standpoint of international competency, language facility, and constraints and challenges. The fledgling movement toward cross-national and world sociology in the United States is indicated in developments such as dependency studies, world system theory, and the activities of the American Sociological Association.
Scanning tunneling microscopic observations of commensurate crystalline structures for horizontally deposited cadmium stearate bilayers on graphite

Abstract Bilayers of cadmium stearate have been assembled on graphite substrates using a horizontal deposition method and imaged in air using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). STM images of these bilayers, acquired at a series of tunneling currents, allow the position of the tip with respect to the graphite surface to be deduced. During STM imaging at small tunneling currents, these measurements indicate that the tip is located ca. 50 A from the graphite surface, or approximately at the surface of the stearate bilayer (which is 50 A in thickness). STM imaging with larger tunneling currents (up to 6 nA) caused the STM tip to move closer to the graphite surface (and therefore into the stearate bilayer) at steady-state. In the specific case of Cd stearate bilayers, these measurements indicate that “non-perturbative” STM imaging conditions, which cause no detectable penetration of the stearate bilayer by the STM tip, are readily accessible at low currents. Under these STM imaging conditions, the structure of condensed-phase stearate bilayers has been investigated at molecular resolution using constant average height mode data acquisition and fast scan frequencies in excess of 80 Hz. STM images of stearate bilayers consist of regular arrays of high-tunneling-current vertices, which are arranged in either of two types of lattices: centered rectangular (CR) or rectangular (R). Regions of these bilayers composed of mixed R and CR unit cells are also observed. Two-dimensional Fourier analysis of the STM data reveals that the hexagonal periodicity of the graphite substrate and the less symmetric lattice of the fatty acid salt are simultaneously visible. These data enable the registry of the fatty acid layer with respect to the graphite lattice to be accurately determined, and this analysis reveals that both the R and the CR lattices are commensurate.
Statewide Truck Transportation Planning: Methodology and Case Study:

An alternate approach for truck transportation planning at the state level is presented using a case study application in the State of Iowa. The method was based on some freight modeling concepts and available freight data sets. However, the model takes advantage of two concepts: unconstrained highway capacities and the decomposition of commodities, resulting in manageable data and modeling requirements. Identification of significant economic sectors, selection of appropriate productivity measures, estimation of truck freight volumes for each sector individually, and estimation of routing of truck traffic on major highway routes are major elements of the planning method. The case study used two industrial sectors—food and kindred products, and machinery products—which accounted for the largest portion of state employment in nonservice sectors and the largest truck traffic generated in the state. A simplistic transportation network was used to demonstrate the modeling procedure. The analysis uses county-le...
Salvage of bilateral asynchronous perinatal testicular torsion.

Purpose: Current management strategies for prenatal torsion include observation alone, delayed contralateral orchiopexy and emergent contralateral orchiopexy. Bilateral torsion is now being reported with more frequency and approximately a third of these patients have asynchronous torsion. We highlight the role of scrotal exploration in neonates diagnosed with bilateral asynchronous testicular torsion.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the clinical experience from 2000 to present of 2 senior pediatric urologists to identify cases of bilateral perinatal testicular torsion. Asynchronous torsion was identified by the varying physical findings of each testicle at exploration. A literature review was done to evaluate the evolving management of perinatal testicular torsion.Results: Six cases of bilateral perinatal torsion were identified since 2000. In 3 of the 6 cases extravaginal torsion of the contralateral testis was incidentally identified at surgical exploration. All 3 testes had normal Doppler flow before...
A meshless quasicontinuum method based on local maximum-entropy interpolation

Coarse-graining atomistic ensembles can overcome the practical limitations of molecular statics and dynamics in order to facilitate simulations at much larger length scales than accessible by discrete atomistic techniques due to computational expense. The quasicontinuum (QC) method was introduced to reduce the number of degrees of freedom in crystalline solids by choosing a set of representative atoms from the fully atomistic ensemble and obtaining the positions and momenta of all remaining lattice sites by interpolation. Here, we present a new energy-based nonlocal meshless version of the QC method based on local maximum-entropy (max-ent) interpolation schemes instead of the traditional polynomial interpolation, which particularly promises advantages in model adaptation to tie atomistic resolution to crystal defects while efficiently coarse-graining away from these. To this end, we formulate the meshless QC representation and analyze its performance. One-dimensional chain problems allow for clean mathematical treatment and provide interesting insight, which allow us to quantify the approximation error as a function of representative atom distribution and support of meshless shape functions. A fully three-dimensional implementation then demonstrates the applicability of the new QC scheme and highlights its features. Overall, we show that local max-ent interpolation offers a number of advantages over previous QC realizations.
Universality violation and large N interpolations

Abstract The restoration of universality based on a large N motivated asymptotically free scaling formula is re-examined. A mixed SU (N) − SU (N) Z 2 system which serves as a counter-example to teh reduction scheme of Grossman and Samuel is studied. However, a certain general universal pattern for the constant string tension lines is observed.
Paratesticular tumor in a 44-year-old male.

Case HistoryA 44-year-old white male had a history of a painful right testicle for 2 years. He was treated for epididymitis with no relief of symptoms. On physical examination, a 1.8-cm firm mass was noted on the posterior aspect of the right testicle. A battery of serum tumor markers was negative. No other neoplasm was found. On bisecting the testicle, a 2 × 0.8 × 0.5 cm firm yellow mass involved the mediastinum. A cyst measuring 0.3 cm was present at the inferior margin of the lesionLight microscopy speciments were fixed in Formalin and embedded in paraffin. The tissue was also stained for mucin, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), alpha fetoprotein, estradiol, testosterone, and cytokeratins (monoclonal antibodies AE1‐3)1For electron microscopy, fresh tissue was fixed in s-collidine-buffered glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde, postfixed in OsO4, and embedded in Maraglas-D.E.R. 732 epoxy resin2For orientation, thick sections stained with toluidine blue were studied. Ultrathin sections were stained with...
Mixed Media: Interactions of Social and Traditional Media in Political Decision Making

A study was conducted to understand how social media and traditional news about political candidates might interact to influence potential voters' views. It was hypothesized that social media operates more on an affective level whereas traditional news operates more on a rational level. Subjects were exposed to Facebook posts and news articles about two candidates in a 2011 U.S. gubernatorial election. One group saw the social media material first and the news articles second. Another group saw the news articles first and the social media material second. Measures were taken of knowledge, affect, and influence on the voting decision. There were no differences in dependent measures after the first exposure, however on the second exposure subjects who saw news first and social media second became less hopeful about, more fearful of, and less likely to vote for one candidate while their liking of the other candidate increased. Social media had more of an impact on affect and likelihood of voting when read in the context of prior knowledge from news sources. Interviews revealed that important social media categories were Pictures, Community Discussion, Politician-Community Interaction, and Policy-Specific Information.
Substance abuse and high-risk needle-related behaviors among homeless youth in Minneapolis: implications for prevention.

Homeless and runaway youth face a variety of health, risks, including those related to substance abuse and use of unsterile needles. During 1998–1999, we recruited 201 Minneapolis homeless youths aged 15–22 years; these youths were interviewed by experienced street outreach workers from settings where street youth were known to congregate. Respondents spent a median of 6 months in the previous year living on the streets or “couch hopping.” There were 37% who reported having 15 or more alcoholic drinks per week, 41% smoked 1 pack or more of cigarettes per day, and 37% used marijuana 3 or more times a week; 15% reported lifetime injection drug use, including 6% who used injection drugs within the previous month. Twenty percent had received a tattoo, and 18% body piercing with a needle that had not been sterilized or had been used by someone else. There were 68% who had been tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 52% for hepatitis B, and 25% for hepatitis C. There were 44% who said they did not have enough information about hepatitis B and C. Less than half (43%) received hepatitis B vaccine; however, 51% of unvaccinated youths indicated that they would receive vaccination if offered. These Midwestern homeless youths face multiple health risks, including those related to substance use and exposure to unsterile needles. Despite unsafe behaviors, many of these youths were interested in methods to protect their health, including education, knowing their HIV or viral hepatitis serostatus, and obtaining hepatitis B immunization.
Coherent CO(2) laser communication system with modulable retroreflectors.

A coherent CO2 laser communication system that yields high-quality voice communications between a transmit–receive station and a remote site (24 km) where modulable retroreflectors are located was developed. The potential range capability of this system was 80 km, and the system was improved by 20 dB in the signal-to-noise ratio over a direct-detection system.
Impairments and Disabilities—The Difference: Proposal for Adjustment of the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps

In this article, a proposal for adjustment of the Classification of Impairments and the Classification of Disabilities of the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps is presented. This proposal is a result of a project conducted by the Dutch National Institute for Research and Postgraduate Education in Physical Therapy. The project was executed in collaboration with the professional national organizations of five health professions: occupational therapy, chiropody, Cesar therapy (exercise therapy), Mensendieck therapy (exercise therapy), and physical therapy. The proposal includes reformulated definitions of impairment and disability, an inventory of the impairments and disabilities that are relevant for the health professions that participated in the project, a description of the domain of the Classification of Impairments and the Classification of Disabilities, a new subdivision for both classifications in chapters, and a set of “types of characteristics” and “characteristics” that subdivide the different chapters of the two classifications.
Recent Insights Into the Role of the Autonomic Nervous System in the Creation of Substrate for Atrial Fibrillation: Implications for Therapies Targeting the Atrial Autonomic Nervous System

In this review, we discuss recent developments in our understanding of the role of the autonomic nervous system in creating atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate and on how these findings relate to rapidly evolving therapeutic strategies (eg, ablation, surgery) to disrupt autonomic signaling in AF. AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia disturbance and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The morbidity and mortality associated with AF are especially increased in the setting of congestive heart failure (HF), with up to half of all patients with HF having concomitant AF.1 Several mechanisms contribute to the electrophysiological and structural substrate of AF, including fibrosis, stretch, oxidative stress, and altered Ca2+-handling characteristics.2 In addition, neurohumoral factors have been invoked for their possible contribution to the creation of AF substrate. An important neurohumoral factor that has been studied fairly extensively for its involvement in AF is the autonomic nervous system.3 Both the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems have been shown to play a role in the genesis of AF.4,5 During the past few years, the pulmonary veins (PVs) and the posterior left atrium (PLA) have been shown to play a significant role in the genesis of AF. These regions have been shown to possess unique structural, molecular, and electrophysiologi­cal characteristics, all of which appear to contribute to AF substrate. The autonomic characteristics of this region of the atrium have also been explored.6–8 Since the development of new ablative and surgical techniques during the past few years to treat AF, several investigators have also attempted to target the neural innervation of the atria and PVs at the time of ablation or surgery. These attempts include generalized denervation of the atria, as well as more targeted atrial denervation by using atrial electrograms—specifically, complex …
Trellis coding with M-ary MSK constraints

A method for concatenating well-known trellis codes with the continuous-phase minimum-shift-keying (MSK) modulator is presented. It is shown that, by using an appropriately designed predecoder, the decoder decisions can be made without memory for generally M-ary MSK. Well-known trellis codes such as the Ungerboeck codes can then be concatenated with the predecoded M-ary MSK modulator. The coding gain of these codes, therefore, can be directly applied to M-ary MSK. For binary MSK, the coding gain performance is at least as good as previous results. In addition, the precoding concept is extended to channels with M>2, and new results for trellis-coded 8-MSK and 16-MSK are reported. >
The influence of school-based natural mentoring relationships on school attachment and subsequent adolescent risk behaviors

A relatively new area of research suggests that naturally occurring mentoring relationships may influence the development of adolescents by protecting against risk behaviors. Few studies have explored how these relationships function to reduce risk behavior among youth, especially in the school context. Based on previous research and theory, we proposed and tested a mediation model, which hypothesized that school attachment mediated the longitudinal association between school-based natural mentoring relationships and risk behaviors, including eight indicators of substance use and violence. Students (N = 3320) from 65 high schools across eight states completed a self-report questionnaire at baseline and 1-year follow-up. The sample was comprised of youth with an average age of 14.8 years and an almost equal percentage of females (53%) and males from various ethnic backgrounds. Tests for mediation were conducted in Mplus using path analysis with full information maximum likelihood procedures and models adjusted for demographic covariates and baseline level of the dependent variable. Results suggested that natural mentoring relationships had a protective indirect influence on all eight risk behaviors through its positive association on the school attachment mediator. Implications are discussed for strengthening the association between school-based natural mentoring and school attachment to prevent risk behaviors among youth.
Major anomalies of coronary arterial origin seen in adulthood.

Both coronary arteries normally arise, of course, from ostia located in the sinus of Valsalva portions of the aorta. The right coronary artery (RCA) arises from the right aortic sinus, usually but not always in its central portion, and the left main (LM) coronary artery arises from the left aortic sinus, nearly always from its central portion. If the aorta contains only two cusps or one cusp rather than its usual three, the location of the coronary ostia are usually as they would be were the valve tricuspid rather than bicuspid or unicuspid. A deviation of origin of a coronary artery from the normal falls under the category of “anomaly of coronary arterial origin,” and these anomalies will be reviewed in this article. Anomalies of origin are particularly common in hearts in which other major congenital cardiovascular malformations are present. This review, however, will be limited to those anomalies of origin observed in hearts without other major malformations of the heart or great vessels (Table I).