cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring infant signing to enhance responsive parenting: Findings from the INSIGHT study.

Responsive parenting is a promising framework for obesity prevention, yet attempts to date have largely relied on parents accurately interpreting their child's cues. Infant signing or "baby sign language" could enhance these interventions by improving bidirectional parent-child communication during the preverbal and emerging language years. In a clinical trial testing, a responsive parenting intervention designed for obesity prevention, we pilot tested a brief intervention at age 40 weeks with a subset of participating dyads that taught the signing gesture of "all done" to improve parental recognition of satiety. In addition, we surveyed all participating mothers at child age 18 months on the use of infant signing gestures in the prior year. Two hundred twenty-eight mothers completed the survey including 72 responsive parenting group mothers that received the signing instructions. A majority of mothers, 63.6%, reported teaching their infant signs in the prior year, and 61.4% of infants were using signs to communicate at 18 months (median signs = 2). The signs for "more" and "all done" were used by over half of study participants and were the most common signs used. Other signs related to eating or drinking were commonly used. Signing intervention group infants were more likely to use the sign for "all done" than controls (63.9% vs. 45.5%; P = 0.01), but there was no difference between groups with regard to the use of the sign for "more" (56.9% vs. 51.3%; P = 0.43). Signing is commonly used by parents of young children and holds potential to improve parental responsiveness and obesity prevention efforts.
Are Current Tort Liability Doctrines Adequate for Addressing Injury Caused by AI

As capabilities of predictive algorithms improve, machine learning will become an important element of physician practice and patient care. Implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) raises complex legal questions regarding health care professionals' and technology manufacturers' liability, particularly if they cannot explain recommendations generated by AI technology. The limited literature on liability for innovation provides opportunities to consider possible implications of AI for medical malpractice and products liability and new legal solutions for addressing liability issues surrounding "black-box" medicine.
Abstract 187: Host Age Enhances Atherosclerotic Plaque Necrosis and Macrophage Infiltration in Mice Independently of Metabolic Alterations

Traditional murine models of atherosclerosis age with mild hypercholesterolemia and metabolic derangement, which confounds determination of the intrinsic effects of aging on atherogenesis. To exami...
Automatic Speech Activity Recognition from MEG Signals Using Seq2Seq Learning

Accurate interpretation of speech activity from brain signals is critical for understanding the relationship between neural patterns and speech production. Current research on speech activity recognition from the brain activity heavily relies on the region of interest (ROI) based functional connectivity analysis or source separation strategies to map the activity as a spatial localization of a brain function. Albeit effective, these methods require prior knowledge of the brain and expensive computational effort. In this study, we investigated automatic speech activity recognition from brain signals using machine learning. Neural signals of four subjects during four stages of a speech task (i.e., rest, perception, preparation, and production) were recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG), which has an excellent temporal and spatial resolution. First, a deep neural network (DNN) was used to classify the four whole tasks from the MEG signals. Further, we trained a sequence to sequence (Seq2Seq) long short-term memory-recurrent neural network (LSTM-RNN) for continuous (sample by sample) prediction of the speech stages/tasks by leveraging its sequential pattern learning paradigm. Experimental results indicate the effectiveness of both DNN and LSTM-RNN for automatic speech activity recognition from MEG signals.
Organotypic brain slice cultures to model neurodegenerative proteinopathies

Organotypic slice cultures of brain or spinal cord have been a longstanding tool in neuroscience research but their utility for understanding Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative proteinopathies has only recently begun to be evaluated. Organotypic brain slice cultures (BSCs) represent a physiologically relevant three-dimensional model of the brain. BSCs support all the central nervous system (CNS) cell types and can be produced from brain areas involved in neurodegenerative disease. BSCs can be used to better understand the induction and significance of proteinopathies underlying the development and progression of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, and in the future may serve as bridging technologies between cell culture and in vivo experiments for the development and evaluation of novel therapeutic targets and strategies. We review the initial development and general use of BSCs in neuroscience research and highlight the advantages of these cultures as an ex vivo model. Subsequently we focus on i) BSC-based modeling of AD and other neurodegenerative proteinopathies ii) use of BSCs to understand mechanisms underlying these diseases and iii) how BSCs can serve as tools to screen for suitable therapeutics prior to in vivo investigations. Finally, we will examine i) open questions regarding the use of such cultures and ii) how emerging technologies such as recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) may be combined with these models to advance translational research relevant to neurodegenerative disorders.
Are communities in the United States planning for pedestrians with disabilities? Findings from a systematic evaluation of local government barrier removal plans

Abstract Cities with many pedestrian barriers can inhibit community mobility, access to services, and social participation for people with disabilities. Although National Disability Rights policies have been enacted in several nations, it is unclear what progress local governments have made in developing plans and implementing accessibility improvements to the pedestrian infrastructure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence and quality of city plans used to remove barriers for pedestrians with disabilities. We conducted a systematic evaluation of American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plans, for a stratified random sample of local cities and counties. An expert panel developed a quality appraisal tool that we used to evaluate plans. Among the 401 government entities reviewed, only 13% (54) had ADA transition plans readily available. Just seven of the 54 plans we acquired met all the minimum criteria required. Based on those reporting barriers, an average of 65% of curb ramps and 48% of sidewalks were not accessible. Many communities across the US have not developed ADA transition plans for pedestrian infrastructure or have developed low-quality plans. This case study provides insight on local level implementation of barrier removal plans whose lessons may apply inside and outside of the US.
Investigating the Copolymerization of Ligands into Metal–Organic Nanotubes Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering: Implications for Nanostraws

While metal-organic nanotubes (MONTs) are the one-dimensional analogue of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), in their crystalline form they exist almost exclusively as aggregates, where their assembl...
Criticality: A New Concept of Severity of Illness for Hospitalized Children.

Objectives To validate the conceptual framework of "criticality," a new pediatric inpatient severity measure based on physiology, therapy, and therapeutic intensity calibrated to care intensity, operationalized as ICU care. Design Deep neural network analysis of a pediatric cohort from the Health Facts (Cerner Corporation, Kansas City, MO) national database. Setting Hospitals with pediatric routine inpatient and ICU care. Patients Children cared for in the ICU (n = 20,014) and in routine care units without an ICU admission (n = 20,130) from 2009 to 2016. All patients had laboratory, vital sign, and medication data. Interventions None. Measurements and main results A calibrated, deep neural network used physiology (laboratory tests and vital signs), therapy (medications), and therapeutic intensity (number of physiology tests and medications) to model care intensity, operationalized as ICU (versus routine) care every 6 hours of a patient's hospital course. The probability of ICU care is termed the Criticality Index. First, the model demonstrated excellent separation of criticality distributions from a severity hierarchy of five patient groups: routine care, routine care for those who also received ICU care, transition from routine to ICU care, ICU care, and high-intensity ICU care. Second, model performance assessed with statistical metrics was excellent with an area under the curve for the receiver operating characteristic of 0.95 for 327,189 6-hour time periods, excellent calibration, sensitivity of 0.817, specificity of 0.892, accuracy of 0.866, and precision of 0.799. Third, the performance in individual patients with greater than one care designation indicated as 88.03% (95% CI, 87.72-88.34) of the Criticality Indices in the more intensive locations was higher than the less intense locations. Conclusions The Criticality Index is a quantification of severity of illness for hospitalized children using physiology, therapy, and care intensity. This new conceptual model is applicable to clinical investigations and predicting future care needs.
The Short Term Impact of COVID-19 on Brick-and-Mortar Retailers: Evidence from Retailtech

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the associated stay-at-home orders, and consumers’ desire to physically distance from crowds dramatically impacted brick-and-mortar retailers. This paper documents the impact of COVID-19 on the retail traffic of physical stores. Using data from 49,712 stores, 484 retail chains, and 20 retail product categories in the United States, we compare same-store traffic on matching days of 2019 and 2020. Controlling for the changes in operating hours of stores and local pandemic conditions, we find that the stay-at-home orders resulted in 64.7% decline in consumer traffic on average between March 1st and July 29th. Consumer traffic declined in all the 20 retail categories we study, but the decline was heterogeneous across product categories. Whereas home and office goods were less negatively impacted, apparel, sporting, gift, and department stores suffered the most. Store operating hours declined by 2.5 hours daily between March 2019 to the end of July 2020, on average. Consumers also changed their shopping habits such that, shopping moved to weekdays from weekends and to earlier hours of the day rather than the afternoon and evening hours. These findings suggest that as working-from-home practices become more common place and the pandemic lingers, retailers will need to make significant structural changes to their operations.
Cellular reprogramming of diabetic foot ulcer fibroblasts triggers pro-healing miRNA-mediated epigenetic signature

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), a prevalent complication of diabetes, constitute a major medical challenge with a critical need for development of cell-based therapies. We previously generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from dermal fibroblasts derived from the DFU patients, location-matched skin of diabetic patients and normal healthy donors and re-differentiated them into fibroblasts. To assess the epigenetic microRNA (miR) regulated changes triggered by cellular reprogramming, we performed miRs expression profiling. We found let-7c, miR-26b-5p, -29c-3p, -148a-3p, -196a-5p, -199b-5p and -374a-5p suppressed in iPSC-derived fibroblasts in vitro and in 3D dermis-like self-assembly tissue, whereas their corresponding targets involved in cellular migration were upregulated. Moreover, targets involved in organization of extracellular matrix were induced after fibroblast reprogramming. PLAT gene, the crucial fibrinolysis factor, was upregulated in iPSC-derived fibroblasts and was confirmed as a direct target of miR-196a-5p. miR-197-3p and miR-331-3p were found upregulated specifically in iPSC-derived diabetic fibroblasts, while their targets CAV1 and CDKN3 were suppressed. CAV1, an important negative regulator of wound healing, was confirmed as a direct miR-197-3p target. Together, our findings demonstrate that iPSC reprogramming is an effective approach for erasing the diabetic non-healing miR-mediated epigenetic signature and promoting a pro-healing cellular phenotype.
Using Directional Cues in Immersive Journalism: The Impact on Information Processing, Narrative Transportation, Presence, News Attitudes, and Credibility

This study examined the effects of directional cues in immersive journalism by conducting a randomized between-subjects three-condition lab experiment (N = 131) with community participants using th...
Orthopedic Surgery Residency Application Process in 2020 - Has Diversity been Affected?

Background: Orthopedic surgery is currently the least diverse field in medicine. COVID-19 necessitated a virtual rotation and interview process for orthopedic residency applications in 2020. Given the pressing need to address disparities within the field, any change in the application process should be examined with regard to the potential effects it could have on the diversity of trainees in orthopedic surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of virtual rotations and interviews on the demographic distribution of applicants to orthopedic surgery residency. Methods: A retrospective review of orthopedic surgery residency applicants was performed comparing the 2018 and 2020 application cycle. Self-reported ethnicity on Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) forms was recorded for all applicants who met prescreening criteria, were invited to interview and who completed interviews. The proportion of underrepresented minority (URM) applicants was compared between these two cohorts. Results: There were no significant differences between the 2018 and 2020 application cohorts in terms of number or proportion of URM applicants that met initial screening criteria (p=0.7598), female applicants that met initial screening criteria (p=0.3106), URM applicants who were invited to interview (p=0.6647), or female applicants who were invited to interview (p=0.63). Overall, applicants in the 2018 cycle were 2.38 times more likely to be invited to interview (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.6886-3.3623, p<0.0001) and applicants who were invited to interview were 20.96 times more likely to interview in the 2020 cycle than in the 2018 cycle (OR 20.96, 95% CI 4.89-90.09, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The proportion of URMs applying to orthopedic surgery residency was not significantly different after transitioning to a virtual rotation and interview platform at the single institution studied. Applicants were 2.38 times more likely to be invited to interview in 2018 and were 20.96 times more likely to attend the interview in 2020. Level of Evidence: III.
Mitochondrial redox regulation and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) have emerged as an important mechanism of disease and redox signaling in the cellular system. Under basal or pathological conditions, electron leakage for ROS production is primarily mediated by complexes I and III of the electron transport chain (ETC) and by the proton motive force (PMF), consisting of a membrane potential (ΔΨ) and a proton gradient (ΔpH). Several factors control redox status in mitochondria, including ROS, the PMF, oxidative post-translational modification (OPTM) of the ETC, SOD2, and HCCS (cytochrome c heme lyase). In the mitochondrial PMF, increased ΔpH-supported back-pressure due to diminishing electron transport and chemiosmosis promotes a more reductive mitochondrial physiological setting. OPTM by protein cysteine sulfonation in complex I and complex III has been shown to affect enzymatic catalysis, the proton gradient, redox status, and enzyme-mediated ROS production. Pathological conditions associated with oxidative or nitrosative stress, such as myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (I/R), increase mitochondrial ROS production and redox dysfunction via oxidative injury to complexes I and III, intensely enhancing protein cysteine sulfonation and impairing heme integrity. The physiological conditions of reductive stress induced by gains in SOD2 function normalizes I/R-mediated redox dysfunction. Further insight into the cellular mechanisms by which HCCS, biogenesis of c-type cytochrome, and OPTM regulate PMF and ROS production in mitochondria will enrich our understanding of redox signal transduction and identify new therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases in which oxidative stress perturbs normal redox signaling.
Anuran community structure and wetland occupancy along an urban-rural gradient in central Iowa, USA

Urbanization has been cited as an important factor in worldwide amphibian declines, and although recent work has illustrated the important influence of broad-scale ecological patterns and processes on amphibian populations, little is known about the factors structuring amphibian communities in urban landscapes. We therefore examined amphibian community responses to wetland habitat availability and landscape characteristics along an urban-rural gradient in central Iowa (USA), a region experiencing rapid suburban growth. Urban density had a significant negative influence on overall anuran abundance and diversity. While every species exhibited a decrease in abundance with increasing urban density, this pattern was especially pronounced for species requiring post-breeding upland habitats. Anurans most affected by urbanization were those associated with short hydroperiods, early breeding activity, and substantial upland habitat use. Two species, the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) and to a lesser extent the cricket frog (Acris crepitans), had a higher relative abundance with increased landscape fragmentation. This may indicate a greater ability to persist in permanent urban wetlands, which have a limited availability of upland non-breeding habitats. We suggest that broadscale landscape fragmentation is an important factor underlying anuran community
Hydrogen Energy System and Hydrogen Production Methods

Hydrogen is being considered as a synthetic fuel or energy carrier for the post-fossil fuel era. It has many properties to commend itself: it complements the renewable energy sources and presents them to the consumer in a convenient form at the desired location and time; it can be converted to various energy forms at the consumer end with higher efficiencies than other fuels; it is renewable; and it is the lightest and cleanest fuel. It can be used in every application where fossil fuels are used today. It can be produced from fossil fuels or from water using renewable energy sources. This paper contains an overview of the hydrogen production methods, those being commercially available today as well as those which are being developed.
Energy Consumption in Vehicle Manufacture

The recent fuel shortages have clearly demonstrated the need to be more concerned with the comparative energy efficiencies of various modes of transportation. A number of authors have considered the fuel consumed in the operation of various modes of transportation per passenger mile. In this note, a method is presented to calculate the fuel consumed in the manufacture of transportation vehicles. The contribution of manufacture to energy intensiveness may then be calculated by estimating the total number of miles traveled by each type of vehicle. This can be added to the fuel consumed in the operation of the respective vehicles to get the total energy intensiveness.
Exile on Campus

Almost ten years ago at the AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference Marina Angel gave a heartening talk to those of us seeking law teaching jobs. She opened the floor for questions, and one aspiring law teacher dared to ask aloud what we were all wondering: "How many of us will actually get jobs in law teaching?" We waited for the number, the percentage, the cutoff. Instead, cryptically, Angel replied, "For many of you, that will depend on how flexible you're willing to be. Some people are limited to a particular area, but many of us are very happy in places we never dreamed we'd be." I looked around at the other wannabes and wondered whether they wanted to teach badly enough to move anywhere. I was lucky to have choices. But each was several hours away by jet from family, friends, my husband's job, or any of the five American cities I considered "major." Law teaching, however, was closer to a calling than I had ever hoped to get. Strangely, absurdly, I felt this was what I was born to do. I had learned in private practice that when a client's heart's desire was at stake, it could sometimes be secured simply by asking the other lawyer what it would take. I asked my husband what it would take for him to leave his well-paid executive position and his two-and-a-half-hour commute.1
A PDE-free variational model for multiphase image segmentation

We introduce a PDE-free variational model for multiphase image segmentation that uses a sparse representation basis (wavelets or other) instead of a Fourier basis in a modified diffuse interface context. The segmentation model we present differs from other state-of-the-art models in several ways. The diffusive nature of the method originates from the sparse representations and thus propagates information in a different manner comparing to any existing PDE models, even though it still has such classical features as coarsening and phase separation. The model has a non-local nature, yet with much reduced diffuse interface blur, thus allowing to connect important features and preserve sharp edges in the output. Numerical experiments show that the method is robust to noise and is highly tunable.
Positioning Design Studies

ABSTRACTThe general economic view of design studies proposed here outlines an unstable, heterogeneous, multiplyoriented, multivalent, multidisciplinary, polydiscursive space. General economy does not provide a singular new metadiscourse of design or design practice. Rather it recognizes that no new metadiscourse is possible. As a critical tool, one value of general economy is its ability to help us productively parse the limits of intentionality in design practice. As a heterogeneous community, it is a community connected through dissensus. The dissensus of design studies is the motivating absence animating the university in design culture.
Introduction: Appreciating Bill Stuntz

In the fall of 2009, we started planning a conference at Harvard Law School to celebrate the life and scholarly achievements of Bill Stuntz. Had it been up to Bill, this celebration never would have happened. “I feel uncomfortable about this,” he emailed one of us. “It all seems to me undeserved ‐ I’m not at that level ‐ and I would think no one would be interested in writing for or publishing it.” Although characteristically modest, Bill was obviously wrong about his stature within the legal academy, where he is widely esteemed as the preeminent criminal procedure scholar of his generation. “Of course I’ll bethere,”oneleading scholarrepliedtoourinvitation.Everyother invitee likewise accepted ‐ quickly and enthusiastically, even when attendance required rearranging prior commitments. Bill had another concern about the conference ‐ one that the three of us shared. When conference planning began, Bill was already well into his second year of a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis; the prognosis was bleak. Neither he nor we wanted a funereal conference, with dark suits, long faces, and mournful tributes. Yes, we wanted space for fond recollections from mentors, colleagues, students, and friends, 1 but the heart of the conference that we envisioned would consist of scholarly explorations of Bill’s work, its influence, and its relevance to modern criminal justice. We asked leaders in the field to contribute written essays, and the work they submitted turned out to be even more remarkable than we had imagined. 1 See “A Celebration in Honor of William J. Stuntz,” Harvard Law School, March 26‐ 27, 2010, Web cast of fourth session, available at http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/ wstuntz/.
Intel® Math Kernel Library PARDISO* for Intel® Xeon PhiTM Manycore Coprocessor

The paper describes an efficient direct method to solve an equation Ax = b, where A is a sparse matrix, on the Intel® Xeon PhiTM coprocessor. The main challenge for such a system is how to engage all available threads (about 240) and how to reduce OpenMP* synchronization overhead, which is very expensive for hundreds of threads. The method consists of decomposing A into a product of lower-triangular, diagonal, and upper triangular matrices followed by solves of the resulting three subsystems. The main idea is based on the hybrid parallel algorithm used in the Intel® Math Kernel Library Parallel Direct Sparse Solver for Clusters [1]. Our implementation exploits a static scheduling algorithm during the factorization step to reduce OpenMP synchronization overhead. To effectively engage all available threads, a three-level approach of parallelization is used. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our implementation can perform up to 100 times better on factorization step and up to 65 times better in terms of overall performance on the 240 threads of the Intel® Xeon PhiTM coprocessor.
Reductions in the Toxicity of Cadmium to Microorganisms by Clay Minerals

The clay minerals montmorillonite and kaolinite protected bacteria, including actinomycetes, and filamentous fungi from the inhibitory effects of cadmium (Cd). Montmorillonite provided greater protection than did equivalent concentrations of kaolinite. The protective ability of the clays was correlated with their cation exchange capacity (CEC). The greater the CEC, the greater the absorbancy of exogenous Cd by the exchange complex and the greater the protection. The greater protection afforded by montmorillonite, as compared to kaolinite, was correlated with its higher CEC. Clays homoionic to Cd did not protect against exogenous Cd, as the exchange complex was already saturated with Cd. Montmorillonite homoionic to Cd was more detrimental to microbial growth than was kaolinite homoionic to Cd, as more Cd was present on and apparently desorbed from the montmorillonite.
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion of Pipelines in the Oil & Gas Industry

During oil and gas operations, pipeline networks and associated infrastructures are subjected to different corrosion deterioration mechanisms, one of which is microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). MIC results from accelerated deterioration initiated by different microbial activities present in oil and gas systems. This paper provides a review of MIC in the oil and gas pipelines systems and includes a discussion of causative microbes, biofilm, diagnostics and mitigation methods.
Great Lakes Compact and an Ohio Constitutional Amendment: Local Protectionism and Regional Cooperation

The Great Lakes represent a precious natural resource that holds approximately twenty percent of all the fresh water on earth. Its sheer size creates an inherent regional connectedness among eight states and two Canadian provinces. While each of these actors rely heavily on the health of the Great Lakes for its individual economic well-being and quality of life, proper regional management of the Lakes has historically proven difficult. The passage of the Great Lakes Compact marks a significant step towards the successful management of the Great Lakes water resources. The Compact’s structure recognizes modern science and creates a unique balance of regional protection and state autonomy. Its ultimate effectiveness will depend on the states’ abilities to cooperate on a regional level. A 2008 state constitutional amendment passed in Ohio, however, demonstrates how local protectionist attitudes can erode the spirit of cooperation necessary to implement an effective regional water manage-
Does the Way We Teach Create Behavior Disorders in Culturally Different Students

Youngsters from non-mainstream cultural groups often possess cognitive styles that differ from those promoted in the schools. This mismatch can lead to misunderstandings, and culturally inappropriate interaction, assessment, instruction, or discipline. These pupils may end up in special education programs, either because of mislabeling or because educators have "created" a learning disability or emotional and/or behavioral disorder. How this phenomenon occurs and how it can be prevented is addressed. Language: en
Complimentary address from the President of the American Phytopathological Society

Dear members and colleagues of the Phytopathological Society of Japan; I am honored to be invited to the 100th Anniversary Ceremony of the Phytopathological Society of Japan (PSJ). As President of the American Phytopathological Society (APS), it is my privilege to extend greetings from APS and a sincere offer of partnership and collaboration as you celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Phytopathological Society of Japan. During my commemorative lecture, I will discuss the many global challenges in plant pathology both APS and PSJ face in this new era of international agriculture. I will offer my insight into the complexity of global issues and my views on the future of our discipline. I will also present an overview of the interrelationships among and between organisms in the plant biome and the importance of microbial collections for research. As the PSJ enters a new century as a premier society of plant pathology, APS welcomes the opportunity to develop strategic partnerships with PSJ with mutually agreeable goals. It is my wish that our partnership will promote the highest quality research and professional standards in plant pathology, that we will together disseminate useful plant health information and knowledge, and foster professional growth and development among our society members. I look forward to attending the 100th anniversary celebration of PSJ. Thank you and best wishes from APS.
Valve replacement in narrow aortic roots: serial hemodynamics and long-term clinical outcome

Abstract No long-term data are available that correlate clinical outcome with serial hemodynamic studies for small-diameter (17-mm or 19-mm) aortic prostheses implanted without enlargement of the annulus. After insertion of these valves without annuloplasty, 52 patients underwent resting catheterization and were followed up at the Surgery Clinic of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for 295 patient-years (mean, 5.7 years per patient). At similar flow rates, peak systolic gradients across 17-mm Bjork-Shiley aortic prostheses (N = 6) tended to exceed those of the 19-mm Bjork-Shiley model (N = 38); these gradients averaged 30 ± 6 mm Hg (mean ± standard error of the mean) and 20 ± 2 mm Hg, respectively ( p = .053). Those patients with 19-mm Hancock (N = 4) and St. Jude Medical valves (N = 4) were studied, and the lowest prosthetic gradients were found with the St. Jude Medical prosthesis (mean, 3 ± 2 mm Hg). Aortic gradient was independent of flow for 17-mm but not for 19-mm Bjork-Shiley valves. There was no difference in calculated effective orifice area with respect to valve size. Effective orifice area and prosthetic gradients were stable during intervals of 2 to 12 years in 10 patients who underwent additional catheterizations. No association was found between prosthetic gradients, flows, or calculated orifice areas and early or late functional class. Actuarial survival was 86 ± 5% at 5 years, 83 ± 5% at 8 years, 71 ± 9% at 10 years, and 60 ± 12% at 12 years of complete follow-up. It is concluded that small aortic prostheses provide acceptable palliation for long periods and that resting hemodynamic studies have a limited predictive value for long-term prognosis.
Abrasive waterjet peening with elastic prestress: A parametric evaluation

Abstract Abrasive waterjet peening (AWJP) has emerged as a potentially viable method of surface treatment for metal orthopedic devices. In this study the influences of AWJP with elastic prestress on the surface and subsurface residual stress distributions and surface texture of spring steel (ASTM 228) as well as titanium (Ti6Al4V) and nickel (inconel 718) alloys were studied. A design of experiments (DOE) and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to identify the parameters with primary contributions to the dependent variables. Surface residual stress resulting from AWJP ranged from 500 to 2500 MPa, and the depth of compressive residual stress ranged from nearly 80 to 600 μm. While the elastic prestress had no effect on the surface texture, it was a primary contributor to the magnitude of surface residual stress, which increased with an increase in the elastic prestress. According to the results of this study, AWJP with elastic prestress can serve as a viable method of surface treatment in situations that require an increase in surface roughness and a compressive residual stress.
Quantifying Charge Recombination in Solar Cells Based on Donor–Acceptor P3HT Analogues

The creation of semi-random donor–acceptor analogues of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) yields polymers that exhibit pan-chromatic absorption spectra extending into the near-infrared. Despite this extended absorption however, different semi-random polymers exhibit markedly different photovoltaic performance when blended as a bulk-heterojunction with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). To understand the physical origin of these differences, we performed transient absorption (TA) measurements and device characterization of blends of two representative semi-random polymers, poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-thienopyrazine) (P3HTT-TP-10%) and poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-diketopyrrolopyrrole) (P3HTT-DPP-10%), with PCBM. Although both polymers absorb strongly throughout the visible and near-infrared, devices based on P3HTT-DPP-10%:PCBM exhibit a power conversion efficiency of ∼6%, while films consisting of P3HTT-TP-10%:PCBM blends display values under 1%. TA experiments reveal that polarons gener...
Molecular weight determination of polychromophere polymers using high-performance liquid chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography with UV detection

La courbe de distribution de masse moleculaire de polystyrene, obtenue ainsi, peut etre utilisee pour la determination de la masse moleculaire
Change Agent Skills: Creating Leadership for School Renewal.

To be an effective change agent one must be willing to commit to a lifelong process of self-examination. The six-step process outlined here is designed to help.
A simple method of constructing an Ashby-type deformation mechanism map

An Ashby-type deformation mechanism map may be considerably simplified by plotting in the form of normalized stress versus the reciprocal of the homologous temperature. In this form, the boundaries separating the various fields appear as straight lines and the constant strain rate contours may be approximated as straight lines. Representative maps are presented for conditions of high temperature creep, and a simple procedure is outlined for constructing several maps for the same material at different grain sizes.
Nanophotonic interconnection networks in multicore embedded computing

We develop a multilayer optical network simulation environment that uniquely captures physical nanoscale silicon photonic device models. The network-on-chip scalability and performance are evaluated in the context of device characteristics and associated energy consumption.
Regulated hypothermia in the desert shrew

Desert shrews (Notiosorex crawfordi; 4 g) enter into daily bouts of very shallow torpor, when restricted in their food intake. These bouts, though interrupted and uneven, last throughout that portion of the day the animals' cages are lighted. Body temperature is apparently regulated by fine adjustments of metabolic heat production in hypothermic as well as euthermic desert shrews. Thus, these animals seem to have two temperature thresholds for thermoregulation or body temperature rheostat settings. One is near 38 °C while the other, near 28 °C is likely used exclusively when energy supplies are low. The coefficient of heat transfer is the same at both body temperatures. Power saved by hypothermic animals at air temperatures between 20 and 25 °C amounts to about 96 mW. This is half of the metabolic power output of euthermic shrews at 20 °C and 80% at 25 °C. These results suggest a compromise between the energy savings of a deep torpor and the unimpaired functioning of euthermia.
Development of a fluorescence model for the determination of constants associated with binding, quenching, and Förster resonance energy transfer efficiency

Determining accurate dissociation constants for equilibrium processes involving a fluorescent mechanism can prove to be quite challenging. Typically, titration curves and nonlinear least squares fitting of the data using computer programs are employed to obtain such constants. However, these approaches only consider the total fluorescence signal and often ignore other energy transfer processes within the system. The current model considers the impact on fluorescence from equilibrium binding (viz., metal-ligand, ligand-substrate, etc.), quenching, and resonance energy transfer. This model should provide more accurate binding constant as well as insights into other photonic processes. The equations developed for this model are discussed and are applied to experimental data from titrimetric experiments. Since the experimental data are generally in excess of the number of parameters that are needed to define the system, fitting is operated in an overdetermined mode and employs error minimization (either absolute or relative) to define goodness of fit. Examples of how changes in certain parameters affect the shape of the titrimetric curve are also presented. The current model does not consider chelation-enhanced fluorescence.
Overwintering of some Trichogramma spp. in Missouri.

Trichogramma evanescens Westwood overwintered in eggs of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.). The parasite entered diapause in late October, and emergence was synchronized with the host in early spring. T. minutum Riley overwintered in eggs of the variegated cutworm, Peridroma saucia (Hubner), but some parasites emerged during warm periods in the winter.
Use of the surgical towel in colorectal hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS)

The use of laparotomy pads or towels to displace the small intestine away from the operative site is a well-established technique in open surgery; however, its application is unfeasible or extremely challenging in standard laparoscopic surgery. We describe the use of standard surgical towels in hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS). A Pfannenstiel incision is made and a Gelport hand-access device is assembled. A sterilized surgical towel, 65 x 44 cm in size, is inserted via the Gelport, unfolded, and placed over the bowel loops laparoscopically with the assistance of the hand. The bowel loops are then housed gently in the towel and displaced away from of the operative site. HALS enables the easy insertion and handling of a large surgical towel inside the peritoneal cavity. The towel successfully retracts the small intestine, enabling the surgeon to concentrate the use of his or her hand on the targeted structures. This practical and inexpensive tip adds another advantageous component to the practice of colorectal HALS.
Acuity development in infantile nystagmus.

PURPOSE To compare development of acuity in patients with isolated infantile nystagmus and infantile nystagmus associated with a visual sensory defect. METHODS Visual acuities in 57 children (1 month to 4 years of age) with infantile nystagmus were assessed by using Teller acuity cards oriented vertically during binocular viewing. Twenty-two had isolated infantile nystagmus, 21 had albinism, 7 had aniridia, and 7 had mild or moderate bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia (BONH). Longitudinal acuity was measured in 40 of these patients (mean 1.8, 2.3, 3.1, and 3.3, measurements per patient group, respectively). The rate of acuity development across the study groups was quantified by linear regression of log acuity versus log age and compared to published normative data. RESULTS The rate of acuity development was similar across all groups and paralleled the normative data. The slope of log grating acuity versus log age (+/-SEM) was normal, 0.73; isolated infantile nystagmus, 0.80 +/- 0.11; albinism, 0.80 +/- 0.11; aniridia, 0.87 +/- 0.16; and BONH, 0.79 +/- 0.18. The slopes were not significantly different (ANCOVA, F(4,142) = 0.21, P = 0.93). Compared with published binocular normative data, mean acuity adjusted for age was reduced by 1.2 octaves in isolated infantile nystagmus and by 1.7 to 2.5 octaves in nystagmus with associated sensory defect. CONCLUSIONS The rate of acuity development in infantile nystagmus is largely independent of the gaze-holding instability or an associated visual sensory defect. Reduction of mean acuity in albinism, aniridia, and BONH is due to the visual sensory defect and exceeds the acuity reduction observed in isolated infantile nystagmus.
Syndecan-1: a dynamic regulator of the myeloma microenvironment

Emerging data in myeloma and other cancers indicates that heparan sulfate proteoglycans promote tumor progression by enhancing their growth and metastasis. By acting as key regulators of cell signaling via their interactions with multiple growth and angiogenic factors, heparan sulfates mediate a shift in the microenvironment that supports the tumor as an ‘organ’ and promotes an aggressive tumor phenotype. In addition, enzymatic remodeling of heparan sulfate proteoglycans provides a mechanism for rapid, localized and dynamic modulation of proteoglycan function thereby tightly regulating activities within the tumor microenvironment. New data from animal models demonstrates that heparan sulfate or the enzymes that regulate heparan sulfate are viable targets for cancer therapy. This strategy of targeting heparan sulfate may be particularly effective for attacking cancers like myeloma where extensive genetic chaos renders them unlikely to respond well to agents that target a single signaling pathway.
Structural transitions in southern bean mosaic virus and their correlation with infectivity and ribonuclease sensitivity.

Southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV) virions swell when the capsid-associated divalent cations are removed with EDTA at pH 7.5, resulting in an approximate 99% decline in the specific infectivity. Recompacting swollen virions either with divalent cations at pH 7.5, or by lowering the pH to 5.0 (in the absence or in presence of divalent cations) fails to restore complete infectivity. In contrast to swollen SBMV, RNA within the recompacted virions is fully protected from ribonuclease attack. Removing divalent cations with EDTA at pH 5.0 causes no infectivity loss or conformational change. These results indicate that if SBMV conformation is altered once then an irreversible loss in the infectivity occurs and the divalent cations play no role per se, in the infection process. Furthermore, observations based upon the sedimentation behaviour of ribonuclease-treated SBMV indicate that RNA must be physically intact for capsid recompaction to occur. Obviously, structural rearrangements at the capsidsurface (e.g., regeneration of intersubunit interactions) and at the virion interior (i.e., RNA-protein linkages) are involved collectively in conferring conformational stability to the recompacted SBMV. ZusammenfassungUbergangsstadien in der Struktur des southern bean mosaic virus und deren Wechselbeziehung mit der Infektivitat und RibonukJeasesensibilitat Virions des southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV) schwellen auf, nachdem die Kapsid-assoziier-ten divalenten Kationen mit EDTA bei pH 7,5 entfernt wurden; dies fuhrt zu einer 99%igen Reduzierung der spezifischen Infektivitat. Eine Wiederzusamtnenpressung der geschwollenen Virionen entweder mit divaienten Kationen bei pH 7,5 oder durch eine Herabsetzung des pH-Wertes auf 5,0 (in der Abwesenheit oder beim Vorhandensein von divalenten Kationen) konnte deren Infektivitat nicht vollig wiederherstellen. Im Gegensatz zu geschwollenen SBMV, ist die RNS innerhalb der wiederzusammengepres ten Virionen vor einem Ribonukleaseangriff vollig geschutzt. Die Emfernung von divalenten Kationen mit EDTA bei pH 5,0 verursacht weder einen Infektivitats-verlust nocii eine Gestaksanderung. Diese Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, das eine Gestalisanderung beim SBMV zu einem irreversibien Infektivitatsverlust fiihrt und das die divalenten Kationen Per se keine Rolle beim Infektionsprozes haben. Auserdem haben Beobachtungen des Senkungsverhaltens von Ribonuklease-behandelten SBMV gezeigt, das die RNS physikalisch intakt sein mus, um eine Kapsid-Wiederzusammenpressung vorkommen zu lassen. Es liegt auf der Hand, das strukiurelle Neuanordnungen der Kapsidoberflache (z. B. die Regeneration von Wechselwirkungen zwischen Untereinheiten) und des Virioninnenrautnes (g. h. RNS-Proteinbrucken) bei der Verleihung einer Gestaltsstabilitat der wiederzusamniengepresten SBMV zusammen involviert sind.
Social Class and Helping Behavior

In the search for useful predictor variables of helping behavior, the ef fect of social class has been repeatedly investigated. Yet no relationship between social class and helping has been consistently demonstrated. Some type of relationship has generally been found or implied, but researchers are divided on the direction of the relationship. The two dominant themes evident in inquiries into the effect of social class on unreciprocated helping behavior may be designated as those of the responsibility orientation of the middle class and the reciprocity orientation of the middle class.
addressing career issues online: perceptions of counselor education professionals

The Internet is the latest arena in which counseling services are available for a variety of issues. This study surveyed counselor education professionals about their perceptions regarding the use of online counseling to address various mental health issues including career counseling. It also examined their perceptions about 3 formats of online counseling: e-mail, text-based chat, and videoconferencing. Results indicated that counselor education professionals were open to the use of online counseling to address career issues. The implications for the practice of online career counseling and for the training of counselors are discussed.
Managing Environmental Improvement through Product and Process Innovation: Implications of Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

Klassen, R.D., and Greis, N.P., 1993, Managing environmental improvement through product and process innovation: implications of environmental life cycle assess ment, Industrial & Environmental Crisis Quarterly, 7:4, 293-318.Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) is being developed by a number of organizations worldwide as a preventative and improvement strategy for managing the environmental burden of product manufacture. The growing international emphasis on LCA has significant strategic implications for the research and development (RD second, the analysis explores the international ...