cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Approaches for Equating Different Versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination Administered in 22 Studies.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is one of the most widely used cognitive screening tests in the world. However, its administration and content differs by country and region, precluding direct comparison of scores across different versions. Our objective was to compare 2 methods of deriving comparable scores across versions of the MMSE. Between 1981 and 2012, investigators in the International Neuropsychological Normative Database Initiative collected MMSE scores on 122,512 persons from 47 studies conducted in 35 countries. We used MMSE data from 80,559 adults aged 41-99 years from 22 studies that provided item-level response data. We first equated 14-point, 15-point, 18-point, 19-point, and 23-point versions of the MMSE to the original 30-point version using coarse equipercentile equating methods that preserved differences across continents, age groups, and durations (years) of education. We then derived more precise item response theory-based scores using item-level responses to MMSE component items. We compared the 2 score-equating approaches using correlation and Bland-Altman plots. Both test-equating approaches were highly correlated with each other (r = 0.73) and with raw MMSE point totals. Bland-Altman plots revealed minimal evidence of systematic differences between the approaches. Our findings support the use of equipercentile equating when item-level data are unavailable to facilitate development of international test norms.
An Accelerated Approach to Inline Non-LTE Modeling

Abstract A goal across many physics and engineering disciplines is to use radiation-hydrodynamics codes to accurately simulate systems that are expected to deviate from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), such as laser-driven hohlraums, stellar coronae, and supernova ejecta. The computational expense of traditional non-LTE (NLTE) opacity calculations can dominate the cost of simulating these systems and render NLTE physics untenable in most cases. We present a new parallel implementation for NLTE opacity calculations that employs advanced load balancing, vectorization, and memory management to significantly reduce the computational costs of these calculations. Using the radiation-hydrodynamics code xRAGE , we demonstrate this new implementation on three test problems and present order-of-magnitude speed improvements.
HCV Seropositive Donors Positively Impact Heart Transplantation Rates and Waitlist Mortality without Compromising Outcomes

Purpose Transplant demand continues to exceed supply. With advances in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, HCV+ donors have recently been considered suitable for select recipients; here we investigate the effects of transplantation of HCV+ donors on waitlist mortality and transplant survival. Methods Retrospective review of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database was performed across two time periods - HCV+ donor era (6/'17-6/'19) and control (1/'13-1/'15). UNOS regions 1, 2, 5, 9 and 11 were analyzed as the highest volume HCV+ donor transplantation regions. Baseline characteristics were compared across periods and between transplants from HCV+ donors, as well as outcomes related to waitlist mortality, adverse events, graft failure and patient survival. Results 3,880 patients were included in the HCV+ donor era, of which 2,007 (51.7%) were transplanted. 232 (11.6%) received organs from HCV+ donors. 3688 patients underwent listing from the control era, of which 2,085 (56.5%) were transplanted. Baseline characteristics across eras demonstrated a greater proportion of HCV+ donor era transplants performed for restrictive cardiomyopathy (9.3% vs. 6.7%, p =0.012) and as multi-organ transplants (10.2% vs. 5.5%, p Conclusion Transplantation of HCV+ donor hearts safely and effectively expands the donor pool, and shows promise in decreasing both waitlist time and mortality without compromising graft quality. Continued re-assessment is essential to ensure long-term safety and efficacy of utilizing HCV+ donors.
Optimized Guidance Methods for Smooth Transitions in UAS Path Following

Many traditional guidance algorithms for Unmanned Aerial Systems will command maneuvers that may be over-aggressive in sharp turns or large errors, especially in the longitudinal frame which can result in stall. To prevent this, more gradually increasing or steady ascent/descent/turn rates should be commanded. In longitudinal, a guidance law is developed using aircraft dynamics that both keeps trim conditions salient while also tightly constraining ascent/descent rates, which can then be optimized through the linear quadratic regulator technique. Furthermore, this base guidance is decoupled from initial conditions. In lateral, a curvature path planning navigation is introduced to eliminate step input controls in turns. Results show that the aircraft can track the path as well as traditional algorithms, while also producing more reasonable reactions to lateral and longitudinal errors.
Evidence of profound ovarian suppression on combined hormonal contraception resulting in dramatically different ovarian reserve testing and oocyte retrieval outcomes: case report and review of the literature

Objective To describe a case report and demonstrate that degree of ovarian suppression with continuous combined hormonal contraception (CHC) may be more profound than previously described and may present similarly as decreased ovarian reserve. Design Case report and review of the literature. Setting Private practice in vitro fertilization center. Patient(s) A 36-year-old single gravida 0 presenting for oocyte cryopreservation on CHC. Intervention(s) Discontinuation of vaginal ring combined hormonal contraceptive for 6 months. Main Outcome Measure(s) Antral follicle count, antimullerian hormone, day 3 follicle-stimulating hormone, total oocytes, and mature oocytes retrieved before and after discontinuation of CHC. Result(s) After a 6-month break from CHC, our patient’s antimullerian hormone level increased from undetectable levels to 3.45 ng/mL, day 3 follicle-stimulating hormone level decreased from 14.9 IU/mL–6.17 IU/mL, and antral follicle count improved from 0–28. In addition, the number of oocytes retrieved after a 4-month CHC break and 6-month break increased from 8 to 29, respectively. Conclusion(s) In patients on long-term combined continuous hormonal contraception, profound ovarian suppression can result in a clinical picture of diminished ovarian reserve and extremely poor response to high-dose stimulation, which may be reversed by more time off from suppression.
Snapshot hyperspectral imaging using a random phase mask and spectral filter array

We introduce a snapshot hyperspectral imager that uses a random phase mask, repeated spectral filter array, and compressive recovery to achieve high spatial and spectral resolution in a small form factor.
Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets as Bifunctional Catalyst for Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

Electrochemical (EC) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting represent promising strategies for renewable energy conversion and fuel production and require design of efficient catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) Co-based metal organic framework (Co-MOF) nanosheets and their bifunctional catalytic properties for both EC and PEC OER. Benefiting from the large surface area and abundant isolated metal active sites, the Co-MOF nanosheets exhibited excellent OER activity and stability. The efficient electron-hole generation and separation of the nanosheets, owing to dimensional confinement, contributed to an improved visible light response in PEC OER. This study presents a new strategy to design EC/PEC bifunctional catalyst utilizing unique structural and electronic features of 2D MOF.
Reduction of Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysmotility Following Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Study Objective To assess the effect of common bowel care regimens on return of bowel function following total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). Design A prospective three-arm randomized controlled trial (Canadian Task Force Classification I). Setting Single academic-affiliated institution. Patients or Participants Women aged 18-85 years, without preexisting gastrointestinal disorders, undergoing TLH for benign indications. Interventions Patients were randomized to one of three arms using an equal allocation ratio to receive either no bowel care regimen (control group), docusate sodium, or polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG) for the first five days following surgery. The primary outcome was time to first bowel movement postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were time to first flatus, total narcotic use in the first five days postoperatively, constipation score, and the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire score. Measurements and Main Results There were no significant differences in time to first bowel movement postoperatively amongst those receiving no bowel care regimen, docusate sodium, or PEG (2.64 ± 1.19, 2.80 ± 1.08, 3.06 ± 1.18 days; p=0.436). Similarly, there were no significant differences in time to first flatus: 1.06 days (interquartile range 0.89-1.70) in the control group, 1.05 days (interquartile range 0.78-1.37) in the docusate sodium group, and 1.11 days (interquartile range 0.82-1.40) in the PEG group (p=0.975). Total narcotic use in the first five days postoperatively, constipation score, and the PAC-SYM score did not vary significantly amongst the groups. Body mass index (BMI) was a significant predictor of time to first bowel movement with an increased BMI associated with a shorter time to first bowel movement [HR 1.05 (1.01, 1.10); p=0.013]. Conclusion In those undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications without any preexisting gastrointestinal disorders, the prescription of a bowel care medication does not significantly affect return of bowel function.
Design and Experimentation of a Variable Stiffness Bistable Gripper

Grasping and manipulating objects is an integral part of many robotic systems. Both soft and rigid grippers have been investigated for manipulating objects in a multitude of different roles. Rigid grippers can hold heavy objects and apply large amounts of force, while soft grippers can conform to the size and shape of objects as well as protect fragile objects from excess stress. However, grippers that possess the qualities of both rigid and soft grippers are under-explored. In this paper, we present a novel gripper with two distinct properties: 1) it can vary its stiffness to become either a soft gripper that can conform its shape to fit complex objects or a rigid gripper that can hold a large weight; 2) when the gripper is soft, it has two stable states (i.e., bistable): open and closed: allowing it to be closed without an actuator but through contact force with a target object. The variable stiffness is accomplished by heating a shape memory polymer (SMP) material through its glass transition temperature. The bi-stability is achieved by shaping the gripper’s energy landscape through two elastic elements. This paper details the design and fabrication process of this gripper, as well as quantifies the influence of temperature variations on this gripper. The capability of the gripper is experimentally verified by grasping different objects with various shapes and weights. We expect such a gripper to be suitable for many applications that traditionally require either a rigid or a soft gripper.
Student Veterans: Does How We Welcome Them Matter?

The recent influx of veterans into higher education has caused an increase of dedicated services and programs. Educational success is contingent upon student involvement in their educational communities, and orientation plays an important role in facilitating this engagement. Using quasi-experimental research design, and Schlossberg’s constructs of mattering and marginality in higher education as a lens, this study sought to discover if student veterans experienced differing levels of mattering to their schools when categorized by the type of orientation they attended. Five hundred eighty-nine student veterans at 13 public universities within one Midwestern state completed the Unified Measure of University Mattering Instrument (France, 2011), and provided limited demographic information. Findings demonstrate that student veterans who experienced an orientation session which included a session designed exclusively for veterans demonstrated statistically significant higher scores in their perceived mattering to their school than student veterans who did not attend orientation. However, student veterans who attended standard orientation without veteran-specific content did not demonstrate statistically significant higher scores that those who did not attend orientation at all. Results indicate how small changes in traditional programs can have a significant impact on student veterans’ sense of mattering to their university.
Unheard Victims: Multidisciplinary Incidence and Reporting of Violence in an Emergency Department.

Author(s): McGuire, Sarayna S.; Mullan, Aidan F.; Clements, Casey M. | Abstract: Introduction: Workplace violence in the emergency department (ED) is a serious threat to staff and is likely to go unreported. We sought to identify the incidence of violence among staff at our academic ED over a six-month period.Methods: An anonymous survey was sent to all ED staff, asking whether respondents had experienced verbal abuse or physical assault over the prior six months and whether they had reported it. Those working in the department l6 months were excluded from analysis. We used chi-squared comparison to analyze the results.n Results: We analyzed 242 responses. Overall, 208 (86%) respondents indicated being verbally abused in the preceding six months, and 90 (37%) indicated being physically assaulted. Security officers had the highest incidence of verbal abuse (98%), followed by nursing (95%), patient care assistants (PCA) (90%) and clinicians (90%), phlebotomists (75%), care team assistants (73%), registration staff (50%) and electrocardiogram (ECG)/radiology technicians (50%). Security also had the highest incidence of physical assault (73%), followed by nursing (49%), PCAs (30%), clinicians (24%), phlebotomists (17%), and ECG/radiology technicians (13%). A total of 140 (69%) non-security personnel indicated that they never report incidents of violence.Conclusion: Our results indicate that violence in the ED affects more than just nurses and doctors. As health systems seek to improve the safety of their employees in violence-prone areas, it is imperative that they direct initiatives to the entire healthcare team as no one group is immune.
Examining reciprocal associations between parent depressive symptoms and child internalizing symptoms on subsequent psychiatric disorders: An adoption study.

Introduction The dynamic interplay between parent depressive symptoms and child internalizing behavior over time is not well understood. Methods We used data from a prospective parent-offspring adoption design (N = 561) to examine associations between adoptive parent depressive symptoms and child internalizing behavior when children were ages 18 months, 27 months, 4.5 years, and 6 years, and subsequent child psychiatric disorder symptoms when children were between the ages of 6-8 years. Models also accounted for the contributions of birth parent psychopathology, birth mother depressive symptoms during pregnancy, and infant negative emotionality. Bidirectional associations between adoptive parent depressive symptoms and child internalizing behavior were examined using a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model. Results There was evidence for associations between child internalizing behavior and adoptive parent depressive symptoms over time, with mothers' depressive symptoms being a more salient risk factor for child internalizing behavior than fathers'. We found one significant cross-lagged association from adoptive mother depressive symptoms at child age 18 months to child internalizing behavior at age 27 months. Infant negative emotionality (i.e., emotional liability) at age 9 months predicted both child internalizing behavior and adoptive parent depressive symptoms. Conclusion Results suggest that postnatal maternal depressive symptoms confer specific risks for child internalizing behaviors in toddlerhood and childhood and depressive symptoms in childhood.
Allocation of Public External Loans

Foreign loans can be “productive” even when they do not partake in revenue-producing enterprises. Thus, investments in what we usually call “social overhead” are productive since they enhance the efficiency of production and distribution throughout the economy. From the standpoint of production, the benefits derived in the form of external economies are obvious even though no firm accounts or pays for them. Bearing in mind this broad notion of “productivity,” let us consider the external public indebtedness of East European countries at the threshold of the Great Depression.
Uterine peroxidase activity in abnormal human endometrium.

Abstract Peroxidase activity in endometrial tissue from women taking an oral progestogen and from women with histories of atypical premenopausal uterine bleeding has been investigated. Enzyme activity throughout the progestogen-induced cycle is similar to that found in normal endometrium. Peroxidase activity is distinctly abnormal in the majority of women with premenopausal bleeding disorders. These observations are discussed in light of their possible significance as another parameter for assessment of endometrial dysfunction.
Infantile beriberi associated with Wernicke's encephalopathy.

An infant, 5½ months of age, died after a brief acute illness characterized by irritability and somnolence leading terminally to coma, and by excessive sweating, abdominal distension, tachypnea and tachycardia. Acidosis and azotemia were marked. He was found at necropsy examination to have pathologic findings compatible with both beriberi and Wernicke9s encephalopathy. Investigation of the dietary history and analysis of the formula fed the patient confirmed the suspicion of deficient intake of thiamine. This is the first case report in which the coexistence of these two pathologic conditions in a child proven to have had an inadequate diet, has been documented. It lends further support to the thesis that Wernicke9s encephalopathy is caused by nutritional deficiency. The importance of vitamin supplementation of restricted diets used in the therapy of infantile eczema is emphasized.
The Teacher's Role in Creating a Positive Verbal and Nonverbal Environment in the Early Childhood Classroom

Teachers play a critical role in establishing the verbal and nonverbal environment in the early childhood classroom. Within this article, children's literature is used as a vehicle for enhancing understanding of (a) how teachers talk to children, (b) how teachers allow children to talk to each other in positive and reinforcing or negative ways, and (c) how teachers help children talk to themselves about their learning and participation in class. The role of the teacher as a positive, conscious, and deliberate model of self-regulated learning is promoted.
Anxiety Measures Predict Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between anxiety and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). Study design Forty children aged 8-18 years diagnosed with CVS and 40 parents completed the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and the child and parent forms of the Pediatric Quality of Life Generic Core Scale, a measure of HRQoL. Results Eleven of the 40 children (27%) by self-report and 6 of 40 (15%) by parent-proxy report met the clinical cutoff for an anxiety disorder on the SCARED. Parent and child SCARED ratings were moderately correlated (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.68; P P R 2 = 0.49; df = 1, 38; P Conclusion Children and adolescents with CVS appear to be at increased risk for anxiety. Anxiety symptoms are a stronger predictor of HRQoL than disease characteristics in children and adolescents with CVS. Assessment and treatment of anxiety in children and adolescents with CVS may have a positive impact on HRQoL.
TAXONOMIC VARIATION AMONG SPIDERS IN THE ABILITY TO REPEL WATER: SURFACE ADHESION AND HAIR DENSITY

A variety of arthropods forage and avoid predators via locomotion on the surfaces of ponds and streams. For these animals, cuticular hydrophobicity functions to keep them dry and well supported by the water's surface tension, and also allows them to move easily between wet and dry habitats. Among spiders, members of the family Pisauridae exemplify this semi-aquatic lifestyle and, not surprisingly, these spiders remain entirely dry even when submerged. In the current study, we sought to quantify the degree to which spiders in a variety of families resist wetting by liquid water. Two properties of a spider's cuticular hairs are predominant in determining this resistance: adhesion energy (a consequence of molecular interactions between the hair surface and water) and hair density. When hair density is low, the adhesion energy of the cuticle itself also plays a role. Among the ten families we studied, pisaurids and pholcids defined the ends of the spectrum of resistance, with the pisaurids nearly 50 times more resistant to wetting than the pholcids. We discuss both the impact of this variation on spiders' potential for aquatic locomotion and the variety of selective forces that may have contributed to this impressive variation in capabilities.
A Content Area Reading Course Re-Imagined: A Situated Case Study of Disciplinary Literacies Pedagogy in Secondary English Teacher Education.

This study investigates the experiences of one secondary preservice English teacher facilitating an out-of-school e-book club with urban youth while enrolled in a required course entitled Content Area Reading. Data were generated through field notes, interviews, course assignments, and book club artifacts and narratively analyzed using holistic thematic inductive and deductive coding schemes. Findings show how the participant recruits his experiences and identities as a reader, a former grant writer, and an aspiring English teacher to develop a disciplinary literacies pedagogy informed by his knowledge of disciplinary Discourses and youths’ lives. These findings have implications for how teacher educators prepare secondary English teachers to craft relevant and engaging content literacy instruction.
Microscopic studies of the effect of epinephrine on the isolated fat cells of the rat epididymal fat pads.

Abstract Fat cells isolated from epididymal fat pads of well-fed rats contain very few lipid-rich particles. The numbers of these particles increase in vitro following incubation with epinephrine. These lipid-rich particles appear in the cells only when they are actively engaged in the release of non-esterified fatty acid into the medium. Electron micrographs of these epinephrine treated cells show them to be lipid-rich bodies with a smooth membrane. It is suggested that these bodies are mostly formed from the bulk lipid in response to the stimulus given by epinephrine and that they probably serve as vehicles for the transport of lipid from the bulk fat to the centers of lipase in the cytoplasm.
Aspergilli as ochratoxin producers.

To determine whether ochratoxin is produced by species of Aspergillus other than Asp. ochraceus, 44 strains representative of the 9 spp. composing the Asp. ochraceus group were grown on both pearled wheat and cracked corn in duplicate shaken flasks at 28°C for 5 days. Rice was a poor substrate for ochratoxin production. Moulded substrates were extracted with acetonitrile-water; partially purified extracts were assayed for ochratoxins by TLC. All positive samples were confirmed by solubility in sodium bicarbonate and preparation of methyl esters. Ochratoxins A and B were found in some strains of Asp. sulphureus, Asp. sclerotiorum, Asp. alliaceus, Asp. melleus, Asp. ochraceus, Asp. ostianus, and Asp. petrakii. No ochratoxin was produced by the one strain of Asp. elegans or any of 6 strains of Asp. auricomus. 5 of 9 strains of Asp. sclerotiorum and 5 of 11 strains of Asp. ochraceus were negative. All 7 strains of Asp. alliaceus were positive, but one was at a very low level. Generally, yields of ochratoxin were higher in wheat than in corn. Occasionally, as much ochratoxin B was produced as A. Highest yields of ochratoxins A and B were obtained from respective strains of Asp. ochraceus NRRL 3174 and NRRL 3519. Some strains of most species of the Asp. ochraceus group produce this mycotoxin as a secondary metabolite.
Photoswitchable Fluorescent Assemblies Based on Hydrophilic BODIPY−Spiropyran Conjugates†

In search of strategies to design photoswitchable fluorescent probes and operate them in aqueous environments, we have envisioned the possibility of incorporating fluorescent, photochromic, and hydrophilic components within the same macromolecular construct. First, we synthesized a fluorophore−photochrome dyad, pairing a BODIPY fluorophore and a spiropyran photochrome in its molecular skeleton, and investigated the photochemical and photophysical properties of this compound in acetonitrile. Under these conditions, the photoinduced isomerization of the spiropyran causes a 56% decrease in the emission intensity of the BODIPY at the photostationary state. The photogenerated isomer has a lifetime of 2.7 × 102 s and reverts thermally to the original form, restoring the initial emission intensity. On the basis of these results, we copolymerized a similar BODIPY−spiropyran conjugate with a monomer bearing a pendant polyethylene glycol chain. The resulting polymer is soluble in aqueous environments, and its fluor...
Anisotropic porochemoelectroelastic Mandel's problem solutions for applications in reservoir modeling and laboratory characterization

Abstract The porochemoelectroelastic analytical models have been used to describe the response of chemically active and electrically charged saturated porous media such as clay soils, shales, and biological tissues. In this work, the porochemoelectroelastic theory is applied to derive the solution for stress, pore pressure, strain, and displacement of the Mandel's problem for orthotropic charged saturated porous media. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate applications of the present solutions to laboratory characterization and hydraulic fracturing analysis of shale formation. The analysis shows that ignoring either the porochemoelectroelastic effects or the material anisotropy can leads to inaccurate prediction of the pore pressure and effective stress distributions in the shale sample or formations during these processes.
The big consequences of small biases: : A simulation of peer review

Abstract Objective To determine the effect of reviewer bias on grant application funding rates between a “preferred class” (PC) and a “non-preferred class” (NPC) of principal investigator. Methods A discrete event simulation (DES) of grant review was developed which mimics the production, review, and funding determination of grants. Grants were defined to have an intrinsic quality. Three reviewers then score each grant, and assign it a value. Zero (control), one, or all reviewers may exhibit biases of varying severity against NPC investigators. Results When total review bias exceeds 1.9% of grant score, statistically significant variation in scores between PC and NPC investigators is discernable in a pool of 2000 grant applications. When total review bias exceeds 2.8% of total grant score, statistically significant discrepancies in funding rates between PC and NPC investigators are detectable in a simulation of grant review. Conclusions Review bias affects funding rates even when total review bias is less than half the amplitude of normal variation in an individual reviewer’s score. Addressing reviewer bias will improve equity among investigators and may improve the overall quality of funded grant applications.
Laser-induced fluorescence of C2H5S radicals

Abstract C 2 H 5 S radicals were generated by 248 nm photodissociation of C 2 H 5 SH and C 2 H 5 SSC 2 H 5 and laser-induced fluorescence on the A-X transition was studied. Prominent progressions are found in the C-S stretching mode which has a frequency of 408 ± 8 cm −1 in the excited state and 681 ± 15 cm −1 in the ground state. The 0 0 0 band head lies at 440.0 nm. All the bands are highly predissociated with the lifetime decreasing from 75 ns for the 0 0 0 band to ≈ 15 ns for the 3 0 6 band.
A hedonic travel cost analysis for valuation of multiple components of site quality: The recreation value of forest management

Abstract One benefit of managing forests is that one can alter the qualities of sites. The value of changing site qualities, however, is generally not known. This paper develops a formal hedonic travel cost model which can be used to estimate the value of both marginal and non-marginal changes to sites. The approach accommodates multiple simultaneous changes in site characteristics. Estimating this model using a set of permits from wilderness areas leads to revealed preference estimates of the recreational value of clear-cuts, old-growth, and nine other wilderness attributes.
ATLAS OF THE NEURONS THAT EXPRESS MRNA FOR THE LONG FORM OF THE PROLACTIN RECEPTOR IN THE FOREBRAIN OF THE FEMALE RAT

Prolactin has a variety of important physiological effects on peripheral tissue and on the brain. The behavioral effects of prolactin include the induction of maternal behavior and increased food intake. Prolactin acts via its cognate receptors which have two forms, a short and a long form. The long form of the receptor is predominant in the preoptic area-hypothalamus and is positioned to support maternal behavior since this form is regulated across pregnancy and lactation (Nagano and Kelly [1994] J. Biol. Chem. 269:13337–13345; Sugiyama et al. [1994] J. Endocrinol. 141:325–333). By using in situ hybridization with [33P] labelled cRNA probe specific for the long form of the receptor mRNA(L-PRL mRNA) we have mapped, in brains from 2- and 21-day-old pregnant females, the neuroanatomical distribution of neurons expressing the long form of the receptor. Many neurons with high expression of L-PRL mRNA were located in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus, the medial preoptic area (MPO), specific subdivisions of the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, and in the arcuate and ventromedial nuclei. Labelled neurons were also found in limbic system structures such as the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BST) and the medial nucleus of the amygdala, in a few thalamic nuclei, and in the central gray. All cells throughout the choroid plexus expressed high levels of L-PRL mRNA. The levels of L-PRL mRNA were higher in females on day 21 of pregnancy in the MPO and in the choroid plexus, than in females on day 2 of pregnancy; levels in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) were unchanged across pregnancy. The neuroanatomical distribution of neurons expressing L-PRL mRNA may have special relevance for the mediation of maternal behavior, lactation, sexual behavior, and feeding. J. Comp. Neurol. 386:161–177, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Symbolic significance of textile crafts for tourists

Abstract Consumer goods acquire symbolic value and serve many purposes for their owners. Exploration of meaning that crafts hold for tourists strengthens understanding of tourist behavior and contributes to craftpersons' knowledge of potential customers. Profiles of international tourists were developed based on the meaning they associated with special textile crafts acquired during travel. Craft meaning evolved from unusual experiences and encounters in obtaining the textiles and from their use in the home and for clothing. Crafts, and the memories associated with them, helped consumers participate in nonordinary experiences, sample indigenous lifestyles, expand a worldview, differentiate the self from or integrate with others, enhance feelings of confidence, express creativity, and experience aesthetic pleasure.
Predicting the Real-Time Multivariate Madden–Julian Oscillation Index through a Low-Order Nonlinear Stochastic Model

AbstractA new low-order nonlinear stochastic model is developed to improve the predictability of the Real-time Multivariate Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) index (RMM index), which is a combined measure of convection and circulation. A recent data-driven, physics-constrained, low-order stochastic modeling procedure is applied to the RMM index. The result is a four-dimensional nonlinear stochastic model for the two observed RMM variables and two hidden variables involving correlated multiplicative noise defined through energy-conserving nonlinear interaction. The special structure of the low-order model allows efficient data assimilation for the initialization of the hidden variables that facilitates the ensemble prediction algorithm. An information-theoretic framework is applied to the calibration of model parameters over a short training phase of 3 yr. This framework involves generalizations of the anomaly pattern correlation, the RMS error, and the information deficiency in the model forecast. The nonli...
Crack tip mechanics effects on environment‐assisted cracking of beta‐titanium alloys in aqueous NaCl

The objective of this research is to understand the effects of crack tip mechanics on environment-assisted cracking (EAC) of α-precipitation hardened β-Ti alloys. Precracked Ti-8V-6Cr-4Mo-4Zr-3Al and Ti-15Mo-3Nb-3Al are prone to severe EAC in aqueous NaCl when stressed under fixed or rising displacement. The latter is more damaging and establishes a lower bound threshold of the stress intensity (K) well below K IC . EAC is intergranular and occurs at fast growth rates (da/dt, up to 150 μm/s) for five orders of magnitude of loading rate, dK/dt. Cracking, due to hydrogen-environment embrittlement, is rate limited by lattice diffusion of hydrogen. EAC at fast da/dt or high dK/dt requires process zone embrittlement sites very near to the crack tip or enhanced H transport. Subcritical da/dt versus K depends on loading format through crack tip strain rate (e CT ) differences governed by dK/dt, da/dt and creep. A continuum model approximates the contributions of dK/dt and da/dt to e CT and EAC, but it is inconsistent with in situ measurements of crack tip strain. Intergranular cracking is exacerbated by high e CT that destabilizes the crack tip passive film and enables hydrogen uptake from an electrochemical reaction. EAC is mitigated when e CT is insufficient in these regards.
Human immunodeficiency virus transmission in health care settings: Risk and risk reduction

Surveillance data and case reports document that health care workers (HCWs) risk occupationally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Transmission of HIV to patients of an infected HCW during invasive procedures has also been reported. The risk to a susceptible HCW depends on the prevalence of HIV infection among patients, the nature and frequency of occupational blood exposures, and the risk of transmission per exposure. Blood exposure rates vary by occupation, by procedure, and by compliance with preventive measures. Future efforts to protect both HCWs and patients must include improved surveillance, risk assessment, study of postexposure prophylaxis, and an emphasis on exposure prevention, including development of safer medical devices, work practices, and personal protective equipment that are acceptable to HCWs and do not adversely affect patient care.
A Novel Pbx family member expressed during early zebrafish embryogenesis forms trimeric complexes with Meis3 and Hoxb1b

pbx genes encode homeodomain-containing transcriptional regulators that interact with other proteins to control embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. We present the characterization of a zebrafish pbx CDNA that appears to encode a novel family member, pbx4. pbx4 RNA is maternally deposited and is detected throughout the zebrafish embryo during blastula stages. It becomes excluded from ventroanterior structures at late gastrula stages and is detected within the forming central nervous system during segmentation stages. pbx4 expression overlaps with that of two other homeobox genes, hoxb1b and meis3, in the region of the presumptive caudal hindbrain during gastrula stages. In vitro binding experiments revealed that protein complexes containing Pbx4/Meis3 and Pbx4/Hoxb1b, but not Meis3/Hoxb1b could be generated. A novel trimeric complex containing Pbx4, Meis3, and Hoxb1b was also formed. We speculate that complexes with different combinations of Pbx4, Meis3, and Hoxb1b specify different developmental fates during vertebrate embryogenesis. Dev Dyn 2000;217:109–119. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of transforming growth factor β and epidermal growth factor on steroid 5α-reductase activity in genital skin fibroblasts

Regulation of steroid 5 alpha-reductase (5 alpha R) activity and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) formation is central to prostate and sexual skin (hair) growth and cell function. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a ubiquitous peptide present in skin and scrotal tissue and its receptor is universally expressed. We have explored the role of TGF-beta 1 and -beta 2 on androgen formation in skin. Rat or human sexual skin fibroblasts were grown in primary cultures (passage 3-7). 5 alpha-Reductase activity was measured by the %-conversion of tracer 3H-testosterone to dihydrotestosterone over a 4 h period. Incubation of scrotal fibroblasts (2 x 10(5) cells) in serum and growth factor free media with androgen, such as DHT for two days significantly stimulates 5 alpha R in these cells (1.6-fold, p < 0.05 vs control). TGF-beta 1 alone at picomolar concentrations (2 x 10(-11) M to 2 x 10(-10) M) was a potent inducer of 5 alpha R activity in both rat (1.8-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively, p < 0.001 vs control at both doses) and human cells (TGF-beta 1 2 x 10(-10) M 3.3-fold, p < 0.001 vs control). Combined exposure of these fibroblasts to TGF-beta 1 (2 x 10(-10) M) and androgen (10(-7) M) further potentiated 5 alpha R activity (rat cells 6.5-fold, human cells 6.4-fold, p < 0.001 vs DHT or TGF-beta 1 alone).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
James J. Kilpatrick: Salesman for Segregation. By William P. Hustwit. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2013. Pp. ix, 310. $34.95.)

James J. Kilpatrick is perhaps best remembered today as a conservative commentator on CBS Television's long‐running news program 60 Minutes where he and liberal photojournalist Shana Alexander trad...
Exploring the accuracies and inaccuracies of personality perception following Internet-mediated communication

Abstract Two studies explored personality perception following Internet-mediated chat. First, participants completed a measure of the Five Factor Model (FFM), interacted online in stranger-dyads, and then rated each other’s traits. The results showed low correspondence between self-ratings and the perceptions of online partners. Internet-veterans showed no personality perception superiority over Internet-novices, and an assumed similarity effect was observed for Extraversion. In the second study, participants completed a measure of the FFM and participated in a group chat session. Research assistants coded verbal behaviors for each chat transcript. Raters read the chat transcripts and rated the traits of the participants. Verbal behaviors were typically uncorrelated with the self-ratings of personality, but showed substantial correlations with other-ratings of personality. Self–other correlations were insignificant.
Multiparametric corticofugal modulation and plasticity in the auditory system

The auditory systems of adult animals can be reorganized by auditory experience. The auditory cortex, the corticofugal system and the cholinergic basal forebrain are crucial for this reorganization. The auditory system can undergo two different forms of reorganization — expansion and compression. Whereas expanded reorganization has been found in different species and different sensory systems, compressed reorganization has only been found in the auditory system of the moustached bat, which is highly specialized for echolocation. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the corticofugal system and the reorganization of the auditory system.
Optimal model-based experimental design in batch crystallization

Abstract The model-based experimental design of batch crystallizers is investigated. A dynamic programming formulation minimizes the volume of a confidence hyperellipsoid for the estimated nucleation and growth parameters over the supersaturation profile and the seed characteristics, namely, the crystal mass, mean size, and width of the seed distribution. It is shown that the accuracy of the parameter estimates can vary by several orders of magnitude depending on the seed characteristics, and that highly accurate estimation of nucleation and growth parameters can be obtained with as few as four batch experiments.
Pituitary-gonadal function during sleep in healthy aging men.

Abstract There is limited information on the relation between age-related changes in pituitary-gonadal function and sleep physiology in older men. In this cross-sectional study of 67 healthy volunteers free from sleep complaints, aged 45–75 yr, we (1) assessed peak fluctuations and hourly variations in plasma testosterone, LH and prolactin sampled every 20 min during sleep, and (2) explored the relation between sleep parameters, respiratory and periodic leg movement disturbances, and circulating concentrations of the aforementioned hormones. We hypothesized that alterations in sleep architecture or presence of sleep disorders may contribute to hormonal variations in aging subjects. Bioavailable testosterone decreased and LH increased with age, but there were no differences in total testosterone and prolactin and no major changes in peak hormonal release. There were positive associations, independent from the age effect, between sleep efficiency, decreased latency to onset of REM activity, and number of REM episodes, and circulating testosterone. Sleep-disordered breathing significantly increased with age. The degree of respiratory disturbance was associated with decreased overnight plasma bioavailable testosterone, but this relationship lost its significance after age-adjustment. The findings demonstrate a decrease in gonadal function during sleep in healthy aging men and suggest that changes in sleep efficiency and architecture are associated with alterations in gonadal activity in these older individuals.
Thinking Sociologically About Personal Relationships

When my associate editors and I were discussing who would be our team’s second distinguished scholar, psychologist Susan Boon suggested Graham Allan, pointing out that he thinks “in bigger circles” than most personal relationship scholars and therefore has something special to contribute to the field. As one of Allan’s collaborators, I can certainly corroborate Boon’s observation. Of course, though uncommon among researchers who identify themselves as “personal relationship scholars,” Allan’s practice of contextualizing personal relationships is not unique. Most sociologists, including me, agree that the structural and cultural contexts in which relationships are embedded influence their structure and the processes that take place within them. It is fairly common, for example, for sociologists to study how the opportunities or constraints facing people occupying various social structural positions shape the relationships they form and maintain (e.g., the effects of individual characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, social class, and age on relationship outcomes) and also how the relationships embedded in different immediate social and cultural environments vary (e.g., subcultures, neighborhoods, and organizations). Allan thinks in even larger circles than many sociologists, however, and certainly in larger circles than most of the few other sociologists who are involved in the International Association for Relationship Research. Rather than focusing on how individual characteristics and immediate environments affect personal relationships, he is concerned with the effects of much broader social and cultural characteristics and trends, such as privatization, inequality, and, as he discusses in his contribution to this issue, increasing flexibility in the normative expectations regarding family and friend relationships. His contribution to the field of relationship science is unique because he is simultaneously interested in the characteristics of the larger contexts surrounding personal relationships, those contexts most remote from the individuals involved, and in the details of how people “do” family and friendship. Most sociologists interested in the former are not interested in the latter and vice versa.
Command and control displays for space vehicle operations

This paper shall examine several command and control facility display architectures supporting space vehicle operations, to include TacSat 2, TacSat 3, STPSat 2, and Communications Navigation Outage Forecasting System (CNOFS), located within the Research Development Test & Evaluation Support Complex (RSC) Satellite Operations Center 97 (SOC-97) at Kirtland Air Force Base. A principal focus is to provide an understanding for the general design class of displays currently supporting space vehicle command and control, e.g., custom, commercial-off-the-shelf, or ruggedized commercial-off-the-shelf, and more specifically, what manner of display performance capabilities, e.g., active area, resolution, luminance, contrast ratio, frame/refresh rate, temperature range, shock/vibration, etc., are needed for particular aspects of space vehicle command and control. Another focus shall be to address the types of command and control functions performed for each of these systems, to include how operators interact with the displays, e.g., joystick, trackball, keyboard/mouse, as well as the kinds of information needed or displayed for each function. [Comparison with other known command and control facilities, such as Cheyenne Mountain and NORAD Operations Center, shall be made.] Future, anticipated display systems shall be discussed.
Quantitation of urinary estrogens by gas chromatography.

Abstract A method for the quantitative estimation of estrogens in late pregnancy urine by gas chromatography is described. The values obtained are compared with those obtained by an alternative chemical procedure (Method A).
Intravenous Voriconazole Therapy in a Preterm Infant

A preterm infant younger than 3 months developed a disseminated fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans infection that was treated with liposomal amphotericin B for 52 days, followed by the combination of intravenous voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B for an additional 19 days. The infant received concomitant phenobarbital throughout the hospital stay. The infection resolved after addition of voriconazole to the treatment regimen. Intravenous voriconazole was begun at a high dosage, 6 mg/kg every 12 hours, for anticipated developmental and drug-induced changes in volume of distribution and clearance. On day 4 of therapy, serum concentrations of voriconazole were 3.27 microg/ml immediately after infusion and 0.33 microg/ml 6 hours after infusion. These levels were significantly lower than those achieved in adult pharmacokinetic and safety studies. After the infant's dosage was increased to 6 mg/kg every 8 hours, serum concentrations were 5.33 microg/ml 30 minutes after infusion and 2.67 microg/ml 6 hours after infusion. These levels were similar to those observed in adults. Intravenous voriconazole 6 mg/kg every 8 hours was administered safely, with concomitant phenobarbital therapy, in this preterm infant with developmentally diminished renal function.