cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Awareness and acceptability of population-based screening for pathogenic BRCA variants: Do race and ethnicity matter?

Abstract Objective To evaluate awareness and acceptability of population-based BRCA testing among an unselected population of women presenting for annual gynecologic health assessment, with secondary objective to determine if a racial disparity exists in acceptability and awareness of this screening strategy. Methods Women presenting for routine gynecologic care in an outpatient setting of a single academic institution were anonymously surveyed. Survey collected age, self-identified race and ethnicity, education level, personal and family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer (BOC), awareness and interest, and willingness to pay out of pocket for testing. Responses were compared with bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results Interest in testing was expressed in 150 of 301 (45.1%) of participants. Women with a family history of BOC were more likely to be interested in testing than those without (OR = 1.9 (1.0–3.6)). Interest in testing was associated willingness to pay (OR = 3.3 (1.7–6.4)). Higher education level was associated with awareness of testing (OR = 9.9 (2.0–49.7)). Interest in testing was similar between racial groups, but awareness and willingness to pay for testing were higher among White women. Multivariate analysis with adjustment for education level confirmed that Black and Hispanic women were less likely to have awareness of genetic testing compared to White women and non-Hispanic Women, respectively (OR = 0.11 (0.05–0.3); OR = 0.10 (0.01–0.8)). Conclusions Interest in genetic testing among women in the general population is high. Despite interest, awareness of BRCA is poor among Black and Hispanic women even when adjusting for education level.
An efficient procedure for the synthesis of C-chiral bisphosphines

Abstract A practical method for the synthesis of bisphosphines containing homochiral carbon backbones is described. This procedure entails sequential reaction of a homochiral ditosylate with the appropriate dialkyl- or diarylphosphine-borane anion followed by BH3 decomplexation mediated by HBF4·OMe2.
Carcinogenicity of Inhaled Cigarette Smoke in the NMU-Pretreated Hamster Larynx

122 1-month-old Syrian golden hamsters were pretreated intratracheally with NMU (N-methyl-N-nitroso-urea) using various dosages and methods.
Revisiting the arts as a socially innovative urban development strategy

Arts and cultural activities have become an increasingly important aspect of urban and regional development. Can such projects be seen as socially innovative? Socially innovative projects are here ...
A Comprehensive Superposition of Viral Polymerase Structures

Nucleic acid polymerases are essential enzymes that replicate the genomes of both RNA and DNA viruses. These enzymes are generally encoded by viruses themselves so as to provide biochemical functions and control elements that differ from those of the host cell polymerases. The core active site structure used by all replicative polymerases is highly conserved and composed of two key aspartate residues from the conserved motifs A and C, but beyond this there is significant divergence among structures. These differences can make it difficult to select which portions of structures to align for comparisons, yet there are extended structural similarities within different groups of viral polymerases that should clearly be considered to generate optimal alignments. This manuscript describes a comprehensive structure-based superposition of every viral polymerase structure solved thus far based on an alignment-tree approach wherein aligned regions grow in complexity as similarity among polymerases increases. The result is a set of 646 structures that have been aligned into a single common orientation. This provides a convenient resource for directly comparing viral polymerases and illustrating structural conservation among them. It also sets the stage for detailed bioinformatics analysis to further assess common structural features. The full set of protein data bank (PDB) formatted files is publicly available at http://www.zenodo.org/communities/pols/.
Gaining voter support for watershed protection

Public officials and stakeholders who want to advance watershed protection may want to consider how ballot referendum design can serve as a nudge in voting behaviors. We extend the research literature on voter preferences by using behavioral economics theory to provide new insights into voter behaviors towards watershed conservation referendums. We drew upon observations from 76 separate watershed protection referendums, conducted in the eastern U.S. from 1991 to 2013, and evaluated the wording of the ballot statement to determine their potential influence on voter support and the psychology of voting. Data were fitted to weighted least squares regression models to allow for broader inferences about voting behaviors. We found shorter ballot referendums with broad or vague descriptions of expected benefits and fewer descriptions of funding mechanisms likely increased the perceived odds of a favorable outcome and subsequently increased likelihood of a yes vote.
Understanding the intersection of race and place: the case of tuberculosis in Michigan

Race and place intersect to produce location-based variation in disease distributions. We analyzed the geographic distribution of tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Michigan, USA to better understand the complex interplay between race and place, comparing patterns in Detroit, Wayne County and the state of Michigan as a whole. Using cross-sectional TB surveillance data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, multivariable statistical models were developed to analyze the residence patterns of TB incidence from 2007 through 2012. Two-way interactions among the residence location and race of cases were assessed. Overall, Detroit residents experienced 58% greater TB incidence than residents of Wayne County or the state of Michigan. Racial inequalities were less pronounced in Detroit compared to both Wayne County and the state of Michigan. Blacks in Detroit had 2.01 times greater TB incidence than Whites, while this inequality was 3.62 times more in Wayne County and 8.72 greater in the state of Michigan. Our results highlight how race and place interact to influence patterns of TB disease, and the ways in which this interaction is context dependent. TB elimination in the U.S. will require strategies that address the local social environment, as much as the physical environment.
Learning is Social with Zoom Video Conferencing in your Classroom

Zoom has become a robust, indispensable and reliable video conferencing tool for the way we work, teach and learn together. When we create a positive social learning environment with supportive faculty and student relationships, we are able to retain our online students. Zoom connects easily across room systems, desktops and mobile devices to seamlessly bring together our various campus sites and long-distance participants. Utilizing the numerous features of zoom creates an authentic online teaching environment.
Updates in child and adolescent mental health.

This special edition of International Review of Psychiatry presents timely topics related to child and adolescent mental health. These articles represent a current survey of some of the most import...
Extracting Tree Height from Repeat-Pass PolInSAR Data : Experiments with JPL and ESA Airborne Systems

In this paper we present our latest developments and experiments with the random-motion-over-ground (RMoG) model used to extract canopy height and other important forest parameters from repeat-pass polarimetricinterferometric SAR (Pol-InSAR) data. More specifically, we summarize the key features of the RMoG model in contrast with the random-volume-over-ground (RVoG) model, describe in detail a possible inversion scheme for the RMoG model and illustrate the results of the RMoG inversion using airborne data collected by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Therapy after cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition in metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: Resistance mechanisms and novel treatment strategies

Endocrine therapy has been the standard of care for patients with metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer since the 1970s, improving survival while avoiding the toxicities associated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, all HR-positive tumors ultimately develop resistance to endocrine therapy. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have more recently become an important component of the management of this breast cancer subtype, significantly delaying time to the disease progression and improving survival when combined with endocrine therapy. However, as with endocrine therapy alone, treatment resistance remains a universal phenomenon. As more women receive CDK4/6 inhibitors as part of their treatment, the management of de novo and acquired resistance to combined CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor plus endocrine therapy regimens has emerged as an important clinical challenge. Several resistance mechanisms have been described, including alterations in the CDK4/6/cyclin D complex or its major effector retinoblastoma protein (pRb), bypass signaling through other cyclin/CDK complexes and activation of upstream signaling pathways, in particular the PI3K/mTOR pathway, but robust biomarkers to predict resistance remain elusive, and the role for continuing CDK4/6 inhibitors after progression remains under investigation. Novel strategies being evaluated in clinical trials include the continuation of CDK4/6 inhibitors through progression, as well as triplet therapy combinations with PI3K inhibitors or immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Use of Natural Language Processing to Assess Frequency of Functional Status Documentation for Patients Newly Diagnosed With Colorectal Cancer.

This cross-sectional study applies natural language processing to electronic health records from a large health care delivery system to examine performance status documentation among patients newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Development and validation of a model to predict survival in colorectal cancer using a gradient-boosted machine

Objective The success of treatment planning relies critically on our ability to predict the potential benefit of a therapy. In colorectal cancer (CRC), several nomograms are available to predict different outcomes based on the use of tumour specific features. Our objective is to provide an accurate and explainable prediction of the risk to die within 10 years after CRC diagnosis, by incorporating the tumour features and the patient medical and demographic information. Design In the prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer screening (PLCO) Trial, participants (n=154 900) were randomised to screening with flexible sigmoidoscopy, with a repeat screening at 3 or 5 years, or to usual care. We selected patients who were diagnosed with CRC during the follow-up to train a gradient-boosted model to predict the risk to die within 10 years after CRC diagnosis. Using Shapley values, we determined the 20 most relevant features and provided explanation to prediction. Results During the follow-up, 2359 patients were diagnosed with CRC. Median follow-up was 16.8 years (14.4–18.9) for mortality. In total, 686 patients (29%) died from CRC during the follow-up. The dataset was randomly split into a training (n=1887) and a testing (n=472) dataset. The area under the receiver operating characteristic was 0.84 (±0.04) and accuracy was 0.83 (±0.04) with a 0.5 classification threshold. The model is available online for research use. Conclusions We trained and validated a model with prospective data from a large multicentre cohort of patients. The model has high predictive performances at the individual scale. It could be used to discuss treatment strategies.
Feasibility Study of a Fall Prevention Cold Gas Thruster

This paper presents the design and preliminary testing of an electronically-controlled cold-gas-thruster intended to potentially be used as a backpack-worn device for fall prevention for individuals at fall risk. The device is comprised of a high-pressure air tank, a pilot-operated valve, and a nozzle, which are employed together to create a thrust intended to correct a state of imbalance. The authors first employed modeling and simulation of the thruster-based system to assess feasibility of such a device, and based on these results designed and constructed a device prototype. The prototype was then tested on a rocking block that was used as an experimental model of a standing human subject. Experiments were conducted to assess the angular response of the rocking block starting from various initial tilt angles, both with and without the use of the cold gas thruster. For the experiments with the thruster, the valve was energized at the moment of release, thereby activating the cold-gas thruster, the thrust of which was directed to oppose the “fall.” A comparison between the two cases indicates that the fall prevention prototype increased the region of block stability by more than a factor of three (from a tilt angle of approximately 7 to 26 deg).
Does Vertical Specialization Increase Productivity

This paper investigates the impact of global value chain participation on productivity, using data on trade in value added from the World Input-Output Database. The results based on a panel estimation covering 13 sectors in 40 countries over 15 years suggest that participation in global value chains is a significant driver of labor productivity. Backward participation in global value chains, that is, the use of imported inputs to produce for exports, emerges as particularly important. An increase by 10 percent in the level of global value chain participation increased average productivity by close to 1.7 percent.
Effect of Ultra-High Pulse Frequency on the resolution in the Electrochemical Deposition of Nickel

Abstract Using localized electrochemical deposition (LECD) as a mask-less direct writing methodology, metal shapes are printed. The electrochemical double-layer capacitance at ultra-high frequencies is hypothesized to cause a localized deposition and the effect of pulse frequency on the current density is modeled to predict the deposition resolution and rate of deposition. Experimental results confirm that the deposition resolution and efficiency of the LECD process increase with the increase of pulse frequency. Deposition resolution 80% smaller than the tool diameter is feasible in the LECD of nickel used with a o 250 μm tool at 1 MHz pulsed power.
Will Failed Insurrection Lead to Terrorism in the United States

The following discussion outlines the attractions of a strategy of terrorism and its implications for political order. It also argues that a body of knowledge has been built up over time that provi...
Ruthenium-97 Labeled Compounds — a New Class of Radiopharmaceuticals

The excellent physical properties of ruthenium-97 (216 KeV γ, 86%) with a half-life of 2.9 days combined with its chemical reactivity make it attractive as a label for versatile new radiopharmaceuticals. Several compounds were successfully labeled with ruthenium tracer and characterized by in vitro techniques. Imaging studies were carried out in rats, rabbits, and dogs. Blood clearance data were obtained in dogs, and organ distribution in mice and rats. Complexes of ruthenium (III and IV) with citrate, DTPA, MDP, EHDP, PYP, ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonate (EDTMP), and oxine 7-carboxylic acid acetate, and of ruthenium (II) with 1,10-phenanthroline and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl 1,10-phenanthroline were prepared and studied. Ruthenium-sulfur colloidal particles of nanometer size were prepared and used in lymphangiography. Ruthenium-chloride (pH 2) is cleared slowly from the blood; at 24 h the activity remains in many parts of the body, including muscle. Ru-DTPA and Ru-citrate are eliminated rapidly via the kidneys. The clearance of Ru-EHDP and Ru-EDTMP from the blood is fast, with localization in bone. The bone-blood (B/B) and bone-muscle (B/M) ratios are comparable to or higher than commonly used 99mTc bone agents at similar time periods. At 24 h, ratios (in mice) reached 35 (B/B) and 92 (B/M) for EHDP, and 72 (B/B) and 85 (B/M) for EDTMP. The oxine complex is promising as a hepatobiliary agent; excretion via the kidneys is negligible. Several complexes of Ru (II) and ammine-Ru (III), especially with nitrogen heterocycles such as pyridines, phenanthrolines, and purine bases are under evaluation in animal tumor models. Uptake of ruthenium-phosphate compounds in experimental myocardial infarcts shows promise. Production of 97RU has been achieved using the 103Rh (p, 2p5n) 97RU reaction (>100 mCi/day) in the Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP). Our results support our belief in the potential of ruthenium-97 in nuclear medicine, particularly when delayed scans are necessary or desirable.
Flow-based cell moving algorithm for desired cell distribution

We propose a new cell moving algorithm to achieve a desired cell density distribution during the detailed placement stage of a large size standard-cell placement flow. To evaluate our algorithm, we also define a distribution deviation metric on how close a placement result is to the target cell density distribution. Experiments show that our approach can generate placement results, which have a cell density distribution closer to the desired distribution with very little increase in the wirelength. We achieve a 32.3% improvement in the distribution deviation at the cost of 11.2% increase in the wirelength on average. Also, the final placement results have 5.9% shorter wirelength than those of an industrial placer, Cadence QPlace.
Observational Aspects of Galactic Magnetic Fields

I will review the impressive advances in the observations of the galactic magnetic field made since the time of van de Hulst’s review at the 1966 Noordwijk Symposium (van de Hulst, 1967). Most of these observations are so recent that the consequences have not yet been worked out very well and are in need of discussion. Luckily the emphasis in the present Symposium, unlike that in many others, is on discussion. For this reason I will not hesitate to include in my review provocative speculations. I will base my discussion on Mathewson’s (1968) elegant magnetic field model, consisting of a local field in the form of a sheared helix, superimposed on a large scale longitudinal field. I will include the criticism of this model by Gardner et al. (1969b). Mathewson has succeeded in accounting for such data as the distribution of background polarized radiation from the Galaxy, the distribution of rotation measures of extragalactic radio sources and even the spurs and ridges in galactic continuum emission. There are critics who inherently distrust models that account for too many things at one time, but I feel that we should try to account for as many things as possible with the least number of models. Mathewson has succeeded in uniting much data and I will only add a few pieces to his model.
Determining involvement of Shc proteins in signaling pathways.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the involvement of Shc proteins in signaling pathways. Shc proteins are integral components in the action of a wide variety of receptors including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), immunoglobulin receptors, and integrins. Activation of each of these receptors can lead to the recruitment of Shc proteins, cuhninating in their tyrosine phosphorylation. To date, three mammalian Shc genes are identified: Shc A, Shc B ( Sck ), and Shc C ( N - Shc /Rai). All three Shc genes encode proteins that are highly related in sequence and structure, consisting of a carboxy-terminal Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, a central effector region rich in proline and glycine residues and containing two distinct sites for tyrosine phosphorylation (CHI), and an aminoterminal phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain. The chapter also reveals three regions of the CH1 domain that are highly conserved in mammalian Shc family members. In contrast to the more carboxy-terminal tyrosine phosphorylation site, there are a number of additional amino acids surrounding the amino-terminal phosphorylation site that are also conserved among Shc family members, suggesting that these residues play an important role in Shc function through the recognition of effector proteins.
Improving intra-class correlation performance in a real-time optical correlator

We investigate the performance, of a modified classical joint transform correlator for detecting multiple targets present in an input scene. This technique is found to yield good correlation output by adjusting the joint power spectrum on the basis of the input-scene-only power spectrum. Simulation results are presented to verify the performance of the proposed technique. >
The definition of a magnetic monopole in Electrodynamics combined with Gravitation

It is discussed the singular string associated to the gauge field of monopoles must be a physical observable if the monopole charge is different from zero. It is naturally found that if the gauge is to be an observable, it is possibly connected to gravity.
Global Versus Localized RBF Meshless Methods for Solving Incompressible Fluid Flow with Heat Transfer

Global and localized radial basis function (RBF) meshless methods are compared for solving viscous incompressible fluid flow with heat transfer using structured multiquadratic RBFs. In the global approach, the collocation is made globally over the whole domain, so the size of the discretization matrices scales as the number of the nodes in the domain. The localized meshless method uses a local collocation defined over a set of overlapping domains of influence. Only small systems of linear equations need to be solved for each node. The computational effort thus grows linearly with the number of nodes—the localized approach is slightly more expensive on serial processors, but is highly parallelizable. Numerical results are presented for three benchmark problems—the lid-driven cavity, natural convection within an enclosure, and forced convective flow over a backward-facing step—and results are compared with the finite-element method (FEM) and experimental data.
The impact of the built environment on the location choices of the creative class: Evidence from Thailand

Globalization has forced cities and regions to rely on creative innovations as a source of competitiveness and prosperity. Yet little is known about the physical factors that influence the residential location choices of innovative individuals in Asia. This paper examines the impact of publicly-accessible built environments on the location choices of creative households – those led by creative heads – in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Results show that the location choices of creative households are positively associated with the presence of transit stations, malls and parks, suggesting that publicly-accessible spaces facilitate face-to-face interactions, which in turn promote information exchanges and knowledge spillovers. Resumen. La globalizacion ha obligado a ciudades y regiones a depender de innovaciones creativas como fuente de competitividad y prosperidad. Sin embargo, se sabe poco acerca de los factores fisicos que influyen en las decisiones de individuos innovadores en Asia la hora de elegir la localizacion de su residencia. Este articulo examina el impacto de los entornos urbanos de acceso publico en las decisiones de localizacion de sus hogares – con directivos creativos como cabeza de hogar– tomadas por parte de individuos creativos en la Region Metropolitana de Bangkok. Los resultados muestran que las decisiones de localizacion de hogares de individuos creativos estan asociadas positivamente con la presencia de estaciones de transporte publico, centros comerciales y parques, dando a entender que los espacios publicos facilitan la interaccion cara a cara, la cual favorece a su vez los intercambios de informacion y spillovers de conocimiento.
A ‘minimal’ approach in design of flavivirus infectious DNA

Abstract The ‘infectious DNA’ approach, which is based on in vivo transcription of (+)RNA virus genome cDNA cassettes from eukaryotic promoters in transfected cells, became a popular alternative to the classical scheme in the infectious clone methodology. Its use, however, is often limited by the instability of plasmids due to a transcriptional activity of eukaryotic promoters in Escherichia coli resulting in synthesis of products toxic for the bacterial host. Using a highly unstable representative infectious clone of Japanese encephalitis (JE) flavivirus, we tested a new approach in design of such problematic ‘infectious DNA’ constructs, which is based on minimizing unwanted transcription in the bacterial host. A plasmid containing full genome size JE cDNA under control of the minimal cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter can be propagated in E. coli with growth and stability characteristics similar to that of constructs controlled by the T7 promoter. Transfection of this plasmid into susceptible cells leads to the establishment of a productive infectious cycle. Reinsertion of the CMV enhancer at the 3′-end of the JE cassette substantially increased the specific infectivity without affecting the stability and growth characteristics of the construct. This approach can be useful when stabilization of infectious clones by modification of a viral cDNA cassette is not the feasible or suitable alternative.
DReL: a middleware for wireless sensor networks management using reinforcement learning techniques

Support for autonomous and adaptive management is essential for many wireless sensor network (WSN) applications expected to be functioning over long periods of time. WSN management is further complicated by heterogeneity in terms of resources as well as applications deployed on those resources. In this paper, we present, Distributed Reinforcement Learning (DReL), middleware that provides adaptive WSN management by applying techniques from reinforcement learning and utility theory. DReL exploits a two-tier learning scheme consisting of: a) micro-learner-managing node's local tasks and resources by learning utilities of performing various tasks in different states; and b) macro-learner- managing macroscopic view and actions of a node by ensuring system as a whole achieves application's goal. Novel contributions of DReL include design and development of utility based mechanisms and associated data-structures for task, data and reward distribution by adopting concepts from directed diffusion. Our work demonstrates that individual node level as well as global level learning can help in designing a generic scheme to optimize the system while maintaining robust, localized and distributed sensing as provided by directed diffusion. Through preliminary performance analysis it is shown that DReL results in substantial increase in system lifetime compared to traditional directed diffusion.
Estrogen rapidly potentiates amphetamine-induced striatal dopamine release and rotational behavior during microdialysis.

Abstract Ovariectomy (OVX) of female rats results in a decreased behavioral response to stimulation of the mesostriatal dopamine (DA) system and decreased striatal DA release in vitro. Estrogen replacement restores both behavioral and neurochemical responsiveness. In this report, microdialysis in freely moving rats is used to simultaneously study the behavioral and neurochemical effects of systemic estradiol. OVX rats received a unilateral 6-hydroxy-dopamine lesion of the substantia nigra and then underwent microdialysis of the intact striatum. Thirty min after a single injection of 5 μg estradiol benzoate, amphetamine-induced rotational behavior and striatal DA release are both potentiated, relative to the response of oil-treated control animals.
High-speed bulk data transfer architecture for Gbit/s throughput

When bulk data is transferred between end hosts over an IP network, a known problem is the limited throughput obtained at the application level due to the memory copy processing load between the kernel buffer and the user buffer depending on the operating system. To solve this problem, in this paper we propose a high-speed bulk data transfer architecture called Network Direct Memory Access (Network DMA) and describe its design, implementation, and test results. The purpose of Network DMA is to be a transport function installed on a network interface card (NIC) and to achieve high-speed and reliable data transfers over a network between the user buffers of the end hosts without requiring operating system-specific processing. An application will use the data transfer function provided by a new interface capable of directly specifying the send destination host and the target transfer buffer. Based on the proposed architecture, we developed a 622-Mbit/s ATM NIC and Gigabit Ethernet NIC incorporating the Network DMA. The ATM NIC we developed achieved a continuous transfer throughput of 540 Mbit/s (99% bandwidth usage efficiency at the application level) in data transfer tests between general-purpose PCs. The Gigabit Ethernet NIC achieved an 800 Mbit/s continuous transfer throughput. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 86(11): 57–65, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.10107
A numerical method for the Cahn–Hilliard equation with a variable mobility

We consider a conservative nonlinear multigrid method for the Cahn–Hilliard equation with a variable mobility of a model for phase separation in a binary mixture. The method uses the standard finite difference approximation in spatial discretization and the Crank–Nicholson semi-implicit scheme in temporal discretization. And the resulting discretized equations are solved by an efficient nonlinear multigrid method. The continuous problem has the conservation of mass and the decrease of the total energy. It is proved that these properties hold for the discrete problem. Also, we show the proposed scheme has a second-order convergence in space and time numerically. For numerical experiments, we investigate the effects of a variable mobility.
Emergency Medicine in the New South Africa

A description of recent developments in emergency medicine and prehospital care in the new South Africa is detailed. As South Africa creates a new integrated health care system with equal access for all citizens, expansion of emergency care services to previously disadvantaged populations is occurring. To illustrate current disparities, a comparison of 2 regional systems of emergency medicine is included. The challenges involved and possible future directions in this effort are discussed.
Prevention of Terrorism in Post-9/11 America: News Coverage, Public Perceptions, and the Politics of Homeland Security

This study finds that the issue of preventing terrorist attacks has received surprisingly little attention by decision-makers and the news media, and only sporadic interest by pollsters. When it comes to homeland security, how to protect the nation and its people from actual attacks takes a back seat to press coverage of threats and other aspects of terrorism, particularly the administration's arguments for fighting the “war on terrorism” abroad as a means to prevent further terrorism at home. This inattention to the difficult task of preventing further catastrophic terror attacks by taking measures at home may affect the nation's vigilance as time has passed since 9/11.
Siblings, language, and false belief in low-income children.

ABSTRACT The authors examined the relationship between number of siblings and false belief understanding (FBU) in 94 low-income 4–5-year-olds. Previous research with middle-income children has shown a positive association between number of siblings and FBU. However, it is unclear whether having multiple siblings in low-income families is related to better FBU. Language, specifically vocabulary, was examined as a possible mediator between number of siblings and FBU as several researchers have found that language is causally related to FBU. Contrary to research with middle-income preschoolers, the authors found that number of siblings was negatively related to low-income children's FBU. This relationship was mediated by children's vocabulary skill. Suggestions for why the sibling–FB relationship may differ in low- and middle-income samples are offered.
The role of atomic oxygen in the ionospheric E- and F-region behavior.

Cooling effects of excited atomic oxygen on electron temperature in ionospheric E and F region
Systematic study of student understanding of the relationships between the directions of force, velocity, and acceleration in one dimension

We developed an instrument to systematically investigate student conceptual understanding of the relationships between the directions of net force, velocity, and acceleration in one dimension and report on data collected on the final version of the instrument from over 650 students. Unlike previous work, we simultaneously studied all six possible conditional relations between force, velocity, and acceleration in order to obtain a coherent picture of student understanding of the relations between all three concepts. We present a variety of evidence demonstrating the validity and reliability of the instrument. An analysis of student responses from three different course levels revealed three main findings. First, a significant fraction of students chose ``partially correct'' responses, and from pre- to post-test, many students moved from ``misconception'' to partially correct responses, or from partially correct to fully correct responses. Second, there were asymmetries in responding to conditional relations. For example, students answered questions of the form ``Given the velocity, what can be inferred about the net force?'' differently than converse questions ``Given the net force, what can be inferred about the velocity?'' Third, there was evidence of hierarchies in student responses, suggesting, for example, that understanding the relation between velocity and acceleration is necessary for understanding the relation between velocity and force, but the converse is not true. Finally, we briefly discuss how these findings might be applied to instruction.
On considerations of method and theory governing the use of clinical categories in neurolinguistics and cognitive neuropsychology: The case against agrammatism

Abstract The pervasive use of clinical categories of aphasia in neurolinguistic and cognitive neuropsychological research reflects the assumption that these patient groupings represent disruptions of the normal language processing system along theoretically significant lines. This premise is examined here with particular reference to the status of ‘agrammatism’. It is argued that there are compelling reasons to question the coherence of agrammatism as a psychological entity. To overcome these objections, the clinical intuitions on which this aphasic category is based must be replaced by objective criteria for selecting a theoretically significant patient grouping. To reach this goal, it is especially important that a theoretically motivated distinction be made between within-and across-category variation. It is argued that in the case of categories like agrammatism, there are serious methodological obstacles which make such goals unreachable. It is argued, therefore, that our theories should not take categories like agrammatism as psychological givens, especially if the purpose of our research is to reach an understanding of the mechanisms of language processing or of individual aphasic deficits themselves. Furthermore, it is argued that the single case methodology for the study of aphasia can address these goals by taking patterns of performance on particular linguistic tasks as basic units of analysis, and that this approach avoids the methodological pitfalls faced by studies which take clinical categories as starting points.
Retinal Vessel Caliber Among People With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Relationships With Visual Function

Purpose To evaluate relationships between retinal vessel caliber and tests of visual function among people with AIDS. Design Longitudinal, observational cohort study. Methods We evaluated data for participants without ocular opportunistic infections at initial examination (baseline) in the Longitudinal Studies of the Ocular Complications of AIDS (1998-2008). Visual function was evaluated with best-corrected visual acuity, Goldmann perimetry, automated perimetry (Humphrey Field Analyzer), and contrast sensitivity (CS) testing. Semi-automated grading of fundus photographs (1 eye/participant) determined central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE), and arteriole-to-venule ratio (AVR) at baseline. Multiple linear regression models, using forward selection, sought independent relationships between indices and visual function variables. Results Included were 1250 participants. Smaller AVR was associated with reduced visual field by Goldmann perimetry (P = .003) and worse mean deviation (P = .02) on automated perimetry and possibly with worse pattern standard deviation (PSD) on automated perimetry (P = .06). There was a weak association between smaller AVR and worse CS (P = .07). Relationships were independent of antiretroviral therapy and level of immunodeficiency (CD4+ T lymphocyte count, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] RNA blood level). On longitudinal analysis, retinal vascular indices at baseline did not predict changes in visual function. Conclusions Variation in retinal vascular indices is associated with abnormal visual function in people with AIDS, manifested by visual field loss and possibly by reduced CS. Relationships are consistent with the hypothesis that HIV-related retinal vasculopathy is a contributing factor to vision dysfunction among HIV-infected individuals. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether changes in indices predict change in visual function.
Kinetics of Malvidin-3-Glucoside Condensation in Wine Model Systems

Wine model systems containing equimolar quantities of malvidin-3-glucoside and d-catechin, with and without acetaldehyde, were stored anaerobically at 22, 32, 42, and 52°C. Malvidin-3-glucoside and d-catechin disappearance and polymer appearance were monitored by HPLC and colorimetric methods. Reaction rates and activation energies were calculated. The malvidin-3-glucoside and d-catechin condensation reactions showed pseudo first order kinetics both with and without the presence of acetaldehyde. However, activation energies were not significantly different.
Proteinaceous bacterial adhesins and their receptors

The adhesion of bacteria to surfaces is an ecologically important property which enables them to colonize their natural habitats. Adhesion between bacteria mediated by sex pili and aggregation substances may also promote gene transfers. In this review, we describe the adhesive properties of bacteria (to eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and inert surfaces) and emphasize the characteristics of adhesins (structure, function, genetics, and morphology) and their cognate receptors on target surfaces. The physiochemical interactions between bacteria and surfaces can be described by the DLVO theory, but the interaction between bacterial adhesins and their receptor is better described as a ligand receptor interaction. The DLVO theory predicts that no physical contact can occur between bacteria and surface and, hence, predicts that adhesins must be filamentous in order to bridge the space between the two bodies and allow attachment of the bacteria. Adhesins are primarily proteinaceous, although adhesins of streptococci may involve dextrans or lipoteichoic acids. The cognate receptors for adhesins all appear to contain carbohydrates and as such as likely to be glycoconjugates with carbohydrate moieties acting as the receptor sites.
Annexin A2 tetramer activates human and murine macrophages through TLR4.

Annexins are a large family of intracellular phospholipid-binding proteins, yet several extracellular roles have been identified. Specifically, annexin A2, found in a heterotetrameric complex with S100A10, not only serves as a key extracellular binding partner for pathogens and host proteins alike, but also can be shed or secreted. We reported previously that soluble annexin A2 tetramer (A2t) activates human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), resulting in secretion of inflammatory mediators and enhanced phagocytosis. Although a receptor for A2t has been cloned from bone marrow stromal cells, data contained in this study demonstrate that it is dispensable for A2t-dependent activation of MDM. Furthermore, A2t activates wild-type murine bone marrow–derived macrophages, whereas macrophages from myeloid differentiation factor 88–deficient mice display a blunted response, suggesting a role for Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. Small interfering RNA knockdown of TLR4 in human MDM reduced the response to A2t, blocking antibodies against TLR4 (but not TLR2) blocked activation altogether, and bone marrow–derived macrophages from TLR4−/− mice were refractory to A2t. These data demonstrate that the modulation of macrophage function by A2t is mediated through TLR4, suggesting a previously unknown, but important role for this stress-sensitive protein in the detection of danger to the host, whether from injury or invasion.
Principles of screening.

Physicians are asked to perform many tasks, which primarily have been directed at diagnosis, treatment, and management of disease processes. Increasingly, they have become involved in the area of preventive medicine. Conceptually, preventive medicine encompasses three tasks for the clinician: screening, counseling, and immunization or chemoprophylaxis. Although touching on all of these areas, the focus of this issue and article is on screening. The importance of preventive medicine has led to the development of major advisory groups, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 28 and the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination. 2 These groups have developed guidelines for screening based on a critical appraisal of the medical literature. Other organizations, such as the American College of Physicians, have also developed preventive care guidelines. 11 The basic terminology used in describing screening can be confusing. Terms such as diagnosis , screening , early detection , mass screening , routine screening , individualized screening , and case finding are often employed interchangeably. 4 The concept of screening usually refers to laboratory tests, physical examination, or radiologic tests performed on asymptomatic patients in the hope of discovering subclinical disease. In general, a positive result of a screening intervention leads to further diagnostic workup. Early detection refers to finding a condition or disease before obvious signs or symptoms have appeared. The term diagnosis implies confirming a disease process in symptomatic patients and is therefore ideologically different from screening . The process of screening can then be further classified as mass screening , routine screening , or individualized screening . The term routine screening refers to automatic or repetitive testing based on age or gender. 4 An example of mass screening is blood pressure or cholesterol screening done in a shopping mall. Mass screening implies a more universal approach to screening without much thought about the individual patient and his or her risk profile. Mass screening has its place, but physicians are most often involved in individualized screening (i.e., recommending screening tests to patients in private clinical settings in a one-to-one manner). Such an approach allows for individualized decision making and is the primary mode of screening that this issue of the Medical Clinics addresses. This issue looks at aspects of screening for common causes of mortality, such as cardiovascular, breast, prostate, and colon cancer as well as screening in specific patient populations, such as preemployment screening and geriatric and menopausal patient assessment. This opening article reviews the basic tenets underlying screening. This article (1) looks at the basic terminology, characteristics, and principles of screening situations; (2) reviews some barriers to screening; and (3) concludes with a call to proceed with prudence.
Size effect contributions to the chemical potential of a film

Abstract The contributions of zero point and thermal excitations to the chemical potential of a liquid film are computed. The continuum approximation is made. Both bulk and surface waves are included. The effects are found to be small relative to the Van der Waals contribution in the case of a He film.
Industry and government in Japanese defense procurement: The case of the patriot missile system

Abstract Numerous players and considerations are involved in the procurement of weapons systems by the Japan Defense Agency. Infusions to the domestic industrial base and the opportunity to develop new lines of business can be as important in the selection of a system as the nature of the threat the system is intended to defend against. Business and government in Japan interact in both formal and informal ways with long‐term objectives in mind, and in a manner that has important implications for U.S. firms attempting to enter into Japanese defense markets. Finally, the pattern of procurement and domestic production decisions suggests that government and business have embarked on a policy of utilizing licensed production and coproduction programs to develop a full range of indigenous systems.
Testing cross-talk induced delay faults in static CMOS circuit through dynamic timing analysis

In deep submicron (DSM) circuits the critical path obtained from static timing analysis may often be incorrect due to the significant effect of crosstalk. In this paper we present a new algorithm based on timed automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) to generate a list of critical paths of a circuit and the corresponding input vectors to sensitize these paths under cross-talk. The algorithm based on modified PODEM handles multiple aggressors to a victim node and properly activates the aggressors to obtain maximum coupling to the victim. Several circuits were tested using this algorithm and results were verified by HSPICE simulation.
The University of Colorado Certificate Program in Bioinnovation and Entrepreneurship: An Update and Current Status

The purpose of this paper is to provide an update and report the current status of the cross-campus University of Colorado Denver program in bioinnovation and entrepreneurship, details of which were first reported in the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology in 2012 5 .Â The paper outlines the joys and challenges of implementing an inter-campus program that attempts to marry cutting-edge biotechnology innovation with a solid business foundation.Â The tremendous value offered by such a program, particularly to biotechnology and life-science researchers, is outlined. Operationalization and process issues such as differential tuition rates, distance between campuses, and class timing issues are considered, and solutions are offered.Â Â Finally, recommendations are provided for other business schools considering a similar program.
Permeability of Ehrlich ascites cells to adenine.

SummaryAdenine enters Ehrlich ascites cells by simple permeability. The permeability constant for adenine is in the range 10-4 to 2.10-4 cm/min at 37°C and 2.10-5 cm/min at 4°C.