cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perfluorocarbons in the Twenty-First Century: Clinical Applications as Transfusion Alternatives

The risks of allogeneic transfusion are well known to physicians and have prompted a search for alternatives. Perfluorocarbons were introduced into clinical trials in the early 1980's with the hope that these products would develop into acceptable blood substitutes. Unfortunately, the limited potency, short half-life, and potential toxicity of these early formulations coupled with unrealistic expectations for efficacy prevented the perfluorocarbons from playing a significant role in transfusion medicine. Recent changes in formulation to improve efficacy and eliminate toxicity have stimulated renewed interest in perfluorocarbons as alternatives to allogeneic transfusion. Our recent work has focused on the role of perfluoroctylbromide (PFOB), a second generation perfluorocarbon, as an adjunct to autologous transfusion and acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH), rather than as a total blood substitute. Initial animal experiments have shown the ability of small doses of PFOB to maintain oxygen delivery without the need for blood transfusion in the setting of hemodilution. Our presentation will focus on subsequent clinical work using PFOB as an alternative to both allogeneic and autologous blood transfusion during ANH. We believe that perfluorocarbons such as PFOB will have a significant role in the future as one of several, additive alternatives to blood transfusion.
Granulocyte transfusions in neutropaenic children: a systematic review of the literature.

Abstract Background Granulocyte transfusions (GTX) have been used for decades in paediatric neutropaenic patients, but uncertainty remains regarding their effectiveness. We reviewed all the paediatric data available on GTX, to gain a insight in to the indications for use, favourable effects and side effects in patients and donors. Methods A comprehensive search was done in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and CENTRAL (1966 until 2006). All studies including children (1–18 years) who received GTX were included. Results A total of 66 observational studies were included:Seven using prophylactic and 59 therapeutic GTX. Of the therapeutic studies 55 reported a proven sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria (34%) or fungal disease (48%) as the indication for GTX. Concerning effectiveness 70% survival was reported, but no controlled studies were identified. Side effects were mentioned in 27 studies including mild respiratory symptoms, allergic reactions and infection related complications (CMV). Side effects in the donor were mainly flu-like illness. Discussion In this first review covering 30 years of experience on the use of GTX in children, we found no randomised evidence showing a positive benefit risk ratio. The available case reports and cohort studies alert us as to the potential benefits and harms of the use of GTX in neutropaenic children and provides the basis for a well designed trial in children.
Indeterminacy in the structure of systems

The aim of the sciences is to diminish uncertainty about the world. Yet uncertainty is encountered in many ways and various responses have come from scientists. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Godel's proof are the best known. In this paper it is proposed that a certain form of uncertainty, namely, bounded indeterminacy, is a necessary and useful component part of at least some systems. The principle is illustrated from its existence in social systems. But the implications are general. Indeterminacy, when it is bounded by limits, can be regarded as a definite component part of the structure of systems.
Expulsions in immediate postpartum insertions of Lippes Loop D and Copper T IUDs and their counterpart Delta devices--an epidemiological analysis

In this paper, an epidemiological analysis was performed, using an international data set, exclusively on the expulsion problem associated with postpartum IUD insertions. The inserter's experience in postplacental insertions is probably an important determining factor for IUD expulsions. Immediate insertions (within 10 minutes after placental delivery) are possibly associated with lower expulsion rates than later insertions (eg. two to 72 hours after placental delivery) during the woman's postpartum hospitalization. No significant differences were detected between the standard Lippes Loop D and Copper T IUDs and their counterpart Delta devices specifically designed for postpartum use, between the two types of Delta device or between the hand and inserter methods. A case-control analysis also did not detect any significant association between IUD expulsions and mild complications occurring or management performed during the third stage of labor and delivery. The practical implications of these findings, the methodologic problems of this analysis and future research strategies are also discussed.
Habermas on rationality

The work of Jfirgen Habermas represents an attempt to develop and defend a "critical theory of society" with "practical intentions": the liberation of human beings from all forms of unnecessary domination. With the aid of an analysis of modern societies and an assessment of the developmental possibilities of the human species, the theory is directed at overcoming the distortions of thought, speech, and action that inhibit the self-understanding of social groups capable of an emancipatory transformation of social life. The object domain of the theory is social practice, which it aims not only to describe, but to criticize and change. Central to the theory is a recognition of the social and historical contextuality of all modes of human knowledge and action. Because of this recognition and its special relationship to its object domain, "critical theory" cannot be classified either as pure empirical science or as pure a prioristic philosophy. In Habermas's phrase, "critical theory" is located between "philosophy and science. ''1 This understanding of social theory derives from the Frankfurt school (Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse) and their critical appropriation of Marx and Freud, and serves as the starting point for Habermas's reformulation of critical theory? The major problem to which Habermas has directed his attention is the clarification and justification of the unique combination of descriptive, normative, and political elements present in critical theory. In particular, Habermas has been concerned with providing a justification for the normative component. This component contains standards that can be used to criticize the social conditions revealed by the descriptive component. In Marx's social theory, as well as in the social theory of the Frankfurt school, these standards were supposed to be "internal." For example, if a society legitimates its power by appeal to norms such as "freedom" and "justice," it can be criticized for a failure to realize,
Ka/Q Band IMPATT Amplifier Technology

3 W CW simultaneously with 22% conversion efficiency was achieved at 35 GHz from a double-drift GaAs IMPATT diode. At 44 GHz, 2 W and 18% efficiency were obtained. The design of the amplifier circuits which utilize these devices is discussed. The circuit design is based on a 3-step closed form algorithm. The first step is a passive circuit characterization with automatic network analyzer. In the second step a computer is used to generate diode device lines, and the third step is load line synthesis for predictable operation. The resulting performance and its sensitivity on the mechanical tolerances is described. 2 W over a 2-GHz bandwidth was achieved simultaneously with minimum gain of 9 dB.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cognitive-behavioral interventions in the psychoanalytic psychotherapy of borderline personality disorders

Abstract A pathology of affect regulation and of object relations (the cognitive and affective processes that mediate interpersonal functioning in close relationships) are two features that define much of borderline pathology. Cognitive-behavioral interventions that target self-regulation and social-cognitive processes (such as perspective-taking and attribution) can be usefully integrated into psychodynamically oriented treatment of borderline patients. Strictly psychodynamic approaches tend to be limited by factors such as a lack of attention to processes by which conscious insight and coping strategies can be transformed into automatic or adaptive unconscious procedures in these patients. Cognitive approaches tend to be limited by rationalistic assumptions about motivation and an underestimation of the complexities of cognitive-affective interactions and unconscious processes.
Quantitative assessment of trabecular bone micro-architecture of the wrist via 7 Tesla MRI: preliminary results

Object The goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of performing quantitative 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of trabecular bone micro-architecture of the wrist, a common fracture site.
Stream chemistry and hydrologic pathways during snowmelt in a small watershed adjacent Lake Superior

In regions with airborne contaminants and large snowpacks, there is concern over the impact that snowmelt chemical “pulses” — periods of sharp increase in meltwater solute concentration — could have on aquatic resources during spring runoff. A major variable in determining such an effect is the flow path of snowmelt solutes to the stream or lake. From December 1988, to late April 1989, the quality and quantity of precipitation, snowmelt, soil solution and streamwater were measured in a 176-ha gauged watershed on the south shore of Lake Superior. The main objectives were to (1) examine the change in flow path meltwaters take to the stream during distinct winter and spring hydrologic periods, (2) quantify ecosystem-level ion budgets prior to, during, and following snowmelt, and (3) examine if streamwater chemistry might be a sensitive indicator of change in ecosystem flow paths. Prior to peak snowmelt, groundwater made up 80% of stream discharge. During peak snowmelt, the groundwater level rose to the soil surface resulting in lateral water movement through near-surface macropores and as overland flow. Near the end of snowmelt, melt-waters exerted a piston action on deeper soil solution again increasing its relative contribution to streamwater discharge. Net groundwater drawdown during the study resulted in streamwater discharge about equal to precipitation inputs. Unfrozen soils and brief mid-winter thaws resulted in steady snowmelt throughout early and mid-winter. The snowpack lost > 50% of most ions prior to the period of major snowmelt and high stream discharge in late March and early April. Snowmelt and streamwater NO3− and NH4 pulses occurred before the period of overland flow and peak streamwater discharge (April 4–24). During overland flow, stream discharge of total N, P, DOC, and AI peaked. Nutrient budgets computed for distinct hydrologic periods were much more helpful in explaining ecosystem pathways and processes than were changes in solute concentration. For the study period, watershed base cation (CB) discharge was 23 times input and SO42− discharge exceeded input by 42%. H+ was the most strongly conserved ion with output < 0.2% of input. Also conserved were NH4+ with only 1.4% of input leaving the ecosystem and NO3− with output equal to 9.4% of input.
Comparison of sterol composition and transformation in chicken and pigeon intestines

Es bilden sich 5β-Stanol-Derivate von Sterolen im Verdauungstrakt des Huhns, nicht aber bei der Taube. Die intestinalen Gewebe beider Vogel bevorzugen bei ihrer Resorption Campesterol vor β-Sitosterol.
(Isopropylideniminoxy)Diphenylborane and Its 2-Aminopyridine Adduct

Abstract (Isopropylideniminoxy)diphenylborane is readily obtained by the interaction of (dimethylamino) diphenylborane with acetone oxime. The compound forms a 1:1 molar adduct with 2-aminopyridine, which is directly obtained when (2-pyridylamino)-diphenylborane is reacted with acetone oxime. Spectroscopic data on the species are reported and interpreted.
Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channels Mediate Membrane Depolarization following Activation of Store-operated Calcium Entry in Endothelial Cells

Calcium agonists induce membrane depolarization in endothelial cells through an unknown mechanism. Present studies tested the hypothesis that pulmonary artery endothelial cells express a cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channel activated by store-operated calcium entry to produce membrane depolarization. In the whole-cell configuration, voltage-clamped cells revealed a large non-inactivating, outwardly rectifying cationic current in the absence of extra- or intracellular Ca2+ that was reduced upon replenishment of Ca2+. The inward current was non-selective for K+, Na+, Cs+, and Rb+ and was not inhibited by high tetraethylammonium concentrations. cAMP and cGMP stimulated the current and changed the cation permeability to favor Na+. Moreover, 8-bromo-cAMP stimulated the current in voltage-clamped cells in the perforated patch mode. The cationic current was inhibited by the CNG channel blocker LY83,583, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction cloning identified expression of a CNG channel resembling that seen in olfactory neurons. Activation of store-operated calcium entry using thapsigargin increased a current through the CNG channel. Stimulation of the current paralleled pulmonary artery endothelial cell membrane depolarization, and both the current and membrane depolarization were abolished using LY83,583. Taken together, these data demonstrate activation of store-operated calcium entry stimulates a CNG channel producing membrane depolarization. Such membrane depolarization may contribute to slow feedback inhibition of store-operated calcium entry.
Promoter hypermethylation of multiple genes in primary gastric lymphoma

Aberrant hypermethylation of CpG islands in the promoter region of tumor suppressor and other important genes in neoplastic cells of lymphoma has been demonstrated to be one of the mechanisms for epigenetic loss of gene function. In this study, we analyzed promoter hypermethylation of the following genes in 49 cases of primary gastric lymphoma (PGL): ATM, p16INK4a(CDKN2A), hMLH1, MGMT, DAPK, and CDH1(ECAD). The PGL cases studied included 26 (53%) cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 12 (25%) cases of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), 7 (14%) cases of MZL with large cell transformation (MZL/DLBCL), 1 (2%) case of follicular lymphoma (FL), one (2%) case of Burkitt-like lymphoma (BL), one case (2%) of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) and one case (2%) of peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Available pathologic data regarding to extragastric involvement at the time of resection of the PGLs were reviewed and correlated. Promoter hypermethylation was detected in 6 of 49 (12.2%) cases for ATM; 13 of 49...
TAB-1 modulates intracellular localization of p38 MAP kinase and downstream signaling

Stress-activated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase p38 mediates stress signaling in mammalian cells via threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation in its conserved TGY motif by upstream MAP kinase kinases (MKKs). In addition, p38 MAP kinase can also be activated by an MKK-independent mechanism involving TAB-1 (TAK-1-binding protein)-mediated autophosphorylation. Although TAB-1-mediated p38 activation has been implicated in ischemic heart, the biological consequences and downstream signaling of TAB-1-mediated p38 activation in cardiomyocytes is largely unknown. We show here that TAB-1 expression leads to a significant induction of p38 autophosphorylation and consequent kinase activation in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes. In contrast to MKK3-induced p38 kinase downstream effects, TAB-1-induced p38 kinase activation does not induce expression of pro-inflammatory genes, cardiac marker gene expression, or changes in cellular morphology. Rather, TAB-1 binds to p38 and prevents p38 nuclear localization. Furthermore, TAB-1 disrupts p38 interaction with MKK3 and redirects p38 localization in the cytosol. Consequently, TAB-1 expression antagonizes the downstream activity of p38 kinase induced by MKK3 and attenuates interleukin-1β-induced inflammatory gene induction in cardiomyocytes. These data suggest that TAB-1 can mediate MKK-independent p38 kinase activation while negatively modulating MKK-dependent p38 function. Our study not only redefines the functional role of TAB-1 in p38 kinase-mediated signaling pathways but also provides the first evidence that intracellular localization of p38 kinase and complex interaction dictates its downstream effects. These results suggest a previously unknown mechanism for stress-MAP kinase regulation in mammalian cells.
Where Occupation and Environment Overlap: US Forest Service Worker Exposure to Libby Amphibole Fibers

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted an evaluation of exposures to asbestiform amphibole, known as Libby Amphibole (LA), to personnel from the US Department of Agriculture-Forest Service (USFS) working in the Kootenai National Forest near a former vermiculite mine close to Libby, Montana. LA is associated with vermiculite that was obtained from this mine; mining and processing over many years have resulted in the spread of LA into the surrounding Kootenai Forest where it has been found in tree bark, soil, and forest floor litter. As a result of this and other contamination, Libby and surrounding areas have been designated a “Superfund” site by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This article describes the application of EPA methods for assessing cancer risks to NIOSH sampling results. Phase-contrast microscopy for airborne asbestos fiber evaluation was found to be less useful than transmission electron microscopy in the presence of interfering organic (plan...
A Review of HIV/AIDS in Young Adult Novels: An Annotated Bibliography

In their recent content analysis, HIV/AIDS in Young Adult Novels: An Annotated Bibliography, authors Melissa Gross, Annette Y. Goldsmith, and Debi Carruth provide readers with the first book-length study of young adult (YA) fiction with HIV/AIDS content. By exploring HIV/AIDS in novels for young adults (Chapter 1), the authors look across this body of literature (Chapter 5), devoting particular attention to which characters have HIV/AIDS and how it was acquired (Chapter 2), protagonist views of HIV/AIDS risk (Chapter 3), and the controllability of HIV/AIDS (Chapter 4). The study is a landmark contribution to scholarship about this genre of YA literature, but some aspects of the analysis merit close attention from both critical and queer perspectives.
Restricted 3412-avoiding involutions, continued fractions, and Chebyshev polynomials

Several authors have examined connections among restricted permutations, continued fractions, and Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind. In this paper we prove analogues of these results for involutions which avoid 3412. Our results include a recursive procedure for computing the generating function for involutions which avoid 3412 and any set of additional patterns. We use our results to give generating functions for involutions which avoid 3412 and various additional patterns. We express these generating functions in terms of Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind.
Validation simulations for the variational approach to fracture

In this article, we focus on the validation of Francfort and Marigo’s variational approach to fracture based on some classical fracture experiments. We show that this approach can be used to faithfully account for unknown crack paths even for complex loadings and geometry. We revisit the backtracking algorithm, aimed at avoiding some spurious local minimizers of the total fracture energy and introduce a variant: the deep backtracking algorithm.
Consider-Then-Choose Models in Decision-Based Design Optimization

This article describes an advance in design optimization that includes consumer purchasing decisions. Decision-Based Design optimization commonly relies on Discrete Choice Analysis (DCA) to forecast sales and revenues for different product variants. Conventional DCA, which represents consumer choice as a compensatory process through maximization of a smooth utility function, has proven to be reasonably accurate at predicting choice and interfaces easily with engineering models. However the marketing literature has documented significant improvement in modeling choice with the use of models that incorporate non-compensatory (descriptive) and compensatory (predictive) components. The non-compensatory component can, for example, model a “consider-then-choose” process in which potential customers first narrow their decisions to a small set of products using heuristic screening rules and then employ a compensatory evaluation to select from this set. This article demonstrates that ignoring consider-then-choose behavior can lead to sub-optimal designs, and that optimality cannot be “recovered” by changing marketing variables alone. A new computational approach is proposed for solving optimal design problems with consider-then-choose models whose screening rules are based on conjunctive (logical “and”) rules. Computational results are provided using three state-of-the-art commercial solvers (matlab, KNITRO, and SNOPT).Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Acid suppression medications are associated with suboptimal weight loss after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in patients older than 40 years

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery, including laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB), achieves the greatest long-term weight loss in severe obesity. Approximately 50%–60% of severely obese patients have gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a substantial proportion is taking a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or histamine-2 blocker (H2 B) at the time of LRYGB. The objective of this study was to explore the association of PPI/H2 B use before LRYGB with suboptimal percent weight loss (PWL) after LRYGB. Methods This was a cohort study of 472 consecutive patients who underwent LRYGB at a single center from 2004–2011. Suboptimal PWL was defined as Results For patients aged≤40 years, PPI/H2 B use leading up to LRYGB was not associated with suboptimal PWL at 2 months ( P = .86), 6 months ( P = .47), or 12 months ( P = .66). However, for patients aged>40 years, PPI/H2 B use leading up to LRYGB was associated with a nonsignificant increase in suboptimal PWL at 2 months (odds ratio [OR] 2.23; P = .08) and significant increases in suboptimal PWL at 6 months (OR 7.23; P = .002) and 12 months (OR 11.1; P = .02). Results were independent of GERD. Conclusions Mechanisms for the poorer weight loss in patients aged>40 years who were using a PPI/H2 B just before LRYGB should be explored.
Observation of Molecular Layering in Thin Liquid Films Using X-Ray Reflectivity

We report the direct observation of internal layering in thin ( $\ensuremath{\sim}45--90\AA{}$) liquid films of nearly spherical, nonpolar molecules, tetrakis(2-ethylhexoxy)silane, using synchrotron x-ray reflectivity. The Patterson functions have secondary maxima indicating layer formation, and model-independent fitting to the reflectivity data shows that there are three electron density oscillations near the solid-liquid interface, with a period of $\ensuremath{\sim}10\AA{}$ (consistent with the molecular dimensions). The oscillation amplitude has a strong inverse dependence on the substrate surface roughness.
SEARCHING FOR PEER GROUP EFFECTS: A TEST OF THE CONTAGION HYPOTHESIS

Abstract Using information on birth and kindergarten start dates to generate an exogenous measure of the relative age of a student's peer group, we find that, controlling for age, females with older peers are more likely to use substances than females with younger peers. Because there is no reason to suspect that birth and kindergarten start dates should be correlated with the choice of school, the socioeconomic status of a child's peers, or neighborhood unobservables, we view our results with regard to females as providing support for the idea that peer behavior can be contagious.
The Game of Life with Ada tasks

The Game of Life is a popular programming project, both in computer science courses and on the World Wide Web. It is commonly implemented with a bounded array of values representing the cells of life. This project provides an appealing visual representation of cells living or dying over repeated generations.An Ada implementation using tasks allows a number of interesting features. State information can be retained between calls. A generic declaration defines a conceptually unbounded grid, which a distributed implementation with tasks can potentially implement. Tasking communication provides an exercise in both inter-cell communication and in deadlock prevention. Lastly, the independence of cell communication can allow for relaxing the synchronization of cell generations.
The Squeezables: Toward an Expressive and Interdependent Multi-player Musical Instrument

The Squeezables is a computer music instrument that allows a group of players to perform and improvise musical compositions by using a set of squeezing and pulling gestures. The instrument, comprised of six squeezable and retractable gel balls mounted on a small podium, addresses a number of hardware and software challenges in electronic music interface design. It is designed to provide an alternative to asynchronous and discursive interactions with discrete musical controllers by allowing multiple channels of high-level simultaneous input. The instrument also addresses new challenges in interconnected group playing by providing an infrastructure for the development of interdependent, yet coherent, multi-player interactions. As a test case for a particular highlevel control and interdependent mapping scheme, a short musical composition was written for the instrument and was performed by three players. This article presents a critical evaluation of the composition, the performance, and the mapping design, which leads toward a number of suggestions for improvements and future research.
Tools of the Trade Combinatorial Libraries: Finding the needle in the haystack

Combinatorial libraries are at the forefront of a revolution in basic research and drug discovery. They allow highly active compounds to be selected from hundreds of millions of others on the basis of biological activity.
A Weighted Least-Squares Technique for the Analysis of Kinetic Data and Its Application to the Study of Renal 133Xenon Washout in Dogs and Man

A computer program was written in PL/1 to successively fit the sum of two, three, and four exponential terms to data by an iterative least-squares technique, using a combination of the steepest-descent and the Newton-Raphson methods for convergence. Each data point was weighted by the reciprocal of its variance, assuming that the errors followed a Poisson distribution. A compartment, i.e., an exponential term, was declared nonsignificant if it did not significantly reduce the least-squares error about the fitted line as judged by an F test. Validity of the data was assessed by a "runs" test and by the frequency with which data points fell outside the 95% confidence range. Results of the analysis showed that (1) 9 of 12 normal human kidney 133Xe washout curves were best described by a four-compartment model, (2) 18 of 38 studies in patients with essential hypertension yielded a four-compartment curve with significant reduction in compartment-1 flow, (3) nine patients with congestive heart failure all had t...
Ultrasound in the Assessment of Pleural Densities

There are many problems in scanning pleural lesions that need to be understood by the referring clinician. First and foremost, the lesion must be pleural based to avoid interposed aerated lung. Second, if the two criteria of pleural fluid are met (changing shape with respiration and floating strands), the likelihood of a successful thoracocentesis is high, but if only an echo-free space is found, the lesion may be fluid, but the possibility exists that it could be a solid mass, pleural thickening, atelectasis, or consolidation. Third, small volumes may be impossible to locate. And fourth, interaction between the clinician and sonographer is essential. If a thoracocentesis is unsuccessful on the ward and ultrasonic guidance is desired, subsequent attempts should be done in the ultrasound laboratory.
Collaborative communication technologies and learning in college courses: which are used, for what purposes, and to what ends?

Web-based communication technologies that enable collaboration and sharing of information among users – such as podcasts, wikis, blogs, message boards, and others – are used commonly in contemporary organizations to increase and manage employee learning. In this investigation, we identify which of these collaborative communication technologies are used in relation to college courses, and with what frequency; we report student evaluations of their use and reasons why students indicate using them. Next, using Keller's ARCS theoretical framework, we examine the role of course-related communication technology use in four dimensions of course-specific motivation. Results indicate that in courses where students perceive that technology is used effectively, motivation to learn is higher than in courses where students perceive technology is used ineffectively – and that technology-related motivation is substantially related to course-specific learning outcomes. Importantly, students reported higher levels of cogn...
Nonlinear dynamics and chaos in two coupled nanomechanical resonators

Two elastically coupled nanomechanical resonators driven independently near their resonance frequencies show intricate nonlinear dynamics. The dynamics provide a scheme for realizing a nanomechanical system with tunable frequency and nonlinear properties. For large vibration amplitudes, the system develops spontaneous oscillations of amplitude modulation that also show period-doubling transitions and chaos. The complex nonlinear dynamics are quantitatively predicted by a simple theoretical model.
Observations Of Epitaxial Growth Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

An ultrahigh vacuum system has been built which allows molecular beam epitaxial deposition of compound semiconductors and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging, as well as angle-resolved photoemission, X-ray photoemission and Auger electron spectroscopies, and low energy electron diffraction. Samples can be moved from station to station for individual operations. We demonstrate the utility of the system with examples of homoepitaxial GaAs(100) and GaAs(111) surfaces, and heteroepitaxial GaAs/Si(100). We also compare the STM results with complementary measurements from the literature. Finally, we comment on the utility of such systems.
Using cognitive mapping to explore women caregivers' experiences.

Women are often faced with the primary role of providing care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study explored women caregiver's perceptions of caregiving through the use of Cognitive Mapping (CM), a qualitative research method. Volunteers were recruited from caregiver support groups to construct maps of their experience of “caregiving for someone with AD.” Maps were analyzed for commonly identified concepts and relationships. Twelve participants identified 280 concepts, 206 of which were unduplicated. Concepts were collapsed into 17 categories; the largest concepts being “friends and family,” “sad,” “frustration,” and “time.” The maps produced by the sample in this study were unique, providing evidence that the experience of AD caregiving varies significantly among caregivers. CM appears to be effective for identifying caregiver stressors and needed support services.
Bose-Einstein condensation of paraexcitons in stressed Cu 2 O

Reducing the multiplicity of the orthoexciton ground state in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$O by applying uniaxial stress greatly increases the quantum degeneracy of the excitonic gas produced by intense pulsed excitation. Simultaneously, the paraexciton luminescence spectrum develops an extra component at low energy which is interpreted as a Bose-Einstein condensate of paraexcitons.
Perceived damage and areas of needed research for wildlife pests of California agriculture

Many wildlife species cause extensive damage to a variety of agricultural commodities in California, with estimates of damage in the hundreds of millions annually. Given the limited availability of resources to solve all human-wildlife conflicts, we should focus management efforts on issues that provide the greatest benefit to agricultural commodities in California. This survey provides quantitative data on research needs to better guide future efforts in developing more effective, practical and appropriate methods for managing these species. We found that ground squirrels, pocket gophers, birds, wild pigs, coyotes and voles were the most common agricultural wildlife pest species in California. The damage caused by these species could be quite high, but varied by agricultural commodity. For most species, common forms of damage included loss of crop production and direct death of the plant, although livestock depredation was the greatest concern for coyotes. Control methods used most frequently and those deemed most effective varied by pest species, although greater advancements in control methods were listed as a top research priority for all species. Collectively, the use of toxicants, biocontrol and trapping were the most preferred methods for control, but this varied by species. In general, integrated pest management practices were used to control wildlife pests, with a special preference for those approaches that were efficacious and quick and inexpensive to apply. This information and survey design should be useful in establishing research and management priorities for wildlife pest species in California and other similar regions.
Right ventricular performance assays: slowly coming of age

It has been rather rare within the last few years in the medical literature to come across a study that deals with basic methodology for evaluation of global plus regional lefi ventricular wall motion behavior. Such techniques were developed, substantiated and then accepted for general clinical use a number of years ago and both invasive and noninvasive options abound. This is not true for the right ventricle, primarily because the right ventricle lacks the fairly simple structural geometry of the left ventricle (which permits a rather straightforward analytic evaluation). This partial neglect is most certainly also due to the long-standing belief that the right ventricle is a relatively unimportant part of the human cardiovascular system, and that, therefore, the greatest amount of attention should be devoted to its leftsided counterpart. When the problem of geometry was mostly resolved through the discovery of new invasive and noninvasive analytic approaches, and as it became clear that the right ventricle is a very important entity, more frequently involved in more disease states than was previously suspected and often determining whether the patient will survive, various methodologies for right ventricular performance analysis began to proliferate with alacrity and started to catch up with similar techniques defined and accepted for the left ventricle over a decade and a half ago. Right ventricular infarction. In this issue of the Journal, Ratner et al. (1) propose yet another approach for the right ventricular performance assay. Their technique is noninvasive and employs radiotracers. Beyond the global right ventricular performance assessment, however, which heretofore was as far as the radionuclide techniques would take us, this study now also advances a much needed regional right ventricular wall motion survey. That such a noninvasive combination of global and regional assays for right ventricular performance is very much needed becomes clear
Riemann-Lebesgue subsets of Rn and representations which vanish at infinity

The main theorem of this paper is that if χ is a character of a connected closed normal subgroup of a connected Lie group, then every matrix element of the induced representation Uχ vanishes at infinity modulo the kernel of that representation. As a consequence, it is shown that every faithful irreducible unitary representation of a connected motion group vanishes at infinity. In the course of the development a generalization of the classical Riemann-Lebesgue lemma is proved. Suppose M is an analytic submanifold of Rn which is not contained in any proper hyperplane. Then the Fourier transform of any measure, which is concentrated on M and which is absolutely continuous with respect to the “Lebesgue” measure on M, vanishes at infinity.
Do people really distinguish between behavioural and normative beliefs

Several theories (e.g. Ajzen, 1988; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; Triandis, 1980) imply that people distinguish between beliefs about the consequences of performing a behaviour and beliefs about the opinions of important others toward performing that behaviour. In order to test this, subjects were presented with ‘behavioural’ or ‘normative’ items that were relevant to the performance of a behaviour. Experimental group subjects in two experiments were asked to decide, on the basis of these items, whether or not they would perform the behaviour. Control group subjects were given other processing objectives; these were different in the two experiments. All subjects were asked to recall the items. According to the distinction between behavioural and normative beliefs, experimental group subjects' recall protocols should be clustered by belief type, but this should not be true for control group subjects. Findings from two experiments were consistent with predictions. Finally, a third experiment, in which subjects wrote down beliefs that were not presented by an experimenter, further supported a distinction between these two types of beliefs.
Retapamulin: a semisynthetic pleuromutilin compound for topical treatment of skin infections in adults and children

Retapamulin is a semisynthetic pleuromutilin compound with in vitroactivity against Gram-positive bacteria, no cross-resistance to other classes of antimicrobial agents in current use and a low potential for development of resistance. A 1% ointment formulation has been developed for clinical use, and a placebo-controlled trial of impetigo in 210 patients produced significantly higher rates of clinical and microbiological success compared with placebo - 85.6 versus 52.1% and 91.2 versus 50.9%, respectively. Additional comparative studies in over 1900 patients showed noninferiority to topical fusidic acid and oral cephalexin and a low frequency of adverse events. In 2007, retapamulin was approved in the USA for topical treatment of impetigo caused by Streptococcus pyogenes and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and in the EU for topical treatment of impetigo and infected wounds caused by S. pyogenes and S. aureus, with approvals including adults and children over 9 months of age.
Issues related to reduced cost and increased productivity in acquisition, processing, and integration of 3-D seismic data

Industry reports indicate that approximately 75–85% of the cost of implementing 3-D seismic data as an exploration or field development process can be attributed to the acquisition survey, be it land or marine. The remaining 15–25% of the cost is generally attributed to data processing, interpretation, and integration of the data volume into a reservoir model. These percentages do vary but the point remains in order to significantly reduce 3-D seismic costs, more attention must be given to acquisition methods and field operations.
Children, spirituality and counselling

Spirituality is an abstract concept and has been defined differently by researchers. Watson (2006) defines spirituality as beliefs and values that are formed in response to human condition. Mabe and Josephson (2004) defined spirituality as the belief in and devotion to a higher power.Harris (2007) offered definitions such as living out stories of our lives, forming connections and creating meaning in life, and development of self-awareness. Spirituality can be considered an important focus during play therapy if it is significant to the client or their parents.
Influence of air pollution on respiratory health during perinatal development

Summary 1. The respiratory system is a highly ordered structure composed of o ve r4 0 cell types involved in a multitude of functions. Development of the lungs spans from embryogenesis to adult life, passing through se veral distinct stages of growth. 2. Oxidant gases, airborne particles and environmental tobacco smok ea re common air pollutants that could have a significant impact on the lungs during both pre- and post-natal periods of life. Although the specific target cells for exposure to these pollutants are not clearly identified, these cells are likely to affect critical signals or mediators expressed during distinct stages of lung development. 3. Neonatal susceptibility to environmental pollutants may be due to either direct or indirect hits on a number of cell types to influence cell dif ferentiation, proliferation and/or maturation. Air pollutants may also alter the normal developmental pattern for metabolic, immune and neurological functions which are constantly changing during in utero and postnatal growth. 4. The sensitivity of neonatal cells to en vironmental insults is likely to be completely dif ferent to these same cell types found in the adult. Delivery of an en vironmental toxicant to the respiratory system is also dramatically different during the fetal period compared to the postnatal period. Passage and interaction of en vironmental factors through other orga ns ystems and the vasculature, as well as maternal influences must be tak en into consideration when evaluating the impact of an environmental toxicant during early life. 5. To understand the heath outcomes of exposure to a variety of environmental factors in the respiratory system of children requires careful consideration that lung development is a multi-step process and cannot be based on studies in adults.
Promoting Cultural Relativism in Counselors through the Cultural De-Centering Model

Counselors who are culturally encapsulated are likely to create client mistrust and to misinterpret clients’ cultural norms. This article presents the Cultural De-Centering Model (CDCM) as a constructive-developmental method for helping future counselors to be less ethnocentric in their work. The goal of the CDCM is to increase counselors’ cultural relativism. Through the CDCM counselors are asked to name and challenge their assumptions about race/ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and social class. They are then asked to re-examine the foundations of those assumptions and begin constructing culturally de-centered perspectives.
Comparing Sexual Assault Prevalence Estimates Obtained With Direct and Indirect Questioning Techniques

Concerns have been expressed about the validity of self-reported data on sexual assault, as victims might be reluctant to disclose what happened to them. In this study, using an anonymous, web-based survey, a sample of 5,446 undergraduate women were asked about their experiences with physically forced sexual assault using both direct and indirect questioning methods. The prevalence of physically forced sexual assault obtained via indirect questioning was slightly higher than, though not substantially or statistically different from, the estimate obtained via direct questioning. The results suggest that either direct questioning yields reasonably valid estimates of the prevalence of sexual assault or that the item count technique does not produce estimates that are any more valid.
Schooling Policy Begins with a Decision about Authority.

Every child gets assigned to a public or private school chosen by some adult. The question is which adult should hold that authority by law and exercise it in practice. Our Federal Constitution recognizes the authority of custodial parents; but our systems of tax-based schools effectively dethrone working-class parents and the poor; most of whose children get assigned by government strangers. America must decide whether it trusts only those parents who can afford to pay. A host of practical considerations favor the effective empowerment of all custodial parents for the good of the child, the parent, the family and society.
Micromorphic Electromagnetic Theory and Waves

This paper introduces a continuum microelectromagnetic theory (also called micromorphic electromagnetic theory), to discuss electromagnetic phenomena in bodies with microstructures. Balance laws of microelectromagnetic media of the first-grade are given. Constitutive equations are developed. The field equations are obtained . It has been shown that, this theory gives rise to several new vector and tensor waves. A theorem of conservation of energy (Poynting type) is proved. Dispersion relations are obtained for both vector and tensor waves. Relations of tensor waves to microscopic phenomena (such as spin waves) are discussed.
Magnetic resonance imaging of patellofemoral kinematics with weight-bearing.

Background: Previous studies of the patellofemoral joint have been limited by the use of invasive techniques, measurements under non-weight-bearing conditions, cadaveric specimens, or computerized models. It has been shown that soft tissue and bone can be accurately quantified with magnetic resonance imaging. The present study was designed to define the relationship between the patellofemoral contact area and patellofemoral kinematics in vivo. Methods: Ten subjects with clinically normal knee joints were scanned with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging while they pushed a constant weight (133 N) on the foot-plate of a custom-designed load-bearing apparatus. Images were obtained at five positions of flexion between –10° and 60°. Three-dimensional reconstructions were used to measure the patellofemoral cartilage contact area, patellar centroid, patellar medial and inferior translation, patellar medial and inferior tilt, and patellar varus-valgus rotation. All translation and area measurements were normalized on the basis of the interepicondylar distance. Random-effects models of quadratic regressions were used to evaluate the data. Results: The mean contact area ranged from 126 mm2 in extension to 560 mm2 at 60° of flexion. The patella translated inferiorly to a maximum distance of 34 mm at 60° of flexion and translated medially to a maximum distance of 3.2 mm at 30° of flexion before returning to nearly 0 mm at 60° of flexion. The patella tilted inferiorly to a mean of nearly 35° at 60° of flexion and medially to a maximum of 4.2° at 30° of flexion. By 60° of flexion, the centroid of the contact area had shifted to an inferior and posterior maximum of 20 and 10 mm, respectively. Conclusions: We found that lateral patellar subluxation and tilt occurred in these normal knees at full extension and the patella was reduced into the trochlear groove at 30° of flexion. Therefore, we believe that lateral patellar tilt and subluxation observed during arthroscopy of the extended knee may not represent a pathological condition. Clinical Relevance: This study may be useful for refining arthroplasty design and surgical technique.
The Effects of Slack Resources and Environmentalthreat on Product Exploration and Exploitation

In a U.S. sample of nonprofit professional theaters, we examine how slack resources interact with environmental threat appraisal to influence product exploration and exploitation. We find systematic variation depending on the extent to which a resource is rare and absorbed in operations, and the extent of perceived environmental threats. Absorbed, generic resources are associated with increased exploitation and decreased exploration. Unabsorbed resources, both generic and rare, result in higher exploration and lower exploitation, but only when perceived environmental threat is high. Overall, results reveal pragmatic decision making balancing the benefits of superior strategic position against the risks of jeopardizing viability.