cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loco-regional nodal relapse in melanoma

Two-hundred and seven patients without evidence of disease following lymph node dissection (LND) were stratified into three groups: Group A, lymph node relapse within the site of prior LND; Group B, lymph node relapse in a different, but regional, lymph node group; Group C, no lymph node relapse. Decreased survival was noted in both Groups A and B versus Group C. Prognostic factors were identified as: (i) axial or subungal/volar (subvolar) location and the number of positive lymph nodes at initial LND for nodal relapse within the same lymph node group; (ii) male gender, axial/subvolar location, and the number of histologically positive lymph nodes at initial LND for nodal relapse in a different, but regional lymph node group; (iii) relapse within the initial LND site for a decreased survival. Six of 10 patients with both axial/subvolar primaries and four or more positive lymph nodes developed a relapse within the dissection site post-LND. These prognostic factors describe a subset of patients who would be candidates for postoperative adjuvant local/regional and systemic therapy trials.
Simulation of Convective Initiation during IHOP_2002 Using the Flux-Adjusting Surface Data Assimilation System (FASDAS)

Abstract The Flux-Adjusting Surface Data Assimilation System (FASDAS) uses the surface observational analysis to directly assimilate surface layer temperature and water vapor mixing ratio and to indirectly assimilate soil moisture and soil temperature in numerical model predictions. Both soil moisture and soil temperature are important variables in the development of deep convection. In this study, FASDAS coupled within the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) was used to study convective initiation over the International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) region, utilizing the analyzed surface observations collected during IHOP_2002. Two 72-h numerical simulations were performed. A control simulation was run that assimilated all available IHOP_2002 measurements into the standard MM5 four-dimensional data assimilation. An experimental simulation was also performed that assimilated all available IHOP_2002 measurements into the FASDAS version of the MM5, where surface observations ...
Potential synthesis of poly(1,2‐dichloroethylene) via a ring‐opening metathesis polymerization

The preparation of poly(1,2-dichloroethylene), an unknown material that has been expected to be a superb engineering thermoplastic, was explored. The ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cis-3,4-dichlorocyclobutene quantitatively yielded a white linear polymer with —CHCICHCICH=CH— repeating units. However, its subsequent addition chlorination could not be made to occur to a detectable level. Steric hindrance and/or electronic deactivation due to the inductive effect of CI apparently made the chlorination impossible. Furthermore, thermal degradation studies of a series of model compounds indicated that polymers containing (CHCI) n (n ≥ 3) structures would have low thermal stabilities.
Being born female is dangerous for your health

In this article, the author explores how gender inequity is manifested in poor reproductive and mental health outcomes, including unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, maternal mortality, sexually transmitted infections, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms. Briefly described is a landmark 1994 United Nations conference emphasizing that gender inequity adversely affects women's reproductive health, particularly in developing countries, and the implementation of its recommendations is tracked. Although there is increased recognition of oppression's toll on women's physical and emotional health as well as their intellectual and social potential, progress toward equity goals is uneven and slow. Psychologists as a group play many roles--for example, in research, education, policy, law, communications, industry, international development, and private practice--through which they can make professional contributions to gender equity as a focus or underlying principle.
Optimal preparation of Pt/TiO2 photocatalysts using atomic layer deposition

Abstract Platinum (Pt) was deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto the surface of TiO2 photocatalyst nanoparticles in order to increase the rate of photocatalytic oxidation of methylene blue (MB). Methylcyclopentadienyl-(trimethyl) Platinum(IV) (MeCpPtMe3) and oxygen were used as precursors over a deposition temperature range of 150–400 °C. The Pt ALD reaction mechanism was studied using an in situ mass spectrometer. The effect of operating temperature on Pt deposition was explored, and the resulting effect on TiO2 photoactivity was measured. The lower temperature limit for Pt ALD was found to be approximately 200 °C. Although the MeCpPtMe3 chemisorption step occurred on the particle surfaces at 150 °C, the ligand removal efficiency from the adsorbed Pt precursor was extremely low for O2 dosing steps at temperatures below 200 °C. Pt deposition via ALD resulted in a significant improvement in TiO2 photoactivity. It was determined that one Pt ALD cycle carried out at 320 °C was optimal to maximize Pt surface dispersion and increased the photoactivity of TiO2 nanoparticles threefold.
Fifty years older, fifty percent slower? meta-analytic regression models and semantic context effects

Abstract Empiricist and rationalist approaches to data-quality control in meta-analyses are discussed, and a compromise approach advocated by Strube and Hartmann (1983) for theoretically driven meta-analyses is applied to Laver and Burke's (1993) data sets. When older adults' response times (RTs) and semantic priming effects (SPEs) are regressed on young adults' RTs and SPEs, the slopes of the regression lines are approximately 1.5 as long as the age difference is held constant and performance is reasonably accurate. Both increases and decreases in RTs following unrelated and related primes, relative to RTs following baseline primes, were analyzed. The results, like those regarding RTs and SPEs, support the hypothesis that, compared with young adults who are 50 years younger, older adults take approximately 50% longer to process lexical information
Seasonal nutrient and plankton dynamics in a physical-biological model of Crater Lake

A coupled 1D physical-biological model of Crater Lake is presented. The model simulates the seasonal evolution of two functional phytoplankton groups, total chlorophyll, and zooplankton in good quantitative agreement with observations from a 10-year monitoring study. During the stratified period in summer and early fall the model displays a marked vertical structure: the phytoplankton biomass of the functional group 1, which represents diatoms and dinoflagellates, has its highest concentration in the upper 40 m; the phytoplankton biomass of group 2, which represents chlorophyta, chrysophyta, cryptomonads and cyanobacteria, has its highest concentrations between 50 and 80 m, and phytoplankton chlorophyll has its maximum at 120 m depth. A similar vertical structure is a reoccurring feature in the available data. In the model the key process allowing a vertical separation between biomass and chlorophyll is photoacclimation. Vertical light attenuation (i.e., water clarity) and the physiological ability of phytoplankton to increase their cellular chlorophyll-to-biomass ratio are ultimately determining the location of the chlorophyll maximum. The location of the particle maxima on the other hand is determined by the balance between growth and losses and occurs where growth and losses equal. The vertical particle flux simulated by our model agrees well with flux measurements from a sediment trap. This motivated us to revisit a previously published study by Dymond et al. (1996). Dymond et al. used a box model to estimate the vertical particle flux and found a discrepancy by a factor 2.5–10 between their model-derived flux and measured fluxes from a sediment trap. Their box model neglected the exchange flux of dissolved and suspended organic matter, which, as our model and available data suggests is significant for the vertical exchange of nitrogen. Adjustment of Dymond et al.’s assumptions to account for dissolved and suspended nitrogen yields a flux estimate that is consistent with sediment trap measurements and our model.
Trained Simulated Ultrasound Patients Medical Students as Models, Learners, and Teachers

Objectives Medical educators must develop ultrasound education programs to ensure that future physicians are prepared to face the changing demands of clinical practice. It can be challenging to find human models for hands-on scanning sessions. This article outlines an educational model from a large university medical center that uses medical students to fulfill the need for human models. Methods During the 2011-2012 academic year, medical students from The Ohio State University College of Medicine served as trained simulated ultrasound patients (TSUP) for hands-on scanning sessions held by the college and many residency programs. The extracurricular program is voluntary and coordinated by medical students with faculty supervision. Students receive a longitudinal didactic and hands-on ultrasound education program as an incentive for serving as a TSUP. Results The College of Medicine and 7 residency programs used the program, which included 47 second-year and 7 first-year student volunteers. Participation has increased annually because of the program's ease, reliability, and cost savings in providing normal anatomic models for ultrasound education programs. A key success of this program is its inherent reproducibility, as a new class of eager students constitutes the volunteer pool each year. Conclusions The TSUP program is a feasible and sustainable method of fulfilling the need for normal anatomic ultrasound models while serving as a valuable extracurricular ultrasound education program for medical students. The program facilitates the coordination of ultrasound education programs by educators at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Public lives and private communities: The terms of service agreement and life in virtual worlds

This paper argues that the terms of service (TOS) agreements, also sometimes referred to as end user license agreements (EULAs), governing virtual worlds have important implications for the political and legal structures under which our virtual selves will function. This essay will focus on four key political concepts central to all TOS agreements studied. These concepts include contract language governing speech codes, intellectual property rights, privacy, and the relationship of the gaming world to the real world. If indeed these agreements offer governing constraints for people functioning in virtual spaces, then not only should their anti–democratic construction be considered, but as people spend more time in virtual worlds, these structures will become increasingly important to many aspects of our virtual identities.
Bridging nitrogen dangling bond centers and electron trapping in amorphous NH3-nitrided and reoxidized nitrided oxide films

Abstract We present evidence supporting the designation of the bridging nitrogen center as the dominant electron trap in NH 3 -nitrided and reoxidized nitrided oxide dielectric films. This defect, an unpaired electron highly localized in a nearly pure 2 p -orbital of a nitrogen atom bonded two silicon atoms, is also present in many other silicon oxynitride dielectrics. We provide evidence suggesting the precursor is of the form (≡Si) 2 NH.
The synthesis of a 4-phenylisoquinoline from a 3-phenylisoquinoline by utilization of a nitrogen analog of the pinacol rearrangement

Abstract The nitrogen analog of the pinacol rearrangement has been utilized for the preparation of a 4-phenylisoquinoline 9 from the intermediate amino alcohol 8 .
Precipitates in zircaloy: Identification and the effects of irradiation and thermal treatment

The effects of thermal treatment and neutron irradiation on precipitates in Zircaloy have been investigated by analytical electron microscopy. Intermetallics Zr(Fe, Cr)2 and Zr2(Fe, Ni) are the major precipitates in α-recrystallized Zircaloy-2 and Zr(Fe, Cr)2 is the major precipitate in Zircaloy-4. Zr-silicide and Zr-Cu-sulfide are minor precipitates and amorphous inclusions, respectively. In Zircaloy heat treated in the α + β- or β-phase fields, fine platelet Zr4(Fe, Cr) precipitates decorate the boundaries of lamellae formed on quenching. Neutron irradiation results in a change from a crystalline to an amorphous structure in the Zr(Fe, Cr)2 precipitates. The amorphous transformation starts at the periphery of the precipitate and the thickness of the amorphous ring increases as the fluence increases. The process leading to amorphization is discussed based on the effects of irradiation-induced point defects. In α + β- or β-heat-treated Zircalioy, the fine Zr4(Fe, Cr) precipitates are completely dissolved into the matrix upon irradiation.
Supercritical CO2 as a solvent for polymeric stone protective materials

Abstract The utilization of CO 2 as a potential solvent for fluoropolymers used for the protection of civil infrastructures (buildings, bridges, monuments, etc.) is of major environmental as well as economic importance. The cloud points of six perfluoropolyethers at different weight concentrations in CO 2 have been measured over a wide range of pressures. The results show that these fluorinated polymers are readily soluble in pure CO 2 (no cosolvent or surfactant needed) at temperatures close to 30°C and pressures below 210 bars. The solubilities of the different polymeric products are strongly depend on the polymer hydrogen content and molecular weight.
CD16+ monocytes exposed to HIV promote highly efficient viral replication upon differentiation into macrophages and interaction with T cells.

The CD16+ subset of monocytes is dramatically expanded in peripheral blood during progression to AIDS, but its contribution to HIV pathogenesis is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CD16+ but not CD16− monocytes promote high levels of HIV replication upon differentiation into macrophages and interaction with T cells. Conjugates formed between CD16+ monocyte-derived macrophages and T cells are major sites of viral replication. Furthermore, similar monocyte–T cell conjugates detected in peripheral blood of HIV-infected patients harbor HIV DNA. Thus, expansion of CD16+ monocytes during HIV infection and their subsequent recruitment into tissues such as lymph nodes, brain, and intestine may contribute to HIV dissemination and establishment of productive infection in T cells.
Predictors of Work Injuries: A Quantitative Exploration of Level of English Proficiency as a Predictor of Work Injuries in the Construction Industry

ABSTRACT Both labor shortages and language barriers are present in some areas of the construction industry. These issues translate into higher than average accident and death rates seen among workers of Hispanic origin and the possible confounding effect of a language barrier. In order to address these concerns, an instrument was developed to identify the level of English proficiency. This was compared to injuries sustained on the job in the last 30 days. Participants were ranked on their level of English proficiency, and then divided into two groups. The middle group of predominately bilingual individuals was removed in order to maximize any differences between the two groups. The two groups were then compared based on the different independent variables identified in the research questions, as well as other possible relationships of interest as identified in the auxiliary findings. The overall findings of this research indicate no significant differences in work injuries when based on level of English p...
Do People Mix at Mixers? Structure, Homophily, and the “Life of the Party”

We used electronic name tags to conduct a fine-grained analysis of the pattern of socializing dynamics at a mixer attended by about 100 business people, to examine whether individuals in such minimally structured social events can initiate new and different contacts, despite the tendency to interact with those they already know or who are similar to them. The results show that guests did not mix as much as might be expected in terms of making new contacts. They were much more likely to encounter their pre-mixer friends, even though they overwhelmingly stated before the event that their goal was to meet new people. At the same time, guests did mix in the sense of encountering others who were different from themselves in terms of sex, race, education, and job. There was no evidence of homophily (attraction to similar others) in the average encounter, although it did operate for some guests at some points in the mixer. Results also revealed a phenomenon that we call “associative homophily,” in which guests w...
Wavelength-tracking capabilities of a Fabry-Perot cavity

ABSTRACT We have characterized the accuracy of atmospheric wavelength tracking based on a laser servolocked to a simple Fabry-Perot cavity. The motivations are (1) to explore a method for air refractive index measurement and (2) to determine thestability and accuracy of these cavities when employed as a length reference, with potential application to absolutedistance interferometry, air-wavelength stabilized lasers, or similar applications. The Fabry-Perot cavity consists ofmirrors optically contacted to an ultra-low-expansion spacer with the interior of the cavity open along its length to thesurrounding air. Changes in laser frequency are monitored to determine changes in the refractive index of the gas in thecavity. We have studied limitations of this technique that arise from humidity effects, thermal distortion, and (forabsolute refractive index measurements where the cavity must be evacuated) pressure-induced distortions. Comparingresults from two cavities with very different lengths gives us a very sensitive probe of errors associated with end effects,and pressure-induced distortions can be measured by filling the cavity with helium, whose index of refraction is believedto be well known from ab initio calculations. The uncertainty of refractive index measurements can be greatly reducedwhen these sources of error are measured and corrected.Keywords: index of refraction, refractive index, refractometer, wavelength tracker, interferometry, helium.
Interdisciplinary Analysis of Yellowtail Flounder Stock Structure off New England

An interdisciplinary study considering geographic patterns of abundance, geographic variation, and movement suggests that yellowtail flounder, Limanda ferruginea, on the principal U.S. fishing grounds should be managed as three separate stocks despite apparent homogeneity of genetic variation. Divergent patterns of abundance and biomass over time suggest two harvest stocks of yellowtail flounder with a boundary on southwest Georges Bank. Geographic patterns of growth and maturity indicate two phenotypic stocks of yellowtail flounder, with a boundary on northern Georges Bank. Yellowtail flounder resources off the U.S. may be a single genetic stock, but significant variation in life history attributes and different patterns of abundance over time suggest that yellowtail flounder off the northeastern U.S. should be managed as three stocks: Cape Cod-Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and southern New England-Mid Atlantic.
Tetraludin A, B and C, three new melampolides from Tetragonotheca ludoviciana

Abstract The investigation of the roots of the four Tetragonotheca species, T. ludoviciana, T. repanda, T. texana and T. helianthoides , resulted in the isolation of the known heptadeca-2-( Z )-8,10-( E )-16-tetraene-4,6-diin-1-ol and its aldehyde derivative from all four species. Aerial parts of T. ludoviciana also contained the acetate of the latter compound as a minor constituent and provided three new melampolide-type sesquiterpene lactones, tetraludin A, B and C.
Baffin Bay--an ocean.

RECENT theories of the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and the Labrador Sea and of the relationship of the assumed motions to the history of Baffin Bay lead to contradictory opinions about the nature of the crust beneath the bay. The fit of the continents1 and the similarities of the rock types and their ages along the opposing coastlines of Greenland and Northern Canada2,3 suggest that the two have separated by continental drift. Geophysical studies in the Labrador Sea (unpublished work of X. Le Pichon, R. D. Hyndman and G. Pautot) imply that Baffin Bay was formed by seafloor spreading and therefore that oceanic crust should lie beneath it. Conversely, from an interpretation of the geology along the coastlines, the present configuration of the bay has been attributed to the extension of continental material and subsequent faulting among its margins4. The latter hypothesis is supported by a study of surface waves5 which showed that the Lg phase is transmitted across the area. This surface wave is generally associated only with continental crustal structure. The lack of any positive evidence which could be used to resolve this controversy prompted us to conduct the experiment described here.
Smoking, Metalloproteinases, and Vascular Disease

Smoking causes up to 11% of total global cardiovascular deaths. Smoking has numerous effects that may promote atherosclerosis through vascular inflammation and oxidative stress, but the pathogenesis of smoking-related cardiovascular disease remains incompletely understood. The matrix metalloproteinases, a family of endopeptidases that can degrade extracellular matrix components in both physiological and pathophysiological states, play an important role in smoking-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the second leading cause of smoking attributable mortality. Emerging evidence indicates that the matrix metalloproteinases may also contribute to smoking-related vascular disease. Here we discuss the potential relationship between smoking, matrix metalloproteinases, and acceleration of vascular disease.
A review of the correlations of coal properties with elemental composition

Abstract The spatial arrangement and abundance of the elements: C, H, N, O, S often correlate or directly influence a plethora of coal properties. For > 90 years, attempts have utilized the ultimate (elemental) analysis of coal to predict a wide variety of properties such as: calorific value (higher heating value), volatile matter, vitrinite reflectance (mean maximum), Hardgrove grindability index, helium density, aromaticity, etc. While many relationships resulted in graphical plots that have utility even today, numerical values can also be directly calculated utilizing the correlations. These have the potential to allow rapid predictions and low-cost approaches to coal property determination. Here the many correlations addressing multiple coal properties were reviewed and where possible evaluated against a sampling of the Pennsylvania State University Coal Sample Bank and Database for vitrinite-rich (> 80% by point counting) United States coals. Over 42 correlations were found in the literature. While some correlations, such as calorific value predictions are accurate over a wide range of compositions, others are restricted in applicability to a select rank range. For many correlations, there are challenges to predict the property accurately, over a wide range, but may capture the trends.
Getting to the root of tree neighbourhoods: hectare-scale root zones of a neotropical fig

Sessile organisms interact locally on the scale of their body sizes, and one of the great advances in population and community ecology is the use of individual-based models to examine species interactions (Biondini 2001, Bolker & Pacala 1999, Pacala & Deutschman 1995, Pacala & Silander 1985, 1987; Silander & Pacala 1985). Canopies are often taken as a proxy for body size in the plant literature, even though roots can make up substantial amounts of a plant's biomass, have productivity that equals or exceeds the above-ground parts, and are critical in both competition and mutualisms involving nutrient capture and water balance (Biondini 2001, Casper & Jackson 1997, Casper et al . 2003, Rajaniemi & Reynolds 2004, Robinson 2004). Root zones, however, are seldom incorporated in plant ecological studies because they are exceptionally difficult to measure, and the importance of intra- and interspecific root interactions is little known (Schenk & Jackson 2002).
Gender, Authoritarianism, and Attitudes toward Feminism.

In a 2 × 3 design, 69 men and 59 women who were high, medium, or low in authoritarianism responded to a Likert-type scale measuring attitudes toward feminism. For both gender groups, high-authoritarian respondents exhibited more antifeminist tendencies than did low-authoritarian respondents; and for each level of authoritarianism, males were less profeminist than females. When controlled for age, education, and religion, the relationship of gender and authoritarianism to attitudes toward feminism tended to persist substantially. In examining the psychosocial bases of racism and antifeminism, the paper interprets the relative contributions of gender and authoritarianism in terms of Hood and Sherif’s model of interrelating sociocultural and personality factors in the dynamics of attitudes.
A Field Study of "Blaxploitation" Films:

This field study by high school youth utilized Alvin Poussaint's construct of what has come to be known as "blaxploitation" films. The racist exploitation of Black actors and actresses involved in the production of these films, combined with the derogatory effect of these movies on the Black populace, provides the genesis of the word "blaxploitation." Being the result of Hollywood's quest to improve profits in the late 1960's, these films substituted the positive images associated with the Black liberation movement for the images of violence, degeneracy, and es capism that characterized the themes of these movies.Acting as researchers as well as subjects, the stu dents involved with the project found that the themes of these movies either glorified the lumpen elements of the Black community or put forth fantastically unrealistic solutions to genuine problems. They found that the films attracted millions of Blacks to the theatre and resulted in detrimental effects on the psychology of the entire Black comm...
The external debt situation of the least developed countries

While the external debt of the least developed countries (LLDCs) is no threat to the international financial system, its adverse impact on the development efforts of many of these countries is severe. The following article examines their debt and economic situation and reviews major elements of the current international debt strategy with regard to their adequacy in bringing the LLDCs back to sustainable debt burdens and growth.
Hot-carrier effects in depletion-mode MOSFETs

Abstract Under the same gate and drain bias, the substrate current in a depletion-mode MOSFET is smaller than in an enhancement-mode MOSFET. The difference, however, is gate bias dependent, being larger at low gate voltages and smaller at high gate bias. The phenomenon can be understood in terms of an effective gate-oxide thickness concept. Other hot-carrier effects in the depletion-mode MOSFET, such as gate current and hot-carrier-induced breakdown, can also be understood on the same basis. On the other hand, hole injection into the oxide at very low V G is larger in a depletion-mode device. Such large hole injection leads to a more negative V t after stressing. The maximum shift in V t (negative ΔV t ) is comparable to that in an enhancement-mode device.
Mathematical modeling of the gas and powder flow in HVOF systems

A mathematical model was developed to describe the gas dynamics and heat-transfer mechanism in the gas/particle flow of high- velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) systems. A numerical solution was carried out using a PC- based computer program. One- dimensional predictions of the temperature and velocity profiles of gas and particles along the axis of flow were obtained to conduct cost- effective parametric studies and quality optimization of thermal spray coatings produced by HVOF systems. The numerical computer model allows for the variation of the HVOF system parameters, such as air/fuel ratio and flow rates, cooling water inlet temperature and flow rate, barrel length, standoff distance, particle size, and gun geometry. Because of the negligible volume of the powder relative to the gas, the gaseous phase was modeled as continuous nonadiabatic, and friction flow with variable specific heats and changing cross- sectional areas of flow. The generalized continuity, momentum, and energy equations with the influence parameters were used to model the gaseous flow regime and predict its thermodynamic properties. Empirical formulas for the mean axial decay of both velocity and temperature in the supersonic jet plume region were generated from published measurements of these parameters using laser Doppler velocimeter and Ray leigh scattering techniques, respectively. The particle drag and heat- transfer coefficients were calculated by empirical formulas in terms of Reynolds, Nusselt, and Prandtl numbers to evaluate both the momentum and heat transferred between the combustion gases and the powder particles. The model predictions showed good agreement with the particle and gas temperature and velocity measurements that are available in the literature.
Realizing the full potential of insertion anodes for Mg-ion batteries through the nanostructuring of Sn.

Magnesium is of great interest as a replacement for lithium in next-generation ion-transfer batteries but Mg-metal anodes currently face critical challenges related to the formation of passivating layers during Mg-plating/stripping and anode–electrolyte–cathode incompatibilities.1−6 Alternative anode materials have the potential to greatly extend the spectrum of suitable electrolyte chemistries2,7 but must be systematically tailored for effective Mg2+ storage. Using analytical (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) and ab initio modeling, we have investigated Mg2+ insertion and extraction mechanisms and transformation processes in β-SnSb nanoparticles (NPs), a promising Mg-alloying anode material. During the first several charge–discharge cycles (conditioning), the β-SnSb particles irreversibly transform into a porous network of pure-Sn and Sb-rich subparticles, as Mg ions replace Sn atoms in the SnSb lattice. After electrochemical conditioning, small Sn particles/grains (<33 ± 20 nm) exhibi...
From molecular biology to medicine: Two decades of achievement in varicella-zoster virus research

The past century has witnessed the identification and characterization of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) as a major human pathogen. Discoveries regarding the virus have accelerated rapidly during the past two decades. These discoveries have been driven, in part, by technical achievements in in vitro cultivation of the virus, by an expanding spectrum of VZV disease, by accessible diagnostics, and by targeted antiviral drug development. But a dominant force in propelling the field forward-which will no doubt dictate achievements in the coming century-is the application of molecular tools that offer unprecedented sensitivity and versatility. I intend to highlight a number of milestones in VZV molecular biology, from the first purification and characterization of VZV DNA in 1972 through the recent development of a recombinant system to modify viral elements at will. Each of these achievements has already made a direct impact on our comprehension of VZV's clinical spectrum, epidemiology, immunology, pathogenesis, and latency, and on the utility and limitations of existing antiviral and preventive strategies. The inevitable conquest of varicella and zoster will depend on these strategies, as well as on further …
The Composite Electron

In this paper, the electron is considered a bound state of a neutrino and a negative pion. A model Lagrangian density that combines weak and electromagnetic interactions gives rise to equations of motion that define such a state. In this model, the muon is a bound state of an antineutrino and a negative pion, which explains why it cannot decay into an electron and a photon. The decay of unstable particles is reduced to pair creation plus particle recombination. The neutral pion is described by an interference between the charged-pion states. Several variations of the model are also presented.
Treitel Ridge: A unique inside corner hogback on the west flank of extinct Aegir spreading ridge, Norway basin

Abstract Detailed shipborne mapping (sidescan sonar, swath bathymetry, seismic reflection, 3.5 kHz profiling, gravity and magnetics) of the extinct Aegir spreading axis (ca.55–25 Ma) in the Norway Basin revealed a highly unusual (in a MOR setting), narrow, 130 km long, asymmetrical basement hogback (Treitel Ridge; TR) on the southern west flank of the extinct rift, close to its junction with the Iceland–Faeroe aseismic ridge and the putative paleo-Iceland hotspot center. The ridge seems to continue north another 130 km in the form of a wider, more irregular basement rise, for a combined length of ca. 260 km. The southern, narrow part of TR, approximately following or slightly younger than chron 18n (ca. 39 Ma), attains a basement relief of ca. 1000 m in the south, its summit descending gradually (1.7:100) towards the NE. Although an east-flank conjugate appears generally lacking along both northern and southern parts of TR, asymmetry of the southern portion (steeper slope facing towards the extinct rift valley) suggests volcanic formation and axially dipping normal faulting at or near the active plate boundary. The possibility of continental crust extending close to the southern end of TR may also be important, because some of this crust may have been remelted at depth, contributing magma to feed TR eruptions. Southern TR may record a brief (0.1–1 m.y.) inside-corner tectonic event (probably a flexurally compensated normal-faulted offset), in effect a “mega-abyssal hill”. We suggest TR was probably not an expression of change in Iceland hotspot activity or somehow related to nearby continental crust, but rather represents the volcano-tectonic response of the Aegir accretion axis–at the time it became the eastern edge of the new Jan Mayen micro-plate–to extinction of the Mid-Labrador Sea spreading center. As proposed by Nunns (1983), the annexation of the Greenland plate by the North American plate forced a plate boundary reorganization east of Greenland—with northward propagation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rift along the Greenland margin to form the Jan Mayen micro-plate. Simultaneously, two ca. 107° trending transforms developed from the previously 146° trending Faeroes Fracture Zone. Both TR formation and fracture zone trend changes may record Aegir Ridge response to this major plate kinematic reorganization. Because TR was formed during a short interval, spreading along the Mid-Labrador Sea ridge may have ceased abruptly as well.
Empathic Resonance and Meryl Streep

We borrow a psychological concept, "empathic resonance," and use the concept as a theory for understanding how audiences react to films or television shows. Specifically, we use empathic resonance to analyze twelve Meryl Streep films in which she was nominated for an Oscar. We explain how empathic resonance functions in Streep's films.
Tethered Connectivity? The Spatial Distribution of Wireless Infrastructure

At current growth rates, the number of wireless subscribers will surpass that of fixed telephones in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century. This fundamental shift in telecommunications has led many to believe that wireless technologies will break the ‘tyranny of geography’, help close the digital divide between core and periphery locations, and allow firms to be more footloose. This paper will examine the spatial distribution of wireless infrastructure in the United States to determine if the core–periphery relationship of cities is altered by wireless technologies. To do so the analysis will compare wireless infrastructure with Internet infrastructure and telephone switch infrastructure with a focus on data infrastructure in all three categories. The infrastructure datasets will be then compared with population distributions to determine their impacts on a spatial digital divide. The results of the study will provide a snapshot of the geography of wireless technologies, a comparison with oth...
A four-test short form of the WISC-R

Abstract A four-test short form of the WISC-R was developed on the basis of both rational and statistical criteria, using data from the representative standardization sample. The short-form comprised Arithmetic and Vocabulary from the Verbal Scale along with Picture Arrangement and Block Design from the Performance Scale. Various psychometric properties of the abbreviated battery were defined, and indicators of the short form's accuracy in predicting Full-Scale IQ (the standard error of estimate, effectiveness in classifying a child's intelligence level) were provided. A major topic of discussion was the use and abuse of short forms.
Stereotactic radiosurgery with or without whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases: an update

Brain metastases are unfortunately a common occurrence in patients with cancer. Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is still considered the standard of care in the treatment of brain metastases. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) offers the additional ability to treat tumors with relative sparing of normal brain tissue in a single fraction. While the addition of SRS to WBRT has been shown to improve survival and local tumor control in selected patients, the idea of deferring WBRT in order to avoid its effects on normal tissues and using SRS alone continues to generate significant discussion and interest. Three recent randomized trials from Japan, Europe and the MD Anderson Cancer Center (TX, USA) have attempted to address this issue. In this article, we update a previous review by discussing these trials to compare the outcomes for SRS alone versus SRS plus WBRT for limited metastases. We also discuss recent nonrandomized evidence for the use of SRS alone for oligometastatic disease.
Lack of mutagenicity of hycanthone in Habrobracon serinopae females.

The pattern of egg production by females fed the hycanthone indicates that there was no detrimental effect on the ability of these females to produce eggs. This indicates that no change was induced in the general physiology of this insect. The absence of the typical depression in the egg production curve, like that seen after x irradiation of virgin females, and the high hatchability of haploid eggs show that the feeding of hycanthone does not induce dominant or recessive lethal mutations in meiotically or mitotically active cells. (auth)
The training and visit agricultural extension in rainfed agriculture: Lessons from Ethiopia

Abstract This study provides an analytical framework for the monitoring and evaluation of extension projects through an examination of the applicability of the training and visit (T&V) extension in Ethiopia. The field evaluation reveals the T&V system's effectiveness in disseminating innovations and increasing yields among contact farmers, upgrading extension agents' skills, and imparting valuable lessons for other extension systems in Ethiopia. At same time, the system's reliance on small groups of contact farmers for rapid diffusion of innovations to the masses restrains its effectiveness, suggesting the need for a correction in its application. Efforts should be made to bring women into all levels of the T&V structure. Women are noticeably absent at present. The findings from this study support the continuation of the T&V system in the relatively fertile regions of Ethiopia. But they also highlight its limited applicability in resource-poor and drought-prone regions of the country.
Electrical detection of pathogenic bacteria via immobilized antimicrobial peptides.

The development of a robust and portable biosensor for the detection of pathogenic bacteria could impact areas ranging from water-quality monitoring to testing of pharmaceutical products for bacterial contamination. Of particular interest are detectors that combine the natural specificity of biological recognition with sensitive, label-free sensors providing electronic readout. Evolution has tailored antimicrobial peptides to exhibit broad-spectrum activity against pathogenic bacteria, while retaining a high degree of robustness. Here, we report selective and sensitive detection of infectious agents via electronic detection based on antimicrobial peptide-functionalized microcapacitive electrode arrays. The semiselective antimicrobial peptide magainin I—which occurs naturally on the skin of African clawed frogs—was immobilized on gold microelectrodes via a C-terminal cysteine residue. Significantly, exposing the sensor to various concentrations of pathogenic Escherichia coli revealed detection limits of approximately 1 bacterium/μL, a clinically useful detection range. The peptide-microcapacitive hybrid device was further able to demonstrate both Gram-selective detection as well as interbacterial strain differentiation, while maintaining recognition capabilities toward pathogenic strains of E. coli and Salmonella. Finally, we report a simulated “water-sampling” chip, consisting of a microfluidic flow cell integrated onto the hybrid sensor, which demonstrates real-time on-chip monitoring of the interaction of E. coli cells with the antimicrobial peptides. The combination of robust, evolutionarily tailored peptides with electronic read-out monitoring electrodes may open exciting avenues in both fundamental studies of the interactions of bacteria with antimicrobial peptides, as well as the practical use of these devices as portable pathogen detectors.
The reliability of cluster and switch scores for the controlled oral word association test

This study examined the interrater reliability and temporal stability of a scoring system developed by Troyer, Moscovich, and Winocur [Neuropsychologia 11 (1997) 138] to measure clustering and switching on verbal fluency (VF) tasks such as the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) [Benton, A.L., Hamsher, K., & Sivan, A.B. (1983). Multilingual aphasia examination (3rd ed.). Iowa City, IA: AJA Associates]. Seven independent raters scored COWAT protocols of 125 healthy participants in accordance with the rules proposed by Troyer et al. Intraclass coefficients were near perfect, ranging from.96 for total number of clusters to.99 for total number of switches. Test-retest reliability coefficients (n=55) were poor to modest (r=.47 for clusters, r=.58 for switches, and r=.70 for total words). Significant improvement in performance was observed across most COWAT indices, suggesting a practice effect. Modifications to test administration are suggested to improve the stability of cluster and switch scores, as well as other variables for further study.
Transient cell–cell interactions in neural circuit formation

The wiring of the nervous system requires a complex orchestration of developmental events. Emerging evidence suggests that transient cell-cell interactions often serve as positional cues for axon guidance and synaptogenesis during the assembly of neural circuits. In contrast to the relatively stable cellular interactions between synaptic partners in mature circuits, these transient interactions involve cells that are not destined to be pre- or postsynaptic cells. Here we review the roles of these transient cell-cell interactions in a variety of developmental contexts and describe the mechanisms through which they organize neural connections.
Ulnar Nerve Transection during Tommy John Surgery: Novel Findings and Approach to Treatment:

While iatrogenic injuries to peripheral nerves in sports-related surgeries are rare, the morbidity of a peripheral nerve injury can be substantial, particularly in the young, active patient population [8]. Medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction with tendon graft (Tommy John surgery) is a safe and effective operative intervention in treating medial elbow instability in overhead throwing athletes [6, 9] and complications are rare. Ulnar nerve neurapraxia is the most commonly recognized nerve complication [4]. However, median nerve transection during tendon graft harvest has been reported [5, 7, 10, 11, 13]. We report the first documented case of a complete ulnar nerve transection following UCL reconstruction and present a novel surgical intervention to address this serious complication.
Radiation-induced segregation during sputtering

Abstract Experimental measurements are reported of the time development of compositional changes which occur deep in a Cu-40 at.% Ni alloy during sputtering at elevated temperatures with 5 keV Ar ions. Large effects are observed due to radiation-induced segregation (RIS), i.e. the preferential transport of nickel atoms in the direction of the defect fluxes. The results are compared with calculated composition profiles obtained using the phenomenological model of Lam and Wiedersich. Qualitative agreement between the model calculations and experimental results is found. Quantitative differences between the model and experiment preclude a reliable estimate of RIS effects in the very near-surface layers. However, the fact that the calculations underestimate the RIS contribution very deep in the specimen while still predicting a substantial RIS contribution in the near-surface region suggests that RIS can play an important role in determining near-surface compositional changes during sputtering at temperatures where defects are mobile.
Routine prophylactic central neck dissection for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer is not cost-effective

SummaryBackground The role of routine prophylactic central neck dissection (CND) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost utility of the addition of routine CND in patients with low-risk PTC compared with total thyroidectomy (TT) alone. Methods A Markov model for low-risk PTC was constructed with a treatment algorithm based on the American Thyroid Association guidelines for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Utilities and outcome probabilities were derived from published medical literature. US 2010 costs were examined from a society perspective using Medicare reimbursement rates and opportunity loss based on published US government data. Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were used to examine the uncertainty of probability, cost and utility estimates. Results Initial TT alone is more cost-effective than TT with CND, resulting in a cost savings of US $5763 per patient with slightly higher effectiveness per patient (0·03 QALY) for a cost savings of $285 per QALY. Sensitivity analysis shows that TT alone offers no advantage when radioactive iodine (RAI) becomes more detrimental to a patient's state of health, when the incidence of non-neck recurrence increases above 5% in patients undergoing TT alone or decreases below 3·9% in patients undergoing TT with CND or when the rate of permanent hypocalcaemia rises above 4%. Conclusions TT with CND is not a cost-effective strategy in low-risk PTC. Initial TT alone is favourable because of the low complication rates and low recurrence rates associated with the initial surgery. Alternative strategies such as unilateral prophylactic neck dissection require additional study to assess their cost-effectiveness.
Device and material characterization at mm-wave and terahertz

In this paper I will overview the classes of methods employed to measure the dielectric properties of solids and liquids and will discuss the criteria one should consider when selecting a measurement technique. The focus will be on those techniques useful for measuring the relative permittivity and loss tangent of dielectric materials, both liquid and solid, over a frequency range that covers 100 MHz to 1.1Thz.