cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-category Data

The discrete data we considered in the last two chapters were of the dichotomous nature, where each subject could take one of only two values for some measurement (Yes or No, Success or Failure, etc.). We now generalize to the case where one or more of our variables under consideration has more than two possible values. These types of polytomous or multi-category data are more complicated than their dichotomous brethren, and as such must be handled differently.
Relations of Sociotropy and Autonomy to Developmental Experiences Among Psychiatric Patients

This study investigated the relations of self-reported childhood trauma and negative parenting styles to current levels of sociotropy and autonomy in a sample of 77 adult psychiatric inpatients. Controlling for depression symptoms, sociotropy was not significantly related to any of the parenting or trauma variables. Autonomy was related most strongly to emotional abuse and was also related to physical abuse, lack of parental care, and parental overprotection. Regression analyses controlling for depression and several other childhood variables indicated that emotional abuse was significantly related to sociotropy, while emotional abuse and lack of parental care were associated with autonomy. Sexual abuse, witnessing violence, emotional neglect, physical neglect, and loss were not found to be significant predictors of sociotropy or autonomy in these regression analyses. Results suggest that certain developmental experiences, particularly emotional abuse, are associated with sociotropy and autonomy and perhaps may contribute to the formation of these personality styles.
Field Placements in For-Profit Organizations: Policies and Practices of Graduate Programs.

The recent explosion of proprietary social services suggests that growing numbers of social work students may be placed for field work in organizations whose primary goal is the realization of profits. Information on the extent to which social work programs collaborate with proprietary agencies for field education purposes is unavailable. This article describes the results of a national survey to determine the use patterns and policies of master of social work programs regarding field placements in for-profit settings. Findings indicate that social work education is incorporating proprietary sites for field training at an unparalleled rate. Proprietary sites used most often are hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient health care agencies. Furthermore, the study links different policy positions on for-profit placements to geographical location. The author suggests, among other recommendations, that programs provide positive role models to help students apply professional values and ethics to problems resu...
Biomarkers of Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction

Abstract The brain is composed of certain interfaces, such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB), the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), and the blood–spinal cord barrier. These can be collectively called blood–CNS barriers or brain barriers. The structure and function of brain barriers are very complex and maintain the neuronal microenvironment, playing pivotal roles in CNS homeostasis. The BBB is formed of extremely tight junctions offering a wide range of functions, such as transendothelial transport systems, enzymes, and regulation of leukocyte permeation, which thereby generates the transport, enzymatic, and immune regulatory functions of the BBB. Studies have also revealed important stages, cell types, and signaling pathways involved in BBB development. Under physiological conditions, the BBB regulates the exchange of nutrients, waste, and immune cells between the blood and the nervous tissue of the CNS and is the most important component in preserving CNS homeostasis and neuronal function. The brain barriers, particularly BBB, are very sensitive to the toxic insult of chemicals and biotoxins, and these barriers play pivotal roles in the initiation and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter describes in brief the structure and function of brain barriers and the biomarkers of toxic effects of metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, drugs of abuse, and some diseases involving the CNS.
Using holographic illumination to study synaptic signal integration at individual dendritic spines

The physiology of individual synapses on dendritic spines is important because isolated and widely distributed spines are active during sensory information processing in vivo. We used acute cortical brain slices from the rat to investigate synaptic signal integration at the level of individual synapses on dendritic spines in layer 5 pyramidal neurons. We monitored subthreshold synaptic signals using a combination of voltage-sensitive dye recordings, patch-electrode somatic recordings, and 2-photon glutamate uncaging with holographic illumination. We describe the capabilities and limitations of this approach and demonstrate that imaging with an organic voltage-sensitive dye is presently a unique way to monitor temporal summation of uncaging evoked quantal excitatory synaptic potentials locally, at the site of origin on thin basal dendrites. The results indicated that the ability of repetitive activation of individual excitatory synapses on spines to influence the electrical signaling in individual neurons is strictly limited to subthreshold responses. We show that the underlying mechanisms, which control the temporal summation of excitatory synaptic potential in single synapses, can now be investigated with described methodology.
Reliability Importance as a Measure of Bridge Element Condition Index for Deteriorating Bridges

As a concerted effort to improve the outcomes of bridge asset management, state highway agencies and Departments of Transportation (DOT) often improve their modes of bridge performance assessment u...
Preventing Viral Contamination: Effects of Wipe and Spray-based Decontamination of Gloves and Gowns

We conducted a laboratory simulation to evaluate the contamination of environmental surfaces when using wipe vs spray methods of personal protective equipment (PPE) decontamination. We did not observe any environmental contamination with the bacteriophage MS-2 when bleach solution spray or wipes were used for PPE disinfection.
Mithramycin A Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Growth by Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

The pivotal role of cancer initiating stem cells (CSCs) in tumor initiation, growth, metastasis and drug resistance has led to the postulation of a ‘total cancer therapy’ paradigm, which involves targeting both cancer cells and CSCs for effective therapy. However, the progress in identifying drugs for total cancer therapy has been limited. Herein, we show for the first time that mithramycin A (Mit-A) can successfully inhibit CSC proliferation, in addition to inhibiting bulk cancer cells in a model of colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. To this end, a polymeric nanofiber scaffold culture system was established to develop 3D tumor organoids (tumoroids) from CRC cell lines such as HT29, HCT116, KM12, CT26 and MC38 as well as ex vivo mouse tumors. These tumoroids possessed increased expression of CSC markers and transcription factors, expanded the number of CSCs in culture and increased CSC functional properties measured by aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Screening of an NCI library of FDA approved drugs led to the identification of Mit-A as a potential total cancer therapy drug. In both sphere and tumoroid culture, Mit-A inhibits cancer growth by reducing the expression of cancer stemness markers. In addition, Mit-A inhibits the expression of SP1, a previously known target in CRCs. Moreover, Mit-A significantly reduces growth of tumoroids in ex vivo cultures and CRC tumor growth in vivo. Finally, a dose-dependent treatment on CRC cells indicate that Mit-A significantly induces the cell death and PARP-cleavage of both CSC and non-CSC cells. Taken together the results of these in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies lead to the inference that Mit-A is a promising drug candidate for total cancer therapy of CRCs.
Total Cross Sections of the O 18 (p, α)N 15 and O 18 (p, n)F 18 Reactions

The angular distribution of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles from the ${\mathrm{O}}^{18}(p, \ensuremath{\alpha}){\mathrm{N}}^{15}$ reaction and the total cross section for the ${\mathrm{O}}^{18}(p, n){\mathrm{F}}^{18}$ reaction have been measured for proton energies between 2.60 and 2.97 Mev. Comparison of the total cross sections for the two reactions eliminates the previously observed differences in resonance energies in these reactions. At most energies the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles are preferentially emitted in the forward and backward directions and the angular distributions are rapid functions of proton energy.
Levels of reality, and of verisimilitude, in Malerba's Il pianeta azzurro:

Malerba's Il pianeta azzurro is a rich text with a strong ethical and political message. One of its three narrating voices, L’autore, is a sort of Everyman, a synecdoche for the writer and his read...
Dynamic range compression of sound mixtures

Nearly all advanced hearing aids use dynamic range compression (DRC) to make quiet sounds louder and loud sounds quieter. A form of nonlinear gain control, DRC can help to improve listening comfort, but it can also introduce distortion in the presence of multiple competing sounds. The gain applied to all sounds in a mixture is determined by the level of the loudest sound; the signals therefore modulate each other. It has been widely observed that DRC performs poorly in noisy environments, but there has been little mathematical analysis of the interaction between compression and noise. In this work, we use an idealized model, equating the envelope of a signal with its statistical variance, to analyze the effects of DRC on mixtures of uncorrelated signals. We show that when DRC is applied to a mixture, the effective compression applied to each sound is weaker than it would have been in isolation. Similarly, we analyze how DRC algorithms alter the long-term signal-to-noise ratio of a sound mixture. This analysis can help us to develop DRC algorithms that are more robust to noise and improve the performance of hearing aids in the complex environments where they are needed most.
First, Do No Harm: Three Ways that Policymakers Can Make it Easier for Healthcare

COVID-19 presents a challenge of extraordinary scale and complexity. State policymakers across the country, like so many of us, want to know what they can do to help our nation’s healthcare professionals rise to this challenge. Their first task should be to eliminate or suspend laws that stand in the way of patient care. They should consider repealing certificate-of-need laws, eliminating barriers to telemedicine, and liberalizing scope-of-practice rules for healthcare professionals.
Review of Psychological Statistics and Psychometrics Using Stata, by Scott A. Baldwin:

In this article, I review Psychological Statistics and Psychometrics Using Stata, by Scott A. Baldwin (2019, Stata Press).
Dephospho-CoA kinase, a nuclear-encoded apicoplast protein, remains active and essential after Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast disruption.

Malaria parasites contain an essential organelle called the apicoplast that houses metabolic pathways for fatty acid, heme, isoprenoid, and iron-sulfur cluster synthesis. Surprisingly, malaria parasites can survive without the apicoplast as long as the isoprenoid precursor isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) is supplemented in the growth medium, making it appear that isoprenoid synthesis is the only essential function of the organelle in blood-stage parasites. In the work described here, we localized an enzyme responsible for coenzyme A synthesis, DPCK, to the apicoplast, but we were unable to delete DPCK, even in the presence of IPP. However, once the endogenous DPCK was complemented with the E. coli DPCK (EcDPCK), we were successful in deleting it. We were then able to show that DPCK activity is required for parasite survival through knockdown of the complemented EcDPCK. Additionally, we showed that DPCK enzyme activity remains functional and essential within the vesicles present after apicoplast disruption. These results demonstrate that while the apicoplast of blood-stage P. falciparum parasites can be disrupted, the resulting vesicles remain biochemically active and are capable of fulfilling essential functions.
AtomSets as a hierarchical transfer learning framework for small and large materials datasets

Predicting properties from a material’s composition or structure is of great interest for materials design. Deep learning has recently garnered considerable interest in materials predictive tasks with low model errors when dealing with large materials data. However, deep learning models suffer in the small data regime that is common in materials science. Here we develop the AtomSets framework, which utilizes universal compositional and structural descriptors extracted from pre-trained graph network deep learning models with standard multi-layer perceptrons to achieve consistently high model accuracy for both small compositional data ( 130,000). The AtomSets models show lower errors than the graph network models at small data limits and other non-deep-learning models at large data limits. They also transfer better in a simulated materials discovery process where the targeted materials have property values out of the training data limits. The models require minimal domain knowledge inputs and are free from feature engineering. The presented AtomSets model framework can potentially accelerate machine learning-assisted materials design and discovery with less data restriction.
Outcomes of Carotid Artery Stenting in Patients with Radiation Arteritis Compared to Those with Atherosclerotic Disease.

Abstract Objective Head and neck malignancies are often treated with radiation (XRT). Nearly 80% of patients receiving XRT will develop carotid radiation arteritis of some degree and 29% will develop a stenosis >50%. Surgery in a radiated neck has higher rates of complications and carotid artery stenting (CAS) has become primary therapy. Outcomes for CAS in patients with radiation arteritis have not been rigorously evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate for differences in perioperative outcomes as well as restenosis rates, need for re-intervention and freedom for mortality between XRT patients undergoing CAS compared to patients undergoing CAS for atherosclerotic disease. Methods The national VQI CAS dataset from 2016-2019 comprised the sample for analyses (N=7,343). The primary independent variable was previous head/neck radiation. The primary endpoint was time to mortality, with secondary endpoints examining cumulative incidences of restenosis (>50% and >70% by duplex) and re-intervention. We also examined the following secondary perioperative endpoints: MI, in-hospital mortality (death before discharge), neurological event, ipsilateral stroke, and contralateral stroke. Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess mortality and cumulative incidence functions (CIF) estimates were used for non-fatal endpoints. Results Of the total patient cohort, 17% of CAS cases had prior XRT (N=1,199). We found a significant difference in 3-year estimates of mortality, 9.4% and 7.5% (p=.03) for those with and without prior XRT respectively. Furthermore, on adjusted analysis, we observed a 58% increase in the risk of mortality for those with prior XRT (AHR: 1.58; 95%CI: 1.13-2.21). We did not observe any difference in the risk of perioperative complications (MI, in-hospital mortality, ipsi- or contralateral stroke), restenosis (>50% or >70%), or re-intervention in prior XRT patients compared to those without. Conclusions CAS patients with XRT had significantly higher mortality at all time-points than those without XRT, even when adjusting for other co-variates. There was no significant difference in perioperative complications, re-intervention, or restenosis rates between the two groups. This study is unique due to the large sample size and length of follow-up and suggests that for this high-risk group, CAS provides the same patency as it does for atherosclerotic carotid stenosis while avoiding potentially morbid cranial nerve injury and wound healing complications.
Influence of dust accumulation on building roof thermal performance and radiant heat gain in hot-dry climates

Abstract This paper presents an effort to estimate the impact of dust accumulation on exterior building roof absorptivity and total radiative heat gain. A new model is introduced to calculate a building solar absorptivity as a function of dust accumulation rate. Hourly dust deposition is modeled using the Non-hydrostatic Multi-scale Model (NMMB) to predict monthly averaged dust accumulation over time. The correlation sensitivities to its input parameters and the impact of dust accumulation on building annual loads are also studied. Results show that dust accumulation increases the roof solar absorptivity from its initial value up to dust absorptivity based on the site climatic condition and roof characteristics. The predicted monthly averaged accumulated dust for all studied sites varies between 1.3 and 73.8 g/m2/month. The new model has resulted in an annual cooling space increase of 44.7–181.1 kWh/m2/year, for the selected hot-dry sites with moderate to extreme dust storm conditions. Heating reductions were found to be 0.5–13.1 kWh/m2/year which are not significant in comparison to the increase in annual cooling load. The results of this work were attempted to improve the predictive capability of current building simulation models.
Sequence alterations of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 in neoplastic and normal gastrointestinal tissues

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) is an important regulator of normal and malignant cell growth. It modulates the mitogenic effects of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) by inhibiting growth through mechanisms both dependent on and independent of IGF binding. IGF-I and IGF-II levels are regulated by binding to the IGF-II receptor, which is inactivated by mutation in human gastrointestinal (GI) tumors. We have previously demonstrated elevated IGF-II ligand expression in IGF-II receptor-mutant GI tumors, implicating the IGF signaling system in GI tumorigenesis. Therefore, to investigate the potential involvement of IG-FBP-3 in human GI carcinogenesis, direct DNA sequencing of exons 1–4 and intron-exon boundaries of the IGFBP-3 gene was performed in 10 colorectal cancers, 10 gastric cancers, and 10 esophageal cancers. Four distinct sequence alterations were identified: ( a ) in one gastric and one esophageal tumor, an A to C transversion occurred at nucleotide 5795 (CAC→CCC), leading to a His→Pro substitution at codon 179; ( b ) a second esophageal tumor had a C to T transition at nucleotide 8291 (ACC→ATC), leading to a Thr→Ile substitution at codon 277 of IG-FBP-3; ( c ) one alteration comprised a G to C transversion in exon 1 at nucleotide 2132 (GGG→GCG), leading to a Gly→Ala substitution at codon 32 in two gastric cancers, seven esophageal cancers, and nine colon cancers; and ( d ) a C to G transversion located 17 nucleotides from the 3′ splice site in intron 1 was observed in three colon cancers and four esophageal cancers. All of these DNA sequence alterations were present in matched normal DNA from the same subjects, which suggests that some or all of them may represent polymorphisms. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that the germ-line nonconservative amino acid substitutions predicted to occur as a result of these alterations result in subtle changes to IGFBP-3 protein function and a predisposition to developing GI malignancy.
Hydrogen Peroxide Stimulates Salicylic Acid Biosynthesis in Tobacco

Hydrogen peroxide induced the accumulation of free benzoic acid (BA) and salicylic acid (SA) in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Xanthi-nc) leaves. Six hours after infiltration with 300 mM H2O2, the levels of BA and SA in leaves increased 5-fold over the levels detected in control leaves. The accumulation of BA and SA was preceded by the rapid activation of benzoic acid 2-hydroxylase (BA2H) in the H2O2-infiltrated tissues. This enzyme catalyzes the formation of SA from BA. Enzyme activation could be reproduced in vitro by addition of H2O2 or cumene hydroperoxide to the assay mixture. H2O2 was most effective in vitro when applied at 6 mM. In vitro activation of BA2H by peroxides was inhibited by the catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. We suggest that H2O2 activates SA biosynthesis via two mechanisms. First, H2O2 stimulates BA2H activity directly or via the formation of its substrate, molecular oxygen, in a catalase-mediated reaction. Second, higher BA levels induce the accumulation of BA2H protein in the cells and provide more substrate for this enzyme.
Micelle Sequestrant Polymers as Novel Therapeutics to Treat Obesity

Thirty-five percent of the United States population is classified as overweight or obese. Several options exist to treat obese patients; however, currently available therapies are associated with s...
Success and failure in dynamic decision environments: understanding treatment strategies for patients with a chronic disease

This dissertation proposes and tests a theory explaining how people make decisions to achieve a goal in a specific task environment. The theory is represented as a computational model and implemented as a computer program. The task studied was primary care physicians treating patients with type 2 diabetes. Some physicians succeed in achieving evidence-based goals, but many fail. In a previously conducted experiment 19 physicians treated 3 simulated patients with type 2 diabetes, this was the dataset used for modeling and testing (O’Connor et al., 2009). Models were constructed to deliver care in the manner of an idealized physician. These models were tested by treating the same simulated patients that subject physicians treated. Perturbations in model processes were used to explain failure to achieve goal. These perturbations represented forms of omission bias which result in errors of undertreating patients. Each physician’s dataset on each case was scored for errors and decision strategy. A mapping was developed from an error to a process perturbation. Models of each physician were constructed by: (1) selecting an idealized model that used the same decision strategy as the subject, and (2) introducing perturbations in the model based on errors that the subject committed when treating the cases. For each case each physician and corresponding model were evaluated for a goodness of fit based on similarity of error patterns committed, differences in final blood glucose values obtained, and similarity of final medications prescribed. Models made point predictions for when during the course of treatment errors would be committed: 90% of models generated the same types of errors as modeled physicians and 67% of models committed the same errors on the same visits as physicians. Based on tests of the models (theory) we found support for omission bias as a plausible explanation for agents committing errors of under-treating which prevents reaching clinical goals with type 2 diabetes patients. While the models could predict treatment actions for prescribing oral medications, it failed to accurately predict prescriptions for insulin doses. Keywords. computational model, dynamic decision making, mental model, information processing theory, Simcare Experiment, feedback/feedforward decision strategies.
Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling of the Antibiotic Effect of Piperacillin in Vitro

Purpose. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial effects of the β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin on Escherichia coli using concentration-time profiles similar to those encountered in vivo. Methods. An in vitro dilution model was used to expose E. coli to various piperacillin concentration profiles. The antimicrobial effect was evaluated by determination of the number of bacteria over time. Results. A modified Emax-model was found appropriate to describe the pharmacodynamic effect. This model was linked with the respective piperacillin concentrations to provide a suitable pharmaco-kinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model. The average growth half-life in absence of piperacillin was 28 min and the maximum kill half-life was 25 min. The EC50 for the various dosing regimens averaged 5.2 µg/mL and was independent of dose. These parameters were used the simulate the bactericidal effects of commonly administered doses or dosing regimens in humans. Conclusions. Based on the in vitro data a more frequent administration of piperacillin will be more efficacious. The proposed PK-PD-model allows a more detailed evaluation of dosing regimens than the use of minimum inhibitory concentrations.
Neuroligins Sculpt Cerebellar Purkinje-Cell Circuits by Differential Control of Distinct Classes of Synapses.

Neuroligins are postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecules that bind presynaptic neurexins and are genetically linked to autism. Neuroligins are proposed to organize synaptogenesis and/or synaptic transmission, but no systematic analysis of neuroligins in a defined circuit is available. Here, we show that conditional deletion of all neuroligins in cerebellar Purkinje cells caused loss of distal climbing-fiber synapses and weakened climbing-fiber but not parallel-fiber synapses, consistent with alternative use of neuroligins and cerebellins as neurexin ligands for the excitatory climbing-fiber versus parallel-fiber synapses. Moreover, deletion of neuroligins increased the size of inhibitory basket/stellate-cell synapses but simultaneously severely impaired their function. Multiple neuroligin isoforms differentially contributed to climbing-fiber and basket/stellate-cell synapse functions, such that inhibitory synapse-specific neuroligin-2 was unexpectedly essential for maintaining normal climbing-fiber synapse numbers. Using systematic analyses of all neuroligins in a defined neural circuit, our data thus show that neuroligins differentially contribute to various Purkinje-cell synapses in the cerebellum in vivo.
Educational Contracting and the Translation of Research into Practice: The Case of Data Coach Vendors in Delaware

Accountability puts demands on educational agencies that often exceed their capacity. As a result, a variety of educational organizations are contracted to design and implement policy. Programs and services offered by these contractors are not only instrumental in the process of mediating and implementing policy, but may also be instrumental in translating research into practice. To explore this issue, a case study is conducted using vendor proposals for Delaware’s Data Coach initiative. Data are analyzed through content and citation analyses to examine the degree and nature of research use by educational contractors. This research offers new directions for studies of research use in policy but also lessons for policymakers and practitioners that seek the services of educational contractors.
Introduction to Ethics in Clinical Medicine

This chapter provides a general discussion of medical ethics and professionalism. The authors examine the development and history of Western ethical thinking in medicine as a mechanism to understand the roots of modern ethical guidelines. The authors define and explore core bioethical principles and ethical skills. Case studies of ethical situations are presented to challenge the learner’s critical thinking in regard to the complicated realities in today’s world of medical ethics and professionalism.
VOCAL MIMICRY IN DISTRESS CALLS OF PHAINOPEPLAS

Abstract Phainopeplas (Phainopepla nitens) utter contact calls, loud distress screams, and 37 other distinguishable vocalizations when captured, including imitations of at least 12 species. In southern California, Phainopeplas captured in the desert and coastal woodlands imitated species from both regions, suggesting that individuals occupy both habitats during the year and have an extended period of learning that spans the period of time when they move between regions. There was no significant difference in the number of calls imitated based on sex, male age, or habitat. A high percentage of Phainopeplas in both desert and coastal woodlands imitated Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus), whereas the use of other species' calls varied with habitat. Phainopeplas did not simply imitate the calls of the most abundant species or those that were most vocal.
Functional Neural Regeneration after Pulmonary Denervation

Reimplantation of the lung produces complete interruption of all ipsilateral pulmonary nerves. A consequence of this denervation is the loss of the pulmonary stretch-receptor (Hering-Breuer) reflex. Forty-four dogs were studied for stretch-receptor activity one day to 17 months after unilateral orthotopic pulmonary reimplantation. Stretch-receptor activity was observed to return in five of the reimplanted lungs 9 to 12 months after operation, establishing that functional neural regeneration can occur after pulmonary denervation.
i-tunes: Multiple subjectivities and narrative method in computer music

Representational aspects of a computer music composition may forge a perspectival conduit into the music, partly through conceptual boundary structures described here as "frames." The perspectival conduit includes the illusion of subjectivities inside the music and is called here the work's "point of view." These internal subjectivities shape a listener's sense of self, including role, location, and identity. Where and how does the given sound world let the listener in, conceptually, to interact with the work's point of view? This essay considers musical discourse that draws on literary theories of narrative, but it also examines techniques that derive directly from computer music's distinctive features and capabilities.
Optimal and Adaptive Stopping in the Search for New Species

A population is searched by selecting with replacement one of its members at a time and noting the species that it represents. The search may continue indefinitely, but there is a cost of c units for each selection. If the search is terminated with n draws and j species have been discovered, we receive a payoff h(j) - cn, where the reward function h is nondecreasing. For a given class of such reward functions the optimal stopping time is obtained. An adaptive procedure is proposed in the case that the proportions of different species in the population, as well as their number, are unknown; simulations suggest that this procedure performs exceedingly well irrespective of the composition p of the population. Finally, statistical applications are developed for the problem of inference based on randomly occurring data.
Hypertension and atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an emerging public health problem. The most important risk factor for developing chronic AF is uncontrolled hypertension. Uncontrolled hypertension promotes the initiation and perpetuation of AF through atrial remodeling. Experimental evidence has demonstrated the important role of the renin-angiotensin system in atrial remodeling. Retrospective analysis of several large clinical trials and small prospective trials suggests the beneficial role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in preventing the onset and recurrence of AF in different populations. Several large prospective trials with longer follow-up periods are in progress. These trials may provide definitive evidence for the use of these agents in the prevention of AF.
Pilot test of an Internet virtual world chat room for rural teen smokers

Abstract Overview: This pilot study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of an Internet-based virtual reality “world” for teen smoking cessation. Rural teens at six school sites interacted in real-time in the virtual world with a trained cessation counselor and other teen smokers over a 2-month period in seven 1-hour chat sessions. The cessation counselor used motivational interviewing, a “client-centered” nonconfrontational approach to behavior change that has shown promise with behaviors resistant to change. Smoking behavior and attitudes were assessed at baseline, after intervention, and at 1-month follow-up. Significant changes were found in quitting, amount smoked, and intentions to quit. Positive trends were seen in past-week abstinence rates, quit attempts, and attitudes toward quitting.
The mechanism of adverse events associated with terazosin: an analysis of the Veterans Affairs cooperative study.

Purpose: We determined the mechanism of adverse events associated with α1-blockers for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: We randomized 1,229 men with clinical BPH at 31 Veterans Affairs medical centers into equal treatment groups, including those who received placebo, terazosin, finasteride, and combined terazosin and finasteride therapy, respectively. Adverse events were captured at all study visits during our 1-year study. Our current review of adverse events is limited to patients randomized to the placebo and terazosin groups. We compared the incidence of orthostatic blood pressure change, postural symptoms and orthostatic hypotension in men who were normotensive and hypertensive at baseline, respectively. We also determined the association of changes in systolic blood pressure with the incidence of treatment related adverse events. Results: The treatment related rates of dizziness, asthenia, postural hypotension and syncope were 19%, 6%, 6% and 1%, respectively. Of these adverse events only postural hypotension was associated with orthostatic blood pressure changes. The incidence of asthenia, dizziness and postural hypotension was not significantly greater in patients with a systolic blood pressure decrease of 5 or greater and less than 5 mm. Hg, respectively. Conclusions: Dizziness and asthenia are not associated with changes in blood pressure, suggesting that these treatment related adverse events associated with α1-blockers are not related to vascular events. Designing a subtype selective α1 antagonist that has less effect on blood pressure may not result in marked improvement in tolerability over commercially available α1-blockers.
Rallying Around the Flag Journalistic Constructions of a National Mediascape in a Global Era

/ This study employs Anderson’s thesis of the imagined community as a heuristic to explain the formation of a national media sphere in the journalistic domain. Based on the argument that nationalis...
Discriminative stimulus properties of naloxone in Long–Evans rats: assessment with the conditioned taste aversion baseline of drug discrimination learning

Rationale The characterization of the discriminative stimulus properties of naloxone has focused primarily on its actions at the mu opioid receptor, although naloxone also displays an affinity for delta and kappa receptor subtypes.
Novel robust Gaussianity test for sparse data

In this paper, a fundamental but important statistical signal processing characteristic, namely the Gaussianity or normality, is studied. In contrast to the existing conventional Gaussianity measures, we propose a novelmeasure, which is based on Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) between the Gaussian probability density function (PDF) and the generalized Gaussian PDF incorporated with the skewness for the normality test. In our studies, conventional normality tests may often not be robust when they are employed for the non-Gaussian processes with symmetric PDFs. We call this new test as the KGGS test. Our proposed KGGS test is heuristically justified to be more robust than the conventional tests for different PDFs, especially for the symmetric PDFs.
Intelligent tagging interfaces: beyond folksonomy

This paper summarizes our work on using tags to broaden the dialog between a recommender system and its users. We present two tagging applications that enrich this dialog: tagsplanations are tag-based explanations of recommendations provided by a system to its users, and Movie Tuner is a conversational recommender system that enables users to provide feedback on movie recommendations using tags. We discuss the design of both systems and the experimental methodology used to evaluate the design choices.
Evolving the SP-100 reactor in order to boost large payloads to GEO and to low lunar orbit via nuclear-electric propulsion

In striving to reduce exploration cost and exploration risks, a crucial aspect of the plans is program continuity, i.e., the continuing application of a given technology over a long period so that experience will accumulate from extended testing here on earth and from a diversity of applications in space. An integrated view needs to be formed of the missions SEI will carry out, near term as well as far, and of the ways in which these missions can mutually support one another. Near term programs should be so constituted as to provide for the long term missions both the enabling technologies and the accumulation of experience they need. In achieving this, missions in earth orbit should both evolve and show the technologies crucial to long term missions on the lunar surfaces, and the program for the lunar labs should evolve and show the enabling technologies for exploration of the surface of Mars and for flights of human beings to Mars and return. In the near term, the program for the Space Station should be directed and funded to develop and demonstrate the solar Brayton power plant that will be most useful as the power generator for the SP-100 nuclear reactor.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of the Aluminum Interstitial in Silicon

Electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectra of the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{++}$ interstitial (Si-$G18$) produced in aluminum-doped ($p$-type) silicon by room temperature or 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K electron irradiations are presented and show that the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{++}$ is located in the tetrahedral interstitial site. The hyperfine interactions with the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ and surrounding ${\mathrm{Si}}^{29}$ atoms indicate that the wave function for the paramagnetic electron is localized mostly within \ensuremath{\sim}5 \AA{} of the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{++}$ and that within this region the surrounding lattice has ${T}_{d}$ symmetry. From a qualitative description of this wave function in terms of a molecular orbital, an attempt has been made to assign the ${\mathrm{Si}}^{29}$ superhyperfine lines observed in the Si-$G18$ spectrum to particular lattice sites. The ground-state energy level for this paramagnetic electron is on or below the substitutional aluminum acceptor level. From energy arguments, it appears that this electron is in a localized resonant state within the valence band or in a bound state in the band gap below the bottom of the valence band.
Solvable spin glass of quantum rotors.

We examine a model of M-component quantum rotors coupled by Gaussian-distributed random, infinite-range exchange interactions. A complete solution is obtained at M=\ensuremath{\infty} in the spin-glass and quantum-disordered phases. The quantum phase transition separating them is found to possess logarithmic violations of scaling, with no further modifications to the leading critical behavior at any order in 1/M; this suggests that the critical properties of the transverse-field Ising model (believed to be identical to the M\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1 limit) are the same as those of the M=\ensuremath{\infty} quantum rotors.
Effects of understory prescribed burning on shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.)/mixed-hardwood forests

Abstract Elliott, K. J. and J. M. Vose (Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Otto, NC 28763). Effects of prescribed burning on shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.)/mixed-hardwood forests. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 236–251. 2005.—We examined the effects of a single dormant season fire on overstory and understory species diversity and composition and tree seedling regeneration patterns the first and second years following a prescribed burn in the Conasauga River Watershed of southeastern Tennessee and northern Georgia. We asked: Can a single dormant season fire initiate a trajectory of overstory and understory species change consistent with restoring Pinus echinata/mixed-oak/bluestem (Andropogon gyrans and Schizachyrium scoparium)-grass community types? Six sub-watersheds (similar in vegetation, soil type, stream size, and disturbance history) were located within the Conasauga River Watershed; four of the sites were burned in March 2001, and two sites were designate...
Coordinating the Psychology Human Research Participant Pool

In this article, we discuss procedures for coordinating the psychology human participant pool for research purposes. We describe our research requirement and the mechanics of how we recruit participants and report credit for research participation. We also provide an evaluation of the procedures from the viewpoints of experimenters, instructors, and students. Although we identify some problems, the procedures have worked well for it. We discuss areas needing improvement.
Discriminating somatic evoked potentials using a pairwise procedure

Generally, investigators use only the magnitude spectra of a signal for processing or for discriminant analysis, with the phase information discarded. However, it is not difficult to generate two different time domain signals having identical magnitude spectra in the frequency domain. Thus the phase information should not be neglected. This paper presents the results of a simulation study of a discriminant analysis procedure for paired variables, e.g. magnitude and phase pairs. The procedure is then applied to discriminating somatic evoked potentials from normal and damaged spinal cords with excellent results.
Determining Uses and Gratifications for the Internet

Uses and gratifications (U&G) is a media use paradigm from mass communications research that guides the assessment of consumer motivations for media usage and access. It has been used previously in research and decision making related to the promotion of emerging radio and television media. Recent adaptations of U&G research to the Internet are incomplete and have not identified important new Internet-specific gratifications. This paper empirically derives dimensions of consumer Internet use and usage gratifications among customers of a prominent Internet Service Provider (ISP). Results describe three key dimensions related to consumer use of the Internet, including process and content gratifications as previously found in studies of television, as well as an entirely new social gratification that is unique to Internet use. All three dimensions of gratification are relevant to managing the Internet as a commercial medium, and measures developed from the gratification profiles identified here can serve as trait-valid scales in future Internet and e-commerce research.
Comparative sequence and immunochemical analyses of murine monoclonal anti-morphine antibodies

Abstract A more complete characterization is given for four previously reported anti-morphine monoclonal antibidies that bind the hapten with high affinity and to which anti-idiotypic antibodies have been raised that mimic opiates at receptor binding sites. The variable (V) region nucleotide sequences of the heavy (H) and light (L) chains of these murine antibodies have been determined by direct sequencing of the poly(A) + mRNAs using specific oligonucleotide primers and dideoxynucleotide chain-termination, and the deduced amino acid sequences are compared. The primary sequences predicted for the V H segments of 10C3 and 11C7 antibodies are closely associated with the V H IIIB subgroup of mouse H-chain (80 to 82% homology), while those for the V-regions of 3B9 and 12D4 H-chains correlate well with the V H IIC subgroup (64 to 67% homology). The 11C7, 10C3, 3B9 and 12D4 hybridoma cell lines use J H 1, J H 2, J H 3 and J H 4 DNA segments, respectively. Since considerable variations in length and primary sequence in the CDR3 (complementarity determining region) peptides of all the H-chains are evident, conservation of the D-region structure does not appear to be necessary for effective hapten binding. However, sequence homologies of the CRD2 regions of all the antibodies indicate that residues Glu H-50, Ile H-51, Pro H-52a and Tyr H-59 are conserved, and that these segments may be more critically involved in binding than the other H and L-chain hypervariable regions. The marked V L sequence homology, greater than 93%, among the L-chains and consensus lambda sequence, suggests derivation from a similar or identical V L germ-line gene. The L-chain J-region peptides for all the antibodies are classified J L 1 and no V L -J L junctional diversity was apparent. The antimorphine antibody L-chains are apparently generated by the joining of a specific J-gene segment to a single germ-line V-gene segment, and minor sequence variations are the result of somatic mutations within the coding region. The leader sequence for one of the H-chains was determined. The inhibition of morphine binding by phenoxybenzylation or iodination of the affinity-purified immunoglobulins indicates the involvement of a single tyrosyl residue within or close to the antibody-combining site for the opiate. This conclusion is supported by the sequence data and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements reported in the accompanying paper, in which the results are used to interpret nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on one of the ligand-antibody systems. The possible importance of additional contact amino acids, tryptophan, aspartic and/or glutamic acids, is discussed.
In-Home Training and the Production of Children's Human Capital

This paper adapts the idea of on-the-job training (OJT) to investments that families make in children before formal schooling begins. Like OJT, in-home training occurs in informal settings, requires costly time inputs and is complementary with formal schooling. In addition to choosing among home production, leisure, and market work, parents also choose which particular home activities to pursue. That working mothers dramatically reduce the time they devote to leisure, sleep, and other home activities in order to preserve their time in human capital-building activities with children, illustrates and validates the home production framework.
Transmission of light waves through normal shocks.

We seek to characterize light waves transmitted through normal shock waves. The investigation is motivated by the need for a theory to support a shadowgraph experiment for flow in a convergent–divergent nozzle. In this experiment light beams are passed through the nozzle transverse to the direction of the flow in which a shock has formed in the vicinity of the throat. We present a formulation and an approximation that yield calculations of the intensity of transmitted waves. We also present experimental results to support the theory. The patterns predicted by the theory compare well with the patterns observed in experiments.