cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variables which predict maternal self-efficacy: A hierarchical linear regression analysis.

BACKGROUND Children with developmental disabilities tend to develop challenging behaviours. Parenting programmes that focus on behaviour management may help parents address these difficult behaviours by increasing parenting self-efficacy. However, the literature on parenting self-efficacy is still limited due to measurement variability in conceptualization and operationalization of the construct, and heavy reliance on cross-sectional data. METHOD This study utilized hierarchical linear regression to examine the predictors of parenting self-efficacy in 284 mothers who attended a parenting programme in a hospital's Department of Child Development in Singapore. RESULTS Our model was able to explain 37% of variance in parenting self-efficacy. After controlling for general stress and specific parenting hassles, the programme was still found to be effective in improving mothers' parenting self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS Results are discussed in terms of their implications for developing a model for parenting self-efficacy, and possible improvements to be made on the parenting programme.
Visualizing the acoustic and gestural beats of emphasis in multimodal discourse: Theoretical and pedagogical implications

Abstract Perceivers’ attention is entrained to the rhythm of a speaker’s gestural and acoustic beats. When different rhythms (polyrhythms) occur across the visual and auditory modalities of speech simultaneously, attention may be heightened, enhancing memorability of the sequence. In this three-stage study, Stage 1 analyzed videorecordings of native English-speaking instructors, focusing on frame-by-frame analysis of time-aligned annotations from Praat and Anvil (video annotation tool) of polyrhythmic sequences. Stage 2 explored the perceivers’ perspective on the sequences’ discourse role. Stage 3 analyzed 10 international teaching assistants’ gestures, and implemented a multistep technology-assisted program to enhance verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Findings demonstrated (a) a dynamic temporal gesture-speech relationship involving perturbations of beat intervals surrounding pitch-accented vowels, (b) the sequences’ important role as highlighters of information, and (c) improvement of ITA confidence, teaching effectiveness, and ability to communicate important points. Findings support the joint production of gesture and prosodically prominent features.
Deciphering bacterial signalling

Bacterial communication is a potential strategy to control bacterial behaviours and thus, attenuate pathogen infectivity; however, identifying the signalling molecules that regulate communication pathways is challenging. Now, a robust strategy to rapidly identify previously unknown signalling peptides has been developed. This approach provides a means to map out and decipher bacterial signalling mechanisms.
Mycobacterium marinum (balnei)

In 1954, Linell and Norden first isolated and identified M. marinum as the specific agent for a characteristic disease of the skin that was associated with swimming pools. They established the source of the infection as bacterial colonies in rough cement and described a specific response in animals as well as the histological and immunological results of human infection.229
Second and Third Language Learners' Sensitivity to Japanese Pitch Accent Is Additive: An Information-Based Model of Pitch Perception.

This study examines second (L2) and third (L3) language learners’ pitch perception. We test the hypothesis that a listener’s discrimination of and sensitivity (d’) to Japanese pitch accent reflects how pitch cues inform all words a listener knows in an additive, nonselective manner rather than how pitch cues inform words in a selective, Japanese-only manner. Six groups of listeners performed a speeded ABX discrimination task in Japanese. Groups were defined by their L1, L2, and L3 experience with the target language’s pitch cues (Japanese), a language with less informative pitch cues (English), or a language with more informative pitch cues (Mandarin Chinese). Results indicate that sensitivity to pitch is better modeled as a function of pitch’s informativeness across all languages a listener speaks. These findings support cue-centric views of perception and transfer, demonstrate potential advantageous transfer of tonal-L1/L2 speakers, and highlight the cumulative role that pitch plays in language learning.
Fibrous dysplasia mimicking a pediatric endolymphatic sac tumor

Abstract A 15-year-old female presented for evaluation of progressive hearing loss over a year. Computed tomographic imaging revealed a 11 x 6 × 6 mm osseous lesion with 'groundglass' appearance within the left posterior petrous bone lateral to vestibular aqueduct suspicious for an endolymphatic sac tumor. Surgical excision revealed fibrous dysplasia on histological analysis. Fibrous dysplasia of the temporal bone is not uncommon, but few cases of extension causing sensorineural hearing loss exist in the literature. We describe the first reported case of fibrous dysplasia mimicking an endolymphatic sac tumor; interestingly, the patient also showed hearing improvement immediately following removal.
Generalized quadrature for finite temperature Green’s function methods

Abstract In electronic structure and quantum transport calculations, many physical quantities are integrations over the electron energy, weighted by the Fermi–Dirac distribution function. Green’s function based approaches commonly circumvent the numerically difficult real energy integration by extending the integrand analytically into the complex energy plane, and using a Gaussian quadrature integration over a complex energy contour for zero temperature. For finite temperatures, a much slower convergent sum over the Matsubara frequencies is necessary. We present a generalized quadrature method that uses orthogonal polynomials on the manifold of Matsubara frequencies to enable rapid convergence. Both Gaussian quadrature integration and Matsubara frequency summation methods are shown to be limiting cases of the generalized method. Tests on an all-electron ab initio code and total energy calculation of interacting Anderson impurity model show convergence with a small number of energy mesh points.
BacAv, a new free online platform for clinical back-averaging.

Abstract Objective The back-average technique is very useful to study the relation between the activity in the cortex and the muscles. It has two main clinical applications, Bereitschaftspotential (BP) recording and myoclonus studies. The BP is a slow wave negativity originating in the supplementary motor cortex and premotor cortex that precedes voluntary movements. This wave also precedes involuntary movements in functional movement disorders (FMD), and it can be used as a helpful diagnostic tool. For the myoclonus studies, the back-average technique is very important to help localizing the source of the myoclonus. The hardware needed to do BP or myoclonus studies is standard and available in any electrophysiology lab, but there are not many software solutions to do the analysis. In this article together with describing the methodology that we use for recording clinical BPs and myoclonus, we present BacAv, an online free application that we developed for the purpose of doing back-average analysis. Methods BacAv was developed in “R” language using Rstudio, a free integrated development environment. The recommended parameters for the data acquisition for BP recording and myoclonus studies are given in this section. Results The platform was successfully developed, is able to read txt files, look for muscle bursts, segment the data, and plot the average. The parameters of the algorithm that look for the muscle bursts can be adapted according to the characteristics of the dataset. Conclusion We have developed software for clinicians who do not have sophisticated equipment to do back-averaging. Significance This tool will make this useful analysis method more available in a clinical environment.
A Model for the Formation of the Person-centered Dental Care Provider

Dental education continues to emphasize scientific knowledge and technical skills, yet research reveals that what matters most to patients is how we communicate and relate to them. How do we teach trainees communication and relational skills and continue to cultivate these skills throughout clinical practice? A comprehensive model for the formation of the patient-centered dental provider is proposed and is represented by the metaphor of a tree. The model is the fruit of interviews with dental patients, observation of dental professionals, and review of literature on patient-centered care, patient satisfaction and malpractice trends. Six core relational skills include: Introduce, Solicit, Listen, Empathize, Explain, and Power of the patient (ISLEEP) and are represented by the branches of the tree. Discerning how to respond to a patient, how to apply the ISLEEP skills, moment by moment, requires being present with a kind intention, the definition of mindfulness. Mindfulness practices, represented by water, cultivate the roots of the tree which are the four aspects of mindfulness: Equanimity, Attentiveness, Self-awareness, and Empathy (E.A.S.E). Rooted in mindfulness, the dental care provider responds with intelligent and kind action, or whole person care, enriching both patient and provider.
Examining coastal dynamics and recreational water quality by quantifying multiple sewage specific markers in a North Carolina estuary.

Abstract Fecal contamination is observed downstream of municipal separate storm sewer systems in coastal North Carolina. While it is well accepted that wet weather contributes to this phenomenon, less is understood about the contribution of the complex hydrology in this low-lying coastal plain. A quantitative microbial assessment was conducted in Beaufort, North Carolina to identify trends and potential sources of fecal contamination in stormwater receiving waters. Fecal indicator concentrations were significantly higher in receiving water downstream of a tidally submerged outfall compared to an outfall that was permanently submerged (p
The role of naps in memory and executive functioning in early childhood

While sleep, including naps, has been shown to benefit many cognitive functions in adults, understanding whether naps are beneficial in early childhood has important translational implications. Here we review recent studies which, collectively, suggest that naps indeed benefit cognition at this age. Specifically, declarative, motor, and emotional memory are better if a nap follows learning. Executive functions such as attention and emotion processing are likewise better following sleep. However, a better understanding of the mechanism supporting these benefits and the generalizability to other forms of learning and executive functions is necessary. It is important for future research to extend such findings, which may promote the use of naps to support early education, particularly for learning-impaired children.
Temperature Coefficient of Resonance Frequency (TCf) of β-Ga 2 O 3 Nanomechanical Resonators

We report on the first experimental characterization of temperature coefficient of resonance frequency (TCf) of beta gallium oxide (β-Ga 2 O 3 ) nanomechanical resonators. We fabricate β-Ga 2 O 3 doubly-clamped resonators by delivering very thin β-Ga 2 O 3 nanobelts to prefabricated microtrenches using a dry transfer technique. We observe dual-mode resonances up to 23MHz in a β-Ga 2 O 3 resonator operating as a beam verified by elasticity model. We extract TCfs of these modes to be from -720 to -1710 ppm/°C. The study of temperature dependent multimode responses of β-Ga 2 O 3 nanomechanical resonators provides important information for the development of β-Ga 2 O 3 devices toward sensing, and for thermally engineered designs toward power and signal processing applications.
Research for Practice: Tracing and Debugging Distributed Systems; Programming by Examples: Expert-curated Guides to the Best of CS Research

This installment of Research for Practice covers two exciting topics in distributed systems and programming methodology. First, Peter Alvaro takes us on a tour of recent techniques for debugging some of the largest and most complex systems in the world: modern distributed systems and service-oriented architectures. The techniques Peter surveys can shed light on order amid the chaos of distributed call graphs. Second, Sumit Gulwani illustrates how to program without explicitly writing programs, instead synthesizing programs from examples! The techniques Sumit presents allow systems to "learn" a program representation from illustrative examples, allowing nonprogrammer users to create increasingly nontrivial functions such as spreadsheet macros. Both of these selections are well in line with RfP’s goal of accessible, practical research; in fact, both contributors have successfully transferred their own research in each area to production, at Netflix and as part of Microsoft Excel. Readers may also find a use case!
A Redox-Active Tetrazine-Based Pincer Ligand for the Reduction of N-Oxyanions Using a Redox-Inert Metal.

The reaction chemistry of the bis-tetrazinyl pyridine ligand (btzp) towards nitrogen oxyanions coordinated to zinc is studied in order to explore the reduction of the NOx- substrates with a redox-active ligand in the absence of redox activity at the metal. Following syntheses and characterization of (btzp)ZnX2 for X=Cl, NO3 and NO2 , featuring O-Zn linkage of both nitrogen oxyanions, it is shown that a silylating agent selectively delivers silyl substituents to tetrazine nitrogens, without reductive deoxygenation of NOx-1 . A new synthesis of the highly hydrogenated H4 btzp, containing two dihydrotetrazine reductants is described as is the synthesis and characterization of (H4 btzp)ZnX2 for X=Cl and NO3 , both of which show considerable hydrogen bonding potential of the dihydrotetrazine ring NH groups. The (H4 btzp)ZnCl2 complex does not bind zinc in the pincer pocket, but instead H4 btzp becomes a bridge between neighboring atoms through tetrazine nitrogen atoms, forming a polymeric chain. The reaction of AgNO2 with (H4 btzp)ZnCl2 is shown to proceed with fast nitrite deoxygenation, yielding water and free NO. Half of the H4 btzp reducing equivalents form Ag0 and thus the chloride ligand remains coordinated to the zinc metal center to yield (btzp)ZnCl2 . To compare with AgNO2 , experiments of (H4 btzp)ZnCl2 with NaNO2 result in salt metathesis between chloride and nitrite, highlighting the importance of a redox-active cation in the reduction of nitrite to NO.
Frequent copy number increase of CCND1 or CDK4 in melanomas without mutations in BRAF and RAS genes

1671 The major etiologic factor for malignant melanoma is UV light. However, melanoma most commonly affects intermittently rather than chronically sun-exposed skin, and can also be found in sites that are substantially or completely sun-protected. We hypothesized that this variability could be explained by the existence of biologically and genetically distinct types of melanoma with different etiologic susceptibility to UV-light. We compared the DNA copy number status using array CGH and mutational status in BRAF and RAS genes of 126 primary melanomas arising in four UV exposure groups: skin with (n=30) and without (n=40) chronic sun damage; palms, soles and subungual (acral) sites (n=36); and mucosa (n=20). Using a supervised methodology we found significant differences in the frequencies of regional DNA copy number changes and mutation frequencies in BRAF between the four groups. Based on the copy number changes alone samples could be correctly classified into the four groups with 70% overall accuracy. In two-way comparisons, melanomas arising on skin with and without signs of chronic sun-damage could be correctly classified with 84% accuracy. Similarly acral could be distinguished from mucosal melanoma with 89% accuracy. Mutation in RAS genes occurred exclusively in samples without BRAF mutation and most commonly affected NRAS. Whereas 81% of melanomas on skin without chronic sun-damage had mutations in either BRAF or NRAS, the majority of melanomas in the other groups had mutations in neither gene (acral;67%, mucosal; 84%, CSD; 67%). Melanomas that were wild-type for BRAF and RAS genes showed common copy number increases by array CGH targeting down-stream components of the RAS-BRAF pathway such as CDK4 or CCND1. Amplifications of CDK4 and CCND1 were exclusive of each other. In addition we observed that BRAF but not RAS mutations were frequently paralleled by loss of PTEN, confirming the notion that activation of the PI3-Kinase pathway via PTEN loss or RAS mutation is an independent somatic target in primary melanoma. The divergent patterns of genetic alterations in melanomas of different anatomic sites and sun exposure patterns indicate distinct genetic pathways to melanoma with implications for the design of future clinical and experimental studies. The demonstration of the strong complimentarity of genetic alterations in BRAF, NRAS, CDK4 and CCND1 implicates CDK4 and CCND1 as independent oncogenes in melanomas wild-type for BRAF and NRAS.
Characterization of academic cardiothoracic surgeons who started as attendings in private or community practice.

Abstract Background Surgeons are traditionally categorized as working either in academic or private/community practice, but some transition between the two environments. Here, we profile current academic cardiothoracic surgeons who began their attending careers in private or community practice. We hypothesized that research activity may distinguish cardiothoracic surgeons who started in non-academic versus academic practice. Methods Publicly available data regarding professional history and research productivity were collected for 992 academic cardiothoracic surgeons on faculty at the 77 cardiothoracic surgery training programs in the United States in 2018. Data are presented as medians analyzed with the Mann-Whitney test or proportions analyzed with Fisher exact test or the χ2 test. Results A total of 80 (8.1%) academic cardiothoracic surgery faculty started their careers in non-academic practice, and 912 (91.9%) started directly in academia. Those who started in non-academic practice spent a median 7.0 y in private/community practice and were more likely to be cardiac surgeons (68.8% vs 51.6%, P = .0132). They were equally likely to pursue a protected research fellowship (56.3% vs 57.0%, P = .9067) and publish research during training (92.5% vs 91.1%, P = .8374), but they published fewer total papers by the end of cardiothoracic surgery fellowship (3.0 vs 7.0, P = .0001) and fewer papers per year as an academic attending (0.8 vs 2.9, P Conclusion Transitioning from non-academic to academic practice is an uncommon but feasible pathway for interested cardiothoracic surgeons.
Xenos peckii's Compound Eye Structure Inspired Flat Microlens Array for Super-resolution Imaging

Inspired by compound eye structures found in insects, we demonstrate an ultrathin arrayed camera enabled by a flat multilevel diffractive microlens array for super-resolution visible imaging, with resolution improvement factor of 1.4 compared to the diffraction limit.
Entanglement-Structured LSTM Boosts Chaotic Time Series Forecasting

Traditional machine-learning methods are inefficient in capturing chaos in nonlinear dynamical systems, especially when the time difference Δt between consecutive steps is so large that the extracted time series looks apparently random. Here, we introduce a new long-short-term-memory (LSTM)-based recurrent architecture by tensorizing the cell-state-to-state propagation therein, maintaining the long-term memory feature of LSTM, while simultaneously enhancing the learning of short-term nonlinear complexity. We stress that the global minima of training can be most efficiently reached by our tensor structure where all nonlinear terms, up to some polynomial order, are treated explicitly and weighted equally. The efficiency and generality of our architecture are systematically investigated and tested through theoretical analysis and experimental examinations. In our design, we have explicitly used two different many-body entanglement structures—matrix product states (MPS) and the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA)—as physics-inspired tensor decomposition techniques, from which we find that MERA generally performs better than MPS, hence conjecturing that the learnability of chaos is determined not only by the number of free parameters but also the tensor complexity—recognized as how entanglement entropy scales with varying matricization of the tensor.
Slovenska “diaspora “v Združenih državah

Obravnavana je slovenska manjsina v ZDA, predvsem njeno stevilcno stanje, spreminjanje starostne sestave in narodno.stne zavesti, regionalna razporeditev, pomen za amerisko družbo, zavedanje povezanosti s prvotno domovino ter pomen nastanka slovenske države za okrepitev narodnostne zavesti ameriskih Slovencev.
Consistent Quantum Reasoning

Precise rules are developed in order to formalize the reasoning processes involved in standard non-relativistic quantum mechanics, with the help of analogies from classical physics. A classical or quantum description of a mechanical system involves a {\it framework}, often chosen implicitly, and a {\it statement} or assertion about the system which is either true or false within the framework with which it is associated. Quantum descriptions are no less ``objective'' than their classical counterparts, but differ from the latter in the following respects: (i) The framework employs a Hilbert space rather than a classical phase space. (ii) The rules for constructing meaningful statements require that the associated projectors commute with each other and, in the case of time-dependent quantum histories, that consistency conditions be satisfied. (iii) There are incompatible frameworks which cannot be combined, either in constructing descriptions or in making logical inferences about them, even though any one of these frameworks may be used separately for describing a particular physical system. A new type of ``generalized history'' is introduced which extends previous proposals by Omn\`es, and Gell-Mann and Hartle, and a corresponding consistency condition which does not involve density matrices or single out a direction of time. Applications which illustrate the formalism include: measurements of spin, two-slit diffraction, and the emergence of the classical world from a fully quantum description.
How to make real, constructive, progress in medicine

Rationale One's understanding of medical progress – what it is, how it is pursued and how it is assessed – may be deeply dependent on one's understanding of the metaphysics of medicine, and of diseases in particular. Aims and Objectives In this paper I present a new account of the nature of diseases, neither realist nor constructivist, and describe what progress in medicine looks like if we understand diseases in this way. Conclusions This new account, Constructive Realism, may provide a better account of medicine than either realism or constructivism.
Chemical Proteomic Technologies for Drug Target Identification

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemical proteomic technologies available for drug target identification. Proteomics is a revolutionary advent of genomic sequencing and the evolutionary extension of mass spectrometry to permit the analysis of peptides. Cross-referencing experimental data from peptide mass spectrometry with protein sequence databases allows proteins to be identified rapidly, reliably, and with high sensitivity. This chapter rationalizes the functional properties of drugs by finding out the specific proteins to which they bind. The challenge being addressed by newer methods has been successfully solved by using drugs of Edman degradation, affinity chromatography, and photoaffinity labeling. These included FK506, trichostatin, and p38 kinase inhibitors. Affinity capture and photoaffinity labeling have histories of nearly 50 years in biochemistry, while activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is a newcomer. Proteomic analytical methods have been utilized effectively with these methods for target capture and labeling, and each of these approaches makes a natural interface with protein identification based on mass spectrometry and sequence databases. the prospects for “reverse pharmacology” have been greatly improved, reviving the feasibility of completing the process of drug discovery when starting with a complex, intact biological system.
A Checklist of the Ahermatypic Scleractinia of the Gulf of Mexico, with the Description of a New Species

A brief chronology of discovery of the 54 ahermatypic Sclcractinia known from the Gulf of Mexico is presented. Of this total, 6 are new records for the Gulf. A checklist is provided for all species indicatinj; their Gulf distribution and their overall bathymetric range. One new species oiPoitrtalosmilia is described, which represents a new record for this genus in the western Atlantic.
Optimizing trajectory tracking of robots via concurrent design and control

The traditional way to optimize robot performance has been to improvise on the control law, and the effect of the robot design on the performance remains largely unexplored. This paper presents simulations which demonstrate that the design of the robot plays an important role in its achievable performance. This suggests that if the robot design and control law are simultaneously improvised better robot performance can be obtained. The need for a concurrent approach to robot design and control is thus highlighted.
Effect of leptin on metastatic potential of prostatic carcinoma

3900 Obesity has achieved epidemic proportions worldwide. Several lines of evidence indicate that obesity is a major risk factor for prostate cancer. Leptin is one of the major cytokines produced by adipocytes, and controls body weight homeostasis through food intake and energy expenditure. The rationale of the study was to determine the impact of obesity on the metastatic potential of prostatic carcinoma cells. We tested androgen sensitive (LNCaP) cells as well as androgen resistant (PC-3 and Du-145) cells for their ability to metastasize in the presence or absence of Leptin. Cellular proliferation was assessed by measuring the incorporation of [ 3 H]Thymidine. PC3, LNCaP or Du-145 cells were exposed to varying concentrations of Leptin ( 0 TO 200 ng) and DNA proliferation was measured after 144 hours of incubation. Leptin did not affect the proliferation of PC3 and Du-145 cell lines, but at higher concentrations (200 nM), LNCaP cells showed a significant increase ( 120 % of control, p 4 cells/ml), supplemented with 0.2% FBS and 0.02%BSA with or without different concentrations of Leptin. The cells were then plated onto the upper surface of the Transwell membrane inserts. Growth medium supplemented with 10% FBS and 0.02% BSA was added to the lower chamber. After 10h of incubation, cells present on the upper surface of the membrane were scraped off, and the cells that had migrated to the lower surface of the membrane were fixed, stained and counted using an inverted microscope. Exposure to Leptin caused a significant ( p
Preferences for Facial Profiles Between Mexican Americans and Caucasians

The objective of this study was to determine differences between Mexican American and Caucasian judges in the acceptability of lip protrusion in computer animations of two male and two female persons of Mexican descent. Thirty Caucasians and 30 Mexican Americans of varying age, sex, education, and level of acculturation responded to facial profile computer animations that moved lips from an extreme protrusive to an extreme retrusive position. Judges were asked to complete two tasks: (1) to press the mouse button when the image was perceived to be most pleasing (MP) and (2) to determine the boundaries of a zone of acceptability (ZA) of lip protrusion by pressing the mouse button when the moving image became acceptable and releasing it when the image of the protrusion became unacceptable. In general, Mexican Americans preferred upper or lower lip positions to be less protrusive than did Caucasians. Larger mean ZAs for both upper and lower lip positions with male computer animation images and lower lip position for female computer animation images were found among Caucasians when compared with low-acculturated Mexican Americans. A significant mean difference in midpoint of acceptability (MA) for lip position between Caucasians and low-acculturated Mexican Americans was observed for both upper and lower lip position with female computer animation images.
Fluorescent detection of differentially expressed cDNA using SYBR gold nucleic acid gel stain.

We describe herein a modified differential gene display (DGD) technique that can be rapidly and simply performed and that eliminates the need for radioactivity by fluorescent visualization of complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) bands with SYBR gold nucleic acid gel stain. To streamline the DGD procedure, a number of modifications were employed. Ribonucleic acid isolated from differentially treated populations of human trabecular bone-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells was reverse-transcribed into cDNA using oligo-dT primer, and subsequent amplification of differentially expressed cDNAs was done using arbitrary 25-mer primers and oligo-dT9 30-mer primers. Moderate-sized nondenaturing 6% polyacrylamide gels (30 × 20 cm) of 1.5-mm thickness were used for easier handling and increased sample loading capacity. Gels were subjected to electrophoresis overnight, stained with SYBR gold, and visualized and photographed using a commercially available gel imager. DNA bands ranging in size from 100 to 400 bp were visualized directly on an ultraviolet transilluminator, excised from the gel, and reamplified. The cDNA amplicons were subcloned, sequenced, and gene sequences were identified by a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool of genomic databases. Overall, this rapid and functional method proved quite effective for identification of novel genes that may be of interest in studies of cartilage and bone differentiation.
An applet to estimate the IOP-induced stress and strain within the optic nerve head.

Purpose. The ability to predict the biomechanical response of the optic nerve head (ONH) to intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation holds great promise, yet remains elusive. The objective of this work was to introduce an approach to model ONH biomechanics that combines the ease of use and speed of analytical models with the flexibility and power of numerical models.
Changes in subjective risks of hurricanes as time passes: analysis of a sample of Katrina evacuees

Using a quasi‐field experiment, we report on subjects' perceptions of the risks of hurricanes. All experimental subjects were displaced by either Hurricane Katrina or Rita, in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast areas, except for a small control group consisting of people who live in central Texas. We examine their perceptions of risks just after the hurricanes occurred, and over one year later to evaluate the change in subjective risk perceptions over time. A latent risk model is estimated in which subjective probabilities of hurricane strike risk are represented as a function of respondents' demographic characteristics and experiences following the storms.
Transrectal ultrasonography for the detection and staging of carcinoma of the prostate

Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) has become the most frequently used imaging modality for the prostate. The internal architecture of the prostate is readily detailed by TRUS, and the procedure allows an accurate measurement of prostate size. Carcinoma of the prostate has a characteristic hypoechoic pattern which is sometimes distinct from the normal echo pattern of the peripheral portion of the prostate. TRUS does not have sufficient sensitivity and specificity to support its use for routine screening for prostate cancer. In men with an abnormality of either digital rectal palpation of the prostate or serum prostate specific antigen, TRUS is useful for directing prostate biopsy. Transrectal core biopsies are obtained under ultrasound direction, and precise placement of the biopsy needles can be accomplished using TRUS.
Recognition and catalysis in nucleic acid chemistry.

Abstract The enzyme ribonuclease A catalyzes the cleavage of RNA, using the imidazole groups of histidine-12 and histidine-119 as its principal catalytic groups. Model studies show that RNA can be cleaved by imidazole buffer itself and that, as in the enzyme, a bell-shaped pH vs. rate profile is seen. This indicates that one imidazole functions as a base, while the other, as the imidazolium ion, functions as an acid. However, in contrast to the enzymatic case, the simple model uses the imidazoles in sequential, rather than simultaneous, bifunctional catalysis. Mechanistic studies on this reaction and on the reactions of simple dinucleotides catalyzed by imidazole and other buffers establish the details of the process. The results let us propose a mechanism for the enzymatic process different from the standard one; they also stimulated us to design an improved mimic of the enzyme that uses a mechanism like that proposed for the enzyme. Critical to the mechanistic studies is observation of the rearrangement of normal 3',5'' RNA nucleotides to the 2',5'' isomers. This led us to investigate the properties of DNA isomers in which a 2',5'' link also replaces the normal 3',5'' one. The results indicate that poor base stacking in a double helix with such links makes them less suitable as genetic units.
BI batch manager: a system for managing batch workloads on enterprise data-warehouses

Modern enterprise data warehouses have complex workloads that are notoriously difficult to manage. An important problem in workload management is to run these complex workloads 'optimally'. Traditionally this problem has been studied in the OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) context where MPL (Multi Programming Level) is used as a knob to achieve optimality. However, MPL is a tricky knob in a BI (Business Intelligence) scenario, since a low MPL can easily result in underload and a high MPL can easily result in overload and 'thrashing'.In this work we present BI Batch Manager, a workload management system to run batches of queries 'optimally' on an Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). It is comprised of three components: an admission control component, a scheduler and an execution control component. In order to automatically avoid underload and overload, we introduce a novel execution control mechanism, PGM (Priority Gradient Multiprogramming). In PGM, a priority gradient is created for the workload, with each query running at a distinctly different priority level. We demonstrate that this stabilizes the execution of a workload across a wide operating range. We use memory as the controlling factor for our admission control policy -- admitting batches of queries such that their memory requirement equals the available memory on the system. Our scheduling policy of largest memory query as the highest priority query further stabilizes the execution.We validate our BI Batch Manager using varying workloads on a commercial, enterprise class DBMS. We show that it effectively avoids underload and overload (thrashing) and can automatically run BI workloads with 'optimal' performance.
The Role of cosB, the Binding Site for Terminase, the DNA Packaging Enzyme of Bacteriophage λ in the Nicking Reaction

Abstract cosB is the binding site for terminase, the DNA packaging enzyme of phage λ, and cosN is the adjacent site at which terminase introduces staggered nicks to generate mature λ DNA molecules. There are three binding sites (R3, R2 and R1) within cosB for gpNu1, the small subunit of terminase. A particular transition mutation of R1, known to weaken binding of gpNu1 to R1, has been introduced into the other R sites, and in the present work the effects of R site mutations on nicking of cosN have been examined. Nicking experiments performed in the presence of ATP suggest that the most profound cosB mutation tested (the R3-R2-R1- mutation) would, at most, reduce cos nicking to ≃30% of the level observed for the wild-type substrate. In the presence of ATP, the R3-R2-R1- mutation had no significant effect on terminase nicking of the l strand and reduced r-strand nicking to 35% of the wild-type level. The other cosB mutations had no effect on the nicking of either DNA strand when nucleotide was added, but in the absence of ATP, most of the cos mutations resulted in some form of cosN nicking defect; the nicking defects, however, are milder than the in vivo packaging defects that result from the mutations. Quantitatively, only the effect of the R3-R2-R1- mutation on in vitro cosN nicking is reflective of the growth defect exhibited by a R3-R2-R1- phage but the nicking defect is only observed when ATP is omitted from the reaction. The proposal that the cosB mutations primarily affect DNA packaging rather than cosN nicking is discussed. All of the cosB mutations affect r-strand nicking to a greater extent than l-strand nicking, implying that the interaction of terminase with the left half of cosN occurs via the direct recognition of cosNL by terminase. The level of DNA substrate required for half-maximal cos nicking is approximately equivalent for reactions performed in the presence or absence of ATP, indicating that ATP does not increase the affinity of terminase for cosB . ATP does accelerate the rate of cos nicking, suggesting that the role of ATP in promoting nicking of the cosB- DNAs is primarily to increase the rate of conversion of a cosN-terminase complex into product. A possible fourth R site, R4, is located on the other side of cosN from cosB. The R4- mutation was found not to have any apparent effect on the ability of terminase to nick either DNA strand in the presence or absence of ATP.
Neuroethological assessment of amphetamine-induced behavioral changes and their reversal by neuroleptics: Focus on the amygdala and nucleus accumbens

Abstract 1. 1. An ethological approach was combined with intracerebral infusions of amphetamine to broaden understanding of how this drug acts on mesolimbic neuronal systems to alter behavior. 2. 2. Rats, tested in sets of three, were allowed to interact with each other or with various novel objects in an open-field arena. Specific behavioral responses were assessed and grouped into several broad categories: motivation (movement directed toward novel objects), social (movement involving contact with other rats), and motor (movement without obvious direction toward environmental stimuli) as well as no movement (quiet rest). 3. 3. Infusion of d-amphetamine (10 μg/μl) into either the amygdala or nucleus accumbens elevated motor behavior relative to control rats in the set, but only amygdaloid infusions also increased the motivation score. Intra-amygdaloid clozapine or haloperidol blocked the increase in this score, but only clozapine also blocked the motor effects of intra-amygdaloid amphetamine. 4. 4. Although neither neuroleptic in the accumbens blocked the amphetamine-induced increase in the motor category, both clozapine and haloperidol lowered the motivation score below the amphetamine level. 5. 5. The results suggest a role for the amygdala in the motivational component of amphetamine-induced behavioral effects. Both neuroleptics, moreover, appear to reverse this component perhaps by acting via either amygdaloid or accumbal mechanisms. Although follow-up studies are warranted, a neuroethological approach is likely to shed new light on the neuronal systems underlying the complex behavioral changes induced by amphetamine and related stimulants.
Plaque disruption and the acute coronary syndromes of unstable angina and myocardial infarction: If the substrate is similar, why is the clinical presentation different?☆

In a majority of instances, both unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction occur secondary to plaque disruption and thrombus formation. Although the pathogenetic substrates are similar the clinical presentations are quite different. It is hypothesized in this editorial review that the amount of acute thrombus formation and specifically fibrin deposition is greater in myocardial infarction than in unstable angina. Both angiographic studies and studies analyzing the response to thrombolytic agents suggest more thrombus in myocardial infarction than in unstable angina. These data have recently been substantiated by angioscopic observations in these acute syndromes suggesting that more platelet-rich (whitish) thrombus occurs in unstable angina and more red thrombus in myocardial infarction. The red thrombus presumably would be more responsive to thrombolytic agents. Furthermore, it is proposed that these differences between syndromes in acute thrombus formation can be explained by the interplay of vessel wall injury, coagulation variables or stasis of blood flow occurring at or after the time of presentation. Therefore, acute myocardial infarction is associated with occlusive, fibrin-rich thrombus, whereas in unstable angina, the thrombus is nonocclusive, mural and possibly more platelet-rich. However, the clinical syndrome that ultimately develops after plaque disruption is dependent not only on the amount of acute thrombus formation but on the net result of all factors that influence the balance between coronary blood supply and myocardial oxygen demand.
Effect of moisture content of carrot slices on the fat content, carotenoid content, and sensory characteristics of deep-fried carrot chips

: Our objective was to develop a reduced-fat deep-fried carrot chip. Moisture contents of the carrot slices were altered, and fat uptake and quality parameters were measured. Decreasing moisture content of carrot slices significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the yield, hue∘ value, and fat uptake, and increased the redness value, which correlated with increased carotenoid content, but did not influence chip lightness, yellowness, water activity, and moisture content. Removing 50% of the initial moisture content of the carrot slices decreased the chips' fat content from 57% to 38.5%. Adjusting the moisture level of the carrot slices appears to influence fat uptake and carotene content of deep-fried carrot chips.
Re-masculating the Vampire: Conceptions of Sexuality and the Undead from Rossetti's Proserpine to Meyer's Cullen

This paper explores the relationship between sexuality and the undead from Victorian England to present day vampire narratives. Specifically, I examine the shift in the vampire narrative from the frightening Dracula to the extremely sexualized nature of vampires in the early twenty-first century. My results are concerned with the nature and exchange of fluids between vampire bodies and their victims (or lovers) and the power associated with that exchange. My conclusion implies that re-masculating the vampire is a return to a patriarchal dominant discourse promulgates the heteronormative status quo, unlike their early predecessors, which tend to undermine heteronormative sexuality. “Those Victorians always coupled sex with death,” writes Margaret Atwood in a recent short story published in The New Yorker. This particular comment comes at the conclusion of the story, after an elderly woman exacts fatal revenge on her childhood rapist, whom she encounters on a booze cruise for seniors. As Atwood notes, the Victorians were always coupling sex and death, and they had good reason: sex was scary. Without modern medicine, childbirth was risky and infant mortality was high. Further, diseases like syphilis and other venereal diseases posed an additional threat that could be fatal. The Victorian vampire is a spot-on literary manifestation of these fears. Penetration by the vampire could leave the victim dead. But the Victorian vampire is not solely a manifestation of sex and death. By disrupting the normative sexual discourse, it also reveals a fear of a lack of heteronormative sexuality. Examining the vampiric sexual bodies in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, J. Sheridan La Fanu’s “Carmilla,” and three modern interpretations of the vampire: Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, the television show True Blood, and Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, reveals a shift in the nature of the vampire narrative. The Victorians are not the only ones who are always coupling sex with death. The recent Twilight phenomena, shows (and books) like True Blood, and even modern horror movies like Friday the 13th (in which a young woman is staked through the breasts post-coitus by a set of deer antlers) seem to demonstrate that over 100 years later we are still coupling sex and death. One of the oldest couplings of sex and death, and one of literature’s first undead, is Persephone. Ovid appropriately titles it “The Rape of Proserpine.” Hades “swept her away, so impatient in passion. In panic, Proserpina desperately cried for her mother and friends [...] her dress had been torn at the top” (Ovid 5.395-400). Hades then takes her to the underworld where she eats the six pomegranate seeds that destine her to return every year to the underworld. This functional narrative explains that Ceres/Demeter (her mother) is so upset by the yearly loss of her daughter 1 Schuck: Conceptions of Sexuality and the Undead from Rossetti's Proserpine to Meyer's Cullen
The Research on the Method of Simulating Crack Size Based on Reducing Local Structural Stiffness

When conducting modal analysis to the structure with crack defect using ansys finite element, we usually adopt the method of cutting a rectangular notch to simulate the crack on the model structure. As a result, the different crack simulation requires repeated modeling, which is a waste of time, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the calculation. In this paper, mathematical model between the local stiffness and crack size is established based on the finite element simulation of a diameter of 8mm steel bar. Thus, we can simulate varisized crack defects through a fixed crack notch by the method of modifying local stiffness. The method we used is more simple and accurate than the traditionary one by cutting a rectangular notch to form cracks, and reduces the workload, and has certain research significances.
Brief Overview and Assessment of the Role and Benefits of Cognitive Rehabilitation

Cognition is one of our most important attributes. Arresting its decline, whether in association with normal aging or a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, acquired brain injury, or dementia, concerns everyone, regardless of whether their role is that of spouse, child, or clinician. This article provides a brief, and by necessity, somewhat superficial appraisal of the status of our knowledge of the benefits of cognitive rehabilitation in these conditions and the authors' assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. In summary, there is support for the belief that participation in exercise as well as socially and cognitively stimulating activities (whether or not rehabilitative in nature) is beneficial for all but perhaps those with the most severe dementia. Focused efforts at cognitive training/rehabilitation also appear potentially helpful but are best established for those with acquired brain injury. There are, however, caveats to this assessment. For example, cognitive retraining is resource and time intensive while, even for those most likely to benefit, its impact on their daily activities and quality of life remains unclear. In addition, responses to training may vary from person to person and are likely to be influenced by factors such as an individual's acceptance of the need for assistance. Future research may benefit from continued efforts to treat the patient holistically, fit the treatment to those most likely to benefit, and encouraging the translation of training effects to functioning in the real world.