cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing Parental Involvement of Special Education Students: The Creation of Smartphone-Friendly, Web-Based Legal and Procedural Resources

More than one out of every eight students in America is classified as having a disability under the provisions of IDEA (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010). Yet nearly every metric used to measure post-high school success (employment, independent living, post-high school education/training) shows the majority of students with disabilities do not succeed (NCES, 2010). The chief safeguard for special education students are their parents, who are explicitly written into nearly every aspect of the special education process. Research shows as parents become more involved and empowered in the special education process outcomes for students improve (Stoner et al., 2005), which underscores the importance of collaboration between parents and educators (Fish, 2006). Goodall and Bruder (1986) emphasized that educators seek and use parental knowledge because no one knows a child better than his or her parent. Unfortunately, parents in many cases do not possess the confidence with legal and procedural knowledge they need to assert their role in the special education process. The result of this creative project was the creation and evaluation of a smartphonefriendly, special education law and procedure website for the parents of special education students. The text of the website outlines the broad aspects of Utah special education law and procedure (i.e. child find, referral for evaluation, testing and eligibility process, the 13 disability classes, the IEP process, and manifestation determination) and has an 8.2 readability level as measured by the Flesch-Kincaid readability measure. First round feedback was provided by three special education evaluators on the text’s clarity, accuracy, and completeness. Revisions were made and a second round of three special education evaluators reviewed the text and found it to be clear, accurate, and complete. Six parent evaluators found the website easy to use and the text
Hybrid combination of tri-band isolation circuits based on conventional and double-Lorentz transmission lines for quadruplexers

Tri-band isolation circuits based on conventional transmission lines (TLs) and double-Lorentz (DL) TLs are proposed and studied. The quadruplexer composed with two types of isolation circuits has significant advantages. Because it uses less DL TLs than the quadruplexer previously studied (shown in Fig. 1(a)), it can be designed easily and demands less lumped components. Also, the advantages of the previous quadruplexer, i.e. no modification of filters and straightforward design process, remain in the proposed quadruplexer. For verifying the concept, a quadruplexer, of which center frequencies are 942.5 MHz, 1575 MHz, 2140 MHz, and 2450 MHz, is designed and fabricated. The measured results are well matched with the simulation results.
Capital Embodiment: A New View of Compensatory Education.

It is generally conceded by knowledgeable educators that compensatory education programs have exhibited dramatic success in only rare instances. The reasons for this condition are varied, and we do not wish to offer either a definitive analysis or a complete remedial prescription. However, it appears that this failure is due in substantial measure to an unwillingness to acknowledge the depth of deprivation to which the individual child has been subjected and an inability to focus upon him the massive resources necessary to make up the difference.
Logpolar sampling and normalization based on boundary crossing for handwritten numerals recognition

This paper presents a new logpolar sampling procedure for recognition of handwritten numerals. It is shown that this approach requires less computation than the logpolar sampling method employed by Duren and Peikari (1991). Furthermore, in addition to the ability of transforming rotational variation to translational variation, it can also reduce the scale variation. This logpolar sampling is used as a pre-processing stage in conjunction with various neural network structures. The results show that it can be used with a two layered sparsely connected neural network to obtain a better recognition rate than previous works. A normalization method based on boundary crossings is also introduced, it is shown that it requires even less computations than the logpolar sampling method and has the ability of reducing the deformation effect found in handwritten characters. Over 16500 character samples are used in conducting the experiments, recognition rates of 96.24% and 95.91% (96.9697% at 374th training epoch) are obtained using logpolar sampling and normalization method respectively with a 4:1 training/testing partition.
Protection in Good and Bad Times? The Turkish Green Card Health Program

This paper evaluates the equity and financial protection implications of the expansion of the Green Card (Yesil Kart) non-contributory health insurance program in Turkey during the growth years from 2003 to 2008. It also considers the program's protective impact during the economic crisis in 2009. The authors find that the rapid expansion of the program between 2003 and 2008 was highly progressive. It led to significant gains in coverage of the poor but offered limited financial protection as out-of-pocket expenditures even before the introduction of the program had been limited. Using a specialized welfare monitoring survey, fielded in 2009, the authors estimate the impact of the program on household level health care utilization during the first phase of the economic slowdown in Turkey. Using three different estimation techniques, they find that the Green Card program had a significantly positive impact on protecting health care utilization during the crisis.
Effects of Rootstock and Training System on Fruit Quality and Peel Nutrient Content in ‘d'Anjou’ Pears: II. Peel Nutrient Content

Abstract In a 3-year trial involving 28 ‘Bosc’ rootstock-training systems combinations, significant rootstock-training system induced differences occurred in all peel mineral elements measured for ‘Bosc’ pears. Significant combination X year interactions occurred in peel Ca and Fe. No one rootstock training system combination ranked either “highest” or “lowest” for nutrient content for all the elements evaluated.
Heterochromatic breaks move to the nuclear periphery to continue recombinational repair

Heterochromatin mostly comprises repeated sequences prone to harmful ectopic recombination during double-strand break (DSB) repair. In Drosophila cells, 'safe' homologous recombination (HR) repair of heterochromatic breaks relies on a specialized pathway that relocalizes damaged sequences away from the heterochromatin domain before strand invasion. Here we show that heterochromatic DSBs move to the nuclear periphery to continue HR repair. Relocalization depends on nuclear pores and inner nuclear membrane proteins (INMPs) that anchor repair sites to the nuclear periphery through the Smc5/6-interacting proteins STUbL/RENi. Both the initial block to HR progression inside the heterochromatin domain, and the targeting of repair sites to the nuclear periphery, rely on SUMO and SUMO E3 ligases. This study reveals a critical role for SUMOylation in the spatial and temporal regulation of HR repair in heterochromatin, and identifies the nuclear periphery as a specialized site for heterochromatin repair in a multicellular eukaryote.
Properties of TiAlON/Spinel Ceramic Composites

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is investigating composites in the system TiN/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/AlN as potential substitutes for critical and strategic materials. Electrical and physical property data, including oxidation resistance, hardness, strength, and fracture toughness of a titanium-aluminum-oxynitride (TiAlON) aluminum oxynitride spinel composite are presented. The relationship between material properties, composition, phases, and processing parameters is discussed. The effects of additives such as yttria, lanthana, and ceria are also presented. TiAlON/spinel composites exhibit variable strength and electrical resistivity dependent on composition. 7 refs.
ACCURACY OF ROENTGENOLOGIC EXAMINATION IN DETECTING CARCINOMA OF THE COLON.

A study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of the barium-enema examination in detecting carcinoma of the colon. It was divided into two parts, one to determine the accuracy of barium-enema examinations in proved cases of carcinoma of the colon and the second to determine the likelihood of false-positive reports of carcinoma based on such examinations.
A numerical study of nonisothermal resin flow in RTM with heated uniaxial fibers

A numerical model is developed to study the flow of a thermoset resin parallel to a unidirectional, heated fiber array, where the resin viscosity varies with temperature. Steady, incompressible flow is assumed when solving the momentum equation for the velocity parallel to the fiber tow. Resin temperatures are determined by applying a finite differencing scheme to the convective energy equation. An iterative approach is used to update the velocity, temperature, and viscosity in the flow direction. The resulting nonisothermal flow profiles are 'plug-like" with significant increases in the velocities near the fibers. Comparisons of average total flow times for isothermal and nonisothermal flows indicate that, for an epoxy resin at an initial 250C and the fibers heated to 100°C. the fill time is equivalent to the isothermal case with the resin held at a constant 50°C.
Risk of Mortality Related to Widowhood in Older Mexican Americans

Purpose To examine the risk and correlates of mortality after death of a spouse and whether mortality risk varies by sex. Methods Prospective cohort study (1993 to 2000) of 1693 Mexican Americans ages 65 years and older who were married at baseline. Mortality was confirmed by matching records with the National Death Index or through proxy report. Risk of death related to incidence of widowhood was estimated by using proportional hazard regression and adjusted for age, education, US nativity, financial strain, social support, health behaviors, medical conditions, disability, and depressive symptoms. Results In the unadjusted Cox hazard analysis, widowed men are significantly more likely to die (HR = 2.32, CI = 1.48 to 3.61), but loss of spouse has no significant effect on the subsequent risk of death for widowed women (HR = 1.50, CI = 0.90 to 2.49). After adjustment for covariates known to influence survival, the association between widowhood and mortality in men remained significant, but the magnitude of the association decreased by 26%, which suggests a partial mediation effect of these factors on survival. The trajectory of the survival curve shows that the risk of death associated with widowhood is highest within the first 2 years. Conclusions Widowhood in older Mexican American men is a risk factor for mortality.
Who does that anyway? Predictors and personality correlates of cyberbullying in college

Less is known about cyberbullying behaviors in college populations because studies on this topic traditionally have focused on adolescent populations, have not measured correlates of this behavior within college samples, or have methodological weaknesses limiting their findings. By using a more comprehensive measure of cyberbullying behaviors and examining what is associated with its occurrence, the current study aims to extend the knowledge about cyberbullying behaviors in college. Results showed that approximately 52% of college students report engaging in cyberbullying behaviors and indicated that victims of CBB and individuals high on a subclinical measure of psychopathy were more likely to report having engaged in CBB. It was also found that victims of CBB, men, and individuals high on subclinical psychopathy engaged in a wider range of cyberbullying behaviors. Age was the only factor associated with a decrease in CBB.
Differences in inter-hemispheric variance in brain responses of attentive and inattentive human subjects.

Human Ss were exposed to light flashes under passive viewing conditions and under conditions calling for discriminative responses. Average evoked responses and the variances of these AERs were recorded from corresponding areas of the two hemispheres. The major finding is that, under attentive viewing, the two hemispheres respond with nearly equivalent variance whereas, under passive viewing, inter-hemispheric variance is markedly asymmetrical. Implications are discussed briefly.
Use of and beliefs about total body photography and dermatoscopy among US dermatology training programs: An update

Background Total body photography (TBP) and dermatoscopy are imaging techniques used to treat patients with pigmented lesions. Objective We sought to describe use, training, logistics, and beliefs about these tools among residency programs and to assess changes during a 10-year period. Methods Surveys were sent to all directors (n = 111) and chief residents (n = 109) of US dermatology training programs. Results A total of 83 (74.8%) attendings answered the questionnaire. In all, 59 (71.1%) reported using TBP, an 11.9% increase (P = .2484) over the past decade. Reasons for using TBP included: reduces patient anxiety (81.4%), helps detect early melanoma (78.0%), and leads to fewer biopsies (66.1%). Logistical (79.2%) and financial (45.8%) constraints were reasons for not using TBP. Seventy respondents (84.3%) reported using dermatoscopy, a 40.0% increase (P = .0001) over the 10-year period. Reasons for dermatoscopy use were consistent over time: helps find melanoma in curable stage (75.7%), reduces patient anxiety (61.4%), and leads to fewer biopsies (57.1%). The most common reason for not using dermatoscopy remained lack of training (38.5%). A total of 92 (84.4%) residents completed their survey, of which 41 (44.6%) and 81 (88.0%) reported using TBP and dermatoscopy, respectively. In all, 62 (67.4%) and 79 (85.9%) respondents would prefer additional training in TBP and dermatoscopy, respectively. Limitations Results may not be applicable to the general dermatology community. Conclusions Use of dermatoscopy among residency programs has increased significantly during the last decade. A more modest increase in the use of TBP was observed. Barriers to diffusion of these technologies into practice persist, including insufficient logistics and training.
A simple description of vibrational predissociation by a full-collision approach

A simple theoretical model is described for vibrational predissociation. The model, which is based on a full-collision approach, predicts the dependence of the rates on the initial quantum number and focuses on the importance of the repulsive force along the van der Waals coordinate. Picosecond state-to-state rates are measured for I_2He (and I_2Ne) in different quantum numbers of the I_2 and I_2He coordinates, and the results are compared with the results of the model.
Acid-Catalyzed Isomerization of Rhenium Alkyne Complexes to Rhenium Allene Complexes via 1-Metallacyclopropene Intermediates

The alkyne complexes C{sub 5}Me{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re({eta}{sup 2}-MeC{triple_bond}CMe) (1) and C{sub 5}H{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re({eta}{sup 2}-MeC{triple_bond}CMe) (6) underwent acid-catalyzed isomerization by way of 1-metallacyclopropene intermediates to form the allene complexes C{sub 5}Me{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re({eta}{sup 2}-2,3-MeHC{double_bond}C{double_bond}CH{sub 2}) (5) and C{sub 5}H{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re({eta}{sup 2}-2,3-MeHC{double_bond}C{double_bond}CH{sub 2}) (7). Stoichiometric reaction of 1 with CF{sub 3}CO{sub 2}H initially produced the kinetic addition product C{sub 5}Me{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re[{eta}{sup 2}-(Z)-MeHC{double_bond}CMeO{sub 2}CCF{sub 3}] (8-Z), which slowly isomerized to the thermodynamically more stable E isomer 8-E. The reaction of 6 with CF{sub 3}CO{sub 2}H at {minus}73 C produced only C{sub 5}H{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}Re[{eta}{sup 2}-(E)-MeHC{double_bond}CMeO{sub 2}CCF{sub 3}] (9-E), which isomerized at -60 C to a 80:20 equilibrium mixture of 9-E and 9-Z. Treatment of 9-E and 9-Z with base led to formation of allene complex 7. The rate of this elimination was independent of base concentration. Labeling studies showed that the 1-metallacyclopropene intermediate C{sub 5}H{sub 5}(CO){sub 2}({eta}{sup 2}-CMeCHMe){sup +}CF{sub 3}CO{sub 2}{sup {minus}} (12-CF{sub 3}CO{sub 2}) undergoes a number of important reactions which include, in order of decreasing relative rates: (1) addition of trifluoroacetate to give enol trifluoroacetate complexes, (2) deprotonation to give complexed allenes, (3) degenerate 1,2-hydride migrations, (4) hydride migrations to give {eta}{sup 3}-allyl complexes, and (5) deprotonation tomore » give complexed alkynes.« less
Cocaine Sensitivity in Borna Disease Virus-Infected Rats

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic RNA virus that infects warm-blooded animals to cause disturbances of movement and behavior. Studies in infected rats have demonstrated behavioral sensitivity to direct and indirect dopamine (DA) agonists; however, behavioral responses to an indirect DA agonist with a pure presynaptic effect have not been analyzed. Rats infected with BDV had an enhanced response to the locomotor, behavioral, and convulsant effects of cocaine at intraperitoneal doses of 7.5, 15, and 30 mg/kg. The basis for this sensitivity was examined by striatal DA uptake site and D1 and D2 receptor autoradiography. DA uptake sites, labeled with [3H] mazindol, were reduced in medial caudate-putamen (CP), and binding of [3H] raclopride to D2 sites was reduced in medial and ventral striatal areas. The topography of DA uptake and D2 site loss corresponds to the distribution of BDV viral nucleic acids in CP and overlays the medial striatal areas that function in conditioned reward. The BDV-infected rat provides a model of cocaine sensitivity based on viral central nervous system infection and may have relevance for studies of cocaine abuse in the context of other viral encephalopathies, such as those associated with HIV infection.
On the matched asymptotic solution of the Troesch problem

Abstract We present a composite expansion solution to the Troesch problem using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Our solution is uniformly valid for all n>0 and y⩾0 and, thus, subsumes Anglesio and Troesch's approximate solution for large n.
Description of the non-affine motions of dilute polymer solutions by the porous molecule model

Abstract The equations of porous molecule theory are solved to find the flow field near a polymer molecule. This is used to determine a scalar parameter which measures the non-affineness of the solvent flow. It is found that non-affineness is a function of a dimensionless permeability and is independent of the distribution of permeability in the molecule and of the molecular topology. Furthermore, non-affineness is an important contributing factor to many of the non-linear properties of polymer fluids. Results are also given for intrinsic viscosity and molecular friction factor for molecules with a uniform and Gaussian distribution of inverse permeability.
Prophage induction in Haemophilus influenzae and its relationship to mutation by chemical and physical agents

Abstract It is known that UV, X-rays, MMC and MMS are not mutagenic for H. influenzae , whereas HZ, EMS and MNNG are potent mutagens for this bacterium. All of these agents, however, are known to be both mutagenic and able to induce prophage in E. coli . We report here that all the agents except HZ induce prophage in H. influenza , and EMS even induces in the recombination-defective recl mutant, which is non-inducible by UV, MMC, MNNG and MMS. MMS did not cause single-strand breaks or gaps in DNA synthesized after treatment of H. influenzae , but EMS and MNNG produced them. EMS caused more breaks in DNA synthesized before treatment than in that synthesized after treatment. On the other hand we did observe such breaks or gaps induced in E. coli in DNA synthesized posttreatment by EMS as well as by MMS and MNNG, at comparable survival levels.
Metrics and Diagnostics for Precipitation-Related Processes in Climate Model Short-Range Hindcasts

AbstractIn this study, several metrics and diagnostics are proposed and implemented to systematically explore and diagnose climate model biases in short-range hindcasts and quantify how fast hindcast biases approach to climate biases with an emphasis on tropical precipitation and associated moist processes. A series of 6-day hindcasts with NCAR and the U.S. Department of Energy Community Atmosphere Model, version 4 (CAM4) and version 5 (CAM5), were performed and initialized with ECMWF operational analysis every day at 0000 UTC during the Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC). An Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) type of ensemble climate simulations was also conducted for the same period. The analyses indicate that initial drifts in precipitation and associated moisture processes (“fast processes”) can be identified in the hindcasts, and the biases share great resemblance to those in the climate runs. Comparing to Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations, model hindcasts produce ...
Dizocilpine and reduced body temperature do not prevent methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity in the vervet monkey: [11C]WIN 35,428 - positron emission tomography studies

Abstract [11C]WIN 35,428 (WIN), a cocaine analog that binds to the dopamine transporter (DAT), and positron emission tomography (PET) were used to evaluate the potential neuroprotective effects of dizocilpine (MK-801) on methamphetamine (MeAmp) induced neurotoxicity in the striatal dopamine system of the vervet monkey. MK-801 (1 mg/kg, i.m.) was administered 30 min prior to a neurotoxic MeAmp dosage for this species (2×2 mg/kg, 4 h apart); control subjects received MeAmp. MK-801 treated subjects were anesthetized by the drug for 6–8 h; throughout that period, a 2–3°C decrease in body temperature was measured. At 1–2 weeks post-MeAmp, decreases of ~75% in striatal WIN binding were observed for both MK-801/MeAmp and MeAmp subjects. Thus, in this non-human primate species, the combination of MK-801 pretreatment and reduced body temperature did not provide protection from the MeAmp-induced loss of DAT. Further, the absence of an elevated body temperature during the acute MeAmp exposure period indicated that hyperthermia, per se, was not a necessary concomitant of the MeAmp neurotoxicity profile as has been previously demonstrated in rodents. These results provide evidence that different regulatory factors maintain the integrity of the rodent and primate striatal dopamine systems.
Effect of parathyroid hormone (hPTH[1-84]) treatment on bone mass and strength in ovariectomized rats

Abstract Skeletal fragility in osteoporotic patients is a prominent underlying cause of low-trauma fractures of most bone sites in humans. Clinical research is now focused on developing treatment strategies, including anabolic agents such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), to recover osteoporosis-related bone loss. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (4.5 mos old) were allowed to become osteopenic for 10 wk postovariectomy. Eight rats were killed at the time of ovariectomy (-10 wk) as a baseline control; sham and ovariectomized (OVX) groups were killed at wk 0. Eight rats per group (sham, OVX + vehicle, OVX + hPTH [5 d/wk], and OVX + hPTH [3 d/wk]) were killed after 4, 8, 14, and 20 wk of treatment with 50 μg/kg of human parathyroid hormone (hPTH[1-84]). Bone mineral content and density were measured only in the vertebral body. Bone strength was evaluated in the vertebral body, femoral diaphysis, femoral neck, and distal femur. Significant, lasting osteopenia developed in the vertebral body of OVX rats by 10 wk postovariectomy. Bone mineral density of the vertebral body partially recovered by 8 wk and fully recovered to that seen in sham animals only by 20 wk posttreatment with either a 5 or 3 d/wk dosing schedule of PTH[1-84]. Therefore, hPTH[1-84] (50 μg/kg) given either 3 or 5 d/wk fully restores vertebral and femoral bone strength in osteopenic OVX rats.
Simulation of Residual Ash Formation During Pulverized Coal Combustion: Bimodal Ash Particle Size Distribution

Ash formation during pulverized coal combustion has been simulated using a Monte Carlo model to follow the ash coalescence and char fragmentation processes that govern the final particle size distribution. As a consequence of the competition between the particle breakup by fragmentation and the ash coalescence enhanced by the shrinking peripheral area with the progress of char reaction, a bimodal size distribution is obtained. A simplified two-column model is also presented in order to explain the influence of the ash redistribution scheme used in the model on the evolution of the bimodality.
Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Population-Based Study on Incidence and Survival in the United States, 1975 – 2008

BACKGROUND: With the introduction of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide, the management of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has changed dramatically. We performed a population-based study of APL in the United States to determine its incidence and relative survival (RS) during a 34-year period. METHODS: We identified 1397 patients diagnosed with APL between 1975 and 2008 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Patients were categorized into 4 age groups and 3 calendar periods. As a comparison, we also reviewed the outcome of APL patients treated at our institution during approximately the same time interval. RESULTS: The incidences of APL increased with time period and patient age. Short- and long-term RS improved with each calendar period, with the greatest improvement occurring between 1991 and 1999; 5-year RS rates were 0.18 for patients diagnosed in 1975-1990, 0.52 in 1991-1999, and 0.64 in 2000-2008. Age was an important predictor of survival. For example, the 5-year RS rate in patients diagnosed in 2000-2008 was 0.38 for patients aged ≥60 years and 0.73 and 0.75 for patients aged <20 years and 20-39 years, respectively. Similar treads of improvements in the survival were observed in APL patients treated at our institution. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of APL has increased, especially in the last decade. Clinical outcome improved remarkably in patients with APL diagnosed from 1991 to 1999, mainly because of the increased use of all-trans retinoic acid. Cancer 2012;. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Regional structural characterization of the brain of schizophrenia patients.

Abnormal neuro-development and brain structure may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. To study morphology and age-related changes in this disease, we started with a set of cranial MRI’s of 46 schizophrenia patients and age/gender matched healthy controls. First, we deformed a template brain image to our set of subject images. The Jacobian fields of these deformations were then reduced to sets of 52 normalized region volumes for each subject using a neuro-anatomical atlas. The normalized regional volumes of the control and patient groups were compared using Student’s t-test. In addition, the age correlation of each region volume was calculated for the two groups. All results were corrected for multiple comparisons using permutation testing. Finally, we used a classifier based on support vector machines and a feature selection method in order to determine our ability to discriminate brains of controls from those of patients. RESULTS: Analysis of the region-integrated Jacobians showed an enlargement of the third ventricle in patients. The age-correlation study demonstrated significant positive correlation in the third ventricle and right thalamus of controls, but not patients. Using an average of 6.5 features, our classifier was able to correctly identify 72% of patients and 70% of controls. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to enlargement of the third ventricle, the brains of schizophrenia patients demonstrate a different pattern of age-related changes.
Coated vesicles in the contractile vacuole/mating structure region of Chlamydomonas

Coated vesicles in the contractile vacuole/mating structure region of Chlamydomonas are described in this report. Low-temperature fusion experiments and thin-section electron microscopy reveal the following: (a) coated membrane vesicles formed during minus activation are supplied by the contractile vacuole. (b) Upon activation minus gametes form a protuberant mating tubule. (c) The site-specific contact between the minus tubule and the tip of the plus fertilization tube is characterized by the presence of coated vesicles in the adjacent cytoplasm and dense material underlying the membrane in each mating type. (d) In the fully activated minus gamete, coated membrane associates with the mating structure. Possible roles for coated vesicles are suggested.
Improving consultations between health-care professionals and older clients: Implications for pharmacists

Consultations between pharmacists and many clients are now federally mandated in the United States, but guidelines have not been developed for communication in this context. This article reviews research on communication between clients and health-care professionals in order to help develop recommendations for consultations between pharmacists and older clients. The review is organized around a collaborative approach to health communication, which identifies strategies by which speakers and listeners work together to achieve mutually defined goals. This approach is used to analyze cognitive processes underlying communication during pharmacist consultations. This review suggests that miscommunication often reflects a breakdown in collaboration between health-care professionals and clients. Recommendations are developed to improve collaboration, including suggestions for initiating consultations, presenting easy to understand messages, and monitoring to ensure that the messages are mutually understood. Most...
Morphological estimation of tip geometry for scanned probe microscopy

Abstract Morphological constraints inherent in the imaging process limit the possible shapes of the tip with which any given tunneling microscope or atomic force microscope image could have been taken. Broad tips do not produce narrow image protrusions. Therefore, feature sizes within the image may be used to place an upper bound on the size of the tip. In this paper, mathematical morphology is used to derive, for each point on an image, a corresponding bounding surface for the tip. The actual tip must be equal to or smaller than the largest tip which satisfies all of the constraints. Example calculations are performed, demonstrating that if the imaged specimen contains sharp features and high relief, the tip shape deduced by this method will be a good estimate of the actual one. Once known, the tip geometry can be “deconvoluted” from images to recover parts of the actual surface which were accessible to the tip.
The temperature coefficient of the refractive index of water.

A Jamin interferometer was used to measure the thermal coefficient of the refractive index of water for sodium light (λ=5893A) from −5°C to +25°C. From this was calculated the index-temperature curve over the same range. The results agree with those found by the Bureau of Standards for water within the experimental error, which is between 1×10−6 and 2×10−6 index unit per degree centigrade. No differences were found between samples of water from different sources, nor was any change observed in the same sample over periods of weeks. No anomalies or irregularities in behavior were found in the average dn/dT. The possibility of a small consistent difference between the dn/dT versus T curves taken with rising and falling temperatures near 0°C is still under investigation.
Clinical studies with transdermal nitroglycerin

The short- and long-term effects of various Nitro-Dur formulations on performance and hemodynamics were studied in 15 men with stable angina pectoris who also had a positive treadmill exercise test. A treadmill exercise score (TES) was used that quantified the "ischemic" ST segment response to exercise. The score incorporated information that reflected the rapidity of evolution of ST segment depression during exercise and the time required for it to resolve after cessation of exercise. In early tests (n = 10) Nitro-Dur improved both the TES (by 31%: p less than 0.0001) and the time required for 1 mm ST segment depression (by 33%: p less than 0.0001). At all dosage levels, Nitro-Dur also decreased resting systolic blood pressure and increased resting heart rate. No dose-response patterns emerged. Changes in TES and time to ST segment depression were greater with sublingual nitroglycerin than they were with Nitro-Dur. In tests conducted after prolonged dosage (n = 5), the effects of Nitro-Dur on blood pressure and heart rate became attenuated at weeks 2 and 4, although cardiac responsiveness was preserved, as reflected in the increased time required before the occurrence of 1 mm ST segment depression. The latter effect was also observed with sublingual nitroglycerin. The clinical relevance of these data to the design of individual patient therapy is discussed.
Laser Triggered Switching of a Pulsed Charged Oil Filled Spark Gap

A focused, Q‐spoiled laser, aligned along the interelectrode axis of a pulse charged switch assembly, was used to initiate the conduction of an overvolted transformer oil filled gap. Laser power varied between 5 and 200 MW and the voltage pulse exhibited a risetime of 500 nsec to a voltage of 700 kV. A parametric study of the factors affecting the delay between the laser pulse arrival at the gap and conduction of the gap was accomplished, in which the effects of the focal point location, laser power, switch polarity, and voltage on the gap at laser arrival were determined. Delay times as short as 12 nsec were recorded with jitter, a measure of reproducibility, in the low nanosecond region.
Dynamic polarization of lipid bilayers as a special case in the electrochemistry of liquid/liquid interfaces

Abstract Dynamically obtained current/voltage curves of bilayer lipid membranes partitioning a solution of lipophilic ions are compared with the results of the type expected in a voltammetry experiment involving ionic transport across a liquid/liquid interface. Lipophilic ions yielding “voltammograms” analogous to reversible and irreversible voltammograms (in conventional electrochemical systems) are reported. Also reported are examples of ions which yield what may be analogous to a masked response, a phenomenon known in the literature of liquid/liquid interfaces. Although the behavior of the two systems is similar, there exist differences in the interpretation of the voltammograms and suggestions are offered for an energetic and mechanistic interpretation of the membrane voltammogram.
Human immune responsiveness to Lolium Perenne pollen allergen Lol p III (Rye III) is associated with HLA-DR3 and DR5

Abstract A well-characterized allergen of Lolium perenne (perennial rye grass) pollen, Lol p III, has been used as a model antigen to study the genetic control of the human immune response. Associations between HLA type and IgE or IgG antibody (Ab) responsiveness to Lol p III were studied in two groups of skin-test-positive Caucasoid adults (N = 135 and 67). We found by nonparametric and parametric analyses that immune responsiveness to Lol p III was significantly associated with HLA-DR3 and DR5. No association was found between any DQ type and immune responsiveness to Lol p III. Geometric mean IgE or IgG Ab levels to Lol p III were not different between B8 + , DR3 + subjects and B8 − , DR3 + subjects, showing that HLA-B8 had no influence on the association. Lol p III IgG Ab data obtained on subjects after grass antigen immunotherapy showed that 100% of DR3 subjects and 100% of DR5 subjects were Ab + . A comparison of all the available protein sequences of DRB gene products showed that the first hypervariable region of DR3 and DR5 (and DRw6), and no other region, contains the sequence Glu 9 TyrSerThrSer 13 . Our observations are consistent with the possibility that immune responsiveness to the allergen Lol p III is associated with this amino acid sequence in the first hypervariable region of the DRβ 1 polypeptide chain.
Cardiovascular effects of lightning strikes.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lightning strikes on the cardiovascular system. Background. A lightning strike can attack its victims in one of three ways: direct hit, splash or ground strike. The cardiovascular system can be affected directly by mechanical or electrical trauma during a direct hit or can be indirectly affected through effects on the total body with extensive catecholamine release or autonomic stimulation. Reported effects include hypertension, tachycardia, nonspecific etectrocardiographic (ECG) changes including prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval, transient T wave inversion and myocardial necrosis with creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) fraction release. Methods. Nineteen victims from five separate lightning strikes were studied over a 2-month period. Each patient was evaluated by serial ECG, CK-MB determinations and echocardiography. Results. The early (0 to 72 h) effects of lightning were demonstrated on the ECG by ST segment elevation consistent with acute current of injury, prolonged QTc interval with direct hits and nonspecific ST and T wave changes. On echocardiography, segmental or global ventricular dysfunction was seen, and pericardial effusion was also detected. During the intermediate (3- to 14-day) period, new and ofter marked ECG changes consistent with pericarditis or ischemia were seen. No new echocardiographic changes were detected, however, and the early abnormalities including severe left ventricular dysfunction with cardiogenic shock have reversed. The late (1 to 12 months) period revealed only one patient with long-term sequelae (recurrent pericarditis that persisted for 5 months). Conclusions. Unless both entrance and exit sites are limited to the lower limbs, direct and splash lightning strikes cause myocardial damage as assessed by abnormal sernam enzyme determinetions or abnormal echocardiographic findings. Only direct hits resulted in echocardiographic abnormalities or a prolonged QTc interval. The degree of myocardial injury can be severe with left and right ventricular ejection fraction < 15% and can be reversible.
Design of stockless production systems

In make-to-stock production systems finished goods are produced in anticipation of demand. By contrast, in stockless production systems finished goods are not produced until demand is observed. In this study we investigate the problem of designing a multi-item manufacturing system, where there is both demand- and production-related uncertainty, so that stockless operation will be optimal for all items. For the problem of interest, we focus on gaining an understanding of the effect of two design variables: (i) manufacturing speed—measured by the average manufacturing rate or, equivalently, the average unit manufacturing time, and (ii) manufacturing consistency—measured by the variation in unit manufacturing times. We establish conditions on these two variables that decision makers can use to design stockless production systems. Managerial implications of the conditions are also discussed.
Vector fields simplification — a case study of visualizing climate modeling and simulation data sets

In our study of regional climate modeling and simulation, we frequently encounter vector fields that are crowded with large numbers of critical points. A critical point in a flow is where the vector field vanishes. While these critical points accurately reflect the topology of the vector fields, in our study only a subset of them is worth further investigation. We present a filtering technique based on the vorticity of the vector fields to eliminate the less interesting and sometimes sporadic critical points in a multiresolution fashion. The neighboring regions of the preserved features, which are characterized by strong shear and circulation, are potential locations of weather instability. We apply our feature filtering technique to a regional climate modeling data set covering East Asia in the summer of 1991.
Distribution Of Febrile Seizure Duration And Associations With Development

Objective: In prior studies of febrile seizures (FSs), prolonged FSs were defined, absent empirical evidence, as lasting 10 or 15 minutes or more. We assessed the distribution of FS duration in a cohort with first FSs, and the association between FS duration and baseline characteristics of the children. Methods: We calculated the observed cumulative probability, S(t), that a FS would last at least t minutes, S(t) = exp(−t/τ). Data were also fit using a model obtained as the sum of 2 exponential distributions (S[t] = αexp[−t/τ1] + [1 − α]exp[−t/τ2]). After assessing the best fit, the cutoff defining long FS was determined. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between long FSs and baseline characteristics, behavior, and development. Results: In 158 children with a first FS, median duration was 4.0 minutes. Duration of FS was best fit by a 2-component mixture exponential model. Using this model, we identified 1 population that accounts for 82.3% of FSs and has a mean duration of 3.8 minutes (short FS) and a second population that accounts for 17.7% of FSs and has a mean duration of 39.8 minutes (long FS). Long FSs were significantly associated with developmental delay (p = 0.010) and delays and younger age at first FS (p = 0.048). Interpretation: Like the distribution of afebrile seizure duration in children, the distribution of first FS duration is best modeled by assuming 2 populations. Developmental delay and younger age are associated with prolonged FSs. Our data lend further support to defining 10 minutes as the upper limit for a simple FS. ANN NEUROL 2011
Atomically flat gold on elastomeric substrate.

We present a procedure to fabricate extremely smooth Au films supported on thin elastomeric (PDMS) substrates. Minimum rms roughness and largest grain size are obtained using Si wafers, coated with native oxide and release layers, as templates for the growth of thermally evaporated Au films. The wafers are held at a temperature of 300 °C during deposition. The Au films, up to 200 nm thick, are then transferred onto poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrates which have been previously surface-functionalized with a (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane adhesion layer. The resulting Au films have been found by AFM to be extremely smooth with rms-roughness 2.5−4 A and to exhibit a crystalline morphology with flat grains >500 nm in size. Thinner films, down to 20 nm, are grown at lower temperature and are comparably smooth, but with a loss in crystalline morphology. We compare the results of this optimized procedure with other gold films grown on mica sheets as templates and to those produced using Ti−O−Si interfacial che...
Spatial-Frequency Model for Hyperacuity

Humans can detect vernier displacements of two abutted lines that are 30 times smaller than the bar spacings that determine their grating acuity. Since vernier acuity tasks, and hyperacuity tasks in general, reveal such drastically improved sensitivity, it has been traditionally assumed that the detection mechanisms responsible for hyperacuity are fundamentally different from those underlying ordinary spatial acuity. The need for unusual mechanisms is reinforced by the observation that hyperacuity is weakly affected by changes in suprathreshold contrast, whereas ordinary acuity is strongly influenced by contrast. Nevertheless, we argue that many hyperacuity tasks can be understood without resorting to special mechanisms. We have taken a previously developed contrast-detection model, based on spatial-frequency channels, and have applied it directly to a set of hyperacuity experiments. Hyperacuity performance is readily predicted without modification of the model. In addition, the model correctly predicts the insensitivity of hyperacuity to suprathreshold contrast as well as the measured result that moderate low-pass filtering of hyperacuity images does not significantly decrease hyperacuity performance.
Isentropic versus isothermal energy bands in rotating nuclei

Abstract Should energy bands in heated rotating nuclei be calculated at constant entropy or constant temperature? For Hamilton's equation ω = ∂E / ∂I to be satisfied, the first law of thermodynamics requires that each energy band E ( I ) follow a path of constant entropy. Isentropic energy bands are calculated for the two-level model in the finite-temperature HFB cranking approximation. The Maxwell relations connecting thermal and rotational variables are derived.
Microfluidic tools for developmental studies of small model organisms — nematodes, fruit flies, and zebrafish

Studying the genetics of development with small model organisms such as the zebrafish (Danio Rerio), the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), and the soil-dwelling nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), provide unique opportunities for understanding related processes and diseases in humans. These model organisms also have potential for use in drug discovery and toxicity-screening applications. There have been sweeping developments in microfabrication and microfluidic technologies for manipulating and imaging small objects, including small model organisms, which allow high-throughput quantitative biological studies. Here, we review recent progress in microfluidic tools able to manipulate small organisms and project future directions and applications of these techniques and technologies.
The Src family of tyrosine kinases is important for embryonic stem cell self-renewal

cYes, a member of the Src family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases, is highly expressed in mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) cells. We demonstrate that cYes kinase activity is regulated by leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and serum and is down-regulated when cells differentiate. Moreover, selective chemical inhibition of Src family kinases decreases growth and expression of stem cell genes that mark the undifferentiated state, including Oct3/4, alkaline phosphatase, fibroblast growth factor 4, and Nanog. A synergistic effect on differentiation is observed when ES cells are cultured with an Src family inhibitor and low levels of retinoic acid. Src family kinase inhibition does not interfere with LIF-induced JAK/STAT3 (Janus-associated tyrosine kinases/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) or p42/p44 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) phosphorylation. Together the results suggest that the activation of the Src family is important for maintaining mouse and human ES in an undifferentiated state and may represent a third, independent pathway, downstream of LIF in mouse ES cells.
Identifying risk factors for potentially avoidable complications following radical cystectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Morbidity after radical cystectomy is common and associated with increased health care resource use. Accurate characterization of complications after cystectomy, associated patient specific risk factors, and perioperative processes of care are essential to directing changes in perioperative management that will reduce morbidity and improve the quality of patient care.Materials and Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) is a prospective quality management initiative of 123 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers nationwide. The NSQIP collects clinical information, intraoperative data and outcomes on a wide variety of surgical procedures from multiple surgical disciplines. Since 1991, 2,538 radical cystectomy procedures have been captured by the NSQIP. Modeling using logistic regression was performed to identify patient specific risk factors and perioperative process measures associated with postoperative morbidity.Results: Of the 2,538 subjects at least 1 postoperative...