cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Approaches for the Treatment of the Patient with Resistant Hypertension: Renal Nerve Ablation

Sympathetic innervation of the kidneys plays a major role in the pathogenesis of hypertension through modulation of renin secretion, glomerular filtration rate and renal absorption of sodium. Targeted interventions for renal nerve ablation are being developed for treatment of drug-resistant hypertension in the USA and the rest of the world. Early studies with the use of radiofrequency-based renal denervation systems have shown encouraging results with significant reduction of blood pressure in patients inadequately controlled despite nearly maximal drug therapy regimens. Thus far, the renal denervation procedure has been associated with minimal side effects. Long-term efficacy and safety beyond 3 years needs to be determined for renal nerve ablation. This review focuses on the physiology of the renal sympathetic system, the rationale for renal nerve ablation and current evidence in support of the available therapeutic renal denervation systems.
Spin–orbit interaction and transport in GaAs two-dimensional holes

We present quantitative measurements and calculations of the spin–orbit-induced zero magnetic field spin-splitting in GaAs two-dimensional hole systems. The magneto-resistance oscillations in this system show a clear beating pattern which results from the unequal densities of the two spin subbands. We present a Fourier analysis technique that de-convolves the magneto-oscillations of the two subbands. The temperature dependence of the de-convolved oscillations allows us to deduce the effective masses of the subbands without assuming parabolic dispersions for the two subbands. Next, we demonstrate that heavy hole systems in heterostructures exhibit a decrease in spin-splitting with an increase in perpendicular electric field. Our results are in contrast to the more familiar case of electrons where spin-splitting increases with electric field. Another external parameter that effects spin-splitting is strain. We report direct measurements of the spin–orbit interaction-induced spin-splitting in a hole system as a function of anisotropic, in-plane strain. In addition, our piezoresistance measurements reveal a strong dependence on density and the direction along which the resistance is measured. In the end, we present Aharonov–Bohm resistance oscillations in a shallow two-dimensional GaAs hole ring structure, defined by local anodic surface oxidation. The amplitude of the oscillations is about 10% of the ring resistance, the strongest seen in a hole system.
Substrate-induced magnetic ordering of rare-earth overlayers

We have studied the magnetic ordering of terbium overlayers on Cu(100) and Ni(111), using angle-resolved photoemission. The 5{ital p}{sub 3/2} to 5{ital p}{sub 1/2} shallow-core-level branching ratios in different photoemission geometries provide a measure of the magnetic ordering in rare-earth-metal overlayers as a result of final-state effects in photoemission. We find that ferromagnetic substrates order paramagnetic terbium overlayers. This induced magnetic ordering is not a crystal-field effect and can be modeled by Ginzburg-Landau theory. Application of Ginzburg-Landau theory to our results suggests that the correlation length of paramagnetic terbium {kappa}{sup {minus}1} is between 2.5 and 3.5 A. Reversible increases in the extent of magnetic ordering at temperatures below the Tb Curie temperature are observed for terbium overlayers on both Cu(100) and Ni(111).
Automated Quantitative Inspection Of Metal Castings From X-Ray Film Images

An accepted and widely used method of inspecting cast metal parts involves a visual interpretation of X-ray film by a qualified radiographer. The defective areas of the cast-ing are compared to a set of reference standards, and a casting grade is assigned. This method of quality assessment is often to crude for modern applications. An automated inspection technique is presented which provides a quantitative assessment of casting qual-ity. The quantified results of the inspection are advantageous in providing information which can be used to establish an acceptance criterion that can be directly related to part performance. Careful control of geometry, exposure parameters, and inclusion of a calibration wedge during radiography enable calibrated, quantitative analysis of the defective area to be performed. Level preserved smoothing is introduced as a method of smoothing the digitized radiograph while retaining thickness calibration. This technique combined with region labeling, allows the x, y, and z dimensions of individual defects to be measured and defect statistics to be generated. A discussion of a CAD model data to reduce the number of required radiographic views of a part in accurate defect measurement is also pursued.
Gas-phase reactions of laser-ablated f element ions with cyclic hydrocarbons: examining ion ablation and reaction mechanisms

Abstract Time-of-flight mass spectrometry is employed to study reactions such as: Ln + + c -C 6 H 10 →Ln + –C 6 H 6 +2H 2 . Discrepant reactivities of various Ln + parallel the energy needed to excite the Ln + to a divalent electronic configuration. Metal ions produced by laser ablation may possess substantial kinetic and internal energies which can alter reactivities; we report here on experiments which illuminate formation and reactions of ablated Ln + . Effects of target composition on reactivities of a particular lanthanide were studied for compounds ablated sequentially, or simultaneously employing isotopically enriched A Ln 2 O 3 . Differing reactivities of Ho + from three compounds, and of Nd + from 142 Nd 2 O 3 and Nd 2 Te 3 may indicate a role of excited Ln + *. Yields of Ln + (Ln=Nd or Gd) simultaneously ablated from LnB 6 and A Ln 2 O 3 were widely disparate, with most Ln + derived from the oxide, suggesting electron transfer processes such as Ln*+O*→Ln + +O − . Speciation in the initial stage of ablation, prior to isotopic mixing, was indicated by the predominance of 142 NdO + from 142 Nd 2 O 3 –Nd 2 Te 3 . The reaction, Ln + +benzene, was studied with deuterated benzenes. Benzyne complexes from benzene-1,3,5- d 3 were d -enriched, reflecting the kinetic isotope effect (KIE); also, H 2 -loss indicated elimination from non-adjacent sites or H–D scrambling. Comparative condensation and dehydrogenation yields from C 6 H 6 and C 6 D 6 are explained by energy dissipation into vibrational modes which favors Ln + –C 6 D 6 , and the KIE which favors Ln + –C 6 H 4 .
Emergence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in the Intestinal Flora of Farm Inhabitants

nonpathogenic, they pose the threat of potential transfer of their resistance factors to pathogenic species. Furthermore, since antimicrobial drugs are used in animal and plant medicine, the spread of selected resistant organisms from one host to another may be important. The genetic information for antibiotic resistance is carried on R plasmids (R factors), which are pieces of extrachromosomal DNA. Many of these plasmids can be transferred between different species of bacteria [1]. Bacteria of all species may contain plasmids, and many different properties are encoded by plasmid DNA [2]. Antibiotics select resistant bacteria in animals, plants, and humans to whom the drug has been administered. Evidence has suggested animal-tohuman spread of resistant bacterial strains and/or antibiotic resistance, but no clear cause-and-effect relationship between drug-supplemented animal feed and the presence of resistant bacteria in humans has been shown. We therefore decided to
Testing the Central/Peripheral Model: Analyses of Microsatellite Variability in the Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris collaris)

Abstract Surprisingly few studies have empirically compared genetic variation between central and peripheral populations of vertebrates, even though such populations are considered very important to evolutionary theories of anagenetic and cladogenetic change. This study assesses levels of microsatellite variability within and between populations of eastern collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris collaris) sampled in three regions: the central part of its range and at the northeastern periphery in the southwestern and northeastern Ozarks. As expected, central populations possessed significantly higher within-population variability than peripheral populations, whereas the two peripheral subregions did not differ significantly from one another. Estimates of subdivision (Fst) differed significantly among all three regions in the following order: central < southwestern Ozark region < northeastern Ozark region. Estimates of subdivision between specially sampled populations separated by no more than 10 km indicat...
Expanding ELSI to all areas of innovative science and technology

New curricula in the study of the ethical, legal and social implications of scientific research aims to further the conversation among all stakeholders in the interactions between science, technology and society.
Creative Customer Service Management

The term “customer service” is used today in the field of logistics management to describe a host of different but critically interrelated activities. Some authors view customer service as all activities which bind a corporation and its customers together to further a sales relationship. Other authors view customer service as a package of measurable activities which provide utility to customers or optimum levels of service.
Synthesis and structure based optimization of novel Akt inhibitors

Based on a high throughput screening hit, pyrrolopyrimidine inhibitors of the Akt kinase are explored. X-ray co-crystal structures of two lead series results in the understanding of key binding interactions, the design of new lead series, and enhanced potency. The syntheses of these series and their biological activities are described. Spiroindoline 13j is found to have an Akt1 kinase IC(50) of 2.4+/-0.6 nM, Akt cell potency of 50+/-19 nM, and provides 68% inhibition of tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model (50 mg/kg, qd, po).
Note on the Determination of the Potential Functions of Polyatomic Molecules

It is shown that first-order changes in the normal modes of vibration of a polyatomic molecule do not alter the normal frequencies except in second or higher order. This fact provides a convenient method of obtaining the best fit between the observed and calculated frequencies by adjusting the potential constants and also of ascertaining the relative importance of each constant in its effect on the spectrum. It further emphasizes, however, the well-known difficulties in obtaining reliable potential functions and shows that very considerable errors may occur in the determination of the potential and of the normal modes.
Does media influence consumer demand? The case of lean finely textured beef in the United States

Abstract In 2012, the media paid extra attention to lean finely textured beef (LFTB), an inexpensive lean beef product extracted from low-valued fatty trim. The media’s negative portrayal of LFTB as an unnecessary and unsavory additive to ground beef products corresponded with a spike in reports over a 6-month period. Since LFTB is often used in ground beef, it is likely that consumption of LFTB-based ground beef products and other meats could be affected. This paper used weekly meat production and sales data to assess how media depictions of LFTB affect consumer demand. We used a Central Bureau of Statistics model to test whether media portrayal affects the consumption of aggregate meats and beef cuts: pork, chicken, turkey, Choice beef, Prime beef, Select beef and ground beef. Results indicate that media portrayal of LFTB, measured by the number of articles on the subject weighted by consumer readership, did not lead to significant changes in consumer demand across meats or within the beef category immediately. However, consumer purchases of pork, turkey and Prime beef were affected two weeks or greater after news reports of LFTB surfaced. Nevertheless, those effects were temporary and waned or disappeared during later weeks. Our look at the LFTB controversy informs food policy by studying the media sources from which consumers obtain their information. As the temporary effects of news media on consumer demand for aggregate meats and disaggregate beef cuts suggest, consumers may benefit from receiving their news from industry and government sources instead.
Informal learning organizations as part of an educational ecology: Lessons from collaboration across the formal-informal divide

How do informal learning organizations work with schools as part of a broader educational ecology? We examined this question through a comparative case study of two collaborative efforts whereby informal arts education organizations, a children’s museum and a community-based organization, worked with an urban school district to redefine the provision of educational services for children and youth. Grounded conceptually in organizational theory, our study identified factors that enable and constrain collaboration across the formal-informal divide. We argue that examining the dynamics of cross-sector collaboration as occurring within a regional ecology of diverse learning organizations and broader institutional context provides insights into the outcomes of joint work. Our findings have implications for designing collaborations between schools and informal organizations that contribute to their respective strength, as well as the broader regional educational ecology in which they reside.
Almost Bézout domains

An integral domain R is said to be an almost Bezout domain (respectively, almost GCD-domain) if for x, y ϵ R − {0}, there exists an n with (xn, yn) (respectively, (xn, yn)v) principal. In this paper we continue the investigation of AGCD-domains begun by the second author and introduce the notion of an almost Bezout domain. We show that R is an almost Bezout domain if and only if R, the integral closure of R, is a Prufer domain with torsion class group and for every x ϵ R, there exists an n with xsn ϵ R.
Cefamandole pharmacokinetics during standard and pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass.

The pharmacokinetics of cefamandole during standard or pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass were studied in 13 adult cardiac surgery patients. All patients received 20 mg/kg of cefamandole intravenously at midnight before surgery, 6 AM on the morning of surgery and just prior to the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery. Serum, skeletal muscle, and fat samples were taken at the beginning of CPB and at 30-minute intervals thereafter and assayed for cefamandole concentration. The average elimination rate constant and elimination half-life for cefamandole in patients undergoing standard CPB were 0.73 +/- 0.09 hour-1 and 0.94 +/- 0.11 hour, respectively. In contrast patients undergoing pulsatile CPB had significantly slower elimination rate constants (0.50 +/- 0.1 hour-1 and 1.4 +/- 0.28 hours, respectively; P less than or equal to .05). Area under the curve (AUC) values for cefamandole in fat and muscle tissue were higher in patients undergoing pulsatile CPB, but the differences were not statistically significant. Prolonged elimination from the serum, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue, as compared with normal subjects, is seen with both pulsatile and standard CPB but is greater for the pulsatile method. Intraoperative dosing of cefamandole is required to maintain adequate serum and tissue levels for operations lasting longer than 4 or 6 hours in which standard or pulsatile CPB, respectively, are used.
Static assignment of multithreaded systems

This paper presents the design implementation of program translation and runtime system that will allow programs written in an imperative language to be translated into a multithreaded format and to be executed on a general-purpose multiprocessor system. Program translation techniques are developed that merge program statements into threads, and then partition these threads to the available processors. Both the merging and partitioning techniques use metrics that estimate the speedup that would result from performing the indicated merge or partition. After the thread partitioning, the source code associated with the set of threads is compiled by a traditional compiler, and the resulting machine code is then executed by a shared-memory multiprocessor. During execution this multiprocess is never aware of the threaded-structure of the program. However, the sequence of executing the threads is completely controlled by static-dataflow processing techniques. This paper also includes the empirical results of testing this design and implementation with a suite of eleven test programs.
Earthworm survival in oil contaminated soil

Earthworms are an important component of the soil biota and their response to oil pollution needs to be better understood. Laboratory investigations were undertaken to determine the concentrations of crude oil in soil that leads to death of Lumbricus terrestris and Eisenia fetida and to determine the propensity of L. terrestris to move away from contaminated soil. Clemville sandy clay loam was amended to contain maximum oil contents of 1.5 – 2.5% depending on the particular experiment. Additionally, the ability of L. terrestristo survive in bioremediated oil-contaminated soil was evaluated. An oil content of 0.5% was not harmful to survival of earthworms for 7 d but an oil concentration of 1.5% reduced survival to less than 40%. Bioremediated soil containing 1.2% oil did not reduce survival of L. terrestrisduring 10 d. Survival of L. terrestrisin unweathered oil was improved when free movement between contaminated and uncontaminated soil was possible. Casts of earthworms exposed to oil-containing soil contained 0.2% total petroleum hydrocarbons. An allowable regulatory level of 1% oil contamination in soil may not allow for survival of earthworms.
Pericardial Substitutes: A Survey

Many thoracic surgeons have used pericardial substitutes to reduce the risk of reoperation, but there have been few reports of these procedures. Therefore, we used a questionnaire to gather information on experience with use of pericardial substitutes and to document the findings at reoperation. A six-question survey was sent to 2,344 members of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, requesting surgeons to list their experience with pericardial substitutes and at reoperation in patients with these substitutes in place. Of the 634 surgeons who responded to the survey, 120 reported the insertion of 3,828 pericardial substitutes. Two hundred thirty-six reoperations were reported by 89 surgeons. None of the pericardial substitutes was reported to be completely successful in facilitating reoperation. The experience with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) pericardial substitutes was reported to be significantly more satisfactory than that with all other substitutes (p = 0.0004 by chi-square analysis), but 14% of surgeons who used PTFE said they were dissatisfied at reoperation. Based on the results of this survey, we suggest caution, careful documentation, and long-term follow-up studies before widespread use of pericardial substitutes can be recommended.
Optical properties of silver iodide

Measurements are reported of the fundamental optical absorption edge, its temperature dependence and anisotropy, for pure and copper-doped β-AgI single crystals grown by the gel method. The temperature range spans the β α phase transition. Studies of photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence are also described, and interpreted in terms of band and defect structure. Es werden Messungen der optischen Grundabsorptionskante und deren Temperaturabhangigkeit und Anisotropie fur reine und Cu-dotierte β-AgJ Einkristalle, die mit einer Gelzuchtungsmethode hergestellt wurden, mitgeteilt. Der Temperaturbereich umfast den β α Ubergang. Untersuchungen der Photolumineszenz und der Kathodolumineszenz werden ebenfalls beschrieben und auf Grund der Band- und Defektstruktur diskutiert.
Business Participation in Health Care Policy Reform: Factors Contributing to Collective Action Within the Business Community

This paper examines business political activity by exploring those corporate characteristics that contribute to intercorporate coalition formation. Using differences of interest in relation to health care profitability to illustrate the difficulties inherent in corporate collective action, this study examines the role of corporate selfinterest in political behavior. Distinguishing between narrow individual interest, a broader self-interest that may overlap with the individual interests of other corporations, and classwide interest, this study addresses the extent to which corporate political activity reflects the narrow self-interest of individual firms. It begins by examining membership patterns in big business' major lobbying group on health — The Washington Business Group on Health continues by tracing the development of the WBGH — as it matured from a spinoff of the Business Roundtable to a mature lobbying group in its own right. Finally, it investigates individual corporate reaction to a proposed change in accounting requirements for health care costs, thus, comparing individual behaviors with collective action.
Further mapping of the territory of international education in the 20th century (1944-1969)

Building upon the examination of research documents from the period 1893 to 1944 in a previous article, this article seeks to provide an examination of the range of definitions of international edu...
Enthalpy−Entropy and Cavity Decomposition of Alkane Hydration Free Energies: Numerical Results and Implications for Theories of Hydrophobic Solvation

This study reports the first complete description of the solution thermodynamics of a series of linear, branched, and cyclic alkanes in water by computer simulations, including the enthalpy and entropy changes in addition to the solvation free energies. We have also obtained a complete thermodynamic description of the solvation of the associated alkane cavities. Our results lead to the following key observations: (i) The theoretical prediction that hydration entropy and solvent reorganization are weakly coupled to solute−solvent dispersion interactions is confirmed by computer simulations. (ii) The weak correlation between solute−solvent dispersion interaction energies with solute surface area explains the large relative solubilities of cyclic alkanes and the large difference between the free energy/surface area relations observed for gas to water transfer processes compared to processes involving conformational rearrangements. (iii) The work of cavity formation in water is determined in about equal meas...
Molecular Imaging of Cell Therapy for Gastroenterologic Applications

Stem cell therapy has appeared as a possible therapeutic alternative for numerous diseases. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are a focus of significant interest as they may allow for a better understanding of the genesis of different malignancies. The ultimate goal of stem cell therapeutics is to ensure the viability and functionality of the transplanted cells. Similarly, the ultimate goal of understanding cancer stem cells is to understand how they behave in the living subject. Until recently, the efficacy of stem cell therapies has been assessed by overall organ function recovery. Understanding the behavior and biology of stem cells directly in the living subject can also lead to therapy optimization. Thus, there is a critical need for reliable and accurate methods to understand stem cell biology in vivo. Recent advances in both imaging and molecular biology have enabled transplanted stem cells to be successfully monitored in the living subject. The use of molecular imaging modalities has the capability to answer these questions and may one day be translated to patients. In this review, we will discuss the potential imaging strategies and how they can be utilized, depending on the questions that need to be answered.
Contrasting soil respiration in young and old-growth ponderosa pine forests

Three years of fully automated and manual measurements of soil CO2 efflux, soil moisture and temperature were used to explore the diel, seasonal and inter-annual patterns of soil efflux in an old-growth (250-year-old, O site) and recently regenerating (14-year-old, Y site) ponderosa pine forest in central Oregon. The data were used in conjunction with empirical models to determine which variables could be used to predict soil efflux in forests of contrasting ages and disturbance histories. Both stands experienced similar meteorological conditions with moderately cold wet winters and hot dry summers. Soil CO2 efflux at both sites showed large inter-annual variability that could be attributed to soil moisture availability in the deeper soil horizons (O site) and the quantity of summer rainfall (Y site). Seasonal patterns of soil CO2 efflux at the O site showed a strong positive correlation between diel mean soil CO2 efflux and soil temperature at 64 cm depth whereas diel mean soil efflux at the Y site declined before maximum soil temperature occurred during summer drought. The use of diel mean soil temperature and soil water potential inferred from predawn foliage water potential measurements could account for 80% of the variance of diel mean soil efflux across 3 years at both sites, however, the functional shape of the soil water potential constraint was site-specific. Based on the similarity of the decomposition rates of litter and fine roots between sites, but greater productivity and amount of fine litter detritus available for decomposition at the O site, we would expect higher rates of soil CO2 efflux at the O site. However, annual rates were only higher at the O site in one of the 3 years (597 ± 45 vs. 427 ± 80 g C m−2). Seasonal patterns of soil efflux at both sites showed influences of soil water limitations that were also reflected in patterns of canopy stomatal conductance, suggesting strong linkages between above and below ground processes.
How social contexts support and shape language development

Abstract The human potential for language is based in human biology but makes requirements of the social environment to be realized. This paper reports evidence regarding (1) the nature of those environmental requirements, (2) the ways in which the varied social contexts in which children live meet those requirements, and (3) the effects of environmental variability in meeting those requirements on the course of language development. The evidence suggests that all human environments support language acquisition by providing children with opportunities for communicative experience, which motivate the language acquisition process, and a language model, which serves as data for the language acquisition mechanism. Different environments do so to different degrees, thereby producing group and individual differences in the rate and course of language development.
Knowledge management as a framework for understanding public sector outsourcing

The paper provides a conceptual argument for examining the challenge of IT outsourcing in the public sector through the lens of knowledge management. While IS researchers have recently begun to focus attention on the particular challenges of outsourcing in the public sector (P.N. Finlay and R.M. King, 1999; M. Hancox and R. Hackney, 1999), we believe that the shift to more market based solutions is occurring without much consideration for the knowledge resources that exist in the public sector's IT organizations. Hence, we believe that knowledge management, an emerging area that has generated significant enthusiasm in the management literature, has particular relevance for understanding this challenge. The authors identify differences between public and private sector IT outsourcing (S. Bretschneider, 1990), then define and employ key knowledge management constructs to identify potential difficulties that public sector organizations may experience in leveraging their knowledge assets when relying on third party IT service providers.
Hepatic disposition of cyclosporine A in isolated perfused rat livers.

Purpose. To develop an isolated perfused rat liver model to study the hepatic disposition of cyclosporine A (CyA) in both sexes. Methods. Livers were isolated from male (n = 6) and female (n = 7) rats and perfused with a physiological buffer in a single- pass manner. A bolus 1-mg dose of CyA was injected into the inlet catheter and periodical samples (0-15 min) were collected from the outlet perfusate. The concentrations of CyA in the outlet perfusate, col- lected bile (0-15 min), and liver tissue (at the end of per- fusion) were quantitated by HPLC and subjected to statistical moment analysis. Results. The dilution curves of CyA in the outlet perfusate exhibited unusu- ally long terminal phases due to large volume of distri- bution of the drug (~100 mL/g) and its slow release from binding sites in the liver (net release rate constant of ~0.020 min -1 ). This was in contrast to the rapid uptake of the drug, indicated by significant amounts of the intact drug (>40%) taken up during one single pass through the liver. Consequently, the liver tissue:perfu- sate distribution ratio of CyA was very high (~220). No significant differences were found between the male and female livers in any of the estimated parame- ters. Conclusions. The tissue binding of cyclosporine A is substantial, slowly reversible, and gender-indepen- dent in isolated perfused rat livers.
Interaction of PGH Synthase Isozymes-1 and -2 with Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

There are two isozymes of prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGH) synthase (cyclooxygenase) called PGH synthase (PGHS)-1 and -2 or COX I and II. Both isozymes are able to catalyze the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGH2, the committed step in the formation of prostaglandins and thromboxane. PGHS-1 is present in virtually all mammalian tissues and organs (although not necessarily in all cells within an organ). In contrast, PGHS-2 is detectable by northern blotting only in a few tissues including prostate and brain. PGHS-2 has been detected in association with differentiation and cell turnover in cultured mammalian cells. The expression of this enzyme can be induced by several different cytokines and by phorbol esters. In particular, increases in PGHS-2 expression can be observed in activated macrophages. Although PGHS-1 (PGHS-1) has long been thought to be the site of action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the discovery of a second isozyme (PGHS-2) and its potential association with inflammation has suggested that this latter enzyme may actually be the principal therapeutic target of NSAIDs. Using cDNAs for murine PGHS-1 and PGHS-2, we have expressed these two enzymes in vitro in cos-1 cells and compared the relative sensitivities of these enzymes to a series of common NSAIDs. Our results have established that murine PGHS-1 and -2 are pharmacologically distinct.
Consolidated storm prediction for aviation (CoSPA)

Research over the last 10 years primarily funded by the FAA Aviation Weather Research Program (AWRP) has led to very successful development of forecasts of both convective and winter storms, using heuristic and numerical models, for aviation applications. We have reached a point where there are several overlapping capabilities, and the smorgasbord of choices has become confusing. Moreover, aviation- impacting winter and summer conditions can exist simultaneously - even within a single terminal area - so a consolidated forecast must work equally well for all storm conditions. Advances in computing and communications allow incorporation of new observing systems and scientific advancements in data assimilation and modeling toward large-scale, very high resolution forecast systems that were prohibitive just 10 years ago.
SECONDARY REINFORCEMENT VALUE OF STIMULI ASSOCIATED WITH SHOCK REDUCTION.

Abstract An experiment is described in which 32 rats were tested to determine if an escape box which had been previously associated with shock reduction had secondary reinforcement value. Subjects were tested in both a fear and a neutral situation. Significant secondary reinforcement effects were found in both situations. However, contary to expectations, greater secondary reinforcement effects were obtained in the neutral than in the fear situation.
Proximal aortic reoperations in patients with composite valve grafts.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to examine our experience with proximal aortic reoperations in patients with composite valve grafts (CVGs) and assess postoperative survival and morbidity. Methods Since 1991, 33 patients with CVGs underwent reoperation for one or more of the following indications: aneurysms distal to the CVG (n = 20, 61%), false aneurysms (n = 13, 39%) and graft infection (n = 7, 21%). Operations included false aneurysm repair (n = 13, 39%), graft replacement of distal ascending aortic or transverse aortic arch aneurysm (n = 20, 61%) and aortic root re-replacement with a new CVG (n = 6, 18%) or homograft (n = 4, 12%). Results Operative mortality was 15% (n = 5), including 2 of the 7 patients who had infected CVGs (29%). All 4 patients who had infected CVGs replaced with aortic root homografts survived. Complications included vocal cord paralysis (n = 4, 12%), bleeding requiring reoperation (n = 3, 9%) and stroke (n = 2, 6%). Actuarial 3-year survival was 74.4% ± 7.9%. Conclusions Reoperations in patients with CVGs remain challenging procedures with high associated morbidity and mortality, especially in the setting of graft infection. The results of homograft aortic root re-replacement for infected CVGs are encouraging.
High-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in patients >65 years of age

Patients and methods: We present a retrospective analysis of 99 consecutive patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas who were older than 65 years at the time of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous progenitor cell transplantation. Results: Median age at transplant was 68 years (range 65–82). Thirty-six percent of patients had a hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index of >2 at the time of transplantation. The cumulative nonrelapse mortality was 8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4–17] at 26 months and the 3-year overall survival (OS) was 61% (95% CI 49–71). On multivariate analysis, disease status at transplant and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > normal were significant predictors for OS (P = 0.002). Comorbidity index of >2 did not impact OS but did predict for higher risk of developing grade 3–5 toxicity (P = 0.006). Eight patients developed secondary myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myelogenous leukemia after transplantation (cumulative incidence 16%). Conclusions: Patients with relapsed lymphomas who are >65 years of age should be considered transplant candidates, particularly if they have chemosensitive disease and normal LDH levels at the time of transplantation. Patients with comorbidity index of >2 can also undergo transplantation with acceptable outcomes but may be at
The Role of Hezbollah in Lebanese Domestic Politics

Hezbollah emerged in 1982 as a manifestation of Iran's influence and a response to Israel's massive invasion of Lebanon. Hezbollah (cooperating with Syria) won legitimacy by resisting Israel's occupation, but it also offered Shias a credible ideology and an array of institutions. The party is now deeply embedded in Lebanese politics. After Israel's unilateral withdrawal in 2000, Hezbollah continued to assert its “national resistance” role, but this claim has been openly challenged, especially after the 2006 war. Since then, the government and the opposition have been at a dangerous impasse, with compromise elusive and the dangers of new violence growing.
Experience with the Gambro Phoenix Hemodialysis Machine using Diascan and Exalis in a Pediatric Hemodialysis Unit

Introduction: In 2001 our Renal Dialysis Unit underwent a major renovation to five stations. The new space and funding allowed for acquisition of new state-of-the-art hemodialysis machines. We describe our experience with the Gambro Phoenix with Diascan and Exalis. Prior to the move an evaluation was undertaken. Criteria for selection with a scoring tool were utilized to rate machine performance for use in children. The decision for the Gambro Phoenix machine was based on: the performance rated highly due to ease of set up; large viewing touch screen; compatibility with existing equipment; benefits of online clearance monitoring (Diascan); network data management system (Exalis) and the future availability of blood volume monitoring (Hemoscan). Our program was the first center to dialyze a pediatric patient on the Phoenix machine in Canada. Patients and results: 13 patients (age 2–23 years) were hemodialyzed between May 2002 and September 2003 for periods of 2 week to 16 months, greater than 5000 h of dialysis time. The move was not uneventful. During the first months of operation issues such as inadequate electrical supply for the new machines, reverse osmosis (RO) pump failure, leaks, and no emergency power to the RO were prevalent. The new software also exposed glitches. Subsequent Phoenix use proceeded uneventfully. Staff were able to problem solve easily with clinical and technical support from Gambro Canada. Education for the online clearance monitoring, Diascan and Exalis, was necessary. No major problems with dialysis were encountered. The benefits and reliability of Diascan have been previously described (Lindsay RM, Sternby J, Semin Dial. 2001; 14:300). Diascan readings provided real-time measurement of sodium (Na), which correlated well with laboratory values. Automatic readouts of Kt/V allowed for monitoring of dialysis adequacy which was consistent with calculated percent reduction in urea (PRU). At this point, use of the Phoenix has been demonstrated to work well in a pediatric facility.
Preventive Intervention as Means of Clarifying Direction of Effects in Socialization: Anxious-Withdrawn Preschoolers Case

An indicated preventive intervention research program integrating attachment, attributional, and behaviorist perspectives was conducted to test the hypothesis that parent-child relationship disturbances directly effect the child's adjustment to the preschool. Anxious-withdrawn preschool children and their mothers were divided equally into treatment and control groups, and assessed on maternal self-report of parenting stress, behavioral ratings of mother-child interaction, and teacher ratings of the children in the preschool classroom. Results showed significant changes in the treatment of group: mothers in the treatment group moderated their level of control to a more appropriate, less intrusive level, while children in the treatment group showed an increase in cooperation and enthusiasm during a problem solving task with mother. Teacher-rated social competence and anxious-withdrawn behavior indicated improvement, although only the former was significant. The demonstration of effects of this home intervention for the mother on the child's behavior in the preschool confirm the transactional model underlying this study and demonstrate the utility of a parent-child interaction training component for the prevention of behavioral-emotional problems in young children.
Sex, Gender, and the Brain: A Non-Majors Course Linking Neuroscience and Women's Studies.

This article describes a non-majors biology class linking neuroscience and women’s studies. The class had 24 students from 13 majors. We met for three classroom hours and three laboratory hours each week. We used animal and human case studies to explore issues of gender, sexuality, hormones, anatomy, biochemistry, behavior and environment to explore the differences and similarities between male and female brains. Reading focused on two major texts, Roughgarden’s Evolution’s Rainbow and Hines’s Brain Gender, and primary literature referenced within. Student performance was assessed through exams, class participation, presentations of primary literature, and independent research projects with oral and written presentations. The cross-listing with women’s studies improved the class because it led to a great richness of majors and experiences. Furthermore, these students were used to vehement discussion and careful analysis, which carried over to assessing the primary literature, to a surprising degree.
The Impact of Personal Characteristics of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disability on Self‐determination and Autonomous Functioning

Background Many people assume that the presence of an intellectual disability precludes a person from becoming self-determined. Recent research, however, has suggested that the environments in which people live, learn, work or play may play a more important role in promoting self-determination then do personal characteristics of the person, including level of intelligence. Methods This study examined the self-determination and autonomous functioning of 301 adults with intellectual disability or a developmental disability without concomitant intellectual impairments (e.g. persons with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and spina bifida) as a function of personal characteristics of individuals. Results Intellectual capacity was not a significant contributor to either self-determination or autonomous functioning for this group. Opportunities to make choices, however, contributed significantly and positively to greater self-determination and autonomy. Intelligence scores did, however, predict whether the person worked or lived in more or less restrictive settings, though for the latter, both self-determination and autonomous functioning also contributed significantly. Conclusions These findings are discussed with regard to the role of personal characteristics, particularly intelligence level, in promoting self-determination and more positive adult outcomes.
Observability of gamma gamma decays of Higgs bosons from supersymmetry at hadron supercolliders.

Motivated by the recent discovery that radiative corrections can cause the mass of the lightest scalar Higgs boson ${\mathit{H}}_{\mathit{l}}$ of the minimal supersymmetric model (MSSM) to be in the intermediate-mass range, we assess the prospects for discovering the MSSM Higgs bosons via their \ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma} decay modes at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) and at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We find that if the charged Higgs boson is not too light, it is possible to discover at least one of the Higgs bosons via this mode within a few years of operation of the SSC, provided the detector has the resolution to identify a standard model Higgs boson in the intermediate-mass range via its \ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma} decay. Similar conclusions hold at the LHC provided the luminosity is higher by a factor of about 4. In the case where ${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{H}}^{+}$, and hence ${\mathit{m}}_{\mathit{H}\mathit{p}}$, is somewhat smaller than 200 GeV, we find there are regions of parameter space where all three Higgs bosons are in the intermediate-mass range, and none of them lead to an observable signal. Thus, new strategies may be needed to identify the Higgs bosons of the MSSM.
Attention capture while switching search strategies: Evidence for a breakdown in top-down attentional control

Whereas capture experiments typically repeat a single task many times, real world cognition is characterized by frequent switching. Lien, Ruthruff, and Johnston (2010) reported that the attentional control system can rapidly and fully switch between different search settings (e.g., red to green), with no carryover and no intertrial priming. The present study examined whether this impressive flexibility is possible even when the switch is not between different features along the same dimension, but between mutually incompatible search modes. On each trial, participants were prompted to find and identify the letter that was in a specific colour (feature search mode) or was uniquely coloured (singleton search mode). Within each block, search mode was either pure or mixed; the mixed blocks contained a fixed AABB search sequence (singleton-singleton-feature-feature) in Experiment 1 and a random sequence in Experiment 2. The target display was preceded by a noninformative cue display containing a nontarget colo...
Workplaces as Communities: The Role of Social Networks in Who Seeks, Gives, and Accepts Information on Justice Issues.

This article examines individuals in a community as defined by their membership in an organization. In such a setting, individuals often make use of their social contacts to make sense of events in the organization. Yet, the organizational justice literature is generally silent on how these contacts shape information seeking, volunteering, and acceptance. Using a social network perspective, we found that expressive ties were positively related to information seeking, volunteering, and acceptance for both procedural and interactional justice issues. Instrumental ties were related to all dependent variables for procedural justice issues but only related to information seeking for interactional justice issues. The role of ties and networks in information flow is discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contraception Delivery in Pediatric and Specialist Pediatric Practices.

Abstract Study Objective To characterize pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy around contraception. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting United States. Participants National sample of pediatricians. Interventions Assessment of behaviors of providing contraception. Main Outcome Measures Reproductive health practice score. Results Two hundred twenty-three usable surveys were received, from 163 contraceptive prescribers and 60 nonprescribers. The mean reproductive health practice score was 43.1 (SD, 8.2; total possible score, 84). Prescribers differed in their mean reproductive health score (46.0; SD, 7.0) from nonprescribers (34.0; SD, 4.5; P P Conclusion In this study, we showed that most pediatricians are contraception prescribers but the overall reproductive health score was low for prescribers and nonprescribers. The odds of prescribing contraception increased with higher self-efficacy scores rather than knowledge alone. Many prescribers and nonprescribers would not prescribe birth control if parents disapproved and do not believe it is their responsibility to assess patients' need for birth control. In addition very few pediatricians have training in long-acting reversible contraception, despite being the recommended method for adolescents.
Liver function tests.

(1971). Liver Function Tests. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 573-599.
Comparative Evaluation of the Chemical Stability of 4 Well-Defined Immunoglobulin G1-Fc Glycoforms

As part of a series of articles in this special issue evaluating model IgG1-Fc glycoforms for biosimilarity analysis, 3 well-defined IgG1-Fc glycoforms (high mannose-Fc, Man5-Fc, and N-acetylglucosamine-Fc) and a nonglycosylated Fc protein (N297Q-Fc) were examined in this work to elucidate chemical degradation pathways. The 4 proteins underwent a combination of accelerated thermal stability studies and 4 independent forced degradation studies (UV light, metal-catalyzed oxidation, peroxyl radicals, and hydrogen peroxide) at pH 6.0. Our results highlight chemical degradations at Asn315, Met428, Trp277, and Trp313. A cross-comparison of the different Fc glycoforms, stress conditions, and the observed chemical reactions revealed that both the deamidation of Asn315 and the transformation of Trp277 into glycine hydroperoxide were glycan dependent during incubation for 3 months at 40 °C. Our data will show that different glycans not only affect chemical degradation differently but also do lead to different impurity profiles, which can affect chemical degradation.