cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coexistence of two microbial populations competing for a renewable resource in a non-predator-prey system

If two microbial populations compete for a single resource in a homogeneous environment with time invariant inputs they cannot coexist indefinitely if the resource competed for is not renewed by biological activity within the system. Mathematical studies have shown that in a predator-prey system, where the resource (prey) is self-renewing, the two competitors (predators) can coexist in a limit cycle. This suggests that if the resource competed for is renewed by biological activity within the system coexistence can occur in any microbial system provided that it exhibits the same features as, but without being, a predator-prey one. A food chain involving commensalism, competition and amensalism is presented here. Two subcases are considered. It is only when maintenance effects are taken into account that coexistence, in limit cycles, can occur for this system. Limit cycle solutions for the system are demonstrated with the help of computer simulations. Some necessary conditions for coexistence are presented, as are some speculations regarding the possible physical explanations of the results.
Egocentrism in the Early Childhood Classroom.

(1980). Egocentrism in the Early Childhood Classroom. The Educational Forum: Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 113-120.
Numerical Analysis on the Sierpinski Gasket, with Applications to Schrodinger Equations, Wave Equation, and Gibbs' Phenomenon

We show how to improve the finite element method on the Sierpinski gasket (SG) to allow arbitrary partitions of the space. We use this method to study numerically solutions of the Schrodinger equation with well-type potentials, and the wave equation. We also show that Fourier series-type expansions on SG of functions with jump discontinuities appear to exhibit a self-similar Gibbs' phenomenon.
Opportunistic dissemination of spatio-temporal resource information in mobile peer to peer networks

We examine the dissemination of availability reports about resources in mobile peer-to-peer networks, where vehicles, pedestrian or sensors communicate with each other via short-range wireless transmission. Each disseminated report represents information about a spatial-temporal event, such as the availability of a parking slot at a particular time or the detection of an injured in an earthquake damaged building. We propose an opportunistic dissemination paradigm, in which a moving object transmits the reports it carries to encountered objects and obtains new reports in exchange. Least relevant reports are discarded after each exchange such as to limit the communication data volume of future exchanges. We analyze by simulations the information accuracy provided by this approach. We also develop and analyze a method to determining the optimal size of the local reports database at a moving object such that a certain accuracy level is reached. The proposed system has the potential to create a completely new information marketplace.
Principles of Eventual Consistency

In globally distributed systems, shared state is never perfect. When communication is neither fast nor reliable, we cannot achieve strong consistency, low latency, and availability at the same time. Unfortunately, abandoning strong consistency has wide ramifications. Eventual consistency, though attractive from a performance viewpoint, is challenging to understand and reason about, both for system architects and programmers. To provide robust abstractions, we need not just systems, but also principles: we need the ability to articulate what a consistency protocol is supposed to guarantee, and the ability to prove or refute such claims.In this tutorial, we carefully examine both the what and the how of consistency in distributed systems. First, we deconstruct consistency into individual guarantees relating the data type, the conflict resolution, and the ordering, and then reassemble them into a hierarchy of consistency models that starts with linearizability and gradually descends into sequential, causal, eventual, and quiescent consistency. Second, we present a collection of consistency protocols that illustrate common techniques, and include templates for implementations of arbitrary replicated data types that are fully available under partitions. Third, we demonstrate that our formalizations serve their purpose of enabling proofs and refutations, by proving both positive results (the correctness of the protocols) and a negative result (a version of the CAP theorem for sequential consistency).
An extensible, scalable browser-based architecture for synchronous and asynchronous communication and collaboration systems for deaf and hearing individuals

To facilitate face-to-face conversation between deaf and hearing team-members, we created a cross-platform, browser-based, persistent-content text-as-you-type system that aggregates each individual's utterances in revisable personal notes on a userconfigurable multi-person workspace. The system increases the fluidity of real time interaction, makes it easier to keep track of an individual's contributions over time, and supports new patterns of interaction. It has also become an interesting case of universal design: by rethinking web-based chat for deaf users, we have developed a platform with promise for the general population.
Evaluating pedestrian safety education materials for children ages five to nine.

How well do pedestrian safety materials meet the educational needs of children ages five-nine? The National Safety Council sought to answer this question in assembling such materials in development of a national program on pedestrian safety. To do this, the Council relied heavily on information suggested by accident and evaluation research. The information then was incorporated in a set of criteria that formed the basis for an evaluative review structure. This article provides an overview of the major child pedestrian accident types, behavior patterns, and suggested solutions identified by past research, outlines the procedure used to collect and review existing materials, and describes results of the Council's effort to select high-quality pedestrian safety education materials for use in the program. Safety education needs and priorities of the child pedestrian are discussed. Language: en
Aging Well and Gay in Rural America: A Case Study

Using person–environment-fit theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative case study examined, through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, the lived experience of an older gay man who has lived solely in rural communities. An overarching theme of life satisfaction clearly emerged, along with themes regarding supportive social networks and disclosure management of his sexual orientation. The findings suggest that although it is important to understand the challenges faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in rural environments, it is equally important to shed light on the ways in which older adults age well within these communities.
Perioperative intravesical therapy: effective treatment, unfulfilled promises.

Should all patients with presumably non–muscleinvasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) receive one postoperative instillation of chemotherapy after a transurethral resection (TUR)? The European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines say they should, based on several randomized trials and a metaanalysis clearly establishing benefit. In this issue of European Urology, Gudjonsson and colleagues from Sweden add to this literature but question whether such a strategy is appropriate for all patients [1]. In a multicenter randomized trial of 219 patients who were followed for a median of 4 yr, the authors showed that a single instillation of epirubicin after TUR reduced the absolute risk of recurrence by 15% over an untreated control group; however, the benefit was observed only for patients with primary or solitary tumors. Chemotherapy did not reduce the recurrence rate of multiple or recurrent (intermediate-risk) tumors. Furthermore, patients were still followed with cystoscopy every 3 or 4 mo for the first 2 yr. How is such a strategy helpful in managing NMIBC and reducing the overall burden of therapy? For perioperative chemotherapy to gain traction, it should be cost effective, logistically feasible, and safe; it should avoid or delay subsequent invasive procedures such as repeated TURs to treat tumor recurrences; it should result in longer intervals between surveillance cystoscopies; and it should prevent tumor progression. Considering the overall management of patients with NMIBC,
Growth and coalescence of multiple fatigue cracks in polycarbonate test specimens

Abstract This paper presents the results of an experimental study of fatigue crack coalescence and interaction in transparent polycarbonate test specimens. The specimen geometries studied were a plate with a centered hole loaded in remote tension and a beam subjected to cyclic bending. Each specimen contained an initial pair of surface and/or corner cracks which were grown until coalescence of the two flaws occurred. Crack length vs elapsed cycles data generated from the tests were compared with predictions made by a computer algorithm. Good predictions were obtained for the period required for the two initial flaws to coalesce, but the numerical results were somewhat conservative after the cracks coalesced into a single flaw.
Computer image processing techniques for automated breast thermogram interpretation.

Abstract The development of an inexpensive technique for automated interpretation of breast thermograms by computer has important implications for the mass screening of breast carcinoma. Success in disclosing the thermographic abnormality is demonstrated using three computer image processing techniques: (1) spatial signature analysis; (2) symmetry measurement using thermal density distributions; and (3) image coding by contour map data structure.
Noise stabilization of self-organized memories.

This paper concerns a nonlinear dynamical system with many degrees of freedom which organizes to store memories, in that a configuration-dependent quantity is driven to take on preselected values. In Ref. @1# it is shown that in the absence of noise, the system encodes many memories during a transient period, but in the limit of long times retains no more than two of them. Thus, the purely deterministic system ‘‘learns,’’ and then it ‘‘forgets.’’ We examine the effects of adding noise to this system and demonstrate that certain types of noise can stabilize multiple memories so that they are remembered permanently. This noise stabilization is possible because the memory formation mechanism is fundamentally local, whereas forgetting is governed by the large-scale behavior of the system. Thus, it is possible for certain types of stochastic noise to modify the behavior at long wavelengths without destroying the local nonlinear dynamics which give rise to memory creation. We argue that the type of noise that we have found to stabilize multiple memories is likely to be present in some experiments on charge-density wave ~CDW! conductors such as NbSe3. Thus, our results could explain the experimental observation of multiple apparently permanent memories encoded in individual samples reported in Ref. @1#. Our analytic investigations of the behavior of this system both with and without noise show that insight into the mechanisms underlying memory formation as well as noise stabilization can be obtained by averaging the dynamical equations over intermediate-time periods. We determine analytically the dependence of the memory values on the noise parameters in the limit when a certain parameter k tends to zero. The large-scale behavior of the system follows closely that of a linear diffusion equation; we present analytic bounds on the differences between the evolution of the nonlinear equations and that of the linearized system that are uniform in time and logarithmic in the system size. Some of the analytic results for the system without noise were asserted but not justified in Ref. @1#. The paper is organized as follows. Section II briefly reviews the deterministic version of the model. Sections III and IV present our numerical work demonstrating that noise can stabilize multiple memories. Section V presents our analytic work which enables us to understand why noise can keep memories from being forgotten and also presents an averaging procedure which allows us to obtain analytic insight into the transient memories present in the map without noise in a certain limit. Section VI discusses our main results and possible relevance to CDW experiments. Appendix A demonstrates the uniqueness of the limit obtained by the averaging procedure of Sec. V and also discusses explicitly this limit for the case of multiple memories. Appendix B compares the time evolution of the full nonlinear system with the time evolution of a linearized model and shows that the linearized equations reproduce accurately aspects of the evolution on large scales ~though not the memory formation itself!.
Purification and properties of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase from rat liver mitochondria and its immunological comparison with the enzymes from rat brain, heart, and mammary gland.

Abstract Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.9) was found to be localized in the mitochondria in rat liver. Low ionic strength (10 m m Na phosphate) buffer extracted the bulk (>85%) of the enzyme from the mitochondria. From this extract the enzyme was purified over 2,000-fold using a combination of (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, gel filtration with Sepharose 4B and Sephadex G-150, ion exchange chromatography with QAE-Sephadex and CM-Sephadex, and finally chromatography on NADP-agarose. The purified enzyme, which had a specific activity of about 16 μmol/min/mg, appeared to be electrophoretically homogeneous and had a molecular weight of 160,000. The decarboxylase had a broad pH optimum between 8.5 and 10.0 and showed a typical Michaelis-Menten substrate saturation pattern from which Km and V were calculated to be 54 μ m and 18.8 μmol/min/mg, respectively. This enzyme decarboxylated neither malonic acid nor methylmalonyl-CoA and was severely inhibited by thiol-directed reagents such as p-hydroxymercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide but not by iodoacetamide. Acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, and methylmalonyl-CoA also inhibited the enzyme. The purified decarboxylase was immunogenic in rabbits and Ouchterlony double diffusion analysis revealed a single precipitant line with the purified enzyme. The IgG fraction isolated from the antiserum inhibited the enzyme from not only liver mitochondria but also the mammary gland, heart, and kidney of the rat. However, malonyl-CoA decarboxylase from rat brain mitochondria was not inhibited by the antibody. Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase purified from the uropygial gland of a domestic goose neither cross reacted nor was it inhibited by the antiserum prepared against the rat liver mitochondrial enzyme and the antibody against the goose enzyme neither cross-reacted nor inhibited the enzyme from the rat. It is proposed that a role for mitochondrial malonyl-CoA decarboxylase is to decarboxylate malonyl-CoA generated by propionyl-CoA carboxylase and thus protect mitochondrial enzymes susceptible to inhibition by malonyl-CoA.
Deposition of carbon nitride films from single-source s-triazine precursors

Abstract Trisubsituted derivatives of s-triazine (1,3,5-triazine) with N(i-Pr)2, N(i-Bu)2, NH(t-Bu), pyridyl, and NHNHMe ligands were used as single-source precursors to produce carbon nitride (CNx) thin films via hot wall CVD. The precursors are either commercially available or were synthesized in straightforward, one-pot procedures, and the synthesis and characterization of tris-2,4,6-methlyhydrazino-1,3,5-triazine (TMHT) is reported for the first time. All of the precursors studied are thermally stable and volatilize below 250 °C. They thermally decompose between 500 and 1000 °C, resulting in CNx films with x ranging from 0.95 to 0.03. The film deposition temperature and nitrogen content depend upon the structure and stability of the precursor. The film properties vary from disordered insulating structures with high nitrogen content (CN0.95) to low nitrogen content turbostratic carbon films. The films on Si and SiO2 substrates were characterized by Auger surface analysis, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy.
Structures, Interactions, and Ferromagnetism of Fe−Carbon Nanotube Systems

The structures, interaction, and magnetic properties of Fe atoms with a single-wall carbon nanotube are investigated using Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics. The stability, band gap, Fermi energy, and total magnetic moment of the Fe-adsorbed single-wall carbon nanotube systems are found to depend on the location of the Fe atoms relative to the carbon nanotube surface. The confinement and the curvature of nanotubes have a strong effect on the relative stability of various structures corresponding to different positions of the Fe atom inside and outside carbon nanotubes. The Fe atoms inside a carbon nanotube are found to couple ferromagnetically.
The Obama effect: An experimental test

Abstract Past research on stereotype threat and role model effects, as well as a recent quasi-experiment (Marx, Ho, & Freidman, this issue) suggested the possibility of an “Obama effect” on African American’s standardized test performance, whereby the salience of Barack Obama’s stereotype defying success could positively impact performance. We tested this reasoning in a randomized experiment with a broad sample of college students from across the country. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that students prompted to think about Barack Obama prior to taking a difficult standardized verbal test would improve their performance relative to white students, and to African American students in control conditions that were not prompted to think about Obama. Our results did not support this hypothesis. Test scores were unaffected by prompts to think about Obama and no relationship was found between test performance and positive thoughts about Obama, a disconfirmation of both the findings and conclusions of the Marx, Ho, and Freidman study.
Intestinal absorption in type I glycogen storage disease

Although intermittent diarrhea in type I glycogen storage disease has not been emphasized previously, we have frequently observed it as a clinical manifestation in our patients. In an attempt to delineate the etiology of the diarrhea, 8 patients with type I glycogen storage disease were studied. No evidence of malabsorption of monosaccharide or disaccharide or fat was found.
Ab initio molecular orbital calculations on furanose sugars: a study with the 6-31G basis set.

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations were performed on 2-deoxy-beta-D-glycero-tetrofuranose (1) using the 6-31G* basis set to evaluate the effect of ring conformation on the molecular parameters (bond lengths, angles, and torsions). Geometric optimizations were conducted on the planar and ten envelope conformers of 1, and these data were compared to those obtained from previous calculations using the STO-3G and 3-21G basis sets. Conformational energy profiles derived from 3-21G and 6-31G* data were found to be qualitatively comparable. The effect of furanose ring conformation on key bond lengths (e.g., C-H, C-O), bond angles (e.g., COC), and bond torsions (e.g., the exoanomeric C-1-O-1 torsion) was examined, and a qualitative agreement was observed between the 3-21G and 6-31G* analyses. The results indicate that, for semi-quantitative ab initio studies of intact carbohydrates, the 3-21G basis set is sufficient, and that the STO-3G basis set should not be employed unless crude structural approximations are desired. The observed concerted behavior of C-O bond lengths in the vicinity of the anomeric carbon of the aldofuranose ring has suggested a possible role of C-1-O-1 bond orientation in affecting the mechanism of glycoside bond hydrolysis.
On the dispersion function of jonscher and β-alumina relaxation

Abstract The relaxation function of Jonscher is critically examined on two points: (1) a questioning on the existence of the distribution function of relaxation times is answered affirmatively by an explicit derivation of the function, and (2) the experimental data of β-alumina fits by Jonscher's function can be fitted equally by the Davidson and Cole function.
Kinesthetic replay for error diagnosis in time-delayed teleoperation

For Teleoperation in the presence of communication delays, the detection and correction of error conditions is critically important. This paper discusses an extension of the Teleprogramming system for aiding an operator in understanding error conditions. A 'shadow robot' driven by symbolic statements generated at the remote site has been developed. Also developed is an operational mode in which the operator may replay a sequence of motions leading to an error condition. In this mode the input device is constrained to move along the trajectory corresponding to the remote trajectory. The remaining degrees of freedom available to the input device are exploited to relay kinesthetic information to the operator. Experimental results indicating the usefulness of these additions in diagnosing error conditions are presented.
An end-user decision model with information representation for improved performance and robustness in complex system design

This paper demonstrates how system performance and robustness can be improved by incorporating models of end-user decision making in the early stages of complex engineered system design. End-user decision making is incorporated into the system design models through the novel use of decision and game theory methods. Methods for representing, dispersing, and absorbing information by end users in engineered system models are explored. The benefits of using mechanism design of end-user information to manipulate end-user decisions, with the goal of improving system performance, are examined. Further, incorporation of end-user models is shown to improve system robustness with respect to variations in user population. Complex system examples of aircraft and buildings are explored as test beds that showcase the benefits of incorporating an end-user decision model in the early stages of design.
Birth Cohort Increases in Narcissistic Personality Traits Among American College Students, 1982–2009

Previous research produced conflicting results on whether narcissistic personality traits have increased among American college students over the generations. Confounding by campus may explain the discrepancy. Study 1 updates a nationwide meta-analysis of college students' scores on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and controls for campus (k = 107; N = 49,818). In Study 2, the authors examine NPI scores among the students on one university campus, the University of South Alabama, between 1994 and 2009 (N = 4,152). Both studies demonstrate significant increases in narcissism over time (Study 1 d = .37, 1982–2008, when campus is controlled; Study 2 d = .37, 1994–2009). These results support a generational differences model of individual personality traits reflecting changes in culture.
HIV Knowledge and Behavior Among Chinese College Students in China and the United States

Disease prevention can be improved with a better understanding of student-environment interactions. The purposes of the study were (a) to compare HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, sexual behaviors, and sources of HIV/STI information and (b) to investigate the association between sources of HIV/STI information and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors among Chinese college students in China and the United States. Comparative, correlational analysis of survey data from 608 students in two countries was conducted. Chinese students in the United States scored higher on knowledge questions. More students in the United States received HIV/STI information from the Internet and family members than did students in China. Traditional media and schoolteachers had a stronger association with participants' HIV-related knowledge, age at first intercourse, and number of sexual partners in both samples than did other sources. The survey revealed incomplete knowledge within both groups. Prevention programs should focus on risky misconceptions and should teach about strategic utilization of media.
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT: AN ACTIVITY FOR TEACHING PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This article describes an experiential learning activity (ELA) for illustrating foundational project-management principles. The activity simulates a “real world” application of a project-management scenario requiring teams to plan, design, and build structures to achieve stated objectives within a limited time frame. ELAs provide students with a common shared experience that serves as a building block to facilitate higher levels of learning. The article provides an overview of the exercise, detailed instructions for classroom integrations and evidence of effectiveness. The activity may be adapted for use in a variety of course settings to emphasize various learning objectives within a course.
A METHOD FOR ASSESSING PHYLOGENETIC LEAST SQUARES MODELS FOR SHAPE AND OTHER HIGH-DIMENSIONAL MULTIVARIATE DATA

Studies of evolutionary correlations commonly use phylogenetic regression (i.e., independent contrasts and phylogenetic generalized least squares) to assess trait covariation in a phylogenetic context. However, while this approach is appropriate for evaluating trends in one or a few traits, it is incapable of assessing patterns in highly multivariate data, as the large number of variables relative to sample size prohibits parametric test statistics from being computed. This poses serious limitations for comparative biologists, who must either simplify how they quantify phenotypic traits, or alter the biological hypotheses they wish to examine. In this article, I propose a new statistical procedure for performing ANOVA and regression models in a phylogenetic context that can accommodate high-dimensional datasets. The approach is derived from the statistical equivalency between parametric methods using covariance matrices and methods based on distance matrices. Using simulations under Brownian motion, I show that the method displays appropriate Type I error rates and statistical power, whereas standard parametric procedures have decreasing power as data dimensionality increases. As such, the new procedure provides a useful means of assessing trait covariation across a set of taxa related by a phylogeny, enabling macroevolutionary biologists to test hypotheses of adaptation, and phenotypic change in high-dimensional datasets.
NASA Technology for the Earth Observation Sensor Web

The Earth Observation Sensor Web vision is to enable on-demand sensing of a broad array of environmental and ecological phenomena across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, from a heterogeneous suite of sensors both in-situ and in orbit. The NASA Advanced Information Systems Technology program aims to advance the use of emerging technologies for space based Earth science research and applications and infuse the sensor web concepts into space missions and data systems. The current technology investments in sensor webs are intended to advance the state of the practice in Internet-enabled distributed systems, extended to on-orbit remote sensing sensors. This paper describes the foundation for the Earth Observation Sensor Web based on a system-of-systems concept dynamically reconfigured to respond to events. Sensor web characteristics and sample use cases illustrate how these systems contribute to our knowledge of the Earth. Summaries of sensor web use cases and research highlights will be presented from some of the research projects recently funded by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office and currently underway in universities, industries and NASA research centers throughout the country.
Correlates of Young Adult Tobacco Use: Application of a Transition Framework

Anticipatory guidance is a traditional nursing intervention. The purpose of this study was to identify factors to serve as targets for anticipatory guidance prior to high school graduation to reduce tobacco initiation among young adults after graduation. A sample of 203 randomly selected freshmen and sophomore students at a major midwestern university completed a survey that included questions about tobacco use, drug use, mental health issues, stress, smoking environment, and other lifestyle choices. The prevalence rate for tobacco use was 32%. Multivariate analyses indicated that students who had used marijuana and alcohol were more likely to use tobacco. Implications for health promotion starting at the high school level were drawn from the study findings.
Understory cover and biomass indices predictions for forest ecosystems of the Northwestern United States

Abstract The understory community is a critical component of many processes of forest ecosystems. Cover and biomass indices of shrubs and herbs of forested ecosystems of Northwestern United States are presented. Various forest data were recorded for 10,895 plots during a Current Vegetation Survey, over the National Forest lands of entire Pacific Northwest. No significant relationships between the percent canopy cover and understory percent cover and biomass indices were found for the 129 ecoclasses analyzed. Disturbance time and type, and the soil characteristics significantly influenced the shrub biomass indices (p-values of
Repeated administration of AMPA or a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist into the rat ventral tegmental area augments the subsequent behavioral hyperactivity induced by cocaine.

Glutamate receptors and their related second messengers in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are known to play critical roles in the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. To evaluate the hypothesis that repeated intra-VTA microinjections of the ionotropic glutamate agonist, AMPA, or the metabotropic glutamate agonist, t-ACPD, augment the behavioral hyperactivity induced by a subsequent challenge injection of cocaine. In addition, the dependency of the t-ACPD effect on activation of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaM-Ks) was assessed. Male Sprague–Dawley rats received four once-daily microinjections of saline, AMPA, t-ACPD, or t-ACPD plus the CaM-KII inhibitor KN-93 directly into the VTA; locomotor activity was measured for 120 min after each of the daily treatments. One week after the 4 treatment days, all animals received a challenge injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg, IP) and behavioral activity was monitored for 120 min. Intra-VTA administration of t-ACPD increased behavioral activity only on the first 2 treatment days, an effect that was blocked by pre-treatment with KN-93. Administration of AMPA into the VTA, in contrast, produced behavioral hyperactivity that sensitized over the 4 treatment days. Following the cocaine challenge injection, there was an augmentation of cocaine-induced behavioral hyperactivity in the groups pretreated with AMPA or t-ACPD but not in the animals administered t-ACPD plus KN-93. These results indicate that repeated stimulation of AMPA or metabotropic glutamate receptors in the VTA mimics the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. The present findings also suggest that glutamate agonist-induced activation of CaM-KII in the VTA plays a critical role in the behavioral and neuronal plasticity induced by repeated cocaine injections.
Factors related to rural young adolescents' participation in outdoor, noncompetitive physical activity.

Purpose: Young adolescents who have little interest in participating in competitive team sports are at an increased risk for physical inactivity. Noncompetitive outdoor physical activity can provide young adolescents with increased opportunities to participate in physical activities that appeal to them and have positive health effects. The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to rural young adolescents' participation in noncompetitive outdoor physical activity to inform intervention design. Method: Young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years old (N = 1,032) from 1 rural county completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing constructs from self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) related to noncompetitive outdoor physical activity. Structural equation modeling was used to examine an integrated conceptual model of hypothesized relationships among constructs. Results: The hypothesized conceptual model provided a good fit to the data with greater perceptions of...
network link prediction by global silencing of indirect correlations

By mathematically 'silencing' spurious, indirect correlations in networks, two groups devise approaches for improving many different types of network analyses.
Electrode configurations and impedance spectra of cement pastes

Electrode effects on impedance spectra of cement pastes were investigated by two-, three-, and four-point measurements without a potentiostat over the frequency range 0.01 Hz–10 MHz. Electrode immittance effects arising from highly resistive/capacitive contacts cannot be fully corrected by nulling procedures. Two-point measurements are much more susceptible to such effects than three- or four-point measurements. The three- and four-point results on pastes suggest that there is negligible high-frequency “offset” resistance, and that bulk paste arcs are not significantly depressed below the real axis in Nyquist plots. The important impedance-derived equivalent circuit parameters are bulk resistance and capacitance; offset resistance and arc depression angle may not be physically meaningful parameters. Whereas all electrode configurations give reliable values of bulk paste resistance, only the three-point configuration provides the total paste/electrode dual arc spectrum involving a single electrode. Multielectrode (three- or four-point) measurements may be necessary to establish the true bulk paste dielectric constant.
Comparative Outcomes of Pure Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Urothelial Carcinoma With Squamous Differentiation in Patients Treated With Radical Cystectomy

Purpose: We compared clinical outcomes, and identified predictors of cancer specific and overall survival after radical cystectomy in patients with urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation and those with pure squamous cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: We reviewed data on 2,031 patients treated with radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection at a single high volume referral center. Of these patients 78 had squamous cell carcinoma and 67 had squamous differentiation. Survival estimates by histological subtype were described using Kaplan-Meier methods. Within histological subtypes pathological stage, nodal invasion, soft tissue margins, age and gender were evaluated as predictors of cancer specific survival and overall survival using univariate Cox regression.Results: Median followup was 44 months. Of 104 patient deaths 60 died of their disease. We did not find a statistically significant difference between survival curves of patients with squamous cell carcinoma and squamous different...
Reporting and Analysis

You are the director of clinical quality for primary care in an integrated delivery system with 10 primary care clinics, which use a networked electronic medical record (EMR). For the second time this month you have received a phone call from the chairman of the anesthesiology department complaining about the quality of presurgical evaluations done in your department. This time a patient referred for elective surgery by one of your physicians was discovered to have a history of a myocardial infarction by a nurse in the anesthesiology department just before going into the operating room. This cardiac history was not reflected in the patient’s problem list and is not mentioned in the preop exam write-up. As a result the surgery was cancelled and the patient was referred to a cardiologist. You decide to bring this incident to the Quality Improvement Committee for review not as a reprimand but as a quality improvement project.
Manipulation of avian primordial germ cells and gonadal differentiation.

Abstract The authors hypothesized that donor primordial germ cells (PGC) are useful as vehicles of gene transfer in birds. The PGC have been identified in the blastula prior to incubation. They have been isolated from the Stage 7 germinal crescents. Stage 17 blood, and Stage 30 gonads. The percentages of PGC in these three embryonic sources were 2, .003 and 1.5%, respectively. The isolated PGC have been used as antigens to produce specific antibodies that have served as major tools in identification, isolation, and forming enriched in vitro cultures of PGC. Sterile hosts for normal donor PGC have been induced by use of ultraviolet irradiation, treatment with the chemical busulfan, and crossing rooster with female quail to form a sterile host termed “quickens.” Micromanipulator technology, along with refinement of techniques to avoid trauma, will allow 80% hatchability. Integration of all the above biotechnology has led to successful use of PGC as vehicles of gene transfer and production of autogenic quail.
Growth of equiaxed dendritic crystals settling in an undercooled melt, Part 1: Tip kinetics

Experiments are conducted to measure the dendrite tip growth velocities of equiaxed crystals of the transparent model alloy succinonitrile–acetone that are settling in an undercooled melt. The tip velocities are measured as a function of the crystal settling speed and the Eulerian angle between the dendrite arms and the flow direction relative to the crystal. The ratio of the settling speed (or flow velocity) to the tip growth velocity ranges from 62 to 572. The ratio of the measured tip velocity to that predicted from a standard diffusion theory for free dendritic growth ranges from almost zero for dendrite tips growing in the wake of the crystal, about unity for dendrite tips with an orientation close to normal to the flow direction, and up to two for dendrite tips growing into the flow. Despite the relatively strong flow relative to the crystal, the average tip growth velocity of the six primary dendrite arms of an equiaxed crystal is found to be in excellent agreement with the standard diffusion theory result. The individual tip velocities are correlated using a boundary layer model of free dendritic growth in the presence of melt flow that is modified to account for the flow angle dependence. Using the same dendrite tip selection parameter, s, as established previously under purely diffusive conditions (0.02), good agreement is achieved between the measured and predicted tip velocities. The model is also found to predict well the variations in the tip velocity that occur during settling due to crystal rotation and settling speed changes. r 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Access to Treatment for Adolescents with Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders: Challenges and Opportunities.

Objective To review the research on economic and systemic barriers faced by adolescents needing treatment for alcohol and drug problems, particularly those with co-occurring conditions. Method We reviewed the literature on adolescent access to alcohol and drug services, including early intervention, and integrated and specialty mental health treatment for those with co-occurring disorders, examining the role of health care systems, public policy (health reform), treatment financing and reimbursement systems (public and private), implementation of evidence-based practices, confidentiality practices, and treatment costs and cost/benefits. Results Barriers to treatment, particularly integrated treatment, are largely rooted in our organizationally fragmented health care system, which encompasses public and private, carved-out and integrated systems, and different funding mechanisms (Medicaid versus block grants versus private insurance that include "high deductible" plans and other cost controls.) In both systems, carved-out programs de-link services from other mental health and general health care. Barriers are also rooted in disciplinary differences and weak clinical linkages between psychiatry, primary care and substance use, and in confidentiality policies that inhibit communication and coordination, while protecting patient privacy. Conclusion In this era of health care reform, we have the opportunity to increase access for adolescents and develop new models of integrated services for those with co-occurring conditions. We discuss opportunities for improving treatment access and implementation of evidence-based practices, examine implications of health reform and parity legislation for psychiatric and substance use treatment, and comment on key unanswered questions and future research opportunities.
Sex-Based Differences in Compliment Behavior.

Sex-based differences in the form of English compliments and in the frequencies of various compliment response types are discussed. Based on a corpus of 1,062 compliment events, several differences in the form of compliments used by women and men are noted. Further, it is found that compliments from men are generally accepted, especially by female recipients, whereas compliments from women are met with a response type other than acceptance. These findings are set within a broader discussion of male–female differences in speech and the sociology of compliment work. Parallels are drawn between these sex-based differences and differences in norms for national varieties of English relating to the function and frequency of compliments as speech acts and to different response types elicited by diverse functional exploitations of compliment formulas in discourse. (Sex-based differences in language use, socioprag-matics, compliments/compliment responses, ethnography of speaking)
Confronting the Teenage Pregnancy Issue: Social Marketing as an Interdisciplinary Approach

Social marketing is advocated here as a viable approach for increasing responsible teenage contraception. The innovative field is reviewed and the major issues dealing with the adoption and implementation of a social marketing approach to teenage contraception are discussed. Research on teenagers' sexual and contraceptive attitudes and behaviors is also reviewed. The discussion emphasizes that the use and adoption of effective contraceptive methods requires both individual level decision-making and interpersonal negotiation with contraceptive providers. Some of the key individual level considerations are presented here within the context of a problem-solving framework for contraceptive use. It is concluded that interdisciplinary efforts are needed to expand and integrate our knowledge of teenagers' fertility-related attitudes and behaviors to facilitate effective social marketing strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on improving our understanding of the social psychological processes underlying how t...
The Emotional and Functional Impact of the Type of Tinnitus Sensation

One to three percent of individuals with tinnitus experience significant reduction in quality of life. Factors that contribute to distress include personality variables, intolerance to loud noises, external locus of control, and pre-existing anxiety. Characteristics of tinnitus itself, such as perceived loudness, can also cause functional impairment. It is unknown whether different tinnitus sensations have various effects on either emotional or functional impairment, which can reduce quality of life. While audiological tests can determine pitch and loudness of tinnitus, questionnaires also can be easily used to assess subjective characteristics of tinnitus. In this study, 370 participants, recruited via email from a national tinnitus organization, completed online surveys that assessed tinnitus-related distress and provided qualitative descriptions of their tinnitus sensation. Self-reports of tinnitus sensation were rated by five independent coders, with excellent agreement. Individuals who reported a combination of tinnitus sensations were found to experience significantly more functional impairment and avoidant behavior. Future research should utilize more sophisticated approaches to categorize individuals' tinnitus sensation and to examine associated emotional and functional differences. Providers should appropriately refer patients for tinnitus management and empirically-supported therapies aimed at reducing tinnitus related distress and functional impairment.
A Case Study in Integrating Probabilistic Decision Making and Learning in a Symbolic Cognitive Architecture: Soar Plays Dice

One challenge for cognitive architectures is to effectively use different forms of knowledge and learning. We present a case study of Soar agents that play a multiplayer dice game, in which probabilistic reasoning and heuristic symbolic knowledge appear to play a central role. We develop and evaluate a collection of agents that use different combinations of probabilistic decision making, heuristic symbolic reasoning, opponent modeling, and learning. We demonstrate agents that use Soar’s rule learning mechanism (chunking) to convert deliberate reasoning with probabilities into implicit reasoning, and then use reinforcement learning to further tune performance.
Marek’s Disease Virus Latency

Marek’s disease (MD) is one of the most fascinating herpetic disorders because infection of susceptible chickens results in the rapid formation of T-cell lymphomas that are preventable by vaccination (Calnek and Witter 1997). For almost half a century, the commercial poultry industry has been dependent on effective MD vaccines. Because Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is a relatively difficult herpesvirus to study, information regarding it has lagged behind that for some other herpes-viruses. Latency is no exception to this general statement. MDV latency appears somehow connected to transformation, although the relationship between these two states is by no means clear. For example, it is not known whether latency is a precursor to transformation or whether it is a parallel manifestation of disease. In this review, I will attempt to define latency for MDV, describe systems in which it can be studied, review what is known about transcription during latency, and point out gaps in our existing understanding of this mode of infection.
Topical Review: Unique Contributions of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Pediatric Psychology Research

Objective This review aims to provide a brief introduction of the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in pediatric psychology research, describe several exemplar studies that highlight the unique benefits of MRI techniques for pediatric psychology research, and detail methods for addressing several challenges inherent to pediatric MRI research. Methods Literature review. Results Numerous useful applications of MRI research in pediatric psychology have been illustrated in published research. MRI methods yield information that cannot be obtained using neuropsychological or behavioral measures. Conclusions Using MRI in pediatric psychology research may facilitate examination of neural structures and processes that underlie health behaviors. Challenges inherent to conducting MRI research with pediatric research participants (e.g., head movement) may be addressed using evidence-based strategies. We encourage pediatric psychology researchers to consider adopting MRI techniques to answer research questions relevant to pediatric health and illness.