cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaporation of Pesticide Droplets on Surfaces Under Various Relative Humidity Conditions

It is important to understand the evaporation process of pesticide droplets on targets for increasing the efficiency and efficacy of foliar applied insecticide and fungicide spray applications. Evaporation characteristics of five droplet sizes (246, 343, 575, 762, and 886 μm) under three relative humidity (RH) conditions (30, 60, and 90 %) were studied in a laboratory. Sequential images of evaporating droplets placed inside a small environmentally controlled chamber were obtained using a stereoscope for determination of droplet evaporation time and residual patterns. The spray mixtures included different combinations of water, a nonionic colloidal polymer drift retardant, an alkyl polyoxyethylene surfactant, and an insecticide. The droplet evaporation was investigated on the surfaces of hydrophilic and hydrophobic glass slides which represented ideal non-waxy and waxy leaf surfaces, respectively. Among the spray mixtures investigated, the droplets containing the drift retardant had the longest evaporation time, and the droplets containing the surfactant had the shortest evaporation time after these additives were added into insecticide mixtures. The mean evaporation time of 246, 343, 575, 762, and 886 μm droplets containing water and the insecticide without additives at 60 % RH on the hydrophilic surface were 43, 77, 133, 226, and 384 s, respectively. The mean evaporation times of the same size droplets containing the same insecticide but mixed with the surfactant were 26, 47, 77, 156, and 251 s, respectively. The evaporation time of 575 μm droplets containing the drift retardant at 60 % RH increased from 159 s to 224 s when the deposition surface changed from the hydrophilic slide to the hydrophobic slide. The evaporation time of droplets greatly increased as RH increased, and also increased exponentially as the droplet size increased. Therefore, spray additives, target surface fine structure and RH greatly influenced the evaporation time of spray droplets.
Community-level interactions and functional ecology of major workers in the hyperdiverse ground-foraging Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Amazonian Ecuador

Ants of the genus Pheidole are abundant and hyperdiverse, particularly in Neotropical rainforests. Very little is known, however, about the degree of ecological and behavioral differentiation of coexisting species comprising Pheidole communities. Additionally, the ecological role of the major worker subcaste, thought to be significant to the diversification of Pheidole, is poorly understood. We investigated the ecology and behavior of a ground-foraging Pheidole community of at least 56 species in Amazonian Ecuador. Pheidole species differed strongly in tolerance to flooding, nest site usage, foraging range, major worker foraging, and control of baits, but not in daily activity or ability to discover baits. A molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial DNA was characterized by poorly resolved basal relationships and long terminal branches, suggesting an ancient diversification of many Pheidole lineages. Comparison of well-supported sister species suggests that both phylogenetic history and ecologically induced differentiation contribute to interspecific variation in Amazonian Pheidole. Ground-nesting species had larger major workers than twig-nesting species, whereas dominant species with stronger recruitment had a higher proportional abundance of major workers at baits. Variation among species suggests the presence of behavioral groups within the Amazonian Pheidole community that appear to segregate according to nest site usage and/or tolerance to flooding disturbance. Our results suggest an important role for major worker differentiation in the diversification of Pheidole.
Intercultural competence through cultural self-study: A strategy for adult learners

Abstract The author presents a strategy for increasing adult intercultural sensitivity and effectiveness that has emerged from cumulative lessons of twelve years teaching cross-cultural psychology to undergraduates. Following a tightly structured protocol, learners complete a rigorous process of utilizing concepts of culture in a self-study exercise. Subsequently they are vastly more fluent in applying these concepts in research and in intercultural situations. Students internalize concepts of culture in a way that they comprehend the power of culture, through recognition, both cognitively and emotionally, of how they are the vehicles for the expression of culture. The author presents an explanation of processes that mediate this learning, and a set of five propositions for further exploring the connection between cultural self-study and intercultural competence. Offered are a detailed example of a self-study protocol and practical advice about pedagogical factors that can facilitate or restrain reflexive cultural learning. Throughout, students’ writings are used to illustrate the feasibility and emotional power of the self-study process. This report is presented in the hope of stimulating exchange among teachers and trainers using cultural self-study with various populations, in different settings, for multiple purposes. Future studies of outcome, in terms of both knowledge and intercultural skill, are needed to advance development of the method.
Vascular fluid mechanics, the arterial wall, and atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis, a disease of large- and medium-size arteries, is the chief cause of death in the United States and in most of the western world. Severe atherosclerosis interferes with blood flow; however, even in the early stages of the disease, i.e. during atherogenesis, there is believed to be an important relationship between the disease processes and the characteristics of the blood flow in the arteries. Atherogenesis involves complex cascades of interactions among many factors. Included in this are fluid mechanical factors which are believed to be a cause of the highly focal nature of the disease. From in vivo studies, there is evidence of hemodynamic influences on the endothelium, on intimal thickening, and on monocyte recruitment. In addition, cell culture studies have demonstrated the important effect of a cell's mechanical environment on structure and function. Most of this evidence is for the endothelial cell, which is believed to be a key mediator of any hemodynamic effect, and it is now well documented that cultured endothelial monolayers, in response to a fluid flow-imposed laminar shear stress, undergo a variety of changes in structure and function. In spite of the progress in recent years, there are many areas in which further work will provide important new information. One of these is in the engineering of the cell culture environment so as to make it more physiologic. Animal studies also are essential in our efforts to understand atherogenesis, and it is clear that we need better information on the pattern of the disease and its temporal development in humans and animal models, as well as the specific underlying biologic events.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Detector for Low Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy Experiment

A detector developed specifically for rocket and satellite borne low energy gamma-ray astronomy experiments is described. The detector consists of a 2? long × 1? diameter CsI(T1) crystal viewed by a single photomultiplier tube together with a 8.75? long × 5.75? diameter CsI(T1) crystal viewed by four photomultiplier tubes. The small crystal is inserted into a well of the larger crystal, the output of the smaller crystal being run in anticoincidence with the large crystal. The output from the small crystal surviving the anticoincidence circuit is fed into a pulse height analyzer. This detector and its mode of operation provides a gamma-ray spectrometer which has: angular collimation, low background sensitivity, suppression of the compton continuum and relatively high photopeak efficiency. Data on the photopeak efficiency, angular response, and suppression of the compton continuum at various energies are presented. Reasons for using anticoincidence shielding rather than bulk shielding with lead to contend with background problems are discussed.
It’s something that I feel like writing, instead of writing because I’m being told to: elementary boys’ experiences writing and performing poetry

Poetry is one of the most feared and least understood literary genres in our public schools. Boys, in particular, are frequently perceived to be resistant to poetry instruction; a view that often stems from a limited vision of what poetry is and a misread of masculinity. Nevertheless, the study of poetry provides many benefits in the journey to becoming a competent and expressive writer. In this study, the writing practices of 20 fourth- and fifth-grade boys in a low socioeconomic US urban school were investigated as they engaged in the writing and performance of poetry across a 4-week poetic genre study. Audio-recordings of interview responses, video-recordings of poetry performances, drafts of participants’ original poems, and other relevant classroom artifacts were analysed using interpretive analytic methods to identify themes in and across data sources. Analyses revealed that it was possible to create an environment in which these elementary-aged boys were willing (and sometimes even eager) to engage...
Storm surge projections and implications for water management in South Florida

Water resource management in South Florida faces nearly intractable problems, in part due to weather and climate variability. Rising sea level and coastal storm surge are two phenomena with significant impacts on natural systems, fresh water supplies and flood drainage capability. However, decision support information regarding management of water resources in response to storm surge is not well developed. In an effort to address this need we analyze long term tidal records from Key West, Pensacola and Mayport Florida to extract surge distributions, to which we apply a nonlinear eustatic sea level rise model to project storm surge return levels and periods. Examination of climate connections reveals a statistically significant dependence between surge distributions and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Based on a recent probabilistic model for AMO phase changes, we develop AMO-dependent surge distributions. These AMO-dependent surge projections are used to examine the flood control response of a coastal water management structure as an example of how climate dependent water resource forcings can be used in the formulation of decision support tools.
Application of statistical notions to multipath channels

I should like to discuss some results obtained by my colleagues and myself in trying to devise, by analysis of suitable statistical models, an operating communication system for multipath conditions. This work has already been described in great detail elsewhere (PRICE and GREEn [1]); here I shall summarize it for those to whom these ideas are new. The problem is somehow to devise a system for sending binary information through a channel perturbed by randomly varying multipath and additive gaussian noise. By multipath we shall mean a condition in which there is more than one propagation path from transmitter to receiver, and we shall begin by postulating a suitable model for this often troublesome phenomenon. For the practical cases of interest we can say that
Chirochromic triggers: 3,3′-Disubstituted-2,2′-binaphthalene-1,1′-diols and 2-methylindoline derived phosphoramidates

Diastereomeric binaphthalenes with an appropriate barrier to atropisomerization were sought in an effort to develop possible chirochromic switches that photochemically control the pitch magnitude and sense in an induced cholesteric liquid crystal.
Synchronous climatic change inferred from diatom records in four western Montana lakes in the U.S. Rocky Mountains

Late-Holocene environmental and climatic conditions were reconstructed from diatom assemblages in sediment cores from four western Montana lakes: Crevice Lake, Foy Lake, Morrison Lake, and Reservoir Lake. The lakes show synchroneity in timing of shifts in diatom community structure, but the nature of these changes differs among the lakes. Two of the sites provide highly resolved records of hydrologic balance, while the other two stratigraphic sequences primarily record temperature impact on lake thermal structure. All four lakes show significant change in five discrete intervals: 2200–2100, 1700–1600, 1350–1200, 800–600, and 250 cal yr BP. The similarities in the timing of change suggest overlying regional climatic influences on lake dynamics. The 800–600 cal yr BP shift is evident in other paleorecords throughout the Great Plains and western US, associated with the transition from the Medieval Climate Anomaly to the Little Ice Age. Large-scale climatic mechanisms that influence these lake environments may result from atmospheric circulation patterns that are driven by interactions between Pacific and Atlantic sea-surface temperatures, which are then locally modified by topography.
A hierarchical method based on active shape models and directed Hough transform for segmentation of noisy biomedical images; application in segmentation of pelvic X-ray images.

Background Traumatic pelvic injuries are often associated with severe, life-threatening hemorrhage, and immediate medical treatment is therefore vital. However, patient prognosis depends heavily on the type, location and severity of the bone fracture, and the complexity of the pelvic structure presents diagnostic challenges. Automated fracture detection from initial patient X-ray images can assist physicians in rapid diagnosis and treatment, and a first and crucial step of such a method is to segment key bone structures within the pelvis; these structures can then be analyzed for specific fracture characteristics. Active Shape Model has been applied for this task in other bone structures but requires manual initialization by the user. This paper describes a algorithm for automatic initialization and segmentation of key pelvic structures - the iliac crests, pelvic ring, left and right pubis and femurs - using a hierarchical approach that combines directed Hough transform and Active Shape Models.
A Global Optimal Solution With Higher Order Continuity for the Estimation of Surface Velocity From Infrared Images

A global optimal solution (GOS) provides surface velocities from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) remote image sequences using bilinear interpolation algorithms. Although an accurate velocity field can be estimated by GOS from a sequence of infrared images, the field has only first-order continuity. Because an actual coastal ocean has a complex irregular coastland and some ocean studies need vorticity and divergence analysis, which must be extracted from the velocity field, the development of generic GOS algorithms with higher order continuity and smoothed cutouts around these edges is very important. This paper addresses the issues of higher order continuity and smoothed cutouts around coastland edges for using GOS to estimate surface velocities. GOS bilinear polynomials, previously applied to square tiles with first-order continuity, are replaced by surface B-spline functions. The new GOS algorithms can be applied to AVHRR images containing complicated coastal land boundaries, even clouds, to yield smooth velocity fields next to land and higher order continuity velocity fields. The velocity fields obtained through the applications of the first- and higher order GOS techniques to a sequence of two National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration AVHRR images, which were taken from the New York Bight fields, are compared with those measured with the CODAR array. The retrieved velocity fields are used directly to calculate the surface divergence and vorticity. It is found that the angular and magnitude errors of the velocity by the first- and third-order GOSs are quite close for both numerical model data and AVHRR image sequences, and the velocity field estimated by the third-order GOS is globally smoothed.
Molecular characterization of the beta-lactamases from clinical isolates of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis obtained from 24 U.S. medical centers during 1994-1995 and 1997-1998.

The beta-lactamases from 403 Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis clinical isolates obtained during 1994-1995 and 1997-1998 U.S. multicenter surveillance studies were characterized by isoelectric focusing. The overall prevalences of the BRO-1 and BRO-2 enzymes among beta-lactamase-positive isolates were estimated to be 97.5 and 2.5%, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ampicillin for all BRO-2-producing isolates were </=1 microg/ml; however, numerous beta-lactamase-positive isolates for which the ampicillin MICs were </=1 microg/ml produced the BRO-1 enzyme (88. 1%).
Adding parallel Haskell to the undergraduate programming language course

Parallel computing is a new knowledge area in the 2013 ACM-IEEE curricular recommendations. This paper describes our experiences adding a brief module on parallel Haskell to the undergraduate programming languages courses at two colleges. We offer suggestions for others wishing to introduce parallelism in such courses.
Slow migration of capsicum oleoresin in a sandy loam soil

A mixture of 16.4770.038 L concentrated capsicum oleoresin with 163.873.63 L water and a total of 17.2 L concentrated soybean oil with 177.1 L water was dispensed over five 4.87 m � 4.87 m plots via a grid of 128 augured holes (E15 cm- diameterE30 cm deep) in a compacted, sandy loam soil. During the next 9 days, a total of 37 soil samples were obtained from these plots and other off-plot areas. Spectrophotometric analyses of dual aliquots of soil samples were performed to detect absorbance of capsaicin (lmax at 282 nm). Analysis of variance showed that absorbance readings from points of capsicum application (augured holes) were 30-fold greater than for samples obtained 30-40 cm distant (F ¼ 19:21, df 1/4.22, po0:0105). Soybean-oil plot and off-plot soil samples yielded negligible absorbance readings. Thus, capsicum oleoresin persisted for X10 days in this type of soil, but migration was minimal. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Carcinogenesis in an immunologically privileged site

The theory of immunological surveillance as proposed by Burnet implies that “a major function of the mammalian immunologic mechanism is the recognition and elimination of foreign patterns arising as a result of cell mutation or an equivalent process”[5]. Considerable recent evidence has been proposed which indicates that this protective mechanism for human and experimental animal neoplasia has minimal if any effectiveness. In support of this position it has been noted that: (1) spontaneous tumors developing in animals and in tissue culture characteristically demonstrate a weak antigenie “foreign pattern” and escape immunologic recognition [2 I]; (2) a weak and early immune reaction has been shown to stimulate rather than inhibit tumor growth [20]; and (3) carcinogens applied to animals with an impaired immune system such as nude mice, produce an incidence of neoplasia no greater than that in immunologically competent control animals [ 1, 16,241. The aggressive growth of allogeneic and isogeneic tumors with tumor-specific antigens when transplanted to sites surgically deprived of lymphatic drainage (and thus immunologically privileged sites) [7, 26, 271, indicates the important role which an intact immunologic reflex has for effective tumor surveillance. Furthermore, interruption of the afferent limb of this reflex, namely, the regional lymphatic channels draining to the lymph nodes, might be expected to facilitate
Increased NF-κB activity in B cells and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from NOD mice

Type 1 diabetes results from the breakdown of peripheral tolerance. As regulators of T cell activation, antigen-presenting cells (APC) modulate peripheral tolerance and hence contribute to the immune dysregulation characteristic of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We initially observed an increased importance of NOD B cell APC function in a T cell priming assay as compared to non-autoimmune strains. Consistent with this increased APC function, we found that NF-kappa B nuclear translocation is increased in unmanipulated NOD and NOD.B10Sn-H2(b) B cells and that, in addition, NOD B cells are more sensitive to NF-kappa B-activating stimuli. We obtained similar results using NOD bone marrow-derived dendritic cell (BMDC) cultures. As costimulatory molecules have been shown to be NF-kappa B responsive, we examined the expression of these markers on NOD APC. Both B cells and BMDC expressed elevated levels of CD80 and CD40. Finally, NOD B cells provided better allostimulation than B cells from non-autoimmune strains. Therefore, hyperactivation of NF-kappa B and increased expression of CD80 and CD40 by NOD B cells and BMDC may be a contributing factor in the selection of effector T cells observed in IDDM.
Priming the Brain to Capitalize on Metaplasticity in Stroke Rehabilitation

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is emerging as a potentially valuable intervention to augment the effects of behavioral therapy for stroke. When used in conjunction with other therapies, rTMS embraces the concept of metaplasticity. Due to homeostatic mechanisms inherent to metaplasticity, interventions known to be in isolation to enhance excitability can interact when applied successively under certain timing conditions and produce enhanced or opposite effects. Similar to “muscular wisdom,” with its self-protective mechanisms, there also appears to be “synaptic wisdom” in neural networks with homeostatic processes that prevent over- and under-excitability. These processes have implications for both enhancing and suppressing the excitability effects from behavioral therapy. The purpose of this article is to relate the concept of metaplasticity, as derived from studies in humans who are healthy, to stroke rehabilitation and consider how it can be leveraged to maximize stroke outcomes.
New gas polarographic hydrogen sensor

Polarography is the measurement of the current that flows in solution as a function of an applied voltage. The actual form of the observed polarographic current depends upon the manner in which the voltage is applied and on the characteristics of the working electrode. The new gas polarographic H/sub 2/ sensor shows a current level increment with concentration of the gaseous H/sub 2/ similar to those relating to metal ions in liquid electrolytes in well-known polarography. This phenomenon is caused by the fact that the diffusion of the gaseous H/sub 2/ through a gas diffusion hole built in the sensor is a rate-determining step in the gaseous-hydrogen sensing mechanism. The diffusion hole artificially limits the diffusion of the gaseous H/sub 2/ toward the electrode located at the sensor cavity. This gas polarographic H/sub 2/ sensor is actually an electrochemical-pumping cell since the gaseous H/sub 2/ is in fact pumped via the electrochemical driving force generated between the electrodes. Gaseous H/sub 2/ enters the diffusion hole and reaches the first electrode (anode) located in the sensor cavity to be transformed into an H/sup +/ ions or protons; H/sup +/ ions pass through the electrolyte and reach the second electrode (cathode) to be reformed to gaseous H/sub 2/. Gas polarographic O/sub 2/ sensors are commercially available; a gas polarographic O/sub 2/ sensor was used to prove the feasibility of building a new gas polarographic H/sub 2/ sensor.
Collective wisdom: information growth in wikis and blogs

Wikis and blogs have become enormously successful media for collaborative information creation. Articles and posts accrue information through the asynchronous editing of users who arrive both seeking information and possibly able to contribute information. Most articles stabilize to high quality, trusted sources of information representing the collective wisdom of all the users who edited the article. We propose a model for information growth which relies on two main observations: (i) as an article's quality improves, it attracts visitors at a faster rate (a rich get richer phenomenon); and, simultaneously, (ii) the chances that a new visitor will improve the article drops (there is only so much that can be said about a particular topic). Our model is able to reproduce many features of the edit dynamics observed on Wikipedia and on blogs collected from LiveJournal; in particular, it captures the observed rise in the edit rate, followed by 1/t decay.
A comparison of remifentanil and fentanyl for fast track paediatric cardiac anaesthesia.

SummaryBackground: Fast track anaesthetic protocols for cardiac surgical patients have been developed to facilitate early tracheal extubation. We compared anaesthetics based on either remifentanil or fentanyl for fast track paediatric cardiac anaesthesia. Methods: Fifty patients with atrial septal defect or simple ventricular septal defect who were deemed suitable for fast track anaesthetic management were randomly assigned to group R (remifentanil) or group F (fentanyl). After sevoflurane induction, patients received either R infusion or F bolus. Following intubation, isoflurane 0.5 MAC was administered to all patients. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at baseline and pre- and postinduction, intubation, skin incision and sternotomy. Other parameters measured included time to extubation, reintubation rate and requirements for postoperative analgesia, ondansetron, and nitroprusside in the paediatric intensive care unit. Results: BP decreased similarly from baseline in both groups. Decreases in HR over time were significantly greater in group R. Haemodynamic response to incision/sternotomy was low and similar in both groups. There were no significant differences in extubation time, reintubation incidence, postoperative narcotic requirements, postoperative hypertension or postoperative nausea/vomiting. Conclusions: The remifentanil based anaesthetic was associated with a significantly slower HR than the fentanyl based anaesthetic. The clinical implications of the slower HR during remifentanil anaesthesia could be important and should be investigated.
AutoAdmin “what-if” index analysis utility

As databases get widely deployed, it becomes increasingly important to reduce the overhead of database administration. An important aspect of data administration that critically influences performance is the ability to select indexes for a database. In order to decide the right indexes for a database, it is crucial for the database administrator (DBA) to be able to perform a quantitative analysis of the existing indexes. Furthermore, the DBA should have the ability to propose hypothetical (“what-if”) indexes and quantitatively analyze their impact on performance of the system. Such impact analysis may consist of analyzing workloads over the database, estimating changes in the cost of a workload, and studying index usage while taking into account projected changes in the sizes of the database tables. In this paper we describe a novel index analysis utility that we have prototyped for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0. We describe the interfaces exposed by this utility that can be leveraged by a variety of front-end tools and sketch important aspects of the user interfaces enabled by the utility. We also discuss the implementation techniques for efficiently supporting “what-if” indexes. Our framework can be extended to incorporate analysis of other aspects of physical database design.
Pulmonary exposure of rats to ultrafine titanium dioxide enhances cardiac protein phosphorylation and substance P synthesis in nodose ganglia.

AbstractThe inhalation of engineered nanoparticles stimulates the development of atherosclerosis and impairs vascular function. However, the cardiac effects of inhaled engineered nanoparticles are unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of ultrafine titanium dioxide (UFTiO2) on the heart, and we define the possible mechanisms underlying the measured effects. Pulmonary exposure of rats to UFTiO2 increased the phosphorylation levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and cardiac troponin I, but not Akt, in the heart and substance P synthesis in nodose ganglia. Circulatory levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and blood cell counts and differentials were not significantly changed after pulmonary exposure. Separately, the incubation of cardiac myocytes isolated from naive adult rat hearts in vitro with UFTiO2 did not alter the phosphorylation status of the same cardiac proteins. In conclusion, the inhalation of UFTiO2 enhanced the phosphorylation levels of cardiac proteins. Such responses are likely in...
Financing, dividend and compensation policies subsequent to a shift in the investment opportunity set

Summarizes previous research on the impact of the investment opportunity set (IOS) on firm financing, dividend and compensation policies, develops hypotheses on the effects of IOS changes on these three areas and tests them using 1980‐1989 data from a sample of US firms moving high and low IOS rankings (and vice versa) plus a control (stable) group. Explains the sample selection method and shows that most declining IOS firms were small, high‐tech firms; firms dealing in food and consumer products showed increasing IOS; and control firms were mostly from capital intensive industries. Finds that rising IOS firms generally reduced their dividends and market debt‐to‐equity ratio. Adds that all three groups increased their use of stock option plans but this was only significant for the IOS rising firms. Briefly comments on the underlying reasons for the findings and their implications for further research.
Disparities in Access to Substance Abuse Treatment among People with Intellectual Disabilities and Serious Mental Illness

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have experienced increasing levels of community participation since deinstitutionalization. This freedom has facilitated community inclusion, access to alcohol and drugs, and the potential for developing substance abuse (SA) disorders. People with ID, who are known to have high rates of co-occurring serious mental illness (SMI), may be especially vulnerable to the consequences of this disease and less likely to use SA treatment. Using standardized performance measures for SA treatment access (initiation, engagement), rates were examined retrospectively for Medicaid beneficiaries with ID/SA/ SMI ages 12 to 99 (N = 5,099) and their counterparts with no ID/SA/SMI (N = 221,875). Guided by the sociobehavioral model of health care utilization, age-adjusted odds ratios and logistic regression models were conducted. People with ID/SA/SMI were less likely than their counterparts to access treatment. Factors associated with initiation included being nonwhite, living in a rural area, and not being dually eligible for Medicare; factors associated with engagement included all of the same and having a fee-for-service plan, a chronic SA-related disorder, or both. Social work policy and practice implications for improving the health of people with ID/SA/SMI through policy change, cross-system collaboration, and the use of integrated treatment approaches are discussed.
Toward Developing Data Warehousing Process Standards: An Ontology-Based Review of Existing Methodologies

A data warehouse is developed using a data warehousing process (DWP) methodology. Currently, there are a large number of methodologies available in the data warehousing market. The reason for this is the lack of any centralized attempts at creating platform-independent DWP standards. For the development of such standards, it is very important that we first examine the current practices being followed by the data warehousing industry. In this study, we review 30 commercial data warehousing methodologies and analyze the standard practices they have adopted with respect to DWP. To perform the analysis, we first develop an ontological model of DWP based on a thorough review of the literature and inputs from experts in the data warehousing field. The ontological model consists of two hierarchies: a composition hierarchy which shows the decomposition of DWP tasks such as system development, extract, transform, and load (ETL), and end-user application design; and a classification hierarchy which specifies the alternative methods or techniques available for performing the tasks. We next apply hierarchical cluster analysis to group the methodologies that share a common set of standards. Our study provides valuable insights into the prevailing standard practices for different DWP tasks-system development, requirements analysis, architecture design, data modeling, ETL, data extraction, and end-user application design-and identifies important directions for future research on DWP standardization
Prevention of ambiguous genitalia by prenatal treatment with dexamethasone in pregnancies at risk for congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) refers to a family of monogenic inherited disorders of adrenal steroidogenesis most often caused by a deficiency of the 21-hydroxylase enzyme. In the classic forms of CAH (simple virilizing and salt-wasting), androgen excess causes external genital ambiguity in newborn females and progressive postnatal virilization in males and females. Prenatal treatment of CAH with dexamethasone has been successfully utilized for over a decade. This article reports on 595 pregnancies prenatally diagnosed using amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling between 1978 and 2002 at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Medical College of Cornell University. No significant or endur- ing side effects were noted in the fetuses, indicating that dexamethasone treatment is safe. Prenatally treated newborns did not differ in weight from untreated, unaffected newborns. Based on our experience, prenatal diagnosis and treatment of 21-hydroxylase deficiency is effective in significantly reducing or eliminating virilization in the newborn female. Prevention of genital virilization in female newborns with classic CAH avoids the risk of sex misassignment and diminishes the need for corrective surgery and the resulting psychologi- cal impact that may extend into adulthood.
THE IMPACT OF NEW HOUSING CONSTRUCTION UPON ATTITUDES OF INNER-CITY RESIDENTS: A RESEARCH NOTE

This paper examines the impact of new housing construction upon attitudes of inner-city residents toward their home and neighborhood in eight low income neighborhoods of a midwestern city. Effects are estimated with a quasi-experimental a posteriori design. Data were collected by survey technique from four types of homeowners, three of which served as constructed control groups. Weighted least squares (WLS) regression was used to analyze the data, controlling on race, income, and age. Findings indicate that the housing had an effect upon both neighborhood satisfaction and satisfaction with the home, but the effect upon desire to move was less clear. Since the design can be considered relatively weak on internal validity, a number of threats to the internal validity of the results are systematically examined.
Massive Hepatic Steatosis and Lactic Acidosis in a Patient with AIDS Who Was Receiving Zidovudine

Massive steatosis has recently been described among a few human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients who were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Although clinical and light-microscopic pathological findings were carefully described, no ultrastructural studies of the liver were performed in these cases. We report the light-microscopic and ultrastructural findings at autopsy of a 35-year-old woman with AIDS who developed severe lactic acidosis and hepatic failure. The patient had been receiving standard doses of zidovudine for 5 months when she was hospitalized because of the rapid onset of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The most significant findings at autopsy were massive hepatomegaly and steatosis. Ultrastructural examination of the liver and skeletal muscle showed slightly enlarged mitochondria in the liver but no mitochondrial changes in the skeletal muscle. The pathogenesis of mitochondrial toxicity associated with antiviral therapies is briefly discussed.
Capacity Design of Intermediate Horizontal Boundary Elements of Steel Plate Shear Walls

Consistent with capacity design principles and requirements of ductile behavior, the 2005 AISC and 2001 CSA seismic design codes require that the intermediate horizontal boundary elements HBEs of steel plate shear walls SPSWs be designed to remain essentially elastic with the exception of plastic hinges at their ends when the infill plates fully yield under seismic loading. However, the unexpected failure observed during the tests on a full-scale two-story SPSW suggested that the current design approach does not necessarily lead to an intermediate HBE with the expected performance. This paper presents analytical models for estimating the design forces for intermediate HBEs to reliably achieve capacity design. Those models combine the assumed plastic mechanism with a linear beam model of intermediate HBE considering fully yielded infill panels and are able to prevent in-span plastic hinges. Design forces predicted using the proposed models are compared with those from nonlinear finite element analysis. Good agreement is observed. Finally, the proposed models are also used to explain the observed premature failure of intermediate HBE. DOI: 10.1061/ASCEST.1943-541X.0000167 CE Database subject headings: Shear walls; Steel plates; Earthquake engineering; Seismic design. Author keywords: Shear walls; Steel plates; Capacity; Design; Earthquake engineering; Seismic design.
Hypnosis for pain and neuromuscular rehabilitation with multiple sclerosis: Case summary, literature review, and analysis of outcomes.

Abstract Videotaped treatment sessions in conjunction with 1-month, 1-year, and 8-year follow-up allow a unique level of analysis in a case study of hypnotic treatment for pain and neuromuscular rehabilitation with multiple sclerosis (MS). Preparatory psychotherapy was necessary to reduce the patient's massive denial before she could actively participate in hypnosis. Subsequent hypnotic imagery and posthypnotic suggestion were accompanied by significantly improved control of pain, sitting balance, and diplopia (double vision), and a return to ambulatory capaaty within 2 weeks of beginning treatment with hypnosis. Evidence regarding efficacy of hypnotic strategies included (a) dired temporal correlations between varying levels of pain relief and ambulatory capaaty and the use versus nonuse of hypnotic strategies, (b) the absence of pharmacological explanations, and (c) the ongoing presence of other MSrelated symptoms that remained unaltered. In conjunction with existing literature on hypnosis and neuromusc...
Dynamic Balance in Older Persons: Effects of Reduced Visual and Proprioceptive Input

BACKGROUND: Understanding the motor and sensory contributions to balance function in older persons is important in order to design effective interventions to prevent falls and loss of mobility. We tested the contributions of visual and proprioceptive input, muscle strength, and age to balance performance in 110 subjects free of clinical evidence of neurologic disease (mean age 80 years). METHODS: The EquiTest Sensory Organization Test was used to present sequential conditions that altered sensory input in a 2 (tactile/proprioceptive input) x 3 (visual input) design. Center of force and shear force data were recorded from the platform; the primary outcomes were loss of balance (LOB) and anterior-posterior center of force (COF) displacement as a proportion of foot length (COFD). RESULTS: Subjects had 3.5 +/- 2.7 LOB during testing. Reduction of vision input increased the odds ratio of a LOB 5.7 fold (3.9, 8.4, 95% CI) in unstable surface conditions, but adaptation with repeated trials was substantial. The adjusted odds ratio of a LOB was 0.65 and 0.45 in the second and third trials, respectively, compared to the first. Muscle strength and age were independent predictors of LOB. Gait velocity, single stance balance, and reported difficulty with ambulation, mobility, and instrumental activities of daily living were also associated with LOB. CONCLUSIONS: Performance on clinical tests of strength, balance, and gait was associated with performance on a challenging balance test which reduced sensory input and effectiveness of motor responses. Adaptation to challenging balance conditions was substantial in this group of older subjects, but was diminished in the oldest subjects. Language: en
Grouted Waste Leach Tests: Pursuit of Mechanisms and Data for Long-Term Performance Assessment

At Hanford, low-level liquid nuclear waste is being mixed with cementitious materials (grout) to form leach-resistant solid waste. Prior to grouting each liquid waste, an assessment must be performed to evaluate the long-term environmental impact. These predictions rely upon a diffusion-controlled release model and short-term laboratory leach data on small grout samples. This paper describes size scale-up and inventory scale-up experiments that evaluate whether diffusion does in fact control the release of contaminants. The results of the volume scale-up test suggest that tests on grout cylinders between the sizes 3 cm dia. by 3 cm length and 30 cm dia. by 29 cm length yield comparable results. These data and other available literature suggest that extrapolation of leach results to large blocks of solidified waste is defensible. The inventory scale-up tests for {sup 125}I and selenium show a constant effective diffusivity regardless of the original inventory. This suggests that diffusion processes do in fact control the release of iodide and selenium from grout. The {sup 99}Tc effective diffusivities may not remain constant with changes in inventory. 9 refs., 2 figs., 7 tabs.
Biomechanics and Gait Analysis for Stress Fractures

Stress fractures are common in athletes and are more likely to occur in sports that involve repetitive and cyclical loads such as running and jumping. Stress fractures in the lower extremity have been linked to a multitude of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including static and dynamic biomechanical considerations. Inspection of static biomechanical properties of the athlete should be performed in conjunction with a formal running assessment to assist in the identification of the contributing factors that may be linked to the occurrence of skeletal stress injuries. This chapter focuses on the methodology of carrying out a physical biomechanical examination and running assessment following a stress fracture. Descriptions of movements occurring in each of the three cardinal planes are discussed, along with other global factors of running technique. It will further identify certain patterns reported in the literature to be related to overuse stress injuries of bone and their link to stress fracture etiology.
Court Upholds Child Pornography Statute

In United States v. Williams, 553 U.S. (Dec. May 19, 2008) the Eleventh Circuit had struck down a federal statute that forbade the promotion or "pandering" of child pornography, regardless of whether such pornography actually existed. The circuit court reasoned that the statute was "overbroad," for the reasons stated in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234 (2002). That is, since no such material needed to actually exist, the "child protection" rationale underlying the Supreme Court's exception to the general rule that merely pornographic material may not be regulated, was not present. Thus the statute unduly impeded free speech. The Supreme Court reversed by a 7-2 vote, upholding the statute. The Court accepted the government's argument that it was too hard to prove that "actual children" had been used in making a given piece of alleged child pornography, even though they almost invariably were. This, however, is the same rationale that the Court had rejected in Ashcroft. This article examines the details of the holding and explains why the three Justices who switched sides may have changed their minds.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Diagnosis and Monitoring of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Liver Transplantation: A Comprehensive Review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer. One of the most important risk factors of HCC is cirrhosis. The optimal treatment of HCC is liver transplantation, since it treats both the underlying cirrhosis and the cancer. Patients that have risk factors should be included in surveillance programs since HCC can be cured only during the early stages. Surveillance can be performed by ultrasonography (US), which is an inexpensive, non-invasive, and widely available technique, but it is considered to have a low sensitivity. If a suspicious lesion is detected on US exam, computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to further evaluate this lesion. MRI is considered to be superior to CT because it has greater contrast resolution and tissue characterization. In this article, we present a review of MRI for HCC in liver transplantation (LT) with a focus on characteristic MR features of this tumor and current guidelines.
In Continuity Axillary and Supraclavicular Node Dissection

Occasionally, the axillary nodes are heavily involved by large, palpable nodal masses that invade the pectoral muscles and extend to the clavicle and to the lower cervical nodes above the clavicle. This extensive disease usually is accompanied by wide hematogenous dissemination to other organs, rendering surgical treatment inadvisable. There are situations, however, in which an extensive node dissection becomes a reasonable approach: when there is no detectable evidence of distant disease, there has been a long disease-free interval from the diagnosis of the primary tumor, the masses are becoming symptomatic, and there is no effective systemic therapy. The decision to operate becomes easier, of course, when there is no involvement of the neurovascular axillary bundle, manifesting itself with swelling of the arm or neurological symptoms in the distribution of one of the nerves of the brachial plexus. When the upper extremity becomes cyanotic, with diminished arterial pulse, clearly a limb-preserving resection is not possible, and the only surgical option remaining (particularly in cases of impending gangrene) is a forequarter amputation.
Profiling the U.S. Sick Leave Landscape: Presenteeism among Females

Objective To profile the sick leave landscape in the United States. Data Sources The 2011 Leave Supplement of the American Time Use Survey. Study Design Bivariate and multivariate analyses to identify (i) employees without sick pay coverage and (ii) employees who attend work sick. Principal Findings Sixty-five percent of full-time employees have sick pay coverage. Coverage rates are below 20 percent for employees with hourly wages below $10, part-time employees, and employees in the hospitality and leisure industry. Conclusion Each week, up to 3 million U.S. employees go to work sick. Females, low-income earners, and those aged 25 to 34 years have a significantly elevated risk of presenteeism behavior.
Maturity of the pituitary-adrenal axis in the newborn dog.

SummaryThe apparent changes in steroid hormone production and release by newborn canine adrenals following the administration of appropriate agents indicate that the pituitary-adrenal axis is functional at birth in this species, rendering it capable of responding to stress. The newborn dog may be employed as a useful experimental model in exploring the endocrinologic status of the newborn.