cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical-Chemical Treatment of Groundwater Contaminated by Leachate from Surface Disposal of Uranium Tailings

Leaching of trace elements including heavy metals, nonmetals, and radionuclides from surface impoundments of tailings generated during uranium mining and milling often leads to groundwater contamination. This paper reports results from coagulation and membrane filtration experiments designed to evaluate the capabilities of these processes to remove molybdenum, selenium, uranium, radium, thorium, and other mono- and divalent ions from contaminated groundwater in a shallow unconfined aquifer influenced by uranium tailings. A 10 mg Fe³\u+/L dose at pH 4 and 10 was found to be very effective for removing radium and thorium that were associated with particles in the raw water. Molybdenum and uranium removals by coagulation are consistent with surface complexation and electrostatic interactions between major coagulant and contaminant complexes in solution. Poor selenium removal suggests that selenate [Se(VI)] was the dominant species in the surficial groundwater. Permeation coefficients (intrinsic transport parameters) for dissolved ions and complexes across three new generation thin-film composite nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes evaluated obeyed Gaussian distributions with ionic charge having a mean value of zero. Thus, dissolved solute rejection from brackish multicomponent solutions appears to be only a function of the magnitude of ionic charge and not its sign (positive or negative). Solute permeation coefficients decreased in a power-law fashion with magnitude of ionic charge and not its sign (positive or negative). Solute permeation coefficients decreased in a power-law fashion with increasing product of molecular weight and absolute ion charge suggesting that both properties determine their removal by nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Because nanofiltration and reverse osmosis were found to be highly effective for removing a variety of ionic solutes they can be employed in pump and treat operations for groundwater purification prior to reinjection.
Child Disability and Mothers' Tubal Sterilization

CONTEXT: The needs of children with disability can be substantial, leading some parents to consider contraceptive sterilization to prevent additional births. METHODS: Matched records from the 1993 National Health Interview Survey and the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth were used to investigate the relationship between child disability and mothers' sterilization. Data included the birth records of 8,711 children, information on older children in the household, and the mothers' background and reproductive characteristics. Logistic and Cox regression models were used to estimate the effect of the birth of a child with a disability on the risk of mothers' sterilization. RESULTS: The birth of a child with disability has no effect on the likelihood that a mother will undergo sterilization within the next month; however, women who have an older child with severe disability are more likely than those whose older children are nondisabled to undergo sterilization within a month after the birth of another child (odds ratio, 2.6). Severe disability in a newborn significantly increases the risk of sterilization 1-36 months after birth (risk ratio, 1.7); severe disability among older children also appears to increase the risk of sterilization 1-36 months after birth (1.5), although this result was only marginally significant. CONCLUSIONS: Women often respond to the birth of children with disabilities by changing their fertility plans, although usually not immediately unless they have older children with severe disability. These findings are consistent with parents' desire to have a nondisabled child and with their need to care for an exceptional child by forgoing additional births.
The rise of the abbasid public sphere: The case of aL-Mutanabbi and three middle ranking patrons

The tenth century in Iraq and Syria saw an unprecedented rise in the number of canonical poets who were delivering glorious praise hymns ( madīḥ ) to middling members of society. Scholars have posed many theories in the past 30 years to explain the function and purpose of praise hymns for royalty and rulers, but why would ordinary men who had no hope of rulership pay painful sums to commission praise hymns in their favor? This article examines the emergence of a new kind of sociability and patronage in the tenth century that enabled middling people to form alliances and exercise influence in shaping ideals of government, leadership and manhood. Examples are given of poems to patrons of middle rank who gain glory and influence via the artistic endorsement of al-Mutanabbī (d. 965): The first ode restores the public dignity of a nineteen-year-old soldier who lost his face in battle; in the second ode, the poet glorifies and defends a state clerk who had little-known Sufi leanings; in the third ode, the poet vindicates an unmasked pseudo- Muslim who was in private a Christian. Using J. Habermas’s theory of the “Public Sphere,” I show the way these odes illustrate how middling members of society gained influence in a public sphere of participation and took measures to preserve that influence.
Prognostic Factors in Infants and Very Young Children with Intracranial Ependymomas

The Pediatric Oncology Group (1986-1990) conducted a study in which 48 children <3 years of age with intracranial ependymomas were treated with prolonged postoperative chemotherapy (CT) and delayed RT. Thirty-one children, 0-23 months of age at diagnosis (Gp A) received 2 years of CT followed by RT; while 17 children, 24-36 months of age at diagnosis (Gp B) received CT for 1 year followed by radiation. One-year survivals were 87% (Gp A) and 94% (Gp B) and 2-year survivals were 67% (Gp A) and 82% (Gp B). In subsequent years a significant divergence in survivals according to age has been noted (p = 0.04). Five-year survivals were 25.7% (Gp A) vs. 63.3% (Gp B). The curves began to diverge 1 year following diagnosis. Other than age, the only significant prognostic factor was degree of surgical resection: 5-year survivals were 66% (total resection) vs. 25% (subtotal resection). Neither the presence of metastases, degree of anaplasia nor the degree of surgical resection varied significantly according to age at diagnosis. The most likely reason for the difference in survivals between the two age groups relates to the timing of radiation following CT, i.e., 1-year delay in children 24-36 months of age compared to a 2-year delay in children 0-23 months of age. An alternative but less likely hypothesis is that ependymomas in the younger children have a more aggressive biology. In contrast, survivals in the 24- to 36-month group are much better than previous reports in the literature suggesting that prolonged postoperative CT may allow both a delay in CRT as well as provide improved survivals. Based on these results, future treatment trials should emphasize maximal surgical resection and a delay in radiation of no more than 1 year.
Attending to Medicaid

[P]layers line up in a long line and hold hands. The player at the front of the line is the ‘head’ and the player at the end of the line is the ‘tail’.… The game begins when the head begins to run wildly in any direction, making sharp turns and quick double-backs.… The force created by the twists and turns will often send the tail of the whip flying.… It may be best for the tail to hold on with both hands to keep from flying off the end. Sometimes, however, the tail will go flying no matter how hard they hold on ... Be prepared to get dirty if you play this game!--"Crack the Whip: Party Game Central If the evolution of American health policy (in both its purposeful and its accidental forms) is compared to the children’s game of Crack the Whip, then there is no question that the Medicaid program is the tail of the line. When those at the head of the line (e.g., employer-based insurance, Medicare, managed care plans, and pharmaceutical companies) start to move. Medicaid receives whatever shocks and unintended consequences result, and when the line “begins to run wildly in any direction,” it receives them faster and harder than the players at the center. Shocks also come from other sources. When the economy slumps, an epidemic arises, or a path in another part of the system becomes a cul-de-sac, new twists and turns occur, with Medicaid absorbing much of the change.
Multicultural Personality Dispositions and Trait Emotional Intelligence: An Exploratory Study

This study examined the relationship between multicultural personality dispositions and trait emotional intelligence. The sample included 152 graduate education students enrolled at a university in a large northeastern city of the United States. The multicultural personality dispositions of Cultural Empathy and Social Initiative predicted variance in trait emotional intelligence above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender and potential socially desirable responding. Study limitations are highlighted, and suggestions for follow-up quantitative and qualitative research are presented.
Mesangial cells from diabetic NOD mice constitutively secrete increased amounts of insulin-like growth factor-I.

Experimental evidence has suggested that insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) may contribute to diabetic complications. Previously, we and others have shown that normal glomerular mesangial cells have receptors for, synthesize, and exhibit a mitogenic response to IGF-I. We investigated the IGF-I response in cells derived from a genetic model of diabetes, the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse. Mesangial cell lines were derived from diabetic (D-NOD) and nondiabetic adult mice. D-NOD cells released more IGF-I into the supernatant and had a decreased binding of IGF-I to surface receptors. Analysis according to Scatchard revealed a decreased number of receptor sites on D-NOD cells, although the structure of the IGF-I receptor visualized by cross-linking was identical for both cell types. Preincubation of D-NOD cells with an antibody to IGF-I resulted in an increase in the number of receptor sites. This suggested that autocrine IGF-I was responsible for the decrease in D-NOD receptor number and that diabetes had re...
Issues in notification: Reflections of a public health worker

The objectives of notification are to inform individuals of research results so that they can make informed choices regarding health care and risk reduction behaviors, and to inform workers and employers of results and recommendations in order to take actions to improve workplace health and safety. Many questions confront researchers or public health workers engaged in notification efforts. Who should be notified? What information should be included in notification materials? When should notification occur? How and where should notification take place? What is the socioeconomic context in which notification is occurring? This article presents a public health worker's perspective on these issues. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Towards optimal measurement of power spectra - II. A basis of positive, compact, statistically orthogonal kernels

This is the second of two papers which address the problem of measuring the unredshifted power spectrum of fluctuations from a galaxy survey in optimal fashion. A key quantity is the Fisher matrix, which is the inverse of the covariance matrix of minimum variance estimators of the power spectrum of the survey. It is shown that bases of kernels which give rise to complete sets of statistically orthogonal windowed power spectra are obtained in general from the eigenfunctions of the Fisher matrix scaled by some arbitrary positive definite scaling matrix. Among the many possible bases of kernels, there is a basis, obtained by applying an infinitely steep scaling function, which leads to kernels which are positive and compact in Fourier space. This basis of kernels, along with the associated minimum variance pair weighting derived in the previous paper, would appear to offer a solution to the problem of how to measure the unredshifted power spectrum optimally. Illustrative kernels are presented for the case of the PSCz survey.
Proposed Secondary-Standard Wavelengths in the Spectrum of Thorium*

Energy levels of Th lines computed from weighted averages of interferometrically measured wavelengths data
Tamm-Horsfall protein facilitates catheter associated urinary tract infection

Background Urinary catheters are associated, commonly with bacteriuria and frequently with urinary tract infection. Tamm-Horsfall Protein (THP) is urine's most abundant protein and is known to bind to uropathogenic bacteria. The role of THP in the pathogenesis of catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is not clear. We examined the role of THP in facilitating bacterial binding to urinary catheters in vivo and in vitro.
A Post-Optimality Analysis Algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimization

Algorithms for multi-objective optimization problems are designed to generate a single Pareto optimum (non-dominated solution) or a set of Pareto optima that reflect the preferences of the decision-maker. If a set of Pareto optima are generated, then it is useful for the decision-maker to be able to obtain a small set of preferred Pareto optima using an unbiased technique of filtering solutions. This suggests the need for an efficient selection procedure to identify such a preferred subset that reflects the preferences of the decision-maker with respect to the objective functions. Selection procedures typically use a value function or a scalarizing function to express preferences among objective functions. This paper introduces and analyzes the Greedy Reduction (GR) algorithm for obtaining subsets of Pareto optima from large solution sets in multi-objective optimization. Selection of these subsets is based on maximizing a scalarizing function of the vector of percentile ordinal rankings of the Pareto optima within the larger set. A proof of optimality of the GR algorithm that relies on the non-dominated property of the vector of percentile ordinal rankings is provided. The GR algorithm executes in linear time in the worst case. The GR algorithm is illustrated on sets of Pareto optima obtained from five interactive methods for multi-objective optimization and three non-linear multi-objective test problems. These results suggest that the GR algorithm provides an efficient way to identify subsets of preferred Pareto optima from larger sets.
Biochemical and immunological characterization of genetic variants of phosphoglucose isomerase from mouse

Two electrophoretic variants of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) were purified from whole body extracts of DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice by a substrate-affinity elution from an 8-(6-aminohexyl) amino-ATP-Sepharose column followed by preparative isoelectric focusing. Both PGI variants were shown to be dimers of the same molecular weight, sedimentation coefficient, and K m for fructose-6-phosphate. The isoelectric points were found to be 8.4 and 8.7 for variants from DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Differential thermal stability was observed for the two variants in 0.1 m tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, at 54 C; the half-lives of the purified PGI from DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice were shown to be 3.4 and 1.8 min, respectively, under those conditions. Similar differences were observed for the enzyme variants in the crude homogenates. Antisera against PGI from DBA/2J mice were raised in rabbits. The variants from DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice showed no significant differences in their respective inactivation curves by the antisera. Results of amino acid composition analyses and peptide mappings of the two PGI variants indicate that the genetic variation of this enzyme might result from a single charged amino acid substitution.
Shareholder governance, bondholder governance, and managerial risk-taking

Abstract We examine the relation between the overall corporate governance structure and managerial risk-taking behavior. We find that the overall governance structure has a significant impact on how managers make decisions on investment policy: strong bondholder governance motivates more low-risk investments such as capital expenditure and lower high-risk investments such as R&D expenditures, whereas weak shareholder governance (entrenched managers) leads to more R&D expenditures. Moreover, we find that the effects of governance on investment policy differ significantly between speculative and investment-grade firms. For speculative firms, strong bondholder or shareholder governance leads to more capital expenditures and low R&D investments. For investment-grade firms, strong bondholder or shareholder governance leads to low capital expenditures and an insignificant impact on R&D investments. Furthermore, financing and investment covenants exhibit strong binding power to deter risky investments. Finally, a more dependent (or a less independent) board is associated with low capital expenditures and high R&D investments.
Reflex sympathoexcitation by cardiac sympathetic afferents during myocardial ischemia: Role of adenosine

BACKGROUND Stimulation of cardiac sympathetic afferents during myocardial ischemia has been attributed to bradykinin released from the ischemic myocardium. Recent data from human studies suggest that adenosine may serve as this mediator. Our experiments were done to determine whether reflex sympathoexcitatory responses to activation of cardiac sympathetic afferents during myocardial ischemia could be inhibited by blockade of adenosine receptors and augmented by increasing the local concentrations of adenosine in the ischemic myocardium. METHODS AND RESULTS Experiments were done in 29 anesthetized dogs with bilateral vagotomy and carotid sinus denervation. Activation of cardiac sympathetic afferent fibers was induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) combined with rapid atrial pacing (pacing rate, 200 beats per minute). LAD occlusion plus rapid atrial pacing increased renal sympathetic nerve activity by 20 +/- 4% before but by only 7 +/- 1% after administration of aminophylline (100 mg i.v.), an adenosine receptor antagonist. In contrast, LAD occlusion during rapid atrial pacing increased renal sympathetic nerve activity by 18 +/- 8% before and 61 +/- 15% after treatment with dipyridamole (0.57 mg/kg i.v.), an inhibitor of adenosine reuptake. In a separate group of dogs, LAD occlusion during rapid atrial pacing increased renal sympathetic nerve activity similarly before and after sham treatment. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that adenosine released during myocardial ischemia activates cardiac sympathetic afferents to cause reflex sympathoexcitation. These findings are consistent with observations made in humans that suggest that adenosine is the mediator of the sensation of angina pectoris, which also results from stimulation of cardiac sympathetic afferents.
On the 1Ag→1Bu absorption spectrum of four butadiene isotopomers

Abstract The Franck-Condon structure of the absorption spectra of the 1A g →1B u transition in butadiene, butadiene- d 2 , butadiene- d 4 and butadiene- d 6 is calculated with the help of an updated version of the QCFF/PI method. It is shown that the recently proposed kinetic mixing of the CC stretch and CH wag a g modes contradicts the results of quantum-chemical calculations, and that excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical absorption spectra is achieved without this mixing for four butadiene isotopomers.
Scalability of binary deBruijn networks

This paper presents a technique to construct scalable binary deBruijn networks. Based on building larger binary deBruijn networks from smaller networks, this technique also provides for the capability of fault-tolerance for graceful degradation and multitasking. A new representation of the binary deBruijn network is presented which provides the basis for scalability. >
Development of the Role of Nurse Health Educator in a Private Ob/Gyn Medical Practice

The experiences of a graduate student in Community Nursing in establishing the role of nurse health educator in a private Ob/Gyn medical office are outlined. The author discusses the objectives, problems, and human interactions with which she worked and presents two brief case studies to illustrate the different manners in which two primiparas experienced the transition to parenthood. Included also is a review of the literature on this role, crises of parenthood, and role transition. Conclusions suggest that the nurse educator in an obstetrical/gynecological practice can teach infant and self care to new mothers, as well us act as a caring person throughout the four trimesters of the childbearing experience and as facilitator for patients in the office, hospital, and home environments.
Measurements of light shifts in cold atoms using Raman pump-probe spectroscopy

We have measured light shifts, also known as AC Stark shifts, as a function of laser intensity in cold Rubidium atoms by observing sub-natural linewidth gain and loss features in the transmission spectrum of a weak probe beam passing through the atomic sample. The observed energy-level shifts for atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) are found to be consistently higher than that obtained in optical molasses (i.e., when the magnetic field gradient in the MOT is turned off). Using a simple model of a multilevel Rubidium atom interacting with pump and probe beams, we have calculated the theoretical light shift as a function of intensity. A comparison of these calculated values with the light shift data obtained for molasses reveals good agreement between experiment and theory. Further, our model elucidates the role of the Zeeman shifts arising from the magnetic field gradient in the observed probe transmission spectrum for the MOT.
Handling degeneracies in exact boundary evaluation

We present a method for dealing with degenerate situations in an exact boundary evaluation system. We describe the possible degeneracies that can arise and how to detect them. We then present a numeric perturbation method that is simpler to implement within a complex system than symbolic perturbation methods.
THE EFFECT OF 6-MERCAPTOPURINE AND AMINOPTERIN ON EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNE THYROIDITIS IN GUINEA PIGS

The influence of 6-mercaptopurine and aminopterin was studied on immune response and immune thyroiditis in guinea pigs immunized with thyroid extract. 1. Both compounds depressed delayed hypersensitivity to thyroglobulin and immune thyroiditis. 2. Antibody formation to thyroglobulin was strongly depressed by aminopterin but not significantly influenced by 6-mercaptopurine. 3. Immune response and thyroiditis were suppressed as long as the compounds were administered; after discontinuation of treatment, immune response and thyroiditis appeared in the same time intervals as observed in control animals after initiation of immunization. 4. Treatment with 6-mercaptopurine and aminopterin 10 days after immunization lead to suppression of delayed hypersensitivity and thyroiditis. 5. Treatment with 6-mercaptopurine of animals after onset of thyroiditis lead to suppression of delayed hypersensitivity and disappearance or diminution of round cell infiltration in the thyroid. 6. The results are discussed in terms of the pathogenesis of experimental immune thyroiditis, the mode of action of these antimetabolites on this experimental immune disease, and in view of the potential value of these compounds in human diseases.
Prevalence of Complicated Grief and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents Following Sibling Death

The effects of complicated grief (CG) in children and adolescents following the death of a sibling have not been studied in depth until recently. Research indicates that siblings and families are a...
Sensitivity of mottled sculpins (Cottus bairdi) and rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) to acute and chronic toxicity of cadmium, copper, and zinc

Studies of fish communities of streams draining mining areas suggest that sculpins (Cottus spp.) may be more sensitive than salmonids to adverse effects of metals. We compared the toxicity of zinc, copper, and cadmium to mottled sculpin (C. bairdi) and rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) in laboratory toxicity tests. Acute (96-h) and early life-stage chronic (21- or 28-d) toxicity tests were conducted with rainbow trout and with mottled sculpins from populations in Minnesota and Missouri, USA, in diluted well water (hardness = 100 mg/L as CaCO3). Acute and chronic toxicity of metals to newly hatched and swim-up stages of mottled sculpins differed between the two source populations. Differences between populations were greatest for copper, with chronic toxicity values (ChV = geometric mean of lowest-observed-effect concentration and no-observed-effect concentration) of 4.4 microg/L for Missouri sculpins and 37 microg/L for Minnesota sculpins. Cadmium toxicity followed a similar trend, but differences between sculpin populations were less marked, with ChVs of 1.1 microg/L (Missouri) and 1.9 microg/L (Minnesota). Conversely, zinc was more toxic to Minnesota sculpins (ChV = 75 microg/L) than Missouri sculpins (chronic ChV = 219 microg/L). Species-average acute and chronic toxicity values for mottled sculpins were similar to or lower than those for rainbow trout and indicated that mottled sculpins were among the most sensitive aquatic species to toxicity of all three metals. Our results indicate that current acute and chronic water quality criteria for cadmium, copper, and zinc adequately protect rainbow trout but may not adequately protect some populations of mottled sculpins. Proposed water quality criteria for copper based on the biotic ligand model would be protective of both sculpin populations tested.
Internal contamination of air-driven low-speed handpieces and attached prophy angles

ABSTRACT Background In an in vitro crossover study, the authors investigated whether the interior of low-speed handpiece/prophy-angle systems becomes contaminated during operation and submersion into Geobacillus stearothermophilus. Methods This study involved two types of handpieces attached to eight brands of prophy angles. The researchers operated angles attached to sterile handpieces for 60 seconds. They then analyzed the inside surfaces of the angle, nosecone and motor. They tested each prophy angle and handpiece 10 times. Results In the 160 tests of handpieces contaminated at the prophy cup end, the spores traveled into the motor gears 32 times (20 percent). In the other 160 tests in which the motor gears were contaminated, the test bacterium traveled through the prophy cup in 75 instances (47 percent). Conclusions The in vitro data suggest that low-speed handpiece motors can become contaminated internally during use with prophy angles. Also, internal contaminants appear to have been released from the handpiece. Clinical Implications The results suggest that low-speed hand-pieces can become contaminated internally during use. Unless low-speed handpieces are sterilized properly between patients, they may become cross-contaminated.
Strategies for Debugging Control Language of Statistical Software Packages

The use of statistical software packages is often taught in psychology courses. Error messages from these packages are often little help to students who try to debug control language. In order to remediate this problem, a number of methods for preventing and correcting errors in control language are presented.
Sexual and reproductive relationships: cross-cultural evidence and biosocial implications.

The title of this paper, "Sexual and Reproductive Relationships: Cross-Cultural Evidence and Biosocial Implications," contains two important assumptions that pervade the material that follows. First, it assumes that it is possible to distinguish between sexual and reproductive behavior. Although they are associated with each other, they do not necessarily coincide, particularly in higher primates. This distinction highlights a major aspect of human sexuality: humans engage in a relatively high amount of nonreproductive sexual behavior—so much so that we are sometimes called "the sexiest of the primates." Second, it is productive to analyze sexual and reproductive behavior from a biosocial perspective: one which considers the significance of the feedback between biological, social, and cultural processes. According to this point of view, biological processes complement social and cultural ones. Humans are biological organisms whose physicality is a relevant aspect of their being. In addition, humans are very social primates whose sociality is an intrinsic part of their adaptation to their environment. Consequently, an overly biological or sociocultural interpretation of human sexuality robs it of its complexity. The approach adopted here is first to ask how human sexual and reproductive relationships are patterned and relate to each other cross-culturally. The second step is to demonstrate the fruitfulness of a biosocial perspective by interpreting some of the crosscultural findings in biosocial terms.
FEATURE CURVE-GUIDED VOLUME RECONSTRUCTION FROM 2D IMAGES

In this paper, we propose a new paradigm to reconstruct 3D volume from histology slices guided by NURBS spline-based feature curves. Histology slices are first scanned into computer as a sequence of image files with a histology film scanner. An initial 3D alignment of the images is obtained through the histological similarity matching between neighboring slices. Further optimization is achieved by applying optimal affine transformation to each slice according to feature curve smoothing. Considering the intrinsic smoothness of the physical features, we compute the transformation to refine the selected features based on NURBS splines. Consequently, volume reconstruction is further optimized. We also present new evaluation methods to prove that our reconstruction scheme can achieve a high accuracy.
Mathematics Skills in Early Childhood: Exploring Gender and Ethnic Patterns

This study is purposed to investigate gender gaps in mathematics within (boys vs. girls in each ethnic group) and between four major ethnic groups (boys vs. boys and girls vs. girls between ethnic groups) using a nationally representative data, ECLS-K (Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K Cohort). The sample includes 9,824 Whites, 2,469 African American, 3,015 Hispanic, and 1,100 Asian students. Two Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) models based on gender were conducted to assess the statistical significance of differences among ethnic groups and Latent Growth Curve (LGC) models were used to measure growth functions at each point of times. According to the results, gender gaps in mathematics performance were statistically significant and varied by ethnicity at different points in time. White male students consistently showed significantly higher scores on mathematics than White female students from kindergarten through the third grade. Among other ethnic groups (African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans) gender gaps in mathematics were not as consistent. However, regardless of student ethnic backgrounds, a gender gap favoring male students became statistically significant at the third grade. White male students also scored significantly higher than male students of other ethnic groups from kindergarten through the third grade, and White female students scored higher than girls from other ethnic groups.
THE SIGNIFICANT DETERMINANTS OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL

The aim of the study was to identify both protective and risk factors for substance use among secondary school students. The research sample consisted of 726 secondary school students from Slovakia, aged from 11 to 19 years (431 girls, 295 boys). Within the framework of quantitatively oriented research, two areas have been monitored through the author’s questionnaire: Free time and emotions experienced in the family. The data was analysed through factor and regression analysis. To the basic results of the research belong the findings that the active spending of free time and the experiencing of positive emotions within the family are a protective factor in relation to substance use. The adolescents’ spending of free time with parents had no effect on substance use. Conversely, passive spending of free time was associated with a higher frequency of substance use.
The ideal reperfusion strategy for the ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patient with expected delay to percutaneous coronary intervention: paradise lost or paradise renamed?

In the 20 years since the ISIS-2 (Second International Study of Infarct Survival) was published, therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has undergone a remarkable evolution ([1][1]). The demonstration of benefit of fibrinolysis versus placebo in the ISIS-2 study, the
Scalable biobanking: A modular electronic Honest Broker and Biorepository for integrated clinical, specimen and genomic research

Biorepository research has introduced significant challenges to biomedical informatics systems design and implementation. We take a best-of-breed system integrative approach to finding solutions to administer a biobank operationally, use a biobank scientifically and integrate clinical, specimen and genomic data. We introduce an electronic Honest Broker (eHB) and Biorepository Portal (BRP) open source project that, in tandem, allow for integration of data on the input and output while protecting subject privacy, a primary issue in research and healthcare informatics. Research data management systems like REDCap and our proprietary laboratory information management system (LIMS) are used as best-of-breed client systems and integrated with downstream genomic analyses. Taking this honest brokered system-client based, modular approach to biorepository research, we allow for data and specimens to be associated with a biorepository subject at any time point asynchronously, lowering the bar to develop new research projects based on scientific merit and having a future proofed specimen set for collaborative advanced genomic and tissue research yet to be established.
Implications for Migration of Age-Related Variation in Flight Behavior of Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Long-duration flight behavior of the migratory moth Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) was examined using computer-interfaced flight mills. Moths were tested each day for the first 5 d after eclosion. Time of flight initiation, time of flight termination, duration of flight, and flight speed were similar for males and females within each age class. Three-day-old moths began flight earlier in the night (164 min after sunset) and flew significantly longer (391 min) than moths of all other age classes. One-day-old moths initiated flight significantly later (331 min after sunset) than all other age classes. Time of flight termination and flight speed were not significantly affected by age. Although moths of any age could make flights of any length, the percentage of moths making flights of a given duration was consistently greatest for those 3 d old and least for those 1 d old.
Developing Design Requirements from Cognitive Task Data: Replacing Magic with Methodology:

This symposium addresses the challenge of translating user data to specifications suitable for interface development. Four methodologies will be presented: Decision requirements tables, ecological interface design, object-view and interaction design and procedural networks. These four methodologies will be contrasted relative to three dimensions: (1) type of data used in analysis, (2) point in the design process at which each methodology focuses its impact and (3) the formalisms each uses for translating psychological data into engineering data suitable for specification development. Our introductory remarks will elaborate on these three dimensions, and present an example design problem. The four session participants then will present their respective methodologies, how each addresses the three dimensions and how each can be used to address the example design problem.
Plant community response to nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment varies across an alpine tundra moisture gradient

Background: The extent to which nutrient availability influences plant community composition and dynamics has been a focus of ecological enquiry for decades.Aims: Results from a long-term nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition experiment in alpine tundra were used to evaluate the importance of the two nutrients in structuring plant communities in three communities that differed in their snow cover amounts and duration and soil moisture characteristics.Methods: A factorial N and P experiment was established in three meadows differing in initial vegetation composition and soil moisture. Plant and soil characteristics were measured after 20 years, and the dissimilarity among meadows and treatments were measured using permutational analysis of variance.Results: Plant species richness declined uniformly across the three meadow types and in response to N and N + P additions, while both evenness and the Shannon diversity index finding indicated that nutrient additions had the highest impact on moister habitats...
Study on Asynchronous Motor Vector Control Technology

A three-phase asynchronous motor is taken as a research object.From the crux of a motor speed governing,the vector control of the asynchronous motor is studied.The mathematical model and its vector control principle of the motor are analyzed.The general design scheme of the vector control system of AC motor is given according the vector control principle,and relevant control simulation is finished.The simulation results show that the system is of higher dynamic and static performance.
Extragonadal yolk sac tumor in a superior scrotal mass

Abstract We report a case of an extragonadal yolk sac tumor in a superior scrotal mass. Testicular ultrasonography was normal preoperatively and after chemotherapy. Serum a-fetoprotein was initially increased to 344.55 ng./ml. (normal 0 to 15) but it returned to normal after surgery and chemotherapy.
Defining the Devil: A Short Historiography of Genocide and a Case Study Overview

As was noted in the introduction, this book analyses the evolution of ideology as it radicalises in states that become genocidal. By comparing three cases in which genocide occurs, I am seeking to establish whether or not there is a common pattern of evolution and what key themes arise within the ideological shifts. The purpose of this section is to develop the backdrop of this investigation into what is commonly considered to be one of the vilest instances in modern history. In doing so, I will trace my own path down the literature of nationalism and genocide while also giving a broader sense of the general literature on the subjects and their interactions with each other.
A Natural Law Public Philosophy

In this book I have argued that natural law and liberalism, despite historical tensions to the contrary, are really fundamentally harmonious, and that natural law theory can provide the best foundation for a public philosophy. What would a public philosophy rooted in or guided by the principles of natural law look like, especially one that would be applicable to the circumstances of contemporary American society? In this concluding chapter, I want to give a preliminary outline of a natural law public philosophy for America. THE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE: THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON The most fundamental principle of a public philosophy, on which all others ought to rest, is the dignity of the human person. This dignity is rooted in certain distinctive human qualities, especially intellect and free will, the human capacity to know the truth and to love and choose the good. In these fundamental capacities, all human beings are equal. These capacities, the sources of human dignity, are not always lived up to. Part of the “philosophical anthropology” at the foundation of a public philosophy, in fact, must be the recognition of the capacity of human beings to act either in accordance with or contrary to the source of their dignity, especially by misusing their intelligence and freedom to do wrong. Nonetheless, each human being remains capable of acting freely to attain the good, and therefore never definitively forfeits human dignity.
Gender Wage Gap

Among full-time workers, the gender wage gap is around 15 percent on average across a range of countries. Explanations for the gender wage gap fall into three categories: differences in human capital; differences in working conditions; and discrimination in pay, employment, and promotion. While pay discrimination can happen, discrimination can also occur in many subtle ways, leading to glass ceilings and crowding into particular occupations. Keywords: discrimination; economics; labor
Cavity resonator dielectric measurements on rod samples

The aim of our research is to make a convenient and accurate resonant cavity dielectric measuring system for samples in the shape of a small rod or filament. The use of a circular TM OlO mode for rod samples is well known (1) but is not always so convenient because the sample changes the cavity frequency, which may necessitate re-matching of several parts of the system. This mode is, however, very useful at frequencies of the order of 1000 Mc, or when the rod is very small. We have increased the utility of this mode by giving a hole correction for the hole through which the sample is inserted (2).
An image analysis method for quantification of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Diagnosis of IPF (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) is based on clinical, radiographic and histopathologic evaluations. In this paper we present an adaptive thresholding algorithm and utilize quantitative CT indexes to correlate IPF with pulmonary abnormality. Simulation results demonstrate that this algorithm performs well in identified IPF images. However the absence of gold standards makes quantification challenging for early stage images of IPF and blinded images.
Analysis of Double Layer Grids with Material Non-Linearities–A Practical Approach:

A practical approach is presented, for the analysis of space trusses involving non-linear member behaviour, with particular attention to buckling. In its application to double layer grids, the meth...
Sequence and Solution Effects on the Prevalence of d-Isomers Produced by Deamidation

Deamidation of asparagine is a spontaneous and irreversible post-translational modification associated with a growing list of human diseases. While pervasive, deamidation is often overlooked because it represents a relatively minor chemical change. Structural and functional characterization of this modification is complicated because deamidation of asparagine yields four isomeric forms of Asp. Herein, radical directed dissociation (RDD), in conjunction with mass spectrometry, is used to identify and quantify all four isomers in a series of model peptides that were subjected to various deamidation conditions. Although primary sequence significantly influences the rate of deamidation, it has little impact on the relative proportions of the product isomers. Furthermore, the addition of ammonia can be used to increase the rate of deamidation without significantly perturbing isomer populations. Conversely, external factors such as buffer conditions and temperature alter product distributions but exhibit less d...
Intentional and unintentional medication non-adherence in African Americans: Insights from the Jackson Heart Study.

Abstract Background Non-adherence to medications is common and leads to suboptimal outcomes. Non-adherence can be intentional (e.g., deciding to skip dosages) or unintentional (e.g., forgetting), yet few studies have distinguished these reasons. An improved understanding of the reasons for non-adherence could inform the development of effective interventions. Methods and Results We analyzed data from African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study who were prescribed medications for one or more chronic conditions. Participants were grouped by patient-reported adherence with non-adherence categorized as being intentional, unintentional or both. We used modified Poisson regression models to examine the factors associated with types of non-adherence. Of 2933 participants taking medication, 2138 (72.9%) reported non-adherence with 754 (35.3%) reporting only unintentional non-adherence, 263 (12.3%) only intentional non-adherence, and 1121 (52.4%) both. Factors independently associated with intentional non-adherence included female sex and depressive symptoms while factors associated with unintentional non-adherence included younger age and separated relationship status. Unintentional and intentional non-adherence was more common among participants taking anti-arrhythmic and anti-asthmatic medications, respectively. Higher levels of global perceived stress was associated with both types of non-adherence. The adjusted models for intentional and unintentional non-adherence had c-statistics of 0.65 and 0.66, respectively, indicating modest discrimination. Conclusion Specific patient factors and individual medication classes were associated with distinct patterns of intentional and unintentional non-adherence, yet the overall modest discrimination of the models suggests contributions from other unmeasured factors. These findings provide a construct for understanding reasons for non-adherence and provide rationale to assess whether personalized interventions can improve adherence.
Short-term results of changes in existing and de novo lower urinary tract symptoms after robot-assisted laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension and sacrocolpopexy.

Objective This study presents short-term outcomes related to changes in existing and de novo lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), pelvic pain, and bowel function following robot-assisted laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (RALUSLS) and sacrocolpopexy (RALSC). Methods Observational data for RALUSLS (n = 23) and RALSC (n = 25) collected between August 2014 and March 2016 from a single institute (The University of Texas Medical Branch) were evaluated retrospectively. Patient characteristics, concomitant procedures, and the occurrence of lower urinary tract, pelvic pain, and bowel symptoms were compared between patients undergoing RALUSLS and RALSC. Results There was no significant difference in background characteristics between the 2 groups, except for parity, which was high in the RALUSLS group. In the RALUSLS group, patients experienced significant resolution of urinary urgency (P .05), although newly appearing urinary urgency or frequency and stress or urge incontinence were more common after RALSC. Conclusion Mixed incontinence and pelvic pain improved significantly in patients after RALUSLS or RALSC. In RALUSLS patients, urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence also improved, whereas additional improvement in nocturia and dyspareunia was evident only in RALSC patients. De novo LUTS developing after these procedures, especially after RALSC, necessitate careful patient consultation prior to surgery.