cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study of the Stability of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development with High-Risk Infants.

The repeated psychological assessment of 41 high-risk infants during the first 2 years of life using the Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development was investigated to determine if there were any significant differences in the performances of these infants. The infants were assessed at 2 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years adjusted age. Analyses indicated no significant differences among the test results grouped according to age. A Pearson correlation matrix indicated that the 6-month evaluation correlated the highest with the 1-year evaluation. The next highest correlation was noted between the 1-year evaluation and the 2-year evaluation. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the 1-year evaluations accounted for the most variability in 2-year scores. Several false positives at the 2-month evaluation were noted, along with one false negative. No other shifts in cognitive range were seen after the 2-month evaluation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Operationalizing direction and level of effort and testing their relationships to individual job performance

Abstract Motivation has long been conceptualized in terms of direction and level of effort and persistence. However, insufficient field work has been done on operationalizing these components. Using 115 bank tellers this study tested whether direction and level of effort could be independently operationalized, and the extent to which each component uniquely accounted for individual job performance. Relevant situational and individual factors were controlled for prior to testing for the impact of direction and level of effort on performance. Results indicated that effort level and direction of effort are each important in explaining individual performance. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Recent Progress in Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy Study of Compositional, Structural and Physical Attributes of Developmental Cotton Fibers

Cotton fibers are natural plant products, and their end-use qualities depend on their stages of development. In general, the quantity of cellulose in cotton fibers increases rapidly, thus it leads to compositional, structural and physical attribute variations among the fibers with shorter and longer growth periods. This article discusses recent progress in applying the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic technique to characterize these differences, to discriminate immature fibers from mature fibers, to assess fiber maturity and crystallinity and also to unravel the band assignments in crystalline and amorphous celluloses. The results were achieved through the use of various strategies, including wet chemical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), simple algorithm development, two-dimensional correlation analysis and other independent fiber tests. Of particular interest is that, in general, immature fibers might have the characteristics of less than 21-28 dpa, MIR < 0.58 (in the maturity range of 0 to 1.0) and CIIR < 42% (in the crystallinity range of 0 to 100%).
Biological protective factors for antisocial and criminal behavior

Abstract Purpose Although risk factors are typically the focus of criminological research, increasingly researchers are interested in identifying protective factors that reduce the probability of antisocial behavior, either in the presence or absence of risk factors. Biosocial researchers are in an opportune position to research factors that protect against the development of antisocial behavior in high-risk individuals, given biosocial criminology’s focus on the interaction between biological and social factors. The purpose of this article is to review neuropsychological and psychophysiology research into protective factors. Results Of the neuropsychological factors, high IQ has the best-replicated protective effects, though executive functioning is also a promising candidate as a protective factor. High resting heart rate, as well as enhanced autonomic fear conditioning and attentional processing may also have protective effects. Conclusions Though research into biological protective factors is currently limited, there is promising evidence that biological factors could help us to better understand why some individuals do not become antisocial or criminal in the presence of high social risk. Neuropsychological and psychophysiological measures are relatively easier and less costly to operationalize than other biological measures, making them promising candidates for criminological researchers who would like to incorporate biological measures into their research designs.
Abstract P1-02-05: Identification of HER-2/neu amplification using amplicon based benchtop next generation sequencing

Introduction Aplicon based next generation sequencing (NGS) assays have the potential to incorporate simultaneous assessment of somatic mutations and copy number variation into a single platform. Although not specifically designed for this purpose, we noted numerous examples of apparent HER-2/neu gene amplification in analyzing results from our mutation profiling 46-gene cancer NGS panel (Life Technologies, South San Francisco, CA). Material and Methods Existing amplicon coverage data from the TorrentSuite 2.0 (Life Technologies) pipeline was accessed and used to generate a HER-2/neu coverage proportion (ratio between all HER-2/neu amplicon reads and all other amplicon reads). This ratio was calculated for 170 unique cases of breast carcinoma. A total of 4 cases were eliminated from analysis due to indeterminate IHC/FISH results. Using a total of 166 cases, we performed ROC curve analysis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of NGS based HER-2/neu amplification compared to that of traditional IHC and FISH testing (MedCalc v8.0). Results The NGS based HER-2/neu coverage proportions in the 166 cases showed a clearly non-normal distribution with an outlier cluster of cases with an elevated NGS HER-2/neu ratio (6 cases with ratios >0.045). The distribution of NGS based HER-2/neu ratios for the entire population ranged from 0.01 to a maximum of 0.34. ROC curve analysis of NGS HER-2/neu proportions compared to IHC/FISH data showed a maximal sensitivity of 75.0% and specificity of 100% at an NGS ratio cut off of ≥0.045. In the 166 cases, 6 showed a HER-2/neu coverage proportion of > 0.045 (range 0.045-0.34). Utilizing the 0.045 NGS ratio cut off value, the population frequency of cases positive for HER2 expression was 3.4%. Of the 160 samples with NGS coverage proportion < 0.045, only two cases were positive by IHC/FISH testing. The correlation between NGS HER-2/neu coverage proportion and IHC/FISH testing was highly significant (Spearman rank correlation r = 0.67, p < 0.0001 CI: 0.58-0.75). Conclusions Even utilizing a limited somatic cancer panel that includes less than 200 amplicons in 46 genes, clinically significant HER-2/neu amplification can be readily identified. This is the first study to describe the functional utility of HER-2/neu amplification detection using a NGS based amplicon assay. This study shows that in addition to mutation analysis, amplification data can be simultaneously obtained, which has striking implications for potential clinical utility and HER-2/neu amplification detection outside of traditional IHC and HER2 testing modalities. Furthermore, utilizing this assay as a primary screening modality could limit the additional expense of multiple single gene testing. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-02-05.
Using enhanced milieu teaching and a voice-output communication aid to increase independent requesting by three children with autism1

1 Abstracted from: Olive, M. L., de la Cruz, B., Davis, T. N., Chan, J. M., Lang, R. B., O’Reilly, M. F., & Dickson, S. M. (2007). The effects of enhanced milieu teaching and a voice output communication aid on the requesting of three children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 37, 1505–1513. Source of funding: UT-Austin Undergraduate Research Fellowship and UT-Austin Summer Research Award
Study of the morphological and adhesion properties of collagen fibers in the Bruch's membrane.

The Bruch's membrane is located beneath the retina in vertebrate eyes. We have used atomic force microscopy to examine the morphological and adhesion properties of collagen fibers located in differ...
The turkey myogenic satellite cell: optimization of in vitro proliferation and differentiation.

Abstract Myogenic satellite cells were isolated from the pectoralis major muscle of young growing tom turkeys. These cells were capable of proliferating and forming large multinucleated myotubes in vitro . Of 36 media-sera combinations evaluated, McCoy's 5A medium containing 15% chicken serum (CS) promoted the greatest level of proliferation and subsequent myotube formation when cells were induced to differentiate (P 0.05). Our results (1) document that the postnatal myogenic satellite cell can be isolated from the turkey in sufficient quantities for biological studies and (2) identify culture conditions which optimize proliferation and differentiation of these cells in vitro .
Bacterial adhesion to poly(HEMA)‐based hydrogels

The effects of water content and comonomer chemistry upon the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-based hydrogels were studied. Hydrogels which varied in swollen water content from 33-69 wt% were polymerized onto glass microscope slides pretreated with a vinyl silane. The hydrogel water content was varied by adding methacrylic acid (1-5 wt%) or N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP, 10-25 wt%) or combinations of the two comonomers. The resulting hydrogel surfaces, which were 0.1 mm thick, transparent, and adherent to the glass slide, formed the test surfaces of laminar flow cells (Re = 1.3, wall shear rate = 1.6/s). The bacteria were grown for 8 h in tryptic soy broth (TSB), washed by filtration, and collected on 0.45-microns filters, resuspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at pH = 7.2, and recirculated through the flow cell and across the test surface at 0.85 mL/min for 2 h. Results show that P. aeruginosa adhered less to hydrogels with higher water contents. In the presence of TSB and possible poly(NVP) contamination, the concentration of adherent bacteria was reduced to low and uniform levels independent of the hydrogel chemistry.
High Levels of Ergonovine and Lysergic Acid Amide in Toxic Achnatherum inebrians Accompany Infection by an Acremonium-like Endophytic Fungus

Achnatherum inebrians (drunken horse grass) causes symptoms in sheep and horses reminiscent of ergot alkaloid intoxication. Microscopical examination of seed and leaf tissues revealed the presence of an endophytic fungus that did not produce spores when grown in culture and which was serologically related to endophytic Acremonium species of the Albo-lanosa section Morgan-Jones & Gams. ELISA indicated the presence of high concentrations of ergot alkaloids. Ergonovine and lysergic acid amide were identified by HPLCat levels up to 2500 and 400 mg kg-1, respectivelyas the major ergot alkaloids by their retention times and their UV and fluorescence scans. Their identities were confirmed by HPLC analysis of epimerized extracts, and the identity of ergonovine was further confirmed by high-resolution FAB-MS and HPLC−FAB-MS. These are the highest levels of ergonovine and lysergic acid amide so far reported in an endophyte-infected grass, and the similarity of many of the symptoms of A. inebrians intoxication to th...
Racial disparities in quality of care in community-acquired pneumonia

In population-based studies, blacks had higher risk of severe sepsis and mortality compared with whites, but the reasons for these differences are unknown. We examined racial differences in quality of care and outcomes in subjects hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Implications of sensitivity in Bayesian approximate reasoning for expert systems

Abstract To be effective, knowledge-based systems should have a mechanism for representing and reasoning with uncertainty. Bayesian networks are used quite frequently for this purpose, and the final decision suggested by the expert system is a function of the relative strength of various causal relationships embodied in the network and the decision rule used. The relative strengths of the causal relationships, represented as probabilities, are subject to revision when additional information is obtained. The paper shows that the additional information might be of interest only if the decision based on posterior information is different from that obtained from prior information. A model is developed to see how sensitive the decision is to changes in the relative strengths of the causal relationships. Based on this model, a criterion has been developed that has to be satisfied if the additional information is to change the decision. Managers can use this criterion to test whether it will be worth seeking additional information or not.
Chemical states of carbon in amorphous boron carbide thin films deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

Abstract Boron carbide thin films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that the structure of thin films deposited at substrate temperatures lower than 350 °C is amorphous. We found that there are four chemical states for carbon in amorphous boron carbide thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. One is the segregated carbon in form of the graphitic inclusions in the thin film identified by Raman spectroscopy and Raman mapping using two strong peaks at ~ 1360 cm − 1 and ~ 1590 cm − 1 , but the XPS results show that the graphitic inclusions do not connect to the substrate directly. On the surface the carbon forms C=O bonds characterized by the peak of C1s core level at 285.0 eV besides B–C bonds in the boron carbide with the peak of C1s being at 282.8 eV. The detailed analysis of B–C bonds in the boron carbide shows that there are two states for carbon atoms in B–C bonds: in the C–B–C models with C1s peak at 282.3 eV and in the icosahedra with C1s peak at 283.3 eV.
Thoughts on Capitalism and Socialism: Utopian and Realistic

originally presented had as its theme, "Eugene V. Debs and the Politics of Dissent in Modern America." Let me begin with a few words about "the Politics of Dissent," because it was part of the overall framework of our discussions, and because it has a significant bearing on the way we think about capitalism and socialism. It would be a mistake in historical interpretation to equate dissent exclusively with minority currents running only on the left side of the mainstream, whether with or against it. In real history, dissent runs on left and right alike, and often in the middle, in the U.S. as elsewhere. Dissent may represent majority opinion out of power, as much as minority opinion out of power. Dissent may represent opinion of those holding power yet unable to translate it into effective law or policy. Dissent and the politics of dissent, then, are not as simple or obvious a matter of history as it may at first sight seem. Many of us, especially historians in the present mood, take pride in thinking ourselves dissenters and our work dissenting, and this tells us something about ourselves and our own biases or presuppositions. Nevertheless, let us not flatter ourselves, or indulge presumptuously righteous pretensions, in thinking or proclaiming ourselves and our favorite historical figures the dissenters, or the paragons of the politics of dissent or of the dissenting tradition. Let us be historians, not promoters. In its colonial and early national times, the U.S. was founded, formed, and led by religious and secular dissenters, and its mainstream politics and culture have ever since frothed and bubbled with the ideas, values, and acts of dissenters. Take some examples. Dissenting Protestants led colonizing efforts and played prominent roles in colonial politics. Dissenting republicans and clergy led the Revolutionary struggle against Britain and in the founding of the new independent nation. Self-styled federalists started as dissenters against the Articles of Confederation, and they became the new establishment with the
Social curation on the website Pinterest.com

In this paper we look at the popular social curation website, Pinterest.com and describe some of the user actions taking place within the context of the site. Using Pinterest's API we collected a dataset of over 290,000 pins (images and corresponding metadata) during a month-long period between February and March 2012. From this dataset, a random sample of 1000 pins was selected for analysis. We found that Pinterest users pin content in a wide variety of subject areas with the most frequently observed categories being Food & Drink, Home & Garden Decor and Design, and Apparel & Accessories. Turning towards source type, we found that pins are most likely to come from blogs, which account for 45% of our sample pins. Pinterest users can ‘like’, ‘repin’ and comment on the content pinned by others. Repinning, in which a user can categorize an image onto one of their own boards, is the most frequently observed behavior. User comments, which have been observed in the literature to offer valuable sources of potential metadata, are plentiful on Pinterest. We collected 510 user comments from a random sample of 40 pins and found that four of the six types of comments described by van Hooland, Rodriguez and Boydens (2011) were present in our sample: sharing opinion & judgment, engaging in dialog, sharing a personal history with the image, and providing additional narrative details. We suggest that Pinterest represents a sharing and curating experience that offers insight into information use, reuse and creation on the social web.
Phenomenological evolution equations for the backstress and spin tensors

A formulation of a constitutive model involving a new kinematic hardening rule is presented in the Eulerian reference system. The corotational stress and backstress rates involving spin tensors are discussed and incorporated in the evolution equations. The backstress evolution model is compared with other models and is found to be decomposable into a model that consists of two backstresses whose evolution is independent of each other.
Flow microcalorimetric study of the 1:1 stoichiometric reaction

Abstract A new mathematical treatment is presented for determination of the enthalpy change and equilibrium constant for the 1:1 stoichiometric reaction using flow microcalorimetric data. A reaction for which the thermodynamic parameters are known has been carried out in order to demonstrate the applicability of the method. The advantage of the proposed method is that the thermodynamic values are calculated directly by solving a biquadratic equation involving only measured experimental quantities, with no initial estimates being required. A dilution cell has been incorporated in the experimental set-up so that the concentration of one of the reactants could be varied continuously. It is also shown that the volume of the dilution cell may be directly determined with a flow microcalorimetric experiment.
Evolved transforms for improved reconstruction of lossy-compressed NASA images

This paper describes a methodology for evolving image reconstruction transforms consisting of an arbitrarily large, user-selected number of wavelet and scaling numbers. Given images previously subjected to lossy compression using NASA's wavelet-based ICER compressor, these novel transforms are capable of reconstructing those images with less error than ICER's own reconstruction scheme. This advance has the potential to enhance the science value of all images subjected to lossy compression.
“Nothing Could Be That Grotesque and Live”: Mapping Abject Body Space in Robert Coover's Pinocchio in Venice

This article analyzes the significance of the unstable body in Robert Coover's Pinocchio in Venice (1991), focusing on a triple model of body space: city, body, and knowledge. Notably, these body spaces are rooted in Julia Kristeva's notion of abjection, as they simultaneously horrify and compel. Further, the reinscription of Pinocchio into a “talking book” offers a new look at postmodern notions of the body and its control.
Interhemispheric transcallosal route for resection of anterior third ventricular lesions

Anterior third ventricular lesions present with a variety of symptoms related to cerebrospinal fluid flow obstruction and mass effect. Colloid cysts are among the most common lesions in the region. They usually present with ventriculomegaly, leading to headaches, vertigo, or, rarely, decreased mental status due to the development of acute hydrocephalus. Many patients become aware of their asymptomatic colloid cysts during imaging evaluation related to other conditions. Symptomatic cysts require removal, and larger asymptomatic colloid cysts (> 1cm) in younger patients may also need to be excised despite a lack of symptoms. A variety of surgical routes have been described to access and remove colloid cysts. Endoscopic approaches are least invasive and provide adequate decompression and removal of the cyst wall. However, presence of ventriculomagaly may be necessary to provide adequate working space for endoscopic resection. Transcallosal interhemispheric and transcortical routes are typically reserved for patients with symptomatic or large asymptomatic cysts without any significant hydrocephalus. Transcortical route may carry a slightly increased risk of seizures due to cortical disruption. Interhemispheric transcallosal approach with the use of microsurgical techniques minimizes injury to normal structures. In this video, the author describes his technique for transcallosal resection of a large colloid cyst in the absence of significant ventriculomegaly. Methods to minimize complications are reviewed. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/KzC8QYsTKeg. (http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2013.V1.FOCUS12340)
Drug effects on the performance of pigeons under a negative automaintenance schedule

Pigeons were exposed to a negative automaintenance schedule in which food was delivered following brief key illumination only if the illuminated key was not contacted; contact of the lighted key prevented food delivery. All subjects emitted some responses under this procedure when drugs were not given. However, the number of responses was less than that which occurred under an automaintenance procedure in which food followed key illumination regardless of the bird's behavior. Under the negative automaintenance procedure, acute administration of atropine (0.01–0.1 mg/kg), d-amphetamine (0.4–1.6 mg/kg), and morphine (3.8–15 mg/kg) reduced in a dose-dependent manner the percentage of key illuminations in which subjects contacted the lighted key. Diazepam (1.0–6.0 mg/kg) increased the percentage of key illuminations during which contact responses occurred.
Small-angle Thomson scattering of ultrafast laser pulses for bright, sub-100-fs x-ray radiation

We propose a scheme for bright sub-100-fs x-ray radiation generation using small-angle Thomson scattering. Coupling high-brightness electron bunches with high-power ultrafast laser pulses, radiation with photon energies between 8 and 40 keV can be generated with pulse duration comparable to that of the incoming laser pulse and with peak spectral brightness close to that of the third-generation synchrotron light sources of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{20}\mathrm{photons}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}{\mathrm{mm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}{\mathrm{mrad}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ per ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ bandwidth. A preliminary dynamic calculation is performed to understand the property of this novel scattering scheme with relativistic laser intensities.
Effect of age on gastric emptying of liquid--solid meals in man.

A dual radioisotopic method was employed to study the rate of gastric emptying of meals in ten males with an average age of 31 years and 10 elderly males with an average age ot 76.4 years. All study subjects were fed a standardized 900-g meal labeled with a liquid (111indium-DTPA) and solid (99mtechnetium-tagged liver) phase isotopic marker. There were no significant differences in solid food emptying rates between the young and aged men. A delay in liquid emptying, however, was observed in the aged men. The clinical significance of this observation is unknown.
BIAS IN JOURNAL RATINGS

The present study investigated the association between faculty publication records and their point-based evaluations of finance journals. No relationship was detected between the merit points assigned to finance journals and the journal-specific success of the faculty rendering the journal ratings. However, a negative relationship was found between general publication success of faculty and the merit points they assigned to lower-level journal publications. The association was particularly strong for faculty who had published in the top three finance journals.
Meteorological and tidal exchanges between Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, and the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Water level data from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, collected during a 53-day period in early 1972 are used to obtain a time series of computed Bay volumes. Spectral analysis indicates exchanges occurring primarily at tidal periods, and over time intervals longer than about 50 h. Atmospheric pressure data from three locations in South Texas are used to compute regional pressure gradients. Coherence-squared spectra computed from time series of Bay volumes and surface pressure gradient components suggest that meteorologically forced exchanges between the Gulf of Mexico and Corpus Christi Bay are primarily due to Ekman transport across the continental shelf, maintained by quasi-steady winds paralleling the coast, and onshore-offshore winds at periods of 60–100 h.
Blueprinting the regulatory response of Escherichia coli to the urinary tract

Recent work has shown how comparative genomic and microarray analyses can provide insights into the transcriptional state of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) during infection. This study will serve as an important platform from which to identify virulence determinants and the principle mechanisms of adaptation to the urinary tract.
An Affirmative Intervention for Families with Gender-Variant Children: A Process Evaluation

This is a report on a program for parents who have children who exhibit gender-variant behaviors and who contacted an affirmative program in the United States for assistance. All parents completed semi-structured telephone interviews. The data analysis proceeded in two phases, first as a grounded-theory analysis for themes that emerged from the data, and second as an examination of the data in light of the psychology of social exclusion. The results support the contention that parents who develop a supportive stance about their child's gender variance are diverse in their concerns and may or may not start from a position of rejection and attempts at normalization. In order to arrive to acceptance, parents go through a process of reassessment of previously held attitudes or beliefs, and this process is varied. Regardless of initial attitudes, most parents reported significant benefits, both to their self and their child, from their involvement with the program.
Identifying individual great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda using natural body marks

Natural body marks on Sphyraena barracuda were recorded with digital images to identify individual fish. Over 18 months, 60 fish were photographed in situ, eight of which were re-photographed at later dates. Re-photographed fish were all large adults (>70 cm total length) and were all seen within 200 m of the site where they were originally observed 10–318 days prior. Over the same period and area, 116 fish were tagged using T-bar tags, yet none of these fish were recaptured. Natural body marks are thus an effective means of identifying and monitoring behaviour of individuals.
Capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of chondroitin sulfate- and dermatan sulfate-derived disaccharides

High-voltage capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been used for the first time in the analysis of non-, mono-, di-, and trisulfated disaccharides derived from chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. These glycosaminoglycans are first depolymerized using polysaccharide lyases. The resulting unsaturated disaccharide products can be detected by their ultraviolet absorbance at 232 nm. Different retention times were obtained for each unsaturated disaccharide analyzed by CZE. The application of a constant voltage across a 70-cm fused silica capillary using a single, simple buffer system resolved an eight-component mixture within 40 min. Quantitation of disaccharides derived from chondroitin sulfate using chondroitin ABC lyase (EC 4.2.2.4) and mixtures of unsaturated disaccharide standards was possible requiring only picogram quantities of sample. The disaccharides examined had a net charge of from -1 to -4 and were resolved primarily on the basis of net charge and secondarily on the basis of charge distribution. Two unsulfated disaccharides both containing the same unsaturated uronic acid residue were analyzed. One was from chondroitin having an N-acetylgalactosyl residue and one from hyaluronate having an N-acetylglycosyl residue. Despite the fact that they differed only by the chirality at one center, these disaccharides were resolved by CZE. CZE is a fast and simple method that represents a powerful new tool for analysis and separation of acidic disaccharide components of glycosaminoglycans.
On Generalized Gamma Convolution Distributions

We present here characterizations of certain families of generalized gamma convolution distributions of L. Bondesson based on a simple relationship between two truncated moments. We also present a list of well-known random variables whose distributions or the distributions of certain functions of them belong to the class of generalized gamma convolutions. Mathematics Subject Classification 2000: 46F10
The utility of the Beck Depression Inventory in a bariatric surgery population.

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is commonly used in bariatric surgery psychological assessments. However, several items may be measuring physical consequences of obesity (e.g., sleep disturbance, chronic pain, or sexual dysfunction) rather than depressive symptoms. Bariatric surgery candidates (n = 210) completed a series of assessments including the BDI, a chronic pain assessment, and a semistructured clinical interview. Total BDI scores, subscale scores, and endorsement patterns of somatic versus cognitive-affective items were examined based on (1) the presence or absence of a depressive diagnosis or (2) the presence or absence of chronic pain, and optimal cut points were determined. Both the total BDI and cognitive–affective subscale had good discriminating accuracy between participants with and without depression, with an optimal cut point of 12 for the BDI and 7 for the cognitive–affective subscale. Bariatric surgery candidates with chronic pain had significantly higher mean total scores on the BDI (M = 12.5 ± 7.5) than those without chronic pain (M = 9.02 ± 6.7; p < 0.01), and those with chronic pain were significantly more likely to endorse many of the physical items than those without chronic pain. The BDI, with or without the somatic items, appears to be a reasonable screening measure for depressive symptoms among bariatric surgery candidates and the subpopulation of those with chronic pain, although future investigations may wish to examine whether other measures would have improved discrimination accuracy.
The Design of Implicit Interactions

This work proposes and evaluates a theory and method for implicit interaction design. People rely on implicit interaction to communicate queries, offers, responses, and feedback to one another; this research posits that these interactions can be applied analogously to the design of interactive devices to improve people's ability to "communicate"with objects whose behaviors are dynamic and demonstrative. This multiple-method research approach consists of three components. First, we present a theoretical framework and methodology for implicit interaction design. Next, we explore and experimentally evaluate the theory by applying it to two concrete challenges: the design of (1) automatic doors, and (2) electronic whiteboards. Through these efforts, we are able to show the applicative value of the theory, evaluate its utility and begin to explore its broader implications for the wide range of interactive technology fields.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging as a tool for investigating amblyopia in the human visual cortex: a pilot study.

Abstract Purpose: This study investigates interocular differences in the level and extent of cortical activation in amblyopic and normal subjects. Subjects and Methods: Blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) was performed at 1.5 T. A total of 5 subjects with amblyopia and 6 control subjectswere recruited. Visual stimuli included a homogeneous field flickering at 8 Hz and vertical sinusoidal gratings with spatial frequencies of 0.5, 1, and 2 cycles per degree of visual angle (counterphased at 8 Hz). Baseline images were taken in darkness. Stimuli were presented monocularly and binocularly. Data analysis was constrained to the occipital cortex, including striate and extrastriate areas. An absolute percent difference measure defined interocular differences in terms of total area, average level of activation, and a pooled activation parameter. Results: Subjects with amblyopia exhibited a significantly larger ( P P Conclusion: FMRI is sensitive to amblyopia-related deficits in the human occipital cortex and, therefore, has potential as a tool for basic amblyopia research. (J AAPOS 2002;6:300-8)
Population change in adult obesity and blood lipids in American Samoa from 1976-1978 to 1990.

Obesity in American Samoan adults in 1990 was compared to that in 1976-1978 to evaluate population changes concomitant with modernization. Body weight, stature, the body mass index (BMI), and two skinfolds were measured in 1990 in 830 males and females 25-74 years old, and were compared to corresponding data from 1976 and 1978 for 1,621 adults. Mean BMI and skinfold thicknesses increased markedly from 1976-1978 to 1990 in males at all ages. Mean BMI for 45-54 year old males was approximately 3.6 kg/m2 higher (P < 0.0001) in 1990 than in 1976-1978, but was only 0.6 kg/m2 higher in females of the same age. The prevalence of overweight increased significantly from 66% in 1976-1978 to 85% in 1990 (P < 0.001) in 35-44 year old males, but remained about the same, 91%, in females of that age. Similar sex differences in temporal change were found in skinfolds. Fasting serum total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides were obtained for a random subsample of 67 males 40-49 years old and were compared to lipid levels in a 1978 sample of American Samoan males of similar age and residence. Both total and HDL cholesterol were significantly different between 1978 and 1990, 178 vs. 205 mg/dl (P < 0.02), and 43 vs. 37 mg/dl (P < 0.01), respectively. Triglycerides were higher in 1990 than in 1978, 169 vs. 128 mg/dl. The results suggest that obesity and adiposity increased more over 12-14 years among adult males than among females, who in 1976-1978 were already massively overweight. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Variable effects of crowding on Drosophila hosts of male-lethal and non-male-lethal spiroplasmas in laboratory populations

Male-lethal, maternally inherited spiroplasmas occur in four species of Drosophila, and persist in natural populations despite imperfect vertical transmission rates. In the field, larval crowding is thought to be sporadic, but occasionally intense. To determine whether crowding affects host persistence, I compared the population dynamics of infected females (hosts) under crowded conditions to those expected from data collected on uncrowded females. I estimated host fitness components and maternal transmission rates for individual females under uncrowded conditions in both the artificial host D. pseudoobscura (this paper) and the native host D. willistoni (previously reported). Spiroplasma infection had no effect on lifetime production of daughters in D. pseudoobscura; however, as with some D. willistoni lines, hosts may produce more of their daughters earlier in life than nonhosts. Because individual contributions to relative rates of increase calculated from these fitness data were similar for hosts and nonhosts, I expected hosts to persist in laboratory populations. Instead, three patterns were observed: rapid extinction of D. willistoni females infected with male-lethal spiroplasmas, slow decline or persistence of hosts (depending on initial frequency) in both D. pseudoobscura infected with male-lethal spiroplasmas, and D. willistoni infected with non-male-lethal spiroplasmas. Population dynamics, then, depend on host species and bacterial isolate. Fitness estimates change with host line in uncrowded D. willistoni, but host genetic background did not affect population dynamics. These and previously published results show that the interaction phenotype changes with host and parasite isolate, and that host fitness can be affected by crowding. Crowding in natural populations may therefore decrease host fitness but, in expanding populations, early reproduction in hosts may be to their advantage. Possible effects of seasonal fluctuations in population density on the fitness of infected Drosophila are discussed.
Physical structure of molecular-beam epitaxy growth defects in HgCdTe and their impact on two-color detector performance

The flexible nature of molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) growth is beneficial for HgCdTe infrared-detector design and allows for tailored growths at lower costs and larger focal-plane array (FPA) formats. Control of growth dynamics gives the MBE process a distinct advantage in the production of multicolor devices, although opportunities for device improvement still exist. Growth defects can inhibit pixel performance and reduce the operability in FPAs, so it is important to understand and evaluate their properties and impact on detector performance. The object of this paper is to understand and correlate the effects of macrodefects on two-color detector performance. We observed the location of single-crystal and polycrystalline regions on planar and cross-sectioned surfaces of two-color device structures when void defects were viewed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Compositional analysis via energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDXA) of voids in the cross section showed elevated Te and reduced Hg when compared to defect-free growth areas. The second portion of this study examined the correlation of macrodefects with pixel operability and diode current-voltage (I–V) characteristics in mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR)/MWIR (M/M) and long wavelength infrared (LWIR)/LWIR (L/L) two-color devices. The probability of diode failure when a void is present is 98% for M/M and 100% for L/L. Voids in two-color detectors also impact diodes neighboring their location; the impact is higher for L/L detectors than M/M detectors. All void-containing diodes showed early breakdown in the I–V characteristics in one or both bands. High dislocation densities were observed surrounding voids; the high density spread further from the void for L/L detectors compared to M/M detectors.
Small‐Molecule Photovoltaics Based on Functionalized Squaraine Donor Blends

Two squaraine (SQ) donor molecules with different absorption bands are blended together for better coverage of the solar spectrum. The blend SQ device shows a significant improvement compared with single SQ donor devices. By applying a solvent annealing process and a compound buffer layer, a power-conversion efficiency of 5.9 ± 0.3% is achieved under 1 sun illumination.
REGRESSIVE CHANGES IN THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF MALE RATS INDUCED BY STILBESTROL

THE MODIFICATION of the reproductive organs in mammals by toxins, proteins and extracts has attracted the attention of numerous investigators for approxi-mately forty years. Beginning with the papers on spermatoxins (1, 2) there followed a period in which grafts and crude extracts were used for the purpose of inducing sterility and changes in the sex glands of experimental animals similar to those found in the freemartins of cattle (3–7). At the present time the crystalline hormones from animal and synthetic sources are capable of producing even greater changes in the reproductive organs (8, 9, 10). The data presented here resulted from a study of the effect of stilbestrol on the reproductive organs of the male rat. Sexually mature male rats of Wistar stock, inbred for many generations, ranging in weight from approximately 100 to 400 gm., were used in these experiments. They were fed on Purina Dog Chow and water.
Phenobarbital decreases hepatocyte EGF receptor expression independent of protein kinase C activation.

Abstract The liver tumor promoter, phenobarbital, directly applied to cultured, adult rat hepatocytes at concentration of >1 mM, decreases cellular surface binding of EGF. This effect of phenobarbital resembles that of 4β-phorbol-12α-myristate-13β-acetate (TPA) in that both decrease EGF receptor number, but do not affect receptor affinity. The effects of the two tumor promoters differ however, in that only TPA reduces high affinity EGF binding by A431 cells. They also differ in that TPA, but not phenobarbital, causes redistribution of protein kinase C from a soluble to a membranous hepatocyte subcellular fraction. These data indicate that decreased EGF binding is a common hepatocyte response to the tumor promoters, TPA and phenobarbital, but that this response can be mediated by either a TPA-activated, protein kinase C-dependent pathway or by a phenobarbital-sensitive, protein kinase C-independent pathway.
Try writing a technical article

Tells how to go about researching and writing an article, finding a publisher, and preparing the manuscript for submittal.
Speech development patterns and phonological awareness in preschool children

To examine the association between speech production and early literacy skills, this study of 102 preschool children looked at phonological awareness in relation to whether children were delayed, typical, or advanced in their articulation of consonants. Using a developmental typology inspired by some of the literature on speech development (Kahn and Lewis, The Kahn-Lewis phonological analysis, 1986; Shriberg, Journal of Speech and Hearing Research 36(1):105–140, 1993a), we found that failure to master the early-8 consonants and a greater prevalence of certain types of production errors were associated with deficient phonological awareness. We also found that children who made no consonant errors had advanced phonological awareness relative to other children in the sample. In all cases, both productive speech patterns and speech errors were more closely linked with rhyme awareness than with phoneme awareness. The association between speech production and rhyme awareness may provide some new directions for the early preschool assessment of risk for reading problems.
A semiempirical quantum mechanical study of the cationic homopolymerization of expanding and potentially expanding monomer systems

Abstract The cationic homopolymerization reactions of expanding and potentially expanding monomer systems were modeled and the energies of activation were calculated using the AM1 semiempirical quantum mechanical method. The results were used to determine the relative reactivity of study monomers with respect to spiro-orthocarbonates (SOC) and epoxides. All expanding monomers studied were endothermic by 4–16 kcal/mol except the methylated bicyclic orthoesters which had an enthalpy of reaction of essentially 0 kcal/mol. Three potentially expanding monomers were exothermic by 3–18 kcal/mol. The energies of activation for all expanding monomers ranged from 28–37 kcal/mol. The energies of activation for SOCs and epoxides are approximately 32 and 0–3 kcal/mol, respectively [1] , [2]
Microstructural characterization of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks by positron lifetime spectroscopy

Thermoset and thermoplastic polyimides have complementary physical and mechanical properties. Whereas thermoset polyimides are brittle and generally easier to process, thermoplastic polyimides are tough but harder to process. A combination of these two types of polyimides may help produce polymers more suitable for aerospace applications. Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (S-IPN) of thermoset LaRC(TM)-RP46 and thermoplastic LaRC(TM)-IA polyimides were prepared in weight percent ratios ranging from 100:0 to 0:100. Positron lifetime measurements were made in these samples to correlate their free volume features with physical and mechanical properties. As expected, positronium atoms are not formed in these samples. The second lifetime component has been used to infer the positron trap dimensions. The 'free volume' goes through a minimum at a ratio of about 50:50, and this suggests that S-IPN samples are not merely solid solutions of the two polymers. These data and related structural properties of the S-IPN samples are discussed.
Accuracy of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for estimating the severity of functional mitral regurgitation

Although intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is used to guide mitral valve reconstructive procedures, the effects of hemodynamic alterations accompanying general anesthesia on mitral regurgitation (MR) are unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of general anesthesia on MR jet size using TEE with color Doppler imaging in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Matched preoperative TEEs performed with the patient under intravenous conscious sedation, and intraoperative studies performed with the patient under general anesthesia were retrospectively reviewed in 46 patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Patients were divided into groups based on etiology of MR, including 21 patients with myxomatous degeneration and leaflet flail, 19 patients with structurally normal leaflets and functional regurgitation due to abnormal leaflet coaptation, and 6 patients with rheumatic mitral disease. On both preoperative and intraoperative studies, regurgitation was quantified using maximal jet area and jet diameter at the vena contracta on color flow Doppler. Patients with leaflet flail and patients with functional MR had similar measures of regurgitation severity on preoperative imaging. On intraoperative imaging, regurgitant jet size was unchanged compared with preoperative studies among patients with leaflet flail (jet diameter 1.04 +/- 0.26 vs 1.10 +/- 0.28 cm, area 9.8 +/- 4.5 vs 10.1 +/- 5.2 cm2 on preoperative studies), although jet size decreased significantly in patients with functional MR (jet diameter 0.79 +/- 0.33 vs 1.10 +/- 0.29 cm [p < 0.001], area 5.7 +/- 3.5 vs 10.0 +/- 3.8 cm2 [p < 0.001] on preoperative studies). These findings were not accounted for by variation in heart rate, blood pressures, echocardiographic instrumentation, or Doppler Nyquist limit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
SLAVERY: ANNUAL BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SUPPLEMENT (2008)

For 2008 the bibliography continues its customary coverage of secondary writings published since 1900 in western European languages on slavery or the slave trade anywhere in the world: monographs, ...