cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mortality Among U.S. Army Veterans 30 Years After Military Service

Purpose Research suggests that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be associated with later medical morbidity. To assess this, we examined all-cause and cause-specific mortality among a national random sample of U.S. Army veterans with and without PTSD after military service. Methods We used Cox proportional hazards regressions to examine the causes of death among 15,288 male U.S. Army veterans 16 years after completion of a telephone survey, approximately 30 years after their military service. These men were included in a national random sample of veterans from the Vietnam War Era. Our analyses adjusted for race, Army volunteer status, Army entry age, Army discharge status, Army illicit drug abuse, intelligence, age, and, additionally—for cancer mortality— pack-years of cigarette smoking. Results Our findings indicated that adjusted postwar mortality for all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer, and external causes of death (including motor vehicle accidents, accidental poisonings, suicides, homicides, injuries of undetermined intent) was associated with PTSD among Vietnam Theater veterans (N = 7,924), with hazards ratios (HRs) of 2.2 (p Conclusions Our study suggests that Vietnam veterans with PTSD may be at increased risk of death from multiple causes. The reasons for this increased mortality are unclear but may be related to biological, psychological, or behavioral factors associated with PTSD and warrant further investigation.
Are African Americans Effectively Represented in Congress

The authors relate the racial composition of districts to five measures of legislative activity and position in the 101st to 106th Congresses: bill introduction, colleague cosponsorship, bill passage, committee portfolio, and party leadership. The authors find that African American constituents generally are represented by less active and less well-positioned legislators on four of the five measures. They also explore the origin of these disparities. Two of the disparities (bill passage and party leadership) are partly explained by the tendency of districts with larger African American populations to be less electorally competitive. A third disparity (committee portfolio) is accounted for by the tendency of larger African American populations to be represented by African American members of Congress.
Functional Photonic Circuits Based on Semiconductor Quantum Templates in Quantum Well Structures: Processing-Free Monolithic Integration

We propose and numerically demonstrate operation of a processing-free functional photonic integrated circuit based on a semiconductor quantum template. This template combines monolayer engineering of the well/barrier interfaces in quantum-well structures with their coherent nonlinear effects to spatially form desired patterns of refractive index, gain and absorption without any need for top-down processes such as lithography, etching, postprocessing epitaxial overgrowth, etc. As an example, we investigate an integrated circuit that includes a distributed feedback laser and a multitask functional section that can act as an ultra-fast attenuator, modulator or amplifier on demand. The distributed feedback laser is based on gain-without inversion to overcome various losses and induce single mode operation. The photonic circuit proposed in this paper is optically activated and holds the promise of highly functional multicomponent integrated photonic circuits fabricated in a single epitaxial growth.
Vitellogenin mRNA regulation and plasma clearance in male sheepshead minnows, (Cyprinodon variegatus) after cessation of exposure to 17β-estradiol and p-nonylphenol

Research was conducted to determine the kinetics of hepatic vitellogenin (VTG) mRNA regulation and plasma VTG accumulation and clearance in male sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) during and after cessation of exposure to either 17β-estradiol (E2) or para-nonylphenol (NP). Adult fish were continuously exposed to aqueous measured concentrations of 0.089 and 0.71 μg E2 per l, and 5.6 and 59.6 μg NP per l for 16 days using an intermittent flow-through dosing apparatus. Fish were sampled on days 8 and 16 of exposure followed by sampling at discrete intervals for up to 96 days post-exposure. At each interval five fish were randomly sampled from each concentration and hepatic VTG mRNA and serum VTG levels for individual fish determined by slot blot and direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Exposure to E2 and NP resulted in a dose dependent increase in hepatic VTG mRNA and plasma VTG over the course of the 16-day exposure period. Mean plasma VTG levels at day 16 were >100 mg/ml for both high doses of E2 and NP, and >20 mg/ml for the low exposure treatments. Within 8 days post-exposure, hepatic VTG mRNA levels returned to baseline in both high and low E2 treatments but remained elevated 2–4 fold in the NP treatments. Due to a shortened sampling period, a clearance rate for plasma VTG in the 5.6 μg NP per l treatment could not determined. In the 0.089, 0.71 μg E2 per l, and 59.6 μg NP per l treatments, VTG levels began decreasing within 4 days after exposure cessation and exhibited an exponential rate of elimination from plasma. Clearance rates for 0.71 μg E2 per l and 59.6 μg NP per l were not significantly different (P=0.47), however, both demonstrated significantly higher rates of clearance (P<0.02) than observed in the 0.089 μg E2 per l treatment. Our results indicate that hepatic VTG mRNA rapidly diminishes after cessation of estrogenic exposure in sheepshead minnows, but plasma VTG clearance is concentration and time dependent and may be detected at measurable levels for months after initial exposure to an estrogenic compound.
A Dynamic Programming Analogy for Maze Learning by Rats

It has been observed that in maze learning, a blind alley near a goal tends to be eliminated more rapidly than one more remote from the goal. The modeling of this behavior assumes that an event occ...
Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity is not required for the initiation of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoprotein assembly in McA-RH7777 cells.

Abstract We previously demonstrated that the N-terminal 1000 amino acid residues of human apolipoprotein (apo) B (designated apoB:1000) are competent to fold into a three-sided lipovitellin-like lipid binding cavity to form the apoB “lipid pocket” without a structural requirement for microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP). Our results established that this primordial apoB-containing particle is phospholipid-rich (Manchekar, M., Richardson, P. E., Forte, T. M., Datta, G., Segrest, J. P., and Dashti, N. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 39757-39766). In this study we have investigated the putative functional role of MTP in the initial lipidation of apoB:1000 in stable transformants of McA-RH7777 cells. Inhibition of MTP lipid transfer activity by 0.1 μm BMS-197636 and 5, 10, and 20 μm of BMS-200150 had no detectable effect on the synthesis, lipidation, and secretion of apoB:1000-containing particles. Under identical experimental conditions, the synthesis, lipidation, and secretion of endogenous apoB100-containing particles in HepG2 and parental untransfected McA-RH7777 cells were inhibited by 86-94%. BMS-200150 at 40 μm nearly abolished the secretion of endogenous apoB100-containing particles in HepG2 and parental McA-RH cells but caused only 15-20% inhibition in the secretion of apoB: 1000-containing particles. This modest decrease was attributable to the nonspecific effect of a high concentration of this compound on hepatic protein synthesis, as reflected in a similar (20-25%) reduction in albumin secretion. Suppression of MTP gene expression in stable transformants of McA-RH7777 cells by micro-interfering RNA led to 60-70% decrease in MTP mRNA and protein levels, but it had no detectable effect on the secretion of apoB:1000. Our results provide a compelling argument that the initial addition of phospholipids to apoB:1000 and initiation of apoB-containing lipoprotein assembly occur independently of MTP lipid transfer activity.
Barriers to movement and the response of herbivores to alternative cropping patterns.

Does the response of insect herbivores to the spatial dispersion of their food plants depend on whether alternative dispersions are available? To answer this question, four quartets of collard plots (Brassicae oleracae) were planted. Quartets contained two pairs of plots representing alternative planting designs. In one pair the alternatives were separated from one and other by a curtain barrier that effectively prevented plot to plot movement by the flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae. The boundary between the other pair of alternatives was without barriers, and the beetles could range freely between these two plots. We hypothesized that the presence of a choice (i.e. the absence of a barrier) would exaggerate any differences in beetle numbers between the alternative plant arrangements.Beetles were given "choices" between two kinds of alternatives. In two quartets, the alternatives were high density collard monocultures versus low density collard monocultures. In the other two quartets, the alternatives were collard monocultures versus collard-potato discultures. In each quartet, the abundances of P. cruciferae were censused weekly for three weeks.As we hypothesized, the influence of cropping pattern (both diversity and density) was less where there was a barrier between cropping alternatives than where there was no barrier between the same alternatives. This suggests that nonrandom foraging movement, or "patch choice", explains the response of Phyllotreta to cropping treatments. The consequence of this mechanism for interpreting the results of insect-host experiments are substantial; experimental designs allowing insects to move and accumulate in a preferred treatment may have different results from the same treatments in isolation.
Characterization of the mononuclear cell infiltrate in atopic dermatitis using monoclonal antibodies

Tissue sections from involved and uninvolved skin of nine patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) were investigated by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and an immunoperoxidase method using monoclonal antibodies to cell-surface antigens. Acute lesions were characterized by spongiotic epidermis, with increased numbers of infiltrating mononuclear cells consisting predominantly of lymphocytes. Perivascular dermal infiltrates consisted of lymphocytes and a few monocytes-macrophages. Capillary endothelial cells were not enlarged. In chronic lesions the epidermis was hyperplastic, with virtually no cellular infiltrate. The perivascular dermal infiltrates consisted primarily of monocytes-macrophages intermixed with lymphocytes. Capillary lumens were narrowed by enlarged endothelial cells. The majority of the infiltrating lymphocytes in all skin biopsy specimens from AD patients were stained with anti-T3, anti-Leu-1, anti-T4, and anti-Leu-3 antibodies, suggesting that most of the infiltrating lymphocytes were T cells possessing the helper/inducer phenotype. In contrast, a smaller number of infiltrating cells reacted with anti-T8 or anti-Leu-2 antibodies, which define the suppressor/cytotoxic T cell population. Langerhans cells, as defined by reactivity with anti-T6 monoclonal antibody, were increased in the diseased skin of AD patients. The presence of increased numbers of Langerhans cells and T cells of the helper/inducer phenotype may reflect increased antigen processing in the diseased skin of patients. In addition, the smaller number of T8+ cells infiltrating into the skin suggests that the depression of circulating T8+ cells observed in the majority of patients with AD is not due to the selective migration of these T8+ cells into the skin.
The Bicentennial of American Mathematics Journals.

David Zitarelli (zit@temple.edu) received his Ph.D. in algebraic semigroups under Mario Petrich at Penn State, and is now an associate professor of mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has written several textbooks on finite mathematics and calculus (with R. Coughlin), a computer lab manual for linear algebra (with D. Hill), a liberal-arts text using ethnomathematics in a collaborative setting, and a book on the history of the EPADEL Section of the MAA. Recently he wrote about the origin and early impact of the Moore Method. He runs daily, and also teaches windmill softball pitching.
Black Under-representation in Management across U.S. Labor Markets

Although many researchers have documented higher levels of black-white inequality in areas with a high concentration of blacks, the mechanisms underlying this finding have been elusive. Black underrepresentation in management may be one such mechanism. We ask whether black workers' underrepresentation in managerial jobs is especially pronounced in labor markets with a larger black population. Using a unique, two-level data set that combines a large data set of private sector firms with Census data on local labor markets, the authors' hierarchical logistic models strongly support this hypothesis. Net of establishment and labor market-level controls, the likelihood that an establishment exhibits a significant underrepresentation of blacks in management is substantially increased when it operates in a high-proportion black labor market context.
Toward autonomic web services trust and selection

Emerging Web services standards enable the development of large-scale applications in open environments. In particular, they enable services to be dynamically bound. However, current techniques fail to address the critical problem of selecting the right service instances. Service selection should be determined based on user preferences and business policies, and consider the trustworthiness of service instances.We propose a multiagent approach that naturally provides a solution to the selection problem. This approach is based on an architecture and programming model in which agents represent applications and services. The agents support considerations of semantics and quality of service (QoS). They interact and share information, in essence creating an ecosystem of collaborative service providers and consumers. Consequently, our approach enables applications to be dynamically configured at runtime in a manner that continually adapts to the preferences of the participants. Our agents are designed using decision theory and use ontologies. We evaluate our approach through simulation experiments.
Steric spacing of molecular linkers on passivated Si(111) photoelectrodes.

Surfaces with high photoelectrochemical and electronic quality can be prepared by tethering small molecules to single-crystalline Si(111) surfaces using a two-step halogenation/alkylation method (by Lewis and co-workers).1−7 We report here that the surface coverage of custom-synthesized, phenyl-based molecular linkers can be controlled by varying the steric size of R-groups (R = CH3, C6H11, 2-ethylhexyl) at the periphery of the linker. Additionally, the linkers possess a para triflate group (−O2SCF3) that serves as a convenient analytical marker and as a point of covalent attachment for a redox active label. Quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements revealed that the surface coverage systematically varies according to the steric size of the linker: CH3 (6.7 ± 0.8%), CyHex (2.9 ± 1.2%), EtHex (2.1 ± 0.9%). The stability of the photoelectrochemical cyclic voltammetry (PEC-CV) behavior was dependent on an additional methylation step (with CH3MgCl) to passivate residual Si(111)–Cl bonds...
Impact of Clinical Practice Guideline on the Treatment of Pediatric Femoral Fractures in a Pediatric Hospital.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines are being developed for a number of topics in medicine to decrease practice variability and to improve evidenced-based care. Within orthopaedic surgery, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has a dedicated committee that produces these clinical practice guidelines on a variety of issues. One such issue was the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femoral fractures, with the clinical practice guideline being published in 2009. We performed a retrospective review of the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femoral fractures at a single institution from 2007 to 2012 to assess the clinical impact of this clinical practice guideline on the treatment of this condition. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients treated at a single pediatric hospital between 2007 and 2012 for a pediatric diaphyseal femoral fracture was conducted. The 2009 AAOS clinical practice guideline on the treatment of this condition was assessed and each patient record was analyzed to determine if the clinical practice guideline was followed, based on the age-specific recommendations. The percentage of treatment rendered adhering to the clinical practice guideline recommendations was compared in the pre-guideline group (prior to June 2009) and the post-guideline group (after June 2009). Results: A total of 361 patients were treated for a diaphyseal femoral fracture during this time frame and were included in this study. Overall, little change in treatment was found following the publication of this clinical practice guideline. The only significant change noted over this time period was a decrease (p = 0.03) in the percentage of patients between the ages of five and eleven years who were treated with flexible nails, at odds with this specific clinical practice guideline recommendation. Conclusions: We found little direct clinical impact of the recently published AAOS clinical practice guideline on the treatment of pediatric diaphyseal femoral fractures. This analysis suggests an important role for clinical assessment after guideline publication to identify areas of potentially important future clinical research and to assess the utility of this guideline.
Does Mandated Audit Communication Reduce Opportunistic Corrections to Manage Earnings to Forecasts

This paper reports two experiments in which Big 5 audit managers estimate reported (audited) earnings conditional on analysts' consensus forecast, auditing standards, and auditor discovery of a quantitatively immaterial earnings overstatement. We find that auditors judge overstatement correction less likely if it would cause a missed forecast, even for objectively measured misstatements. This behavior is consistent with SEC Chairman Levitt's concerns about opportunistic corrections to manage earnings to forecasts. Also, SAS No. 89's mandated representations and communications do not increase corrections that would cause a missed forecast, indicating that the Auditing Standards Board has limited ability to reduce opportunistic corrections through such regulations.
Special Issue on ML

The MetaLanguage of the Edinburgh LCF theorem proving system has become a programming language in its own right, popular among a reasonably wide segment of the research community. ML has also become a lingua franca among applied type theorists, as they investigate type systems for the 90's as extensions of the remarkably influential Hindley-Milner type system.
Genetic basis for retention of a critical virulence plasmid of Borrelia burgdorferi

The genome of Borrelia burgdorferi is composed of one linear chromosome and approximately 20 linear and circular plasmids. Although some plasmids are required by B. burgdorferi in vivo, most plasmids are dispensable for growth in vitro. However, circular plasmid (cp) 26 is present in all natural isolates and has never been lost during in vitro growth. This plasmid carries ospC, which is critical for mammalian infection. We previously showed that cp26 encodes essential functions, including the telomere resolvase, ResT, and hence cannot be displaced. Here we identify two additional essential genes on cp26, bbb26 and bbb27, through a systematic attempt to inactivate each open reading frame (ORF). Furthermore, an incompatible plasmid carrying resT, bbb26 and bbb27 could displace cp26. Computational and experimental analyses suggested that both BBB26 and BBB27 are membrane-associated, periplasmic proteins. These data indicate that bbb26 and bbb27 encode essential but possibly redundant functions and that one or the other of these cp26 genes, in addition to resT, is required for bacterial viability. We conclude that the genetic linkage of critical physiological and virulence functions on cp26 is pertinent to its stable maintenance throughout the evolution of B. burgdorferi.
Molecular analysis of a congenital iodide transport defect: G543E impairs maturation and trafficking of the Na+/I- symporter.

The Na+/I− symporter (NIS) is a key membrane glycoprotein that mediates active I− transport in the thyroid and other tissues. Upon isolation of the cDNA encoding NIS, 10 NIS mutations that cause congenital iodide transport defect have been identified. Three of these mutations (T354P, G395R, and Q267E) have been thoroughly characterized at the molecular level. All three NIS mutant proteins are correctly targeted to the plasma membrane; however, whereas Q267E displays minimal activity, T354P and G395R are inactive. Here, we show that in contrast to these mutants, G543E NIS matures only partially and is retained intracellularly; thus, it is not targeted properly to the cell surface, apparently because of faulty folding. These findings indicate that the G543 residue plays significant roles in NIS maturation and trafficking. Remarkably, NIS activity was rescued by small neutral amino acid substitutions (volume < 129 A3) at this position, suggesting that G543 is in a tightly packed region of NIS.
Regulated Offloading of Cytoplasmic Dynein from Microtubule Plus Ends to the Cortex

Cytoplasmic dynein mediates spindle orientation from the cell cortex through interactions with astral microtubules, but neither the mechanism governing its cortical targeting nor the regulation thereof is well understood. Here we show that yeast dynein offloads from microtubule plus ends to the daughter cell cortex. Mutants with an engineered peptide inserted between the tail domain and the motor head retain wild-type motor activity but exhibit enhanced offloading and cortical targeting. Conversely, shortening the "neck" sequence between the tail and motor domains precludes offloading from the microtubule plus ends. Furthermore, chimeric mutants with mammalian dynein "neck" sequences rescue targeting and function. These findings provide direct support for an active microtubule-mediated delivery process that appears to be regulated by a conserved masking/unmasking mechanism.
The antiinflammatory effect of laminar flow: The role of PPARγ, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, and soluble epoxide hydrolase

We previously reported that laminar flow activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) in vascular endothelial cells in a ligand-dependent manner that involves phospholipase A2 and cytochrome P450 epoxygenases. In this study, we investigated whether epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), the catalytic products of cytochrome P450 epoxygenases, are PPARgamma ligands. Competition and direct binding assays revealed that EETs bind to the ligand-binding domain of PPARgamma with K(d) in the microM range. In the presence of adamantyl-ureido-dodecanoic acid (AUDA), a soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH)-specific inhibitor, EETs increased PPARgamma transcription activity in endothelial cells and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Inclusion of AUDA in the perfusing media enhanced, but overexpression of sEH reduced, the laminar flow-induced PPARgamma activity. Furthermore, laminar flow augmented cellular levels of EETs but decreased sEH at the levels of mRNA, protein, and activity. Blocking PPARgamma by GW9662 abolished the EET/AUDA-mediated antiinflammatory effect, which indicates that PPARgamma is an effector of EETs.
SENSITIVITY OF TRANSIT SEARCHES TO HABITABLE-ZONE PLANETS

Photon-limited transit surveys in the V band are in principle about 20 times more sensitive to planets of fixed size in the habitable zone around M stars than G stars. In the I band the ratio is about 400. The advantages of a closer habitable zone and smaller stars (together with the numerical superiority of M stars) more than compensate for the reduced signal because of the lower luminosity of the later-type stars. That is, M stars can yield reliable transit detections at much fainter apparent magnitudes than G stars. However, to achieve this greater sensitivity, the later-type stars must be monitored to these correspondingly fainter magnitudes, which can engender several practical problems. We show that with modest modifications, the Kepler mission could extend its effective sensitivity from its current MV ¼ 6 to 9. This would not capture the whole M dwarf peak but would roughly triple its sensitivity to Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. To take advantage of the huge bump in the sensitivity function at MV ¼ 12 would require major changes in Kepler. However, the reduced photometric-precision requirements at MV ¼ 12 makes a search for these transits possible from the ground. Photometric stability requirements are much less severe for M stars than G stars. To detect Earth-mass planets in the habitable zone around G stars, the variability on transit timescales must be less than 2 � 10 � 5 , but for middle M stars the limit is 1:2 � 10 � 3 . Subject headings: occultations — planetary systems — techniques: photometric
Mnemonic Transformations and Verbal Coding Processes in Children

Summary In order to test a transformational model of verbal coding processes, 120 male and female second, fourth, and sixth graders learned a 16-item categorizable noun list under instructions either to Image, Categorize, or chain into a Narrative. A Control group learned the list without mnemonic instructions. Image-instructed Ss remembered significantly more words than either the Cluster or Narrative instructed groups whose recall was essentially the same. Control Ss performed significantly lower than any of the instructed groups. Although substantial reorganization of list order occurred in all groups, there were no between-groups differences in terms of grouping the words into E-defined categories.
Biochemical and structural studies of NADH-dependent FabG used to increase the bacterial production of fatty acids under anaerobic conditions.

Major efforts in bioenergy research have focused on producing fuels that can directly replace petroleum-derived gasoline and diesel fuel through metabolic engineering of microbial fatty acid biosynthetic pathways. Typically, growth and pathway induction are conducted under aerobic conditions, but for operational efficiency in an industrial context, anaerobic culture conditions would be preferred to obviate the need to maintain specific dissolved oxygen concentrations and to maximize the proportion of reducing equivalents directed to biofuel biosynthesis rather than ATP production. A major concern with fermentative growth conditions is elevated NADH levels, which can adversely affect cell physiology. The purpose of this study was to identify homologs of Escherichia coli FabG, an essential reductase involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, that display a higher preference for NADH than for NADPH as a cofactor. Four potential NADH-dependent FabG variants were identified through bioinformatic analyses supported by crystallographic structure determination (1.3- to 2.0-A resolution). In vitro assays of cofactor (NADH/NADPH) preference in the four variants showed up to ≈ 35-fold preference for NADH, which was observed with the Cupriavidus taiwanensis FabG variant. In addition, FabG homologs were overexpressed in fatty acid- and methyl ketone-overproducing E. coli host strains under anaerobic conditions, and the C. taiwanensis variant led to a 60% higher free fatty acid titer and 75% higher methyl ketone titer relative to the titers of the control strains. With further engineering, this work could serve as a starting point for establishing a microbial host strain for production of fatty acid-derived biofuels (e.g., methyl ketones) under anaerobic conditions.
The Activation of Chemical Bonds at Surfaces

The activation of chemical bonds in molecules adsorbed on surfaces is of fundamental interest in many types of surface chemistry. For example, all heterogeneous catalytic processes proceed by way of bond activation in adsorbed species. Chemical vapor deposition onto semiconductor surfaces to produce thin film semiconductor materials depends upon bond activation at the surface. Surface corrosion processes generally involve activated molecular surface reactions. Thus, it is important to understand the activation of chemical bonds in surface species so that better understanding and control of surface chemical processes may be achieved.
Oscillatory Mechanisms Underlying the Drosophila Circadian Clock

This animation depicts a schematic of the Drosophila circadian clock mechanism in a single, pacemaking lateral brain neuron. Circadian clocks allow organisms to exhibit rhythmic behaviors and processes based on a nearly 24-hour cycle in the absence of any light stimulation. In the fruit fly, the basic molecular mechanism consists of two intertwined transcription-translation negative feedback loops. One loop--the "positive loop"--controls the rhythmic expression of a positive transcription factor gene, Clock . The second loop--the "negative loop"--controls the transcription of period and timeless , two genes that encode repressor proteins. The loops are intertwined because Period and Timeless repress transcription mediated by the transcription factors Clock and Cycle, whereas the Clock:Cycle heterodimer drives transcription of period and timeless , as well as that of vrille , a repressor of Clock expression. Light cycles can synchronize the Drosophila circadian pathway by directly stimulating cryptochrome -dependent degradation of Timeless.
The Effects of Intimate Partner Violence on Women and Child Survivors: An Attachment Perspective

Approximately 25% of women in the United States report having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in an adult relationship with a male partner. For affected women, IPV has been shown to increase the risk of psychopathology such as depression, anxiety, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress. Further, studies suggest that the risk of IPV (victimization or perpetration) may be carried intergenerationally, and children exposed to IPV are at a greater risk of both attachment insecurity and internalizing/externalizing problems. The authors employ an attachment perspective to describe how insecure/non-balanced working models of the relational self and others may be evoked by, elicit, or exacerbate maladaptive outcomes following experiences of IPV for mothers and their children. This article draws on both rich theory and empirical evidence in a discussion of attachment patterns in violent relationships, psychopathological outcomes for exposed women, disruptions in the caregiving relationship that may confer risk to children of exposed mothers, and the biological, social, and attachment risk factors for children exposed to IPV. A clinical case example is presented and discussed in the context of attachment theory.
Medulloepithelioma of the ciliary body in the goldfish (Carassius auratus).

A me d ulloe pit he lio ma o f t he ciliar y body in th e rig ht eye o f a 1-ye ar -ol d go ld fis h i Carassius auratus t had sp ind le a nd e p it he lia l ce lls arran ged ei t he r in co lumns o r a ro un d a ce n t ra l lu me n . Vitreous- like material wa s fo u nd with in t he tu mor. A medulloepi­ the liom a is a mo st unusua l t umor in fish in whic h o cu lar tumors a re rare . Tumors a ris ing fro m t he ci liary epithe liu m ha ve a p a rticul ar fasci na tio n for co m pa ra tive pathol ogi st s be cause o f th eir spe ct ru m of differentiati o n . T h is re tlects the e m b ryoge ne sis a nd potential for differentiat ion o f thi s ti ssue. In mammal s int raocula r tumors a re uncommon (3 , 10), but th e re are re la tive ly nume rous reports of neoplas ms a rising fro m t he ciliary e p it he lium (2 , 11) . A ci lia ry bo dy medulloe pi t he lio ma in a go ld fish is th e sub ject of thi s re port.
3-D wavelet compression and progressive inverse wavelet synthesis rendering of concentric mosaic

Using an array of photo shots, the concentric mosaic offers a quick way to capture and model a realistic three-dimensional (3-D) environment. We compress the concentric mosaic image array with a 3-D wavelet transform and coding scheme. Our compression algorithm and bitstream syntax are designed to ensure that a local view rendering of the environment requires only a partial bitstream, thereby eliminating the need to decompress the entire compressed bitstream before rendering. By exploiting the ladder-like structure of the wavelet lifting scheme, the progressive inverse wavelet synthesis (PIWS) algorithm is proposed to maximally reduce the computational cost of selective data accesses on such wavelet compressed datasets. Experimental results show that the 3-D wavelet coder achieves high-compression performance. With the PIWS algorithm, a 3-D environment can be rendered in real time from a compressed dataset.
Gender and Memory in the Pacific: Contemporary Hawaiian Nationalism and the Memorialization of Plantation Workers at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai`i

In this essay, I look at the intersection of historical memory and identity formation for descendants of the largest group of plantation laborers to migrate to Hawai`i—the Japanese. My analysis takes place through the lens of a permanent exhibit at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i, where collective memory is exhibited in the Center's Historic Gallery.
Mentorship: Opinion of a silver-haired dermatologist

M entorship was not fashionable during the 1950 and 1960s when I was young. Emphasis was placed on being tough, not reflective. In the 1970s, while in medical school and training, the call schedule was every other night leaving little time to be introspective or study. I never had a mentor other than my parents and then my husband, who, after 4 decades of marriage, is still my mentor and best friend. Nonetheless, when I came to the University of Connecticut in 1980 and started the dermatology program, I knew that mentorship was crucial to recruiting successful faculty and residents. At the University of Connecticut, we require each new resident to select a mentor from the faculty as their advisor for any issues that might arise and mandate regular meetings to ensure that this activity is not neglected. A mentor is not just an advisor but a trusted counselor. However, this must be a 2-way relationship as the mentee must actively participate and be willing to seek help and be guided. Like most relationships, this will not work unless both parties dedicate the appropriate amount of time and sincerely care about the success of the affiliation and the other person. This requires both the mentor and mentee taking responsibility for the outcome. Regularly scheduled meetings or phone calls, identifying important topics and challenges that should be discussed at each meeting, assigning both shortand long-term goals for the relationship, celebrating the successes that
Time-energy Entangled Waveguide Source for High Dimensional QKD

A PPKTP waveguide source of 1560-nm entangled photons has been developed for high-rate QKD capable of carrying over 10 bits per photon at 1 Gbps by utilizing its full spectral and temporal contents. Article not available.
Influences of altered phytohormone use on endogenous ABA and mRNA populations during white spruce (Picea glauca) somatic embryo culture

We examined endogenous abscisic acid [(+)-ABA] amounts and mRNA populations in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) somatic embryos in liquid suspension culture during a pretreatment prior to induction of maturation with exogenous (+)-ABA. The pretreatment consisted of removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from the multiplication medium for 7 days. The removal of 2,4-D resulted in a slight increase in endogenous ABA in pretreated tissues compared to nonpretreated tissues at the end of the 7-day pretreatment period (42.4 versus 20.0 pg mg −1 lyophilized tissue). Altered gene expression patterns were observed as early as one day after the start of the pretreatment, with more than 17 new polypeptides found in pretreated tissues. The influence of pretreatment continued to be observed after tissues were transferred to ABA-containing maturation medium. By comparing mRNA populations in pretreated and nonpretreated tissues cultured on either ABA-containing or ABA-free maturation medium, at least 12 mRNAs were observed to be induced by ABA, among which three polypeptides were ABA inducible only in pretreated tissues.
Hydrogen Bonding in a-Si:H Prepared by Remote Hydrogen Plasma Deposition

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has provided essential information on the local atomic bonding and microstructure of hydrogen in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). Here we describe results from NMR and Raman spectroscopy on the hydrogen distribution and bonding in a-Si:H prepared by remote hydrogen plasma (RHP) deposition and contrast the results with those from a-Si:H prepared by conventional glow discharge (GD) deposition. The films prepared by the two techniques have similar H bonding except for the presence in the RHP sample of about 1 atomic % molecular hydrogen, a factor of ten higher than in GD material. For RHP samples prepared from a deuterium plasma rather than a hydrogen plasma, substantial differences in the hydrogen NMR spectra, hydrogen spin lattice relaxation time and Raman spectra are observed. The hydrogen which necessarily originates from the silane has a dramatically altered spectra.
Dynamic Transportation System Condition Maps: Usability Analysis to Support Improved Visualization

The purpose of this research was to apply formal human-computer interaction (HCI) analysis techniques to investigate visualization in transportation management and control systems, specifically traffic information websites provided to the general public in major U.S. cities. HCI is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use. This effort employed formal HCI system usability testing of current traffic information websites as a means to identify specific areas for improvement in transportation system status visualization. The testing results indicated that users preferred simple presentations of information, and, in many cases, were unable to effectively utilize more advanced information technology-based visualization tools. In addition, users indicated a strong preference to receive information on abnormal traffic conditions. This category of information was not readily available on the majority of traffic websites examined by the study team. Finally, it is recommended that developers of new transportation condition visualization tools use formal HCI testing in the development stage to refine designs based on user preferences.
A Degradation Model for Degradation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes due to Impurities in Coal Syngas

A new phenomenological one-dimensional model is formulated to simulate the typical degradation patterns observed in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) anodes due to coal syngas contaminants such as arsenic (As) and phosphorous (P). The model includes gas phase diffusion and surface diffusion within the anode and the adsorption reactions on the surface of the Ni-YSZ-based anode. Model parameters such as reaction rate constants for the adsorption reactions are obtained through indirect calibration to match the degradation rates reported in the literature for arsine (AsH3 ), phosphine (PH3 ) and hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) under accelerated testing conditions. Results from the model demonstrate that the deposition of the impurity on the Ni catalyst starts near the fuel channel/anode interface and slowly moves toward the active anode/electrolyte interface as observed in the experiments. Parametric studies performed at different impurity concentrations and operating temperatures show that the coverage rate increases with increasing temperature and impurity concentration, as expected. The calibrated model was then used for prediction of the performance curves at different impurity concentrations and operating temperatures. Good agreement is obtained between the predicted results and the experimental data reported in the literature.© 2011 ASME
The controversial role of decortication in the management of pediatric empyema

Open surgical procedures for pleural empyema remain controversial in children. The pediatric literature generally recommends a prolonged trial of antibiotics and closed tube thoracostomy drainage. We report a favorable experience with a selective approach to open drainage in 22 children, many of whom had an empyema already organizing at admission. Open drainage was considered in children whose conditions failed to improve after 3 to 5 days of therapy with antibiotics and closed drainage. The method of drainage was selected according to the pathologic phase of the empyema: five children with fibrinopurulent empyema were successfully managed by limited decortication, and 17 with organizing empyema received decortication. Clinical improvement was usually dramatic; most of the children became afebrile by postoperative day 3 and were discharged by postoperative day 10. There were no deaths. Three children (14%) had complications of postoperative air leak or infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae (5) and Hemophilus influenzae (3) were the most common single pathogens. The presence of anaerobic bacteria in 8 of 22 children (36%) was associated with rapid organization of the empyema and the need for decortication. Decortication procedures have a low risk and are effective in children with empyema. They should be considered as definitive therapy, rather than as a last resort
Standardized approach to training for cataract surgery skill evaluation

Purpose To assess interrater reliability in grading cataract surgery performance of ophthalmology residents and attending physicians before and after rater skill training. Setting Metropolitan Chicago, Illinois, USA. Design Prospective interventional test design. Methods Video versions of a previously validated scoring key for rating cataract surgery were created for participant training. All participants received 2 frame-of-reference training sessions lasting 2 hours each. Participants graded 4 videorecorded cataract surgeries before training (pretest) and 4 more after training (posttest). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), which measured the degree of rater agreement, were calculated before and after training. Participants completed a subjective confidence questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the study. Results The study participants included 9 postgraduate year (PGY)-3 residents, 8 PGY-4 residents, and 5 ophthalmology attending physicians from 4 medical centers in metropolitan Chicago. The rater training sessions had the greatest increase in ICCs among PGY-3 residents. The ICC improvement between the PGY-4 residents and attending physicians was uneven. After training, all residents felt more confident about their ability to rate and to perform cataract surgery. Conclusions Learning to effectively grade performance of cataract surgery by reviewing video clips has the potential to be an important part of ophthalmology residency education. The benefit of such a protocol was greatest in the early stages of residency education and might provide a guideline for quality assessment that accelerates surgical skill development. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Edge dislocations bowing out from a row of collinear obstacles in Al

Abstract The bowing of edge dislocations from a row of collinear obstacles in Al is studied using concurrent atomistic-continuum simulations of submicron-sized realizations containing up to 238 million atoms. Results show that (1) as the number of adjacent bowed-out dislocation segments increases, the critical dislocation depinning stress approaches that for an infinite array of obstacles and (2) for the unstable overall semi-elliptic dislocation configuration, the presence of intermediate obstacles reduces the dislocation half-loop height, but doesn't affect the critical shear stress. Our work highlights the significance of the effects of adjacent bowed-out segments on cooperative dislocation bow-out.
Aspirin use and the incidence of breast, colon, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers in elderly women in the Iowa Women’s Health Study

Few studies have evaluated the chemopreventive effect of aspirin on the cancer risk in elderly women. We examined associations between frequency, dose, and duration of aspirin use with incidence of 719 aspirin-sensitive cancers (cancers of colon, pancreas, breast, and ovaries) in the Iowa Women’s Health Study (IWHS), a prospective cohort of women over 70 years old. Aspirin frequency, dose, and duration were self-reported in the 2004 IWHS questionnaire. Women were followed-up to 2011. Cancer cases were ascertained by linkage to the Iowa State Health Registry. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Among the 14,386 women, 30 % were nonusers of aspirin; 34 % used low-dose aspirin, and 36 % used regular- or high-dose aspirin. Compared with nonuse of aspirin, the HRs (95 % CI) for incidence of aspirin-sensitive cancers were 0.87 (0.72–1.06) for regular to high doses of aspirin use, 0.95 (0.80–1.13) for aspirin use 6+ times per week, and 0.93 (0.74–1.17) for aspirin use for 10+ years. For cumulative aspirin use, HR (95 % CI) was 0.87 (0.70–1.09) for >60,000 mg of aspirin per year and 0.95 (0.75–1.21) for >280,000 mg of aspirin in their lifetime, versus nonuse of aspirin. Results were similar for the all-cause cancer death as an endpoint, with a significant inverse association observed between lifetime aspirin dose and cancer mortality [<95,000 mg vs nonuser HR 0.76 (0.61–0.95)]. These findings suggest that aspirin use may prevent incident breast, colon, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer in elderly women.