cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An independently validated nomogram for isocitrate dehydrogenase-wild-type glioblastoma patient survival.

Author(s): Gittleman, Haley; Cioffi, Gino; Chunduru, Pranathi; Molinaro, Annette M; Berger, Mitchel S; Sloan, Andrew E; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S | Abstract: BackgroundIn 2016, the World Health Organization reclassified the definition of glioblastoma (GBM), dividing these tumors into isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wild-type and IDH-mutant GBM, where the vast majority of GBMs are IDH-wild-type. Nomograms are useful tools for individualized estimation of survival. This study aimed to develop and independently validate a nomogram for IDH-wild-type patients with newly diagnosed GBM.MethodsData were obtained from newly diagnosed GBM patients from the Ohio Brain Tumor Study (OBTS) and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) for diagnosis years 2007-2017 with the following variables: age at diagnosis, sex, extent of resection, concurrent radiation/temozolomide (TMZ) status, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status, and IDH mutation status. Survival was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression, random survival forests, and recursive partitioning analysis, with adjustment for known prognostic factors. The models were developed using the OBTS data and independently validated using the UCSF data. Models were internally validated using 10-fold cross-validation and externally validated by plotting calibration curves.ResultsA final nomogram was validated for IDH-wild-type newly diagnosed GBM. Factors that increased the probability of survival included younger age at diagnosis, female sex, having gross total resection, having concurrent radiation/TMZ, having a high KPS, and having MGMT methylation.ConclusionsA nomogram that calculates individualized survival probabilities for IDH-wild-type patients with newly diagnosed GBM could be useful to physicians for counseling patients regarding treatment decisions and optimizing therapeutic approaches. Free software for implementing this nomogram is provided: https://gcioffi.shinyapps.io/Nomogram_For_IDH_Wildtype_GBM_H_Gittleman/.
Dahlia: Homeschooling as a Last Resort

This chapter documents the school choice decision-making of Dahlia on behalf of her son, Jason. Dahlia is a 42-year-old divorced mother of one. Her neighborhood school was a resegregated, predominantly Black, under-resourced school. Dahlia discovered a program that allowed her son to attend the better-resourced schools in the district. However, a new charter school opening close to her home gives Dahlia great hope of having a school of excellence within her community so she enrolled her son. When that school fails four months later, the district blocks her access to the school she left. The chapter details Dahlia’s selection of two additional elementary schools, before ultimately deciding to homeschool. Her account demonstrates the complexity and inequity of school choice.
Food Supply, Starvation, and Food As a Weapon in the Camps and Ghettos of Romanian-Occupied Bessarabia and Transnistria, 1941-44

The Romanian regime of wartime leader Ion Antonescu concentrated the Jews of Bessarabia and Bukovyna in transit camps and ghettos, and then deported them to the Romanian-administered territory between the Dnister and Buh rivers, in southwestern Ukraine. Of approximately 160,000 Romanian Jews deported to “Transnistria,” only 50,000 survived the ordeal. The Romanians, with local Volksdeutsch and Ukrainian collaborators, also massacred and were otherwise responsible for the death of approximately 150,000 local Ukrainian Jews, including the large Jewish community of Odesa. While not comparable to the Jews in number, deported Romanian Roma and local Roma were also subjected to physical brutality, forced labour, and incarceration.Famine and starvation did not cause all Jewish and Roma deaths in Bessarabia and Transnistria. Mass executions exacted a huge toll. So did exposure to the elements, exhaustion, and typhus. Still, while there was no famine in the region, starvation was a permanent presence. Romanian authorities controlled the food supply and denied it to their targeted victims. This article describes the steps taken by Romanian occupation authorities to isolate Jews and Roma; to limit the flow of food supplies to them; to prevent them from accessing food in local markets; and to prevent help that might have been offered by those local civilians who took pity on the starving victims. Official documentation and testimonies of both officials and survivors provide a vivid picture of the consequences. Specific cases reveal factors that made the situation in one locality better or worse than that in another, or that caused a situation to improve or deteriorate. Variations notwithstanding, however, all sources lead to the conclusion that Romania’s goal was to eliminate the Jews and reduce the Roma population. This made starvation, the use of “food as a weapon,” an acceptable element of state policy.
Feral and managed honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in southern California have similar levels of viral pathogens

Bees provide critical pollination services but are threatened by multiple stressors, including viral pathogens. Most studies of pollinator health focus on managed honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) (MHB) or native bee species, but a third player, the feral honey bee (FHB), requires further study. Spillover and spillback of viral pathogens between these managed, feral, and native bees is generating increasing interest. In this case study, we provide evidence suggesting that FHB colonies play an important role in viral pathogen dynamics of southern California pollinator communities because they act as reservoirs, of viral pathogens such as acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and deformed wing virus (DWV). Surprisingly, even though FHB are not treated for diseases or parasites, they harbor similar pathogen loads to MHB, which are usually highly treated, suggesting the need for future studies to determine if FHB resist or are more resilient to viruses.
Data Security on Mobile Devices: Current State of the Art, Open Problems, and Proposed Solutions.

In this work we present definitive evidence, analysis, and (where needed) speculation to answer the questions, (1) Which concrete security measures in mobile devices meaningfully prevent unauthorized access to user data? (2) In what ways are modern mobile devices accessed by unauthorized parties? (3) How can we improve modern mobile devices to prevent unauthorized access? We examine the two major platforms in the mobile space, iOS and Android, and for each we provide a thorough investigation of existing and historical security features, evidence-based discussion of known security bypass techniques, and concrete recommendations for remediation. We then aggregate and analyze public records, documentation, articles, and blog postings to categorize and discuss unauthorized bypass of security features by hackers and law enforcement alike. We provide in-depth analysis of the data potentially accessed via law enforcement methodologies from both mobile devices and associated cloud services. Our fact-gathering and analysis allow us to make a number of recommendations for improving data security on these devices. The mitigations we propose can be largely summarized as increasing coverage of sensitive data via strong encryption, but we detail various challenges and approaches towards this goal and others. It is our hope that this work stimulates mobile device development and research towards security and privacy, provides a unique reference of information, and acts as an evidence-based argument for the importance of reliable encryption to privacy, which we believe is both a human right and integral to a functioning democracy.
How to Construct Quantum Random Functions

Pseudorandom functions (PRFs) are one of the foundational concepts in theoretical computer science, with numerous applications in complexity theory and cryptography. In this work, we study the secu...
Prediction in treatment outcomes in multiple sclerosis: challenges and recent advances.

Introduction Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system with a course dependent on early treatment response. Increasing evidence also suggests that despite eliminating disease activity (relapses and lesions), many patients continue to accrue disability, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive definition of treatment success. Optimizing disability outcome measures, as well as continuously improving our understanding of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative biomarkers is required. Areas covered This review describes the challenges inherent in classifying and monitoring disease phenotype in MS. The review also provides an assessment of clinical, radiological, and blood biomarker tools for current and future practice. Expert opinion Emerging MRI techniques and standardized patient outcome assessments will increase the accuracy of initial diagnosis and understanding of disease progression.
VARIABILITY IN HIGH TEMPERATURE EXTREMES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

Forty-one years of data from 13 first-order National Weather Service stations in the southeastern United States were analyzed to determine the spatial variability in the frequency and duration of hours and days when temperatures were ≥32° C (high-heat). Spatial analysis indicated that extreme high temperature characteristics from individual stations should not be combined into a regional or statewide average. For determining high-heat scenarios, May through September (summer) average maximum temperature (Tmax) was found to be a more appropriate indicator of high-heat conditions than the average temperature (Tmean). Comparing conditions in average warm and cool summer seasons indicated that: (1) increases in the frequency and duration of high-heat hours and days from cool to warm summer seasons range from 70 to 997%; (2) the number of high-heat hours per day increases significantly (27 to 118%) from cool to warm summer seasons; (3) increases in Tmax from cool to warm summer seasons are greater than increas...
Cell and explant culture of kidney tubular epithelium.

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses the isolation and culture of proximal tubular epithelium from rat and human kidney. Either kidney tubules or kidney cells can be easily isolated from the kidney with the help of enzyme digestion or mechanical sieving. The chapter describes identification of proximal tubule cells and discusses metabolic studies on isolated proximal tubule cells. Energy metabolism of isolated proximal tubule cells are studied by measuring metabolities under anoxic conditions in the presence and absence of glucose for 1, 5, 15, and 30 minute time intervals. Cells suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing glucose and prebubbled with oxygen are used for controls at corresponding time intervals. The chapter discusses current methods of preservation of human cadaver kidneys for subsequent transplantation employ simple hypothermic storage, hypothermic pulsatile perfusion, or a combination of the two. Combinations of both types of preservation are used most commonly in clinical practice.
Glyburide Advantage in Malignant Edema and Stroke (GAMES-RP) Trial: Rationale and Design

Patients with large territory infarction are at high risk of cerebral edema and neurological deterioration, including death. Preclinical studies have shown that a continuous infusion of glyburide blocks edema formation and improves outcome. We hypothesize that treatment with RP-1127 (Glyburide for Injection) reduces formation of brain edema in patients after large anterior circulation infarction. GAMES-RP is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial designed to evaluate RP-1127 in patients at high risk for the development of malignant cerebral edema. The study population consisted of subjects with a clinical diagnosis of acute severe anterior circulation ischemic stroke with a baseline diffusion-weighted image lesion between 82 and 300 cm3 who are 18–80 years of age. The target time from symptom onset to start of study infusion was ≤10 h. Subjects were randomized to RP-1127 (glyburide for injection) or placebo and treated with a continuous infusion for 72 h. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite of the modified Rankin Scale and the incidence of decompressive craniectomy, assessed at 90 days. Safety outcomes were the frequency and severity of adverse events, with a focus on cardiac- and glucose-related serious adverse events. GAMES-RP was designed to provide critical information regarding glyburide for injection in patients with large hemispheric stroke and will inform the design of future studies.
Why is Brain Size so Important:Design Problems and Solutions as Neocortex Gets Biggeror Smaller

As bridges or brains become bigger or smaller, the changes pose problems of design thatneed to be solved. Larger brains could have larger or more neurons, or both. With largerneurons, it becomes difficult to maintain conduction times over longer axons andelectrical cable properties over longer dendrites. With more neurons, it becomes difficultfor each neuron to maintain its proportion of connections with other neurons. Theseproblems are addressed by making brains more modular, thereby reducing the lengths ofmany connections, and by altering functions. Smaller brains may not have enoughneurons for all circuits, and they may lose modules and functions. Mammals with moreneocortex tend to have more cortical areas and more columns and types of columnswithin the larger areas.
ARES and the Formation of the International Real Estate Society

Since 1991 the American Real Estate Society (ARES) Board has been working with representatives from around the world to establish an umbrella organization—the International Real Estate Society (IRE...
DETERMINATION OF BIODEGRADATION KINETICS THROUGH USE OF ELECTROLYTIC RESPIROMETRY

The purpose of this work was to demonstrate that it is possible to determine the kinetics of biodegradation of single organic compounds by using only measurements of oxygen consumption in batch reactors. Batch experiments were conducted using acclimated biomass growing on aniline or benzoic acid in which simultaneous determinations over time were made of oxygen consumption, substrate removal (by SCOD, DOC and 14 C) and cell growth. Kinetic parameters were estimated by applying nonlinear curve-fitting techniques to each of the data sets. There were no important differences between the parameter estimates determined from oxygen consumption data and any of the measurements of substrate removal. In general, parameter estimates made with cell growth data were the least reliable.
《超越民族：殖民主义与青岛的抵抗（1897-1914）》 (‘Negotiating the Nation: Colonialism and Resistance in Qingdao, 1897-1914’)

摘要：本文探讨1897-1914年德国殖民当局在青岛殖民社会与中国居民之间的关系。在详细分析了殖民当局在青岛实施的各种统治策略和规章后，作者又细致研究了生活在殖民地的中国人是怎样对待这些统治手段和话语的。拥有自己的利益并努力争取实现自己目标的各社会群体在殖民空间里相互竞争。但是，德国的殖民统治从未导致中国人的团结，也未使德国人形成一个整体。在殖民背景下出现的民族主义和各种各样的民族国家呈现出的特殊形式，不仅仅源于传统，至少也部分地是殖民背景下的相互作用和相互纠缠的结果。因此，民族主义话语中的改变和变化，不仅是内部的、历时的、现代化的结果，而且也同样是多重共时进程的结果。青岛殖民社会的生活是复杂多样的，简单地运用殖民者的统治与压迫和被殖民者的反抗与屈服这样的二元论并不能真正帮助我们理解这段复杂的历史。殖民统治并非存在于一个密封的独立王国之中，通过被殖民者的参与，它受到了重新评价和改变。 关键词：殖民主义 青岛 统治 话语 反抗 相互作用
The Promotion of the “State-of-the-Art” Life Insurance Products

This paper discusses the most effective way of promoting the "state-of-the-art” life insurance products through the multiple line agent. If the product is to be successfully promoted, market demand must first be determined and then, secondly, a market penetration strategy must be developed.
Recent trends in pharmacy law and regulation.

Τ A rends in pharmacy law and regulation are hard to discern. A trend is a cohesive collection of events that inform an understanding of a specific subject of interest. In pharmacy, the most significant trend of the last half century has been the evolution of the profession from a primary role in product distribution to an expanded role in the provision of both products and services. This is a trend that can be seen in all aspects of pharmacy, including the laws and regulations affecting pharmacy, but there have been ambiguities and contradictions in pharmacy law and regulation that may lead some to conclude that legal standards have not kept pace with evolutions in practice. That actually is not the case. There is a firm trend in pharmacy law and regulation to recognize pharmacists as primary health care providers with expanded responsibilities to patients. You just have to look very hard to see this trend. But once you look in the right place, the trend is impossible to ignore. I suggest not looking for meaningful trends in some of the seemingly logical places. OBRA90 is not a useful place to look. That promising legislation never fulfilled its potential. Collaborative drug therapy management, formulary systems, and therapeutic interchange are regulatory developments that have been significant
Temperature and source fluctuation insensitive demodulation technique for Bragg grating sensors

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are restricted to relatively slow speed applications due to current wavelength demodulation techniques. In this paper, we propose and model a demodulation technique using long period fiber grating (LPG) filters to address this problem.
TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS PRESCRIBED NOVEL ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS

Abstract Background Since 2010, several novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the use in the prevention of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Objective Our aim was to describe the trends and characteristics of NOAC-related emergency department (ED) visits. Methods Retrospective review of data from an ED tracking system of all visits that had a medication reconciliation with an NOAC or warfarin to a tertiary care ED between October 2010 and August 2014. Basic demographics, admission rate, admission diagnoses, and trends were analyzed. Results The rate of warfarin visits was stable at 50–60 patients per month (PPM) per 1000 ED visits, however, the rate of dabigatran visits rose to 3–5 PPM/1000 until 2012 and has stayed stable, while rivaroxaban and apixaban have been gradually increasing to 2–4 and 1–2 PPM/1000, respectively. The admission rate for warfarin was 63.7% and for NOACs was 58.1%, compared to baseline admission rate of 35.5%. The hemorrhagic diagnosis rate was similar for warfarin and the NOACs (8.8% and 8.0%, respectively). There were three significantly different admission diagnoses: there were more admission for atrial fibrillation (5.4% vs. 1.9%) and CVA/transient ischemic attack (5.3% vs. 3.0%) in the NOAC group, while there were more admissions for intracranial hemorrhage (2.7% vs. 0.8%) in the warfarin group. Conclusions There has been a steady increase of ED patients who are taking an NOAC. There is a nearly double admission rate for an anticoagulated patient regardless of reason for ED visit. There appears to be no difference between rates of bleeding between warfarin and NOACs, although patients taking NOACs are admitted less often for intracranial hemorrhage.
Tributyltin and dibutyltin alter secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha from human natural killer cells and a mixture of T cells and natural killer cells

Butyltins (BTs) have been in widespread use. Tributyltin (TBT) has been used as a biocide in a variety of applications and is found in human blood samples. Dibutyltin (DBT) has been used as a stabilizer in polyvinyl chloride plastics and as a de-worming agent in poultry. DBT, like TBT, is found in human blood. Human natural killer (NK) cells are the earliest defense against tumors and viral infections and secrete the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). TNF-α is an important regulator of adaptive and innate immune responses. TNF-α promotes inflammation and an association between malignant transformation and inflammation has been established. Previously, we have shown that TBT and DBT were able to interfere with the ability of NK cells to lyse tumor target cells. Here we show that BTs alter cytokine secretion by NK cells as well as a mixture of T and NK lymphocytes (T/NK cells). We examined 24-, 48-h and 6-day exposures to TBT (200–2.5 nM) and DBT (5–0.05 μM) on TNF-α secretion by highly enriched human NK cells and T/NK cells. The results indicate that TBT (200–2.5 nM) decreased TNF-α secretion from NK cells. In the T/NK cells, 200 nM TBT decreased secretion whereas 100–5 nM TBT increased secretion of TNF-α. NK cells or T/NK cells exposed to higher concentrations of DBT showed decreased TNF-α secretion whereas lower concentrations showed increased secretion. The effects of BTs on TNF-α secretion are seen at concentrations present in human blood. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors associated with SF-12 physical and mental health quality of life scores in adults with stroke.

Background Studies of poststroke quality of life (QOL) have not consistently identified which factors are most likely to independently influence the physical and mental aspects of QOL. In this study, we sought to identify which sociodemographic, comorbid disease conditions, and disability factors independently influenced the physical and mental aspects of poststroke QOL. Methods We completed a cross-sectional study of 666 US adults with a history of stroke from the 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We used sequentially built multiple linear regression models to identify sociodemographic, comorbidity, and stroke-related disability factors that independently affected short form-12 (SF-12) physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores. STATA software (version 10; StataCorp LP, College Station, TX) was used to perform the analysis to account for the complex survey design of the MEPS. Results In fully adjusted models using a nationally representative sample of US adults, being non-Hispanic black (β = 3.58), 45 to 64 years of age (β = −3.48), 65 years of age or older (β = −2.90), married (β = −3.50), middle (β = 2.78) and high income (β = 3.73), or having hypertension (β = −2.25), cardiovascular disease (β = −2.05), arthritis (β = −4.49), depression (β = −2.98), physical limitations (β = −7.60), social limitations (β = −4.12), and a need for assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (β = −4.49) were independently correlated with PCS scores. Being 45 to 64 years of age (β = 3.96), depressed (β = −15.92), or having social limitations (β = −3.62) were independently correlated with MCS scores. Conclusions Sociodemographic, comorbidity, and stroke-related disability factors have differential effect on physical and mental aspects of QOL in poststroke patients.
Enhancement of film condensation using porous fins

The effect of porous fins on film condensation on a horizontal tube was examined experimentally. It was demonstrated that the porous fins are effective in thinning the liquid film via a surface tension driven flow and hence enhancing the condensation rate. The experiments were limited to condensation of saturated vapor with surface subcooling up to 14°C. The results obtained using 95% porosity fins and R-ll revealed that, at the optimum fin spacing, the condensation rate can be increased by as much as two times that for a plain tube. It was observed that the liquid film behaves differently for different fin spacings. At small fin spacing (3.2-6.4 mm), a thin, apparently stable film was present. The film was nearly uniform and all of the condensate drained through the porous fins. At larger fin spacing (>9.5 mm) dripping from the tube itself as well as drainage through the porous fins occurred. The maximum condensation rate occurred at a fin spacing of 9.5 mm (/8 in.).
Predicted attenuation of the plate-like dynamic vibration absorber when attached to a clamped circular plate at a non-central point of excitation

Abstract This paper describes the theoretically predicted attenuation in the vibration response of an internally damped, clamped circular plate that is driven by a non-central vibratory point force, and to which, either a plate-like dynamic vibration absorber or such an absorber and a lumped mass have been attached at the driving point. The driving point is at a distance equal to a fractional part (here, 0.1) of the clamped plate's radius b, and the driving force varies sinusoidally as a function of frequency. The vibration response of interest is the force transmissibility across the plate. The absorbers are attached at their midpoint, and they possess tuning characteristics for effectively suppressing the first resonance in the response of the clamped plate. These tuning characteristics for operating the absorber at both optimal and non-optimal conditions are investigated by several theoretically generated examples. It is also seen how such an absorber can provide significant attenuation simultaneously at more than one frequency.
Pre-Voyager velocities, accelerations and shrinkage rates of jovian cloud features

Voyager I data provide detailed information on the latitudinal dependence of velocities in the Jovian atmosphere. In the present paper, pre-Voyager velocity data are summarized, and gross differences with the Voyager I results are revealed. Analytical expressions are derived for the shrinkage rates and acceleration of the Great Red Spot and white ovals (located at -23 degrees and -34 degrees latitude, respectively) for the period from 1943 to 1979.
Performance investigation of 2.4 kW PEM fuel cell stack in vehicles

Abstract The aim of this paper was to investigate the behaviour of a 2.4 kW PEM stack in dynamic conditions typical of vehicle applications, including urban driving cycles taken from European legislation. A management strategy of the main fuel cell system auxiliary components was chosen with the scope of minimizing the energy consumptions associated to humidification, cooling and reactant feeding operations. The results obtained provided the definition of a correlation diagram power–temperature, in particular the application of a statistical indicator of the cell voltage uniformity (coefficient of variation C v ) allowed the specification of a reliable working field in terms of stack durability in real applications. The tests effected on European driving cycles R40 and R47 evidenced that stack power increase rates up to 500 W/s were acceptable for the fuel cell system used in this paper, while for higher dynamics the stack working regularity was limited by low stoichiometric ratio values ( R 1 ) . However, during fast transient phases (10 s as order of magnitude) excursions outside the optimal conditions of power, temperature and R resulted acceptable in terms of C v (mostly lower than 4%).
Production of amylases from rice by solid-state fermentation in a gas-solid spouted-bed bioreactor

A gas−solid spouted-bed bioreactor was developed to produce amylases from rice in solid-state fermentation by Aspergillusoryzae. The spouted-bed bioreactor was developed to overcome many of the problems inherent to large-scale solid-state fermentation, including mass- and heat-transfer limitations in the conventional tray reactors and solids-handling difficulties seen in packed-bed bioreactors. The solid-state fermentation results from the tray-type reactor with surface aeration were poor because of mass- and heat-transfer problems. A packed-bed bioreactor with continuous aeration through the rice bed produced high protein and enzymes, but the fermented rice was difficult to remove and process due to the formation of large chunks of rice aggregates knitted together with fungal mycelia. Also, the fermentation was not uniform in the packed bed. The spouted-bed bioreactor with intermittent spouting with air achieved high production levels in both total protein and enzymes (α-amylase, β-amylase, and glucoamylase) that were comparable to those found in the packed-bed bioreactor, but without the nonuniformity and solids-handling problems. However, continual spouting was found to be detrimental to this solid-state fermentation, possibly because of shear or impact damage to fungal mycelia during spouting. Increasing spouting frequency from 4-h intervals to 1-h intervals decreased protein and enzyme production. Other operating conditions critical to the fermentation include proper humidification to prevent drying of the substrate and control of reactor wall temperature to prevent excessive condensation, which would interfere with proper spouting.
Teaching Dairy Cattle Genetics with Visual Aids

Abstract Good communication uses more than one sense effectively. The sense having the greatest impact is sight, and good visuals can enhance a speaker's effectiveness greatly. One of the most effective of these is a well-prepared transparency. The transparency is also adaptable for answering specific questions. Presented here are ideas and illustrations on how the story of dairy cattle genetics can be told. Color is a most effective way to illustrate points and show contrast. To make points effective, special efforts must be made to use different approaches in a clear, understanding way.
Interviewing: Towards Developing the Tools of a Constructivist Teacher.

(1993). Interviewing: Towards developing the tools of a constructivist teacher. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 24-29.
Lung Cancer and Housing Characteristics

ABSTRACT Lung cancer incidence in Washington County, Maryland, was determined for a 12-yr period and was correlated with personal and housing data from a nonofficial 1963 census. Because indoor radon measurements were not available, two housing characteristics reported to be related to indoor radon concentration—type of basement construction and type of building materials—were used as surrogate measures. An adjusted rate of lung cancer incidence was obtained for each characteristic. Only age, male sex, amount smoked, and standard of living were significantly associated with lung cancer. Rates were highest in houses which had concrete walls and no basements, although the differences were slight and could have occurred by chance.
Health status, activity limitations, and disability in work and housework among Latinos and non-Latinos with arthritis: an analysis of national data.

Objective To document disparities in health status, activity limitations, and disability in work and housework between Latinos and non-Latino whites with arthritis. We examined whether sociodemographic factors (age, income, and education) account for the disparities between the ethnic groups, and whether comorbid conditions, disease duration, health care utilization, and functional abilities predict health status, activity limitations, and work and housework disability after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Methods We analyzed data from the Condition file of the 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability, Phase I. Results The risk of worse health, activity limitations, and work and housework disability was >2 times greater among Latinos compared with non-Latino whites. In the regression models accounting for potential confounders, Latino ethnicity remained significantly associated with poorer health status, but not activity limitations or disability in work or housekeeping. Of the socioeconomic status variables, education had a significant protective effect on work disability and health status. Comorbid conditions and health care utilization increased the likelihood of worse health, activity limitations, and work disability. Limitations in physical function were associated with poorer health and disability in work and homemaking. Conclusion Social status differences between Latinos and non-Latinos may account for disparities in activity limitations and disability in work and housework. Education may provide various health benefits, including access to a range of occupations that do not require physical demands. The findings help to address the great gap in knowledge concerning factors related to the health and disability status of Latinos with arthritis.
Potential Economic Impacts of Chronic Wasting Disease in Colorado

Little direct information on the current and potential economic impacts of chronic wasting disease (CWD) is available. In Colorado, the economic implications of this disease are diverse, complicate...
Development of a morphing structure with the incorporation of central pattern generators

The Manta Ray, Manta birostris, is an amazing creature, propelling itself through the water with the elegant and complex flapping of its wings. Achieving outstanding efficiencies, engineers are looking for ways to mimic its flight through the water and harness its propulsive techniques. This study combines two biologically inspired aspects to achieve this goal: morphing structures actuated with a biomimetic neural network control system. It is believed that this combination will prove capable of producing the oscillatory motions necessary for locomotion. In this paper, a four-truss structure with three actuators is chosen and its performance capabilities are analyzed. A synthetic central pattern generator, which provides the fundamental control mechanisms for rhythmic motion in animals, is designed to realize an oscillatory control of the three actuators. The control system is simulated using Matlab, then combined with LabVIEW to control the four-truss structure. The system's performance is analyzed, with specific attention to both transient and steady-state behavior.
Measurement of space charge adjacent to oxide grain boundaries by tunneling spectroscopy

Abstract The electrical properties of grain boundaries in polycrystalline oxides are characterized by STM imaging and tunneling spectroscopy. The use of tunneling spectroscopy to distinguish grain boundaries from other surface features is discussed. In the case of SrTiO 3 , spatial variations in electronic structure indicate the presence of space-charge regions adjacent to the grain boundaries. The sign of the interface charge and the local charge carrier concentration variations can be deduced from the tunneling spectra.
Context Counts: The Election Cycle, Development, and the Nature of Economic Voting

Economic perceptions affect incumbent support, but debate persists over whether voters focus on past or future performance and whether they view the economy in primarily sociotropic or egotropic terms. We theorize the nature of economic voting depends on the context. Evidence from 18 Latin American countries (1995–2009) suggest prospective voting predominates early in the election cycle, but retrospective voting gains traction as the incumbent’s record develops. Voters emphasize the national economy over personal finances except in the least developed countries. Thus the contexts in which voters are embedded not only affect the degree of economic voting but also its very nature.
High pressure effects on the superconductivity in rare-earth-doped CaFe2As2

High pressure superconductivity in a rare-earth-doped Ca0.86Pr0.14Fe2As2 single-crystalline sample has been studied up to 12 GPa and temperatures down to 11 K using the designer diamond anvil cell under a quasi-hydrostatic pressure medium. The electrical resistance measurements were complemented by high pressure and low-temperature X-ray diffraction studies at a synchrotron source. The electrical resistance measurements show an intriguing observation of superconductivity under pressure, with Tc as high as ∼51 K at 1.9 GPa, presenting the highest Tc reported in the intermetallic class of 122 iron-based superconductors. The resistive transition observed suggests a possible existence of two superconducting phases at low pressures of 0.5 GPa: one phase starting at Tc1 ∼ 48 K and the other starts at Tc2 ∼ 16 K. The two superconducting transitions show distinct variations with increasing pressure. High pressure and low-temperature structural studies indicate that the superconducting phase is a collapsed tetrago...
Impaired microtubule assembly and polymorphonuclear leucocyte function in the Chediak-Higashi syndrome correctable by ascorbic acid.

Summary. It was previously shown that the abnormal surface characteristics and defective bactericidal function of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in the Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) are correlated with impaired microtubule assembly, and in one patient direct electron microscopic evidence for an anomaly in microtubule assembly following surface membrane activation by concanavalin A (Con A). We show here that very few microtubules are visible in CHS leucocytes from two additional patients under conditions where normal PMNs contain abundant microtubules, and that both in vivo and in vitro exposure of the CHS leucocytes to ascorbic acid promotes the assembly of microtubules. This agent, which normalizes chemotaxis and degranulation in CHS leucocytes, is shown also to correct granulocyte adherence in these leucocytes. It is suggested that the improved clinical course of patients with CHS following treatment with ascorbic acid is related at least in part to improvement of microtubule assembly and PMN function by the ascorbic acid.
Enhancement of bacterial virulence by antibody neutralization of immune-activating toxins

Bacterial pathogens release a number of toxins that are able to form pores in target host cells, which can result in their destruction. Due to this property of this subgroup of toxins, they are considered virulence factors. A lesser known ability of these toxins when present at lower concentrations that are insufficient for host cell lysis to occur, is their activation of host immune cells. The Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) secreted by an alarming percentage of Staphylococcus aureus causing community-acquired infections, is one suchtoxin. Due to the low inoculum of S. aureus we used to establish skin abscesses in a murine model of infection, lower amounts of PVL are likely to be present early in infection, hence, the proinflammatory properties of PVL may be more evident. Our data not only suggested that this was indeed the case, but we also showed that antibodies directed to PVL neutralized immune activation by this toxin resulting in a less robust host innate immune response. Thus, given the high lev...
City of Brass: The Art of Masking Reality in Digital Film

The author's interest in film lies in its ability to expand consciousness and perception in ways unique to the medium. His films challenge the language of filmmaking, be it montage, color, sound, lighting, mise-enscene or acting. The author employs a wide palette of film vocabulary to mask reality and filter it through a personal vision. With the introduction of computers, new ways of seeing the world through film, and thus of acting in the world, may be accomplished.
A comparison of the behavioral effects of the repeated administration of PTT, 2β-propanoyl-3β-(4-tolyl)tropane and cocaine

Abstract In the present study the effects of the repeated administration of the novel tropane analog PTT (2β-propanoyl-3β(4-tolyl)tropane) on spontaneous locomotor activity were compared to those of cocaine. Previous reports describing the in vivo effects of PTT have focused solely on its acute effects following a single administration. In Experiment 1, PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg), cocaine (30 mg/kg), or vehicle were administered intraperitoneally to male Sprague–Dawley rats daily for 10 consecutive days and locomotor activity was assessed. In Experiment 2, the locomotor effects of PTT (1.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (15 mg/kg) were assessed following 5 days of drug exposure to either PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg) or cocaine (30 mg/kg) and 18 days of withdrawal. In both paradigms, PTT (1.0, 3.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (30 mg/kg) produced marked increases in locomotor activity acutely and an augmented response to drug challenge following repeated exposure, indicative of behavioral sensitization. These data indicate that, despite differences in the pharmacological profiles of PTT and cocaine, both drugs produce behavioral sensitization. These data are consistent with previous reports in the literature describing the effects of the repeated administration of other dopamine reuptake inhibitors and suggest that the development of behavioral sensitization is a uniform characteristic of this class of drugs.
Oscillation and Complexity in Early Infant Behavior

Cyclic fluctuation is a ubiquitous property of spontaneous motor activity in the human fetus and neonate. Oscillation occurs on the scale of minutes, and irregularity is one of its most characteristic properties. To determine whether cyclic motor activity (CM) persists beyond the neonatal period (1 month after birth), and beyond what has been called the period of the fetus ex utero (2-3 months after birth), 30 infants were studied at monthly intervals from 1 to 4 months after birth during active sleep and awake. Spectral analysis was used to quantify the rate, strength, and irregularity of CM. To examine the characteristic irregularity of awake CM more closely, a nonlinear forecasting technique, developed to study chaotic dynamic in other fields, was used to estimate the predictability of spontaneous movement in a state space reconstructed from the time series. The rate and irregularity of CM during active sleep and awake, and its strength during active sleep, did not change across the first 4 postnatal months. However, there was a pronounced drop in the strength of awake CM from 2 months onward and a concurrent increase in the broad-band power of fluctuations faster than 2 cycles/min. The predictability of awake CM also dropped abruptly between 1 and 2 months, especially for prediction intervals less than 20 sec. The changes at 2 months reflect the introduction of a source of variation with a shorter time constant than fetal-neonatal CM, and which is specific to awake periods. The source of these effects may be moment-to-moment interactions between CM and attention.
[¹¹C]Rhodamine-123: synthesis and biodistribution in rodents.

Introduction Rhodamine-123 is a known substrate for the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp). We wished to assess whether rhodamine-123 might serve as a useful substrate for developing probes for imaging efflux transporters in vivo with positron emission tomography (PET). For this purpose, we aimed to label rhodamine-123 with carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min) and to study its biodistribution in rodents.
Estimating minimum program volume needed to train surgeons: when 4 × 15 really equals 90.

Introduction Work-hour restrictions have decreased flexibility in scheduling and reduced exposure to certain operative cases. These restrictions may affect a resident's ability to meet certification requirements, particularly for rare, unscheduled cases (e.g., cardiothoracic transplants). We developed a computer-based simulation model using variables such as case volume and program size to demonstrate the influence of these factors on the likelihood of certifying a set of residents on rare cases. Methods We built a simulator to predict the probability of attaining certification for surgical residents, using cardiothoracic transplants as a test case. Inputs to the model included operating times, call schedules, and procurement travel times, as well as information on the distribution of times between transplants. Results We simulated 100 years of schedules using our current system parameters of an average of 33 heart and 31 lung transplants per year, and assuming an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–compliant daily-rotating call schedule. Despite having enough transplants to certify all residents for lungs if all opportunities were distributed equally among residents, the certification rate achieved when constrained by arrival time (and call schedules) and work restrictions was only 55%. Our calculations show that meeting minimum transplant-certification requirements for all residents would require at least 1.5 times the expected number of annual transplants. Conclusions Our model enables analysis of a given program's ability to certify its residents based on program size and volume. These results could be used to design alternative scheduling paradigms to improve certification rates, without requiring reductions in certification requirements or program size.
What causes stereoscopic tilt from spatial frequency disparity.

Abstract A controversy still exists concerning whether the tilt created with interocular spatial frequency disparity arises from a computation of spatial frequency differences or from cumulative positional disparity. In a first experiment, we examined the influence of positional disparity on tilt created with frequency disparity, reasoning that if tilt were computed from spatial frequency differences, the perceived angle should remain unaltered since adding a positional disparity does not change the harmonic content of the stimulus. The results indicated that positional disparity weakened perceived tilt. In a second experiment, we tested the idea that tilt results from the calculation of increasing positional disparity across the display, arguing if local matches of features in the two eyes are made in computing tilt, then the solution to binocular correspondence may be less ambiguous if the same number of cycles was displayed for both spatial frequencies. Perceived tilt increased when the number of cycles was equal, although the angle of tilt still decreased with positional disparity. In Experiment 3, we further reduced potential sources of ambiguity for the binocular matching process by employing D 10s (the tenth derivative of a Gaussian) instead of grating patterns. Positional disparity exerted essentially no influence on the perceived angle of tilt of the D10s. Taken together, the results of these experiments suggest that tilt from frequency disparity can be explained solely on the basis of positional disparity.
Human behavioral momentum : Implications for applied behavior analysis and therapy

Recent behavioral studies have addressed the persistence of behavior under altered environmental conditions using more sophisticated techniques of behavior analysis which have direct relevance for applied behavior analysis and therapy. In clinical populations, for example, behavioral programs are concerned with issues such as generalizability of behavior and relapse prevention (Epstein, 1992). Free-operant behavior can be analyzed not only in terms of its response rate but also in terms of its persistence under changed environmental constraints. The aggregation of these two response measures, rate and persistence, has been termed behavioral momentum (Nevin, Mandell, & Atak, 1983). This study assessed behavioral momentum in a human population in order to test predictions made from the behavioral model and potential clinical applications of behavioral momentum to behavior analysis and therapy. Eight undergraduates served as subjects for this study. Results were consistent with the predictions based on behavioral momentum. Denser reinforcement schedules, regardless of response contingency, produced greater resistance to the implementation of changed contingency schedules. Results of this study may have direct application to behavior analysis programs. If humans, in clinical contexts, show similar patterns of persistence in behavior under changed environmental settings, schedules could be implemented that provide both contingent and non-contingent reinforcement, thereby strengthening behavior to give it greater generalizability outside of the immediate situation.
The infrared absorption spectrum of formaldehyde vapor

Abstract Seven vibration-rotation bands in the spectrum of formaldehyde vapor have been resolved and measured. These have been identified as the six fundamental bands and a combination band ν2 + ν5. One of these, ν3, had not earlier been resolved and in all cases the bands are far better resolved than in earlier works. Vibrational band centers and rotational constants for the molecule are determined in all cases where an analysis could be carried out.