cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal prospective study examining the effects of the timing of prenatal stress on infant and child regulatory functioning: the Michigan Prenatal Stress Study protocol.

Introduction A considerable literature implicates prenatal stress as a critical determinant of poor psychological functioning in childhood and beyond. However, knowledge about whether the timing of prenatal stress differentially influences the development of child outcomes, including psychopathology, is virtually unknown. The primary aim of our study is to examine how the timing of prenatal stress differentially affects early childhood regulatory functioning as a marker of psychopathology. Our second aim is to examine the mediating effects of maternal physiological and psychological factors during pregnancy. Our third aim is to examine the moderating effects of postnatal factors on child regulatory functioning. Our project is the first longitudinal, prospective, multimethod study addressing these questions. Methods and analysis Our ongoing study recruits pregnant women, oversampled for intimate partner violence (a common event-based stressor allowing examination of timing effects), with data collection starting at pregnancy week 15 and concluding 4 years post partum. We aim to have n=335 mother–child dyads. We conduct a granular assessment of pregnancy stress (measured weekly by maternal report) in order to reveal sensitive periods during fetal life when stress particularly derails later functioning. Pattern-based statistical analyses will be used to identify subgroups of women who differ in the timing of their stress during pregnancy and then test whether these patterns of stress differentially predict early childhood self-regulatory outcomes. Ethics and dissemination Due to the high-risk nature of our sample, care is taken to ensure protection of their well-being, including a safety plan for suicidal ideation and a safety mechanism (exit button in the online weekly survey) to protect participant data privacy. This study was approved by Michigan State University Institutional Review Board. Dissemination will be handled by data sharing through National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), as well as through publishing the findings in journals spanning behavioural neuroendocrinology to clinical and developmental psychology.
Value of peripheral perfusion index to predict acute limb ischaemia in newborns after peripheral artery cannulation

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To investigate the feasibility of using peripheral perfusion index (PPI) to monitor acute limb ischaemia (ALI) in newborns after catheterisations. BACKGROUND ALI is common complication of neonatal peripheral artery cannulation. It is important to address as soon as the early signs of ALI. PPI could aid in noninvasive evaluation of distal extremity perfusion in an effort to notify risk of potential ischaemic injury from catheterisations. DESIGN A nested case-control study. METHODS Clinical information of newborns who had been admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital and had received peripheral artery cannulation from January 2018 to January 2020 was prospectively collected. Transcutaneous blood oxygen saturation (TcSO2 ), PPI and delta-PPI (ΔPPI1; the difference in PPI values of the two arms. ΔPPI2; difference in the PPI values before and after cannulation) were recorded. We used STROBE checklist as an EQUATOR in this study. RESULTS A total of 25 newborns with ALI were included in the study. These were then paired with 100 newborns without ALI. The PPI and TcSO2 of the cannulated limb were significantly lower in the ALI group than in the non-ALI (NALI) group (p < .05). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was significant for ΔPPI1. The ΔPPI1 had a sensitivity and specificity of 92% and 87%, respectively, for diagnosing ALI. ΔPPI1 greater than 0.315 suggested that the infant was at risk of ALI. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring the change in the PPI in newborns after catheterisations helped in the early assessment of ALI. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Drops in the PPI and TcSO2 of the cannulated limbs might, to some extent, reflect the possibility of ALI in newborns. ΔPPI1 (the difference in PPI values of the two arms) proved to be a simple, objective parameter to predict the presence of ALI.
Partial differential equations in fluid dynamics

This book is concerned with partial differential equations applied to fluids problems in science and engineering and is designed for two potential audiences. First, this book can function as a text for a course in mathematical methods in fluid mechanics in non-mathematics departments or in mathematics service courses. The authors have taught both. Second, this book is designed to help provide serious readers of journals (professionals, researchers, and graduate students) in analytical science and engineering with tools to explore and extend the missing steps in an analysis. The topics chosen for the book are those that the authors have found to be of considerable use in their own research careers. These topics are applicable in many areas, such as aeronautics and astronautics; biomechanics; chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering; fluid mechanics; and geophysical flows. Continuum ideas arise in other contexts, and the techniques included have applications there as well.
In situ measurements of surface tension-driven shape recovery in a metallic glass

A new technique, involving nanoindentation and in situ scanning probe microscopy at high temperature under an inert atmosphere, is used to study deformation of a Pt-based metallic glass. As temperature is increased into the supercooled liquid regime, impressions made by nanoindentation flatten due to surface tension-driven viscous flow. In situ measurements of shape recovery at various temperatures and times permit an estimation of the apparent activation energy for Newtonian-viscous flow.
A Survey of Residuated Lattices

Residuation is a fundamental concept of ordered structures and categories. In this survey we consider the consequences of adding a residuated monoid operation to lattices. The resulting residuated lattices have been studied in several branches of mathematics, including the areas of lattice-ordered groups, ideal lattices of rings, linear logic and multi-valued logic. Our exposition aims to cover basic results and current developments, concentrating on the algebraic structure, the lattice of varieties, and decidability.
ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC T-CELL RECEPTORS AND THEIR REACTIONS WITH COMPLEXES FORMED BY PEPTIDES WITH MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX PROTEINS

The chapter gives an overview of an antigen-specific T-cell receptors and their reactions with complexes formed with major histocompatibility complex proteins. The receptors on the two major classes of lymphocytes, B and T cells, are similar structurally but profoundly different functionally. On B cells, the receptors are immunoglobulins (Ig) embedded in the cell surface as integral membrane proteins. The antigen-specific receptors on T cells (T-cell receptors or TCR) are also Ig-like cell surface integral membrane proteins; their recognition of antigens triggers T cells to exercise a great variety of functions but not to secrete the receptors. The enormous diversity of B- and T-cell receptors arises from the many germline gene segments that encode them; as each lymphocyte matures, different combinations of these segments are joined (combinatorial diversity) and additional variations in sequence are introduced at the junctures (junctional diversity), leading to an immense number of variable domain sequences. The TCR reviewed in this chapter normally recognizes and responds only to the complexes formed between small peptides and a specialized set of proteins encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The chapter also discusses the T-Cell Receptor genes, proteins, ligand: peptide MHC complexes and TCR accessory proteins (CD3, CD4 and CD8).
High-Voltage Electric Field Coupling to Humans Using Moment Method Techniques

With the advent of EHV transmission lines and the almost certain possibility of UHV lines, it becomes increasingly important to describe accurately the transmission line electromagnetic field interaction with life forms. This paper develops a numerical method for predicting current and normal electric field distributions induced on humans situated in the near vicinity of the lines. The technique is based on the method of moments in which the human body is modeled as a collection of straight cylindrical segments with lengths and radii comparable to that section of the body being modeled. Various scenarios are considered, eg., a well-insulated person standing on the ground beneath the transmission line; an individual in good contact with the earth; or a lineman working in very close proximity to an energized conductor. The position of the arms is varied; for example, arms extended or down at the side. The question of biological hazards from exposure to fields of these systems is also discussed.
Diagnostic Tools for Hypersensitivity to Platinum Drugs and Taxanes: Skin Testing, Specific IgE, and Mast Cell/Basophil Mediators

Hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) to platinum drugs and taxanes are increasing in cancer patients, and rapid drug desensitization has emerged as a safe and effective method to reintroduce these drugs in reactive patients. Optimal management of patients presenting HSRs to chemotherapy depends on the use of various diagnostic tools, which include measurement of mast cell/basophil mediator release following a HSR and skin testing. Serum tryptase should be measured in patients presenting chemotherapy HSRs, and its elevation would support mast cell/basophil activation. Skin testing to platinum drugs has a high sensitivity and specificity and is critical to guide the management of platinum-reactive patients. Taxane skin testing is also emerging as a useful diagnostic and risk stratification tool in the evaluation of patients with HSRs to taxanes. Platinum sIgE assays have been recently developed and can be helpful in combination with skin testing or as an alternative when skin testing is not available.
Assay for fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity: Optimization for soil samples

With the increased interest in integrated soil bioecosystem studies, there is a need to have a method of measuring overall microbial activity potential. Hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate [3',6'-diacetylfluorescein (FDA)] has been suggested as a possible method because the ubiquitous lipase, protease, and esterase enzymes are involved in the hydrolysis of FDA. Following hydrolysis of FDA, fluorescein is released and can be measured spectrophotometrically. Our objective was to optimize the assay for FDA hydrolytic activity in soil samples and determine the kinetic parameters involved in this reaction. The optimized method involves extraction and quantitative measurement of the fluorescein released when 1.0 g of soil is incubated with 50 ml of 60 mM Na-phosphate solution (buffered at pH 7.6) at 37 °C for 3 h. Results showed that FDA hydrolysis was optimum at buffer pH 7.6 and the soil enzymes were denatured at temperatures above 60 °C. Three soils were used to optimize this method: Heiden clay, Raub silt loam, and Cecil sandy loam. This procedure is simple, precise, and can be used in commercial soil testing laboratories to determine general microbial activity and as a soil quality indicator.
Transmission electron microscopy of C70 single crystals at room temperature

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques have been employed to study the room temperature solid state form of chromatographically purified C70. Tilting and electron diffraction experiments in three-dimensional reciprocal space, on samples prepared by crystallization from several different solvents, show that C70 crystallites adopt hexagonal close packed (hcp) structure with a = 1.01 ± 0.05 nm and c = 1.70 ± 0.08 nm. The extinctions and observed reflections conform to the P63/mmc space group. High resolution TEM images reveal the molecular order and periodicity associated with C70 crystallites in real space. The experimental results are in agreement with the preliminary computations of crystal structure within acceptable error limits.
A regional framework for establishing recovery criteria

Effective assessments of aquatic ecosystem recovery require ecologically sound endpoints against which progress can be measured. Site-by-site assessments of end points and potential recovery trajectories are impractical for water resource agencies. Because of the natural variation among ecosystems, applying a single set of criteria nationwide is not appropriate either. This article demonstrates the use of a regional framework for stratifying natural variation and for determining realistic biological criteria. A map of ecoregions, drawn from landscape characteristics, formed the framework for three statewide case studies and three separate studies at the river basin scale. Statewide studies of Arkansas, Ohio, and Oregon, USA, streams demonstrated patterns in fish assemblages corresponding to ecoregions. The river basin study in Oregon revealed a distinct change at the ecoregion boundary; those in Ohio and Montana demonstrated the value of regional reference sites for assessing recovery. Ecoregions can be used to facilitate the application of ecological theory and to set recovery criteria for various regions of states or of the country. Such a framework provides an important alternative between site-specific and national approaches for assessing recovery rates and conditions.
Utilization of the L- and DL- isomers of α-ketomethylvaleric acid by chicks

Abstract A chick growth assay was conducted to determine isoleucine-replacement values of the L- and DL-keto analogs of isoleucine (i.e., ketomethylvaleric acid, KMW). Chicks were fed a chemically defined isoleucine-deficient diet containing increments of L- isoleucine (Ile), L-KMV or DL-KMV. Based on slope-ratio methodology, the utilization of L-KMV and DL-KMV relative to L-Ile were 78.9 and 41.5%, respectively. This indicates that the chick can obtain roughly 80% L-Ile activity from L-KMV and that D-KMV is biologically inactive.
No effects of executive control depletion on prospective memory retrieval processes.

Research has suggested that prospective memory retrieval is reliant on executive control processes, and the degree to which these processes are necessary for intention fulfillment is dependent on a host of variables related to the prospective memory task. Based on results suggesting that aspects of the prospective memory task vary in their need for executive control, the current study examined the possibility that executive control depletion from the Stroop task would negatively transfer to prospective memory performance. Depletion of executive control, measured objectively in a Stroop task, did not impair prospective memory performance in either low or high cue-target association conditions. However, participants’ subjective assessments of their own cognitive fatigue correlated significantly with their prospective memory performance, regardless of the association between cues and target responses.
Search for the fourth generation: Present and future prospects

Abstract A survey is given of searches for fourth generation fermions at e+e− and p p colliders. The most stringent current constraints are obtained from neutrino counting, determinations of the ΓZ/ΓW ratio and searches at p p colliders for W → LνL and heavy quark pair production. Techniques for future searches are discussed.
The suppression of reexperiencing: Impulse control and somatic symptoms in children following traumatic exposure

Abstract This study examines the relationship between reexperiencing phenomena and symptoms of arousal following exposure to traumatic events. For a sample of 51 Kuwaiti children exposed to the Gulf Crisis, administration of the Children's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI) demonstrated that, within severity levels of traumatic response, there was an inverse relationship between reexperiencing and arousal symptoms, including problems with impulse control and somatic complaints. Although adolescents had higher levels of difficulty with impulse control following the crisis, the inverse relationship between reexperiencing and problems with impulse control was present even after partialling out the effects of age. Kuwaiti children who reported problems with impulse control were more likely to have been involved in agression toward others during the Iraqi occupation. This study lends credence to the hypothesis that the suppression of reexperiencing phenomena in children may result in incr...
Depression of morphine-seeking behaviour by dopamine inhibition.

MANY of the direct effects of morphine have been attributed to serotonergic mechanisms1 or to the catecholamines2,3. The role of brain monoamines in morphine's capacity as a behavioural reinforcer has only recently been explored4,5, and it has been found that the catecholamine depletor α-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT) blocks behavioural reinforcement by morphine. Our own wbrk, started before these reports appeared, strongly suggests that dopamine is implicated in this blockade. To study morphine reward we adopted the technique of Beach6 which uses the acquisition and retention of a goal box preference and thereby minimises non-specific effects by experimental drugs on performance.
The Effects of Unequal Covariances on the Tukey WSD Test

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of violating the assumption of homogeneity of covariance for the Tukey WSD test on the familywise rate of Type I error, when all other assumpti...
Renewed emphasis on consumer cost sharing in health insurance benefit design.

ABSTRACT: Purchasers and health plans are reemphasizing deductibles, coinsurance, and other consumer incentives in response to renewed inflation and the continuing backlash against managed care. Th...
Mass vaccination for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic: approaches, challenges, and recommendations.

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic stimulated a nationwide response that included a mass vaccination effort coordinated at the federal, state, and local levels. This article examines a sampling of state and local efforts during the pandemic in order to better prepare for future public health emergencies involving mass distribution, dispensing, and administration of medical countermeasures. In this analysis, the authors interviewed national, state, and local leaders to gain a better understanding of the accomplishments and challenges of H1N1 vaccination programs during the 2009-10 influenza season. State and local health departments distributed and administered H1N1 vaccine using a combination of public and private efforts. Challenges encountered during the vaccination campaign included the supply of and demand for vaccine, prioritization strategies, and local logistics. To improve the response capabilities to deal with infectious disease emergencies, the authors recommend investing in technologies that will assure a ...
The N-Quantum Approximation in Static Models.

Abstract The N -quantum approximation (NQA) is a method designed to construct approximate operator solutions to the field equations. We show in detail how this method works and can be made compatible with the renormalization program in the Lee model and for the scalar field interacting with a fixed fermion source. The terminated in-field expansions can still be applied successfully in the presence of bound states, for which one will introduce new infields, or if one deals with resonances. This is discussed on the examples of the V -θ-bound state and the unstable V -particle.
Phase coherence in a weakly coupled array of 20 000 Nb Josephson Junctions

The properties of a very weakly coupled two-dimensional array of 20 000 1-\ensuremath{\mu}${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$Nb Josephson junctions have been studied to 3 mK. Not only are many of the characteristics similar to those of granular films, but new effects, particularly resistance periodicities with magnetic field, provide direct evidence for the increase of two-dimensional phase coherence as the temperature is lowered through the resistive transition.
SEROLOGIC AND IMMUNOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AX BLOOD.

Summary Serologic and immunochemical analyses of Ax bloods have defined a probable specific antibody to the Ax antigen in group O serum. Anti-Ax activity was found to be in 19S (β2M, γ1A) and β2A (γ1A) globulin fractions but not in the 7S (γ2) globulin of human group O sera. Resume Les analyses immuno-chimiques et serologiques des sangs Ax ont permis de deceler un anticorps specifique contre l'antigene Ax dans les serums de sang de groupe O. L'activite anti-Ax a ete trouvee dans les fractions de globulines 19S (β2M, γ1A) et β2A (γ1A) mais pas dans la fraction des globulines 7S (γ2) des serums des personnes de groupe O. Zusammenfassung Anlaslich der serologischen und immunochemischen Analyse von Ax-Blutproben gelang es zu zeigen, das im O-Serum offenbar ein spezifischer Antikorper gegen das Ax-Antigen enthalten ist. Die Anti-Ax-Aktivitat fand sich in den 19S (β2M, γ1A) und β2A (γ1A) Globulinfraktionen, nicht aber in der 7S (γ2) Globulinfraktion der menschlichen O-Seren.
Association between an eestrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphism and the risk of prostate cancer in black men

Purpose: Studies suggest that SNPs within ESR1 may be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. We evaluated the association of the XbaI and PvuII ESR1 SNPs and prostate cancer risk in 3 different racial/ethnic populations.Materials and Methods: A total of 1,603 volunteers from the SABOR study (285 black, 876 white and 442 Hispanic men) were genotyped to assess allelic frequencies of the ESR1 SNPs. Case-control analysis was performed on 598 prostate cancer cases and 1,098 controls (260 black men, 1,013 non-Hispanic white men and 423 Hispanic white men) to assess the association between these polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk.Results: Allelic frequency was significantly different across ethnic/racial groups for both SNPs. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and stratified by race and ethnicity demonstrated an association between the AG genotype or presence of the G allele (GG or AG genotype) in the XbaI SNP and prostate cancer risk within black men (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.07–4.70, p =...
Uptake of "single-stranded" DNA in Hemophilus influenzae and its ability to transform.

Conditions for the “reversible” and “irreversible” uptake of denatured DNA of Hemophilus influenzae by receptor cells have been described. At a pH of 4·8, cells bound “irreversibly” twice as much denatured DNA as they could bind native DNA under optimal conditions. Spheroplasts, produced by the penicillin technique, and cell wall material, prepared according to the procedure of Hancock & Park (1958) , also bound denatured DNA “irreversibly” at low pH. The denatured DNA, bound “irreversibly” to cells, did not penetrate the cells at low pH; however, these cells transformed with relatively low efficiency when returned to neutral pH. The efficiency of transformation of cells that had taken up DNA at pH 4·8 was greatly increased by subsequent treatment with EDTA at pH 7. Fractions from equilibrium density centrifugation provided direct physical proof in support of the idea that the transformations were produced by fully denatured DNA.
Observations of bubble shape and confinement in diabatic two-phase flow in a minichannel

Abstract Bubble images were acquired from within the channel for a bubbly gas/liquid flow in large-aspect-ratio minichannel with heat transfer. The purpose of these images is to document measurands that address bubble shape and confinement and to relate these measurands to the heat transfer enhancement. Data were collected under different operation conditions in a laminar flow of Novec 649 in a horizontal rectangular minichannel of 1.29–1.48 mm channel spacing. Air bubbles were injected at either a single point on the lower wall or through a sintered metal plug. Liquid crystal thermography was used to record time-averaged surface temperature data, and a borescope was used to acquire images from a point downstream of the on-coming bubbles. The smallest bubbles were approximately spherical, larger bubbles were asymmetric spheroids, and bubbles that spanned the channel were lozenge-shaped. A relationship between bubble height across the channel and diameter observed in the plane of the channel was demonstrated. Bubbles that spanned the channel had a diameter of at least 1.5 times the channel height. All three bubble shapes displayed an approximately fixed velocity ratio. The velocity scale for this ratio is the liquid velocity, corrected for vapor blockage, at the center of force of the bubble. The mechanisms for heat transfer enhancement in this air/liquid flow are mixing in the liquid phase in the bubble wakes and liquid acceleration due to vapor blockage. We hypothesize that these mechanisms are primarily responsible for the enhancement observed in highly confined vapor/liquid flows where nucleation and microlayer evaporation are present. This hypothesis was supported by a successful correlation that unites the present measurements and data from a flow of naturally nucleated vapor bubbles previously acquired in the same facility.
Chemical stability of positronic complexes with atoms and atomic ions

A simple theory for establishing the stability or instability of positron-atomic systems against dissociation is presented. The theory consists of assuming that Morse-potential parameters for protonic diatoms are transferrable to the corresponding positronic molecules, and making appropriate reduced-mass modifications in the calculation of binding energies. The surprisingly good reliability of the method is established by appealing to the well-known positronium affinities of atomic hydrogen and fluorine. Positronium (Ps) binding is found for about half of the 42 atoms tested. In addition, instability is indicated for all nine positron-atom systems tested, and stability is indicated for seven of eight negatively charged systems tested; e.g., Ps${\mathrm{O}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$.
Tracking single dynamic MEG dipole sources using the projected extended Kalman filter

This paper presents two new algorithms based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for tracking the parameters of single dynamic magnetoencephalography (MEG) dipole sources. We assume a dynamic MEG dipole source with possibly both time-varying location and dipole orientation. The standard EKF-based tracking algorithm performs well under the assumption that the dipole source components vary in time as a Gauss-Markov process, provided that the background noise is temporally stationary. We propose a Projected-EKF algorithm that is adapted to a more forgiving condition where the background noise is temporally nonstationary, as well as a Projected-GLS-EKF algorithm that works even more universally, when the dipole components vary arbitrarily from one sample to the next.
Gaseous phase hydrogen storage and electrochemical properties of Zr8Ni21, Zr7Ni10, Zr9Ni11, and ZrNi metal hydride alloys

Abstract A systematic study of four important non-Laves phase alloys, Zr8Ni21, Zr7Ni10, Zr9Ni11, and ZrNi, commonly seen in the Zr-based AB2 metal hydride alloys was presented. In order to investigate the synergetic effect between the major and secondary phases, an annealing treatment was used to change the abundances of various phases in the alloys. The structure, gaseous phase hydrogen storage, and electrochemical properties were obtained for each of the four alloy compositions before and after annealing, and the correlations among these properties were explored. Annealing generally suppressed secondary phases except for the case of Zr9Ni11, where its secondary ZrNi phase abundance increased. As the Zr/Ni ratio in the average composition increased, the maximum gaseous phase hydrogen storage capacity increased but maximized at Zr:Ni = 9:11. Comparing the properties before and after annealing, it was established that the change in phase distribution influenced the gaseous phase storage. Through the electrochemical measurements, it was found that the highest full discharge capacity was obtained at Zr:Ni = 7:10, which represents a compromise between the hydrogen desorption/discharge rate and the theoretical maximum gaseous phase hydrogen storage. As the Zr/Ni ratio increased, the high-rate dischargeability decreased, which followed the trend of the amount of metallic Ni in the surface oxide determined by magnetic susceptibility measurement. The synergetic effect was observed in the electrochemical environment by comparing the results before and after annealing. In general, annealing deteriorated and improved the electrochemical discharge capacity and high-rate dischargeability, respectively, due to the reduction in secondary phase abundance and consequent synergetic effect. Among all alloys investigated, the unannealed Zr7Ni10 demonstrated the best overall gaseous phase hydrogen storage and electrochemical capacity and could be considered as a candidate to replace the AB5 and AB2 metal hydride alloys in Ni/MH battery applications. Furthermore, the unannealed Zr8Ni21 showed a good balance between high-rate dischargeability and ease of formation.
Dimensions of social support and depression in patients at increased psychosocial risk recovering from myocardial infarction.

Background There is considerable evidence that depression and low social support are associated with increased morbidity and mortality for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the measurement of social support and its relation to depression.
Unethical Treatment of Gay and Lesbian People with Conversion Therapy

Over the years, there has been considerable debate over how best to treat the issues and concerns of gays and lesbians. Beginning with the eventual removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder in the 1970s, the progress and changes sought through the helping professions have been riddled with challenges and ethical dilemmas. Within the current debate on services to gays and lesbians has been the issue of the use of conversion or reparative therapy as one form of treatment. Counselors who use these therapies, also known as ex-gay ministries, claim to offer help to gay men and lesbians to change their sexual orientation or to stop samesex sexual behavior (Mills, 1999).
Finite elements based on consistently assumed stresses and displacements

Finite element stiffness matrices are derived using an extended Hellinger-Reissner principle in which internal displacements are added to serve as Lagrange multipliers to introduce the equilibrium constraint in each element. In a consistent formulation the assumed stresses are initially unconstrained and complete polynomials and the total displacements are also complete such that the corresponding strains are complete in the same order as the stresses. Several examples indicate that resulting properties for elements constructed by this consistent formulation are ideal and are less sensitive to distortions of element geometries. The method has been used to find the optimal stress terms for plane elements, 3-D solids, axisymmetric solids, and plate bending elements.
Optical nanosensor architecture for cell-signaling molecules using DNA aptamer-coated carbon nanotubes

We report a novel optical biosensor platform using near-infrared fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) functionalized with target-recognizing aptamer DNA for noninvasively detecting cell-signaling molecules in real time. Photoluminescence (PL) emission of aptamer-coated SWNTs is modulated upon selectively binding to target molecules, which is exploited to detect insulin using an insulin-binding aptamer (IBA) as a molecular recognition element. We find that nanotube PL quenches upon insulin recognition via a photoinduced charge transfer mechanism with a quenching rate of k(q) = 5.85 × 10(14) M(-1) s(-1) and a diffusion-reaction rate of k(r) = 0.129 s(-1). Circular dichroism spectra reveal for the first time that IBA strands retain a four-stranded, parallel guanine quadruplex conformation on the nanotubes, ensuring target selectivity. We demonstrate that these IBA-functionalized SWNT sensors incorporated in a collagen extracellular matrix (ECM) can be regenerated by removing bound analytes through enzymatic proteolysis. As proof-of-concept, we show that the SWNT sensors embedded in the ECM promptly detect insulin secreted by cultured pancreatic INS-1 cells stimulated by glucose influx and report a gradient contour of insulin secretion profile. This novel design enables new types of label-free assays and noninvasive, in situ, real-time detection schemes for cell-signaling molecules.
Direct Solution Synthesis of Intermetallic AuCu and AuCu3 Nanocrystals and Nanowire Networks

A modified polyol process has been used to synthesize intermetallic nanocrystals and nanowire networks directly in solution using a one-pot reaction. The synthesis of AuCu nanocrystals in tetraethylene glycol shows that atomically ordered intermetallic nanocrystals form above 250 °C, while atomically disordered alloy nanocrystals form at lower temperatures. The particle size increases with increasing solvent temperature, and there is a gradual shift from spherical to ellipsoidal morphology. Fully ordered intermetallic AuCu nanocrystals synthesized at 310 °C have an average particle width and height of 10 ± 3 and 8 ± 2 nm, respectively, and exist with faceted ellipsoidal, hexagonal, and cubic shapes. Replacing tetraethylene glycol with ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and glycerol yields highly branched nanowire networks. The morphology of the nanowire networks remains the same for all of the solvents, but the structure can be tuned from fully disordered alloy to fully ordered interm...
Comparison of IFN-β inducible gene expression in primary-progressive and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

article i nfo Interferon(IFN)-βisatypeIIFNcommonlyproducedbytheinnate immune systeminresponsetoviralinfection. IFN-β is also used for the treatment of patients with the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (RRMS); however, IFN-β therapy is unable to confer a significant benefit for primary-progressive MS (PPMS) patients. In this study, we assessed the gene profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from PPMS, RRMS, and healthy donors (HD) in response to IFN-β treatment in vitro to examine genetic mechanisms underlying the inadequate response of IFN-β therapy in PPMS patients. Here, we show that HLA-G was significantly less up-regulated in response to IFN-β in PBMCs from PPMS compared to those from RRMS. This data suggests HLA-G to be a possible candidate gene found impaired in IFN-β-mediated immune regulation in PPMS patients.
A COMPARISON OF DERMAL AND CADAVERIC PERICARDIAL GRAFTS IN THE MODIFIED HORTON-DEVINE PROCEDURE FOR PEYRONIE’S DISEASE

Purpose: Penile curvature due to Peyronie’s disease is often treated with plaque incision or excision and grafting. The advantages of various graft materials have long been debated. We studied the outcomes of dermal and cadaveric pericardial grafts after plaque incision or excision for Peyronie’s disease.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all modified Horton-Devine procedures performed between February 1998 and April 2000. Dermal graft harvested from the lower abdomen or commercially available cadaveric pericardium was used to cover the corporeal defect. A followup telephone questionnaire was administered to determine patient satisfaction and function.Results: We reviewed the records of 27 men, including 18 and 9 who received a dermal and pericardial graft, respectively. We successfully contacted 24 patients, including 15 with a dermal and 9 with a pericardial graft, to evaluate satisfaction. Average postoperative followup was 10 months. Of the 24 patients, 22 reported successful coitus a...
Techniques for inferring terrain parameters related to ground vehicle mobility using UAV born IFSAR and lidar data

Predicting ground vehicle performance requires in-depth knowledge, captured as numeric parameters, of the terrain on which the vehicles will be operating. For off-road performance, predictions are based on rough terrain ride comfort, which is described using a parameter entitled root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness. Likewise, on-road vehicle performance depends heavily on the slopes of the individual road segments. Traditional methods of computing RMS and road slope values call for high-resolution (inch-scale) surface elevation data. At this scale, surface elevation data is both difficult and time consuming to collect. Nevertheless, a current need exists to attribute large geographic areas with RMS and road slope values in order to better support vehicle mobility predictions, and high-resolution surface data is neither available nor collectible for many of these regions. On the other hand, meter scale data can be quickly and easily collected for these areas using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based IFSAR and LIDAR sensors. A statistical technique for inferring RMS values for large areas using a combination of fractal dimension and spectral analysis of five-meter elevation data is presented. Validation of the RMS prediction technique was based on 43 vehicle ride courses with 30-centimeter surface elevation data. Also presented is a model for classifying road slopes for long road sections using five-meter elevation data. The road slope model was validated against one-meter LIDAR surface elevation profiles. These inference algorithms have been successfully implemented for regions of northern Afghanistan, and some initial results are presented.
Role of insulin resistance in uric acid nephrolithiasis

Metabolic syndrome has been implicated in the pathogenesis of uric acid stones. Although not completely understood, its role is supported by many studies demonstrating increased prevalence of uric acid stones in patients with metabolic syndrome and in particular insulin resistance, a major component of metabolic syndrome. This review presents epidemiologic studies demonstrating the association between metabolic syndrome and nephrolithiasis in general as well as the relationship between insulin resistance and uric acid stone formation, in particular. We also review studies that explore the pathophysiologic relationship between insulin resistance and uric acid nephrolithiasis.
Apocrine Adenocarcinoma Presenting as a Large Ulcerated Axillary Mass

background Apocrine adenocarcinomas are one of the rarest cutaneous cancers with few reported cases. Previously regarded nonspecifically as sweat gland tumors variants, they are now established as apocrine derivatives. Most occur in the axilla. objective To provide a grass and histological description of an apocrine adenocarcinoma presenting in n 49-year-old African-American man. methods The mass was removed en blue with axillary lymph node dissection. The specimens were routinely embedded, and sectioned. Hematoxylin & eosin and periodic acid Schiff staining was done. Ploidy evaluation was performed by cytometry. results. The mass was firm, nontender, and mobile (15 × 14 × 7 cm) with overlying areas of ulcerated skin. It was closely associated with the axillary vessels, and latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major muscles, but was well circumscribed with extensive dystrophic calcification. Histological examination revealed an adenocarcinoma with predominant apocrine features. The tumor was arranged in solid sheets and large glands in the reticular dermis and had a loose trabecular pattern tending to the ulcerated skin surface. Two of seven local lymph nodes were positive for tumor; level two and three nodes were negative for tumor. DNA ploidy study determined the tumor to be an aneuploid cell line with an 18% S-phase fraction. conclusions Tumor growth in this patient was rapid, histology unfavorable, and local nodes positive. However, aggressive surgical intervention resulted in 12 months follow-up without evidence of recurrence.
Ring-Opening and Ring-Closing Reactions of a Shikimic Acid-Derived Substrate Leading to Diverse Small Molecules

An epoxide derived from (-)-shikimic acid was attached to a solid support and used to synthesize over 5000 diverse small molecules. Key transformations include a Lewis acid-catalyzed epoxide opening with amines and an intramolecular Heck reaction with aryl iodides. Compounds derived from this pathway were printed onto small-molecule microarrays and screened for binding to proteins. Compounds that bound to Aurora A kinase were characterized using surface plasmon resonance.
Democracy in What State? By Giorgio Agamben, Alain Badiou, Daniel Bensaïd, Wendy Brown, Jean-Luc Nancy, Jacques Rancière, Kristin Ross, and Slavoj Žižek

Democracy in What State? By Giorgio Agamben, Alain Badiou, Daniel Bensaid, Wendy Brown, Jean-Luc Nancy, Jacques Ranciere, Kristin Ross, and Slavoj Žižek. Translated by William McCuaig. New Directio...
Host defense mechanisms against Salmonella infection

Salmonella is one of the gram negative intracellular pathogens. The immune response to Salmonella includes innate immunity and adaptive immunity. The intestinal epithelium, neutrophil, macrophage, dendritic cell, NK cell, NK T cell and gammadelta T cell take important part in former process, and antigen specific T cell and B cell take part in the later process. Macrophages and dendritic cells increase in number early after Salmonella infection and produce variety of cytokines. Especially, IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18 play important roles in protection against Salmonella infection, proliferation of NK cell, NKT cell and gammadelta T cell, producing IFN-gamma, in addition, IL-12 and IL-18 induce IFN-gamma production by Th1 cells and adaptive immune response.
Procedure for computer-controlled milling of accurate surfaces of revolution for millimeter and far-infrared mirrors

A simple method for milling accurate off-axis parabolic mirrors with a computer-controlled milling machine is discussed. For machines with a built-in circle-cutting routine, an exact paraboloid can be milled with few computer commands and without the use of the spherical or linear approximations. The proposed method can be adapted easily to cut off-axis sections of elliptical or spherical mirrors.
Diversities, Differences and Authors′ Voices

Provides a postmodern view of consultants′ experiences with diversity. Calls into question the relationship between what becomes a “diversity category” and the other differences that remain background. Looks at the political and economic system that sustains the categories of diversity in public housing consulting. Advocates a postmodern approach which includes the authors′ voices and the voices of the residents in the writing of organizational change.
Inherent Characteristics of Codling Moth Pheromone Traps

Rubber septa and thermoplastic hollow fibers up to 4 weeks in age attracted moths in a comparable manner. In comparisons made with fresh septa after 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks of aging, rubber septa maintained a consistent level of attraction through at least 16 weeks. Placement of the septa in the sticky adhesive did not affect the attraction of the septa over a 9 week period. Liners placed in the tops of traps did not capture any moths, and liners in the trap bottoms became less efficient after 3-4 weeks. This loss can be mainly attributed to monitoring methods which cause the sticky adhesive to be removed as moths are removed from the traps.
Studies of a Quasi-binary Β-NiAl and Α-Re Eutectic

Observation par microscopie optique, microscopie electronique en transmission et spectrometrie dispersive d'un eutectique quasi-binaire dans le systeme ternaire Al-Ni-Re. L'eutectique consiste en une faible fraction volumique de fibres α-Re dans une matrice β-NiAl. Determination de la composition eutectique. Determination de la tenacite a la rupture a temperature ambiante de β-NiAl
Stress shadow size and aperture of hydraulic fractures in unconventional shales

Abstract Multistage hydraulic fracturing completions together with simultaneous fracturing of parallel laterals are central to enhance productivity of horizontal wells completed in shale reservoirs with extremely low permeability. An efficient fracture network in the reservoir with the least number of deviated or collapsed fractures prevents poor connectivity with the surrounding reservoir volume, reduction in reserve estimates per well, loss in well productivity, reduced drainage areas, and higher completion costs associated with the ineffective fractures. Ignoring the local stress redistribution due to the stress shadow effect may cause fracture deviation or collapse. In this work, a comprehensive numerical study of stress shadow and aperture of three-dimensional hydraulic fractures is presented. Four different scenarios consisting of single or simultaneous hydraulic fractures, contained or not contained, are studied. Key influencing parameters are introduced, different shadow mechanisms are discussed, and a comprehensive set of equations is proposed for stress shadow and aperture prediction of hydraulic fractures. The work presented herein is likely to offer several practical benefits: firstly, it enables improved planning and placement of productive hydraulic fracture treatments; secondly, it offers the potential for considerable cost reductions in completion design and implementation; and thirdly, it allows for an optimal multistage hydraulic fracture treatment that drains larger volumes of the reservoir.
A CONTENT COMPREHENSION APPROACH TO READING ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

English for special purposes (ESP) reading programs often take specific grammar, vocabulary, and isolated reading skills as the organizing principle for syllabus design and fail to acknowledge how the act of comprehending text can affect reading ability. The present study reports on an ESP reading project which emphasizes the role of content comprehension. The context of the study is the Reading English for Science and Technology Project in the Chemical Engineering Department of the Universidad de Guadalajara. The materials for the 2-year course were developed around thematic units which correspond to undergraduate course content. Instruction presented grammar and vocabulary only as they were necessary for comprehension of the text. The study examines whether the emphasis on reading for content improved reading comprehension as well as knowledge of reading grammar and general reading ability. Students were administered three reading tests: reading grammar, comprehension, and cloze. Significant differences were found for instructional status and subtest and for each subtest by instructional level. The results of this study suggest that the content comprehension approach can improve reading comprehension as well as knowledge of reading grammar and general reading ability. Developers of English for Special Purposes (ESP) materials are frequently called upon to develop language materials for narrowly defined fields of study. Too often the language of the "target" texts is viewed as a product which the learners must master rather than as a stimulus for a complex set of interacting learner strategies and tasks embedded in the learning process. In part, this reflects a view that texts are linguistic objects rather than vehicles for the presentation of information (Johns & Davies, 1983); that is, the passages are considered to be objects representing organizational or syntactic structures to be studied and mastered by students.