cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human exposure to oxides of nitrogen at ambient and supra-ambient concentrations.

Abstract Oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) are a ubiquitous group of air pollutants found in outdoor air as well as indoor environments. The main source of these contaminants is from the combustion of biofuel. Low level and chronic exposure occurs mainly in indoor environments. Acute and high level exposure can occur in a variety of industrial, agricultural, mining, and military settings. The adverse effect of chronic and low level exposure on lung function has been suggested by several epidemiologic studies. However, the results of controlled human exposure to ambient concentrations of NO x have been inconsistent. On the other hand , acute exposure to high levels of NO x has a relatively predictable clinical response in the form of airway irritation, development of pulmonary edema and, in some cases chronic airway disease. There are several lines of evidence to support the role of nutritional antioxidants in amelioration of oxidant lung damage induced by NO x .
What difference does gender make? Rethinking peasant studies

This article argues that gender analysis has challenged and enriched many of the standard assumptions and concepts utilized in the analysis of Third World peasantries. Drawing primarily on the literature regarding Latin America, the impact of gender analysis on seven assumptions and concepts of peasant studies is illustrated: the family farm as the basic unit of production; the undifferentiated return to family labor; peasant household strategies; the competitive edge of peasant farms in capitalist markets; peasant social differentiation; the class analysis of peasantries; and the determinants of peasant household reproduction.
Fitting a least squares piecewise linear continuous curve in two dimensions

Abstract An optimal piecewise linear continuous fit to a given set of n data points D = {( x i , y i ) : 1 ≤ i ≤ n } in two dimensions consists of a continuous curve defined by k linear segments { L 1 , L 2 ,…, L k } which minimizes a weighted least squares error function with weight w i at ( x i , y i ), where k ≥ 1 is a given integer. A key difficulty here is the fact that the linear segment L j , which approximates a subset of consecutive data points D j ⊂ D in an optimal solution, is not necessarily an optimal fit in itself for the points D j . We solve the problem for the special case k = 2 by showing that an optimal solution essentially consists of two least squares linear regression lines in which the weight w j of some data point ( x j , y j ) is split into the weights λ w j and (1 − λ) w j , 0 ≤ λ ≤ 1, for computations of these lines. This gives an algorithm of worst-case complexity O ( n ) for finding an optimal solution for the case k = 2.
Errors associated with estimating parasitism using a modified version of Southwood's graphical method

A simulation model is used to examine the errors in estimating parasitized and nonparasitized host densities independently with Southwood's graphical technique. This technique is accurate when parasitoid attack occurs prior to the sampling period (e.g. the previous life stage of the host). When this is not the case, the parasitized host density is estimated accurately, but the unparasitized host density is over estimated by those individuals that are sampled as healthy prior to attack. This error is neglible at low levels of parasitism (<20% parasitized), but increases with increasing parasitism. Of the biological parameters tested, only the parasitoid attack pattern (shape of the parasitoid attack curve) has a significant influence on the magnitude of this error. A generalized simulation model is presented for evaluating errors in estimates of seasonal parasitism for specific host-parasitoid interactions.
Locally Accretive Mappings in Banach Spaces

Let I be a real Banach space for which the closed unit ball has the fixed point property for nonexpansive self-mappings. Suppose that D is a bounded open subset of A', and Tis a continuous mapping from the closure of D into Zan d locally accretive on D. Then Thas a zero in D, provided that the following boundary condition is fulfilled: there exists an element z in D so that || Tz\\ < || 7x|| for all x in the boundary of D.
AM1241, a cannabinoid CB2 receptor selective compound, delays disease progression in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract Effective treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains elusive. Motor neuron degeneration is the primary pathology in ALS; however non-neuronal cells contribute to the disease process. In particular, inflammatory processes have been shown to play an important role. AM1241 is a cannabinoid CB2 receptor selective agonist that has been shown to be effective in models of inflammation and hyperalgesia. Here we report that treatment with AM1241 was effective at slowing signs of disease progression when administered after onset of signs in an ALS mouse model (hSOD1G93A transgenic mice). Administration at the onset of tremors delayed motor impairment in treated mice when compared to vehicle controls. Three conditions of ALS, the loss of motor function, paralysis scoring and weight loss, were analyzed using a mathematical model. Loss of motor function (as assessed by performance on a rotarod) was delayed by 12.5 days in male mice by AM1241. In female mice, AM1241 extended rotarod performance by 3 days, although this was not statistically significant. In male mice, AM1241 also extended by 5 days the time to reach the 50% point on a visually-assessed performance scale. AM1241 did not affect weight loss or survival (129.8 ± 1.7 days, vehicle; 129.1 ± 7.0 days, AM1241, n = 16). As AM1241 was well tolerated by the animals, cannabinoid CB2 receptor-selective compounds may be the basis for developing new drugs for the treatment of ALS and other chronic neurodegenerative diseases.
Applications of PulseTA® to the investigation of fluorides An attempt to calibrate HF

Abstract Several procedures for the calibration of MS signals such as m/z = 19 (F+) representing hydrogen fluoride, HF, have been tested in order to achieve a reliable quantitative description of the thermal behaviour of fluorides and/or fluoride hydrates by applying the recent PulseTA® technique (PTA). Instead of desirable indirect calibration methods without the use of the corrosive HF, only the direct injection of 40% aqueous HF gave satisfying results. A differential calibration procedure, recently reported in literature, has been successfully applied. It will be demonstrated that both the calibration of m/z = 18 for water and m/z = 19 for hydrogen fluroride can be performed in a correct way for each mass number. But their joint application to the quantitaive description of a given compound revealed to be difficult if not impossible. This is interpreted in terms of the extreme properties of fluorides simultaneously liberating H2O and HF.
The neurological substrates for prosodic aspects of speech.

The ability to comprehend and produce the stress contrast between noun compounds and noun phrases (e.g., greenhouse vs. green house) was examined for 8 nonfluent aphasics, 7 fluent aphasics, 7 right hemisphere damaged (RHD) patients, and 22 normal controls. The aphasics performed worse than normal controls on the comprehension task, and the RHD group performed as well as normals. The ability to produce stress contrasts was tested with a sentence-reading task; acoustic measurements revealed that no nonfluent aphasic used pitch to distinguish noun compounds from phrases, but two used duration. All but one of the RHD patients and all but one of the normals produced pitch and/or duration cues. These results suggest that linguistic prosody is processed by the left hemisphere and that with brain damage the ability to produce pitch and duration cues may be dissociated at the lexical level.
Resonant transfer and excitation in ion-atom collisions

In the resonant (charge) transfer and excitation (RTE) process, resonance states in the charge-changed projectile are formed due to Coulomb interaction with the target electrons. The calculated RTE cross section is proportional to the cross section for dielectronic recombination and its projectile energy dependence reflects the momentum distribution of the target electrons. Sample calculations for $K$ x-ray production in ${\mathrm{Si}}^{11+}$ + He, ${\mathrm{S}}^{13+}$ + Ar, and ${\mathrm{S}}^{13+}$ + He collisions are discussed. An estimate of the experimental background indicates that RTE is more pronounced in collisions with light targets.
Expressions for linearized perturbations in a massive-scalar-field-dominated cosmological model.

A spatially flat cosmological model dominated by a massive scalar (or pseudoscalar) field ($\ensuremath{\Phi}$) with the scalar field potential $V(\ensuremath{\Phi})={m}^{2}{(\ensuremath{\Phi}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\Phi}}^{(2)})}^{2}$ (where ${\ensuremath{\Phi}}^{(2)}$ is the value of the scalar field at which the potential vanishes), in the limit in which the length scale corresponding to the scalar field mass $m$ is very much smaller than length scales of cosmological interest (and, in particular, the length scale set by the Hubble parameter), is a tractable approximation of the macrophysics of both the late-time axion-dominated scenario as well as the early-time "reheating" subscenario of the inflation picture. Extending techniques we have previously developed, we derive solutions of the synchronous-gauge relativistic linear perturbation equations which govern the evolution of spatial irregularities, about a spatially homogeneous and isotropic background, in this model.
SU-E-J-87: Building Deformation Error Histogram and Quality Assurance of Deformable Image Registration.

Purpose: To quantify the systematic error of a Deformable Image Registration (DIR) system and establish Quality Assurance (QA) procedure. Methods: To address the shortfall of landmark approach which it is only available at the significant visible feature points, we adapted a Deformation Vector Map (DVM) comparison approach. We used two CTimage sets (R and T image sets) taken for the same patient at different time and generated a DVM, which includes the DIR systematic error. The DVM was calculated using fine‐tuned B‐Spline DIR and L‐BFGS optimizer. By utilizing this DVM we generated R′ image set to eliminate the systematic error in DVM,. Thus, we have truth data set, R′ and T image sets, and the truth DVM. To test a DIR system, we use R′ and T image sets to a DIR system. We compare the test DVM to the truth DVM. If there is no systematic error, they should be identical. We built Deformation Error Histogram (DEH) for quantitative analysis. The test registration was performed with an in‐house B‐Spline DIR system using a stochastic gradient descent optimizer. Our example data set was generated with a head and neck patient case. We also tested CT to CBCT deformable registration. Results: We found skin regions which interface with the air has relatively larger errors. Also mobile joints such as shoulders had larger errors. Average error for ROIs were as follows; CTV: 0.4mm, Brain stem: 1.4mm, Shoulders: 1.6mm, and Normal tissues: 0.7mm. Conclusions: We succeeded to build DEH approach to quantify the DVM uncertainty. Our data sets are available for testing other systems in our web page. Utilizing DEH, users can decide how much systematic error they would accept. DEH and our data can be a tool for an AAPM task group to compose a DIR system QA guideline. This project is partially supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) grant 1R18HS017424‐01A2.
Large, High-Field Magnet Projects at the NHMFL

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has developed and operated large, high-field dc and pulsed magnets for research in condensed matter physics. We are now developing three resistive/superconducting hybrid magnets with fields ranging from 25 to 45 T, and are developing concepts for hybrid magnets up to 60 T as well human-head MRI magnets up to 20 T and repetitively pulsed magnets to reach 60 T every 30 sec.
Characterization of Thinopyrum bessarabicum chromosome segments in wheat using random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) and genomic in situ hybridization.

Ten random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers specific to chromosome 5Eb of Thinopyrum bessarabicum were detected. Genomic in situ hybridization and standard cytological observations revealed that six of the markers are located on the 5Eb short arm and four are located on the 5Eb long arm. These RAPD markers have been used to confirm the identity of putative 5Eb (5A) and 5Eb (5D) substitution individuals. The potential of RAPDs for the detection of wheat/alien recombinants is discussed.
Effect of some phytopathogenic fungi and their metabolites on growth of Heliothis virescens (F.) and its host plants

Eleven fungal isolates and their secondary metabolites incorporated into artificial diet were tested for oral toxicity to the tobacco budworm (TBW) by examining larval weight, efficiency of conversion of ingested food to body tissue (ECI), pupal weight, days to pupation, and mortality. Two isolates of Altemaria alternata, two isolates of Fusarium moniliforme, three isolates of F. oxysporum and an isolated of F. solani reduced larval weight 90–99% after 7 days and inhibited pupation. ECI was reduced 34–96% in control groups. One isolate of A. alternata reduced pupal weight by 67% and increased the time to pupation three‐fold. One isolate of Cladosporium cladosporioides reduced larval weights by 56% and pupal weights by 7%. In a preference test of these isolates incorporated at a 1:4 ratio into artificial diet, 48% of the larvae were found on diet cubes containing autoclaved rice, 19% on standard diet, 10% on C. cladosporioides, 6–9% on F. solani, 8% on A. alternata and 3% on F. moniliforme. The fusarial to...
Image guided radiation therapy for bladder cancer: Assessment of bladder motion using implanted fiducial markers

Abstract Purpose To determine bladder wall position variability during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for bladder cancer with intravesical fiducial markers using 2-dimensional (2D) and volumetric (3D) imaging registration. Methods and Materials Twenty T2-4aN0-1 bladder cancer patients underwent definitive EBRT with concurrent chemotherapy between May 2001 and January 2012, and had intravesical fiducial marker placement before simulation. Computed tomographic (CT)-based treatment planning was used for an initial phase to deliver 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction) to the bladder and pelvic lymphatics followed by a boost to the involved bladder wall for an additional 21.6 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction). Orthogonal kilovoltage radiograph images (34-37 images/patient) were obtained daily, registered with digitally reconstructed radiographs from the planning scan. Translational corrections were made daily. A kilovoltage cone-beam CT (kVCBCT) was acquired weekly and its registration with the planning scan was compared with that day's 2D registration results. Results Of 739 treatments, 6% resulted in ≥15 mm displacement in 1 or more directions and 26% resulted in ≥10 mm displacement in 1 or more directions. Based on 2D registrations, the average millimeter difference between bony registration and fiducial marker registration (BR-FMR) in the right-left (RL) (R+), anterior-posterior (AP) (A+), and superior-inferior (SI) (I+) directions were: 0.5 ± 1.0 (range, −2.0 to +3.8), 1.7 ± 4.4 (range, −8.1 to +13.5) and −3.7 ± 5.8 (range, −16.8 to +8.3), respectively. For kVCBCT registrations, the average mm difference in the RL, AP, and SI directions were 0.3 ± 2.1 (range, −2.4 to +5.1), 3.1 ± 5.9 (range, −2.9 to +13.3) and −4.8 ± 8.0 (range, −16.4 to +9.5), respectively. Conclusions Using intravesical fiducial markers, the largest difference in bladder motion based BR-FMR differences was in the superior-inferior direction. Because fiducial markers are target surrogates, setup using bony anatomy alone can lead to target displacements up to 13.5 mm anteriorly and 16.8 mm superiorly. This confirms a 1.5-1.7 cm minimum in planning target margins. These findings suggest a significant advantage in using intravesical fiducial markers to determine daily translational corrections.
The many faces of actin: matching assembly factors with cellular structures

Actin filaments are major components of at least 15 distinct structures in metazoan cells. These filaments assemble from a common pool of actin monomers, but do so at different times and places, and in response to different stimuli. All of these structures require actin-filament assembly factors. To date, many assembly factors have been identified, including Arp2/3 complex, multiple formin isoforms and spire. Now, a major task is to figure out which factors assemble which actin-based structures. Here, we focus on structures at the plasma membrane, including both sheet-like protrusive structures (such as lamellipodia and ruffles) and finger-like protrusions (such as filopodia and microvilli). Insights gained from studies of adherens junctions and the immunological synapse are also considered.
Synthesis, surface properties, and biocompatibility of 1,2,3-triazole-containing alkyl β-d-xylopyranoside surfactants

We are interested in the development of surfactants derived from hemicellulosic biomass, as they are potential components in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other detergents. Such surfactants should exhibit low toxicity in mammalian cells. In this study we synthesized a series of alkyl or fluoroalkyl β-xylopyranosides from azides and an alkyne using the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne (CuAAC) 'click' reaction in 4 steps from xylose. The purified products were evaluated for both their surfactant properties, and for their biocompatibility. Unlike other carbohydrate-based surfactants, liquid-crystalline behavior was not observed by differential scanning calorimetry. The triazole-containing β-xylopyranosides with short (6 carbons) and long (>12 carbons) chains exhibited no toxicity at concentrations ranging from 1 to 1000 μM. Triazole-containing β-xylopyranosides with 8, 10, or 12 carbons caused toxicity via apoptosis, with CC50 values ranging from 26-890 μM. The two longest chain compounds did form stable monolayers at the air-water interface over a range of temperatures, although a brief transition to an the unstable monolayer was observed.
Obesity and Other Predictors of Absenteeism in Philadelphia School Children

BACKGROUND: Limited data indicate that obese children are absent from school more than their normal-weight peers. We analyzed administrative data from a large urban school district to investigate the association of obesity and student sociodemographic characteristics with absenteeism. METHODS: We analyzed 291,040 records, representing 165,056 unique students (grades 1-12). Obesity status was classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific percentiles for body mass index (BMI) and analyses were based on negative binomial regression. RESULTS: Overall rates of overweight and obesity were 17% and 20%, respectively, and the estimated absence rate was 17 absences per 180 student-days. Obesity was weakly associated with increased school absences. The association was present mainly among the most obese students (BMI >99th percentile), who had an 11% greater absence rate compared to normal-weight students. Compared to white students, Hispanics and African Americans had higher absence rates (14% and 10%, respectively), and Asians had lower absence rates (43%). Students eligible for free or reduced-cost meals had 24% higher absence rates than those who were not eligible. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity do not seem strongly associated with school absence, except among extremely obese children. Race and poverty appear to affect absences to a greater extent than overweight and obesity. Additional research is needed to investigate the contribution of contextual factors in schools and neighborhoods. This study suggests that data routinely collected in schools could be used to track childhood obesity and to efficiently evaluate public health interventions designed to decrease childhood obesity.
Power of Immediate Positive Feedback

This case relates success experiences of an adult non-reader, i.e., one who scores below Grade 1.0 on standardized reading tests. The success experiences are attributed to the techniques of immediate positive feedback and the reinforcement for successive approximations, demonstrating to S that he can read.
Standardization of hanging protocols using the unified modeling language

Diagnostic workstation hanging protocols describe how to lay out radiographic images according to predefined user preferences. In our prior work, we developed the concept of Structured Display Protocols (SDP) that structure the presentation of data according to the diagnostic task. In this work an object-oriented analysis procedure was used to define the workflow (the process model) for a radiology activity as well as the data objects viewed or manipulated in that activity (the data model). Within the workflow there exist specific phases of activity (modes) designed to satisfy specific sub-tasks in the diagnostic process. Some tasks may, or may not, be performed, depending upon the case. These tasks are mapped to mode-specific tools. A critical feature of a SDP is that each viewing mode presents only the data (and tools) relevant to a specific task. The results of each step were represented using specific UML diagrams. From the UML diagrams, structured display protocols were implemented on a publicly available workstation and were then used in routine clinical practice by radiologists and film librarians.
Effect of temperature on diel ammonia excretion of fingerling walleye

Abstract The ammonia excretion rates of fingerling walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) were measured at 20 and 25 °C on three occasions. Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations were measured every 4 h over a 24-h period during which the fish were fed every 10 min for 18 h. Mean ammonia excretion rates were 30.1 and 45.2 mg TAN kg− h− at 20 and 25 °C, respectively. Excretion rates at 20 °C were significantly lower than at 25 °C in two of three experiments. Ammonia excretion peaked at different times in each experiment. At 20 °C, ammonia excretion peaks occurred 17 and 5 after feeding was initiated. At 25 °C, excretion peaks occurred 13, 17 and 8 h after feeding began. Ammonia production values calculated for 20 and 25 °C were 21 and 27 g TAN/kg feed ration per day, respectively.
A mixed function oxidase factor contributing to permethrin and dichlorvos resistance in Lycoriella mali (fitch) (diptera: Sciaridae)

Several observations suggested that enhanced mixed function oxidase (MFO) activity was one of several factors contributing to permethrin and dichlorvos resistance in the mushroom pest, Lycoriella mali (Fitch) (Diptera: Sciaridae). This was investigated using the mixed function oxidase inhibitor, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), in topical application bioassays with reference and field-selected resistant strains. At the LD50, strains of resistant colonies (AV1, AV2, TK1) used in this study were 41-(AV1), 34-(AV2), and 62-fold (TK1) resistant to permethrin, relative to the reference strain (ONT9). Permethrin in the reference strain was only synergized 2- (ONT9) and 4- (ONT13) at the LD50. Synergist ratios for resistant strains were 12 (AV1), 34 (AV2) and 94 (TK1) at the LD50. Moderate dichlorvos resistance was twice documented in the AV strain. Resistance ratios of 37 (AV4) and 52 (AV9) were observed at the LD50, relative to the reference strain (ONT10). Dichlorvos was synergized only 2-fold at the LD50 in the reference strain (ONT10). However, PBO abolished dichlorvos resistance in the AV9 strain. The effectiveness of PBO in these studies indicated that enhanced MFO activity was present in resistant L. mali from southeastern Pennsylvania. Resistance to DDT (54-fold at the LD50) was also documented. Other factors, such as an altered target site (kdr), may also have contributed to control failures with permethrin.
Lipid peroxidation as a mechanism of acute nickel toxicity

Studies in the author's laboratory have shown that (a) concentrations of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) chromogens are increased in target tissues (liver, kidney, lung) of NiCl2‐treated rats; (b) severity of hepatic toxicity, assessed by serum aspartate aminotransferase activity, is generally proportional to the elevation of hepatic TBA‐chromogens, based upon the time‐courses and dose‐effect relationships observed after administration of NiCl2 to rats; (c) concentrations of conjugated dienes are greatly elevated in lipid extracts of hepatic microsomes from NiCl2‐treated rats; (d) NiCl2‐toxicity in rats is attended by increased exhalation of ethane and ethylene, decreased erythrocyte deformability, and elevated concentrations of plasma lipoperoxides. Studies in other laboratories have shown that (e) TBA‐chromogens are increased in brain homogenates of rats after repeated daily injections of NiCl2; (f) hepatic microsomes from NiCl2‐treated rats yield increased rates of lipid peroxidation when incubated in vitro ...
An SXGA reflective liquid crystal projection light valve incorporating inversion by pixel bootstrapping

A new experimental SXGA liquid-crystal-on-silicon reflective projection light valve is described. It incorporates a novel inversion scheme, the bootstrapped pixel method, which extends the available pixel voltage range with lower applied voltages from the external data driver. This can enable the use of liquid crystal modes and performance-enhancing pixel structures which increase the pixel voltage requirement without incurring the additional cost of higher-voltage technology in the light-valve chip or the data driver. Alternatively, with present liquid crystal modes and pixel structures, it can permit the use of a denser, lower-voltage silicon process permitting more function on a chip or smaller, less expensive chips. Using the new light valve, the pixels were operated at 12 V peak-to-peak, the technology maximum, with no voltages in the device above 12 V and a data-line voltage range of 6 V. The new method introduces no new image artifacts.
In Situ Biosurfactant Production by Bacillus Strains Injected into a Limestone Petroleum Reservoir

Biosurfactant-mediated oil recovery may be an economic approach for recovery of significant amounts of oil entrapped in reservoirs, but evidence that biosurfactants can be produced in situ at concentrations needed to mobilize oil is lacking. We tested whether two Bacillus strains that produce lipopeptide biosurfactants can metabolize and produce their biosurfactants in an oil reservoir. Five wells that produce from the same Viola limestone formation were used. Two wells received an inoculum (a mixture of Bacillus strain RS-1 and Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii NRRL B-23049) and nutrients (glucose, sodium nitrate, and trace metals), two wells received just nutrients, and one well received only formation water. Results showed in situ metabolism and biosurfactant production. The average concentration of lipopeptide biosurfactant in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells was about 90 mg/liter. This concentration is approximately nine times the minimum concentration required to mobilize entrapped oil from sandstone cores. Carbon dioxide, acetate, lactate, ethanol, and 2,3-butanediol were detected in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells. Only CO2 and ethanol were detected in the produced fluids of the nutrient-only-treated wells. Microbiological and molecular data showed that the microorganisms injected into the formation were retrieved in the produced fluids of the inoculated wells. We provide essential data for modeling microbial oil recovery processes in situ, including growth rates (0.06 ± 0.01 h−1), carbon balances (107% ± 34%), biosurfactant production rates (0.02 ± 0.001 h−1), and biosurfactant yields (0.015 ± 0.001 mol biosurfactant/mol glucose). The data demonstrate the technical feasibility of microbial processes for oil recovery.
The primacy of work and fathering preterm infants: findings from an interpretive phenomenological study.

Purpose To improve our understanding of fathers of preterm infants by examining their meanings of work and exploring the impact of their work on their early transition to fatherhood. Subjects The sample included 9 white fathers between the ages of 22 and 40 years, who had infants born between 25 and 32 weeks gestation. Design and methods This report explores one theme that emerged from a broader interpretive phenomenological study. Fathers were interviewed 6 to 8 times over a 6-month period, beginning within 1 month of the birth of their infant and continuing after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. Interview guides were used only to initiate conversation; probing, clarifying questions helped fathers provide detailed stories of what they did, thought, and felt about specific situations. Transcriptions of all 63 interviews were treated as meaningful text and analyzed using interpretive methods. Principal results Fathers' narratives revealed the primacy of work in their lives; work remained a pivotal focus even after an early birth. Fathers returned to work quickly after their infant's birth. They approached their work with a renewed sense of fervor in order to provide financially for their families. They found comfort in their work because in the work setting they felt that they were the experts, as opposed to feeling like novices in the NICU. The most stressful aspect of the experience was juggling their time between work and the outside world. Conclusions Fathers may respond to the experience of having a premature infant very differently from mothers. Because fathers' stressors often lie outside the NICU, their stressors may be invisible to healthcare providers. A deeper understanding of fathering must consider the social, familial, and historical processes that shape fathering practices.
Biological correlates of day-to-day variation in flow-mediated dilation in individuals with Type 2 diabetes: a study of test–retest reliability

Aims/hypothesis. Dysfunction of the vascular endothelium is commonly observed in Type 2 diabetes, and endothelial function may be an important outcome for clinical trials in diabetic samples. However, the most commonly used non-invasive test of endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) is technically challenging to perform, and no previous studies have carefully examined the reproducibility of FMD measurements in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that larger day-to-day changes in insulin and glucose are associated with larger fluctuations in FMD. Methods. Ultrasound was used to measure the FMD (% change from baseline diameter) of the brachial artery in 18 healthy adults with Type 2 diabetes on three separate occasions, in the absence of changes to diet, activity level or medications. The CV and mean deviations between pairs of FMD scores in the same individual were used as the primary outcome variables. Results. The CV for FMD (29.7%) was higher than the level traditionally accepted for biochemical assays. However, this CV estimate is within the low range of published values for FMD in healthy individuals. FMD scores were not significantly correlated with glucose or insulin levels. However, subjects with the largest variability in FMD also showed the largest fluctuations in glucose (r=0.52), insulin (r=0.47) and heart rate (r=0.48) (p≤0.05). Conclusions/interpretation. FMD can be reliably measured in individuals with Type 2 diabetes, and population-specific data on reliability is critical for the design of adequately powered studies of endothelial function.
Oxygen isotopes as climatic indicators

Abstract Since the development of the carbonate-water isotopic temperature scale from the initial researches of H. C. Urey and his associates in the early 50s ( Uprey et al., 1951), application of this instrument—an employmentof the stable isotopes of oxygen as climatic indicators—has resulted in the assembling of a sizeable body of data on fossil and recent organisms. These have contributed to our understanding of paleoclimates and carbonate deposition by marine organisms today. The research results obtained to date are discussed and grouped stratigraphically. Mention is also made of some recent work on phosphate thermometry, a tool the utilization of which would eliminate uncertainties regarding the isotopic composition of paleo-oceans involved in the analysis of fossils.
Dissociative recombination in e-H2+ collisions

A recent suggestion that dissociative recombination proceeds primarily through double excited Rydberg states of H2 that dissociate with little autoionisation is challenged.
Teacher Counternarratives: Transgressing and Restorying Disability in Education

This inquiry aims to explore the disconnect between the disability studies in education (DSE) perspectives on inclusive schooling held by a group of dually certified inclusive educators and the everyday, lived experiences of these same teachers who find themselves teaching students with labelled disabilities within the confines of the special education bureaucracy. Through a collaborative inquiry circle (with a teacher educator who is a faculty member in a dual-certification programme informed by a DSE perspective and seven teachers who are graduates of this teacher education programme), this study aims to: (1) articulate the dominant narratives or storylines about disability in education that may ‘discipline’ teachers' practice within the special education bureaucracy; (2) illustrate some of the ways in which teachers do resist and transgress the discursive structures of schooling in ways that enable them to ‘restory’ disability in education; and (3) explore the implications of this work for preparing te...
Actinolitic rinds on low-T mafic blueschist blocks in the Franciscan shale-matrix mélange near San Simeon: Implications for metasomatism and tectonic history

Abstract In the melange terrane of the Franciscan accretionary prism, Mg-rich actinolite/tremolite “rinds” have long been known to be present on many high-T, garnet ± epidote-bearing, mafic blueschist and eclogite blocks, but they were thought to be absent on low-T lawsonite + chlorite blueschist blocks. By analogy with rinds on high-T blocks, these rinds on low-T blocks must have been produced by metasomatic reaction with ultramafic rock. The rinds on high-T blocks have led to the speculation that the high-T Franciscan blueschists were uplifted to the surface in serpentinite diapirs, while other processes exhumed the volumetrically more numerous low-T blocks. This paper reports the discovery of actinolitic rinds on the margins of nine low-T, lawsonite ± epidote Franciscan blueschists that are, or were, clearly encased in the shale-matrix melange exposed in seacliffs and wavecut benches near San Simeon, California. Petrographic and geochemical analyses show these Mg-rich rinds are similar to those found on high-T garnet-bearing blocks. The bulk composition indicates the protolith of the blueschist blocks was mafic oceanic crust. The high Fe3+/∑Fe contents indicate it was probably the uppermost hydrated volcanic part of the crust. The block/ultramafic rock association was created by faulting during subduction initiation as fragments from the top of the subducting ocean crust were imbricated with mantle materials at the base of the ophiolitic leading edge of the North American plate. The chemistry of a block margin altered to actinolitic rind indicates Si, Na, Pb, Cu, and Sr were lost from the blocks while K, Rb, Cs, and Ba were added. Most pieces of actinolitic rind are Mg- and Ni-rich because they are metasomatized ultramafic material that was enriched in Si, K, Rb, Cs, and Ba. These metasomatic changes indicate the fluids that hydrated the mantle and altered the mafic blocks ascended from subducting and/or underplated sediments. Both high-T and low-T blueschists that have actinolitic rinds were uplifted to near the surface after they sank or were plucked from the base of the overriding plate by subduction-generated melange that upwelled from depths of > 15 km .
DNA-mediated nanoparticle crystallization into Wulff polyhedra

Crystallization is a fundamental and ubiquitous process much studied over the centuries. But although the crystallization of atoms is fairly well understood, it remains challenging to predict reliably the outcome of molecular crystallization processes that are complicated by various molecular interactions and solvent involvement. This difficulty also applies to nanoparticles: high-quality three-dimensional crystals are mostly produced using drying and sedimentation techniques that are often impossible to rationalize and control to give a desired crystal symmetry, lattice spacing and habit (crystal shape). In principle, DNA-mediated assembly of nanoparticles offers an ideal opportunity for studying nanoparticle crystallization: a well-defined set of rules have been developed to target desired lattice symmetries and lattice constants, and the occurrence of features such as grain boundaries and twinning in DNA superlattices and traditional crystals comprised of molecular or atomic building blocks suggests that similar principles govern their crystallization. But the presence of charged biomolecules, interparticle spacings of tens of nanometres, and the realization so far of only polycrystalline DNA-interconnected nanoparticle superlattices, all suggest that DNA-guided crystallization may differ from traditional crystal growth. Here we show that very slow cooling, over several days, of solutions of complementary-DNA-modified nanoparticles through the melting temperature of the system gives the thermodynamic product with a specific and uniform crystal habit. We find that our nanoparticle assemblies have the Wulff equilibrium crystal structure that is predicted from theoretical considerations and molecular dynamics simulations, thus establishing that DNA hybridization can direct nanoparticle assembly along a pathway that mimics atomic crystallization.
Parental perceptions of neighborhood processes, stress, personal control, and risk for physical child abuse and neglect.

Objective: This study set out to examine whether mothers’ individual perceptions of their neighborhood social processes predict their risk for physical child abuse and neglect directly and/or indirectly via pathways involving parents’ reported stress and sense of personal control in the parenting role. Methods: In-home and phone interview data were examined cross-sectionally from a national birth cohort sample of 3,356 mothers across 20 US cities when the index child was 3 years of age. Mothers’ perceptions of neighborhood social processes, parenting stress, and personal control were examined as predictors, and three subscales of the Parent-To-Child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-PC) were employed as proxies of physical child abuse and neglect risk. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test direct and indirect pathways (via parenting stress and control) from perceived neighborhood processes to proxy measures of physical child abuse and neglect. Multiple group SEM was conducted to test for differences across major ethnic groups: African American, Hispanic, and White. Results: Although perceived negative neighborhood processes had only a mild direct role in predicting risk for physical child abuse, and no direct role on child neglect, these perceptions had a discernable indirect role in predicting risk via parenting stress and personal control pathways. Parenting stress exerted the clearest direct role on both physical abuse and neglect risk. This predictor model did not significantly differ across ethnic groups. Conclusions: Although neighborhood conditions may not play a clear directly observable role on physical child abuse and neglect risk, the indirect role they play underscores the importance of parents’ perceptions of their neighborhoods, and especially the role they play via parents’ reported stress and personal control. Practice implications: Such findings suggest that targeting parents’ sense of control and stress in relation to their immediate social environment holds particular potential to reduce physical child abuse and neglect risk. Addressing parents’ perceptions of their neighborhood challenges may serve to reduce parenting risk via improving parents’ felt control and stress.
Enzyme‐based strategy for toxic waste treatment and waste minimization

The increasing amounts of pesticides used throughout the world, as well as the increasingly stringent governmental regulations concerning waste disposal, mandates improved techniques of waste disposal and minimization. In this article, parathion hydrolase, an enzyme with proven effectiveness at hydrolyzing organophosphates, was used to treat a cattle dipping liquid containing the pesticide, coumaphos, which is used to kill a disease-causing tick. Waste is generated from this process when a toxic dechlorination product of coumaphos, potasan, accumulates to concentrations hazardous to the cattle. This pesticide system was used as a model to demonstrate how enzyme technology can be applied to waste treatment and minimization. Kinetic experiments showed that the hydrolysis of the two organophosphate substrates can be modeled as first-order reactions with identical rate constants. It was further shown that the enzyme is capable of hydrolyzing only dissolved substrates. Because of the eightfold greater solubility of potasan than coumaphos (16.9 vs. 2.2 micromol/L), it was possible to utilize the enzyme to hydrolyze potasan selectively. Thus, by limiting the amount of enzyme, it is possible to remove potasan selectively to extend the lifetime of the cattle dipping liquid, thereby reducing the amount of waste generated. Based upon experimental results, a mathematical model describing the system was developed and verified. The mathematical model was then used to simulate the ability of the enzyme to hydrolyze the total amount of organophosphates, and to degrade selectively all of the toxic potasan without a significant loss of coumaphos.
Deaf versus hearing subjects' recall of words on a distraction task as a function of the signability of the words.

Summary.-Subjects, including 17 deaf and 10 hearing students in Grades 11 and 12, completed a test for memory of lists of 6 words visually for 10 sec.). Subjects recalled the words in writing after a distracting task of adding paits of digits for 10 sec. Word lists are categorized as signable with a single sign, compound or combination of signs, or finger-spelling signs only. Hearing subjects recalled significantly more words in each category than did deaf subjects. Deaf subjects recalled significantly more single-signed words than either of the other two categories. Deaf subjects did not recall more compound/combination signed words than words that could only be finger-spelled. Hearing subjects also recalled significantly more singlesigned words than either of the other two categories and were not superior in either of the other categories. Bonvillian (3) and others (4, 8, 11) suggested that the deaf code information cheremically or according to the parametric or formational attributes of the sign representation of words. The four sign parameters include hand
Controlling is not enough: the importance of measuring the process and specific effectiveness of psychotherapy treatment and control conditions.

The major argument of this article is that failing to measure what is taking place in treatment and control conditions can lead to scientifically invalid conclusions. It is argued that researchers are ethically responsible for being aware that variables related to the therapist, client, and the therapeutic relationship (as well as their interaction) might play a confounding role when treatment and control conditions are compared. As a consequence, they should either measure these variables or be tentative in their interpretation of their findings.
A vertical field-effect transistor with an InGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic planar doped barrier launcher

Summary form only given. The authors report improved DC performance in a vertical field effect transistor (VFET) by inserting a pseudomorphic n/sup +/-In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As (x=0.07) layer between a planar doped barrier (PDB) launcher and an n-channel layer instead of an n/sup +/-GaAs layer. In this structure, higher-energy hot electrons can be injected into the channel and the spillover of electrons from the n/sup +/-layer to the n-channel can be reduced because of the resulting conduction band discontinuity. A transconductance (maximum g/sub m/=400 mS/mm), average electron velocity ( nu /sub av/=3.86*10/sup 7/ cm/s), and voltage gain (g/sub m//g/sub d/=50) that represent a significant improvement over previous results for VFETs have been obtained. >
The preparation of sucrose-C14 with high specific activity and high tracer yield using detached sugar best leaves.

Radioactive sucrose, in millicurie amounts, was prepared by feeding a detached sugar beet leaf C14O2 in air for 15 to 20 minutes followed by 5 to 20 minutes additional photosynthesis in air. The lo...
A unifying expression for the maximal reliability of a linear composite

A formally simple expression for the maximal reliability of a linear composite is provided, its theoretical implications and its relation to existing results for reliability are discussed.
The use of restraining orders by families of severely mentally ill adults

Mental health professionals have had growing concerns that reforms in civil commitment laws have resulted in increasing numbers of mentally ill individuals entering the criminal justice system (Abramson, 1972; Hiday, 1992, Teplin, 1991). These reforms included the restriction of criteria for involuntary psychiatric hospitalization, which have not necessarily been accompanied by an adequate increase in community based psychiatric treatment services (Teplin, 1991). In Pennsylvania, the standard for civil commitment is a restrictive criterion for dangerousness. Grave disability may be considered (Mental Health Procedures, 1979). However, in some local jurisdictions, such as
Wetting behavior of the shear thinning power law fluids

The knowledge of the wetting characteristics of a coating solution is a prerequisite of assuring the final quality of thin films manufactured by the slot die coating process. Because the maximum coating speed is limited by defects, such as air entrainment, which are directly related to film quality, an understanding of the coating limits is critical. Despite the existence of a vast body of literature to understand the occurrence of defects and the coating limits to produce defect-free films, the mechanism of air entrainment is still not well understood, especially for various classes of solutions. In this study, the shape of the upstream meniscus of a mildly shear thinning non-Newtonian coating bead has been studied both numerically and experimentally and subsequently linked to the air entrainment threshold. It has been found that the dynamic contact angle reaches its maximum value at the air entrainment threshold, primarily as a function of the capillary number. In addition, this work suggests that the onset of the dripping and air entrainment boundaries of solutions that follow the power law can be predicted based on the dynamic contact angle as a function of the consistency and power law indices.
Gold inlay failures and some causes

Abstract Failure of any restoration for any cause is a disagreeable experience for both the patient and the dentist. Failure of a gold inlay is even more so since the cost of this service is greater and the time consumed in remaking is costly to both patient in time and the dentist in time and expense.
Degenerate four-wave mixing and squeezing in pumped three-level atomic systems

Abstract Using degenerate four-wave mixing squeezing is studied in pumped three-level atomic systems. It is found that better squeezing obtains with a three-level system than with a two-level one.