cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reciprocity in Undesirable Parent–Child Behavior? Verbal Aggression, Corporal Punishment, and Girls’ Oppositional Defiant Symptoms

Parental verbal aggression and corporal punishment are associated with children’s conduct problems and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The strength of bidirectional relationships among specifi...
Bayesian Double Feature Allocation for Phenotyping With Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records (EHR) provide opportunities for deeper understanding of human phenotypes—in our case, latent disease—based on statistical modeling. We propose a categorical matrix factori...
A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Using an Online Commercial Tutoring System to Teach Introductory Statistics.

This study used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate a hybrid teaching format that incorporated an online tutoring system, ALEKS, to address students' learning needs in a graduate-level introductor...
Integrating Family Content in Teacher Preparation Programs Using Intentional Reflection and Planning.

Strong family involvement in children’s education supports positive academic and social-emotional outcomes. Therefore, developing early childhood (EC) professionals’ competence in engaging and invo...
Non-Union After Multiple Lumbar Fusion Surgeries in a Patient With Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Background Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a rare condition affecting 1/20,000 persons and the third most common muscular dystrophy condition, with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance characterized by progressive muscular weakness primarily involving the face, shoulder girdle, and upper arm. The condition is associated with atrophic musculature of the trunk and core leading to difficulties with gait, posture, and function. FSHD leaves as many as 20% of patients wheelchair-bound and most commonly presents with low back, neck, and shoulder pain. Case Description We present the case of a patient with FSHD who underwent multiple spinal fusion surgeries without relief in her back pain. Imaging studies serve to highlight the extent of paraspinal muscle atrophy and provides the basis for a discussion on the preoperative factors that may predict patients most likely to benefit from surgery. We then provide a brief review of the literature on the role of paraspinal muscle atrophy in back pain. Conclusions This case adds to our understanding of the surgical management of patients with FSHD and patients with atrophic core musculature as a whole.
Special Considerations Related to Race, Sex, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status in the Preoperative Evaluation: Part 1: Race, History of Incarceration, and Health Literacy

Patients anticipating surgery and anesthesia often need preoperative care to reduce risk and facilitate services on the day of surgery. Preparing patients often requires extensive evaluation and coordination of care. Vulnerable, marginalized, and disenfranchised populations have special concerns, limitations, and needs. These patients may have unidentified or poorly managed comorbidities. Underrepresented minorities and transgender patients may avoid or have limited access to health care. Homelessness, limited health literacy, and incarceration hinder perioperative optimization initiatives. Identifying patients who will benefit from additional resource allocation and knowledge of their special challenges is vital to reducing disparities in health and health care.
Ethmoid-to-maxillary opacification ratio: a predictor of postoperative olfaction and outcomes in nasal polyposis?

BACKGROUND Inflammatory profiles for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) vary between North American and Asian populations. An elevated ethmoid-to-maxillary (E/M) opacification ratio on preoperative imaging is associated with certain postoperative outcomes in Asian populations and populations that are non-type 2 dominant. In this study we explore this factor in North American/type 2-based populations. METHODS Adult patients (n = 165) from a North American population with CRSwNP who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) were prospectively enrolled into an observational, multi-institutional study. The 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT), and Lund-Kennedy (LK) endoscopic scores were obtained pre- and postoperatively. Patients were stratified according to increasing E/M ratios based on Lund-Mackay (LM) scores. RESULTS On average, significant within-subject postoperative improvement was found in all patients for SNOT-22 total and domain scores, and also BSIT results (p ≤ 0.019). Preoperatively, elevated E/M ratio correlated with worse BSIT scores (r = -0.343, p < 0.001). Postoperatively, elevated E/M ratio correlated with BSIT improvement (r = 0.284, p = 0.002), but did not correlate with SNOT-22 improvement or polyp recurrence. An elevated E/M ratio was associated with greater likelihood of reporting a minimal clinically important difference in BSIT scores (χ2 = 9.96, p = 0.041). CONCLUSION Elevated E/M ratios were found to associated with worse baseline olfaction and an increased likelihood of achieving a clinically meaningful postoperative improvement in olfaction in this North American population with CRSwNP. Elevated E/M ratios did not predict postoperative changes in SNOT-22 measures or polyp recurrence. This suggests that prognostic factors may vary according to geography and generalized inflammatory profiles (type 2 vs non-type 2) in patients with CRS.
Quantitative form and fit of N95 filtering facepiece respirators are retained after dry and humid heat treatments for coronavirus deactivation

Summary Re-use of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs, or commonly referred to as N95s) normally meant for single use only is becoming common in healthcare facilities due to shortages caused by the COVID19 pandemic. Here, we report the results of quantitative fit tests of FFRs after heat treatments at 75 °C both under dry and humid (90% relative humidity) conditions. These conditions have been previously reported to deactivate coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2) while maintaining filter efficiency. FFRs passed quantitative fit tests after undergoing both single and ten heating cycles in both dry and humid conditions. These results suggest that thermal deactivation of coronaviruses is a potentially rapid and widely deployable method to re-use N95 FFRs in emergency situations where re-using masks is a necessity and broad-spectrum sterilization is unavailable.
Right on target: using data from targeted stocks to reconstruct removals of bycatch species, a case study of longnose skate from Northeast Pacific Ocean

Abstract Fisheries stock assessments rely heavily on historical catch information to understand how a stock responds to exploitation and make meaningful forecasts under alternative management and environmental scenarios. However, for many bycatch species historical removals are virtually unknown, as a large portion of the catch was discarded at sea. For example, historical discard of elasmobranch species such as skates and sharks have been reported as 95 percent of the total catch based on available data. The longnose skate is one the most abundant groundfishes on the continental slope of the U.S. Pacific Coast by biomass, and the most abundant skate species in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. We developed a method to estimate catch of longnose skate on the U.S. West Coast based on the catch of Dover sole, a co-occurring targeted species with which longnose skate is caught. This method allowed us to reconstruct historical longnose skate catches back to the beginning of the bottom trawl fisheries and improve stock assessment for this species. We also examined the impact of using our method versus other common methods of catch reconstruction to inform stock assessment models, and found that the target-based predictive method produced results that more accurately reflected the life history and typical stock dynamics of elasmobranch taxa. Our method is not limited to the specific case of longnose skate and could be easily adapted for other species and areas.
European Muslim Anti-Semitism: Why Young Urban Males Say They Don’t Like Jews

This volume is a comprehensive examination, based on statistical surveys and interviews, of the growing phenomenon of anti-Semitism among European Muslims. The data shows that while anti-Semitism i...
Importance of WNT-dependent signaling for derivation and maintenance of primed pluripotent bovine embryonic stem cells†.

The WNT signaling system plays an important but paradoxical role in the regulation of pluripotency. In the cow, IWR-1, which inhibits canonical WNT activation and has WNT-independent actions, promotes the derivation of primed pluripotent embryonic stem cells from the blastocyst. Here, we describe a series of experiments to determine whether derivation of embryonic stem cells could be generated by replacing IWR-1 with other inhibitors of WNT signaling. Results confirm the importance of inhibition of canonical WNT signaling for the establishment of pluripotent embryonic stem cells in cattle and indicate that the actions of IWR-1 can be mimicked by the WNT secretion inhibitor IWP2 but not by the tankyrase inhibitor XAV939 or WNT inhibitory protein dickkopf 1. The role of Janus kinase-mediated signaling pathways for the maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells was also evaluated. Maintenance of pluripotency of embryonic stem cells lines was blocked by a broad inhibitor of Janus kinase, even though the cells did not express phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3). Further studies with blastocysts indicated that IWR-1 blocks the activation of pSTAT3. A likely explanation is that IWR-1 blocks differentiation of embryonic stem cells into a pSTAT3+ lineage. In conclusion, results presented here indicate the importance of inhibition of WNT signaling for the derivation of pluripotent bovine embryonic stem cells, the role of Janus kinase signaling for maintenance of pluripotency, and the participation of IWR-1 in the inhibition of activation of STAT3.Summary sentenceDerivation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells from bovine blastocysts depends upon blocking WNT signaling; maintenance of pluripotency depends upon JAK signaling in a STAT3-independent manner.Graphical Abstract
Temporal Availability of Ebbinghaus Illusions on Perceiving and Interacting with 3D Objects in a Contextual Virtual Environment

Contextual illusions, such as the Ebbinghaus Illusion, can be potentially used to improve or hinder reach-to-grasp interaction in a virtual environment by affecting the perception of object size and the action. However, the illusion effect has only been evaluated using 2D objects like discs or annuluses, and limited research has been conducted in a virtual environment. Moreover, it remains unknown how the sudden, or dynamic, change of surrounding features will impact the perception and then the action towards the object. In this paper, we conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the effects of 3D Ebbinghaus illusion with dynamic surrounding features on the task of reaching to grasp a 3D object in an immersive virtual environment. An innovative 3D perceptual judgment task revealed that the static 3D illusion affected the perceived size of the 3D object. Then, we experimentally manipulated the visual gain and loss of the 3D contextual inducers, the participant's virtual hand, and the entire 3D contextual object. Results revealed that the depth error (error in depth of reaching action) was influenced by a dynamic change in the size of the inducers, the fine adjustment of grasp was dependent on the visual presence of the virtual hand and vision of 3D contextual object was required for the reaching and grasping movements. These results will benefit the understanding of reach-to-grasp interactions in immersive virtual environments and can improve interaction design.
Pyxis: An Open-Source Performance Dataset of Sparse Accelerators.

Specialized accelerators provide gains of performance and efficiency in specific domains of applications. Sparse data structures or/and representations exist in a wide range of applications. However, it is challenging to design accelerators for sparse applications because no analytic architecture or performance-level models are able to fully capture the spectrum of the sparse data. Accelerator researchers rely on real execution to get precise feedback for their designs. In this work, we present PYXIS, a performance dataset for specialized accelerators on sparse data. PYXIS collects accelerator designs and real execution performance statistics. Currently, there are 73.8 K instances in PYXIS. PYXIS is open-source, and we are constantly growing PYXIS with new accelerator designs and performance statistics. PYXIS can benefit researchers in the fields of accelerator, architecture, performance, algorithm, and many related topics.
Real Time X-Ray Microfocus Inspection of Honeycomb

Honeycomb structures are often used because they are light in weight, yet able to bear large pressure loads. Because weight is such a major consideration in the aerospace industry, honeycomb is used in many non-load bearing structures such as control surfaces, access doors, floors, and speed brakes. As may be expected in a complicated structure, there are many possibilities for defects or damage to be induced into these parts, both during the fabrication process and while the part is in service. The presence of these defects necessitate that honeycomb structures be inspected. Film radiography is often used as the primary inspection technique for honeycomb. Alternatively, real time imaging is a filmless radiographic inspection technique which has speed and arbitrary orientation of the sample as its primary advantage. This technique has not been widely used, primarily because of poor image quality. The first point is poor spatial resolution, and the second is poor contrast sensitivity, as compared to film. When a microfocus x-ray source is used in conjunction with a real time system, the result is a marked improvement of the image resolution. The use of image processing can significantly improve the contrast sensitivity. The result is a real time system with resolution equivalent to the present film inspection techniques thus allowing for quicker and less costly inspections, so long a the sensitivity requirements are not too stringent.
Can the Sharp Interface Salt-Water Model Capture Transient Behavior?

Publisher Summary The transient sharp-interface areal two-dimensional formulation and the three dimensional solute transport formulations are compared, and an example of divergence between the two approaches is presented. While the simulation of ground-water flow in coastal aquifers encountering salt water should formally employ the three-dimensional flow and transport equations, the reduction of this problem to two spatial dimensions in the areal plane, using a sharp interface assumption, has often been employed to render field problems tractable. The assumptions inherent in this simplification have been found appropriate for steady-state conditions, but there appears to be little evidence supporting this approach for transient problems. The sharp interface equations are developed by writing the fluid flow equations in the fresh- and salt-water zones, integrating these equations vertically to eliminate that dimension, and coupling the resulting equations through conditions imposed at the salt-water/fresh-water interface. The vertical integration is justified when vertical head gradients are negligible.
Inelastic Response Spectra for Aseismic Building Design

The variability of inelastic response spectra is investigated by time-history analysis using sets of artificial ground motions with different strong-motion durations. It is concluded that the Newmark-Hall inelastic response spectra of elasto-plastic systems are unconservative for 5% damping, and conservative for 2% damping. New inelastic response spectra are proposed for different ductility ratios and damping coefficients. A 10-story steel moment-resisting frame is designed and analyzed to assess the validity of the design procedure based upon modal analysis and inelastic response spectra. The results indicate that at least for this or similar frames, the method is satisfactory. However, the procedure leads to slightly unconservative design for upper-story exterior columns. The study also suggests that the maximum lateral story displacement predicted directly by the SRSS modal analysis using the inelastic displacement response spectrum is too conservative. The conservatism is more pronounced in the upper stories.
Ideological Fractionalization and the International Conflict Behavior of Parliamentary Democracies

Past studies examining the international conflict behavior of parliamentary democracies have reported inconsistent findings and produced some empirical puzzles. One of the main puzzles is that, despite a strong theoretical basis for expecting coalitional majority cabinets to be less conflict prone than single-party majorities, most studies found no difference in their conflict behavior. Still others report coalitional governments to be more conflict prone than single-party ones. In this study, I show that these empirical inconsistencies can be resolved once we take into account the ideological composition of the cabinet. The main contention is that relatively marginal coalitional partners may have a disproportionate influence when the government faces risky decisions, such as the initiation of international disputes. The key lies in their greater bargaining leverage in intra-coalitional politics, which is subsequently reflected in their influence over foreign conflict decisions. More generally, this study shows how different degrees of ideological diversity or cohesion abate and/or accentuate a state's conflict behavior. The expectations are tested empirically, and the findings more robustly predict the conflict behavior of parliamentary regimes than do the results of previous research.
Implementation of Medicare Part D and statin use among the elderly population with diabetes

Objective The American Diabetes Association treatment guidelines recommend that patients with diabetes over 40 years of age with one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease be prescribed statin medication. Despite the guideline, use of statins among elderly patients with diabetes is low. Medicare Part D was implemented in 2006 to increase affordability and access to prescription medications for Medicare enrollees. The main objective of this study was to analyse trend in statin users with diabetes before and after implementation of Part D. Methods Data were obtained from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2004–2008. Patients who were diabetic (ICD-9 code 250) and either elderly (≥65 years) or near elderly (57–64 years) were included in the analysis. Chi-square analysis was used to compare statin users before and after Part D for both the elderly and near-elderly populations. For elderly patients, trends in statin users were analysed for subpopulations based on gender, race/ethnicity, income, education level and perceived health status. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors that predicted use of statin. Key findings Between 2004 and 2008 patients who reported using statins increased from 55.05 to 61.25% for the elderly and from 54.99 to 55.89% for the near elderly. The elderly population had a significant increase in the percentage of patients reporting use of statins after the implementation of Part D (P = 0.002). Logistic regression identified post-Part D period (0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60–0.94; P = 0.013), female gender (1.28, 95% CI 1.05–1.57; P = 0.013) and African-American race/ethnicity (1.53, 95% CI 1.19–1.96; P < 0.00) as significant predictors of reporting statin use among study population. Conclusion The study results imply that Part D may have influenced an increase in prescriptions of statins to elderly patients with diabetes. Logistic regression and trend analysis indicate that Part D was unable to reduce disparities in prescriptions for racial and gender subgroups.
Mdivi-1 Mitigates ROS and Mitophagy, Improves Healthy Mitochondrial Pool in Hyperglycemic Cardiomyocytes

Cardiac function is contingent upon mitochondrial health and turn over. To test the hypothesis that Mdivi-1 mitigates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitophagy, and improves healthy mitochondrial...
Permeation, diffusion, and solution of gases and water vapor in unplasticized poly(vinylchloride)†

The transport behavior of a number of permanent gases of varying molecular size and of water vapor was studied in calendered films of unplasticized poly(vinylchloride). Permeabilities, diffusivities, and solubilities were measured over a range of temperatures traversing the glass transition. A discrete change in the activation energy for diffusion was observed for Ar and Kr. No change in the activation energy for diffusion for He, Ne, CH4, N2, CO2, O2, and H2O was observed, as the glass transition was traversed. This appeared to be the first polymer system studied in detail in which the change in activation energy for diffusion is related to penetrant size rather than to a unique dependence upon polymer fine structurej Die vorliegende Arbeit berichtet uber das Transportverhalten einer Reihe von bestandigen Gasen verschiedener Molekulgrose und von Wasserdampf in gewalzten Folien von nicht weichgemachtem. Polyvinylchlorid. Durchlassigkeits-, Diffusions- und Losungsvermogen wurden in dem Temperaturbereich, in dem sich die Glasumwandlung vollzieht, gemessen. Bei Ar und Kr wurde hierbei eine unstetige Anderung der Aktivierungsenergie fur die Diffusion festgestellt. Dagegen konnte keine Anderung der Aktivierungsenergie fu die Diffusion bei den Gasen He, Ne, CH4, N2, CO2, O2 und H2O beim Durchschreiten der Glasumwandlung beobachtet werden. Damit scheint das erste Polymer-System eingehend untersucht zu sein, in dem eine Beziehung zwischen der Anderung der Aktivierungsenergie fur die Diffusion und der Molekulgrose des eindringenden Gases gefunden wird. Dies steht im Gegensatz zu der bisherigen Auffassung, wonach die Anderung der Aktivierungsenergie allein von der Feinstruktur des Polymeren abhangt.
On modelling of segmented mirrors mounted on flexible supporting structures

The main goals of this research are to formulate a frequency-matching problem as an exact inverse eigenvalue problem for Jacobi matrices, obtain a state-space representation of the mirror/cell structure, and design decentralized controllers for the push-pull mirror actuators. The interconnected mass-spring model used provides an exact match to the frequency distribution of the mirror/cell structure, and the algorithm does not involve any trial and error procedure. Preliminary results indicate that the model exhibits a decentralized structural characterization, which can be exploited to design local controllers for next-neighbor disturbance rejection. >
An alternative approach to amyloid fibrils morphology: CdSe/ZnS quantum dots labelled β-amyloid peptide fragments Aβ (31–35), Aβ (1–40) and Aβ (1–42)

Abeta (31-35) peptide and control peptides as well as full length Abeta (1-40) and Abeta (1-42) peptides were labelled with luminescent CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) to observe the morphology of amyloid fibers. A comparison was made between QDs and an organic dye, namely Dansyl group, which showed that the QDs present a much better contrast for imaging than the organic dye.
Genotypic-dependent amphetamine effects in rats bred for differences in alcohol sensitivity

Locomotor activity in an open field was assessed in two selectively bred rat lines following an IP injection of 0, 1.5, or 3.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine. The MA rats, bred for alcohol sensitivity, evidenced less of an increase in ambulation following amphetamine than did LA rats, bred for alcohol insensitivity. Linear dose-response functions with disparate slopes were found for the MA and LA rats, with activity of these lines becoming more divergent as dosage increased. Amphetamine increased rearing frequency in both lines, and though it appeared that the LA line evidenced greater activation at the intermediate dose, this was not statistically significant. Amphetamine was also found to produce a dose-dependent decrease in the duration of each rear, and this function appeared similar for the two lines. These data were compared to reports that inbred strains of mice which differ in sleep time following alcohol challenge also are distinguished in response to amphetamine.
Surface Diffusion of Large Ag Clusters on Ag(100)

Scanning tunneling microscopy has shown that large, two-dimensional Ag clusters undergo observable diffusion on Ag(100). The variation of the diffusion coefficient with cluster size in the range studied, 100 to 540 atoms per cluster, indicates that two-dimensional evaporation-condensation is the main mechanism of cluster diffusion. The experimental data consistently show evidence for a backward-correlation in the cluster motion. The meaning and origin of this correlation is discussed.
An optimal estimating equation based on the first three cumulants

For improving on quasilikelihood estimation two types of quadratic estimating equations have been proposed, one based on the Edgeworth expansion, the other on the generalisation of the quasi-score. The first requires that the skewness of observations has a small departure from the exponential family; the second requires the knowledge of both skewness and kurtosis. We introduce an optimal quadratic estimating equation applicable when the skewness is not small and the kurtosis is unknown. Apart from optimality, the manner in which skewness is incorporated ensures that its misspecification does not affect √n-consistency, and that the estimator enjoys an invariance property akin to that of the bias-corrected maximum likelihood estimate. Simulations indicate a solid improvement in accuracy.
Multimoment convecting flux tube model of the polar wind system with return current and microprocesses

Abstract Multimoment fluid simulation frameworks, which effectively account for anomalous transport due to microprocesses, combine best features of small-scale kinetic and global-scale MHD models. The most practical models of this type, 1D flux tube models, have been successfully used for realistic simulations of space plasmas including polar wind and magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling processes characterized by a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Our earlier flux tube models with field-aligned current and microprocesses have been formulated for spatially stationary flux tubes. However, horizontal convection due to electric fields is an important aspect of the high-latitude ionosphere–polar wind system and typical time scales of the polar wind upflow are comparable to the transit time across the polar cap. To take into account this important feature we have added flux tube convection to our earlier model. Using typical convecting flux tube that starts outside auroral oval, then enters and leaves downward current region, it has been shown that anomalous transport effects due to current-driven microinstabilities significantly alter dynamics of several plasma moments and should be taken into account for an accurate interpretation and prediction of the observed data. Future applications of our new model have also been discussed.
Hot-pressed β-Si3N4 containing small amounts of Be and O in solid solution

Single phase, hot-pressed Si3N4 ceramics with relative densities >95% and equiaxed grain structures have been prepared from high purity Si3N4 powders having specific surface areas of 8 to 20 m2 g−1 and oxygen contents ⩾2 wt % using a small amount of Be3N2 or BeSiN2 as a densification aid. Densification depended sensitively on the concentration of Be and O in a given Si3N4 powder and on the usual hot-pressing parameters of pressure, temperature and time. A close association was found between densification and the conversion ofα- toβ-Si3N4 during hot-pressing. Based on the data presented, chemical reactions that occur during hot-pressing involve: (1) reaction of the densification aid with SiO2 on the Si3N4 particle surfaces to form BeO and Si2N2O; (2) the further reaction of these two reaction products to give probable formation of a transient liquid phase (TLP); and (3) the reaction between TLP andα-Si3N4 particles to cause densification, probably by a solution-reprecipitation process, and conversion ofα-Si3N4 into aβ-Si3N4 solid solution. The chemical composition of a single phaseβ-Si3N4 solid solution prepared in this study by hot-pressing was approximately Si2.9Be0.1N3.8O0.2.
Re-use of the recipient vessels of a microvascular transplant.

Three cases are described in which a second microvascular free flap, transplanted after a delay of several months, was provided perfusion by re-using the recipient vessels of the first flap in end-to-end fashion. In each patient, healing of the second flap was uneventful, and both transplants continue to survive. Prior to harvesting the second transplant, a careful intraoperative examination was performed in which the vascularity of the original transplant was assessed. In each case, recipient vessel re-use represented the least risky of several options. The results of the present series suggest that vascularization from the transplant bed or surrounding tissues proceeds despite the fact that, initially, the only source of blood for the free flap flows through a single axial vessel. This single vessel can therefore be divided without loss of the transplant as long as the transplant bed has already provided vascularization to the flap. In our opinion, the timing of the second procedure and the quality of the transplant bed are the key factors in the survival of the transplants.
Linking manufacturing and supply chain strategies: a conceptual framework

The 21st century will bring forth a change in the dominant form of industrial competition. Supply chains will replace individual firms as the economic engine for creating value, and will compete among themselves for the loyalty of end users. This paper examines the literature regarding manufacturing and supply chain strategy formulation processes, and presents an argument for linking these processes to achieve a competitive advantage. In addition, based upon an analysis of the strategy formulation literature, the paper introduces a conceptual framework for accomplishing the aforementioned linkages.
Autonomic components of orienting behavior.

Changes in skin conductance (GSR), skin potential (SP), heart rate (HR), finger blood volume (BV), and pulse volume (PV) were recorded in response to 2-sec bursts of white noise. Five intensity levels of sound (60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 db) were presented over 5 repetitions. Results showed that: (1) response magnitudes and latencies were directly related to stimulus intensity and inversely related to number of repetitions; (2) for BV, SP, and GSR the effect of repetition varied with stimulus intensity; (3) HR changes were primarily monophasic; and (4) BV and PV were more sensitive to stimulus intensity differences than were the electrodermal responses.
Detection of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in deoxyribonucleic acid by the 32P-postlabeling method.

Using synthesized 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine 3'-monophosphate as a marker, the 32P-postlabeling method was adapted with minimum modifications for the analysis of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) content in deoxy-ribonucleic acid (DNA). This method allows the analysis of one 8-OH-dG per 104 DNA nucleotides with only 10 pmoles of nucleotides required. The amounts of 8-OH-dG in DNA detected by the postlabeling method correlated well with the electrochemical detection method but were consistently lower.
Team-based learning: a novel approach to medical student education in family planning.

Abstract Background Medical schools are increasingly using team-based learning (TBL). We compared medical student satisfaction and understanding of key concepts in family planning following TBL and traditional lectures. Study Design During the OB/GYN clinical rotation orientation, third year medical students completed a pretest in family planning. Students in the odd-numbered clerkships participated in TBL, and students in the even-numbered clerkships participated in lectures. Both groups of students completed a posttest and satisfaction survey. Results A total of 130 students participated in this study. Sixty-nine students were in the TBL group, and 61 students were in the lecture group. The TBL group reported higher scores when asked if the learning style was a valuable experience (p=.045), helped them learn the course material (p=.01) and improved problem-solving skills (p=.04). Both groups gained significant amount of knowledge (p t test. The change in scores was not significantly different between the groups (p=.73), as calculated using the Student's unpaired t test. Conclusion As a learning strategy for family planning, TBL resulted in high student satisfaction. This is the first study to evaluate this innovative teaching style for medical student education in family planning.
Alkali metal ion transport through thin bilayers

Le transport des ions de metaux alcalins a travers des couches bimoleculaires de vesicules d'agents de surface anioniques (4-(1-heptylnonyl) benzene sulfonate de sodium; 4-(1-nonylundecyl) benzenesulfonate de sodium) est etudie. Le mecanisme de transfert et les energies d'activation sont determines
Dynamic Forces in the Growth and Change of Vocational Psychology

Abstract The traditional strengths of the field of vocational psychology, that is, its theoretical and empirical traditions, are proposed to be important resources in the coming years. These strengths, if complemented by adoption of emerging theoretical perspectives (e.g., postmodern views) and research methods (e.g., qualitative methods and new statistical techniques), will allow vocational psychologists to speak to a broader and more diverse audience as well as to increase the relevance of their inquiries. In the process, I argue that the perennially problematic linkage between science and practice may be enhanced and both domains strengthened.
A fully-automated approach to land cover mapping with airborne LiDAR and high resolution multispectral imagery in a forested suburban landscape

Abstract Information on land cover is essential for guiding land management decisions and supporting landscape-level ecological research. In recent years, airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and high resolution aerial imagery have become more readily available in many areas. These data have great potential to enable the generation of land cover at a fine scale and across large areas by leveraging 3-dimensional structure and multispectral information. LiDAR and other high resolution datasets must be processed in relatively small subsets due to their large volumes; however, conventional classification techniques cannot be fully automated and thus are unlikely to be feasible options when processing large high-resolution datasets. In this paper, we propose a fully automated rule-based algorithm to develop a 1 m resolution land cover classification from LiDAR data and multispectral imagery. The algorithm we propose uses a series of pixel- and object-based rules to identify eight vegetated and non-vegetated land cover features (deciduous and coniferous tall vegetation, medium vegetation, low vegetation, water, riparian wetlands, buildings, low impervious cover). The rules leverage both structural and spectral properties including height, LiDAR return characteristics, brightness in visible and near-infrared wavelengths, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Pixel-based properties were used initially to classify each land cover class while minimizing omission error; a series of object-based tests were then used to remove errors of commission. These tests used conservative thresholds, based on diverse test areas, to help avoid over-fitting the algorithm to the test areas. The accuracy assessment of the classification results included a stratified random sample of 3198 validation points distributed across 30 1 × 1 km tiles in eastern Connecticut, USA. The sample tiles were selected in a stratified random manner from locations representing the full range of rural to urban landscapes in eastern Connecticut. The overall land cover accuracy was 93% with accuracies exceeding 90% for deciduous trees, low vegetation, water, buildings, and low impervious cover. Slight confusion occurred between coniferous and deciduous trees; major confusion occurred between water and riparian wetlands; and moderate confusion occurred between medium vegetation and other vegetation classes. The algorithm was robust for the forested suburban landscape of eastern Connecticut, which is typical for much of the northeastern U.S., and the algorithm shows promise for applications in similar landscapes with similar datasets. Further research is needed to test the applicability of the algorithm to more diverse landscapes as well as with different LiDAR and multispectral datasets.
Automatic Digital Programming of Analog Computers

A digital technique for manipulating symbols defining a mathematical expression is introduced and it is shown how this technique can be applied so that a digital computer can automatically compile an analog computer program directly from a mathematical description of the problem to be solved. The mathematical problem considered is that of solving a system of nonlinear first-order differential equations with initial conditions. It is assumed that these equations have been prescaled and are expressed in terms of the physical variables rather than the original mathematical variables. A resume of a method for reducing the original symbol sequence defining the differential equations to symbol subsequences from which the analog program can be formed is given. It is then shown how the analog program is to be generated from these symbol sequences. To illustrate the detailed application of the technique an analog program is compiled for a particular system of differential equations.
Strategic Thrust of Manufacturing Automation Decisions: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract American manufacturing firms increasingly consider automation as the means to increase productivity and improve their competitiveness. However, decisions to automate do not always produce the expected results and lead to further frustration. The so called “islands of automation” are often blamed for such failures and other technological alternatives such as computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) are adopted on a piece-meal fashion. This paper examines the adoption of new technology in general, and die decision to automate in particular, from a strategic perspective. In order to deal with the underlying complexities of automation, a conceptual framework is developed that can guide decision makers through a step-by-step process. Within an experimental analysis context, a decision support system is built that uses the “Expert Choice” cell to test the effectiveness of the introduced framework. The results indicate that the study's method can greatly enhance the decision making capabilities of firms ...
Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors Alter the Prenylation and Growth-stimulating Function of RhoB

Protein farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) inhibit Ras transformation and Ras-dependent tumor cell growth, but the biological mechanisms underlying these activities is unclear. In previous work, we presented support for the hypothesis that the anti-transforming effects of FTIs depend upon alterations in the function of RhoB, a member of the Rho family of proteins that regulate cytoskeletal actin, cell adhesion, and cell growth. A significant question that needed to be addressed was whether FTIs could directly alter the prenylation as well as the function of RhoB in cells. This issue is complex because farnesylated and geranylgeranylated forms of RhoB (RhoB-F and RhoB-GG) both exist in cells. Here, we show that RhoB farnesylation in vitro can be catalyzed by protein farnesyltransferase and that the peptidomimetic FTI L-739,749 inhibits the farnesylation of RhoB both in vitro and in intact cells. In drug-treated cells, the level of RhoB-GG increased in parallel with the decrease in RhoB-F. In addition to altering RhoB prenylation, L-739,749 suppressed RhoB-dependent cell growth. Taken together, the results suggest that the inhibitory effects of FTIs on RhoB function can be mediated by a relative loss of RhoB-F, a gain of RhoB-GG, or both. Our findings strengthen the causal link between RhoB inhibition and the anti-transforming effects of FTIs and indicate that differently prenylated forms of RhoB may have unique functions.
Utility-Based Flow Control for Sequential Imagery over Wireless Networks

Wireless sensor networks provide a unique set of characteristics that make them suitable for building surveillance, including their small size and unobtrusiveness and their capabilities for rapid deployment, decentralized monitoring and control. Bandwidth utilization constrains the success of a wireless surveillance system, especially when the network serves to transmit video imagery. Creating an effective information management policy will help to obtain an allocation of bandwidth that is "best" from the end user's perspective. This paper presents a decentralized pricing-based flow control method to allocate bandwidth across multiple competing cameras that are simultaneously attempting to make use of a shared, low bit-rate wireless channel. At present, this flow control model is being integrated into a building surveillance system in which off-the-shelf cameras detect intruders and then start streaming data according to user-specified preferences for quality, where various components of the flow control system monitor bandwidth utilization and adjust the quality settings of image streams to maximize end-user utility.
Kidney function and markers of inflammation in elderly persons without chronic kidney disease: The health, aging, and body composition study

Inflammatory markers are elevated in persons with estimated glomerular filtration rates less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. As cystatin C may detect small changes in kidney function not detected by estimated glomerular filtration rate, we evaluated the association between cystatin C and serum markers of inflammation in older adults with estimated glomerular filtration rate >or=60. This is an analysis using measures from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study, a cohort of well-functioning adults aged 70-79 years. Cystatin C correlated with all five inflammatory biomarkers: C-reactive protein (r=0.08), interleukin-6 (r=0.19), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) (r=0.41), soluble TNF receptor 1 (STNF-R1) (r=0.61), and soluble TNF receptor 2 (STNF-R2) (r=0.54); P or=1.0 mg/l had significantly higher levels of all five biomarkers compared to those with a cystatin C or=60; associations are particularly strong with TNF-alpha and the STNF-R.
Cesarean Delivery in Native American Women: Are Low Rates Explained by Practices Common to the Indian Health Service?

BACKGROUND: Studying populations with low cesarean delivery rates can identify strategies for reducing unnecessary cesareans in other patient populations. Native American women have among the lowest cesarean delivery rates of all United States populations, yet few studies have focused on Native Americans. The study purpose was to determine the rate and risk factors for cesarean delivery in a Native American population. METHODS: We used a case-control design nested within a cohort of Native American live births, > or = 35 weeks of gestation (n = 789), occurring at an Indian Health Service hospital during 1996-1999. Data were abstracted from the labor and delivery logbook, the hospital's primary source of birth certificate data. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined demographic, prenatal, obstetric, intrapartum, and fetal factors associated with cesarean versus vaginal delivery. RESULTS: The total cesarean rate was 9.6 percent (95% CI 7.2-12.0). Nulliparity, a medical diagnosis, malpresentation, induction, labor length > 12.1 hours, arrested labor, fetal distress, meconium, and gestations < 37 weeks were each significantly associated with cesarean delivery in unadjusted analyses. The final multivariate model included a significant interaction between induction and arrested labor (p < 0.001); the effect of arrested labor was far greater among induced (OR 161.9) than noninduced (OR 6.0) labors. Other factors significantly associated with cesarean delivery in the final logistic model were an obstetrician labor attendant (OR 2.4; p = 0.02) and presence of meconium (OR 2.3; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher prevalence of medical risk factors for cesarean delivery, the rate at this hospital was well below New Mexico (16.4%, all races) and national (21.2%, all races) cesarean rates for 1998. Medical and practice-related factors were the only observed independent correlates of cesarean delivery. Implementation of institutional and practitioner policies common to the Indian Health Service may reduce cesarean deliveries in other populations.
Two-Dimensional Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Fluid Flow Modeling of Piston Top Ring Considering Elastic Deformation in Initial Engine Start Up

The absence of Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHL) between the first piston compression ring (top ring) and the liner surface in the initial engine startup causes adhesive wear whereas the presence of such a film enhances engine life by wear prevention. In the current work, a two dimensional model is presented for barrel-faced ring profile by considering elastic deformation and EHL. A non-axisymmetric elliptical cylinder bore and an elastic ring are considered to determine circumferential flow. The EHL film profile is generated by solving the two dimensional Reynolds equation using inverse solution technique and finite difference method in fully flooded lubrication condition. The results show that piston ring lubrication depends on the bore shape or bore out-of-roundness and lubricating film thickness due to which circumferential flow gets significantly reduced during the initial engine start up.© 2010 ASME
Pain: Evolutionary background and primary stimulus

The evolution of aerobic organisms required the development of oxygen sensors so the organism could avoid anoxic environments. In man these oxygen sensors are known as pain receptors. The skin pain receptor includes the epidermis and the dermal papilla with its capillary and terminal nerve. A pain stimulus such as a pin prick occludes blood flow into the papilla. The epidermal cells consume enough residual oxygen to produce a fall in oxygen tension at the nerve ending sufficient to cause the nerve to fire. The maximum time required for the oxygen drop is 0.04 seconds.
Molecular characterization of avian astroviruses

Astroviruses are frequently associated with enteric diseases in poultry, being isolated from cases of runting-stunting syndrome (RSS) of broiler chickens, poult enteritis complex (PEC), and poult enteritis mortality syndrome (PEMS) of turkeys. Currently, five types of avian astrovirus have been identified: turkey astroviruses 1 and 2 (TAstV-1, TAstV-2), avian nephritis virus (ANV), chicken astrovirus (CAstV) and duck astrovirus (DAstV). The objective of this study was to molecularly characterize the different types of avian astroviruses circulating in commercial poultry. Sequence analysis of a region of ORF2, which encodes the capsid precursor protein associated with serotype and viral pathogenesis, revealed extensive variation in amino acid sequence within each subtype: TAstV-2 (81.5%-100%), ANV (69.9%-100%), and CAstV (85.3%-97.9%). However, this region was more conserved in TAstV-1’s (96.2%-100%). Furthermore, a novel astrovirus was detected in chicken samples and found to be <64% similar to ANV and <30.6% similar to CAstV. The results of this study underline the great genetic variability of avian astroviruses and indicate that there are most likely multiple serotypes of each avian astrovirus circulating in commercial poultry.