cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the concurrent validity of a skills assessment for autism treatment

Abstract Accurate assessment is a critical prerequisite to meaningful curriculum programming for skill acquisition with children with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of an indirect skills assessment. Concurrent validity of the assessment was evaluated by contrasting parent responses to participants’ abilities, as indicated by direct observation of those skills. The degree to which parent report and direct observation were in agreement was measured by Pearson correlation coefficient for each curriculum area. Results indicated moderate to very high levels of agreement between parent report and direct observation of the behaviors. Results are discussed in terms of implications for efficiency of assessment and treatment.
Chlorine gas exposure disrupts nitric oxide homeostasis in the pulmonary vasculature

Exposure to chlorine (Cl2) gas during industrial accidents or chemical warfare leads to significant airway and distal lung epithelial injury that continues post exposure. While lung epithelial injury is prevalent, relatively little is known about whether Cl2 gas also promotes injury to the pulmonary vasculature. To determine this, rats were subjected to a sub-lethal Cl2 gas exposure (400ppm, 30min) and then brought back to room air. Pulmonary arteries (PA) were isolated from rats at various times post-exposure and contractile (phenylephrine) and nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation (acetylcholine and mahmanonoate) responses measured ex-vivo. PA contractility did not change, however significant inhibition of NO-dependent vasodilation was observed that was maximal at 24-48hours post exposure. Superoxide dismutase restored NO-dependent vasodilation suggesting a role for increased superoxide formation. This was supported by ∼2-fold increase in superoxide formation (measured using 2-hydroethidine oxidation to 2-OH-E(+)) from PA isolated from Cl2 exposed rats. We next measured PA pressures in anesthetized rats. Surprisingly, PA pressures were significantly (∼4mmHg) lower in rats that had been exposed to Cl2 gas 24hours earlier suggesting that deficit in NO-signaling observed in isolated PA experiments did not manifest as increased PA pressures in vivo. Administration of the iNOS selective inhibitor 1400W, restored PA pressures to normal in Cl2 exposed, but not control rats suggesting that any deficit in NO-signaling due to increased superoxide formation in the PA, is offset by increased NO-formation from iNOS. These data indicate that disruption of endogenous NO-signaling mechanisms that maintain PA tone is an important aspect of post-Cl2 gas exposure toxicity. Language: en
Design of a Roll-Stabilized Mortar Projectile with Reciprocating Canards

The design of a canard-controlled mortar projectile using a bank-to-turn concept is presented. A unique feature of this smart mortar configuration is that it is equipped with a set of two reciprocating fixed-angle maneuver canards and a set of two reciprocating fixed-angle roll canards. An active control system is designed such that the roll canards set the body in the proper maneuver plane and the maneuver canards extend to perform trajectory corrections. Example results and Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate control system effectiveness in reducing dispersion error due to launch perturbations and winds. Comparison studies with a rolling airframe equipped with reciprocating maneuver canards show that the bank-to-turn approach offers more control authority, eliminates problematic angle-of-attack oscillations, and requires lower-bandwidth actuators.
Electrospun fibers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) blended with poly(lactic acid)

Fibrous blends of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) were fabricated by electrospinning (ES) from a common solvent, at concentrations of PET/PLA = 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70, and 0/100. Oriented fiber mats were studied either as-spun, or after a cold-crystallization treatment. Scanning electron microscopy of as-spun amorphous fibers showed that addition of PLA into the ES solution prevents occurrence of beads. In some compositions, two glass transitions were observed by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry indicating that the two components in the ES fibers were phase separated. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study thermal degradation at high temperatures. PLA degrades at a temperature about 100 °C lower than that of PET, and holding or cycling the blends to high temperature can result in the degradation of PLA. Degree of crystallinity was determined using DSC for as-spun and cold-crystallized ES blend fibers. The degree of crystallinity of each blend component is reduced by the presence of the other blend component, and the overall crystallinity of the blend fibers is less than that of the homopolymer fibers. Wide-angle X-ray scattering results show that oriented crystals were formed in the blended electrospun fibers collected on a rotating collector. The cold-crystallization process leads to both PET and PLA crystallizations. Oriented crystallites form even when the fiber is crystallized with its ends free to shrink.
Temperature Variation in a Circulating Wellbore Fluid

When a fluid is circulated in a wellbore, the temperature profile is determined by the transfer of heat from surrounding formations to the fluid. An analytical solution of the differential equations describing the transfer of heat has been developed. The solution assumes steady flow of heat in the wellbore and is coupled to the transient conduction of heat in the formation. The solution is validated by comparison to temperature measurements from the literature. A parametric study of the sensitivity to operating conditions is included.
Enhancing industry participation in ISCAS and Circuits and Systems Society

Four industry panelists will address the key issues in enhancing industry participation in ISCAS and the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS), with emphasis on industry benefits and possible changes in the Society operations. Significant time will be available for audience questions and participation.
A Role for Operational Research in Health Care Planning and Management Teams

This paper describes a research team's effort in which a formal mathematical model played an integrating and coordinating role for a multidisciplinary team which included operational researchers, e...
Measurement of $\phi$ Production in Proton - Nucleus Collisions at 400-GeV/c

We have measured the invariant cross section for inclusive phi production in proton-nucleus collisions at 400 GeV/c near Feynman chi = 0. For transverse momenta in the range between 0.8 and 3.5 GeV/c the ratio of the phi to ..pi../sup -/ rises from 1 to 7%. We also report on correlations with particles opposite the phi in the center-of-mass system as they relate to the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule.
The Neurobiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

SELECTED CASE AN 18-YEAR-OLD high school girl from a small town in Maine was brought to a psychiatrist by her mother because of her excessive showering and dressing rituals. Showers lasted two hours; it took a half hour to dress. Each act of dressing was counted and had to be repeated precisely 17 times. These behaviors had begun gradually at age 15 years, causing chronic tardiness at school; two months of counseling with the school psychologist was not helpful. When the psychiatrist was consulted, the patient's circle of friends and activities had narrowed, and she was missing school one or two days a week. She had been an outgoing, popular girl, with average grades, who had not previously exhibited unusual concern for neatness, expressed odd thoughts or preoccupations, or presented any behavioral problems of note. When interviewed, she was embarrassed discussing her washing and counting behaviors. She said she "knew
Functional deficits in carpal tunnel syndrome

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a major occupational illness in the US. The Wisconsin Test is a quantitative computer-controlled test battery designed for measuring sensory and psychomotor function. Subjects were recruited from industrial jobs at high-risk for CTS to determine if subtle sensory and motor deficits were observable in a working population. Outcomes were studied for potential use as an injury surveillance instrument. Methods A total of 208 subjects participated (72 males and 136 females). Participants completed a symptom survey, were given a physical examination, administered nerve conduction tests, and were tested using the Wisconsin Test battery. Results The greatest functional deficits were observed when nerve conduction findings were positive and were accompanied by either positive symptom survey outcomes or positive physical exam findings. The presence of symptoms alone were not significantly associated with motor deficits and no significant sensory threshold differences were observed among subjects categorized using any single criterion (i.e., nerve conduction, symptom reports, or examination). Conclusions Measurable and quantifiable sensory and psychomotor deficits were observed in a working industrial population, and were greatest when positive symptoms or physical exam was accompanied by positive nerve conduction test findings. These data show that clinical criteria used in the diagnosis of CTS corresponds with functional psychomotor and sensory impairments measured in these tests. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:133–140, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Estradiol modulates anhedonia and behavioral despair in rats and negative affect in a subgroup of women at high risk for postpartum depression

In an effort to address inconsistencies in the literature, we tested a cross-species estrogen withdrawal model of postpartum depression (PPD) with a series of rodent experiments and a prospective, naturalistic human study. All rats were ovariectomized prior to experimentation. The first rat experiment examined the effects of low- and high-dose estradiol administration and withdrawal on lateral-hypothalamic self-stimulation, a behavioral index of anhedonia, in experimental (n=7) and vehicle-only control animals (n=7). The second rat experiment examined the effects of high-dose estradiol withdrawal on activity and immobility during the forced swim test, an index of behavioral despair, in a separate group of experimental (n=8) and vehicle-only control animals (n=8). In the human study, women with (n=8) and without (n=12) a history of PPD completed mood ratings and collected saliva samples (to assess estradiol levels) daily during the third trimester of pregnancy through 10 days postpartum. The presence of PPD was assessed at one month postpartum. In the animal studies, rats in the estradiol withdrawal group demonstrated significantly greater immobility and less swimming than controls. Estradiol withdrawal resulted in reduced responding for electrical stimulation (multiple intensities) relative to estradiol administration. In the human study, there was no significant association between estradiol and negative affect among women with or without a history of PPD. However, there was a correlation between daily estradiol levels and negative affect in the women with incident PPD at one month postpartum. Despite important cross-species differences, both the rat and human studies provided evidence of the effects of estradiol on perinatal depressive symptoms.
Relationships between retrospective parent reports of developmental milestones and school adjustment at ages 10 to 12 years

ABSTRACT Objective The study's main purpose was to assess the extent to which retrospective parent reports of the child's achievement of early developmental milestones predicted later (fourth to sixth grade) adaptation to stress, and school adjustment and achievement, in a highly stressed urban sample. Method Information about when children achieved key developmental milestones was obtained in individual parent interviews, Information about the child's current school adjustment and achievement was obtained from classroom teachers and school records. Results Factor analysis of a 12-item developmental milestone measure yielded an interpretable two-factor solution, i.e., motor and verbal milestones. Parents of stress-resilient, compared with stress-affected, children reported significantly earlier developmental milestone mastery by their offspring on both factor and total scores. Developmental factor milestone and total scores also related modestly to indicators of good school adjustment and academic achievement at ages 10 to 12 years. Conclusions Delayed mastery of early developmental milestones may be a risk factor toward which preventive interventions can be gainfully targeted.
Stalin's Genocides

Norman Naimark. Stalin's Genocides. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2010. Pp. ix. 163. US$26.95. The organised mass killing of innocent people, defined as genocide by the Polish l...
Differential control of MHR3 promoter activity by isoforms of the ecdysone receptor and inhibitory effects of E75A and MHR3.

MHR3 is an ecdysone-inducible transcription factor whose expression in both Manduca sexta epidermis and the Manduca GV1 cell line is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in vitro. There are four putative ecdysone response elements (EcRE) in the 2.6-kb flanking region of the MHR3 promoter. The most proximal, EcRE1, is necessary for activation of the promoter by 20E in the GV1 cells because the mutation of EcRE1 caused the loss of responsiveness to 20E. Previous studies [Mol. Cell. Biol. 19 (1999) 4897] showed that EcR-B1/USP-1 bound only to EcRE1 and high levels of this complex increased the 20E-induced activation, whereas the presence of high USP-2 prevented this increased activation. When we expressed EcR-A alone or in combination with USP-1 under the control of Autographa californica baculovirus promoter (pIE1hr), the activation of the 2.6-kb promoter by 20E was reduced by about 50%. Moreover, when EcR-A was expressed together with both EcR-B1 and USP-1, it reduced the normal activation caused by EcR-B1 and USP-1 by 50%. Gel mobility shift assays showed no binding of EcR-A/USP-1 to EcRE1. The presence of EcR-A, however, reduced the binding of EcR-B1/USP-1 by about 50%. These findings suggest that EcR-A competes with EcR-B1 for binding of USP-1, leading to a decline in activity of the promoter. In addition, E75A, another ecdysone-induced transcription factor, and MHR3 itself suppressed MHR3 promoter activity by binding to the monomeric response element (MRE2). Therefore, MHR3 can be down-regulated both by itself and by E75A.
Parallel Prefix And Data Association

A new algorithm/architecture is described that tracks objects in a dense multiple target environment, with clutter, false alarms, non-unity probability of detection and occasionally unresolved returns. The algorithm is non-recursive, being a modification of a multiple hypothesis tracker. The architecture is a generalized parallel prefix network, which exploits recent advances in semiconductor technology. The algorithm also exploits two recent advances in parallel sorting and parallel string matching.
Childhood experiences of trauma and loss have different relations to maternal Unresolved and Hostile-Helpless states of mind on the AAI.

This study of 45 high-risk mothers and infants examined the current indirect effects model of intergenerational transmission of disorganized attachment, which posits that maternal childhood experie...
A cladistic analysis of hominoid molars

Abstract Numerical cladistic techniques were used to assess the extent to which molar morphometrics may be useful for phylogenetic inference in the Hominoidea. Thirty-four occlusal landmarks for first and second hominoid molars were used: seven on each maxillary and 10 on each mandibular tooth. Three-dimensional locations of these points were determined using stereophotographs of dental arcades of more than 260 specimens from six species (gorilla, chimpanzee, human, orangutan, siamang, and gibbon). This report emphasizes Wagner parsimony analyses of variously transformed co-ordinates for mandibular and maxillary second molars adjusted for intergroup size differences. When resultant most-parsimonious trees are compared with phenetic molar similarities (Hartman, 1986) , and biomolecular affinities among extant hominoids, it is apparent that molar-based patterns have been largely determined by functional, diet-related adaptations. The impact of evolutionary propinquity is almost indiscernible, which is evidence for the unreliability of odontometrics as phylogenetic indicators at low taxonomic levels.
Practical Considerations For A Design Of A High Precision 3-D Laser Scanner System

The Laboratory for Intelligent Systems of the Division of Electrical Engineering of the National Research Council of Canada is intensively involved in the development of laser-based three-dimensional vision systems and their applications. Two basic systems have been invented. One, based on a double aperture mask in front of a CCD camera, has been developed for robotic applications and control. The other technique is based on an auto-synchronized scanning principle to provide accurate, fast, and reliable 3-D coordinates. Using the latter method, several prototypes have been developed for the acquisition of 3-D data of objects and for inspection. This paper will describe some practical considerations for the design and implementation of triangulation-based 3-D range sensors with emphasis on the latter triangulation technique. Some applications and results will be presented.
A primate species with limited major histocompatibility complex class I polymorphism

Extensive polymorphism at the major histo-compatibility complex (MHC) is thought to confer immune protection on populations. A New World primate, the cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), has a high prevalence of ulcerative colitis and adenocarcinoma of the colon and dies after infection with several human viruses. Lymphocytes from all animals tested expressed on common MHC class I allelic product. Another MHC class I allelic product was expressed by 39 of 41 tested animals. Four other allelic products were also expressed on the lymphocytes of these animals at a frequency of greater than 50%. MHC class II gene products, however, were polymorphic. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed that there were a limited number of cotton-top tamarin MHC class I alleles, whereas the MHC class II gene loci were polymorphic. This sharing of MHC class I alleles is unprecedented in a higher primate species and may play a role in the susceptibility of this endangered species to pathogens.
The Upper Midwest Health Study: A Case-Control Study of Primary Intracranial Gliomas in Farm and Rural Residents

Since several studies indicated that farmers and agricultural workers had an excess risk of brain cancer, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health initiated the Upper Midwest Health Study to examine risk of intracranial glioma in the non-metropolitan population. This population-based, case-control study evaluated associations between gliomas and rural and farm exposures among adults (ages 18 to 80) in four upper midwestern states (Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin). At diagnosis/selection, participants lived in non-metropolitan counties where the largest population center had fewer than 250,000 residents. Cases were diagnosed 1 January 1995 through 31 January 1997. Over 90% of 873 eligible ascertained cases and over 70% of 1670 eligible controls consented to participate. Participants and nonparticipants, evaluated for "critical questions" on main and refusant questionnaires, differed significantly in farming and occupational experience, ethnicity, education, and lifestyle. The 1,175 controls were more likely than the 798 cases to have reported ever drinking alcohol (77% vs. 73%, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0. 73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59-0.92) and having had panoramic dental x-rays (34% vs. 29%, OR 0. 75, CI 0.61-0.92). Controls spent a greater percentage of their lives in non-metropolitan counties (78% vs. 75%, OR 0.81, CI 0.67-1.09). Among ever-farmers, controls were more likely to have had exposure to farm insecticides (57% vs. 50%, OR 0.75, CI 0.59-0.95) and farm animals (96% vs. 91%, OR 0.48, CI 0.25-0.90). Moving to a farm as an adolescent (ages 11 to 20) vs. as an adult was associated with a greater risk of glioma. In our study sample, farm or rural residence and summary farm exposures were associated with decreased glioma risk. However, nonparticipation by never-farming eligible controls could have affected results. Comparisons of farm chemical exposures may clarify associations between farming and glioma that others have reported.
Rate-distortion optimized interactive streaming for scalable bitstreams of light fields

A rate-distortion optimized scheme for interactive light field streaming is proposed. The light field data set is transformed into blocks of wavelet coefficients; each block is coded as a scalable bitstream and stored at the sender. To render a frame, the receiver issues a request for relevant data. Based on the request, the estimated state of the data already at the receiver, the network characteristics, and the desired transmission rate, the sender customizes the outgoing packets in order to minimize the distortion experienced at receiver. Experimental results show that the proposed rate-distortion optimized scheme improves the rendering quality by 0.5~2.1 dB in PSNR over a heuristic scheme at the same rate. Alternatively, it reduces the required bit-rate by 10%~25% over the heuristic scheme at the same rendering quality.
A summary of the Dynamics Explorer /DE/-2 spacecraft attitude control operations and dynamics

A summary of attitude control operations and observed attitude dynamics for the Dynamics Explorer (DE)-2 spacecraft is presented. By performing a systematic analysis of spacecraft drift and through optimization of modeling parameters in dynamics simulators, insight is given into spacecraft dynamics, techniques for reducing drift, and methods for streamlining operational procedures. This paper discusses how attitude and momentum drift were reduced for DE-2 by changing spacecraft geometry, altering operational procedures and making timely use of the control modes available. Attempts to correlate spacecraft drift activity with known environmental variables are made with only limited success.
Dual-Polarized Sinuous Antennas on Extended Hemispherical Silicon Lenses

This paper examines the performance of dual-linear sinuous antennas on silicon extended hemispherical silicon dielectric lenses. A theoretical impedance of 106 Ω is identified based on the analysis of an ideal self-complementary structure, and this result compares well with simulations and measurements. The radiation properties of a linearly polarized sinuous antenna are simulated using Method of Moments software coupled to a GO/PO code, and also agree well with measurements. The results indicate that the sinuous antenna is an excellent wideband planar feed for a silicon lens, with cross-polarization levels below -17 dB, and polarization variations of ±5° over two octaves in frequency. The application areas are millimeter-wave, wideband, dual-polarized radio-astronomy receivers.
Surgical management of 10 genitofemoral neuralgias at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

OBJECTIVE: This is a retrospective review of the charts of 10 patients with genitofemoral neuralgia who underwent neurectomy at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center between 1967 and 2000. Operations associated with these neuralgias and postoperative pain outcomes were analyzed. METHODS: The charts of 10 patients with genitofemoral neuralgias were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The distribution of the 10 genitofemoral neuralgias with regard to right or left side and sex was found to be equal. L1 and L2 nerve blocks had resulted in a complete or substantial decrease in pain before neurectomy was recommended. Of six iatrogenic injuries (60%), gynecological surgery, including two hysterectomy procedures, resulted in a total of three genitofemoral neuralgias (50%), and vasectomy procedures antedated two nerve injuries (33%). Four (40%) of the 10 patients had injury to the genitofemoral nerve after blunt abdominal trauma. Genitofemoral neurectomy was performed in all genitofemoral neuralgia patients after conservative therapy had failed. This procedure resulted in considerable pain relief in all 10 patients, whether their injury was the result of iatrogenic causes or trauma. CONCLUSION: Genitofemoral neuralgias are infrequent conditions; however, 10 patients were accrued and analyzed in this study, and most had considerable or complete pain relief after neurectomy.
Structural effects of amino acid substitutions on the P21 proteins: Evidence for a malignant conformation

The conformational effects of different amino acid substitutions for Gly at position 12 in theras-oncogene-encoded P21 proteins have been investigated using conformational energy calculations. Mutations that cause amino acid substitutions for Gly 12 result in a protein that produces malignant transformation of cells. It had previously been shown that substitution of Val, Lys, or Ser for Gly at position 12 results in a major conformational change, and that the preferred lowest energy structure for each of the substituted peptides is identical. It is now found that substitution for Gly 12 of other amino acids that have widely disparate helix-nucleating potentials and completely different side chains (Asp, Asn, Cys, Phe, Tle, Leu, and Ala) all produce this identical lowest energy conformation. This finding is consistent with the recent results of site-specific mutagenesis experiments showing that P21 proteins containing these amino acids at position 12 all promote malignant transformation of cells and suggests the existence of a “malignancy-causing” conformation for the P21 proteins.
A biomechanical comparison of double-plate and Y-plate fixation for comminuted equine second phalangeal fractures

Objectives— To compare the biomechanical properties, in full limb preparations, of intact second phalanx and a simulated comminuted second phalangeal fracture stabilized with either two bone plates or a custom Y-plate. Study Design— In vitro biomechanical assessment of intact limbs and of paired limbs with a simulated second phalangeal fracture stabilized by one of two fixation methods. Animal Population Thirteen pairs of equine cadaveric forelimbs. Methods— A comminuted second phalangeal fracture was created in six paired cadaveric limbs. For each limb pair, the fracture was stabilized with two plates in one limb, and with a Y-plate in the contralateral limb. These limbs and seven pairs of intact limbs were subjected to axial compression in a single cycle until failure. Mechanical properties were compared with a mixed-model ANOVA and post hoc contrasts. Joint contact pressure, screw insertion torque, and final screw torque remaining after mechanical testing were also evaluated for constructs. Results— No significant differences in mechanical testing variables were detected between construct types. However, the Y-Plate construct had significantly greater yield load, yield displacement and yield energy, and failure load and stiffness values than those for intact specimens, whereas the double-plate construct only had greater stiffness than intact specimens. There were no significant differences in joint contact pressures for both constructs. The final screw torque for proximal phalangeal screws was significantly greater for the Y-plate constructs than for double-plate constructs. Conclusions— The Y-plate was as effective as the double-plate technique for stabilization of simulated comminuted second phalangeal fractures in monotonically tested equine cadaveric forelimbs. Clinical Relevance— This investigation supports evaluation of the Y-plate for repair of comminuted second phalangeal fractures in equine patients. Its specific design may facilitate repair of second phalangeal fractures, and may provide increased stability by allowing the proximal fragments of the second phalanx to be fixed with three screws placed through the plate.
Take-all of wheat as affected by tillage and wheat-soybean doublecropping

Abstract The effects of tillage and wheat-soybean doublecropping on take-all, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici . were examined during 1983–1985. Take-all incidence and disease severity (the percentage of roots with symptoms) were significantly greater in 1984 and 1985 in plots with conventional tillage compared to plots having no tillage (direct drilling). This increase in take-all with conventional tillage was also reflected in 1985 as an increase in the proportion of whiteheads. Each measure of disease (disease incidence, disease severity and percent whiteheads) was significantly greater under conventional tillage when the 3 yr were combined for analysis of variance. Take-all incidence and severity were not affected by doublecropping wheat with soybean when compared with wheat monocropping. No differences in the amount of buried wheat residue in the upper 15 cm were found between the two tillage systems. The implications of the rate of residue decomposition under the two tillage systems to inoculum potential are discussed. G. graminis var. graminis was isolated from soybean pods in 1983 but not in 1984. Isolates of G. graminis var. graminis were not pathogenic to wheat. G. graminis var. tritici was never isolated from soybean pods, leaves or roots.
Every Equation Tells a Story: Using “Equation Dictionaries” in Introductory Geophysics

Many students view equations as a series of variables and operators into which numbers should be plugged rather than as representative of a physical process. To solve a problem they may simply look...
Physical Attractiveness in Schizophrenia The Mediating Role of Social Skill

The role of social skill in mediating perceived physical attractiveness among individuals with chronic schizophrenia was investigated. Twenty five inpatients participated in an unstructured role play. The physical attractiveness of the individuals was rated both before and after observation of the role play by two pairs of raters. Social skill was rated by a third pair of raters. The two ratings of physical attractiveness were only weakly correlated with one another. Social skill contributed variance independent of initial attractiveness to post-role-play attractiveness. Practical implications of the findings (i.e., stigma issues and social skills training) are discussed.
Relative Photon-to-Carrier Efficiencies of Alternating Nanolayers of Zinc Phthalocyanine and C60 Films Assessed by Time-Resolved Terahertz Spectroscopy

Multilayer and 1:1 blended films of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and buckminsterfullerene (C60) were investigated as model active layers for solar cells by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS)...
An atomistic study of the dislocation core structures and mechanical behavior of a model D019 alloy

Abstract As in many other intermetallics, the principal features of the plastic behavior of hexagonal D019 compounds appear to be controlled by the structure of dislocation cores. In the present paper we investigate the possible core configurations of the 〈 1 2 1 0〉 screw dislocations on basal and prism planes in a model D019 structure. First an N-body potential describing atomic interactions in a mechanically and structurally stable model D019 lattice is presented. This potential is then used to investigate the stability of planar faults on basal and prismatic planes and to calculate the core structures of the 1 3 〈 1 2 1 0〉 screw superpartials bounding antiphase boundaries on these planes. The possible microscopic origins of the basic characteristics of the plastic deformation of Ti3Al and Mn3Sn are then discussed in the light of these results.
The Overlap Between Respiratory Bronchiolitis and Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia in Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: High-Resolution CT, Histologic, and Functional Correlations

Objectives To characterize the histologic, high-resolution CT (HRCT), and functional correlates of respiratory bronchiolitis (RB)/desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP)-like changes in biopsy specimens of adults with pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH). Methods We retrospectively identified 14 adult patients with histologically proven PLCH (all smokers) in whom both biopsy specimens and HRCT were available for review. The presence and extent of RB/DIP-like changes on lung biopsy specimens of patients with PLCH were correlated with total pack-years of smoking, lung function variables, and the presence of ground-glass attenuation on HRCT. Results Varying degrees of RB/DIP-like changes were identified in all biopsy specimens. The extent of involvement with RB/DIP-like changes correlated with the cumulative exposure to cigarettes smoked at the time of biopsy ( r = 0.61, p=0.03). Ground-glass attenuation was detected in three HRCTs, two of which had extensive RB/DIP-like changes (≥ 70% involvement) on histology, suggesting that substantial smoking-induced RB/DIP-like changes may be the cause of ground-glass attenuation on the HRCT of patients with PLCH. No correlation was found between the extent of RB/DIP-like changes and total lung capacity, FEV 1 , or diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Conclusions RB/DIP-like changes are exceedingly common in PLCH, may be sufficiently severe to cause the appearance of ground-glass attenuation on HRCT, and correlate with the cumulative exposure to cigarettes smoked. This study provides additional evidence that PLCH, RB, and DIP form a spectrum of interstitial patterns of lung injury to cigarette smoke.
rhGH safety and efficacy update.

Growth hormone (GH) has been used to treat patients with GH deficiency (GHD) since 1960 when it was originally extracted from cadaveric pituitary glands [1]. In 1985, several cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease were identified and attributed to pituitary-derived GH. Later that year, recombinant human GH (rhGH) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The availability of an unlimited supply of rhGH improved access to therapy for children with GHD and the frequency of dosing increased from 3 times each week to 6 or 7 days each week [2]. The increased supply of rhGH allowed investigation into treatment of multiple conditions associated with short stature not associated with GHD leading to FDA approval for treatment of children with growth failure associated with
Whole Virus Mass Analysis by Electrospray Ionization.

This article recounts the development of techniques that lead to the first mass measurement of an intact virus. The results of that experiment, based on the method of charge detection mass spectrometry (CD-MS), are described in the context of other ESI-MS approaches to ultra-high mass ion analysis. The limits of current charge measurement technology are described and prospects for improved virus mass detection with a CMOS integrated circuit ion detector are discussed.
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica

Dry permafrost on Earth is unique to the Antarctic and is found in the upper elevations of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Despite its widespread presence in the Dry Valleys, the factors that control the distribution of dry permafrost and the ice-cemented ground below it are poorly understood. Here I show, by a combination of theoretical analysis and field observations, that the recurrence of snow can explain the depth of dry permafrost and the location of ice-cemented ground in Antarctica. For data from Linnaeus Terrace at 1600–1650 m elevation in Upper Wright Valley a recurrence intervals of about two years explains the presence of ground ice at 25 cm depth, under 12.5 cm of dry permafrost. Snow recurrence periods longer than 10 years would create only dry permafrost at this site. The snow gradient in University Valley resulting from the windblown snow from the polar plateau creates a corresponding gradient in the depth to ice-cemented ground. On the floor of Beacon Valley, the presence of dry permafrost without underlying ice-cemented ground indicates snow recurrence intervals of more than 10 years and implies that the ancient massive ice in this valley is not stable. Snow recurrence may also set the depth to ground ice on Mars.
ENU-induced late-onset night blindness associated with rod photoreceptor cell degeneration in zebrafish.

Abstract We describe a dominant mutation, night blindness d (nbd), that causes late-onset rod photoreceptor cell degeneration in zebrafish. The mutation was induced by treating male zebrafish with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU). Visual sensitivity was tested using a behavioral assay based on a visually mediated escape response. At a young age, the heterozygous (nbd+/−) fish did not show any signs of night blindness or retinal degeneration. At 2 years, their behaviorally assessed visual sensitivity was decreased, albeit no alterations in the electroretinogram (ERG) were detected. Histology revealed that in the mutant retinas the rod photoreceptor cell outer segments (ROS) were thinned out. In homozygous larvae (nbd−/−), mass neural degeneration was detectable at about 2 days post fertilization (dpf). They died at an early age, usually no later than 8 dpf. In conclusion, nbd is a dominant mutation that causes late-onset night blindness with slow progression. However, nbd is not photoreceptor cell-specific, as becomes clear from the systemic dysfunctions of the homozygous larvae.
Can an academic department of surgery survive

THIS IS MY 15th year as the chair of an academic department of surgery. Much has happened to surgical departments as we know them and to the delivery of health care during these tumultuous years. Unfortunately, the tumult is not over; it is increasing. To accomplish the mission of teaching, research, and patient care, the comfortable model with which we all grew up will no longer work. The rules have changed. Departmental organization and financial issues are different and the differences will continue to evolve. The following comments focus on these differences. If one guesses correctly and plans properly, a viable, successful department can continue. Conversely, if one guesses wrong (or is unable to respond to change) the opposite might readily occur. ORGANIZATION Orthopedics was the first to separate from the department of surgery; a new department was created 6 months before my appointment as the department of surgery chair.
The Disunity of Science

A question which has long concerned epistemologists and philosophers of science is whether science is a process which can be expected at some time to reach a terminus. If one does suppose that science will one day be finished, it is clear that one requires a conception of its scope. If, for example, one thought that it consisted of a loosely connected collection of more or less independent theories designed to meet particular theoretical or practical interests, then the view that science might one day be finished would require the extremely incautious prediction that we would at some point cease to acquire any new interests. On the other hand, a position which lends considerable support to the conception of science as converging on a terminus of final truth is the belief that it is in the process of being unified. Such unification is conceived of as proceeding by means of the reduction of each part of science to the science which deals with the structural components of the objects studied by the first science; and since this process is transitive, it follows that if it were to continue to completion, all of science would have been reduced to particle physics. And this provides a rather startling answer to the question about the scope of science: in a strong sense this is just particle physics. It is true that working out the details of the reductions might be complicated and tedious; but the only fundamental scientific laws would be those of particle physics. If any new scientific problems were to arise we would always know in principle how to solve them, i.e., by finding out what was going on at the microphysical level. This is the kind of reductionism which I shall be arguing against in this paper, and the falsity of which is implied by its title. Before getting down to serious arguments, it is necessary to distinguish between some very different reductionist theses that are sometimes proposed. Perhaps the most fundamental distinction that needs to be made is that between reduction in principle and reduction in fact. In metaphysics generally, and particularly in the philosophy of mind, it is frequently thought important to assert the
Letter by Moll Regarding Article, “Hemostatic Therapy in Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage Associated With the Direct Thrombin Inhibitor Dabigatran”

To the Editor: No published data exist on how to best manage patients who have major bleeding at the time of being treated with dabigatran. Several management algorithms have been proposed,1–3 but suggestions for use of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC), recombinant factor VIIa, or fresh-frozen plasma are based on ex vivo reversal of abnormal coagulation tests, animal data, and a study of human volunteers1,4 In view of the vacuum of clinical data the study by Zhou et al5 and its conclusion that “the study provides strong evidence that PCC prevent excess …
Cavity nucleation calculations for irradiated metals

A theory of helium-assisted cavity nucleation in irradiated metals is modified and applied to conditions of continuous helium generation. The theory considers the nucleation and growth of cavities by coprecipitation of vacancies, interstitials, and inert gas atoms. Calculations are performed for type 304 stainless steel for comparison with ion irradiation experiments at ~ 2 × 10−4dpa/s, with helium implantation at the rate of ~10−2 appm/s, to a total damage of ~ 5 dpa, over the temperatures 773–973 K. Total cavity number density calculated ranges from 1023 m−3 at 773 K to 1020 m−3 at 973 K. The calculated incubation time for cavity appearance is 1000–3000 s (0.2–0.6 dpa). The calculated plot of cavity density versus time approximately reproduces the experimental data. Predicted cavity size distributions are roughly bell-shaped, but skewed in favor of larger cavity sizes. Calculated and experimental mean sizes agree within a factor of 3. The predictions of the model are found to change very little when most parameters are varied within reasonable limits. The model is, however, found to be strongly sensitive to cavity : matrix surface energy, as well as the rate that helium atoms are displaced from dislocations.
Poverty in Sudan

This paper analyzes poverty in Sudan in 1967-68 and 1978-80 in rural and urban areas and in Khartoum and in the nation as a whole. It uses a modified version of the Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) model to estimate the number of poor people and the severity of their poverty. It estimates that while the level of poverty increased, its severity decreased in 1978-80 compared to 1967-68. A review of available evidence shows that the level of poverty and it's severity must have increased considerably in the 1980s.
Pharmacological characterization of desensitization in a human mGlulα-expressing non-neuronal cell line co-transfected with a glutamate transporter

1. Stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by human mGlu1 alpha (HmGlu1 alpha) was examined in a non-neuronal cell line (AV12-664) co-expressing both HmGlu1 alpha and a rat glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST). 2. Desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha could be elicited by inhibition of the GLAST transporter with the glutamate uptake inhibitor, L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (trans-PDC). Maximal inhibition of HmGlu1 alpha-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis was induced upon 24 h pretreatment with trans-PDC. The concentration of glutamate in the extracellular medium also rose significantly in cells pretreated with trans-PDC. Glutamate levels increased upon incubation with trans-PDC in a time-dependent manner, with maximal glutamate levels attained after 24 h incubation with trans-PDC. 3. The time required for desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha by trans-PDC was compared to the time course for desensitization elicited by the direct-acting mGlu receptor agonists, 1-aminocyclopentane-1S,3R-dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD) and (R,S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (3,5-DHPG). Both direct-acting mGlu receptor agonists elicited desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha more rapidly than did trans-PDC, with maximal inhibition of agonist-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis upon 12 h pretreatment. Agonist-induced desensitization could be fully reversed upon washout of agonist for 12 h. 4. Both mGlu receptor agonist- and trans-PDC-induced desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha could be blocked by inclusion of (+)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG), an mGlu receptor antagonist, in the pretreatment medium. 5. Agonist-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis by HmGlu1 alpha was found to parallel closely agonist-induced desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha. Thus, the EC50 values for 1S,3R-ACPD- and 3,5-DHPG-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis were similar to the EC50 values for eliciting desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha. 6. These studies demonstrate desensitization of recombinant human mGlu1 alpha receptor in a non-neuronal cell line in which the receptor can be regulated by direct activation or by manipulation of glutamate transporter activity. Desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha was found to be mediated by activation of the receptor since the mGlu receptor antagonist, MCPG, blocked both mGlu receptor agonist- and trans-PDC-induced desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha. Furthermore, agonist-induced desensitization of HmGlu1 alpha was found to parallel receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis.
Yet another survey of graduate programs in computer science

This paper performs a quantitative ranking of the graduate programs in computer science at major universities in the United States and Canada. The rankings are based on the number of journal articles which have appeared in 12 major journals over the past two years. The paper also includes a ranking of major corporate research centers and foreign universities. The paper concludes with suggestions about how, in the future, such surveys should be conducted under the auspices of the professional organizations of computer science, e.g., ACM, SIGCSE.
Recombination Limits on Charge Separation by Hydrometeors in Clouds

Abstract Several Of the modern hypotheses that explain thundercloud electrification by charge transfers between particles in clouds do so by ignoring any recombination effects in subsequent interactions of the products of earlier charge separations. As this approach is unrealistic, solutions of the continuity relations for the concentrations of the neutral and of the charged cloud droplets are provided. These show that the concentrations of developed charged droplets are probably appreciably less than estimated in the hypotheses involving precipitation. Similarly, as shown by Colgate, recombination also limits the charge carried downward by falling hydrometeors. Accordingly, the sustained charge-separating ability of sedimenting precipitation is open to question.