cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Ultrafast Vibrational Coherences in Polyatomic Radical Cations with Strong-Field Adiabatic Ionization

We present a pump-probe method for preparing vibrational coherences in polyatomic radical cations and probing their ultrafast dynamics. By shifting the wavelength of the strong-field ionizing pump pulse from the commonly used 800 nm into the near-infrared (1200-1600 nm), the contribution of adiabatic electron tunneling to the ionization process increases relative to multiphoton absorption. Adiabatic ionization results in predominant population of the ground electronic state of the ion upon electron removal, which effectively prepares a coherent vibrational state ("wave packet") amenable to subsequent excitation. In our experiments, the coherent vibrational dynamics are probed with a weak-field 800 nm pulse and the time-dependent yields of dissociation products measured in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. We present the measurements on the molecule dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) to illustrate how using 1500 nm pulses for excitation enhances the amplitude of coherent oscillations in ion yields by a factor of 10 as compared to 800 nm pulses. This protocol may be implemented in existing pump-probe setups through the incorporation of an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) for wavelength conversion.
Self-regulation and STEM persistence in minority and non-minority students across the first year of college.

Psychological factors have been implicated in STEM persistence but remain poorly understood. In particular, the role of self-regulation—the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional skills that allow individuals to work efficiently toward their desired goals, especially when under stress—has received minimal attention. Psychological factors may be particularly important for persistence by underrepresented minority (URM) students, many of whom face significant barriers to success in STEM. We examined the extent to which self-regulation predicts STEM persistence in 755 STEM students and whether minority status moderated self-regulation’s associations with STEM persistence. We found minimal differences in self-regulation styles between URM and nonunderrepresented minority students. Baseline cognitive-emotional self-regulation predicted intentions to persist in a science career, using alcohol and drugs to cope with stress predicted less persistence in STEM major across the year, and only URM status predicted end-of-year GPA. Cognitive-emotional self-regulation was more strongly related to intentions to persist for URMs, and use of humor coping was related to lower GPA especially for URMs. Future research is needed on self-regulation skills and students’ trajectories of STEM success.
Sport-Related Concussion: Knowledge and Reporting Behaviors Among Collegiate Club-Sport Athletes

Context: Previous literature on sport-related concussion (SRC) knowledge and reporting behaviors has been limited to high school and National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate athletes; h...
Data-driven spectral decomposition of ECoG signal from an auditory oddball experiment in a marmoset monkey: Implications for EEG data in humans

This paper presents a data-driven method to extract spatiotemporal dynamics of mismatch negativity in a marmoset monkey. In this, we treat electrocorticographic (ECoG) data as observables of a skew-product dynamical system and extract the patterns of the neural dynamics from the point of view of the operator-theoretic formulation of ergodic theory. We successfully extract time-separable frequencies without bandpass filtering. Second, we examine in more detail the frequency band most commonly associated with MMN-beta-band activity (13-20 Hz) and proceed to cross-validate our results with those obtained by Komatsu, Takaura, and Fuji (2015). Having ensured the compatibility and statistical significance of the results, we then examine the spatiotemporal dynamics, and we find that MMN is in part driven by a synchronization in brain response following a deviation in the auditory stimuli.
A Potential Novel Therapeutic Approach for Fanconi Anemia

Abstract Lymphoblastoid cells from normal subjects and from patients with the bone marrow failure and cancer prone inherited disease, Fanconi anemia (FA) were treated in culture with psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation (PUVA) in a scheme shown to produce interstrand crosslinks in cellular DNA. Hypersensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinks, with associated increased clastogenicity, is considered to be a diagnostic hallmark of the disease. Following this cells were treated with hydroxyurea, 5 fluorouracil, or high dose thymidine for 24 hours. Clastogenicity and cytotoxicity, measured as trypan blue exclusion, were then found to be markedly increased in FA cells but not in FA cells subsequently treated with any of these other agents. Similar results were also found when all drugs were removed after these treatments and the cells cultured for 10 days without any drug in colony forming ability assays. We propose that the mechanism is related to decrease in the rate of DNA synthesis, which we have shown occurs in normal but not FA cells following PUVA, and which is also produced by these other drugs in the concentrations used here. Hydroxyurea has been used for many years as a safe and effective treatment for sickle cell anemia. It is now proposed as a possible treatment for Fanconi anemia to delay or even prevent development of bone marrow failure and/or other complications, including leukemogenesis and carcinogenesis, with or without prior bone marrow transplantation.
Pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamics of morphine and its active metabolites in horses after intravenous administration of four doses

The objective of the current study was to describe and characterize the pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamic effects of morphine and its two major metabolites in horses following several doses of morphine. A total of ten horses were administered a single intravenous dose of morphine: 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mg/kg, or saline control. Blood samples were collected up to 72 hr, analyzed for morphine, and metabolites by LC/MS/MS, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. Step count, heart rate and rhythm, gastrointestinal borborygmi, fecal output, packed cell volume, and total protein were also assessed. Morphine-3 glucuronide (M3G) was the predominant metabolite detected, with concentrations exceeding those of morphine-6 glucuronide (M6G) at all time points. Maximal concentrations of M3G and M6G ranged from 55.1 to 504 and 6.2 to 28.4 ng/ml, respectively, across dose groups. The initial assessment of morphine pharmacokinetics was done using noncompartmental analysis (NCA). The volume of distribution at steady-state and systemic clearance ranged from 9.40 to 16.9 L/kg and 23.3 to 32.4 ml min-1 kg-1 , respectively. Adverse effects included signs of decreased gastrointestinal motility and increased central nervous excitation. There was a correlation between increasing doses of morphine, increases in M3G concentrations, and adverse effects. Findings from this study support direct administration of purified M3G and M6G to horses to better characterize the pharmacokinetics of morphine and its metabolites and to assess pharmacodynamic activity of these metabolites.
Integrating field-based heat tents and cyber-physical system technology to phenotype high night-time temperature impact on winter wheat

Many agronomic traits have been bred into modern wheat varieties, but wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) continues to be vulnerable to heat stress, with high night-time temperature (HNT) stress shown to have large negative impact on yield and quality. Global mean temperature during the day is consistently warming with the minimum night temperature increasing at a much quicker pace. Currently, there is no system or method that allows crop scientists to impose HNT stress at key developmental stages on wheat or crops in general under field conditions, involving diverse genotypes and maintaining a dynamic temperature differential within the tents compared to the outside. Through implementation of a side roll up and a top ventilation system, heaters, and a custom cyber-physical system using a Raspberry Pi, the heat tents were able to consistently maintain an elevated temperature through the night to differentiate heat stress impact on different genotypes. When the tents were placed in their day-time setting they were able to maintain ambient day-time temperature without having to be removed and replaced on the plots. Data averaged from multiple sensors over three consecutive weeks resulted in a consistent but small temperature difference of 0.25 °C within the tents, indicating even distribution of heat. While targeting a temperature differential of 4 °C, the tents were able to maintain an average differential of 3.2 °C consistently throughout the night-time heat stress period, compared to the outside ambient conditions. The impact of HNT stress was confirmed through a statistically significant yield reduction in eleven of the twelve genotypes tested. The average yield under HNT stress was reduced by 20.3% compared to the controls, with the highest reduction being 41.4% and a lowest reduction of 6.9%. Recommendations for fine-tuning the system are provided. This methodology is easily accessible and can be widely utilized due to its flexibility and ease of construction. This system can be modified and improved based on some of the recommendations and has the potential to be used across other crops or plants as it is not reliant on access to any hardwired utilities. The method tested will help the crop community to quantify the impact of HNT stress, identify novel donors that induce tolerance to HNT and help the breeders develop crop varieties that are resilient to changing climate.
One-year clinical outcomes following theta burst stimulation for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) is a potential new treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We previously reported active intermittent TBS (iTBS) was associated with superior clinical outcomes for up to 1-month, in a sample of fifty veterans with PTSD, using a crossover design. In that study, participants randomized to the active group received a total of 4-weeks of active iTBS, or 2-weeks if randomized to sham. Results were superior with greater exposure to active iTBS, which raised the question of whether observed effects persisted over the longer-term. This study reviewed naturalistic outcomes up to 1-year from study endpoint, to test the hypothesis that greater exposure to active iTBS would be associated with superior outcomes. The primary outcome measure was clinical relapse, defined as any serious adverse event (e.g., suicide, psychiatric hospitalization, etc.,) or need for retreatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Forty-six (92%) of the initial study’s intent-to-treat participants were included. Mean age was 51.0 ± 12.3 years and seven (15.2%) were female. The group originally randomized to active iTBS (4-weeks active iTBS) demonstrated superior outcomes at one year compared to those originally randomized to sham (2-weeks active iTBS); log-rank ChiSq = 5.871, df = 1, p = 0.015; OR = 3.50, 95% CI = 1.04–11.79. Mean days to relapse were 296.0 ± 22.1 in the 4-week group, and 182.0 ± 31.9 in the 2-week group. When used, rTMS retreatment was generally effective. Exploratory neuroimaging revealed default mode network connectivity was predictive of 1-year outcomes (corrected p < 0.05). In summary, greater accumulated exposure to active iTBS demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in the year following stimulation, and default mode connectivity could be used to predict longer-term outcomes.
6-Nitrochrysene-Derived C8-2'-Deoxyadenosine Adduct: Synthesis of Site-Specific Oligodeoxynucleotides and Mutagenicity in Escherichia coli.

6-Nitrochrysene (6-NC), the most potent carcinogen evaluated by the newborn mouse assay, is metabolically activated by nitroreduction and a combination of ring oxidation and nitroreduction pathways. The nitroreduction pathway yields three major DNA adducts: at the C8 and N2 positions of 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG), N-(dG-8-yl)-6-AC and 5-(dG-N2-yl)-6-AC, and at the C8 position of 2′-deoxyadenosine (dA), N-(dA-8-yl)-6-AC. A nucleotide excision repair assay demonstrated that N-(dA-8-yl)-6-AC is repaired much more slowly than many other bulky DNA adducts, including the other DNA adducts formed by 6-NC. But neither the total synthesis nor evaluation of other biological activities of this dA adduct has ever been reported. Herein, we report a convenient synthesis of the 6-NC-derived dA adduct by employing the Buchwald–Hartwig coupling strategy, which provided a high yield of the protected N-(dA-8-yl)-6-AC. The deprotected nucleoside showed syn conformational preference by NMR spectroscopy. Following DMT protection o...
Productivity and soil quality of organic forage, quinoa, and grain cropping systems in the dryland Pacific Northwest, USA

Abstract Organic management is rapidly expanding as an alternative to conventional agriculture, but maintaining sufficient available soil nitrogen (N) supply is a challenge for organic systems in the semiarid regions of the US Pacific Northwest (PNW). Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a potential new crop for such systems, but there are many knowledge gaps regarding impacts of quinoa in crop rotations in the US. Here we tested the effects of quinoa in organic crop rotations for the Palouse region of the PNW. Specifically, we evaluated eight 3-year grain crop sequences, as part of a longer rotation with alfalfa, on the following metrics: crop productivity, soil N budgets, soil microbial parameters, arbuscular mycorrhizae, and soil aggregate size distribution. Organic crop yields averaged 495, 2736, and 2403 kg ha−1 for chickpea, barley, and wheat, respectively (33 %, 79 % and 77 % of the respective crop county averages). Yields were affected by weather across growing seasons, as were the amount and quality of residues, which in turn influenced soil N cycling. Overall soil N supply decreased slightly through the 3-yr sequences. Cereal grain yields were correlated with inorganic N (IN), and the correlation was stronger for subsurface (30−150 cm) depths than the surface (0−30 cm); IN was sufficient to support high cereal yields even in the later years when weather was suitable, but cereal yields overall may have been N-limited. Crop yields were more highly correlated with spring surface soil potentially mineralizable N than with spring surface IN. More inorganic N was available in surface (0−30 cm) post-harvest soil following quinoa (13.1 kg N ha-1 more) compared to wheat, but quinoa yields were low, with a 4-yr average of 104 kg ha−1. Soil microbial biomass and activity were not affected by sequence treatments. Although plants of the family Amaranthaceae are often considered “non-mycorrhizal”, moderate rates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization were observed in quinoa. However, AMF colonization was lower in quinoa compared to other grains in the sequences, and the colonization of crops following quinoa was lower than following wheat. Soil structure was finer after quinoa, with a higher proportion of aggregates in the smaller size classes. Our results show that quinoa affects soil properties, and that organic management of 3-yr dryland grain sequences in rotation with alfalfa are possible in this area, given efficient N cycling through crop residues.
Development of a surgical procedure for removal of a placentome from a pregnant ewe during gestation

In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in the impact of insults during pregnancy on postnatal health and disease. It is known that changes in placental development can impact fetal growth and subsequent susceptibility to adult onset diseases; however, a method to collect sufficient placental tissues for both histological and gene expression analyses during gestation without compromising the pregnancy has not been described. The ewe is an established biomedical model for the study of fetal development. Due to its cotyledonary placental type, the sheep has potential for surgical removal of materno-fetal exchange tissues, i.e., placentomes. A novel surgical procedure was developed in well-fed control ewes to excise a single placentome at mid-gestation. A follow-up study was performed in a cohort of nutrient-restricted ewes to investigate rapid placental changes in response to undernutrition. The surgery averaged 19 min, and there were no viability differences between control and sham ewes. Nutrient restricted fetuses were smaller than controls (4.7 ± 0.1 kg vs. 5.6 ± 0.2 kg; P < 0.05), with greater dam weight loss (− 32.4 ± 1.3 kg vs. 14.2 ± 2.2 kg; P < 0.01), and smaller placentomes at necropsy (5.7 ± 0.3 g vs. 7.2 ± 0.9 g; P < 0.05). Weight of sampled placentomes and placentome numbers did not differ. With this technique, gestational studies in the sheep model will provide insight into the onset and complexity of changes in gene expression in placentomes resulting from undernutrition (as described in our study), overnutrition, alcohol or substance abuse, and environmental or disease factors of relevance and concern regarding the reproductive health and developmental origins of health and disease in humans and in animals.
Getting serious about serous endometrial cancer: should we give chemotherapy in non-invasive cases?

Serous cancers are an uncommon sub-type of endometrial cancer. While they account for only 10% of newly diagnosed endometrial carcinomas, they comprise more than one-third of recurrences and 40% of endometrial cancer-related deaths.[1][1] Five-year survival rates for early- and advanced-stage serous
Comments concerning “Volumetric properties, viscosity coefficients and aggregation behaviour of DBU-acetate protic ionic liquid in molecular solvents”

Abstract A polemic is given regarding the recent paper published by Musale and coworkers. The authors' calculated apparent partial molar volumes of 2,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-en-8-ium acetate [DBUH][OAc] dissolved in water at 298.15 K are found to be miscalculated, and are not consistent with the experimental density data reported in the paper.
Beyond the Binary of Adult Versus Child Centered Learning: Pedagogies of Joint Activity in the Context of Making

This paper argues that the terms through which we interpret and work to develop expansive pedagogical practices are overly constrained by the binary of adult-centered versus child-centered educatio...
Fear of fraud and willingness to pay for hybrid maize seed in Kenya

Abstract Concerns about poor seed quality and outright fraud in seed supply chains can reduce farmers’ willingness to invest in hybrid seeds and in complementary inputs that increase crop yields and improve food security. In Kenya, seed companies have started marketing their seed using novel packaging features to signal product quality and authenticity. We use experimental auctions with smallholder farmers in Kenya’s Nyanza Province to assess (1) farmer willingness to pay (WTP) for hybrid seed from different sources with different packaging features and (2) how WTP is affected by training on best practices for purchasing seed. We elicited demand for two popular types of hybrid maize seed and a familiar local (non-hybrid) seed. For each hybrid, we examined WTP for one bag purchased directly from the seed company and three bags purchased from local retailers, two of which had compromised packaging. Across both the control and training groups, participants were willing to pay a 15% premium, on average, for bags purchased directly from the seed company compared to mint condition bags purchased from local retailers. Without the training on purchasing seed, farmers did not discount compromised bags; however, farmers who received the training, were willing to pay 15% less for compromised bags. Education and outreach may be required for packaging innovations to increase investments in high-quality hybrid seed that can help enhance the productivity of smallholder farmers.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN AUDITING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY AT A NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

The grade the student intends to earn in the course is a strong motivating factor for students to perform well but intention to take the CPA exam or attend graduate school do not seem to motivate students to improve their performance in the Auditing course. The number of work hours and course load do not seem to have any negative effect on student performance, but students who work in accounting-related jobs perform better than students who work in non-accounting and non-business-related jobs. Class attendance and homework have positive effects on student performance but course study hours and total study hours per week do not. Students seem to make inaccurate evaluation of their math, reading, and listening abilities but make somewhat accurate evaluation of their writing abilities. Lastly, overall GPA is a strong predictor of student performance in the Auditing course. Keywords: auditing; motivation; distraction; efforts; prior abilities; student performance.
What characteristics make self-generated memory cues effective over time?

From writing to-do lists to creating mnemonic devices in school, people frequently generate cues to help them remember information. Creating memory cues is a vital aspect of metacognition and allow...
Beyond actuator line arrays in active flow control studies: Lessons from a genetic algorithm approach

Active flow control with microjets in crossflow is a promising technology to improve the performance of many engineering flows. Predicting effective placement for the microjets at the surface of the aerodynamic model remains an unsolved challenge due to the complex interactions between the jets and the main flow. We propose and demonstrate a fully experimental, model-free approach using a solenoid array and a genetic algorithm to find a highly effective actuator pattern for drag reduction in the flow over a simplified fuselage afterbody, deploying thousands of actuator configurations in a single experiment and reaching a configuration that achieves a 10% reduction in drag.
Information avoidance during health crises: Predictors of avoiding information about the COVID-19 pandemic among german news consumers.

This study investigates the prevalence of source-specific information avoidance among German consumers and predictors of information-avoidance behavior in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by the Risk Information Seeking and Processing Model (RISP), we propose that the perceived social norms, information insufficiency, risk perception, affective risk response, and attitudes toward seeking predict information avoidance. We supplement the RISP model by considering information overload as the vast volume and the incredulous quality of information in the COVID-19 pandemic challenge individuals' information acquisition and processing. Using a stratified demographic sample of news consumers of a federal German state (N = 1,000), we empirically examined the proposed model, answered the research question, and tested our hypotheses using structural equation modeling. The results reveal information avoidance among one-third of the respondents. They avoided online sources, including online-mediated interpersonal sources, more often than interpersonal sources and traditional mass media. Information avoidance was linked to more negative attitudes toward seeking and negative affective risk responses, more pronounced descriptive and injunctive avoidance norms, and perceived information overload. Attitudes and information overload were the most influential predictors of avoidance. In contrast, risk perception and information insufficiency were not associated with information avoidance. This study provides insights into theory development, contributes to the information behavior literature, and identifies barriers to communication during health crises.
FW-KV: improving read guarantees in PSI

We present FW-KV, a novel distributed transactional in-memory key-value store that guarantees the Parallel Snapshot Isolation (PSI) correctness level. FW-KV's primary goal is to allow its read-only transactions to access more up-to-date (fresher) versions of objects than Walter, the state-of-the-art implementation of PSI. FW-KV achieves that without assuming synchrony or a synchronized clock service. The improved level of freshness comes at no significant performance degradation, especially in low contention workloads, as assessed by our evaluation study including two standard OLTP benchmarks, YCSB and TPC-C. The performance gap between FW-KV and Walter is less than 5% in low contention scenarios, and less than 28% in high contention.
Seasonal disconnects between saprobic and mycorrhizal sporocarp communities in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract The southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States are heavily forested with diverse forest types and vegetation structures and is generally considered a biodiversity hotspot. Fungal sporocarp investigations in this region are not new, but multi-year interseasonal investigations into sporocarp community patterns are rare. Using a 4-year (2014–2017) repeated monthly macrofungal sampling dataset (May–October) across an elevational gradient (associated with vegetation structure), we queried community, seasonal, and guild community ecological patterns. In doing so, we (1) demonstrate a temporal disconnect between saprobic and ectomycorrhizal taxa, (2) describe increased community variability across the growing season, and (3) explore individual taxa occurrences across seasons and examine co-occurrence patterns between taxa and guilds. Further, we explore congruence between sporocarp and metabarcoding fungal datasets and advocate the utility of both sampling schemes.
A killing of Baby Doe.

An anencephalic infant died in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit six hours after birth. Eighteen months later, in a discussion of intrusive federal “Baby Doe” regulations with co-workers at the hospital, a registered nurse mentioned that he had found a way to avoid these provisions, and that he had in fact done so on one occasion by killing this particular infant. A co-worker related his story to police, and the “wheels of justice” were set into motion. I describe the chronology of events and the pathologic findings in this case of infanticide, purportedly committed “with mercyaforethought.”
Optical Methods for the Measurement of Thermal Conductivity

To mitigate the issues associated with conventional methodologies for thermal conductivity measurements, such as those related to contact or thermal boundary resistance, noncontact, optical methods provide an alternate measurement technique. In this article, we briefly review the history of such optical methods and explain the principles involved in the thermoreflectance techniques as applied to silicon thin films. Keywords: anisotropy; in-plane measurements; nanoscale; phonon dispersion; thermal conductivity; thermoreflectance; thin films; silicon
Similarities in Spark and Exploding Wire Discharges

Study of underwater sparks, the aim of which was better understanding of the breakdown phenomena in water and the development of parallel discharges, has underscored the similarity with exploding wire discharges. Energy conversion, initial dynamics, and pause phenomena in spark discharges are some of the many aspects that are common to both types of discharges. The electrical parametefs that govern the behavior of spark discharges such as in the experiments with parallel discharges are relevant to studies of the exploding wires. Some of the applications of parallel discharges which extend the utility of the exploding wires (e.g., generation of strong simultaneous pressure pulses) will be indicated.
Regulation and Characterization of Xylanolytic Enzymes of Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum B6A-RI.

During growth on xylan and xylose Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum B6A-RI produced endoxylanase, β-xylosidase, arabinofuranosidase, and acetyl esterase, and the first three activities appeared to be produced coordinately. During nonlimiting growth on xylan, these enzyme activities were predominantly cell associated; however, during growth on limiting concentrations of xylan, the majority of endoxylanase activity was extracellular rather than cell associated. Endoxylanase, β-xylosidase, and arabinofuranosidase activities were induced by xylan, xylose, and arabinose, respectively. Acetyl esterase activity was constitutive, and endoxylanase activity was catabolite repressed by glucose. Extracellular endoxylanase existed as a high-molecular-weight complex (molecular weight, more than 106). When analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymograms, the crude endoxylanase complex was composed of at least six activity bands. Endoxylanase was purified by gel filtration with Sephacryl S-300 and affinity chromatography with xylan coupled to Sepharose CL-4B preequilibrated to 45°C with 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.0) and eluted with 0.1% soluble xylan. A single area of endoxylanase activity was identified on the zymogram; when this activity was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, it was composed of a major protein with a molecular weight of approximately 160,000 and a minor protein with a molecular weight of approximately 130,000. The endoxylanase activity stained with Schiff's reagent, indicative of glycoproteins, displayed a specific activity of 41 U/mg of protein on xylan, and had pH and temperature optima of 6.0 and 70°C, respectively.
Bayesian wavelet snake for computer-aided diagnosis of lung nodules

An edge-guided active contour based on the wavelet transform called the Bayesian wavelet snake has been developed for identifying a closed-contour object with a fuzzy and low-contrast boundary. The wavelet snake is designed to deform its shape based on a maximum {\it a posteriori} estimate calculated by the fast wavelet transform. Our new method was applied to a computer-aided diagnosis scheme for detection of pulmonary nodules in digital chest radiographs. In this scheme, a filter based on the edge gradient was employed for enhancement of nodules, followed by creation of multiscale edges by spline wavelets for extraction of portions of the boundary of a candidate nodule. These multiscale edges are then used to "guide" the wavelet snake for estimation of the boundary of the nodule. The degree of overlap between the resulting snake and the multiscale edges was used as a feature for distinguishing nodules from false-positive detections that consist of only normal anatomic structures. The wavelet snake was combined with morphological features by means of an artificial neural network for further reduction of false detections. The performance of our scheme was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis based on a publicly available database of chest radiographs.
Comparison of turbulence measurements from a SonTek ADV and a nobska MAVS

A series of velocity measurements made beneath a pier on San Clemente Island off the coast of southern California has been used to compare the performance of two high-frequency acoustic current meters in measuring turbulence. The flow under the pier consists of a weak tidal current, periodic motion due to swell and shorter wind waves, and turbulence induced by the interaction of tidal currents and periodic wave motion with the pilings of the pier. Three 10-MHz SonTek ADV's (Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter) and two Nobska MAVS-3 (Modular Acoustic Velocity Sensor) current meters were attached to a platform at mid-depth (/spl sim/4 m deep) below the pier. Simultaneous data from all the instruments were recorded for various instrument configurations over a period of several days. During the test period, most of the measured rms velocity of 3-4 cm/s was due to 3-12 s period waves and swell. The tidal current varied from slack up to maximum of /spl sim/10 cm/s. Velocity measurements from the two instruments are compared under conditions of both strong and weak current and turbulence level.
A Review of “Legal Considerations in Dentistry”

This book will be a very valuable addition to the library of both the dental practitioner and the dental student. It is easily understandable, very comprehensive, and if read carefully, will lift much of the shroud of mystery which surrounds the law for most dentists.
Mechanical Durability Assurance in Automotive Structures

Approaches for assuring the mechanical durability of ground vehicle structures are reviewed in the context of continuing developments in computer-aided engineering tools. Examples involving service data acquisition, vehicle loads analysis, component stress analysis, damage analysis, and fatigue life prediction are presented to illustrate the impact of new technologies on vehicle design. Finally, some current problem areas and prospects for the development and implementation of improved design strategies are discussed.
Australia antigen and neonatal hepatitis syndrome.

The status of Australia antigen (Au-Ag) and Australia antigen antibody (Au-Ab) was investigated in 27 infants less than 4 months of age with direct reacting hyperbilirubinemia, and in their parents. A diagnosis of viral hepatitis could be excluded in eight infants; of the remaining 19, ten were positive for Au-Ag and another three had suggestive evidence of hepatitis virus B (HBV) infection. The high proportion of infants with neonatal hepatitis associated with Au-Ag in this series is attributed to the high prevalence of Au-Ag carriers in Greece as well as to the high frequency of exchange transfusions in newborn infants. The other 14 cases of direct-reacting hyperbilirubinemia, none of which showed Au-Ag or evidence of HBV, were due to congenital malformation of the biliary tract (four cases), septicemia (three cases), cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (one case), and fructosemia (one case). The remaining five patients, all of whom recovered, are believed to have hepatitis virus A infection. The detection of Au-Ag in prolonged neonatal jaundice with direct bilirubinemia favors a diagnosis of hepatitis type B, which in our experience carries a graver prognosis reflected in deaths and cirrhosis when compared to neonatal hepatitis not associated with Au-Ag. In our patients, it is inferred that transmission of Au-Ag to the infants occurred at or after birth, rather than during intrauterine life.
Cholesterol sulfate is a naturally occurring inhibitor of steroidogenesis in isolated rat adrenal mitochondria.

Abstract We previously reported (Lambeth, J. D., Xu, X. X., and Glover, M. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 9181-9188) that exogenously added cholesterol sulfate inhibits the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone in isolated adrenal mitochondria, and does so by affecting intramitochondrial cholesterol movement but not its subsequent metabolism to pregnenolone by cytochrome P-450scc. We now report that a major kinetic component of the inhibition is noncompetitive with respect to cholesterol, consistent with an allosteric effect at a site other than the substrate binding site of cytochrome P-450scc. We now also report that cholesterol sulfate is present as an endogenous compound in preparations of adrenal mitochondria. Its content varied from 0.05 to 0.8 nmol/mg protein. Cholesterol sulfate level correlated inversely with the mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity. Endogenous cholesterol sulfate thus appeared to account for the variable rates of pregnenolone synthesis which were seen in different mitochondrial preparations. Cholesterol sulfate was metabolized to pregnenolone sulfate by a mitochondrial side-chain cleavage system, but proved to be a relatively poor substrate for an extramitochondrial steroid sulfatase activity present in adrenal cortex. Confirming a role as a naturally occurring inhibitor, removal of endogenous mitochondrial cholesterol sulfate by metabolism to pregnenolone sulfate correlated with a 3-fold activation of cholesterol side-chain cleavage. We suggest that cholesterol sulfate functions in steroidogenic tissues to regulate the magnitude of the steroidogenic response.
Chromosomal markers: signposts on the road to understanding neoplastic disease.

Classical cytogenetic studies have defined chromosomal attributes of tumors that are useful at present in the diagnosis, classification, and management of leukemic disorders, and in some solid tumors as well. Recent advances in molecular techniques now permit application of some forms of chromosomal analysis to studies in cytopathology. However, to fully understand the present and potential uses of these tumor markers, it is necessary to have some background and perspective on classical cytogenetic.
S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine dialdehyde: An affinity labeling reagent for histamine-N-methyltransferase

Abstract S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) was converted to 2′-O-[(R)-formyl(adenin-9-yl)methyl]-3′-S-homocysteinyl-3′-deoxy-(R)-glyceraldehyde (SAH dialdehyde) by periodic acid oxidation. SAH dialdehyde was then reduced with sodium borohydride to the corresponding diol, 2′,3′-acyclic SAH. SAH dialdehyde, but not 2′,3′-acyclic SAH, was found to inhibit histamine-N-methyltransferase (HMT). Neither analog showed significant inhibitory activity toward other methyltransferases. The inhibition of HMT by SAH dialdehyde was irreversible with the inactivation following first-order kinetics. A kinetic analysis suggests the formation of a dissociable enzyme-inhibitor complex prior to inactivation. The enzyme could be protected from inactivation by inclusion of S-adenosyl-L-methionine in the preincubation mixture.
Advancing Scholarship on Membership Associations: New Research and Next Steps

This special issue on membership associations publishes eight articles from a variety of disciplines that illustrate the continuing advancement of scholarship related to member-based nonprofit organizations. Each addresses one or more enduring questions about the existence and influence of associational activity. The articles are ordered according to the level of analysis from the cognitive/intrapersonal to the systemic/societal. Taken together, they demonstrate the scholarly and practical value of explicitly addressing membership dynamics and associational structures within the broad field of nonprofit studies. They also suggest important areas for future study. After introducing the special issue and articles, to further build understanding of membership association dynamics, we review recent publications that complement the issue and offer ideas for additional research.
Improving and Assuring Newborn Screening Laboratory Quality Worldwide: 30-Year Experience at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Newborn screening is the largest population-based genetic screening effort in the United States. The detection of treatable, inherited congenital disorders is a major public health responsibility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Newborn Screening Quality Assurance Program helps newborn screening laboratories ensure that testing accurately detects these disorders, does not delay diagnosis, minimizes false-positive reports, and sustains high-quality performance. For over 30 years, the CDC's Newborn Screening Quality Assurance Program has performed this essential public health service, ensuring the quality and accuracy of screening tests for more than 4 million infants born each year in the United States and millions more worldwide. The Program has grown from 1 disorder in 1978 for 31 participants to more than 50 disorders for 459 participants in 2009. This report reviews the Program's milestones and services to the newborn screening community.
Vasodilators in acute heart failure

Most patients with acute heart failure present with increased left ventricular filling pressure and high or normal blood pressure; only a minority present with cardiogenic shock. In this context, therapy with vasodilators in the acute setting can improve both hemodynamics and symptoms. Vasodilators are usually given in conjunction with diuretics, although much of the acute effect of loop diuretics may be due to venodilation. Currently available agents include nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, and nesiritide. Nitroglycerin relieves pulmonary congestion primarily through direct venodilation, but may dilate coronary arteries and increase collateral blood flow at higher doses, an effect desirable in patients with ischemia. Tachyphylaxis may develop, necessitating incremental dosing. The major adverse effects of nitrates are hypotension and headache. Nitroprusside is a balanced arterial and venous vasodilator with a very short half-life, facilitating rapid titration. Afterload reduction lowers blood pressure and can increase stroke volume. The major complications of nitroprusside therapy are hypotension, and toxicity from accumulation of cyanide or thiocyanate, usually in patients with renal insufficiency treated for more than 24 h. Nesiritide, a recombinant form of human B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), is a venous and arterial vasodilator that may also potentiate the effect of concomitant diuretics. Hypotension is the most common side effect. In addition, meta-analyses have suggested that nesiritide may worsen renal function and decrease survival at 30 days compared to conventional therapies. Resolution of these concerns awaits completion of appropriately powered prospective clinical trials. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have vasodilatory effects, but intravenous infusion of enalapril within 24 h of ischemic chest pain is not recommended. Oral ACE inhibition may be used to reduce afterload in other settings if blood pressure permits. Use of calcium antagonists in acute heart failure is not recommended.
Morris' tree traversal algorithm reconsidered

In 1968, Knuth posed the problem of designing a stack-free, tag-free, non-recursive algorithm that traversed the tree in in-order while leaving it unaltered in the end. Since then, numerous solutions have appeared in the literature. The 1979 algorithm by Morris is one of the most elegant of these solutions. The algorithm is clearly non-recursive, and appears, at first glance, to use neither a stack, nor tag fields. We present an insightful derivation of this algorithm. We also show that a stack is indeed present and `time-shares? the right-link fields of the tree nodes. Our proof comes in two parts: (a) We start with a traversal algorithm that explicitly uses a stack, and show that it is computationally equivalent to another that uses a non-standard implementation of a stack; (b) We then show that the later algorithm can be transformed to Morris' algorithm using only control structure transformations.
The role of gender, phrenology, discrimination and nervous prostration in Clara Barton's career

Clara Barton was 39 years old before she became involved in Civil War humanitarian activities. Prior to that time, three factors shaped her personality and her future: phrenology gave her philosophical principles to live by, especially “Know Thyself”; sex discrimination on her first two jobs steeled her for living in a male dominated Victorian era; and psychohygienic therapy for her long term nervous prostration, changed her behavioral approach to illness and to life. With these three influences in hand. Barton went on to gain world-wide adulation. During the Civil War, she was revered as the American Florence Nightingale, although she was not really a nurse. At age 55, Barton first embarked on the lengthy struggle to found the American Red Cross. She was president of the Red Cross for 23 years and rendered aid and comfort at a host of national and international calamities. She died at age 90 in her Glen Echo, Maryland home on April 12, 1912.
Military medicine meets behavioral pain science

Injuries among military personnel result in significant, direct medical costs, indirect costs, and have substantial impact on troop availability and readiness to fulfill essential roles (Army Medical Surveillance Activity, 2004). Better combat armor, use of armored vehicles, and improvement of medical care in the field and in the evacuation of casualties, has led to an increased number of military service members with survivable injuries. With improved survival has come the need for wounded personnel to cope and adapt to significant impairments and numerous co-morbid symptoms. The numbers of service personnel injured by combat or non-combat injuries who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan is large and growing. Currently, of the over 23 million military veterans living in the United States, approximately 3 million have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Persistent pain is a prominent symptom associated with most traumatic injuries including combat injuries (Clark, Bair, Buckenmaier, Gironda, & Walker, 2010; Gironda, Clark, Massengale, & Walker, 2006). The triad of persistent pain, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and post-concussive symptoms have been reported to be extremely prevalent in military personnel who have received injuries during OEF/OIF (Lew et al., 2009). Identification of the problem, however, is only the first step. The critical question remains: ‘‘How can we best treat these individuals?’’ Over the past half century there has been an explosion of research addressing the role of behavioral factors (cognition, emotion, and behavior) in the experience and response to disease, physical injury, the perception of symptoms including pain, and response to treatment (Gatchel, Peng, Peters, Fuchs, & Turk, 2007). Research has demonstrated that psychosocial factors are among the strongest predictors of ratings of pain severity following acute injury and prolonged pain and related disability following injuries. These factors have also been shown to have both direct and indirect influences on physical processes and mechanisms associated with pain reports and the experience of pain (e.g., Ang et al., 2010). Moreover a number of behavioral treatments, some like hypnosis dating back hundreds of year, have been extended or developed specifically to address patients’ with acute and chronic pain.
Lived Religion and Family Therapy: What Does Spirituality Have to Do with It?

This review examines fundamental and methodological issues concerning the cross-disciplinary efforts of family therapists to involve spirituality in their clinical practice. Training requirements, challenges, and limitations are discussed. It is suggested that the construct lived religion is the best starting point for this work. Lived religion is a term that addresses the real, lived, experiential, and intimate dimensions of our religious life. It is also tied to a variety of academic disciplines that can guide and deepen thought. Significant problems and limitations are identified with the term spirituality. It is suggested that if clinicians continue to prefer spirituality as a construct, that it be seen as a form or expression of lived religion. This way the links to various discipliines are maintained and idiosyncratic efforts will be minimized. Methods that attempt to integrate spirituality and family therpay are also found to be lacking. For nearly a half century American divinity schools have developed various co-relational methods which foster more respectful and productive discourse calling for the goals and objectives of mental health and religion to be equally value and maintained. In this way the piftalls of reductionism, or oversimplification, and anti-institutional bias can be lessened.
Effect of Dinoflagellate Bioluminescence on Copepod Ingestion RATES1

Grazing experiments were conducted with three calanoid copepods and three species of bioluminescent dinoflagellates, using procedures which yielded samples of cultures with high and low capacities for stimulable bioluminescence. In all cases the ingestion rates were lower for the highly bioluminescent samples than for the samples having a reduced capacity for bioluminescence. These results indicate that dinoflagellate bioluminescence has survival value as a defense against copepod grazing. Of several possible mechanisms, we propose that the flash is a visual, protean display which startles or confuses the copepod sufficiently to allow the dinoflagellate to escape. The net evolutionary value is that predation would be reduced on a dinoflagellate population as a whole.