cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latino caregiver psychosocial factors and health care services for children involved in the child welfare system

Children in the child welfare system have a high prevalence of health problems, making pediatric health service use critical. Latino children represent a growing proportion of the child welfare system, and are at increased risk for health problems. Many have argued that Latino caregivers can provide Latino children with the least disruptive out-of-home placement, but little is known about how caregiver factors might relate to health services utilization or child health status within this population. This study assessed relationships between caregiver psychosocial factors, health care service utilization, and health status for children in the child welfare system. This sample featured 48 Latino caregivers involved in child welfare. Logistic regression models were used to test for relationships between caregiver psychosocial factors and appointment adherence and child health status. Problem-focused coping was positively related to well-child status. No psychosocial factors were related to medical appointment adherence. Case workers may help improve child health outcomes by promoting problem-focused coping skills among Latino caregivers.
Melatonin in two species of damselfly, Ischnura verticalis and Enallagma civile

Abstract We measured melatonin (MEL) with RIA in two species of damselfly, Ischnura verticalis and Enallagma civile. I. verticalis were sampled over 24 h in ambient outdoor L13.5:D10.5 photoperiod and thermoperiod (15 to 30.5°C), and we found a significant MEL cycle with a peak during scotophase/cryophase. The range of [MEL] was 11.2 to 20.2 pg mg body mass−1. E. civile were sampled over 24 h at a L12:D12 photoperiod and 25°C and at mid-photophase and mid-scotophase at both 10 and 30°C. Mean [MEL] was 0.957 pg mg body mass−1, and [MEL] did not differ significantly among times of day or temperatures.
Alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatments of crop residues to increase ruminal dry matter disappearance in sacco

Abstract Five experiments were conducted to determine the effects of treating wheat straw (WS) with alkaline (pH 11.5) solutions of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on ruminal dry matter disapperance (DMD) in sacco. When WS was neutralized with 6 N phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to recover alkalisoluble hemicellulosic constituents, WS neutralized prior to washing had higher disappearance values at 24 and 36 h (P
Multi-walled carbon nanotube layer-by-layer coatings with a trilayer structure to reduce foam flammability

Abstract In order to improve the stability and growth speed of coating, a trilayer (TL) methodology was adapted and resulting film shows high thickness compared to the dimensions of the carbon nanotube. First, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes were functionalized via simple direct amination to be stabilized in the water with positive surface charge. Amine functionalized carbon nanotubes were deposited on polyurethane foam using layer-by-layer assembly with a TL approach. Additional polyethyleneimine layer promote the interaction between carbon nanotube and polymer layers resulting in uniform, durable and thick coating. The 440 ± 47 nm thick 4 TL coatings of polyacrylic acid, polyethyleneimine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and polyethyleneimine completely covers the entire internal and external surfaces of the foam. Microscopic images confirm strong polymer/nanotube interaction due to additional polyethyleneimine layer and well dispersed carbon nanotube network on the polyurethane foam surface. The carbon nanotube network created by the layer-by-layer process significantly reduces the flammability of foam (e.g., 35 ± 3%) reduction in peak heat release rate and prevents pool fire by creating protective layer.
On the combustion chemistry of n-heptane and n-butanol blends.

High-speed gas sampling experiments to measure the intermediate products formed during fuel decomposition remain challenging yet important experimental objectives. This article presents new speciation data on two important fuel reference compounds, n-heptane and n-butanol, at practical thermodynamic conditions of 700 K and 9 atm, for stoichiometric fuel-to-oxygen ratios and a dilution of 5.64 (molar ratio of inert gases to O2), and at two blend ratios, 80%–20% and 50%–50% by mole of n-heptane and n-butanol, respectively. When compared against 100% n-heptane ignition results, the experimental data show that n-butanol slows the reactivity of n-heptane. In addition, speciation results of n-butanol concentrations show that n-heptane causes n-butanol to react at temperatures where n-butanol in isolation would not be considered reactive. The chemical kinetic mechanism developed for this work accurately predicts the trends observed for species such as carbon monoxide, methane, propane, 1-butene, and others. Howe...
The effect of prolactin on human aldosterone-producing adenomas in vitro.

There is evidence for an unidentified aldosteronestimulating factor of pituitary origin. We measured the effect of ovine PRL (oPRL) on aldosterone secretion by isolated cell suspensions of human aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) and compared it to the effects of angiotensins, ACTH, and potassium (K+). In the first APA, the aldosteronotropic action of large doses of oPRL was double that of angiotensin II (All); the response to ACTH was triple that to All, while K+ had a small stimulatory effect. Results with the second APA showed that physiological concentrations of oPRL caused a response nearly double that to All, but, once again, less than the response to ACTH; K+ was inert. ACTH contamination of the oPRL preparation was too minute to account for these findings. We conclude that oPRI, possesses aldosterone-stimulating activity in APAs greater than that of angiotensins and potassium, but less that that of ACTH. These data suggest a role for PRL in aldosterone secretion by aldosterone-producing adenomas.
AN ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION FOR THE ASYMMETRICAL EFFECTS IN RELATIONAL DEMOGRAPHY RESEARCH

Several relational demography studies have demonstrated asymmetrical effects of dissimilarity across different groups of employees. Some groups of employees appear to be more influenced by differences from fellow employees, whereas other groups of employees appear indifferent. Although numerous theoretical explanations have been developed to account for these asymmetrical effects, this paper argues that such effects are actually methodological artifacts resulting from an imbalance in the proportion of group members and deficiencies in the most commonly used measure of dissimilarity, Euclidean distance. This paper illustrates how such asymmetrical effects can be observed even when none exist in the population. Suggestions for methodological improvements in future diversity research are discussed along with recommendations for managing diversity in organizations.
Recall of remote episodic memory in amnesia

Recall of remote episodic memory was assessed in three types of amnesic patient whose remote semantic memory had been evaluated previously. Patients with Korsakoff's syndrome, case N.A. and patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy all succeeded in recalling specific autobiographical episodes in response to single-word cues, and in many conditions performed as well as control subjects. Their pattern of performance generally paralleled that obtained in previous tests of remote semantic memory. These results argue against a view that amnesia reflects a selective deficit of episodic memory and suggest that the semantic-episodic distinction cannot illuminate the fundamental deficit in amnesia. Nor can the facts of amnesia confirm or deny the validity of this distinction in normal memory.
Globalizing Higher Education: Designing the International Leadership Academy at the University of Utah

Nearly all campuses are determining ways by which they could internationalize the curriculum to connect their campus with the world. While study abroad programs are quite common, a less used mechanism that makes this important connection is a global leadership program. At the University of Utah, one innovative program is the International Leadership Academy, which integrates globalization into a class that provides students with conceptual skills as they enter a global market. This article discusses the design and implementation of a program that connects globalization and leadership. The ILA not only prepares students to make use of the many international opportunities in Utah, but exposes them to competing theories and explanations of international leadership.
PS-249 Sydenhams Chorea- The Irish Experience

Sydenham’s chorea (SC) is an autoimmune movement disorder characterised by uncoordinated involuntary movements (chorea), emotional instability and hypotonia. It is one of the major Jones diagnostic criteria of rheumatic fever caused by group A streptococcus bacterium (GAS). Aims Report on the incidence of SC diagnosis in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) July 2006–July 2013. Describe the clinical presentation, investigation and management. Methods A retrospective observational study was undertaken of all children with a clinical diagnosis of SC or “SC like” presentation attending the paediatric neurology departments in Ireland. A questionnaire and chart review was performed on all cases. Results 16 cases were documented by paediatric neurologists from 2006- 2013 giving an incidence of 0.21/100,000. 13 occurred in females with a median age of 10 years. 75% presented predominantly with a hemichorea. All had functional impairment with 11/16 having behavioural or mood change. 5 had carditis diagnosed by echo. 13 had serological evidence of previous GAS infection. All had a normal MRI brain. 15/16 received medication. valproate was the first choice in 11 cases, steroids in 2 and valproate in combination with steroids in 2. 8 were treated with penicillin for >11 months. Conclusion The incidence of Sydenhams chorea appears to be rising. It is a clinical diagnosis and important to recognise. In our cohort we used a combination of steroids and valproate which gave a good response. There was a trend towards long-term penicillin. Acknowledgements Collaborators: David Webb (Crumlin), Tony Bouldin (Crumlin), Deidre Peake (Belfast), Sanjay Tirupathi (Belfast), Niamh Mc Sweeney (Cork).
Reliability evaluation of a distribution feeder

Feeder reliability is a vital part of power distribution systems. Typically, feeder reliability is summarized using a handful of standard indices. The most common indices used by utility companies are the system average interruption frequency index, system average interruption duration index, customer average interruption duration index, and average service availability index. Many different techniques can be implemented to improve overall feeder reliability. These techniques may include, but are not limited to, neighboring feeder tie-lines, appropriate lateral and transformer fusing, feeder re-closer schemes, and normal open point lateral inter-ties. The feeder under consideration has had below average reliability indices over the past few years. This paper will analyze the feeder and presents methods to improve the overall reliability while minimizing costs to the utility.
Export Attitudes of Taiwanese Executives

SUMMARY Taiwanese-based firms have long been actively involved in exporting and international trade. This article investigates their export attitudes and qualities for effective international conduct. Data from 182 companies in Taiwan provide mixed support for three hypotheses advanced in this study. International experience is found to significantly influence exporting attitude. In addition, two measurements of size (annual sales and number of employees) and international business experience are found to have some influence on export attitudes and on the needed qualities for effective international business conduct.
Prediction of Film Cooling Effectiveness and Heat Transfer due to Streamwise and Compound Angle Injection on Flat Surfaces

The distributed Yavuzkurt injection model is extended to predict the effectiveness and heat transfer coefficients for film cooling injection from a single row of holes, aligned both along the direction of the freestream and at an angle with it. The injection angles were 24° and 35°. The compound angles considered were 50.5° and 60°. The Yavuzkurt film cooling model is used in conjunction with a one-equation model to yield the effectiveness and heat transfer predictions. The density ratios considered were 1.6 and 0.95 for the effectiveness predictions and 1.0 and 0.95 for the heat transfer predictions. For the effectiveness predictions, the blowing ratios range from 0.5 to 2.5, and the momentum flux ratios from 0.16 until 3.9. The hole spacings were 3, 6, and 7.8 hole diameters. The Yavuzkurt model constants are seen to be definitely correlated with the momentum flux ratio. Correlations for the model constants are obtained in terms of the momentum flux ratio. For the heat transfer predictions, the blowing ratios ranged from 0.4 to 2.0, and the momentum flux ratios from 0.16 to 3.9. The spacing between the holes was 3, 6, and 7.8 hole diameters. The matching between the effectiveness correlations and the heat transfer predictions is done on the basis of the momentum flux ratio. Results indicate that the Yavuzkurt model predictions are best for the in-line round holes. Heat transfer predictions are close to the experimental results for lower blowing ratios, until the ratio exceeds 1. For higher blowing ratios, the predictions, though less accurate, follow the experimental trends.Copyright © 1995 by ASME
Pre-natal amino acid transport inhibition: long term influences on behavior and protein metabolism

DBA/2J mice were exposed in utero, between days 15-18 of gestation, to either of two enzyme inhibitors, previously shown to decrease blood-brain, large-neutral amino acid transport in adults: L-methionine-RS-sulfoximine and 2-imidazolidone-4-carboxylic acid. The young mice demonstrated persistently altered motor behavior relative to saline controls when 40-42 days old and evidence of differences in the entry and incorporation of 14C-valine in brain at up to 80 days of age. The findings suggest that interference with blood-brain amino acid transport in utero has long term consequences. This may be related to some human conditions such as maternal phenylketonuria.
Comparison of growth hormone response after clonidine and insulin hypoglycemia in affective illness.

Abstract Abnormal growth hormone (GH) responses have been observed after several neuroendocrine challenge tests. In the present study, we examined the relationship between GH response after clonidine and insulin administration within the same subject to see if consistent response patterns were evident. Though there was a significant reduction in the mean GH response after clonidine ( p =0.0002), similar differences were not observed after insulin ( p =0.10). Furthermore, there were no apparent within-subject correlations for GH response between the clonidine and insulin challenge tests. Although the present findings indicate an inherent variability in GH response patterns after different neuroendocrine challenge tests, it appears from prior studies that GH may be more consistently blunted after clonidine in depression when compared to other GH provocative tests.
Drinking, Conduct Disorder, and Social Change: Navajo Experiences

Drinking, Conduct Disorder, and Social Change: Navajo Experiences. Stephen J. Kunitz and Jerrold E. Levy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. xiii. 262 pp.
Cyclic AMP can replace the relA-dependent requirement for derepression of acetohydroxy acid synthase in E. coli K-12

Abstract Derepression of the isoleucine and valine biosynthetic enzymes was strongly impaired in a relA strain of E. coli K-12 grown in an amino acid-glucose medium. The expression of the isoleucine and valine operons during leucine starvation was markedly defective in the relA mutant as compared to an isogenic rel + strain. Downshift to a poor carbon and energy source or the addition of cyclic AMP to the glucose medium allowed normal derepression in the relA mutant of one of the isoleucine and valine enzymes, acetohydroxy acid synthase. The other isoleucine and valine enzymes failed to derepress under these conditions, in contrast to the high enzyme levels in the rel + parent. No increase in acetohydroxy acid synthase was found in relA cya or relA crp strains during glycerol or pyruvate downshift. Cyclic AMP allowed derepression in the relA cya mutant but not in the relA crp strain. These data strongly suggest that the relA requirement for normal expression of acetohydroxy acid synthase can be replaced by cyclic AMP.
A Comparison of Turbulence Measurements from Aircraft

Abstract A performance analysis of the three turbulence-measuring aircraft which participated in the GATE is presented. These aircraft were a Lockheed C-130 operated by the Meteorological Research Flight Centre of the U.K. Meteorological Office, a Douglas DC-6 operated by the Research Flight Facility of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and a Lockheed L-188 operated by the Research Aviation Facility of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The results are based on formal intercomparison flights and analysis of fair weather days on which two or more of the aircraft were flying. In the formal intercomparison flights, two or more of the aircraft flew side by side in the fair weather atmospheric mixed layer. In both cases, the aircraft flew L-shaped patterns, consisting of 30 km legs along and normal to the mixed layer wind direction. Quantities compared include the variances of three wind components, potential temperature, moisture, and the vertical fluxes of horizontal momen...
Computer usage by small and medium sized European firms: An empirical study

Abstract The central concern of this study is: Why aren't more small and medium sized firms utilizing computers? A secondary point considered is: For firms that do have computer systems, what were the chief indicators and reasons for selecting a computer system? These questions were explored, primarily via questionnaires in France, West Germany and the Netherlands. A total of 267 valid responses were analyzed. A major conclusion of the study is that many small and medium sized firms do not utilize computers due to ignorance of their capabilities and a misunderstanding of the cost/ benefit factors involved.
Upward direction, mental rotation, and discrimination of left and right turns in maps.

Abstract Whereas, the only direction of which we have always had immediate knowledge is the gravitationally defined vertical, the directions that have beeen most important for finding our way about are largely orthogonal directions along the generally horizontal ground. The first half of the paper argues that the concept of an upward direction has consequently been extended to represent horizontal directions that are (1) uphill, however slightly, (2) upward in the metaphorical sense of toward a salient or important reference object or location, (3) northward in the global environmental frame, or (4) straight ahead in the viewer's egocentric frame. The second half empirically explores this last coupling, between upwards and straight ahead, by two chronometric experiments on the interpretation of bends in a line, as right or left turns on a map. Interpretation time increased markedly with angular departure from upright of the line going into the turn, suggesting that such interpretation requires a mental rotation.
A wavelength division multiple access protocol for high-speed local area networks with a passive star topology

Abstract In this paper a multiple access protocol is proposed for a system consisting of many high-speed bursty traffic stations interconnected via an optical passive star coupler. Each station has access over a range of wavelengths. Time is divided intp fixed-sized slots. A station must reserve a wavelength first, then transmits the data on that wavelength. New stations can join the system anytime without any system reconfiguration. Broadcast and multicast traffic can also be easily supported. The performance of both the infinite and finite population cases has been modeled and analyzed. Numerical results show that low delay and high throughput (larger than the electronic speed of a single station) can be achieved. The analysis also shows that the best performance is obtained when the capacities of the reservation channels and the data channels are balanced.
KL transformation of spatially invariant image sequences

This paper investigates the special properties and results involved in the application of the Karhunen-Loeve (KL) transformation, also called principal component analysis (PCA) or Hotelling transform, to linearly-additive, spatially-invariant (LA SI) image sequences such as arise in many medical imaging applications (SPECT temporal studies, multi-parameter MRI, etc.), multispectral remote sensing, and elsewhere. The special structure of LA SI image sequences provides some interesting results both for the KL analysis and for the resulting principal component images. Simulated images and mathematical results indicate the KL implications for the special structure of LA SI images, in relation to the statistical order and feature characteristics of the image sequence. Simulated image sequences are understood by the mathematical results and illustrate the characteristics of KL compression and reconstruction for LA SI images. The well-known and widely used KL transform is a general and powerful image compression technique based on the statistical variance of the image data. However, it does not explicitly acknowledge specific features or their individual characteristics in an image set. For LA SI images, this may be an important limitation in relation to other methods of analysis and compression for such images.
Juxtaposition of Chemical and Mutation-Induced Developmental Defects in Zebrafish Reveal a Copper-Chelating Activity for Kalihinol F

A major hurdle in using complex systems for drug screening is the difficulty of defining the mechanistic targets of small molecules. The zebrafish provides an excellent model system for juxtaposing developmental phenotypes with mechanism discovery using organism genetics. We carried out a phenotype-based screen of uncharacterized small molecules in zebrafish that produced a variety of chemically induced phenotypes with potential genetic parallels. Specifically, kalihinol F caused an undulated notochord, defects in pigment formation, hematopoiesis, and neural development. These phenotypes were strikingly similar to the zebrafish mutant, calamity, an established model of copper deficiency. Further studies into the mechanism of action of kalihinol F revealed a copper-chelating activity. Our data support this mechanism of action for kalihinol F and the utility of zebrafish as an effective system for identifying therapeutic and target pathways.
Unidirectional Hysteresis in Thin Permalloy Films

A study of torque curves in thin Permalloy films with h c >0.5, where h c =H c /H k is reported. The behavior of a 1400 A, 77% Ni film with h c =0.9 is discussed as a typical example. For applied fields h>0.5, the torque curves are generally complex and the discrepancies with the Stoner-Wohlfarth (S-W) model wide-spread. For h<0.5, if the film is previously saturated, the torque has a period of 2π in agreement with the S-W model. However, when 0.3<h<0.5, it is irreversible and the hysteresis is unidirectional, occurring around the easy direction of the bulk of the film. A model is proposed to explain this effect in which it is assumed that the film contains small regions with negative anisotropy −K 2, where K 2 is of the order of K 1, the anisotropy of the bulk of the film. The torque curves calculated for this model are found to agree qualitatively very well with the experimental results.
Some Evidence on the Appropriate Length of the Principles of Economics Course

In the continuing controversy over the one-semester as opposed to the two-semester introductory economics course, Paden and Moyer present evidence in support of the latter. They report on an experiment in which students in two-semester courses performed significantly better on objective tests than those in one-semester courses, after adjustments were made for such things as differences in initial knowledge of economics, student ability and influence of teaching assistants.
Boundary conditions and trajectories of diffusion processes

This article constructs trajectories associated with various boundary conditions for the Smoluchowski equation on an interval. Single-particle diffusion processes are first constructed by taking the diffusion limits of random walks. The diffusion limit gives both boundary conditions which enforce the single-particle constraint and properties of underlying trajectories at those boundaries. Mean-field diffusions are then obtained as limits of sums of single-particle processes. The results help to interpret the application of diffusion models to both ion channels and wider pores that facilitate molecular transport across membranes. Potential applications to Brownian dynamics simulations are discussed.
Estimating the Economic and Social Impacts from the Drought in Southern Colorado

Over the course of the 2011 summer, 17 counties in southern Colorado were designated disaster areas due to severe drought conditions. Drought events can have large impacts on the economies of rural communities, not only directly impacting producers, but also having an indirect effect on enterprises and institutions throughout the supply chain. We use an Input-Output model (I–O), an Equilibrium Displacement Mathematical Programming model (EDMP), and a combination of the two to quantify economic impacts and to compare results across modeling techniques. Combining the two approaches allows for a more realistic representation of the agricultural sector (via EDMP), while still allowing us to model the indirect and induced impacts on the non-agricultural (via I–O) sectors of the economy. The estimated impact of the drought for the economy of southern Colorado ranges between $83 and $100 million.
Present Use of Pest Management Practices in Wheat, Corn, and Oats Stored on the Farm

Preventive and remedial actions reported by producers to maintain the quality of grain during storage on the farm was minimal. Application of malathion when the grain was binned was the most frequent action reported in wheat, aeration the most frequent in corn, and fumigation the principal action in oats. Less than 10% of the grain was reported as fumigated during storage periods of 1 to 4 years and high numbers of dead adult insects observed in fumigated grain indicate that damaging populations were already present when the decision to fumigate was made. Liquid fumigant mixtures were the principal type used in corn and oats; phosphine-producing fumigants were the predominant types used in wheat. Malathion was found on only 14.6% of the wheat, 8.2% of the corn, and 4.2% of the oats from more than 8,000 farm bins across 27 states. When malathion was present the incidence, number of different species, and density of most species were generally less than in untreated grain. The effectiveness of malathion decreased significantly at grain moisture levels above 12%. The most frequent species found in malathion-treated grain were Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), Cryptolestes spp., Tribolium spp., Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), and Oryzaephilus surinamenis (L.). Nearly two-thirds of the insects found in malathion-treated grain occurred in grain containing residues of 2 ppm or less.
Water-Soluble Polycations as Oral Drug Carriers (Tablets)

New bioerodible materials that are noncross-linked and water-soluble copolymers of trimethylaminoethyl methacrylate chloride (TMAEMC) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were synthesized and then bound to anionic drugs (diclofenac Na and Na sulfathiazote) to form water-insoluble complexes. These drug-polymer complexes release the bound drugs only in ionic media. Compressed tablets were prepared from these anion-exchange resins, and their release profiles follow zero-order kinetics (n > 0.89, where n is the release exponent). The effects of various excipients (dextrose, lactose, and microcrystalline cellulose) were studied, and the polymer composition was found to influence the duration of drug release. It was also found that the release of anionic drugs from drug-PTMAEM/MMA is linear and that it is possible to "tailor-make" their release kinetics by suitably altering the copolymer composition. When a high content of a water-insoluble excipient (i.e., microcrystalline cellulose) was used to fabricate the tablets, the release kinetics deviated from linearity (n = 0.73). In general, release kinetics were well described by a dissociation/erosion mechanism. Drug loading could be increased by increasing the exchange capacity of the polymer (i.e., by increasing the content of the quaternary amine monomer).
Copper control as an antiangiogenic anticancer therapy: lessons from treating Wilson's disease.

The search for new anticopper drugs for Wilson's disease is culminating in two excellent new drugs: zinc for maintenance therapy and tetrathiomolybdate (TM) for initial therapy. Both are effective ...
Comparison of the effect of subcutaneous and intravenous injection of synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) on serum LH and FSH levels in men.

The efficacy of 100 μg of synthetic LH-RH administered subcutaneously or iv to the same subjects 3 weeks apart was compared. At the time of each injection, the mean baseline levels of both LH and FSH were unchanged. The mean maximal levels of LH and FSH after subcutaneous administration of LH-RH were similar to those observed after iv injection of the same dose, although the patterns of change differed. After the serum LH and FSH values had reached a peak, they occasionally fell for a short period of time at a rapid rate which was in some cases slower than the reported disappearance time of these hormones. This suggested a temporary cessation of secretion of LH and FSH after maximal stimulation. The results indicate that at the dose used in this study, the subcutaneous and iv routes of administration of LH-RH are equally effective in increasing serum LH and FSH concentrations.
A series array of microliter-sized microbial fuel cell

We report an array of three microliter-sized microbial fuel cells (MFC) that can produce 100 µW. Individual MFCs were integrated on two sandwiched glass slides, and had two 50 µL-sized chambers each (Geobactor sp. in the anode, ferricyanide in the cathode chambers, respectively) separated by a cation exchange membrane (CEM). The three MFCs were formed in a series array to produce 1.8 V at the maximum power delivery of 100 µW (power density of 33 µW/cm2). The 100 µW total power and 33 µW/cm2 power density are approximately ten and three times higher, respectively, than the maximum values of previously reported microliter-sized MFCs.
Varicella Zoster Disease of the Central Nervous System: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Laboratory Features 10 Years after the Introduction of the Varicella Vaccine

Background. Since the introduction of live attenuated varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccine in 1995 there has been a significant reduction in varicella incidence and its associated complications, but the impact on VZVassociated central nervous system (CNS) disease has not been assessed. Methods. In this descriptive study we evaluated patients referred to the California Encephalitis Project from 1998 to 2009 with VZV PCR-positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were collected using a standardized case form. Specimens were genotyped using multi-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. Results. Twenty-six specimens were genotyped from patients 12‐85 years of age (median, 46 years). Clinical presentations included meningitis (50%), encephalitis (42%), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (8%). Only 11 patients (42%) had a concomitant herpes zoster rash. Genotype analysis identified 20 European Group (Clade1, Clade 3) strains; 4 Asian (Clade 2) strains, and 2 Mosaic Group (Clade 4, Clade VI) strains. One specimen was recognized as vaccine strain by identifying vaccine-associated SNPs. Conclusions. VZV continues to be associated with CNS disease, with meningitis being the most frequent clinical presentation. CNS VZV disease often presented without accompanying zoster rash. Sequencing data revealed multiple genotypes, including 1 vaccine strain detected in the CSF of a young patient with meningitis.
EVALUATION OF NCEP/CFSR SOLAR DATA AGAINST GROUND OBSERVATION OVER MENA

Solar energy is one of the major attractive and environmentally sustainable resource for producing renewable energy using solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal power systems. Solar radiation measurements are mainly obtained from weather stations, but Middle East and North Africa (MENA) suffer from a lack of observation stations and scant spatial distribution. To overcome this problem, the main aim of this study is to use National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) solar dataset as a replacement of ground measurements. Through the course of this study the MENA region has been divided into three domains during the period 1979-2007, to evaluate on a daily basis each domain individually against solar ground stations. The 1st domain over Egypt had 13 ground stations, the statistical results showed that the comparison between CFSR and observations had very small mean bias 0.250 kWh/m2 (NMB% 4.4), root mean square error 0.438 kWh/m2 (NRMSE% 7.9) and a high correlation 0.979. The 2nd domain in North West Africa had three ground stations, the statistical results showed that comparison between CFSR and observations had small mean bias 0.277 kWh/m2 (NMB 5.8%) and a high correlation 0.982. The 3rd domain is over Arab peninsula and had 9 stations; the statistical results showed that the comparison between CFSR and observations had a high mean bias 0.420 kWh/m2 (NMB% 8,5) and a small correlation 0.895.
Stability, Change, and Heritability of Borderline Personality Disorder Traits from Adolescence to Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin Study

Although personality disorders are best understood in the context of lifetime development, there is a paucity of work examining their longitudinal trajectory. An understanding of the expected course and the genetic and environmental contributions to these disorders is necessary for a detailed understanding of risk processes that lead to their manifestation. The current study examined the longitudinal course and heritability of borderline personality disorder (BPD) over a period of 10 years starting in adolescence (age 14) and ending in adulthood (age 24). In doing so, we built on existing research by using a large community sample of adolescent female twins, a sensitive dimensional measure of BPD traits, an extended follow-up period, and a longitudinal twin design that allowed us to investigate the heritability of BPD traits at four discrete ages spanning midadolescence to early adulthood. Results indicated that mean-level BPD traits significantly decline from adolescence to adulthood, but rank order stability remained high. BPD traits were moderately heritable at all ages, with a slight trend for increased heritability from age 14 to age 24. A genetically informed latent growth curve model indicated that both the stability and change of BPD traits are highly influenced by genetic factors and modestly by nonshared environmental factors. Our results indicate that as is the case for other personality dimensions, trait BPD declines as individuals mature from adolescence to adulthood, and that this process is influenced in part by the same genetic factors that influence BPD trait stability.
Correcting problems in hair restoration surgery: an update

Hair is an important emblem of health, youth, vigor, and vitality. The state of the art in hair restoration today is to create a result that is undetectable as a surgical hair transplant. Most procedures performed using previous techniques of plug hair trans-plantation are not aesthetically acceptable by today's standards, especially in the face of progressive hair loss, which can unmask previously camouflaged corn row plugs. A technique to reduce the plugs and recycle the grafts into smaller grafts is described. The recycled hair grafts can be combined with scalp lifting, scalp reductions, and occipital harvesting of grafts to improve the results of corn row-appearing hair trans-plants and other problems of surgical hair restoration.
What Do We Need to Know about Disease Ecology to Prevent Lyme Disease in the Northeastern United States

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States, with the majority of cases occurring in the Northeast. It has now been three decades since the etiological agent of the disease in North America, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and its primary North American vectors, the ticks Ixodes scapularis Say and I. pacificus Cooley & Kohls, were identified. Great strides have been made in our understanding of the ecology of the vectors and disease agent, and this knowledge has been used to design a wide range of prevention and control strategies. However, despite these advances, the number of Lyme disease cases have steadily increased. In this article, we assess potential reasons for the continued lack of success in prevention and control of Lyme disease in the northeastern United States, and identify conceptual areas where additional knowledge could be used to improve Lyme disease prevention and control strategies. Some of these areas include: 1) identifying critical host infestation rates required to maintain enzootic transmission of B. burgdorferi, 2) understanding how habitat diversity and forest fragmentation impacts acarological risk of exposure to B. burgdorferi and the ability of interventions to reduce risk, 3) quantifying the epidemiological outcomes of interventions focusing on ticks or vertebrate reservoirs, and 4) refining knowledge of how human behavior influences Lyme disease risk and identifying barriers to the adoption of personal protective measures and environmental tick management.
Pathophysiology of Cystic Fibrosis with Emphasis on Salivary Gland Involvement

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal autosomal recessive disorder which affects all exocrine glands, or perhaps all epithelial surfaces. The three organs most consistently affected are the eccrine sweat gland, which produces excessively salty sweat; the lung, in which chronic obstructive pulmonary disease invariably develops and is usually the cause of mortality; and the pancreas, which fails to produce adequate bicarbonate ion and water in nearly all patients, and produces inadequate digestive enzymes in most, giving rise to pancreatic insufficiency. However, the liver, reproductive tracts, intestine, sinuses, and salivary glands are also regularly affected. In the sweat gland and in the airways, passive chloride permeability is reduced, accounting for the salty sweat and probably contributing to the dehydrated mucus in the airways. In organs apart from the sweat gland, a common feature of the disease is the plugging of glandular acini and ductules by precipitated secretions. Salivary glands have been extensively studied in CF because of both the accessibility of the glands and their products, and the mix of mucous and serous components in the salivary glands. However, there is no unanimity in the results from parotid and submandibular glands. In the labial (mucous) glands, the sodium content of secreted product and in the secretory granules is markedly elevated, and histologically the acini are plugged with eosinophilic material. Functional studies of CF salivary glands have also yielded inconsistent data. Cultured cell systems combined with molecular biologic approaches offer promise in tracing the fundamental CF defect in salivary and other epithelial systems.
A Breath of Fresh Air in Lung Regeneration

Enhancing the ability of the lungs to regenerate following injury could revolutionize the treatment of a wide range of different diseases. In this issue, Kumar et al. (2011) and Ding et al. (2011) dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms of murine lung regeneration following injury and provide insights into the basic biology of the organ with implications for development of future therapeutic approaches.
A prospective study of reasons for prolonged hospitalizations on a general medicine teaching service.

BACKGROUND: Delays in the care of hospitalized patients may lead to increased length of stay, iatrogenic complications, and costs. No study has characterized delays among general medicine inpatients in the current prospective payment era of care.
The Efficacy of Computer Assisted Surgery in the Endoscopic Management of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea with and without computer assisted surgery. STUDY DESIGN: A review of all patients undergoing endoscopic closure of CSF rhinorrhea at a tertiary care medical center between 1994 and 2003. Charts from the 24 patients were reviewed for indications, location of leak, type of surgical closure, number of prior closure attempts, graft materials, use of computer assisted surgery, complications, and need for revision surgery. Analysis was performed to determine a possible correlation between success of CSF leak repair and use of computer assisted surgery. RESULTS: The etiology of the leak was previous sinus surgery in 10 patients (41.7%), trauma in 5 patients (20.8%), spontaneous leak in 5 patients (20.8%), and skull base surgery in 4 patients (16.7%). The most common sites of leak were the fovea ethmoidalis in 10 patients (41.7%), cribriform plate in 8 patients (33.3%), and sphenoid sinus in 6 patients (25%). Image guidance was employed in 66.7% (16 patients) of our first attempted repairs. Six patients underwent a total of 9 revision procedures. At last follow-up, 96% of patients had no evidence of CSF rhinorrhea. A comparison of patients in the 2 groups failed to reveal a statistically significant difference in the rate of CSF leak closure. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic closure of CSF rhinorrhea represents a minimally invasive and highly successful procedure. The use of computer assistance may improve the confidence of the surgeon and is a valuable adjunct in this procedure. Our study, however, did not demonstrate an improvement in the rates of successful closure with the use of computer assistance.
Epidemiology of volatile substance abuse (VSA) cases reported to US poison centers.

Volatile substance abuse (VSA) is believed to be widespread. The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) of the American Association of Poison Control Systems offers an opportunity to evaluate the epidemiology of volatile substance abuse using a data set that captures data from a large geographic area covering a wide-ranging group of socioeconomic strata, ethnic groups, and demographics. To utilize this potential we analyzed a data set of TESS for the 6-year period of 1996 through 2001 involving all cases of intentional inhalational abuse of nonpharmaceutical substances. Over the study period there was a mean annual decline of 9% of reported VSA with an overall decline of 37% from 1996 to 2001. Volatile substance abuse was reported primarily in children, with 6358 cases (54%) in children 13-19 yr and 1803 (15%) cases in children 6-12 yr. Fifty-two cases were reported in children 2 times the expected rate based on their population; three western states, two midwestern states, and two Appalachian states. The role of urban vs. rural population may possibly explain the difference in numbers, with a greater incidence of VSA cases reported in states with large rural populations. The mean monthly occurrence rate was 162 VSA cases/month (S.D. +/- 10.85). There were 4 months that were > 2 standard deviations from the mean, with two peak months (May, 192/month and March, 187/month) and two trough months (December, 126/month and January, 137/month). This report presents a broad picture of VSA in the United States. Volatile substance abuse, as reported to U.S. poison centers, appears to be on the decline, but continues to be an ongoing problem. Volatile substance abuse is reported throughout the U.S. in all areas of the country, with a higher incidence in states with large rural populations. A small group of substances appears responsible for the majority of deaths. It is imperative that we continue to educate the public and healthcare professionals regarding the risks of VSA and hopefully impact the incidence of VSA.
Evolution of Longevity and Survival Characteristics in Mammals

The comparative analysis of aging patterns in mammals is at present in a highly fragmented state, because the data now available were gathered by investigators from various disciplines for various purposes, and are not all equally suitable for the purposes of this survey. Nevertheless, it is possible to discern evidence of a consistent pattern of longevity and aging in the class Mammalia. This brief review will examine this pattern, although the paucity of data in some areas limits the discussion to a semiquantitative examination of the possibilities.
σB Activation under Environmental and Energy Stress Conditions in Listeria monocytogenes

To measure σB activation in Listeria monocytogenes under environmental or energy stress conditions, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (TaqMan) was used to determine the levels of transcripts for the σB-dependent opuCA and clpC genes in strains having null mutations in genes encoding regulator of sigma B proteins (rsbT and rsbV) and sigma B (sigB) and in the L. monocytogenes wild-type 10403S strain under different stress conditions. The ΔsigB, ΔrsbT, and ΔrsbV strains previously exhibited increased hemolytic activities compared to the hemolytic activity of the wild-type strain; therefore, transcript levels for hly were also determined. RsbT, RsbV, and σB were all required for opuCA expression during growth under carbon-limiting conditions or following exposure to pH 4.5, salt, ethanol, or the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). Expression of clpC was RsbT, RsbV, and σB dependent in the presence of CCCP but not under the other conditions. hly expression was not RsbT, RsbV, or σB dependent in the presence of either CCCP or salt. opuCA transcript levels did not increase in the presence of rapidly lethal stresses (i.e., pH 2.5 or 13 mM cumene hydroperoxide) despite the enhanced survival of the wild type compared with the survival of the mutant strains under these conditions. These findings highlight the importance of complementing phenotypic characterizations with gene expression studies to identify direct and indirect effects of null mutations in regulatory genes, such as sigB. Overall, our data show that while σB activation occurs through a single pathway under both environmental and energy stress conditions, regulation of expression of some stress response and virulence genes in the σB regulon (e.g., clpC) appears to require networks involving multiple transcriptional regulators.
EFFECT OF MIGRATION OF CLAY MINERALS AND HYDROUS ALUMINUM OXIDES ON THE COMPLEXITY OF CLAY

Movement of montmorillonite, nontronite, kaolinite, halloysite, dickite, gibbsite, and diaspore within clays after they were first formed is indicated by the relations reported in this paper. Migration of these minerals takes place rarely by transfer of their constituents as true solutions but generally as colloidal suspensions whose formation and movement are favored by conditions of good drainage and the presence of dispersing agents. This migration increases the complexity of the clays affected by it and accounts for some of the variations in the composition of a single body of clay met by the clay producer.