cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
House values, incomes, and industrial pollution

Abstract This paper analyzes the effect of polluting manufacturing facilities on the economic characteristics of nearby neighborhoods. It tests the hypothesis that communities exposed to high levels of pollution will have lower house prices and poorer residents than cleaner locations. The econometric model treats pollution and income as simultaneously determined variables. The multiple-equation, fixed effects model attempts to account for cross-section and time-varying biases. It uses Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and census data from the 1980s for the six New England states. I employ a new measure of the change in exposure to pollution over the 1980s for census tracts. The estimates suggest that being a mile closer to a polluting manufacturing plant reduces house values by 1.9%, which is smaller than estimates from existing studies. However, the equivalent single-equation estimate suggests, misleadingly, that pollution has a positive effect on house values.
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands in History and in the UV

The diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) have been known of since 1922, but their carrier molecules remain unidentified to this day. We present a brief history of DIB observations, followed by a list of constraints any suggested origin must face, and finally a preview of current research for ultraviolet DIBs using the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope . We conclude that PAHs are consistent with all the listed constraints, but that PAHs may not be the only molecular species responsible for the DIBs.
Characteristics of sexual assault victims presenting to the emergency department: Analysis by race, age, timing of event, and relationship to perpetrator

Study objectives: We describe the demographic characteristics, victim-perpetrator relationship, and timing of event of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation and treatment after sexual assault. Methods: Data were collected as part of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program at a large, urban teaching hospital and included demographics, date and time of event, relationship to perpetrator, associated injuries, physical examination results, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and follow-up results. The study was a retrospective review of the records of all patients presenting to the ED with a complaint of sexual assault between January 1 and December 31, 2002. Results: During the 1-year period, 231 patients presented to the ED with a complaint of sexual assault; 209 (90.5%) were women and 22 (9.5%) were men. The average patient age was 27.1 years (SD 11.7 years), with the median age of 24 years. There was a bimodal peak in the number of assaults per month, with February and July/August reporting the greatest number of events; the fewest events took place in September. Racial breakdown was as follows: 131 whites (40.7%), 94 blacks (56.7%), 2 Hispanics (0.9%), and 4 “other” (1.7%). White victims were more likely than blacks to be assaulted on a weekend (56.3% versus 43.3%) but were less likely to be adolescent (12.1% versus 31.5%) or to know their attacker (23.1% versus 50.8%). With increasing patient age, the percentage of those who knew their attacker decreased (48% of those Conclusion: Patients presenting to the ED for sexual assault are overwhelmingly female, relatively young, and often know the perpetrator of the event. Important differences exist between patients according to temporal factors, race, and age. Further research should attempt to ascertain the etiologies of these differences and target prevention methods, evaluation, and treatment accordingly.
Local food systems and sustainable communities

The long-term health of a community's food system is an important indicator of its vitality and sustainability. A logical and appropriate way to revitalize a community is by the development of a local food economy. People throughout the United States are designing and implementing sustainable, local food systems that are rooted in particular places, aim to be economically viable for farmers and consumers, use ecologically sound production and distribution practices, and enhance social equity and democracy for all members of the community. This paper reviews the existing literature on local food systems, examines a variety of strategies and initiatives that are currently underway, and identifies steps that community kaders and citizens can use to develop their own local food systems. Finally, I suggest what research is needed to support these community efforts.
Use of Lipophilic Cations to Measure the Membrane Potential of Oat Leaf Protoplasts

Uptake of the lipophilic cation triphenylmethylphosphonium into mesophyll protoplasts of oat (Avena sativa L. cv. “Garry”) approaches equilibrium at 3 to 4 hours. The resulting external and internal concentrations are then used with the Nernst equation to obtain a membrane potential of −62 millivolts, inside negative. Potentials calculated in this manner are depolarized by adding 2 mm sodium azide and 50 μm carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone as well as by increasing the external proton and potassium concentrations. The depolarizations are qualitatively similar to those seen when oat mesoyphll cells are measured in situ with microelectrodes. It is concluded that due to the lack of turgor and fragility of protoplasts, estimations of their membrane potential may be made more reliably, under some conditions, with lipophilic cations than with microelectrodes.
Comparison of left ventricular size by computed tomography with magnetic resonance imaging measures of left ventricle mass and volumes: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Background A non–contrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography (NCE-CCT) scan for assessing coronary artery calcification (CAC) is being increasingly used for assessing underlying burden of atherosclerosis. Although many studies document the potential value of measuring CAC, little is known about the other measures such as left ventricular (LV) geometry that can be obtained from the same scan data. Objectives We sought to evaluate the accuracy of noncontrast CT–derived LV size (LVS; sum of LV volume and mass) compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–derived measures as the clinical reference standard. Methods Participants (n = 5004) in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who underwent cardiac MRI studies from August 2000 to September 2002 were included. CT-derived LVS was defined as the sum of LV mass and LV intracavitary volume. The calculated LVS was taken from a measurement of a single slice from noncontrast images. Multivariate analysis adjusting for demographics was used to identify predictors of the relation between CT LVS and MRI LVS, and Bland-Altman analysis was performed comparing MRI-derived measures with CT-derived measure of LVS. Results The mean CT LVS was 187.8 ± 56.8 mL (range, 33.6–486.4 mL). The correlation was 0.73 ( P = 0.01) for MRI-derived LV volume and 0.74 ( P = 0.01) for MRI-derived LV mass. The correlation between CT LVS and MRI-derived LV end-diastolic total volume (mass + volume) was 0.79. Conclusion A single NCE-CT scan used to detect and quantify coronary calcification can also estimate LVS with reasonable accuracy compared with MRI. This provides a new method to study ventricular size in epidemiologic studies and potentially provide additional information for clinical screening of cardiac risk.
Improving pre-service elementary teachers' self-reported efficacy for using the professional teacher standards in health education.

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of health education methods courses for pre-service elementary teachers has not been assessed for improving the pre-service elementary teacher's self-efficacy for using the professional teacher standards in health education (PTSHE). METHODS A quasi-experimental design was used to assess pre-service elementary teachers' self-efficacy toward using the PTSHE. Four institutions whose elementary education programs provide a health education methods course were recruited to participate in the study. Students were recruited to participate and they completed the Pre-service Health Education National Standards Self-efficacy (PHENSS) Scale at the beginning and end of the semester. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 15) software. RESULTS A significant increase in the PHENSS Scale scores indicated that a 3-credit health education methods course could improve the pre-service elementary teacher's self-efficacy to use the national standards in their teaching of health education. Further analysis indicated statistically significant improvement of the participants' PHENSS scores in 2 of the 7 standards. CONCLUSION Teacher self-efficacy can be a useful measure of the pre-service elementary teachers' ability to use the national standards for health education. The design of the methods course may affect the PHENSS scores.
Energy taxes and wages in a general equilibrium model of production

Energy taxes are responsible for a good deal of observed differences in energy prices across states and countries. They alter patterns of production and income distribution. The present paper examines the potential of energy taxes to lower wages in a general equilibrium model of production with capital, labour and energy inputs.
Randomized phase II study of two schedules of flavopiridol given as timed sequential therapy with cytosine arabinoside and mitoxantrone for adults with newly diagnosed, poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia

Background Flavopiridol is a protein-bound, cytotoxic, cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor. A phase II trial of flavopiridol followed by ara-C and mitoxantrone with flavopiridol given by 1-h bolus for adults with newly-diagnosed, poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia yielded 67% complete remission with median disease-free survival of 13.6 months.Design and Methods We compared bolus flavopiridol (50 mg/m2/day, Arm A) versus 'hybrid' flavopiridol (30 mg/m2 over 30 min followed by 40 mg/m2 over 4 h, Arm B) followed by ara-C and mitoxantrone in 78 patients (39 per arm) with newly diagnosed, poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia. To mitigate imbalance, patients were stratified by presence or absence of secondary leukemia and therapy for antecedent disorder.Results Death at or before Day 60 occurred in 8% of patients per arm. Complete remission plus complete remission with incomplete recovery was 68% (Arm A, 62%; Arm B, 74%) overall, and 65% or over in both arms for patients with secondary leukemia and leukemia with adverse genetics. In Arm A 91% and in Arm B 86% of patients received chemotherapy and/or allogeneic transplantation in complete remission. Median overall survival for all remission patients has not been reached for either arm, with median disease free survival of 13.6 months for Arm A and of 12.0 months for Arm B.Conclusions Both flavopiridol schedules produce comparably encouraging results in adults with poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia. Given the greater ease of bolus administration, we are conducting a randomized phase II study of bolus flavopiridol followed by ara-c and mitoxantrone versus conventional induction therapy for patients aged 70 years and under with intermediate or poor-risk acute myelogenous leukemia. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT 00407966.
Outcomes among athletes with arrhythmias and electrocardiographic abnormalities: implications for ECG interpretation.

Electrocardiographic (ECG) aberrations and arrhythmias occur frequently among athletes due to normal variants, subclinical cardiac disease or structural and electrical remodeling in response to training. It is unclear whether these changes are associated with adverse clinical outcomes over time among otherwise asymptomatic, healthy athletes. Consensus guidelines have been developed to guide the clinician regarding further management of these arrhythmias. The purpose of this review is to summarize prospective data regarding cardiovascular outcomes related to ECG changes among athletes and compare these findings with current guidelines. A review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed database (1966–present). Outcomes of interest included documented cardiac symptoms or events, such as episodes of cardiac or cerebral hypoperfusion, sudden death or prophylactic procedural interventions. Studies were included for analysis if they involved (1) athletes with documented, baseline arrhythmias and/or abnormal ECG variations; (2) a study design with longitudinal follow-up (designated as >1 month, to exclude short-term Holter studies); and (3) outcomes that include documented cardiac symptoms or events. A total of 33 studies met the above criteria, encompassing over 4,200 athletes, with follow-up ranging from 2 months to 14.6 years. There were few adverse outcomes among cases of sinus bradycardia >30 bpm, sinus pauses <3 s, first-degree atrioventricular (AV) block, second-degree type I AV block and incomplete right bundle branch block. Results among these studies are concordant with guidelines that recommend work-up in the setting of cardiac symptoms, history or physical examination indicative of cardiac disease, severe sinus bradycardia or AV block that does not resolve with exercise or hyperventilation. Outcomes among prospective studies also support guidelines that recommend further evaluation for repolarization abnormalities and supraventricular tachycardias, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. Ventricular arrhythmias in the setting of structural cardiac disease are associated with an increased risk of adverse events, including sudden cardiac death, and warrant special consideration with regards to sports eligibility. Findings in this review are limited by a lack of control groups, limited assessment of confounding factors (such as performance-enhancing drugs), and under-representation of women and certain ethnicities. Further prospective studies are needed to better characterize the long-term outcome of ECG abnormalities among athletes and provide evidence for ECG interpretation guidelines.
The Application of Transient-State Kinetic Isotope Effects to the Resolution of Mechanisms of Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions

Much of our understanding of the mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed reactions is based on steady-state kinetic studies. Experimentally, this approach depends solely on the measurement of rates of free product appearance (d[P]/dt), a mechanistically and mathematically complex entity. Despite the ambiguity of this observed parameter, the method's success is due in part to the elaborate rigorously derived algebraic theory on which it is based. Transient-state kinetics, on the other hand, despite its ability to observe the formation of intermediate steps in real time, has contributed relatively little to the subject due in, some measure, to the lack of such a solid mathematical basis. Here we discuss the current state of existing transient-state theory and the difficulties in its realistic application to experimental data. We describe a basic analytic theory of transient-state kinetic isotope effects in the form of three novel fundamental rules. These rules are adequate to define an extended mechanism, locating the isotope-sensitive step and identifying missing steps from experimental data. We demonstrate the application of these rules to resolved component time courses of the phenylalanine dehydrogenase reaction, extending the previously known reaction by one new prehydride transfer step and two new post hydride transfer steps. We conclude with an assessment of future directions in this area.
Partial Spline Models for the Inclusion of Tropopause and Frontal Boundary Information in Otherwise Smooth Two- and Three-Dimensional Objective Analysis

A new method, based on partial spline models, is developed for including specified discontinuities in otherwise smooth two- and three-dimensional objective analyses. The method is appropriate for including tropopause height information in two- and three-dimensinal temperature analyses, using the O'Sullivan-Wahba physical variational method for analysis of satellite radiance data, and may in principle be used in a combined variational analysis of observed, forecast, and climate information. A numerical method for its implementation is described and a prototype two-dimensional analysis based on simulated radiosonde and tropopause height data is shown. The method may also be appropriate for other geophysical problems, such as modeling the ocean thermocline, fronts, discontinuities, etc.
Seismic wave detection system based on fiber optic sensor

In this paper we will demonstrate our fiber Bragg grating (FBG) accelerometer system in seismic wave detection applications. Optical fiber sensors using fiber Bragg grating have a number of advantages such as immune to electromagnetic interference, lightweight, and low power consumption. Most important, the FBG sensor has high sensitivity to dynamic strain signals and the strain sensitivity can approach sub micro-strain. The basic principle of the FBG seismic sensing system is that it transforms the acceleration of ground motion into the strain signal of the FBG sensor through mechanical design, and after the optical demodulation generates the analog voltage output proportional to the strain changes. The customized FBG seismic sensor prototype is described, which includes the electro-optical design, mechanical design and the hardware and software interface of the sensor system. The laboratory evaluation of the system is performed systematically on a commercial vibration stage. Studies of the sensor properties show that the sensor has a high sensitivity (2500 mV/g at 90 Hz) to the acceleration signal, a large dynamic range (80 dB), the good linearity and stability after device integration and packaging.
A phenomenological approach to experiences with technology: current state, promise, and future directions for research

In this paper I conceptualize experiences with technology as an object of study for educational technology research and propose phenomenology as a highly suitable method for studying this construct. I begin by reviewing existing research focusing on the construct of experiences with technology and the approaches utilized for its study. To augment this literature, I explain the phenomenological concept of experience and describe its utility for understanding experiences with technology. I propose the theoretical and methodological approach of phenomenology as a framework for developing a research agenda on experiences with technology and for unifying existing lines of research in this area. To illustrate the promise of this approach and to facilitate its application, I describe a research design consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology, including methods for collecting and analyzing data as well as ethical and validity considerations specific to this research design. I conclude by identifying several possible research directions utilizing a phenomenological approach in educational technology to incite further research in this area.
Epithelioid angiomatosis secondary to disseminated cat scratch disease involving the bone marrow and skin in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome: a case report.

A ngiomatous lesions, distinct from Kaposi’s sarcoma, have been reported in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) since 1983 [l]. Infection with cat scratch bacillus may be responsible for some of these lesions [2-41. A patient with AIDS and biopsy-proven cat scratch disease in the skin and bone marrow, with indirect evidence of liver and spleen involvement, is presented. Bone marrow specimens showed diffuse bacterial infiltration without an osteolytic reaction.
Incidence of EMS-treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States

Background: The potential impact of efforts to improve the chain of survival for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is unclear in part because estimates of the incidence of treatable cases of SCA are uncertain. The aim of the investigation was to determine a representative national incidence of emergency medical services (EMS)-treated all-rhythm and ventricular fibrillation (VF) SCA as well as survival. Methods: We used Medline to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 1980 and 31 March 2003 that reported a US community’s EMS SCA experience. Inclusion criteria required the study to include at least 25 cases, report the total number of all-rhythm and/or ventricular fibrillation arrests, and provide information about population size and study duration. Incidence was computed by dividing the total number of SCA events by the product of the community’s population and the study duration. Results: Reports from 35 communities met the inclusion criteria. A total of 35,801 all-rhythm EMS-treated cardiac arrests occurred during 62.11 million person-years of observation resulting in an overall incidence of 54.99 per 100,000 person-years. The incidence of ventricular fibrillation-rhythm SCA was 21.32 per 100,000 person-years. Sensitivity analyses generally produced similar results. Applying these results to the US population, 155,000 persons would experience EMS-treated all-rhythm SCA and 60,000 persons would experience EMS-treated ventricular fibrillation-rhythm SCA annually in the US. Survival was 8.4% for all-rhythm and 17.7% for ventricular fibrillation SCA. Conclusion: The results provide a framework to assess opportunities and limitations of EMS care with regard to the public health burden of SCA.
Direct overwrite on a preformated bilayer magneto-optical disk

We propose a new direct overwrite scheme that requires no initialization field. The scheme uses a preformated reference layer to assist on writing and erasure.
Saccadic eye movements and reading difficulties.

Saccadic eye movements of 14 children with reading difficulties and of 14 normal readers were compared before and after the problem readers underwent a seven month individual tutoring program. At pretesting the problem readers showed a rate of eye movements that was markedly lower than that of the normal readers whose rate they attained and surpassed at completion of the remedial reading program. Results are discussed in terms of the presumed function of saccadic eye movements and their relation to reading, attention, and information gathering.
Biogenic amines and control of melanophore stimulating hormone release.

Release of melanophore stimulating hormone (MSH) from the vertebrate pars intermedia is under inhibitory control by the hypothalamus. Removal of the rat pituitary or the neurointermediate lobe of the frog (Rana pipiens) to in vitro incubation medium results in rapid uninhibited release of MSH. This secretion is inhibited by norepinephrine, epinephrine, phenylephrine, and dopamine, and the inhibition is antagonized by α-adrenergic receptor blocking agents. Isoproterenol stimulation of MSH secretion from isolated glands is blocked by pro-pranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist. These results implicate dopaminergic or classical α-adrenergic receptors (or both) in inhibition of MSH release by catecholamines, and implicate β-adrenergic receptors in stimulation of MSH release by the bioamines.
Preventing nervous system sports injuries.

Physical fitness and sports remain integral components of overall good health and a cornerstone of preventive medicine. When performed safely, under adequate supervision, and with appropriate protective gear, most of these activities are enjoyable, healthful and psychologically gratifying. When not performed safely by trained athletes, these same activities can be treacherous, injurious and permanently disabling. The goals of this article are to review and describe low-risk and high-risk sports activities. A number of underlying mechanisms responsible for a particularly alarming amount of morbidity in sports will be reviewed. Fundamentals of the diagnosis and emergency treatment of many injuries will be discussed. Most important, a series of steps to be taken to improve upon sports safety will be outlined. The responsibility for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation and management of patients with nervous system sports injuries is one shared by participating athletes, coaches, trainers and the entire health care community. Language: en
High-temperature electrolysis for large-scale hydrogen and syngas production from nuclear energy: summary of system simulation and economic analyses

A research and development program is under way at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to assess the technological and scale-up issues associated with the implementation of solid-oxide electrolysis cell technology for efficient high-temperature hydrogen production from steam. This work is supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, under the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. This paper will provide an overview of large-scale system modeling results and economic analyses that have been completed to date. System analysis results have been obtained using the commercial code UniSim, augmented with a custom high-temperature electrolyzer module. Economic analysis results were based on the DOE H2A analysis methodology. The process flow diagrams for the system simulations include an advanced nuclear reactor as a source of high-temperature process heat, a power cycle and a coupled steam electrolysis loop. Several reactor types and power cycles have been considered, over a range of reactor outlet temperatures. Pure steam electrolysis for hydrogen production as well as coelectrolysis for syngas production from steam/carbon dioxide mixtures have both been considered. In addition, the feasibility of coupling the high-temperature electrolysis process to biomass and coal-based synthetic fuels production has been considered. These simulations demonstrate that the addition of supplementary nuclear hydrogen to synthetic fuels production from any carbon source minimizes emissions of carbon dioxide during the production process.
Utilizing computed tomography as a road map for designing selective and superselective neck dissection after chemoradiotherapy

Abstract Objective To determine whether computed tomography can distinguish low risk neck levels that can be omitted when neck dissection is undertaken after chemoradiotherapy. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary care center. Subjects and Methods Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing neck dissection after chemoradiotherapy between January 1998 and June 2008. We compared computed tomography findings after chemoradiotherapy with neck dissection pathology results; used primary location and computed tomography findings to design selective or superselective neck dissection; and determined whether these surgeries would have contained all metastatic disease. Results A total of 104 patients were identified, providing 110 heminecks, 531 neck levels, and 3009 lymph nodes for analysis. Neck dissections were positive in 20 (19%) of 104 patients, corresponding to 20 hemineck dissections, 31 neck levels, and 53 lymph nodes. The negative predictive value for computed tomography was 95 percent. The negative predictive value for computed tomography per neck level was as follows: I, 100 percent; II, 96 percent; III, 96 percent; IV, 97 percent; and V, 96 percent. A selective neck dissection or a superselective neck dissection, guided by level specific computed tomography findings and limited to necks with post treatment partial response in one level, would have captured all disease in 52 (95%) of 55 and 51 (93%) of 55 heminecks. Conclusion Negative computed tomography accurately predicts pathologic complete response at neck dissection. Neck dissection can be avoided in these patients. Additionally, computed tomography reliably identifies low risk neck levels that do not require dissection, permitting selective neck dissection or superselective neck dissection in partial response patients with limited residual disease.
Galvanic corrosion: a microsystems device integrity and reliability concern

We have studied the corrosion of phosphorus-doped polySi when contacted to a gold metallization layer and exposed to various hydrofluoric acid (HF) based chemistries, including mixtures with HCl, C2H6O, H2O, NH4F, Triton-X-100, as well as vapor-based HF. Here, we utilize optical-, electron-, and atomic-force-microscopy, optical interferometry, as well as instrumented indentation ("nanoindentation") to characterize test and reference specimens exposed to the various HF solutions. These measurements provide information concerning the appearance, roughness, physical dimensions, hardness, elastic modulus, and reverse phase transformation activity of the various polysilicon specimens. In general, some of the chemistries produced time-dependent darkening or "staining" visibly seen on free surfaces, roughening and attack at grain boundaries, nano-scale pitting of the free surfaces, decrease in thickness, decrease in hardness and mechanical modulus, and diminished elbow and reverse excursion activity for those silicon specimens electrically connected to metal. Change in performance is attributed to the formation of a galvanic cell during the HF immersion, and the corresponding damage driven by an anodic current. The results here can be used to explain previous work, which focused on the change in performance of designated MEMS diagnostic structures.
Development and Validation of an Improved Neurological Hemifield Test to Identify Chiasmal and Postchiasmal Lesions by Automated Perimetry

Purpose. To improve the neurological hemifield test (NHT) using visual field data from both eyes to detect and classify visual field loss caused by chiasmal or postchiasmal lesions.
Designing Political Deliberation Environments to Support Interactions in the Public Sphere

Little is known about the challenges and successes people face when piecing together multiple social media to interact in the online public sphere when: seeking information, disseminating information, and engaging in political discussions. We interviewed 29 US citizens and conducted 17 talk-out-loud sessions with people who were using one or more social media technologies, such as Facebook and Twitter, to interact in the online public sphere. We identified a number of challenges and workarounds related to public sphere interactions, and used our findings to formulate requirements for new political environments that support the interactions in the public sphere. Through evolving requirements generation, we developed a new political deliberation technology, dubbed Poli, which is an integrated social media environment with the potential to enable more effective interactions in the public sphere. We discuss several remaining questions and limitations to our tool that will drive future work.
Do certified mail third-wave follow-ups really boost response rates and quality?

The Total Design Method (TDM) of designing and implementing mail surveys has been shown to achieve high response rates. One key step in the TDM is sending a third-wave of surveys by certified mail. However, little research exists to verify the effectiveness of this step in improving response rates and quality relative to its increased expense, although this is the 50th anniversary of certified mail in the U.S. Perhaps as a result, scholars rarely use certified mail third-waves or omit third-wave mailings altogether. This article presents the results of two experiments that we embedded in two large-scale organizational mail surveys. Both studies reveal that sending a third-wave of questionnaires significantly increases the rate of response over the first two waves of mailings. Also, the results of Study 1 show that sending a certified mail third-wave has no appreciable effect on response quality. Study 2 shows that a certified mail third-wave does not significantly increase response rate or quality compared to sending the third-wave by regular, 1st-class mail.
Abstract A12: Regulation of ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cell proliferation and viability by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2

Protein kinases play crucial roles in cancer progression and are considered potential targets for novel anti-cancer therapeutics. Oncogenic kinases mediate a variety of events characteristic of the malignant phenotype including transcriptional activation, accelerated cell proliferation and enhanced cellular survival. Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase Kinase 2 (CaMKK2) has been implicated as a signaling mechanism in prostate and breast cancers, but has not been studied in ovarian cancer (OvCa). We report here the following. CaMKK2 expression is greatly increased in high grade serous papillary cystadenocarcinoma compared to benign tissue. Knockdown of CaMKK2 expression by RNA interference in OvCa OVCAR-3 cells resulted in slowing of cell growth and decreased number of cells entering S phase. At the molecular level, CaMKK2 knockdown led to significant decreases in cyclin D1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels and to a drop in phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (Rb) at Ser 807/811. These results indicate that CaMKK2 expression in OVCAR-3 OvCa cells is required for optimal G1/S phase cell cycle progression and proliferation. CaMKK2 knockdown also resulted in a significant decrease in OVCAR-3 cell survival and an increase in both Poly ADP Ribose Polymerase (PARP) cleavage (inactivation) and in the activity of executioner Caspases-3/7 indicating that CaMKK2 knockdown in OVCAR-3 cells results in apoptosis. Preliminary data showed a decrease in phosphorylation of the activation site of Akt (Thr 308) in CaMKK2 depleted cells suggesting that the G1/S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CaMKK2 silenced cells may occur either directly or indirectly through an Akt-dependent pathway. Altogether these data show that CaMKK2 is required for optimal growth and viability of OVCAR-3 cells and furthermore imply that CaMKK2 may be a promising and novel therapeutic target for OvCa. Citation Format: Angela M. Gocher, Gissou Azabdaftari, Arthur M. Edelman. Regulation of ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cell proliferation and viability by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: From Concept to Clinic; Sep 18-21, 2013; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2013;19(19 Suppl):Abstract nr A12.
Extranodal nasal-type natural killer/T-cell lymphoma masquerading as recalcitrant sinusitis.

Background. Extranodal nasal-type natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma is a very uncommon disease process often mimicking refractory sinusitis. The diagnosis may be discovered after an extensive exclusion process. Careful immunohistochemical evaluation is crucial to differentiate NK/T-cell lymphoma from other malignancies. Methods and Results. We describe a 46-year-old white man presenting with a 4-month history of refractory sinusitis and new onset visual field loss in his right eye, right facial tingling, and pain. Examination revealed right periorbital edema and scleritis, and necrotic appearing turbinates with purulence and fibrinous debris. CT/MRI delineated extensive paranasal sinus involvement. Immunohistopathology demonstrated extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma. Additional radiography revealed widespread involvement. Conclusion. Severe recalcitrant sinusitis with orbital involvement may be the initial presentation of NK/T-cell lymphoma. Ulcerative or necrotic lesions in the midline of the head and neck should raise concern for this disease. In addition to radiographic and laboratory testing, large biopsies should be taken for immunohistochemical analysis to achieve diagnosis and guide further management. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010
Prevention of prostate-related cancers in Lobund-Wistar rats.

Background Since prostate cancer (PC) development involves a combination of genetic predisposition and promotional mechanisms, especially the metabolic conversion of testosterone to 5alpha dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5alpha reductase, how do mechanisms in man relate to prostate-seminal vesicle (P-SV) tumor development in Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats? The disease in man and in L-W rats shares developmental mechanisms and characteristics to the extent that prevention of P-SV tumors in L-W rats could be predictive of similar results in man. The epidemiology of PC in man and P-SV tumors in L-W rats indicates that both are hormone-related diseases based on genetic predisposition, high production of androgens (which are activated to DHT by 5alpha reductase), and early development of androgen-dependent and metastasizing late androgen-independent stages of adenocarcinomas, all after long latency periods. Methods L-W rats at risk of developing spontaneous or induced P-SV tumors were subjected to putative antitumor agents or procedures. These included dietary restriction, testosterone ablation, soybean-derived isoflavones, antiangiogenic linomide, tamoxifen, and a vitamin D analogue. Results L-W rats subjected to 1) early onset of dietary restriction manifested suppression of spontaneous and induced development of P-SV tumors; 2) testosterone-ablation by nonesterified DHT (NE-DHT) suppressed early onset of induced P-SV tumors and to a lesser extent late onset of spontaneous tumors; 3) diets containing soy protein isolate (high isoflavones) manifested marginal suppressive effects against induced P-SV tumors, but in 12-month-old rats, the development of spontaneous tumors was reduced in incidence; 4) early administrations of antiangiogenic linomide suppressed development of induced P-SV tumors and of transplanted prostate adenocarcinoma III (PA-III) tumors, but linomide had little antitumor effect against large advanced stage tumors; and 5) tamoxifen and vitamin D analogue suppressed development of P-SV tumors. Results in conditions 1-3 were negative when tested against PA-III tumors. Conclusions Developing stages of P-SV tumors were prevented in L-W rats with autochthonous spontaneous and induced tumors, but most of the agents tested were of no therapeutic benefit against advanced-stage and transplanted PA-III tumors. However, early administrations of antiangiogenic linomide suppressed early growth of induced and transplanted PA-III tumors.
Processing partially specified queries over high-dimensional databases

In recent years, high-dimensional database applications deal with multidimensional ad hoc queries that refer to an arbitrary number of arbitrarily (unpredictably) chosen dimensions of high-dimensional data. This paper thoroughly and systematically investigates possible secondary-storage based solutions to the problems of processing multidimensional ad hoc query in transactional or semi-transactional environments. Then a complementary solution called the indexed and transposed access method (ITAM) is proposed. This method is based on two complementary measures - a multidimensional access method and a proposed access method called the Opus-path. The performance of multidimensional access methods deteriorates rapidly as the ratio of query dimensionality to data dimensionality decreases. On the other hand, the Opus-path shows retrieval performance that is actually better when the ratio is low.
Hedgerow Pruning Management Effects on Maize Yield and Nitrogen Uptake in an Alley Cropping System in Haiti

Hedgerow management is crucial to successful alley cropping. Leucaena [Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit] hedgerow management practices were assessed over four seasons for effect on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and N recovery in alley cropping. Maize was planted between leucaena hedgerows spaced 4 m apart on a Lithic Eutropepts. Pruning application and regime factors were arranged in 3 x 3 factorial augmented with a control (stone walls) in randomized complete block design with three replicates. Hedgerows were pruned at 0.50 m height at (a) maize planting and at 30 d after planting (DAP), (b) planting and 40 DAP, or (c) planting, 30 and 60 DAP. Prunings were (a) removed from plots, (b) applied as mulch or (c) incorporated into the soil at planting. A hedgerow + fertilizer treatment in an adjacent trial was included for comparison. Soil application of leucaena prunings increased average maize yield and grain N uptake by 157 and 163%, respectively, compared to when prunings were removed. Addition of inorganic fertilizer further increased maize yield and N recovery. Pruning three times per season gave higher maize yield, N uptake and N recovery than pruning twice, but reduced leucaena biomass and N yield. Pruning twice per season, with the second pruning at 40 rather than at 30 DAP, increased biomass N yield but reduced N recovery over the seasons. Alley cropping with soil application of three prunings per season averaged 31% higher maize yield and 48% higher N uptake than control. N recovery was enhanced by soil application of three prunings per crop and by fertilization.
Permutation codes for the Gaussian channel

The initial vector problem is considered for group codes for the Gaussian channel and, in particular, for codes generated by permutation groups. Variant I and variant II permutation codes are defined, and optimal initial vectors for these codes are constructed. A numerical algorithm for constructing optimal group codes is presented together with examples of this algorithm applied to several permutation groups. >
Hycanthone resistance in schistosomes correlates with the lack of an enzymatic activity which produces the covalent binding of hycanthone to parasite macromolecules.

Crude extracts of hycanthone sensitive Schistosoma mansoni incubated at 37°C in the presence of ATP and Mg2+ induced the covalent binding of tritiated hycanthone (HC) to macromolecules. The same behavior was shown by the HC sensitive species, Schistosoma rodhaini, whereas two independently isolated HC resistant S. mansoni strains had no detectable activity. Sensitive male schistosomes had more activity than females or immature worms. Virtually no activity was present in mouse liver, in human liver, in HeLa cells or in the naturally resistant species Schistosoma japonicum. The activity was destroyed by boiling or by Proteinase K treatment. Covalent binding of tritiated HC to macromolecules could be inhibited by cold HC, oxamniquine or IA-4, while none of the in vitro ineffective analogs, like lucanthone, UK-3883 or 4-desmethyl lucanthone, were inhibitory. These results strongly support the previously advanced suggestion that HC is activated by enzymatic mechanisms which are present only in drug sensitive schistosomes.
MODELS OF SYMBIOSIS

A tentative outline of concepts is proposed for the evolutionary genetics of symbiosis. There are three main topics. The first concerns the tension between the integrative and disruptive forces of kin selection. Kin selection can be disruptive because competition among close relatives favors dispersal and a reduction in relatedness among neighbors. Kin selection acts independently within each species of a symbiotic community but has important consequences for the integration of the community into a cooperative unit. The second topic describes the evolution of beneficial, synergistic effects between species. The evolution of mutual effects depends on various correla- tions between species. Genetic correlations are analogous to linkage disequilibrium in standard Mendelian genetics. Correlations in reproductive success between symbiotic partners arise from codispersal and reproductive synchrony. The third topic concerns the evolution of asymmetrical symbioses in which one species can dominate its partner. Dominance may explain the evolution of uniparental inheritance among cytoplasmic symbionts and a peculiar form of germ-soma sepa- ration in the symbionts of insects. The evolution of cooperative groups has played a major role in the history of life. The first primitive genomes probably formed by symbiotic association of separate replicators. The great transition to eukaryotic cells followed domestica- tion of a community of symbiotic bacteria. Various degrees of sociality have evolved in nearly every taxa, from the reproductive aggregations of slime molds to complex insect societies (Maynard Smith and Szathmary 1995). Several well-known processes influence cooperation and conflict within groups. Kin selection favors similar replicators to cooperate according to their shared traits (Hamilton 1964). Reciprocity favors cooperation when a helpful in- dividual obtains benefits returned from its partner (Trivers 1971). Reproductive interests overlap when symbionts are transmitted together vertically down a lin- eage (Fine 1975). As with any theoretical system that has grown haphazardly over time, a vari- ety of conceptual gaps and incompatible notions about cooperation and symbio- sis have crept into the literature. For example, vertical transmission of repli- cators down a lineage is generally believed to guarantee full cooperation within the lineage because each replicator's success is tied to the success of the group. But competition within groups can influence cohesion even in purely asexual, nonmixing lineages (Szathmary and Demeter 1987). Vertical transmission is rel-
Clinicopathological and molecular features of myeloid sarcoma as initial presentation of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms: a single institution experience

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) have a common origin in prior cytotoxic therapy and/or radiation. These neoplasms include therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS), and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (t-MDS/MPN). Myeloid sarcoma (MS), on the other hand, is a rare disease manifesting as an extramedullary collection of immature cells of myeloid lineage. Rarer still is therapy-related MS (t-MS), which has not been adequately studied due to its rarity and its lack of recognition as a unique entity among other t-MN. Here, we report what is to our knowledge the first case series of t-MS, with the aim of investigating and establishing salient clinicopathological and molecular features of this entity.
Prospective teachers’ use of behavior alteration techniques on common student misbehaviors

Pertinent to recommendations for communication training in teacher preparation, this study investigated prospective teachers’ intended use of communication control strategies in managing student misbehaviors. After formulating a typology of common student misbehavior types (active/passive) and intensity (moderate/severe), prospective teachers were asked to project their use of behavior alteration techniques in four separate scenarios. Results indicated that inexperienced teachers are likely to employ the same two strategies across all four scenarios, regardless of misbehavior type or intensity. Findings are discussed in terms of teacher training in classroom management.
Preliminary investigation of Spartina alterniflora for phytoextraction of selected heavy metals in soils from Southwest Louisiana

Abstract Spartina alterniflora plants were collected at the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge near Lake Charles, Louisiana for phytoremediation (phytoextraction) studies. In order to determine whether the plant would thrive in different soils and undergo phytoremediation, three soils were used and analyzed: experimental controlled soil (minimum heavy metal contamination), spiked soil (spiked with 100 ppm of selected heavy metals of Cr, Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn) collected from a local store and contaminated soil collected from the known contaminated (with metals) Bayou d'Inde in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The plant grew evenly in each of the three soils. Based on the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometric determination of the plant in each soil, it was shown that S . alterniflora exhibited potential for phytoremediation of metals in soils via phytoextraction into the roots.