cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Game-Theoretic History of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Abstract: This study surveys and evaluates previous attempts to use game theory to explain the strategic dynamic of the Cuban missile crisis, including, but not limited to, explanations developed in the style of Thomas Schelling, Nigel Howard and Steven Brams. All of the explanations were judged to be either incomplete or deficient in some way. Schelling’s explanation is both empirically and theoretically inconsistent with the consensus interpretation of the crisis; Howard’s with the contemporary understanding of rational strategic behavior; and Brams’ with the full sweep of the events that define the crisis. The broad outlines of a more general explanation that addresses all of the foundational questions associated with the crisis within the confines of a single, integrated, game-theoretic model with incomplete information are laid out. Keywords: Cuban missile crisis; game theory; threat that leaves something to chance; metagame theory; theory of moves; analytic narrative
The Long-Term Impact on Nursing Students of Participating in International Education

Internationalizing the nursing curriculum is essential to the education of the nurse professional prepared for the rapidly changing challenges of the 21st century. Despite recognition of this essential need, the long-term effects of international education on nursing students have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to describe the long-term impact of study abroad experiences on baccalaureate graduates. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from 27 alumni (88 per cent response rate) who completed the International Education Survey. Although the impact was found to decrease over time, respondents reported the highest impact in enhanced international perspective and increased personal development; lower impact was reported in the professional nurse role and intellectual development dimensions. Students who participated in longer programs (12 to 16 weeks) reported higher long-term impact than those participating in 3- to 4-week programs. Respondents' age at the time of the international education was positively correlated with personal development. No association was found between the respondents' year in college in which they participated and reported long-term impact. This study is a contribution to the efforts of those who are committed to making nursing education relevant in a global society.
The adsorption of nitric oxide, pyridine, and sulfur dioxide on silver: A quantum-chemical study

Abstract The bonding of nitric oxide (NO), pyridine (C5H5N) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) to silver surfaces has been examined employing semi-empirical MOSCF calculations (INDO/S) and metal clusters of limited size (Agn, n = 10, 13, 14, 15). Pyridine is a σ- and π-donor of electrons when adsorbed on a-top and bridge sites of Ag(100) and Ag(111). The C5H5NAg adsorption bond is mainly a product of the interaction between the occupied 7a1 and 2b1 Orbitals of pyridine and the Ag(5s, 5p) orbitals. On silver surfaces, NO and SO2 are net electron acceptors (σ-donors, π-acceptors). The bonding mechanism of these molecules to Ag surfaces is dominated by the interaction between the LUMO of the adsorbate (2π orbitals in NO; 3b1 orbital in SO2) and the 5s and 5p orbitals of the substrate. For each adsorbed molecule, charge transfers and dipole moments important to the change in work function are presented. The effects of chemisorption upon the CN, CC and CH bonds of pyridine, the NO bond of NO and the SO bonds of SO examined. Based on these INDO/S results, the UPS spectra of NO, pyridine and SO2 on silver surfaces and the IPS spectrum of pyridine on Ag(111) are discussed and compared with experimental results. The possible effects of electronic changes in the metal surface upon the adsorbed NO and SO2 species are analyzed in light of the molecular-orbital description of the chemisorption bonds.
Total correction of transposition of the great arteries in infancy as initial surgical management.

Abstract Fifteen patients have undergone total correction of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) in the past two years. Four were under 6 months of age and weighed 3.4, 3.5, 4.3, and 5.7 kg., respectively; 6 were from 13 to 21 months old; and 5 were 2 to 10 years old. In this series, balloon atrio-septostomy (BAS) provided palliation that was brief and often unsatisfactory. All 8 patients who had BAS without surgical septectomy had severe cyanosis, exercise intolerance, and retardation of growth and development prior to correction. There were 2 operative deaths related to complicated TGA and 1 unrelated late death. All survivors have improved dramatically. Survival alone is therefore no longer considered to be successful palliation following BAS. If adequate relief of cyanosis and reasonable growth and development are not achieved, total correction in infancy is a favorable alternative to surgical septectomy.
Post-Transplant High-Dose Cyclophosphamide for the Prevention of Graft-versus-Host Disease

Abstract Cyclophosphamide's lack of hematopoietic stem cell toxicity and its unique effects on the immune system have prompted several investigators to explore its potential for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). In haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplants, post-transplant cyclophosphamide together with standard prophylaxis reduces the incidence of GVHD to acceptable rates without the need for T cell depletion. In matched related and unrelated donor settings, cyclophosphamide alone has produced encouraging results. In particular, the low incidence of chronic GVHD is noteworthy. Here, we present a review of the current understanding of the mechanism of action of post-transplant cyclophosphamide and summarize the clinical data on its use for the prevention of GVHD.
Rating soil and water information for aquaculture

Abstract A system is provided to aid in site selection and design for aquaculture ponds. This technique is based on similar systems used in evaluating soils for use in agriculture, road construction, waste disposal, residential development, etc. Information necessary for decision making has been system-atized in tabular form giving limitation ratings (slight, moderate or severe) and restrictive features for each important soil or water property.
Road and Landing Spacing Under the Consideration of Surface Dimension of Road and Landings

Methodologies are developed for optimal road and landing spacing when considering roads and landing with surface dimensions. Example shows that the width of road and the size of landing do affect the solutions to optimal road and landing spacing.
Improvements in teaching aircraft engine design

Aircraft gas turbine analysis and design pedagogy can be enriched through the incorporation improved preliminary engine thrust and fuel consumption models, novel computer programs for both aircraft system analysis and turbomechanical design, and a new perspective for engine-cycle analysis. Four computer programs have been developed for preliminary engine design; two of these automate aircraft system analysis, while another designs multistage axial-flow compressors and the last designs multistage axial-flow turbines. Student confusion with 'design-point' and 'off-design' concepts is by these means reduced. 6 refs.
A State University's Model Program to Increase the Number of Its Disadvantaged Students Who Matriculate into Health Professions Schools.

Health professions schools often provide support for minority and disadvantaged students in high school or in a single college summer program. However, long-term support for students during their undergraduate years is also crucial. Since 1990, San Diego State University (SDSU), a large urban public university, has implemented the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) to increase the number of the university's disadvantaged students (most of whom are from minority groups) who matriculate into medical, dental, veterinary, and physician assistant schools. The program's 11 components, each dedicated to some form of educational intervention and support, emphasize developing students' collaborative learning skills, fostering their pride in accomplishment, and helping them achieve positive self-images and self-confidence; these goals are linked with building students' analytical and problem-solving skills. Weekly journals kept by students' mentors serve as an "early warning system" for "bad" feelings, attitudes, and behaviors that reflect students' personal problems and correlate with lower grades, and help the program staff work intensively with students immediately, before problems become severe. The SDSU's HCOP increased the number of disadvantaged (mostly minority) students staying in the prehealth career path (not counting those in the schools of nursing and public health) from 70 in 1989 to 360 in 1995. In 1992 through 1994, the students who had completed the HCOP's Summer Academic Program (to help them bridge into a science curriculum) had pass rates for entry-level math, writing competency, and math placement that were consistently higher than the rates for other SDSU students. The overall grade-point average of HCOP students in the spring of 1995 (3.05) was significantly higher than the overall GPA of all minority students in prehealth training before the HCOP began (2.59 in 1988). The number of SDSU's minority students accepted by health professions schools (primarily medical schools) rose significantly from six in 1990 to 23 in 1995. It is clear that the labor-intensive interventions of the HCOP throughout students' years at SDSU until they matriculate into health professions schools are working.
Clinical pharmacology of 5-fluorouracil.

5-Fluorouracil, first introduced as a rationally synthesised anticancer agent 30 years ago, continues to be widely used in the management of several common malignancies including cancer of the colon, breast and skin. This drug, an analogue of the naturally occurring pyrimidine uracil, is metabolised via the same metabolic pathways as uracil. Although several potential sites of antitumour activity have been identified, the precise mechanism of action and the extent to which each of these sites contributes to tumour or host cell toxicity remains unclear. Several assay methods are available to quantify 5-fluorouracil in serum, plasma and other biological fluids. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that plasma drug concentrations can predict antitumour effect or host cell toxicity. The recent development of clinically useful pharmacodynamic assays provides an attractive alternative to plasma drug concentrations, since these assays allow the detection of active metabolites of 5-fluorouracil in biopsied tumour or normal tissue. 5-Fluorouracil is poorly absorbed after oral administration, with erratic bioavailability. The parenteral preparation is the major dosage form, used intravenously (bolus or continuous infusion). Recently, studies have demonstrated the pharmacokinetic rationale and clinical feasibility of hepatic arterial infusion and intraperitoneal administration of 5-fluorouracil. In addition, 5-fluorouracil continues to be used in topical preparations for the treatment of malignant skin cancers. Following parenteral administration of 5-fluorouracil, there is rapid distribution of the drug and rapid elimination with an apparent terminal half-life of approximately 8 to 20 minutes. The rapid elimination is primarily due to swift catabolism of 5-fluorouracil in the liver. As with all drugs, caution should be used in administering 5-fluorouracil in various pathophysiological states. In general, however, there are no set recommendations for dose adjustment in the presence of renal or hepatic dysfunction. Drug interactions continue to be described with other antineoplastic drugs, as well as with other classes of agents.
Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase: Filamentous Nature of the Animal Enzymes

Acetyl coenzyme A carboxylases purified from several animal tissues exist as enzymatically active polymeric filaments of high molecular weight and have simillar electron microscopic, hydrodynamic, and catalytic properties. These filaments reversibly dissociate into inactive protomers of uniform size. Their re-assembly into catalytically active filaments is promoted by the presence of an allosteric activator.
Recent advances involving the renin-angiotensin system.

The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) exercises fundamental control over sodium and water handling in the kidney. Accordingly, dysregulation of the RAS leads to blood pressure elevation with ensuing renal and cardiovascular damage. Recent studies have revealed that the RAS hormonal cascade is more complex than initially posited with multiple enzymes, effector molecules, and receptors that coordinately regulate the effects of the RAS on the kidney and vasculature. Moreover, recently identified tissue-specific RAS components have pleomorphic effects independent of the circulating RAS that influence critical homeostatic mechanisms including the immune response and fetal development. Further characterization of the diverse interactions between the RAS and other signaling pathways within specific tissues should lead to novel treatments for renal and cardiovascular disease.
Necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis with oxalosis.

Summary: Aspergillus niger has the unique ability to produce oxalic acid. We describe a patient with chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis due to A. niger who had calcium oxalate crystals demonstrated in sputum, bronchial washings, and lung tissue obtained by transbronchial biopsy. Necrotizing pulmonary infection due to A. niger is uncommon; the presence of calcium oxalate crystals can prove helpful in establishing the diagnosis of serious infection due to A. niger. Zusammenfassung: Aspergillus niger hat die einzigartige Fahigkeit, Oxalsaure zu produzieren. Wir beschreiben einen Patienten mit einer chronischen nekrotisierenden pulmonalen Aspergillose durch Aspergillus niger. Der Patient hatte Kalziumoxalat-Kristalle im Sputum, in Bronchialabsaugungen und im Lungengewebe, das durch transbronchiale Biopsie gewonnen wurde. Nekrotisierende pulmonale Infektionen durch Aspergillus niger sind selten. Der Nachweis von Kalziumoxalat-Kristallen kann bei der Stellung der Diagnose einer ernsten Infektion durch Aspergillus niger hilfreich sein.
Towards Unifying Systems Biology - Using Pathway Data in Biopax Format for SBML Simulators

Thousands of biochemical interactions are available from public sources in the Biological Pathways Exchange (BioPAX) format. However, the current standard for exchange of simulation-ready biological models is System Biology Markup Language (SBML). This markup language is structurally and semantically different from BioPAX. Some conversion schemes exist, using annotations and based on simple one-to-one mappings between SBML and BioPAX objects, which ignores semantic differences and therefore often leads to significant loss of information or meaning. A comprehensive modeling framework capable of representing the complex relationships between SBML and BioPAX data is needed to take full advantage of existing pathway data in kinetic modeling, thus integrating these two formats by gluing them together.Here we describe such a framework that we are developing as a part of the Virtual Cell (http://vcell.org) modeling and simulation environment. Systems Biology Linker (SyBiL, http://vcell.org/biopax) is a tool for analyzing and visualizing BioPAX data, and converting them to SBML. Based on the Jena Semantic Web framework for Java, SyBiL supports handling of generic RDF/OWL data (such as visualization and reasoning) as well as functions specific to handling SBML and BioPAX data. SyBiL uses Systems Biology Pathway eXchange, called SBPAX, as a generic approach to integrate model-centric formats similar to SBML with pathway-centric formats similar to BioPAX. SBPAX is an OWL-based schema that serves as a glue to integrate different data formats, despite semantic differences. Effectively, SBPAX provides a bridge between SBML and the Semantic Web world. SyBiL offers various visualization modes showing reaction networks to varying degrees of details, including displaying nodes for reactions only as well as displaying Petri nets consisting of reaction nodes and reaction participants and catalysts.
Photophysical Characteristics and Reactivity of Bis(2,9-di-tert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline)copper(I)

The recently synthesized sterically constrained copper(I) complex [Cu(dtbp)2]+ (1), where dtbp is 2,9-di-tert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline, exhibits unique photophysical and reactivity properties. Complex 1 (λabs, 425 nm; e, 3100 L M−1 cm−1; λemission, 599 nm) has the longest metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) emission lifetime (τ, 3260 ns) and largest quantum yield (ϕ, 5.6%) of all [Cu(R2phen)2]+ complexes. Complex 1 also exhibits a large positive reduction potential for the [Cu2+(dtbp)2]|[Cu+(dtbp)2] couple (E1/2 = 0.70 V vs Fc+/0) and a large negative excited-state reduction potential for the [Cu2+(dtbp)(dtbp−•)]|[Cu2+(dtbp)2] couple (E1/2 = −1.66 V vs Fc+/0), indicating that this complex is a potent photoreductant in the excited state. The steric constraint imposed by the t-butyl substituents in 1 enables unusual ligand replacement reactivity. Either CH3CN or CO replaces one of the dtbp ligands, a reaction that is readily followed by loss of the unique emission signature of 1. Monodentate CH3CN binds...
A comparison of Lambda-transfer and core solutions in constant-sum non-sidepayment games

This article reports a study assessing the predictive accuracy of five solution concepts in cooperative non-sidepayment games. The test compares three λ-transfer solutions (λ-transfer value, λ-transfer nucleolus, and λ-transfer disruption value) against the α-core and the β-core. A laboratory experiment utilizing 5-person, 2-choice constant-sum games in normal form served as the framework for the test. The goodness-of-fit results, based on two types of discrepancy scores, show that the λ-transfer value and the λ-transfer disruption value were about equally accurate predictors of payoffs and that both were more accurate than the λ-transfer nucleolus. This holds whether the λ-transfer solutions are construed as predicting single-vector composites or as predicting sets of outcomes. Further results show that when the three λ-transfer solutions are treated as predicting single-vector composites, they are more accurate than the α-core and the β-core. However, when they are treated as predicting sets of vectors, they are not.
Relative brain size and metabolism in mammals

Comparisons of the relation between brain and body weights among extant mammals show that brain sizes have not increased as much as body sizes. Interspecific increases in brain and body size appear to occur at the same rate, however, when the amount of available energy is taken into account. After this adjustment, brains of primates are slightly larger than expected from the overall mammalian data, but primates also use a larger proportion of their total energy reserves for their brains. Analyses of relative brain size must take into account the requirements that the metabolically active brain has for the body.
Prediction of CO2 Adsorption Properties in Zeolites Using Force Fields Derived from Periodic Dispersion-Corrected DFT Calculations

We demonstrate a new approach to develop transferable force fields describing molecular adsorption in zeolites by combining dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations and classical atomistic simulations. This approach is illustrated with the adsorption of CO2 in zeolites. Multiple dispersion-corrected DFT methods were tested for describing CO2 adsorption in sodium-exchanged ferrierite. The DFT-D2 approach was found to give the best agreement with high level quantum chemistry results and experimental data. A classical force field for CO2 adsorption in siliceous zeolites was then developed on the basis of hundreds of DFT-D2 calculations that probed the full range of accessible volume in purely siliceous chabazite (Si-CHA) via random sampling. We independently performed experiments with Si-CHA measuring CO2 isotherms and heats of adsorption by microcalorimetry. Excellent agreement was obtained between adsorption isotherms predicted with our first-principles-derived force field and our ...
Considerations in the design of a dynamic control system for the generalized chemical processing model considered as a nonl inear system

The control of the reactor and associated plant units in the processing complex hypothesized by T. J. Williams10 and specifically, the dynamic control of this reactor to a desired set point, are treated in this paper. However, while the problem particularly concerns the control of the given reactor, the main purpose here is to outline a method of approach to the problem of dynamic control of industrial processes. Consequently, short cuts peculiar to the reactor control problem are ignored. In general, the approach is as follows: 1. Assumptions are made concerning criteria of operation and behavior of units of the plant other than the reactor proper. 2. From these assumptions the calculus of variations is used to develop control laws or strategies for each control variable. 3. Since these control laws cannot, in general, be integrated analytically, the prospect of using an ?on-line? computer to integrate these laws numerically and consequently control the reactor is then examined.
Immunological methods for food web analysis in a soft-bottom benthic community

Basic to nearly any prediction concerning the behavior and structure of entire communities or of their components is knowledge of trophic connections among species. A major impediment to such understanding of soft-bottom benthos is methodological. Because none of the routinely available methods of food web analysis (e.g. visual gut content analysis, direct observation of feeding, tracer techniques) is generally suitable for examining all trophic interactions of benthic infauna, we rought to evaluate the potential of immunological methods for identifying predatorprey relationships in one typical, estuarine, intertidal sand flat. Whole-organism extracts of individual macro- and meiofaunal taxa were injected into rabbits to produce antisera of varying specificity. Double immunodiffusion precipitin tests of antiserum specificity revealed both phyletic and trophic relationships among 20 taxa. Using relatively unspecific antisera, preliminary analysis of the stomach contents of a few surface deposit-feeders and particle browsers was successful, giving positive identification of several trophic links which would otherwise have gone undetected. The production of taxon-specific antisera is expected to provide the methodological tool necessary to document the breadth of trophic connections in a marine benthic food web.
The impact of man

There is no doubt that mankind is now altering the Earth significantly and that no part of the global system is immune. The envelope of air surrounding the globe, the oceans—which cover about 70% of the surface—the land surface, the subsurface, and the biosphere all feel the impact of man. Also, it is true that however brief the period of time that human beings have lived on Earth, and long before the present, they have altered the land and water in important ways. All energy used by mankind, the number of people on Earth, and the combination of the two, which stresses the global system far beyond anything experienced heretofore makes the 20th century different than previous times.
Effect of curing temperature on the properties of cementitious waste forms

Current plans for disposing various low-level radioactive and/or hazardous liquid wastes include solidification of the waste using cementitious materials. One process, known as grouting, involves mixing liquid wastes with a blend of cementitious materials and pumping the resultant slurry to lined, underground concrete vaults. As the grout slurry begins to solidify and harden, the temperature within the grout increases due to exothermic hydration reactions. Depending on the particular grout composition and on the disposal conditions, the grout may be exposed to temperatures of around 90{degree}C for extended time periods. Studies are being conducted to determine the effects of high-temperature curing on selected properties of grouts prepared with a simulated low-level liquid waste. Grout samples cured at temperatures up to 95{degree}C in the laboratory absorbed water during curing. The resultant leach resistance and compressive strength of these grouts decreased with increases in curing temperature and curing time. 6 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.
Fun to develop embodied skill: how games help the blind to understand pointing

We discuss how gaming can be used as a training strategy for students who are blind or visually impaired (SBVI) to develop embodied skill in use of haptic assistive technology. The technology takes the form of a haptic glove that is designed to give SBVI access to the pointing behavior of teachers in mathematics/science instruction that is performed in conjunction with speech and the use of instructional graphics. Our initial studies show that significant 'embodied skill' was required to afford fluent multimodal communication between the instructor and student. We developed a gaming strategy, employing flow theory to enhance the fun and engagement of the SBVI to promote extensive perceptual training. Our results showed significant improvement and interaction gains as the game-play progressed over multiple sessions. Results also indicate that skills developed through game play were persistent, and transferable to complex multimodal situated discourse conditions.
Causal Modeling for Indirect Cost Management at Universities and Colleges.

Faculty applications for nonuniversity project funding, relative support requested for research, and the indirect cost rate negotiated for federal research projects are used to forecast overhead one year in advance. They are also used to project the ratio of awarded indirect cost to awarded direct cost. The role of the latter variable in mediating changes in subsequent indirect cost reimbursement is described, as well. By using multiple regression and path analysis, the study demonstrates one way of bridging the gap between theories on indirect cost recovery and statistical methodology. It should be of particular interest to the administrator who seeks to integrate variables which precede overhead reimbursement in time with the university budget process.
Inhomogeneous strain relaxation in triple-barrier p − S i / S i G e nanostructures

Resonant tunneling measurements are used to probe size-induced strain relaxation in p-Si/SiGe triple-barrier nanostructures with a narrow (\ensuremath{\sim}10 \AA{}) middle barrier, where the confined subbands depend strongly on the strain and bias-dependent coupling between the two neighboring quantum wells. In structures with $2.0g~Dg~0.25\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ diameter, shifts in the strain-dependent subband energies are clearly observable in the tunneling current. Further, in the smallest structures $(Dl~0.17\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}),$ tunneling through discrete states confined by inhomogeneous-strain-induced lateral potentials dominates the $I(V).$ Magnetotunneling measurements on a $D=0.17\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ structure reveal a \ensuremath{\sim}75-\AA{} effective length of the strain-induced lateral confinement potential. Based on our previous measurements of double-barrier nanostructures and the finite element calculations of the strain distribution in these triple-barrier structures, we conclude that the $I(V)$ peak shifts in larger devices are due to uniform strain relaxation, whereas in smaller devices the fine structure in the $I(V)$ is due to coupled inhomogeneous-strain-induced discrete quantum-dot or ring states in neighboring wells.
Stokes shift spectroscopy highlights differences of cancerous and normal human tissues

The Stokes shift spectroscopy (S3) offers a simpler and better way to recognize spectral fingerprints of fluorophores in complex mixtures. The efficiency of S3 for cancer detection in human tissue was investigated systematically. The alterations of Stokes shift spectra (S3) between cancerous and normal tissues are due to the changes of key fluorophores, e.g., tryptophan and collagen, and can be highlighted using optimized wavelength shift interval. To our knowledge, this is the first time to explicitly disclose how and why S3 is superior in comparison with other conventional spectroscopic techniques.
Algorithm for calculating spectral intensity due to charged particles in arbitrary motion

An algorithm for calculating the spectral intensity of radiation due to the coherent addition of many particles with arbitrary trajectories is described. Direct numerical integration of the Lienard-Wiechert potentials, in the far field, for extremely high photon energies and many particles is made computationally feasible by a mixed analytic and numerical method. Exact integrals of spectral intensity are made between discretely sampled trajectories, by assuming the space-time four-vector is a quadratic function of proper time. The integral Fourier transform of the trajectory with respect to time, the modulus squared of which comprises the spectral intensity, can then be formed by piecewise summation of exact integrals between discrete points. Because of this, the calculation is not restricted by discrete sampling bandwidth theory and, hence, for smooth trajectories, time steps many orders larger than the inverse of the frequency of interest can be taken.
Leveraging Service Clouds for Power and QoS Management for Mobile Devices

We propose a QoS and power management (QPM) framework for mobile devices making use of the service cloud. Several techniques for the realization of the QPM framework have been developed. First, we develop a function pool based prediction model to predict the power and QoS behaviors of the task activated by a mobile device. Based on the prediction, we design the cost function and the decision algorithm for selecting the best platforms for executing the services/applications in order to achieve optimal energy saving while satisfying QoS requirements. Several service and data migration policies have been designed for a service to be migrated and executed on a mobile device to achieve power and QoS gains. We apply the QPM framework and associated techniques to a facial recognition case study system to validate our approach. Experimental results show that, in the best case, the QPM framework can achieve 66.7% energy saving for the mobile device and at the same time, reduce the response time by 54.3%.
Funding for U.S. biomedical research: the case for the scientist-advocate.

The U.S. biomedical research community finds itself at a particularly consequential moment. Since the end of the Fiscal Year (FY) 1998-2003 NIH budget doubling period, brought to fruition with bipartisan leadership, the Federal investment in biomedical research has been declining. The NIH budget has actually decreased in constant dollars since FY 2004. Across-the-board cuts included in the Budget Control Act of 2011 would result in a loss of $2.4 billion and roughly 2,300 research project grants in FY 2013 alone, unless Congress acts to intervene before January 2013. Many of the beneficiaries of NIH support view advocacy for research funding as “someone else’s job”. The case to reverse this mindset must be made. Members of Congress and their staffers are open to consideration of the case for sustaining Federal investments in science, even during these difficult budget times. However, the advocacy effort must be broad-based and repeatedly presented to effect change. The figures on economic return from spen...
Debt, Structural Adjustment, and Organic Water Pollution: A Cross-National Analysis

This article presents cross-national models examining the determinants of organic water pollution per capita. The authors use lagged dependent variable panel regression models for a sample of 50 poor nations from 1990 to 2000. They find substantial support for dependency theory that debt, structural adjustment, and industrial exports increase water pollution. The authors also find support for world polity theory that international non-governmental organizations decrease water pollution. They conclude with a brief discussion of the findings, some policy implications, and directions for future research.
Biological Action of Leptin as an Angiogenic Factor

Leptin is a hormone that regulates food intake, and its receptor (OB-Rb) is expressed primarily in the hypothalamus. Here, it is shown that OB-Rb is also expressed in human vasculature and in primary cultures of human endothelial cells. In vitro and in vivo assays revealed that leptin has angiogenic activity. In vivo, leptin induced neovascularization in corneas from normal rats but not in corneas from fa/fa Zucker rats, which lack functional leptin receptors. These observations indicate that the vascular endothelium is a target for leptin and suggest a physiological mechanism whereby leptin-induced angiogenesis may facilitate increased energy expenditure.
A double-gaussian, percentile-based method for estimating maximum blood flow velocity.

OBJECTIVES Transcranial Doppler sonography allows for the estimation of blood flow velocity, whose maximum value, especially at systole, is often of clinical interest. Given that observed values of flow velocity are subject to noise, a useful notion of "maximum" requires a criterion for separating the signal from the noise. All commonly used criteria produce a point estimate (ie, a single value) of maximum flow velocity at any time and therefore convey no information on the distribution or uncertainty of flow velocity. This limitation has clinical consequences especially for patients in vasospasm, whose largest flow velocities can be difficult to measure. Therefore, a method for estimating flow velocity and its uncertainty is desirable. METHODS A gaussian mixture model is used to separate the noise from the signal distribution. The time series of a given percentile of the latter, then, provides a flow velocity envelope. This means of estimating the flow velocity envelope naturally allows for displaying several percentiles (e.g., 95th and 99th), thereby conveying uncertainty in the highest flow velocity. RESULTS Such envelopes were computed for 59 patients and were shown to provide reasonable and useful estimates of the largest flow velocities compared to a standard algorithm. Moreover, we found that the commonly used envelope was generally consistent with the 90th percentile of the signal distribution derived via the gaussian mixture model. CONCLUSIONS Separating the observed distribution of flow velocity into a noise component and a signal component, using a double-gaussian mixture model, allows for the percentiles of the latter to provide meaningful measures of the largest flow velocities and their uncertainty.
Transmission of a Newly Characterized Strain of Varicella-Zoster Virus from a Patient with Herpes Zoster in a Long-Term-Care Facility, West Virginia, 2004

We investigated a small outbreak of varicella in a long-term-care facility after a case of herpes zoster. Clinical specimens and environmental samples were collected from all case patients and from surfaces in the case patients' rooms and other common-use areas. Wild-type varicella-zoster virus (VZV) DNA was identified in all 3 varicella case patients, and high concentrations of VZV DNA were detected in environmental samples from the room of the herpes zoster case patient. Genotypic analysis showed that the identical VZV strain was present in all samples; moreover, the strain was a unique Mosaic genotype isolate that included a stable Oka vaccine marker that had hitherto never been observed in a wild-type strain of VZV. This study provides evidence for the value of including environmental sampling during the investigation of varicella outbreaks and illustrates the importance of evaluating multiple vaccine-associated markers for the discrimination of vaccine virus from wild-type VZV.
Temporal and spatial resolution requirements for a soil moisture mission

The temporal and spatial resolution requirements for a soil moisture mission are addressed through a synthetic identical twin data assimilation study. Simulations were made for observations with various temporal resolutions (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 days), and spatial resolutions (0.5, 6, 12 18, 30, 60 and 120 minutes of arc). It was found that daily observations of surface soil moisture achieved the best predictions of soil moisture and evapotranspiration, with the greatest impact of temporal resolution being for 1 to 5 days. It was also found that observations with a spatial resolution less than the model resolution produced the best results, with spatial resolutions greater than the model resolution yielding only a slight degradation.
Affective Forecasting and Self-Control: When Anticipating Pride Wins Over Anticipating Shame in a Self-Regulation Context

We demonstrate that anticipating pride from resisting temptation facilitates self control due to an enhanced focus on the self while anticipating shame from giving in to temptation results in self-control failure due to a focus on the tempting stimulus. In two studies we demonstrate the effects of anticipating pride (vs. shame) on self-control thoughts and behavior over time (Studies 1 and 2) and illustrate the process mechanism of self vs. stimulus focus underlying the differential influence of these emotions on self-control (Study 2). We present thought protocols, behavioral data (quantity consumed) and observational data (number/size of bites) to support our hypotheses.
Short-term Patient-reported Quality of Life After Robot-assisted Radical Cystectomy Using the Convalescence and Recovery Evaluation

Objective To determine the short-term health status of patients after robot-assisted radical cystectomy using the Convalescence and Recovery Evaluation (CARE). Radical cystectomy and urinary diversion in patients with invasive bladder cancer can have a significant effect on patients' quality of life. Methods A total of 91 patients completed the CARE preoperatively and postoperatively. The CARE scores were calculated from postoperative day 7 to 90. Outcome measures were calculated using the CARE difference index (CDI), defined as the difference between the baseline CARE and postoperative day 7 CARE scores. The primary outcome was the time taken to recover 90% of the CDI. Results The mean age at robot-assisted radical cystectomy was 69 years (range 42-86). Of the 91 patients, 68 (74%) were men, 38 underwent extracorporeal urinary diversion, 52 underwent intracorporeal urinary diversion, and 1 underwent no diversion. A comparison of the preoperative and postoperative day 7 scores demonstrated a 48% decline in the total CARE score. The decline in specific CARE domains was 14%, 34%, 56%, and 66% against baseline for the cognition, pain, gastrointestinal, and activity domains, respectively. The mean time to recover 90% of the CDI for the total CARE score was 63 days. The mean time to recover 90% of the CDI for the pain, cognition, and activity domains was 33, 57, and 82 days, respectively. Patients did not recover 90% of the CDI for the gastrointestinal domain within the 90-day follow-up period. Conclusion Patients who underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy approached preoperative baseline levels within 90 days using the CARE in the total CARE, pain, cognition, and activity domains but not in the gastrointestinal domain.
SOME EXPLORATORY INDICES FOR SELECTION OF A TEST EQUATING METHOD

Most major testing programs require the creation of multiple test forms to preserve test security and to sustain the integrity of claims to generalizability. Regardless of the care with which they are constructed, multiple test forms invariably differ in difficulty level and in variability. Some method must therefore be used to translate scores on one form of the test to the scale of another. When the test forms are essentially parallel, such translating is called test equating. The methodological literature on test equating has been abundant since the early 1950's (Angoff, 1961, 1968; Flanagan, 1951; Lennon, 1964; Lord, 1950, 1955; Maxey & Lenning, 1974). Angoff (1971) has summarized this literature. More recent articles have concentrated on the application of latent trait models to problems which include test equating, through so-called "sample-free" specification of test item parameters (Marco, Petersen, & Stewart, 1980). This work is, however, beyond the scope of this paper, since we are not concerned with the effectiveness and utility of latent trait equating methods.
Are Mouse Telomeres Going to Pot

Pot1 is a conserved single-stranded DNA binding protein with crucial functions in the protection of telomeres and maintenance of their length. In this issue of Cell, two papers (Hockemeyer et al., 2006; Wu et al., 2006) examine the roles of murine Pot1 homologs and describe intriguing new insights into how cells protect their chromosome ends from DNA-repair activities.
Nitrogen implanted high voltage, planar, 6H-SiC N/sup +/-P junction diodes

High voltage (700 V), planar, 6H-SiC N/sup +/-P junction diodes have been successfully fabricated by nitrogen implantation at room temperature using a deposited and patterned silicon dioxide layer as the mask. The diodes showed excellent rectification and were able to operate at temperatures as high as 250/spl deg/C with leakage current density less than 1/spl times/10/sup -4/ A/cm/sup 2/. The dominant current conduction mechanism during forward bias was found to be recombination in the depletion region. The forward voltage drop of these diodes at 100 A/cm/sup 2/ was found to be high (13.5 V) due to the large parasitic series resistance of the thick p-type substrate. The series resistance was found to decrease with increasing temperature due to improved ionization of the dopant in the P-type substrate leading to a reduction in forward drop.
Measuring Physical Neighborhood Quality Related to Health

Although sociodemographic factors are one aspect of understanding the effects of neighborhood environments on health, equating neighborhood quality with socioeconomic status ignores the important role of physical neighborhood attributes. Prior work on neighborhood environments and health has relied primarily on level of socioeconomic disadvantage as the indicator of neighborhood quality without attention to physical neighborhood quality. A small but increasing number of studies have assessed neighborhood physical characteristics. Findings generally indicate that there is an association between living in deprived neighborhoods and poor health outcomes, but rigorous evidence linking specific physical neighborhood attributes to particular health outcomes is lacking. This paper discusses the methodological challenges and limitations of measuring physical neighborhood environments relevant to health and concludes with proposed directions for future work.
Regulation of Luteinizing Hormone in the Fetal and Neonatal Lamb. I. LH Concentrations in Blood and Pituitary

LH was studied in 504 lambs during the last two-thirds of prenatal development through day 18 of postnatal life using specific and sensitive radioimmunoassays to quantitate LH in small amounts of sera and anterior pituitaries. The increase in both pituitary LH concentration and gonadal weight with fetal age was greater for males than females. Despite the elevated concentrations of LH in the fetal pituitary during the final third of gestation, circulating LH in both sexes decreased to the lowest levels observed during fetal life. However, these changes in pituitary and serum LH concentrations during prenatal development were different for the two sexes but seemed unrelated to the differential growth of the gonads. Although the concentration of LH in fetal serum was not influenced by the presence of a twin, twins of either sex had a lower concentration of pituitary LH than singletons. The sex of the co-twin had no effect on this parameter. A precipitous decrease in pituitary LH occurred in lambs of both sex...
Cross‐reactivity of IgE‐binding components between boiled Atlantic shrimp and German cockroach

IgE-antibody reactivity to boiled Atlantic shrimp (Pandalus borealis) and German cockroach (Blattella germanica) of sera from 89 patients, sensitive to one or the other, was investigated with an enzymatic immunoassay for specific IgE detection (CAP-FEIA System, Pharmacia, Sweden). IgE serum levels to both antishrimp and anticockroach allergens were found to be positive in 76 of the 89 (85.4%) tested sera. A positive anticockroach IgE was very rare in the absence of detectable antishrimp IgE (five of 89 sera). Linear regression analysis on antishrimp and anti-German cockroach IgE levels-log plot revealed a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.73. Inhibition experiments showed that boiled Atlantic shrimp extract inhibited CAP with German cockroach, and vice versa. Immunoblotting showed the strongest IgE binding for both allergenic extracts between 30 and 43 kDa. By blot inhibition, the binding capacity of German cockroach was totally abolished by Atlantic shrimp extract, while German cockroach extract only partially IgE binding to Atlantic shrimp. Cross-reactivity exists between shrimp, an important food allergen, and German cockroach, which has an increasing role in allergic asthma. It could be important to determine the clinical significance of cross-allergy to both allergens, in which exposures occur in different ways.
Inflow MR angiography: phantom studies of simulated plaques and aneurysms

The reduction of simulated plaques in a steady state and pulsatile flow phantom using inflow MR (magnetic resonance) angiography is evaluated. It was found that inflow MR angiography can detect subcritical plaques of 0.25 mm to 4.00 mm sizes with either steady state or pulsatile flow. Detected lesions appeared up to 50% larger than the actual size in the simulated plaque study. The results of the aneurysm study were not as positive. Aneurysms were much more difficult to detect due to signal void in the aneurysms. In some cases where the aneurysms were small, the aneurysm could not be detected. The angle of positive identification is important for the detection of lesions. This is even more important in the case of aneurysms, because vessels normally have high signals and can obscure even large lesions at some angle. >
Catatonia as a risk factor for the development of neuroleptic malignant syndrome: Report of a case following treatment with clozapine

Catatonia is characterized by the predominance of psychomotor abnormalities and shares many clinical, biological and treatment response features with the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare adverse reaction to psychoactive medications. It has been advocated that the two conditions should be placed along the same spectrum of disorders. A case of a 49-year-old woman, who developed NMS while on low dose clozapine soon after recovering from catatonia, is presented. The potential relationship between catatonia and NMS is discussed in the light of the existing literature, and attention is drawn to the risk for clozapine-induced NMS in catatonic patients.
Client and therapist initial experience of using mindfulness in therapy

Literature has demonstrated the influence of mindfulness practice on both clients and therapists; however, no literature has considered the experience of mindfulness in therapy from both members of the therapeutic dyad. The present study interviewed five separate therapy dyads (n=10) regarding their experience of first using mindfulness in session. Participants, both clients and therapists, had little-to-no experience with mindfulness prior to the study. Interview transcripts were analyzed and common themes were derived. Results indicated that both clients and therapist felt that the practice of mindfulness had an impact on the therapeutic relationship. Furthermore, participants also suggested ways in which therapists may better utilize mindfulness in therapy.