cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signature of ecological partitioning in the maintenance of damselfly diversity.

Summary 1. Ecological differences among co-occurring taxa are often invoked as an explanation for the maintenance of biodiversity. Whether these differences facilitate coexistence, which allows unequal competitors to remain in systems and thus maintain biodiversity, is still unclear. 2. Here, we used observational and experimental studies to test for ecological partitioning in ways that would promote coexistence among three co-occurring damselfly genera. We evaluated two necessary conditions for coexistence: (i) that the damselfly genera differ in their abilities to engage in interactions with other damselfly genera and environmental conditions such that their relative abundances covary differently along environmental gradients and (ii) that an increase in intrageneric abundance is more detrimental to performance-related demographic features of each genus than increases in intergeneric abundances. 3. Observational studies across 40 lakes showed that relative abundances of each genus covaried differently along an environmental gradient of lake abiotic and biotic features consistent with ecological partitioning. Field experiments in which we manipulated both intra- and intergeneric densities demonstrated that per capita growth rates of each genus are negatively density-dependent and are only limited by increases in intra- not intergeneric densities. 4. Collectively, these results show a clear signature of ecological partitioning among each genus, which should prevent competitive exclusion and maintain each genus in this system. The results do not guarantee local coexistence among the three genera but are consistent with criteria that should promote their coexistence. Our results also suggest that a food web model coupling keystone predation and apparent competition is likely necessary to explain the ecological dynamics of persistence among these genera.
Broadcasting and personalized communication in a torus and grid network

The authors address two different communication problems in multiprocessor systems: all-to-all broadcast communication and one-to-all personalized communication. The networks selected for study are the torus and grid networks. New algorithms are presented for both the all-to-all broadcast and one-to-all personalized communication problems on the torus and grid networks. >
The identification of excited species in arc jet flow

Spectrographic work done at the Atmospheric Reentry Material and Structures Facility (arc jet) located at the Johnson Space Center has led to the identification of several excited molecular and atomic states. The excited molecular states identified are: first positive nitrogen system, second positive nitrogen system, the first negative nitrogen system, the gamma system for nitric oxide, and the 306.4 nm system of OH. Excited atoms identified were nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, silicon, copper, sodium, barium, potassium, and calcium. The latter five are considered contaminants. Excited molecular states of oxygen were not seen, suggesting full dissociation of oxygen molecules to oxygen atoms within the arc column and nozzle. Further, evidence exists that O(-) may be present since a background continuum is seen, and because of the existence of positive species (first negative system of N2(+)). Interpretation of spectrographic plates was enhanced by the use of a microdensitometer, and by the application of a second order least squares routine which determined wavelength as a function of plate location. Results of this work will ultimately improve models used in the calculation of heat transfer rates to the space shuttle and the aerobraking orbit transfer vehicles.
Evaluating your health promotion program for the Return on Allocated Resources (ROAR) factor.

This article briefly describes how to structure a program evaluation to embrace the ROAR Factor. ROAR stands for return on allocated resources, which implies that we need to measure ALL the allocated resources, not just direct out-of-pocket costs, and ALL the returns, not just reductions in medical costs or similar objective outcomes. The ROAR Factor also means focusing programs on what makes people feel great, what makes them want to roar, and measuring how well we are doing in helping people feel great.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL BEHAVIORS: SUPERVISOR PERCEPTIONS AND SUBORDINATE REACTIONS

This study examined supervisor perceptions and subordinate reactions to formal performance-appraisal reviews. The performance-appraisal behaviors of supervisors and the reactions of their subordinates were studied in a sample of university employees. A factor analysis revealed that there were three dimensions of formal performance appraisals: two developmental dimensions (being supportive; emphasizing performance improvement) and one administrative dimension (discussing pay and advancement). Regression analyses suggested that supervisors supported highly rated individuals and stressed improvement efforts for poor performers. After controlling for the level of previous performance ratings, results indicated that support in the appraisal review was associated with higher levels of employee motivation, while discussing pay and advancement was associated with higher levels of employee satisfaction. Unfortunately, improvement efforts by the supervisors did not influence job performance one year later.
Testing whether F is “more NBU” than is G

Abstract A life distribution F is new better than used (NBU) if F (x + y) ≤ F (x) F (y) for all x,y ≥ 0. In this paper we develop the two-sample NBU test of the null hypothesis that two distributions, F and G, are equal, vs the alternative that F is “more NBU” than is G. Our test is based on the statistic T m,n =∫∫ F m (x+y) dF m (x) dF (y)-∫∫ G n (x+y) dG n (x) dG n (y) where m and n are the sample sizes from F and G, and Fm and Gn are the empirical distribution functions of F and G. Asymptotic normality of Tm,n, suitably normalized, is a direct consequence of Hoeffding's U-statistic theorem. Then, using a consistent estimator of the null asymptotic variance of N 1 2 T m,n , where N = m + n, we obtain an asymptotically distribution-free test. We also extend the two-sample NBU test to the k-sample case.
Management of pediatric hemoptysis: Review and a case of isolated unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis

Summary Objectives: Management of hemoptysis in the pediatric patient requires an otolaryngologist knowledgeable and skilled in the causes and management of this potentially life-threatening condition. This paper will discuss the management of pediatric hemoptysis by the otolaryngologist through an index case of massive hemoptysis seen in a child with isolated unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis (IUPAA). Study design: Literature review and index case. Methods: Through a Medline search and the experience of the author (A.J.M.), we reviewed the causes and treatment options for hemoptysis in the pediatric patient. Results: Management of hemoptysis by the otolaryngologist requires prompt diagnosis and patient stabilization. This allows the patient access to multiple treatment options which may include diagnostic or therapeutic bronchoscopy, angiography with embolization, and surgical intervention such as resection or revascularization. IUPAA is an unusual, and potentially life-threatening cause of hemoptysis in the pediatric patient. Conclusion: Hemoptysis in the pediatric patient requires prompt and thorough evaluation and treatment. An approach for the management of pediatric hemoptysis, including massive hemoptysis, is described.
The improvement of faculty teaching through evaluation: a preliminary report.

Abstract The primary purpose of the faculty-evaluation program is to upgrade the overall quality of teaching in the medical school. It is still too early to know if this will be achieved. However, based on a full year of trials with this evaluation form, there is no doubt in the minds of the Committee that it will certainly serve to identify the strong points and the weak points of individual faculty members' teaching capabilities. In the coming academic year, the Committee expects to learn how successful it will be in its efforts to improve the quality of an individual's teaching by standard techniques of self-improvement based upon a detailed analysis of the strong and the weak aspects of his teaching profile. The overall success of the evaluation form as used on a school-wide level and the hoped-for benefits in the improvement of the quality of teaching will be the subjects of future communications.
Childcare Workers’ Knowledge About the Brain and Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Advances in neuroscience are providing information about the brain and its development. Some researchers propose that childcare workers need to understand this information because it confirms their importance and their use of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). Given the fact that childcare workers could benefit from this insight, it seems reasonable to ask where they get their information about the brain and what they know about the brain and DAP. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate these questions by surveying a group of 59 childcare workers from three different centers. Results indicate these childcare workers prefer to get their information from workshops. They knew most about interactions and things that can harm the developing brain. They knew significantly less about brain development. Implications from these findings point to the importance of offering workshops with sound scientific information.
Application of Artificial Neural Networks to Concrete Pavement Joint Evaluation

Application of the principles of dimensional analysis has recently led to the development of a robust method for assessing the deflection and stress load transfer efficiencies of concrete pavement joints and for backcalculating joint parameters. The new method eliminates the need to make a priori assumptions since pertinent inputs can now be experimentally determined using the falling weight deflectometer. A data base has been generated using numerical integration of Westergaard-type integrals and has been used to train a backpropagation neural network algorithm for joint evaluation. The resulting computer program is simple, efficient, and precise and can be used on site for immediate results. Its predictions are verified by comparisons with closed-form and finite-element solutions pertaining to data collected at three major civilian airports in the United States, including the new Denver International Airport. Also discussed is the role of dimensional analysis in the generation of the training set for a ...
Sales presentation skills and salesperson job performance

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine the relations between important sales presentation skills and salesperson job performance.Design/methodology/approach – Data on each construct in the model was gathered and the relations analyzed using LISREL software.Findings – Salesperson experience, and to a lesser degree training, underlie sales presentation skills. Salesperson skill at using adaptive selling techniques and closing are related with increased performance.Research limitations/implications – Additional sales skills need to be considered and salespeople other than those in the B‐B environment should be studied.Practical implications – Sales managers are urged to ensure their B‐B salespeople develop their skills in adaptive communication and closing as one means to improve sales performance.Originality/value – The findings highlight the importance of salesperson experience and training in developing the skills that contribute to sales performance.
Regional Myocardial Lidocaine Concentration Determines the Antidysrhythmic Effect in Dogs after Coronary Artery Occlusion

Ischemic ventricular dysrhythmias were produced in 40 of 47 anesthetized mongrel dogs by high ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Dysrhythmias were treated with a single iv bolus of 20, 40, 80, or 120 mg of lidocaine (L) in order to determine the dose at which approximately 50% of animals had an antidysrhythmic response. Cardiac output and regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) were measured by using radionuclide labeled microspheres. Lidocaine concentration [( L]) was measured from samples of arterial and venous blood and normal and ischemic myocardium. All dogs treated with 40, 80, or 120 mg of L had an antidysrhythmic effect. However, with 20 mg of L the dysrhythmia persisted in 12 and resolved in 14. With 20 mg of L, ischemic myocardial [L] was greater in dogs with an antidysrhythmic effect than in those with persistent dysrhythmias (1.14 +/- 0.12 vs. 0.76 +/- 0.04 micrograms X g-1), but no difference was seen for arterial, venous, and normal myocardial [L]. Ischemic RMBF was higher in the dogs that had an antidysrhythmic effect than in those that did not, 9.8 +/- 1.5 versus 6.9 +/- 1.3% of normal. With 20 mg of L, [L] in ischemic myocardium correlated well with ischemic RMBF. The antidysrhythmic response to L had a threshold at a tissue concentration of greater than or equal to 1.0 microgram X g-1 (chi-square = 8.55, P less than 0.005). For this model, the [L] in ischemic myocardium during acute ischemia correlates with the antidysrhythmic response to L, while the concentration in normal myocardium or blood does not.
Over an octave of infrared supercontinuum generation in robust multi-material chalcogenide nano-tapers

We demonstrate infrared supercontinuum generation over more than one octave (0.85–2.35 μm) produced using a low-power 1.5-μm picosecond laser in robust multi-material step-index chalcogenide fiber nano-tapers with high index contrast.
Mesh-Free Simulation in Elastic-Plastic Fracture Mechanics

This paper presents an enriched meshless method for fracture analysis of cracks in homogeneous, isotropic, nonlinear-elastic, two-dimensional solids, subject to mode-I loading conditions. The method involves an element-free Galerkin formulation and two new enriched basis functions (Type I and Type II) to capture the Hutchinson-Rice-Rosengren singularity field in nonlinear fracture mechanics. The Type I enriched basis function can be viewed as a generalized enriched basis function, which degenerates to the linear-elastic basis function when the material hardening exponent is unity. The Type II enriched basis function entails further improvements of the Type I basis function by adding trigonometric functions. Three numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed method. The boundary layer analysis indicates that the crack-tip field predicted by using the proposed basis functions matches with the theoretical solution very well in the whole region considered, whether for the near-tip asymptotic field or for the far-tip elastic field. Numerical analyses of standard fracture specimens by the proposed meshless method also yield accurate estimates of the J-integral for the applied load intensities and material properties considered. Furthermore, the meshless results show excellent agreement with the experimental measurements, indicating that the new basis functions are also capable of capturing elastic-plastic deformations at a stress concentration effectively.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Quality assessment of randomized control trials in dental research. I. Methods.

The criteria and scoring method for a system to evaluate the quality of randomized control trials (RCTs) in dental research based on published reports is presented. This sytem is based on one devised for evaluation of RCTs in medicine. Items assessed in this system include randomization and blinding procedures, subject selection criteria, treatment protocols, and statistical analyses. Assessing the quality of RCTs can contribute to improved study design, implementation and reporting by investigators, and evaluation of reports by referees and editors of scientific journals.
Interest in Providing Multiple Sclerosis Care and Subspecializing in Multiple Sclerosis Among Neurology Residents

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurologic disease resulting in demyelination and axonal loss within the central nervous system. Over the past several years, treatment options for individuals with MS have expanded, including additional disease-modifying agents that can reduce relapses and decrease disease progression.1 Detailed knowledge regarding appropriate treatment options for MS patients is largely limited to neurologists and, within this physician specialist population, to MS subspecialists. More than 90% of MS patients have indicated that they receive treatment, assistance in obtaining medications, support, and education about their disease from neurologists.2 Further, receipt of treatment from neurologists is associated with higher quality of care3 and greater likelihood of receipt of disease-modifying agents.4 No systematic evaluation has been performed of the number of neurologists specializing in MS care. Reports of shortages among the overall neurologist workforce have existed for almost 3 decades.5 A report by the Workforce Task Force of the American Academy of Neurology6 projects a 19% shortfall in supply of neurologists by the year 2025. Anecdotal evidence suggests an inadequate supply of MS subspecialists, based on difficulty in filling MS subspecialist positions, waiting lists for new patients, and patient groups describing difficulties finding available MS subspecialists. Information on the projected future workforce of MS physicians is critical to ensure optimal care among individuals with MS. The objective of this study was to elucidate factors associated with interest in providing care to individuals with MS or subspecializing in MS care among current neurology residents.
The self-assembly of RNA free protein subunits from bacteriophage MS-2.

Abstract Coat protein subunits of the RNA phage MS-2 are capable of self-assembly into particles which are antigenically related to capsids but possess a higher S value. There appear to be at least two intermediates present during this assembly which are antigenically unrelated to the capsid.
Searching for a regional fingerprint of aerosol radiative forcing in the southeastern US

Although aerosols have long been considered to exert a cooling influence on the regional climate due to direct and indirect radiative forcing, persuasive evidence of the response to this forcing has been lacking. Here, we analyze the regional patterns of climate change in the Southeast US during the period 1949–94 to search for a fingerprint of aerosol radiative forcing. The results show that direct and indirect radiative forcing of both natural (such as Pinatubo volcanic aerosols) and anthropogenic aerosols (such as those transported from the polluted regions of US) may be responsible for the regional cooling trend in the Southeast during the past 46 years. Lack of availability of long term measurements precludes a rigorous cause-and-effect analysis. Circumstantial evidence presented here amply justifies immediate establishment of a network of measurements of aerosol optical depth and cloud reflectivity in the southeastern US.
Embryonic striatal neurons from niemann-pick type C mice exhibit defects in cholesterol metabolism and neurotrophin responsiveness.

Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) disease is a progressive and fatal neuropathological disorder previously characterized by abnormal cholesterol metabolism in peripheral tissues. Although a defective gene has been identified in both humans and thenpc nih mouse model of NP-C disease, how this leads to abnormal neuronal function is unclear. Here we show that whereas embryonic striatal neurons from npc nih mice can take up low density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol, its subsequent hydrolysis and esterification are significantly reduced. Given the importance of cholesterol to a variety of signal transduction mechanisms, we assessed the effect of this abnormality on the ability of these neurons to respond to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In contrast to its effects on wild type neurons, BDNF failed to induce autophosphorylation of the TrkB receptor and to increase neurite outgrowth in npc nih neurons, despite expression of TrkB on the cell surface. The results suggest that abnormal cholesterol metabolism occurs in neurons in the brain during NP-C disease, even at embryonic stages of development prior to the onset of phenotypic symptoms. Moreover, this defect is associated with a lack of TrkB function and BDNF responsiveness, which may contribute to the loss of neuronal function observed in NP-C disease.
A NOTE CONCERNING THE EFFECT OF INCOME DISTRIBUTION ON DEMAND

This note attempts to develop a method of measuring the impact of changes in income distribution on future demand, an important consideration when a country is experiencing a rapid rise in per capita income. Cross-sectional analysis utilising the Lorenz coefficient focuses on the impact of income inequality on the demand for mutton in urban Iran. It is hypothesised that long-term projections of demand using traditional methodology will over-estimate future consumption as a result of failure to consider deterioration in income distribution. The hypothesis is substantiated for this example. It is concluded that current income distribution and the alterations in income inequality which may accompany increased per capita income must be taken into account when estimating changes in aggregate future demand.
Recent literature on new media and intercultural communication

As the Internet, along with related network and mobile communication media, continues to spread across the world, we have experienced a greater diversity of social actors who communicate within as ...
Towards W b\overline b + j at NLO with an automatized approach to one-loop computations

We present results for the O(αs) virtual corrections to qg → W $ b\overline b {q^{\prime }} $ obtained with a new automatized approach to the evaluation of one-loop amplitudes in terms of Feynman diagrams. Together with the O(αs) corrections to $ q{\overline q^{\prime }} $ → W $ b\overline b g $ , which can be obtained from our results by crossing symmetry, this represents the bulk of the next-to-leading order virtual QCD corrections to W $ b\overline b $ + j and W b + j hadronic production, calculated in a fixed-flavor scheme with four light flavors. Furthermore, these corrections represent a well defined and independent subset of the 1-loop amplitudes needed for the NNLO calculation of W $ b\overline b $ . Our approach was tested against several existing results for NLO amplitudes including selected O(αs) one-loop corrections to W + 3 j hadronic production. We discuss the efficiency of our method both with respect to evaluation time and numerical stability.
Pharmacoeconomics and quality of life of current and emerging biologic therapies for inflammatory bowel disease.

The development of biologic therapies for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis has profoundly affected the treatment of these diseases. The impact of these novel therapies has been tremendous in terms of their ability to cause clinical improvement in symptoms and endoscopic and histologic evidence of healing, as well as improvements in quality of life. However, the success of these new remedies comes with a significant price tag. In the current cost-containment environment of health care, it is essential to evaluate the impact of these novel and promising therapies on health care resource utilization, employment productivity, and quality of life. Despite the high cost of these new medications, they may result in a net cost savings through their ability to induce remission in the sickest of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, thereby averting the large expenditures associated with hospitalization and surgery. Likewise, by improving patients’ physical symptoms, emotional well-being, and quality of life, biologic agents have the potential to reduce much of the unemployment, missed work, and disability through which IBD patients suffer. In a disease with an early age of onset and a chronic course with normal life expectancy, reducing morbidity and improving quality of life should be important measures of treatment success. Biologic therapies for IBD hold significant promise in this regard, allowing clinicians to achieve lasting remission in patients who are unresponsive to conventional therapies. Comparison of the costs and benefits of biologic therapies with conventional treatments for IBD is complicated by the need to assess the downstream effects of an intervention. For example, corticosteroids are inexpensive and very effective for induction of remission, but they come with significant long-term complications, such as osteoporosis, cataracts, impaired glucose tolerance, and poor wound healing, which must be taken into account when assessing their true cost as a maintenance medication. We do not yet have enough experience with biologic therapies to evaluate their potential to prevent or create future costs associated with adverse effects. However, as we move forward with our knowledge of biologic agents, an understanding of the economic and quality-of-life implications of these innovative therapies is crucial for patients, clinicians, and third-party payers alike.
Measurement of blood gases by gas chromatography

Abstract A method using gas chromatography to measure blood gases has been developed. Equipment and procedure are described. Respiratory gases, O 2 and CO 2 , and N 2 , can be measured, although these analyses should be performed separately. For all three gases the calibration is linear and passes through zero. The maximum deviation from linearity was found to be 0.1 vol % for C o 2 , 0.3 vol % for C co 2 and 2.2 mm Hg for P N 2 . The average reproducibility tested on many samples was within ± 0.06 vol % for O 2 , ± 0.18 vol % for CO 2 and ± 2. mm Hg for P N 2 .
Command system architecture for NGST

NGST ground software and flight software will enable exciting scientific research programs that will address fundamental questions about the structure of the universe and the evolution of galaxies, stars and planets. The design of the spacecraft and instrument command system architecture acknowledges from project start that the ground software and flight software are parts of a single integrated system. A layered architecture is presented where the ground system software provides descriptions of "what to do" with the spacecraft and science instruments, while the flight software provides the detailed "how to do" rules required to execute these requests. All specific knowledge about onboard computer memory structures, hardware device communication rules, and spacecraft/science instrument operational sequences will be encapsulated onboard the spacecraft. The ground system will simply supply high-level alphanumeric requests that the flight software knows how to interpret and perform.
Ab initio calculations of low-energy electron scattering by HCN molecules

We report results for vibrationally elastic scattering over the energy range 0.0006--11.6 eV. The interaction potential is composed of a near-Hartree-Fock static term plus a parameter-free model of the correlation-polarization potential. The exchange interaction is included exactly through a separable expansion. Results with a model-exchange potential (free-electron-gas plus orthogonalization) are also reported. A resonance appears in Pi symmetry near 2.7 eV (width 1.9 eV) that may be the same feature observed in several experiments. In the model-exchange calculation the Pi resonance is shifted toward higher energy (3.8 eV, width 2.4 eV). The ..sigma.. symmetry was also found to be very sensitive to the treatment of exchange and to the effect of polarization. Differential and rotational excitation cross sections are evaluated in the multipole-extracted adiabatic-nuclei approximation. Results are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data.
Conformationally constrained analogues of diacylglycerol. 10. Ultrapotent protein kinase C ligands based on a racemic 5-disubstituted tetrahydro-2-furanone template

Conformationally constrained analogues of diacylglycerol (DAG) built on a racemic 5(-)[(acyloxy)-methyl]-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2-furanone template were shown previously to have excellent binding affinities for protein kinase C (PK-C). Since the interaction of PK-C with DAG is stereospecific, it was anticipated that PK-C would bind tightly to only one enantiomeric form of the compounds constructed with this new lactone template. Separation of enantiomers by chiral HPLC was discarded due to the ease with which acyl migration occurs in these class of compounds, and a total chiral synthesis was undertaken. Prior to chemical synthesis, the selection of the "correct" enantiomeric template was predicted by a molecular conformational analysis that compared the two enantiomers of DAG in their presumed "active" conformation with the two enantiomeric lactone templates. This presumed "active" conformation for DAG was derived from a previously developed pharmacophore model that uses the molecule of a potent phorbol diester as the ideal rigid template. The results from this analysis indicated that the "correct" lactone template corresponded to the inactive (R)-isomer of DAG. This analysis also predicted that the lactone template corresponding to the active (S)-DAG enantiomer would not fit adequately into the pharmacophore. The chiral syntheses of target compounds 2, 4, and 6, constructed on the selected, and presumably "correct" lactone template, were achieved from a common bicyclic intermediate (5R,8R,9R)-8,9-O-isopropylidene-2-keto-1,7-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonane (10) that was synthesized from commercially available 1,2:3,5-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-threo-apiofuranose (7) by a very effective spirolactonization approach. On the basis of their ability to inhibit the binding of [3H-20]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBU) to PK-C alpha, the enantiomeric ligands 2, 4, and 6 were twice as potent as the corresponding racemates. These results confirm that binding of these lactones is stereospecific and consistent with a binding mechanism similar to that of DAG.
Ethical issues in organ transplantation.

Clinical organ transplantation has been recognized as one of the most gripping medical advances of the century as it provides a way of giving the gift of life to patients with terminal failure of vital organs, which requires the participation of other fellow human beings and of society by donating organs from deceased or living individuals. The increasing incidence of vital organ failure and the inadequate supply of organs, especially from cadavers, has created a wide gap between organ supply and organ demand, which has resulted in very long waiting times to receive an organ as well as an increasing number of deaths while waiting. These events have raised many ethical, moral and societal issues regarding supply, the methods of organ allocation, the use of living donors as volunteers including minors. It has also led to the practice of organ sale by entrepreneurs for financial gains in some parts the world through exploitation of the poor, for the benefit of the wealthy. The current advances in immunology and tissue engineering and the use of animal organs, xenotransplantation, while offering very promising solutions to many of these problems, also raise additional ethical and medical issues which must be considered by the medical profession as well as society. This review deals with the ethical and moral issues generated by the current advances in organ transplantation, the problem of organ supply versus organ demand and the appropriate allocation of available organs. It deals with the risks and benefits of organ donation from living donors, the appropriate and acceptable methods to increase organ donation from the deceased through the adoption of the principle of ‘presumed consent’, the right methods of providing acceptable appreciation and compensation for the family of the deceased as well as volunteer and altruistic donors, and the duties and responsibilities of the medical profession and society to help fellow humans. The review also deals with the appropriate and ethically acceptable ways of utilizing the recent advances of stem cell transplantation from adult versus fetal donors, tissue engineering and the use of organs from animals or xenotransplantation. Data provided in support of the concept that clinical organ and tissue transplantation can be more beneficial and life saving if everyone involved in the process, including physicians and medical institutions, respect and consider the best interests of the patients, as well as honor the ethical, moral and religious values of society and are not tempted to seek personal fame or financial rewards.
Prenatal and postnatal development of the cervical portion of the spine in the short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhyncha.

Fusion of the cervical spine in Globicephala macrorhyncha is a prenatal rather than postnatal phenomenon which encompasses all cervical vertebra. This results in a relatively short, nonarticulated, composite cervical spine in this particular species. Cervicothoracic spine segments removed from fetuses demonstrated complete fusion of all cervical vertebra commencing during early prenatal development. C1 and C2 initially developed as a composite central cartilaginous unit, although laterally there was some separation through rudimentary interzone formation. However, C3 through C7 formed individual cartilaginous centra which were divided from each other by thin, well-demarcated interzones, but without the formation of intervertebral discs (which were concomitantly evident dividing the thoracic, lumbar, and caudal vertebra, and were also present between the seventh cervical and first thoracic vertebra, although this was a very rudimentary intervertebral region). The first primary ossification center appeared in C2. Subsequently, primary ossification occurred in C7, and finally in C2 through C6, with ossification progressing in a craniocaudal fashion in these four vertebra. The centra ossification centers then progressively coalesced in the midline, from C2 to C7, in a craniocaudal sequence. This entire chondroosseous fusion process was completed during early gestation (probably less than 2 to 3 months of prenatal development), so that a composite “single” cervical vertebra developed that characterizes this species at birth and throughout postnatal development. Postnatally, ossification spreads laterally within each centrum, and also progressively removes the vestiges of the intervertebral material. C7 also develops a secondary ossification center, but only in the caudal region. The cranial end of C7 and the remainder of the cervical vertebra do not form secondary centers. An extensive fibrocartilaginous/hyaline cartilage bridge remains between C1 and C2, even after closure of the vertebral physes. Undoubtedly, this allows continued growth in C1 and C2, which become the dominant portion of the cervical unitary vertebra. Eventually, even this synchondrosis will disappear to form a completely osseous cervical mass.
X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of ruthenium-oxygen surfaces

Abstract The technique of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to study the complex surface chemistry of the ruthenium-oxygen system as a function of temperature and under the influence of Ar+ and O2+ ion-bombardment. Interaction of molecular oxygen and O2+ ions with metallic ruthenium produced two forms of oxygen which are not attributable to RuO2, RuO3 and RuO4. A variety of species has been identified on RuO2. On anhydrous RuO2 we found a surface layer of RuO3 present as a gross defect structure of RuO2. On commercially available hydrated samples, both the XPS signal for the oxide and for the water could be observed. In addition, a carbon contamination indicated from a mass spectral analysis and microanalysis was characterized as RuOCO3. In general the XPS approach was found to be valuable in monitoring the surface concentrations of these species and thus in characterizing the chemical composition of this catalyst surface.
A Response to Commentary on Faust, Bridges, and Ahern's (2009) “Methods for the Identification of Sexually Abused Children”

Our series of three chapters (Faust, Bridges, & Ahern, 2009a, 2009b; Bridges, Faust, & Ahern, 2009) on the methodology of identifying sexually abused children elicited a number of comments, both supportive and critical. The criticisms appear related to three primary issues or apparent misconceptions of our work, perhaps due in part to incomplete exposition or ambiguity in presented material: our use of hypotheticals, our argument against “double-dipping,” and our use of Bayesian analyses. We address each of these criticisms here in the hope of clarifying any misunderstandings and contributing in a constructive way to progress in this critical arena.
Forever Young: Pastoral Care and the Experience of “Aging,” Reconsidered

As we age, we inevitably experience diminishment in our physical functioning yet this need not yield a diminished sense of self. Our personal interior life and our ability to find grace in the midst of challenges are not adequately defined by the psychological, medical, or theological understandings of aging that we have inherited. Rather, there is positive potential in aging, particularly if we hone our adaptive coping skills. Pastoral care providers can facilitate enrichment of individuals’ and faith communities’ capacity for adaptive coping and ability to view the aging process as filled with new adventures of grace.
Understanding Children's Choices and Cognition in Video Game Play: A Synthesis of Three Studies

This article provides a synthesis of a group of research studies conducted to better understand in what ways children’s entertainment video game play choices relate to their creativity, motivations, problem-solving strategies, learning preferences, and beliefs about how to play games. Three studies were conducted among American students: (1) a survey and creativity assessment with students aged 9–11, (2) an in-depth qualitative study with three adolescent boys, and (3) an online survey. Key findings from this research relate to both psychological factors motivating video game play, and cognition and choices children make while playing video games. Results from these studies demonstrate that, despite assumptions that children play video games to avoid mental stimulation, children are actually motivated by the challenge and thinking required by video games. The reward system used in video games is a strong continuing motivator for boys in particular. Among both genders, playing certain genres of video games...
Love me to love thee

(1969). Love me to love thee. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 8, Teaching the Young to Love, pp. 79-85.
Crystalline and water soluble Cr(4+) and Cr(5+) model compounds for chromium toxicity studies.

We discuss two complexes of Cr(4+) for their possible utility as models for Cr toxicity studies. They are Cr(dien)(O2)2·H2O (dien = diethylenetriamine) and Cr(NH3)3(O2)2, which have been recently characterized by x-ray diffraction and magnetic techniques. We present their optical and infrared absorption spectra as quick aids in their identification procedure. We also summarize the general properties of some well-characterized Cr(5+) compounds. All of these compounds are water soluble with the Cr(5+) samples being fairly stable in basic solutions. They can all be prepared as pure crystals with a shelf life of over 2 years when stored in a refrigerator.
Polarisation-independent intensity modulator based on lithium niobate

Broadband, polarisation-independent intensity modulation based on a lithium niobate phase modulator in a fibre Sagnac interferometer configuration is demonstrated. Residual polarisation dependence is found to be as low as 20 GHz.
Hypogastric ganglion perinatal development: evidence for androgen specificity via androgen receptors

The hypogastric ganglion (HG) has previously been shown to be sensitive to both the organizational and activational influences of testosterone. The current investigations examined whether testosterone exerts similar effects prenatally, whether these events are specifically controlled by androgen, and whether androgens might directly masculinize the HG. Prenatal treatment with an anti-androgen, flutamide, resulted in significant decreases in the adult levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity, an index of postsynaptic noradrenergic ontogeny, and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, a marker for presynaptic terminal formation. In addition, testosterone propionate and dihydrotestosterone benzoate reversed the effects of neonatal castration on the development of TH and ChAT activities. In contrast estradiol benzoate was unable to restore enzyme activities. To determine whether the above observations might be produced by direct effects on the HG, androgen cytosol receptor characteristics were studied. Competition and saturation analyses demonstrate that the affinity and specificity of the androgen cytosol receptor in the HG are similar to that displayed in the pituitary, which has previously been shown to contain androgen receptors. These results suggest that the adult levels of TH and ChAT activities are organized during prenatal and early postnatal development. In addition, the organization of the HG appears to be androgen specific. The presence of cytosol androgen receptors suggests that the organizational effects of androgens are possibly induced by a direct mechanism.
Surviving cancer: A comparison of 5‐year disease‐free breast cancer survivors with healthy women

Women with breast cancer are one of the largest groups of cancer survivors. This research examined whether breast cancer has a long-term impact on quality of life (QOL) by comparing 5-year disease-free survivors to age-matched controls and by comparing women who sustained a recurrence to disease-free survivors. Controls were recruited using the neighborhood control methodology. QOL (physical, emotional, social, and spiritual) was assessed during in-person interviews. There were no differences between disease-free survivors (n = 267) and controls (n = 187) on many indicators of QOL. However, survivors reported more difficulties with physical functioning, more physical symptoms, and more faith than did controls (all ps < 0.05). Compared to disease-free survivors, survivors with a recurrence (n = 37) had a worse QOL on most indices, less positive affect, more general fatigue, and more intrusive and avoidant thoughts (all ps < 0.05). There were no differences between the two groups of survivors on indices of marriage, work experiences, or spirituality. These findings suggest that the QOL of long-term survivors who remain disease-free is comparable to that of women their age with the exception of physical functioning. Women who sustain a recurrence suffer an impaired QOL in some, but not all, domains.
Characterization of the Radical Intermediates of Dehaloperoxidase A and B from Amphitrite Ornata

The enzyme intermediates of dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from the marine worm Amphitrite ornata are unique within both the globin and cytochrome c peroxidase superfamilies. Both isoenzymes of DHP, termed A and B, have been shown to oxidize trihalophenols to dihaloquinones in a dehalogenation reaction that utilizes hydrogen peroxide as a co-substrate. We have shown that the initially formed heme intermediate in this reaction is not Compound I as is often the case in peroxidases, but rather is a combination of an iron(IV)-oxo (Compound II) and a tyrosyl radical that together have similarity to the Compound ES intermediate of cytochrome c peroxidase. In order to possibly identify the origin of this radical species in DHP, we have expressed the tyrosine mutants DHP A (Y34F), DHP A (Y38F), DHP A (Y34F/Y38F), and DHP B (Y38F), and studied their reaction with hydrogen peroxide using a combination of stopped-flow UV-visible and rapid-freeze quench electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies. Although each mutant exhibited an average signal at g ≈ 2.0058 confirming the presence of a protein radical, significant differences in the lineshape and width of each radical was observed. We have further characterized these mutants using biochemical assays to determine their effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme, and relate these results to the structure of the heme active site. Such mutagenesis studies of DHP provide critical insight into the mechanistic details of the H2O2-dependent oxidative dehalogenation reaction catalyzed by dehaloperoxidase, present a clearer description of the function of DHP at the molecular level, and lead to a better understanding of the paradigms of globin structure-function relationships.
An efficient benzoquinone based Diels-Alder approach to podocarpane diterpenes

Abstract A short, convergent synthesis of (±)11,14-dimethoxypodocarpa-8,11,13-triene, 11, is described based on successful high pressure and Lewis acid catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions for the construction of the 4,4,10-trimethyloctahydrophenanthrene ring system.
Characterization of immunologic tolerance induced by transfusion of UV-B--irradiated allogeneic mononuclear leukocytes.

Transfusions of UV-B–irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (UV-B–PBMCs) from BALB/c (H-2d) mice into CBA (H-2k) mice can induce humoral immune tolerance to H-2d antigens, and the induced tolerance is partially mediated by negative regulatory PBMCs. To further identify which subset of spleen mononuclear leukocytes (MNLs) in the tolerant CBA mice is responsible for the negative regulatory activity, adoptive transfer experiments were conducted using spleen MNLs from the tolerant CBA mice. Results showed that only CD4+ T cells could transfer the negative regulatory activity in a dose-dependent manner. This negative regulatory activity was significantly reduced when CD25+ helper T cells were removed. Further study suggested that inhibition of IL-12 production by UV-B–irradiated PBMCs played a role in the induction of immune tolerance. In vitro study of the cytokine production profile by CBA CD4+ T cells, after stimulation with gamma-irradiated BALB/c spleen cells, revealed an enhanced production of the type 2 T-cell cytokines after tolerance induction. Induction of tolerance also prevented the development of cytotoxic T cells in CBA mice against BALB/c MNLs. Adoptive transfer study suggested that the cellular immune tolerance was also mediated by CD4+ negative regulatory T cells. The induced immune tolerance was nullified after 400 cGy sublethal gamma irradiation. These results suggest that the ex vivo study of cytokine production by T cells may be used to monitor tolerance induction and the selection of gamma radiation dose is critical for potential clinical application of the tolerance induced by UV-B–PBMCs.
Design of corrugated waveguide filters by Fourier-transform techniques

A new, approximate, corrugated waveguide filter design method is developed for thin-film optical waveguides. The method determines both the corrugation period and depth measured along the guide's surface, given a specification of the filter's reflection coefficient. The design technique is based on a combined effective index approach and Fourier transform, inverse-scattering theory for one-dimensional, dispersionless, dielectric media. Use of the general technique is illustrated by the design of two corrugated waveguide filters. The design results are compared with those obtained using the first Born approximation, nonlinear renormalization, and the exact Gel'fand-Levitan-Marchenko method for two component inverse-scattering systems. >