cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linked Thesauri Quality Assessment and Documentation for Big Data Discovery

Thesauri are knowledge systems which may ease Big Data access, fostering their integration and re-use. Currently several Linked Data thesauri covering multi-disciplines are available. They provide a semantic foundation to effectively support cross-organization and cross-disciplinary management and usage of Big Data. Thesauri effectiveness is affected by their quality. Diverse quality measures are available taking into account different facets. However, an overall measure is needed to compare several thesauri and to identify those more qualified for a proper reuse. In this paper, we propose a Multi Criteria Decision Making based methodology for the documentation of the quality assessment of linked thesauri as a whole. We present a proof of concept of the Analytic Hierarchy Process adoption to the set of Linked Data thesauri for the Environment deployed in LusTRE. We discuss the step-by-step practice to document the overall quality measurements, generated by the quality assessment, with the W3C promoted Data Quality Vocabulary.
Efficient Feature Selection Framework for Digital Marketing Applications

Digital marketing strategies can help businesses achieve better Return on Investment (ROI). Big data and predictive modelling are key to identifying these specific customers. Yet the very rich and mostly irrelevant attributes(features) will adversely affect the predictive modelling performance, both computationally and qualitatively. So selecting relevant features is a crucial task for marketing applications. The feature selection process is very time consuming due to the large amount of data and high dimensionality of features. In this paper, we propose to reduce the computation time through regularizing the feature search process using expert knowledge. We also combine the regularized search with a generative filtering step, so we can address potential problems with the regularized search and further speed up the process. In addition, a progressive sampling and coarse to fine selection framework is built to further lower the space and time requirements.
Diffusional creep of BaCe0.8Y0.2O3−α mixed conductors

Abstract Compressive creep tests of BaCe 0.8 Y 0.2 O 3− α polycrystals were conducted in Ar to determine deformation rate and calculate the diffusivity of the rate-controlling diffusing species for diffusional creep. At 1200–1450°C, the steady-state strain rate ( e ) could be expressed as e =Aσ 1.1±0.1 exp [(−343±30 kJ/mole )/RT], where A is a constant, σ is the steady-state stress, R is the universal gas constant, and T is the absolute temperature. The data and microstructural observations indicated that creep occurred by a grain-boundary-sliding mechanism, which was probably controlled by lattice diffusion of either Ba or Ce.
The Shape and Dimensionality of Phylogenetic Tree-Space Based on Mitochondrial Genomes

Phylogenetic analyses of large and diverse data sets generally result in large sets of competing phylogenetic trees. Consensus tree methods used to summarize sets of competing trees discard important information regarding the similarity and distribution of competing trees. A more fine grain approach is to use a dimensionality reduction method to project tree-to-tree distances in 2D or 3D space. In this study, we systematically evaluate the performance of several nonlinear dimensionality reduction (NLDR) methods on tree-to-tree distances obtained from independent nonparametric bootstrap analyses of genes from three mid- to large-sized mitochondrial genome alignments.
An Efficient Electromagnetic Scattering Optimization Scheme for Multiscale Problems Using Green's Functions of Arbitrary Scatterers

An efficient optimization methodology is developed and exemplified for electromagnetic scattering problem of structures with multiscale features. We have developed a scheme to efficiently derive the exact full wave scattering solution from a large scatterer with localized modifications by using the Green's function of the original scatterer. The Green's function of the original scatterer and the free-space Green's function are used to formulate coupled surface integral equations (SIEs) on a virtual boundary that separates the localized modifications from the original scatterer. The unknowns of the SIEs are only on this virtual boundary, on the deformed part of the boundary of the original scatterer, and on any inhomogeneities within the virtual boundary. The resulting matrix equations are of marginal sizes, and can be readily manipulated to improve its condition number by representing all other unknowns in terms of the surface fields on the virtual boundary. Thus, by solving the scattering problem associated with the original scatterer once to derive its Green's function, we can make use of this result to compute the scattering solutions of similar structures for as many times as needed with minimal computing cost. These new scattering solutions, when necessary, can be used as a new starting point as we introduce further modifications to the structure. The approach turns out extremely effective in numerous engineering designs when we iterate the shape of the design for optimal performances.
Multimodal approaches in the management of malignancies involving the orbit

Malignancies involving the orbit comprise heterogeneous pathologies with a variety of ophthalmic and otolaryngic presentations resulting from compression and destruction of native orbital contents. Surgical ablation with negative margins with adjuvant treatment remains a cornerstone for optimal oncologic control and successful operative outcomes. Historically, attempts at tumor extirpation were first performed by neurosurgeons via open craniotomies to access orbital contents. While these approaches remain a mainstay within the superolateral compartment, endoscopic techniques pioneered by otolaryngologists have emerged as a standard in managing inferomedial orbital tumors. Approaches to these tumors remain a multidisciplinary endeavor involving neurosurgeons, ophthalmologists and/or oculoplastic surgeons, as well as otolaryngology – head and neck surgeons. This article will review and illustrate modern approaches to the orbit with special attention given to commonly employed expanded endoscopic and open techniques.
Improving student reading comprehension through editorship

ABSTRACTCourse readings play a crucial role in many college courses, but students often struggle to comprehend this material. Building on evidence that students benefit from playing the role of an ...
The Cutaneous Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

In plasma cell dyscrasia (PCD), a chemically homogeneous immunoglobulin is produced by plasma cells originating in a single clone. Serologically, this is manifested by the presence of a spike on serum electrophoresis (Fig. 1), which can be further characterized as to immunoglobulin class and light-chain type. This aberrant protein is customarily designated as an M (monoclonal) component or protein.
Integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health

This chapter describes established models and emerging approaches for integrating primary care and behavioral health services. Although many of the challenges that led to the need for integration initially currently remain, different integrated care models offer a variety of innovative responses to these challenges, with strengths and limitations specific to each model. Although collaborative care models have achieved a strong evidence base, it still requires significant resources to appropriately implement and maintain a high-fidelity program.
Coarse Woody Debris and the Carbon Balance of a Moderately Disturbed Forest

Abstract Forested landscapes are shaped by disturbances varying in severity and source. Moderate disturbance from weather, pathogens, insects, and age-related senescence that kills only a subset of canopy trees may increase standing woody debris and alter the contribution of coarse woody debris (CWD) to total ecosystem respiration (RE). However, woody debris carbon (C) dynamics are rarely examined following moderate disturbances that increase standing dead wood pools. We used an experimental manipulation of moderate disturbance in an upper Great Lakes forest to: (1) examine multi-year changes in CWD mass through a moderate disturbance; (2) quantify in situ CWD respiration during different stages of decay for downed and standing woody debris and; (3) estimate the annual contribution of CWD respiration to the ecosystem C balance through comparison with RE and net ecosystem production (NEP). Six years following disturbance, we found that the standing dead wood mass of 24.5 Mg C ha−1 was an order of magnitude greater than downed woody debris mass and a large source of ecosystem C flux. Instantaneous in situ respiration rates from standing and minimally decayed downed woody debris were not significantly different from one another. Separate estimates of ecosystem CWD respiration of 1.1–2.1 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 six years following disturbance were comparable in magnitude to NEP and 12.5–23.8% of RE, representing a substantial increase relative to pre-disturbance levels. Ecosystem respiration and NEP were stable following moderate disturbance even though ecosystem CWD respiration increased substantially, suggesting a reduction in the respiratory C contribution from other sources. We conclude that standing and downed CWD can be essential components of the ecosystem C balance following moderate severity disturbance.
What Kind of Village Fosters Entrepreneurial New Venture Development

Scholars have defined entrepreneurship as the process of transforming novel ideas into innovative fully scaled ventures. Yet, research has focused primarily on the beginning or end of this process ...
The Emergence of Discrete Perceptual-Motor Units in a Production Model That Assumes Holistic Phonological Representations

Intelligible speakers achieve specific vocal tract constrictions in rapid sequence. These constrictions are associated in theory with speech motor goals. Adult-focused models of speech production assume that discrete phonological representations, sequenced into word-length plans for output, define these goals. This assumption introduces a serial order problem for speech. It is also at odds with children's speech. In particular, child phonology and timing control suggest holistic speech plans, and so the hypothesis of whole word production. This hypothesis solves the serial order problem by avoiding it. When the same solution is applied to adult speech the problem becomes how to explain the development of highly intelligible speech. This is the problem addressed here. A modeling approach is used to demonstrate how perceptual-motor units of production emerge over developmental time with the perceptual-motor integration of holistic speech plans that are also phonological representations; the specific argument is that perceptual-motor units are a product of trajectories (nearly) crossing in motor space. The model, which focuses on the integration process, defines the perceptual-motor map as a set of linked pairs of experienced perceptual and motor trajectories. The trajectories are time-based excursions through speaker-defined perceptual and motor spaces. By hypothesis, junctures appear where motor trajectories near or overlap one another in motor space when the shared (or extremely similar) articulatory configurations in these regions are exploited to combine perceptually-linked motor paths along different trajectories. Junctures form in clusters in motor space. These clusters, along with their corresponding (linked) perceptual points, represent perceptual-motor units of production, albeit at the level of speech motor control only. The units serve as pivots in motor space during speaking; they are points of transition from one motor trajectory to another along perceptually-linked paths that are selected to produce best approximations of whole word targets.
Family Formation, Fertility, and Failure: A Literature Review on Price Increases and Their Impact on the Family Institution

Inflation not only debases the value of currency by lowering purchasing power. It also serves to erode the quantity and quality of marriages while creating distortions in the decision-making processes of those hoping to form marriages and to have children. Furthermore, a loss of purchasing power helps to create relational tension for married couples, contributing to increasing divorce rates throughout the globe. As for the formation of families via marriage, the literature surrounding inflation and the family shows that price increases in higher education and housing both limit the number of first marriages as well raising the average age at which they occur. These phenomena are present in Western democracies, Islamic theocratic regimes, and highly-developed East Asian economies. Rising prices impact already married couples who would pro-create, but decide to accelerate or nearly eliminate child-bearing based on the inflationary environment in which they live. Finally, the literature shows that a loss of purchasing power leads to marital tension and higher rates of divorce. This trend is exhibited all over the world. This relationship occurs across cultural and religious systems as well as differing levels of economic development. While the problem of rising prices is economic in nature, it is shown to have deleterious effects upon the family institution.
Fabrication of bioaerogels from camelina seed mucilage for food applications

Abstract Food-grade aerogels were fabricated from camelina seed mucilage for the first time using a green approach based on supercritical carbon dioxide (SC–CO2). A high mucilage yield (11%, w/w) was obtained from camelina seed by water extraction. Drying of the extracted mucilage solution prior to the aerogel formation was eliminated by coupling the extraction of the mucilage with the hydrogel formation. The camelina mucilage aerogels exhibited high surface area (240 m2/g), nanoporous structure (6 nm), ultra-low density (0.05 g/cm3) and high porosity (94%). The camelina mucilage aerogels had a three-dimensional, open porous, fibrillar network structure. The crystallinity of the aerogels was lower than that of the crude mucilage powder, whereas the aerogels showed higher thermal stability. A non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior was observed in all the mucilage samples. However, mucilage aerogels had a higher viscosity than the mucilage powder due to higher polysaccharide purity. Mucilage aerogels showed comparable rheological properties to xanthan gum at the same concentration (2%, w/w). Thus, the mucilage aerogels are great candidates to be used as thickeners and stabilizers in various food applications.
Association between climatic factors and varicella incidence in Guangzhou, Southern China, 2006-2018.

Abstract Objective To analyze the correlation between climatic factors and the incidence of varicella in Guangzhou, and improve the prevention measures about public health. Methods Data for daily climatic variables and varicella incidence from 2006 to 2018 in Guangzhou were collected from the Guangzhou Meteorological Bureau and the National Notifiable Disease Report System. Distributed lag nonlinear models were applied to evaluate the association between climatic factors and varicella incidence. Results The nonlinear effects of meteorological factors were observed. At lag day21，when the mean temperature was 31.8 °C, the relative risk was the highest as 1.11 (95% CI: 1.07–1.16). When the diurnal temperature range was 24.0 °C at lag day 20, the highest RR was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.05–1.17). For rainfall, the highest RR was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.01–1.19) at lag day 21，when the aggregate rainfall was 160 mm. When air pressure was 1028 hPa, the highest RR was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.04–1.13) at lag day 21. When wind speed was 0.7 m/s, the highest RR was 1.07 (95% CI: 1.04–1.11) at lag day 7. When the hours of sunshine were 9.0 h at lag day 21, the RR was highest as 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02–1.05). Aggregate rainfall, air pressure, and sunshine hours were positively correlated with the incidence of varicella, which was inconsistent with the wind velocity. Mean temperature showed a reverse U-shape curve relationship with varicella, while the diurnal temperature range showed a binomial distribution curve. The extreme effect of climatic factors on the varicella cases was statistically significant, apart from the extremely low effect of rainfall. Conclusion Our preliminary results offered fundamental knowledge which might be benefit to give an insight into epidemic trends of varicella and develop an early warning system. We could use our findings about influential factors to strengthen the intervention and prevention of varicella.
Navigating the process of building parent-teacher partnerships: Experiences of early childhood pre-service teachers

This study utilized the qualitative phenomenological approach to explore pre -service teachers’ experiences in their engagement with parents of young children as they practiced building partnerships with parents. Pre-service teachers (N=50) were each assigned a preschool child with whom they interacted together with the child’s parents and teacher; completing a semester-long assignment created within a family, schools and community course for students in an early childhood teacher preparation program. Pre-service teachers’ responses to a survey and their final written reflections were analyzed using the process of axial and open coding. Results indicated the importance of communication and understanding different dynamics and challenges in parent-teacher partnerships. Therefore, educators should continuously strive to equip pre-service teachers with the skills they will need to succeed as they work with schools, the community and especially in their work with parents.
T-wave inversions in inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction - A case of "inferior Wellens sign".

Abstract Background Although T-wave inversions are nonspecific, in the appropriate clinical setting, the pattern of negative biphasic T-waves or T-wave inversion in V2-V3 can indicate critical stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (i.e. “anterior Wellens sign”). Recently tall T-waves in V2-V3 have been reported in association with posterior reperfusion (i.e.“posterior Wellens sign”). Less commonly, negative biphasic T-waves or T-wave inversions in the inferior leads have been reported in association with critical stenosis of the right coronary artery (RCA) or left circumflex artery (LCx). We present a case where T wave inversions (i.e. “inferior Wellens sign”) and a tall T-wave in V2-V3 (i.e. “posterior Wellens sign”) preceded the development of an inferior-posterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Case report A 37-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department for one day of chest pain. On arrival, his pain had resolved, and his 1st ECG showed inverted/biphasic T-waves in lead III and aVF and a tall T wave in V2-V3. Three- and one-half hours after arrival, his chest pain returned and his ECG showed an inferior-posterior STEMI. Why should an emergency physician be aware of this? New, focal T-wave inversions in an anatomic distribution may be an early warning sign of impending myocardial infarction. Careful attention to the T-waves during asymptomatic periods may assist in identifying patients that may have critical stenosis of an underlying coronary artery. In this case, T-wave inversions in the inferior leads, along with a tall T-wave in V2-V3, were seen prior to the development of an inferior-posterior STEMI.
Constructions of HIV Risk Among a Diverse Sample of HIV-Negative Young Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Are Repeat Testers.

Author(s): Felner, Jennifer K; Mittal, Maria L; Hoenigl, Martin; Amico, K Rivet; Grelotti, David J; Eanes, Alex; Hess, Kristen; Crawford, Jessica; Smith, Laramie R | Abstract: IntroductionTo end the HIV epidemic, HIV prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) promotion efforts must reach young men who have sex with men (YMSM) at greatest risk for HIV. This study qualitatively explored whether common metrics used by clinicians, scientists, and public health officials to objectively assess HIV risk align with how YMSM conceptualize their risk for HIV and the factors that shape YMSM's risk perceptions.MethodsInterviews with a racially/ethnically diverse sample of HIV-negative YMSM (ages 19-24 years, 60% Latinx; n = 20) examined conceptualizations of HIV risk within the context of repeat HIV testing. Iterative, applied thematic analysis examined how participants conceptualized and constructed their HIV risk, and compared participants' descriptions of their risk with a validated quantitative assessment of HIV risk that reliably predicts HIV seroconversion in this group.ResultsObjective quantitative assessments of HIV risk poorly aligned with participants' perceived HIV risk. Participants described their current risk in relative terms (relative to past risk and relative to friends'/peers' risk) and described age/developmental stage and changes in knowledge about HIV prevention as key factors in risk changes over time. Other factors included substance use and trust/mistrust in sexual partners and scientific advances in HIV prevention (eg, U = U and PrEP). Factors that influenced participants' perceived HIV risk were similar regardless of objective risk assessment.ConclusionsQuantitative assessments of risk may poorly align with risk perception among YMSM. Although objective metrics can effectively target YMSM at greatest risk for HIV transmission, interventions to improve prevention behaviors and PrEP uptake may be more effective when tailored to bridge the disconnection between objective HIV risk assessments and YMSM's constructions of risk.
Modeling Elastic and Inelastic Pumping-Induced Deformation with Incomplete Water Level Records in Parowan Valley, Utah

Abstract Groundwater extraction causes significant land subsidence in many parts of the world with compressible sediments. InSAR data have been used to estimate the magnitude of this subsidence, and derive hydrologic and geomechanical properties in these areas. In spite of recent advances in InSAR processing methods, several challenges remain in relating surface deformation to hydrologic systems. The relationship between deformation and groundwater levels is non-linear, and existing groundwater level data are often sparsely sampled, so that it is challenging to relate them to InSAR-derived deformation. In addition, historical InSAR datasets are sparsely sampled in time, leaving many gaps in existing deformation estimates. In this study, we present an approach to improve the temporal density of groundwater level and deformation estimates. The study area for this demonstration is Parowan Valley, Utah, a region dependent on groundwater for agricultural use that has seen significant declines in head over the past 70 years. In our approach, we use Theis curves to interpolate seasonal fluctuations in head, and a subsidence model to extend deformation estimates. We find that with this approach, we are able to closely match long-term and seasonal estimates of deformation, estimate seasonal fluctuations in head, and characterize the elastic and inelastic response to changes in head.
When Ethical Paths Converge

Commenting on the burgeoning literature in medical and biological ethics, Albert Jonsen, bioethicist at the University of California Medical Center (San Francisco), noted that "the ethics of medicine is now in need not of more anthologies but of a comprehensive treatise revealing how ethical theory can be cogently applied to the sorts of decisions encountered in medical practice." In their volume Principles of Biomedical Ethics, Tom Beauchamp and James Childress make a first, pioneering effort in what I hope will be a new generation of works in medical ethics. Over the past decade, in addition to the anthologies, a number of solid issue-oriented volumes have been published, some of which applied ethics to medicine in a systematic and sophisticated manner. What we have lacked is scholars with a
Grain Boundary Oxidation and Stress Corrosion Cracking in Nickel‐Base Alloys Strained in Supercritical Water

The objective of this study is to link grain boundary oxidation to grain boundary cracking in nickel-base alloys using the stability of Ni and NiO as a frame of reference. Accelerated stress corrosion cracking tests and exposures were conducted on alloy 600, Ni-9Fe, and Ni-9Fe-5Cr (LCr) in constant extension rate mode in supercritical water (SCW) at 400°C using dissolved hydrogen concentrations of 47 cc/kg and 200 cc/kg to control the stability of NiO and Ni respectively. Unstressed samples of Ni-9Fe exposed in the NiO stable regime and LCr exposed in both the Ni and NiO stable regimes show grain boundary oxides extending several microns below the sample surface. Constant extension rate tensile test results showed that cracking was more pronounced in samples where intergranular oxides were able to form, except in alloy 600 where no intergranular oxides formed. Comparison with oxide penetration from 400°C hydrogenated steam revealed that the supercritical water environment was more aggressive, but does not suggest a different mechanism of cracking is operating.
Dawes Cards and Indian Census Data

AbstractAfter the passage of the Curtis Act in 1898, a Federal government commission was sent to Indian Territory to compile a descriptive list of citizens of the Five Civilized Tribes. The commissioners personally interviewed every tribal applicant. Key pieces of information, such as name, age, sex, tribal enrollment, and lineage, were recorded on cards. These interviews and cards provide an incredible level of detail about life among the Five Tribes at the turn of the century. The author describes the enrollment process in order to introduce social scientists to this unique resource. To demonstrate how the cards can be a valuable resource, she discusses a census sample that links Cherokee freedmen families across 40 years and three censuses. She then uses this data to analyze the consistency of the Dawes enrollment process.
Bilingualism and Its Impact on Psychological Assessment

The role of bilingualism and biculturalism is reviewed with a specific focus on their measurement as well as their impact on psychological tests. Bilingualism appears to be a deterrent or confounding factor in the measurement of psychological constructs early in development but appears to have a facilitating impact on such constructs later in life. For example, there is increasing evidence that executive function is improved in bilingual individuals. The measurement of bilingualism, however, is not as simple as previously considered largely because of the increasing understanding that constructs that are assessed linguistically are clearly affected by other and possibly more salient variables, such as cultural ones. In addition, Spanish language demographics were described and types of bilingualism for Spanish speakers were presented.
A Decade of Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing: Characteristics of the Goldstein Award Winners:

Each year, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) accepts nominations for the prestigious Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing. This article examines problem-oriented initiatives that have been selected by PERF as innovations deserving recognition. The authors review the characteristics of these projects beginning in 1993, the inaugural year of the Goldstein Award. They review such characteristics as the nature of the problem, the nature of the intervention, and the integration of SARA (scanning, analysis, response, & assessment) model principles. These characteristics are examined to provide insight into what is being presented as innovative, award-winning practices in problem-oriented policing. The responses examined are framed in the context of programmatic and techniquelevel innovations. Discussion is given to the prospect of these innovative approaches becoming institutional practices.
Sensitivity to drought stress of three soybean cultivars during different growth stages.

Three soybean (Glycine max L.) culivars, Lee-74, Wright, and Ra 401, were subjected to 100 % (control), 75 %, and 50 % of field capacity during vegetative (VI), flowering (R2), and pod-filling (R4) stages in greenhouse and field studies. Stress applied at R2 significantly reduced the yield in the greenhouse, while in the field, the maximum reduction was observed when the plants were subjected to stress at R4. Stress during VI reduced the yield components less than stress applied during R2 or R4 stages in both studies. The pod number and seed weight were the yield components most affected by drought stress, and the number of seeds per pod the least affected. Yield stress index was significantly correlated with the yield and its components. The reproductive stage was clearly more sensitive to drought than the vegetative stage. The cultivar Lee 74 had the highest yield and the second highest yield stress index whereas the cultivar Ra 401 had the lowest yield.
Prosperity, power, and change: Modeling maize at Postclassic Xaltocan, Mexico

Abstract Documenting the relationship between agriculture and political economy occupies the center of much research and debate in anthropological archaeology. This study examines this issue by focusing on maize at Xaltocan, a Postclassic community located in the northern Basin of Mexico. We consider how different mechanisms of distribution, circulation, and production can influence maize variation. We analyze maize variability through time at Xaltocan and the community’s chinampa system and interpret patterns of variation in relation to its historical trajectory. This methodological and interpretive approach offers an innovative means to understand how agricultural practices transformed in relation to changing conditions of prosperity and power, especially the links between tribute, market exchange, conflict, and regional demography. Our study also speaks to broader, dichotomous perspectives that model the organization of agricultural systems, revealing that the strategies of both agriculturalists and the state often converge at local levels.
Kinematics and Dynamics of a Multibody System of an Oilfield Pumping Unit by Means of Finite Element Method

Taking a multibody system of the oil field pumping unit into a multibody elastic system, this paper analyzes its kinematics and dynamics by means of finite element method, deduces the kinematics and dynamics function after doing the element’s and global analysis, and puts forward the procedures of this method, i.e., (1) dividing the system into elements; (2) calculating for the elements; (3) calculating the matrix of external force; (4) piling the element stiffness and mass matrixes up; and (5) solving the function. As an example, this paper illustrates the process of analyzing the multibody system of a PUMPING UNIT used in an oil field.© 1997 ASME
Telomere proteins POT1, TRF1 and TRF2 augment long-patch base excision repair in vitro

Human telomeres consist of multiple tandem hexameric repeats, each containing a guanine triplet. Guanosine-rich clusters are highly susceptible to oxidative base damage, necessitating base excision repair (BER). Previous demonstration of enhanced strand displacement synthesis by the BER component DNA polymerase β in the presence of telomere protein TRF2 suggests that telomeres employ long-patch (LP) BER. Earlier analyses in vitro showed that efficiency of BER reactions is reduced in the DNA-histone environment of chromatin. Evidence presented here indicates that BER is promoted at telomeres. We found that the three proteins that contact telomere DNA, POT1, TRF1 and TRF2, enhance the rate of individual steps of LP-BER and stimulate the complete reconstituted LP-BER pathway. Thought to protect telomere DNA from degradation, these proteins still apparently evolved to allow selective access of repair proteins.
Hydrogen-induced platelets in disordered silicon

Abstract It is demonstrated that hydrogen passivation of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) causes the formation of hydrogen stabilized platelets. These extended defects appear within 1000 A of the sample surface and are predominantly oriented along {111} crystallographic planes. Nominally undoped and phosphorous doped poly-Si ([P]=10 17 cm −3 ) show platelet concentrations of ≈5×10 15 cm −3 and 1.5×10 16 cm −3 , respectively. An estimate of the number of H atoms accommodated in platelets by forming SiH bonds is consistent with the hydrogen concentration in the surface layer measured by SIMS. Platelets were not observed in the grain boundary regions. This is due to two effects: (I) the presence of a depletion layer at grain boundaries causing hydrogen to migrate in the positive charge state which is unfavorable for the platelet formation; (ii) Platelet nucleation is surpressed due to the presence of a high concentration of hydrogen trapping sites at grain boundaries.
PATTERNS OF GROWTH IN ADAPTIVE SOCIAL ABILITIES AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Adaptive social skills were assessed longitudinally at approximately ages 2, 3, 5, 9, and 13 years in a sample of 192 children with a clinical diagnosis of autism (n = 93), PDD-NOS (n = 51), or nonspectrum developmental disabilities (n = 46) at age 2. Growth curve analyses with SAS proc mixed were used to analyze social trajectories over time. Both individual characteristics and environmental resources emerged as key predictors of adaptive social behavior outcome. The gap between children with autism and the other two diagnostic groups widened with time as the social skills of the latter groups improved at a higher rate. However, within diagnostic groups, improvement ranged from minimal to very dramatic. Children with autism most at risk for problems with social adaptive abilities later in life can be identified with considerable accuracy at a very young age so they can be targeted for appropriate early intervention services.
The systems approach — A. Bogdanov and L. von Bertalanffy

We undertake the comparison between Ludwig von Bertalanffy's General Systems Theory and Alexandr Bodganov's Tektology as two theories proposing a holistic interpretation of reality and claiming to solve problems which are unsolvable via conventional philosophic and scientific theories and methodologies. Basic misunderstandings by some Soviet authors regarding the nature of these theories — especially in the case of Tektology — are pointed out. The comparison is made in what concerns the general origins and purposes of the theories, their approaches to the problem of organization, their treatment of mathematics and their understanding of the cybernetic concept of regulation.
Educational Reform and the Problem of Institutional Life

technologies used in institutional contexts. The actual impact of these reform techniques upon schools is directly related to the deeply held assumptions and patterns of behavior which underlie life in school. The second section explores the concept of institution and effect that this has on the learning that takes place within the school. This discussion looks closely at three specific characteristics of the school as institution and how these work against the intent of schooling and efforts to reform. The final section focuses on the resiliency of institutional patterns to change efforts.
Risk of Major Complications From Coronary Angioplasty Performed Immediately After Diagnostic Coronary Angiography: Results From the Registry of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions

Abstract Objectives. This study was designed to determine the risk of performing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) at the time of diagnostic catheterization (“combined procedures”). Background. Health care providers are under increasing pressure to combine diagnostic and interventional coronary procedures to reduce costs. However, the risk associated with combined procedures has not been rigorously assessed. Methods. A multicenter cohort study of 35,700 patients undergoing elective PTCA from 1992 through 1995 was performed to determine the risk of major complications (myocardial infarction, emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery or death) from combined relative to staged procedures (i.e., performing PTCA at a session subsequent to diagnostic catheterization). Results. The risks of major complications from combined and staged procedures were 2.0% and 1.6%, respectively (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 1.57). After adjusting for clinical and angiographic differences and clustering by laboratory, the risk from combined procedures was not significantly elevated (multivariable OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.55). However, several subgroups of patients did have an increased risk from combined procedures: patients with multivessel disease (multivariable OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.39); women (multivariable OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.55); patients >65 years old (multivariable OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.93); and patients undergoing multilesion PTCA (multivariable OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.21). The risk of combined relative to staged procedures decreased over the 4-year period (multivariable p = 0.029). Conclusions. Combining PTCA with diagnostic catheterization appears to be safe in many patients. However, several subgroups of patients may be at increased risk. Careful patient selection will most likely remain critical to ensuring the safety of combined procedures. (J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;30:193–200)
Can changes in angiogenic biomarkers between the first and second trimesters of pregnancy predict development of pre-eclampsia in a low-risk nulliparous patient population?

Objective To determine if change in maternal angiogenic biomarkers between the first and second trimesters predicts pre-eclampsia in low-risk nulliparous women. Design A nested case–control study of change in maternal plasma soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin (sEng) and placenta growth factor (PlGF). We studied 158 pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and 468 normotensive nonproteinuric controls. Setting A multicentre study in 16 academic medical centres in the USA. Population Low-risk nulliparous women. Methods Luminex assays for PlGF, sFlt-1 and sEng performed on maternal EDTA plasma collected at 9–12, 15–18 and 23–26 weeks of gestation. Rate of change of analyte between first and either early or late second trimester was calculated with and without adjustment for baseline clinical characteristics. Main outcome measures Change in PlGF, sFlt-1 and sEng. Results Rates of change of PlGF, sEng and sFlt-1 between first and either early or late second trimesters were significantly different in women who developed pre-eclampsia, severe pre-eclampsia or early-onset pre-eclampsia compared with women who remained normotensive. Inclusion of clinical characteristics (race, body mass index and blood pressure at entry) increased sensitivity for detecting severe and particularly early-onset pre-eclampsia but not pre-eclampsia overall. Receiver operating characteristics curves for change from first to early second trimester in sEng, PlGF and sFlt-1 with clinical characteristics had areas under the curve of 0.88, 0.84 and 0.86, respectively, and for early-onset pre-eclampsia with sensitivities of 88% (95% CI 64–99), 77% (95% CI 50–93) and 77% (95% CI 50–93) for 80% specificity, respectively. Similar results were seen in the change from first to late second trimester. Conclusion Change in angiogenic biomarkers between first and early second trimester combined with clinical characteristics has strong utility for predicting early-onset pre-eclampsia.
The Role of Special Educators in a Multitiered Instructional System

The nature of special education has changed appreciably over the past several decades. As a result, the role of special educators needs to be examined and further developed to provide the most effective education for all learners at-risk and those with high- and low-incidence disabilities. In this article, the authors discuss five important roles in which special educators should possess skills to collaboratively educate learners at-risk within a multitiered instructional system.
Role of oxalic acid in the Sclerotinia wilt of sunflower.

Leaves of greenhouse-grown sunflower plants infected with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum frequently exhibit wilting and inter-veinal necrosis 3 to S days after inoculation. A wilt-inducing substance was found in water extracts of hypocotyl, lesions. Chemical tests, thin-layer chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography demonstrated that wilt-active aliquots of purified hypocotyl extracts contained oxalic acid. Wilted leaves from infected plants contained over 15 times more oxalic acid than leaves of healthy plants. Healthy plants fed oxalic acid through the hypocotyl showed foliar symptoms identical to those associated with fungal infections, and the concentrations of oxalic acid in leaves of treated plants were equivalent to those in infected plants. The pH of xylem sap from infected plants taken 2 cm above lesions was one unit lower than sap from healthy plants. Oxalic acid was detectable in sap from infected plants. Oxalic acid moves systemically to the leaves where it apparently accumulates to a “critical” level and elicits the wilt syndrome. A varietal screening technique using oxalic acid and whole leaf cell suspensions was developed which indicated that sunflower cultivars more resistant to Sclerotinia wilt were more tolerant to oxalic acid during their flowering period.
Pricing behavior in United States manufacturing industries: A statistical study using disaggregated data

We investigate the relationship between industrial market structure and price flexibility (the administered-pricing hypothesis) across United States manufacturing industries by embedding market-structure variables in a model relating relative price variability (dispersion) and inflation. While we find support for a positive relationship between variability and inflation, we do not find that high seller concentration lessens the impact of inflation on price variability. We do find that the larger the efficient-sized plant, the lower the impact of inflation on variability. We also find strong effects of input prices and degree of product durability on relative price variability.
Presence of a gonadotrophin on the surface of preimplanted mouse embryos.

IN humans, a gonadotrophin (hCG) is localised on the cell membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast facing the maternal bloodstream1. The syncytiotrophoblast is derived from the trophoblast cells of the mammalian blastocyst and is thought to participate in isolating the foetus from attack by the maternal immunological system2. Martin, et al.1 suggest that the hCG on human syncytial plasma membranes may, in part, be responsible for the lack of maternal immunological rejection of the foetus; in addition to its role in steroidogenesis, therefore, hCG may also have an immunological function during pregnancy. Because hCG is generally used to induce super-ovulation in mice and must, therefore, cross-react with mouse gonadotrophin, and since the mouse is extensively used in studies on mammalian development, I investigated the possible presence of gonadotrophin(s) in mouse embryos before implantation and formation of the syncytiotrophoblast. Using an antiserum to hCG and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) I have detected a luteinising hormone (LH)- or hCG-like substance (‘embryonic gonadotrophin’, EG) on the cell surfaces, of live mouse preimplanted embryos.
From expert data collectors to interventionists: changing the focus for infection control professionals.

Abstract The current economic and political environments challenge health care organizations in the United States to provide affordable, accessible, and comprehensive health services. However, changes in reimbursement to health care providers can affect their ability to offer access to cutting-edge services while reducing costs. Consequently, organizations are restructuring, re-engineering, right-sizing, downsizing, and redesigning, all in an effort to save money while also hoping to maintain a reputation for quality and customer service. Dr Vicky Fraser, in her keynote address at the APIC conference in 2000, reminded us that ICHE programs are cost centers rather than revenue generators, and are often targets for budget cuts. Although Haley's Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC) , published in 1985, was a landmark event demonstrating the importance of our profession's mission, it is becoming dated. Infection control professionals (ICPs) must continue Haley's work, finding innovative ways to market or demonstrate the value of ICHE programs to health care executives. Closing the 1999 APIC conference with a symposium entitled “Breaking Out of the Box,” Jackson and Massanari challenged ICPs to educate themselves about the changing health care environment, to be proactive, and constructively help organizations “re-engineer” more efficiently, rather than feel victimized and helplessly await being re-engineered out of existence. The threat of downsizing prompted ICPs at BJC HealthCare to realize that the time had come to change their own culture and attitudes and to focus on the business of infection control. This change required challenging the traditional roles of solo practitioner, data collector, and keeper of infection control data and knowledge. The goals now include leading intervention teams committed to reducing health care-associated infections, partnering rather than accepting sole responsibility for lowering infection rates, and learning to influence without authority. Staying focused on quality and cost-effectiveness and demonstrating improvements in clinical outcomes became a commitment. This article discusses BJC HealthCare's journey through change so that it may provide useful information and tools for ICPs in any setting looking for the necessary change strategies that might keep them in business. (Am J Infect Control 2002;30:120-32.)
Ionic liquids in microemulsions

Ionic liquids (ILs) are being increasingly studied in many different chemical application areas, particularly in green solvent applications that are extending into microemulsion applications. We summarize herein these initial microemulsion formulations and applications where ILs are used as oil substitutes, water substitutes, co-surfactants (additives), and surfactants.
Cointegration modeling of fertility in the United States

This paper presents estimates of a multiple time series model of fertility, female labor force participation, women's wages, and the relative cohort size of younger to older adult males. Cointegration methods permit modeling of these nonstationary variables, yielding estimates of the long-run relation among the variables, and the dynamic response of each variable to displacements from the steady state. The estimated steady state relation between fertility and the other variables is consistent with economic models of fertility, with fertility negatively related to female wages and male relative cohort size. Fertility responds to cohort size in a manner that is consistent with Easterlin's relative income model of household behavior. Finally, both female labor market variables adjust significantly to departures from the steady state relation, implying that they cannot be treated as exogenous in time series models of fertility.