cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytokine Profiles in Infants with Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection† 814

CD4+ T lymphocytes comprise functionally heterogeneous populations with specific profiles of cytokine production. Th1 cells produce IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-β, whereas Th2 cells produce IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10. To characterize the cytokine responses in intrauterine CMV infection, we investigated the cytokine production by PBL in response to polyclonal and antigenic responses. Production of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 was measured in cultures of PBL from 15 children with congenital CMV infection (7 with symptoamtic and 8 with asymptoamtic infection) and 8 healthy neonates(controls) within the first 2 months of life using cytoscreen ELISA kits(Biosource International, Camarillo, CA). The results cytokine levels(mean±1 SD) are shown in the table below. Unstimulated cultures and those stimulated with the major envelope glycoprotein B (gB) of CMV produced similar levels of cytokines in both groups. Upon stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) plus phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), infants with congenital CMV infection produced less IFN-γ than control children (p<.01). Although PBL from infants with symptomatic congenital CMV infection produced lower amounts of IFN-γ than those with asymptomatic infection, the difference was not statistically significant (p=.08). Furthermore, the group of infants with symptomatic infection produced increased amounts of IL-10 in cultures than asymptomatic infants and the control group and the difference approached statistical significance (p=.055). The levels of IL-2 and IL-4 were not different between the congenitally infected infants and the control subjects. The results suggest that infants with congenital CMV infection exhibit decreased production of mitogen stimulated Th1 type cytokines and increased TH2 cytokines (IL-10). Although the significance of these findings is not entirely clear, the differences in cytokine response may explain the decreased or absent cell mediated immune responses to CMV antigens observed in most infants with congenital CMV infection. The patterns of cytokine expression is being investigated in the study children.
Tetraspanin CD82 Attenuates Cellular Morphogenesis through Down-regulating Integrin α6-Mediated Cell Adhesion

Tetraspanin CD82 has been implicated in integrin-mediated functions such as cell motility and invasiveness. Although tetraspanins associate with integrins, it is unknown if and how CD82 regulates the functionality of integrins. In this study, we found that Du145 prostate cancer cells underwent morphogenesis on the reconstituted basement membrane Matrigel to form an anastomosing network of multicellular structures. This process entirely depends on integrin α6, a receptor for laminin. After CD82 is expressed in Du145 cells, this cellular morphogenesis was abolished, indicating a functional cross-talk between CD82 and α6 integrins. Interestingly, antibodies against other tetraspanins expressed in Du145 cells such as CD9, CD81, and CD151 did not block this integrin α6-dependent morphogenesis. We further found that CD82 significantly inhibited cell adhesion on laminin 1. Notably, the level of α6 integrins on the cell surface was down-regulated upon CD82 expression, although total cellular α6 protein levels remained unchanged in CD82-expressing cells. This down-regulation indicates that the diminished cell adhesiveness of CD82-expressing Du145 cells on laminin likely resulted from less cell surface expression of α6 integrins. As expected, CD82 physically associated with the integrin α6 in Du145-CD82 transfectant cells, suggesting that the formation of the CD82-integrin α6 complex reduces α6 integrin cell surface expression. Finally, the internalization of cell surface integrin α6 is significantly enhanced upon CD82 expression. In conclusion, our results indicate that 1) CD82 attenuates integrin α6 signaling during a cellular morphogenic process; 2) the decreased surface expression of α6 integrins in CD82-expressing cells is likely responsible for the diminished adhesiveness on laminin and, subsequently, results in the attenuation of α6 integrin-mediated cellular morphogenesis; and 3) the accelerated internalization of integrin α6 upon CD82 expression correlates with the down-regulation of cell surface integrin α6.
Structural variation among retroviral primer-DNA junctions: solution structure of the HIV-1 (-)-strand Okazaki fragment r(gcca)d(CTGC).d(GCAGTGGC).

The three-dimensional solution structure of the hybrid-chimeric duplex r(gcca)d(CTGC).d(GCAGTGGC) has been determined by two-dimensional NMR, restrained molecular dynamics (rMD), and NOE back-calculation methods. This chimera, consisting of a chimeric RNA-DNA strand and its complementary DNA strand, is formed after priming (-)-strand DNA synthesis by tRNA(Lys3) and subsequent (+)-strand DNA synthesis by reverse transcriptase and is an obligatory intermediate in the formation of double-stranded DNA prior to HIV-1 retrovirus integration. The duplex consists of two different types of double helix: a hybrid form (H-form) and a B-form structure connected by a junction. It is chemically similar to several other Okazaki fragments whose structures have been previously determined in our laboratory. However, some structural parameters are not the same and were found to be sequence dependent. In particular, the sugar conformations at the DNA base pair proximal to the hybrid segment vary from O4'-endo to C2'-endo depending on the base composition. The position of the transition from the relatively wide groove of H-form to the narrow groove of B-form is also sequence dependent, occurring either exactly at the RNA-DNA junction or within the purely DNA segment of the chimera-as is the case in the structure of the present HIV-1 (-)-strand primer. This structural change produces a kink at the DNA-DNA step adjacent to the RNA-DNA junction in the HIV-1 (-)-strand primer. The sequence dependence of structures of RNA-DNA chimeric duplexes may be responsible for the variable cleavage pattern of different Okazaki fragments by reverse transcriptase RNase H.
Evaluation of Vibration Assessment Criteria and Their Application to Stadium Serviceability

This paper explores the current recommended measures for assessing vibration serviceability in building structures and the recommendations for relating these vibration measures to levels of perception and expected occupant reactions. Two of these assessment measures, the maximum transient vibration value and vibration dose value, are discussed with respect to serviceability in stadium structures. The results of the monitoring and assessment of three stadium structures during several events are presented and these results indicate that the current recommendations are overly conservative in assessing occupant perception. Recommendations for vibration dose levels that are more consistent with the evaluation of events monitored in stadium structures are proposed.
MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF ROUGH RICE DRYING IN A SPOUTED BED

A theoretical model, based on the well-known man and energy transport equations for a continuous media, was rigorously developed to describe the liquid diffusion controlled drying of cereal grain in a batch operated, well-mixed spouted-bed dryer. The equilibrium moisture content equation and the effective diffusion coefficient are required to solve the heat and mass transfer equations. Numerical techniques were used to solve these equations. The model was tested using laboratory-scale experiments where rough rice was dried in a spouted-bed. A good agreement was obtained between the experimental and theoretical model.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) enabling lean manufacturing

A growing number of organisations are investigating the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a tool to improve their business processes across the enterprise. When implemented properly, the benefits RFID brings to supply-chain management, logistics, and asset tracking are clearly understood. Yet many companies do not realise the value RFID can supply by providing data input into a company's Six Sigma and Lean applications by facilitating operational visibility. In this paper, a systematic approach that integrates the phases of business process reengineering, RFID data-based decision making, laboratory-level prototyping, and pilot implementation at industry site are discussed. [Received 12 January 2010; Revised 16 August 2010; Accepted 14 December 2010]
ANALYSES OF LONGITUDINAL SPLITTING OF UNIAXIALLY COMPRESSED ROCK CYLINDERS

Abstract Failure of uniaxially compressed rock cylinders by sudden splitting parallel to the direction of loading has been a puzzle for many years. This paper describes several mechanisms that might cause, or at least contribute to such splitting. If a specimen has a slightly bent or barrel-like shape due to imperfect machining, then there will be radial tensions in parts of the compressed specimen that might lead to splitting. Buckling away from an internal fracture or flaw, or interaction of a growing crack with the free surfaces might also produce tensions responsible for splitting. However, prior weakening of the specimen by microcrack growth is probably necessary before any of these processes can result in splitting of a sample. Qualitatively, it seems likely that some specimens split in shear on planes making a small angle to the direction of applied compression because of anisotropy caused by small cracks parallel to the applied stress.
Helium-oxygen breathing in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The effect of breathing helium-oxygen (He-O 2 ) mixtures was evaluated in 15 patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Gas exchange was assessed during quiet breathing at rest before and after 15 minutes of breathing 80 percent He-20 percent O, mixtures in all patients. Functional residual capacity (FRC) determined during argon (Ar) washing studies fell significantly while breathing He-O 2 , but we did not find significant changes in minute ventilation, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, or inspiratory or expiratory timing. Eleven patients showed decreases in arterial Pco 2 and CO 2 excretion during resting breathing on He-O 2 . Expiratory flows were increased at a given lung volume during He-O 2 breathing as expected. Apparently, mechanical work of breathing was decreased in patients with severe COPD while breathing He-O 2 , leading to a reduction in PaCo 2 and improvement in overall alveolar ventilation. These findings lend support to the therapeutic use of He-O 2 under some conditions in patients with severe COPD.
The Role of Class Action Litigation in Achieving Child Welfare Reform: A Study in Public Conflict Resolution

This article traces the history of a 16-year court battle over the child welfare system in Kansas City, Missouri, which eventually headed toward resolution as the result of an innovative public policy negotiation process. The process combined the substantive expertise of nationally and locally respected child welfare professionals with political muscle at the state, local, and community levels to develop and implement a plan for reform. If the results of this process become institutionalized in the Kansas City child welfare system, it will represent a significant transformation in the governing culture and practices of the system and the community it serves.
Graham's pebbling conjecture on products of cycles

Chung defined a pebbling move on a graph G to be the removal of two pebbles from one vertex and the addition of one pebble to an adjacent vertex. The pebbling number of a connected graph is the smallest number f(G) such that any distribution of f(G) pebbles on G allows one pebble to be moved to any specified, but arbitrary vertex by a sequence of pebbling moves. Graham conjectured that for any connected graphs G and H, f(G×H)≤ f(G)f(H). We prove Graham's conjecture when G is a cycle for a variety of graphs H, including all cycles. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 42: 141–154, 2003
Extracellular matrix remodeling in atrial fibrosis: Mechanisms and implications in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrosis has been strongly associated with the presence of heart diseases/arrhythmias, including congestive heart failure (CHF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Inducibility of AF as a result of atrial fibrosis has been the subject of intense recent investigation since it is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in adults and can substantially increase the risk of premature death. Rhythm and rate control drugs as well as surgical interventions are used as therapies for AF; however, increased attention has been diverted to mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists including spironolactone as potential therapies for human AF because of their positive effects on reducing atrial fibrosis and associated AF in animal models. Spironolactone has been shown to exert positive effects in human patients with heart failure; however, the mechanisms and effects in human atrial fibrosis and AF remain undetermined. This review will discuss and highlight developments on (i) the relationship between atrial fibrosis and AF, (ii) spironolactone, as a drug targeted to atrial fibrosis and AF, as well as (iii) the distinct and common mechanisms important for regulating atrial and ventricular fibrosis, inclusive of the key extracellular matrix regulatory proteins involved.
EPR study of kerogens from three Alaskan North Slope wells

Abstract Whole rock and isolated kerogens from the Seabee, Inigok, and Ikpikpuk wells of the Alaskan North Slope have been analyzed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The sample suite includes representatives of the Torok, Kingak, Lisburne, Sadlerochit and Endicott formations. Power saturation studies show a definite correlation with the downhole maturation, the extent of aromaticity of the sample as defined by 13 C NMR, and with the beginning of the oil window for the Kingak formation. Strong correlations within formations across the depositional basin are seen. Abrupt changes in EPR parameters indicate a change in the nature of the organic matter present and may reflect a facies change. Peak widths and spin densities correlate with maturity as indicated by vitrinite reflectance and sample aromaticity as measured in solid state 13 C NMR spectra.
Surgical management of colorectal polyps.

This discussion deals with the management of pedunculated and sessile adenomatous and retention colorectal polyps but excludes villous adenomas. All polyps within the range of the sigmoidoscope should be completely removed and submitted for microscopic study. Adenomatous polyps that reveal atypia, carcinoma in situ, and cancer just beneath the muscularis mucosae, not invading the base of the stalk, are cured by local excision and require no further treatment. Polypoid lesions that reveal invasive cancer or involvement of the base of the stalk require an appropriate cancer operation. Asymptomatic polyps above the level of the sigmoidoscope seen on barium enema with air contrast examination that are less than 1.2 cm in diameter may safely be observed by barium enema examinations at regular intervals, i.e. every 6 months. However, we recommend excision for all polyps, regardless of size, in all patients whose general condition will permit. If the polyps are greater than 1.2 cm in size, because of the increased danger of cancer, surgical excision is strongly advised. The treatment for juvenile polyps, familial polyposis, Gardner's syndrome, and Peutz-Jeghers' syndrome will be discussed.
Abusive supervisory reactions to coworker relationship conflict

Abstract This study extends research on abusive supervision by exploring how supervisor reports of conflict with their coworkers are related to abusive behaviors and resulting outcomes. We utilize research on displaced aggression, conflict, and leader–member exchange (LMX) theory to formulate our hypotheses. Results from two samples of 121 and 134 matched supervisor–subordinate dyads support the idea that supervisors experiencing coworker relationship conflict are likely to engage in abusive behaviors directed toward their subordinates and that LMX quality moderates this relationship. Additionally, abusive supervision was associated with decreased work effort and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). Results also indicate that in both samples abusive supervision mediates the relationships between supervisor reports of coworker relationship conflict and OCB, and in one sample mediates the association between supervisor-reported coworker relationship conflict and work effort.
Computational studies of the chiral separations of three N-acyl-1-aryl-1-aminoethanes on an (R)-N-dinitrobenzoylphenylglycine stationary phase.

Abstract The chiral chromatographic separations of three N -acyl-1-aryl-1-aminoethanes on silica modified with (R)- N -dinitrobenzoylphenylglycine- N ′-propylamide have been modeled by use of molecular mechanics. Formyl groups were substituted for the nitro groups, and a methyl group was tested as a replacement for the propyl group. With the propyl group, the correct elution order was obtained for the two pairs that had the largest α-values, and the third pair had a calculated α-value very close to unity. The relative sizes of the α-values were correctly predicted for all three. Substitution of methyl for propyl gave data that did not agree as well with the experimental values, thereby confirming the important role of the spacer in these separations.
Effects of biogenic silica dissolution on silicon cycling and export production

[1] Biogenic silica (bSiO2) dissolution plays an important role in the marine silicon cycle, diatom production and vertical export production. An ocean ecosystem model that incorporates dependency of bSiO2 dissolution on water temperature was used to examine the effects of bSiO2 dissolution on diatom production and bSiO2 export. Diatoms dominate with higher bSiO2 dissolution rates because of enhanced silicic acid supply for diatom production. Annual bSiO2 export does not change with bSiO2 dissolution rate, because of less bSiO2 production with lower rates and greater bSiO2 dissolution with higher rates. The ratio of bSiO2 export to production changes seasonally, with maximum in late spring. The contribution of spring diatom bloom to the annual bSiO2 export is 21–30%, smaller than observation-based estimates. This suggests necessity for incorporating other factors controlling bSiO2 dissolution besides water temperature, such as difference in organic coating protections against bSiO2 dissolution between live and dead diatoms, in the model.
Progressive/Idiopathic Condylar Resorption: An Orthodontic Perspective

This article opens with a definition of progressive/idiopathic condylar resorption (PCR/ICR), which is a severe form of degenerative joint disease that selectively affects the temporomandibular joint. The demographics of this relatively rare condition have been reported, and it is clear that female adolescents are the main affected group. Some cases occur spontaneously, whereas others appear during orthodontic therapy or as sequelae to orthognathic surgical procedures. Whereas the condylar cartilage and bone are the main tissues involved, the role of the articular disk remains controversial. The authors report the results of a survey of orthodontists regarding their experience with PCR/ICR, and based on those results, an estimate of 1 case per 5000 orthodontic patients was reached. The next section of this article discusses practical aspects of recognizing and managing PCR/ICR in the orthodontic practice. It is essential for orthodontists to recognize the onset of this condition in their own patients as early as possible, and if cases are referred from outside the practice, they may not present with an established diagnosis. Imaging techniques such as tomograms and cone beam computed tomography scans have been shown to have value in the initial diagnostic process as well as in monitoring the condition over time. Management of PCR/ICR patients with oral appliances and surgical procedures requires continuous collaboration between the orthodontist and other professional colleagues. The final section includes 2 case reports of patients treated by a combination of orthodontic treatment and orthognathic surgery. These are followed by an in-depth discussion of the medico-legal aspects of managing PCR/ICR in the orthodontic practice.
Aggregate demand externalities and labor supply decisions: Worker discouragement and market inefficiency

Abstract When monopolistic firms price using markups over worker productivity, low productivity workers may not enter the labor market because the wage may be too low. In the presence of aggregate demand spillovers, a profits tax used to subsidize discouraged workers (an earned income tax credit) can actually be Pareto improving and raise profits.
Electrochemical and Physical Properties of Ti-Substituted Layered Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) Cathode Materials

The effect of partial substitution of titanium for cobalt on 3b sites in Li1+z(NixMnxCo1-2x-yTiy)O2 (x = 1/3, 0.4) cathode materials (NMCs) has been investigated for this study. Materials were prepared by glycine-nitrate combustion and co-precipitation methods and solid solutions were observed over a narrow substitution range limited to below about y = 0.07 for both the x = 1/3 and x = 0.4 series, although this depended on the synthesis technique. Increased discharge capacities, lower first cycle inefficiencies and better cycling behavior were observed for several of the Ti-substituted compositions in electrochemical cells. The improved first cycle efficiencies allow higher discharge capacities to be obtained between normal voltage limits, which partly explain the observations. Results from synchrotron X-ray diffraction also indicate that Ti substitution leads to a decreased cell volume change during deintercalation of lithium, which contributes to the improved cycling performance. Magnetic measurements suggest that reduction of some Mn4+ to Mn3+ compensates for the aliovalent substitution in as-made lithium-stoichiometric materials.
Determination of the stress intensity factor for parallel and symmetric edge cracks under pure bending

Abstract An experimental and semi-theoretical investigation concerning thin plates having “Parallel and Symmetric” (P.A.S.) † edge cracks and subjected to pure bending will be discussed in this paper. Experiments were performed extensively on plates with P.A.S. equal edge cracks in order to study the effect of the variation of the length of the cracks and crack spacing seperately. Observations show that when crack spacing becomes larger than crack length, the diameter of the caustic for the equal P.A.S. edge cracks approaches the diameter of the caustic of the double edge cracks. Based on this fact, the equation that expresses the semi-theoretical and experimental stress intensity factor for the double edge cracks was first modified and then utilized in order to express the strese intensity factor of P.A.S. edge cracks. Moreover, an alternative formula for the stress intensity factor was established which is based on a cubic interpolating polynomial. For large crack spacing the cubic interpolating polynomial converges to unity and as a result, the diameter of the caustic and the stress intensity factor approach those of a double edge crack. For the case of unequal P.A.S. edge cracks, a crack closure phenonmenon under the pure bending condition was investigated. Experimental measurements showed that the relative position of the shorter crack with respect to the longer cracks for which the crack closure phenomenon happens is related not only to the crack spacing of the parallel edge cracks in the tension region, but also strongly related to the variation of the existing symmetric edge crack in the compression region.
Massive neutrinos, neutrino oscillations and neutrino hot dark matter in a standard model extension

We present a simple extension of the standard model of electroweak interactions that accommodates existing and recent data on neutrinos. The model contains a scalar triplet carrying two units of lepton number and a vector-like neutral lepton in addition to the usual bosons and fermions of the standard model. The model also accounts for the hot dark matter component required in mixed dark matter models that attempt to solve the large scale structure problem.
Second-order quasi-phase matched second harmonic generation in annealed proton-exchanged LiNbO3 channel waveguides

We report the first efficient blue second harmonic generation (SHG) in a second-order quasi-phase matching (QPM) LiNbO3 waveguide. We show both theoretically and experimentally that the second-orderQPM grating is the optimum structure for waveguideSHG in LiNbO3 waveguides. Using such a structure, we have demonstrated blue light generation with a conversion efficiency of 65%/W-cm2, the highest reported so far in LiNbO3 waveguides.
Combating Nuclear Terrorism: Addressing Nonstate Actor Motivations

Yesterday’s nonproliferation efforts were successful, in part, because they addressed the motives of aspiring state proliferants. Today’s efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism should take a similar approach. Understanding—and addressing—the motivations of nonstate actors should be as important as locking down nuclear weapons and materials. The international community has a variety of tools at its disposal for addressing the demand for nuclear weapons. This article suggests a multifaceted approach for understanding, and reducing, the nuclear ambitions of nonstate actors.
Fetal aneuploidy and umbilical cord thickness measured between 14 and 23 weeks' gestational age.

Objective To evaluate and compare umbilical cord thickness of aneuploid fetuses with umbilical cord diameter nomograms generated from euploid fetuses between 14 and 23 weeks' gestational age. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in which 56 fetuses and neonates had diagnoses of abnormal karyotypes, of which 46 fetuses had numerical chromosomal abnormalities. Among these cases, 26 subjects with adequate umbilical cord sonographic images were included in the study. The umbilical cord thickness was measured and plotted against the umbilical cord diameter nomogram that was generated from previously published data. Results From 26 evaluated fetuses and neonates, in 14 subjects (53.8%), the umbilical cord thickness was greater than the 95th percentile for gestational age. A thick umbilical cord was observed in 57.8% of fetuses with trisomy 21 and 50% of subjects with trisomy 18 and monosomy 45,XO. One fetus with trisomy 2 had umbilical cord thickness within the normal range. The largest number of aneuploid fetuses with thick umbilical cords (87.5%) was observed between 16 and 17 gestational weeks. Conclusion Aneuploid fetuses have thicker umbilical cords than euploid fetuses. The umbilical cord thickness can be related to an increased amount of Wharton jelly. Because of the smaller number of thick umbilical cords in aneuploid subjects at later gestational ages, we speculate that abnormal cord thickness has a natural tendency toward its own resolution with the advancement of gestational age.
A requirements analysis for videogame design support tools

Designing videogames involves weaving together systems of rules, called game mechanics, which support and structure compelling player experiences. Thus a significant portion of game design involves reasoning about the effects of different potential game mechanics on player experience. Unlike some design fields, such as architecture and mechanical design, that have CAD tools to support designers in reasoning about and visualizing designs, game designers have no tools for reasoning about and visualizing systems of game mechanics. In this paper we perform a requirements analysis for design-support tool for game design. We develop a proposal in two phases. First, we review the design-support-system and game-design literatures to arrive at a plausible system that helps designers reason about game mechanics and gameplay. We then refine these requirements in a study of three teams of game designers, investigating their current design problems and gauging interest in our tool proposals and reactions to prototype tools. Our study finds that a game design assistant that is able to formally reason about abstract game mechanics would provide significant leverage to designers during multiple stages of the design process.
The Contingent Effects of Transactive Memory: When Is It More Beneficial to Know What Others Know?

Previous studies have provided evidence of the positive impact of transactive memory (TM) on group performance, such as the efficient storage and recall of knowledge and better product quality. This paper aims to unify the experimental research on TM and to extend it to more dynamic and diverse group settings. In this paper, we develop an empirically grounded computational modelORGMEMand apply it to explore the contingent effects of TM on group performance. The comparison between virtual experimental results and relevant laboratory experimental results demonstrates the validity of ORGMEM as a useful tool to study memory-related phenomena. Through a series of virtual experiments, we find that TM decreases group response time by facilitating knowledge retrieval processes and improves decision quality by informing task coordination and evaluation. Our results also suggest that the effects of TM are contingent upon group characteristics, such as group size and environment, as well as the dimension along which group performance is assessed. Overall, TM seems to be more beneficial to small groups using quality as the dependent variable, but more beneficial to large groups, groups in a dynamic task environment, and groups in a volatile knowledge environment using time as the dependent variable.
Probability Discounting of Legal and non-Legal Scenarios: Discounting Varies as a Function of the Outcome, the Recipient’s Race, and the Discounter’s Sex

The majority of criminal cases are decided through plea bargaining and probability discounting (i.e., the change in the value of an outcome as it becomes less probable) may aid in the understanding of this process. University students were asked to complete a probability-discounting task involving three legal and two monetary outcomes. Groups were divided in terms of the race of the recipient of the outcome and the participant’s sex. Results showed that the crime of murder was discounted more steeply than the other scenarios, that the predictions of the leading theory of plea bargaining (i.e., decision theory) were inaccurate, and that males and females discounted differently (only) when the recipient was African American (regardless of the type of outcome). The present results have theoretical and practical implications and should serve highlight the utility of studying plea bargaining within a probability-discounting framework.
Morphological, Structural, and Thermal Properties of Starch Nanocrystals Affected by Different Botanic Origins1

ABSTRACT Six types of starch nanocrystals were prepared from corn, barley, potato, tapioca, chickpea, and mungbean starches with an acid hydrolysis method. The yields and morphological, structural, and thermal properties of starch nanocrystals were characterized. Starch nanocrystals had yields ranging from 8.8 to 35.7%, depending on botanical origin. During acid hydrolysis, amylose was effectively degraded, and no amylose was detected in any starch nanocrystal. Shape and size of native starch granules varied between starches, whereas there was no obvious difference in shape among different types of starch nanocrystals. The average particle size of starch nanocrystals was mainly related to crystalline type of native starches. Compared with their native starch counterparts, changes in crystalline diffraction patterns of starch nanocrystals depended on the original botanical source and crystalline structure. Degree of crystallinity, melting temperature, and enthalpy of starch nanocrystals increased, whereas ...
Evaluating quality of compressed medical images: SNR, subjective rating, and diagnostic accuracy

Compressing a digital image can facilitate its transmission, storage, and processing. As radiology departments become increasingly digital, the quantities of their imaging data are forcing consideration of compression in picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and evolving teleradiology systems. Significant compression is achievable only by lossy algorithms, which do not permit the exact recovery of the original image. This loss of information renders compression and other image processing algorithms controversial because of the potential loss of quality and consequent problems regarding liability, but the technology must be considered because the alternative is delay, damage, and loss in the communication and recall of the images. How does one decide if an image is good enough for a specific application, such as diagnosis, recall, archival, or educational use? The authors describe three approaches to the measurement of medical image quality: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), subjective rating, and diagnostic accuracy. They compare and contrast these measures in a particular application, consider in some depth recently developed methods for determining diagnostic accuracy of lossy compressed medical images and examine how good the easily obtainable distortion measures like SNR are at predicting the more expensive subjective and diagnostic ratings. The examples are of medical images compressed using predictive pruned tree-structured vector quantization, but the methods can be used for any digital image processing that produces images different from the original for evaluation. >
Framing Hip Hop New Methodologies for New Times

This article revisits the central impulse behind early advocacy for ethnographic approaches to hip hop—that critics should try as much as possible to limit their own certainties around what hip hop can and might mean. While ethnographic approaches can engender the kinds of personal dislocations that allow for this negotiation, they do not necessarily do so. Moreover, certain ethnographic approaches risk overly localizing the study of popular culture at a time when cultural phenomena need to be understood in global context. New forms of self-reflexivity are necessary for scholars and critics who look to “frame” hip hop as an object of analysis.
Teacher socio‐communicative style as a correlate of student affect toward teacher and course material

Students’ perceptions of “teacher misbehaviors”; may be related to teacher's socio‐communicative style (i.e., assertiveness and responsiveness), type of instructor (graduate assistant versus professor), and affect for teacher and course material. Four hypotheses were confirmed, indicating an inverse relationship between perceptions of teacher misbehaviors and 1) teacher assertiveness, 2) teacher responsiveness, 3) positive affect for the teacher, and 4) positive affect for the course material. Perceptions of teacher misbehaviors did not covary with type of instructor. Teachers’ socio‐communicative styles may dramatically affect student perceptions of teachers and course material. Specific misbehaviors are ranked according to apparent influence on student affect.
Have Medicaid Reimbursements Been a Credible Measure of the Cost of Pediatric Care

Objective. Despite uncertain validity as a measure of cost, Medicaid reimbursements may be used to compare the costs of different pediatric interventions. We explored the credibility of Medicaid reimbursements as a measure of the costs of inpatient care associated with two different approaches to follow-up care for high-risk indigent infants. Design. Analysis of Medicaid reimbursements within a randomized trial of primary follow-up care. Patients. Infants ≤1500 g at birth in a large county hospital (Parkland Memorial Hospital). Intervention. Conventional care after nursery discharge (with well-baby care and care for chronic illnesses provided in our follow-up clinic) or primary care (with care for acute illnesses also provided in the follow-up clinic). Measures to prevent a lapse in Medicaid coverage were included in all clinic visits. Outcome Measures. The completeness, comparability, and plausibility of Medicaid reimbursements for inpatient care of the two groups between nursery discharge and 1 year adjusted age. Results. A high percentage (90% to 91%) of both groups were enrolled in Medicaid. However, with fewer clinic visits in the conventional care group, Medicaid coverage often lapsed in this group, particularly among the highest risk infants. As a result, the proportion of hospital days reimbursed by Medicaid was substantially lower for conventional care than primary care infants (53% [92/174] vs 96% [298/310]). An even larger disparity was observed for pediatric intensive care days (10% [6/61] vs 100% [33/33]). Implausible Medicaid reimbursements included a lower reimbursement rate per day in the pediatric intensive care unit than on the pediatric floor (1 infant), a lower reimbursement rate per day for hospital care than home care (1 infant), and a mean reimbursement rate per day for our private pediatric teaching hospital ($1244/day) that did not exceed that for the private nonteaching pediatric hospital ($1268/day). The reimbursement rate for our public teaching hospital was particularly low ($507/day) despite a high acuity of illness (21% of hospital days in the pediatric intensive care unit). Conclusions. Without proper validation, reimbursements from Medicaid (or any program that replaces it) should not be assumed to provide an unbiased or acceptably accurate measure of the relative or absolute cost of pediatric health care interventions. primary care, follow-up care, cost, Medicaid, economic analysis, health care delivery.
Quantum computing: A quantum telecom link

Converting data-carrying photons to telecommunication wavelengths enables distribution of quantum information over long distances.
Zur Auswertung von UV‐Vis‐Spektren organischer π,π‐Molekülkomplexe. XV. Photochemische (E)‐(Z)‐Isomerisierung substituierter Stilbene und Stilbenanaloger in Gegenwart von π‐Akzeptoren

UV-Vis Spectra of π-π-Molecular Complexes. XV. Photochemical (E)-(Z)-Isomerization of Substituted Stilbenes and Stilbene-like Compounds in the Presence of π-Acceptors The reversible photochemical (E)-(Z)-isomerization of 1,2-diarylsubstituted ethylenes in the presence of π-acceptors in liquid solutions and in PMMA-films leads to the equilibrium states of the relevant molecular complexes. The longest wavelength absorption maxima of the molecular complexes of discrete (E)- and (Z)-donors, respectively, in the visible range of the UV-Vis-spectrum have values for Δλmax ⩽ 125 nm. These potential photochromic properties are impaired by a simultaneous irreversible photodehydrocyclization process, in which the 1,2-diarylethylenes are transformed into their dihydro-cyclo-products, followed by oxidation by a π-acceptor, forming the respective dehydrocyclization products. This reaction can be useful in the formation of condensed hydrocarbons and their derivatives.
Small‐sample adjustments in using the sandwich variance estimator in generalized estimating equations

The generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach is widely used in regression analyses with correlated response data. Under mild conditions, the resulting regression coefficient estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal with its variance being consistently estimated by the so-called sandwich estimator. Statistical inference is thus accomplished by using the asymptotic Wald chi-squared test. However, it has been noted in the literature that for small samples the sandwich estimator may not perform well and may lead to much inflated type I errors for the Wald chi-squared test. Here we propose using an approximate t- or F-test that takes account of the variability of the sandwich estimator. The level of type I error of the proposed t- or F-test is guaranteed to be no larger than that of the Wald chi-squared test. The satisfactory performance of the proposed new tests is confirmed in a simulation study. Our proposal also has some advantages when compared with other new approaches based on direct modifications of the sandwich estimator, including the one that corrects the downward bias of the sandwich estimator. In addition to hypothesis testing, our result has a clear implication on constructing Wald-type confidence intervals or regions.
Observation of the relativistic response of an electron-hole plasma in graphene on femtosecond timescales

Visible pump-probe spectroscopy isolates the femtosecond Drude response of a photogenerated electron-hole plasma in monolayer graphene. The observed Vn scaling versus carrier density reveals the relativistic nature of the electron-hole plasma.
INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR I (IGF-1) REDUCES LIPID OXIDATION AND FOAM CELL FORMATION VIA DOWNREGULATION OF 12/15-LIPOXYGENASE

We have previously shown that IGF-1 decreased atherosclerosis, plaque lipids and macrophages (MF) suggesting suppression of MF-derived foam cells. Since 12/15-lipoxygenase (LOX) promotes LDL oxidat...
Bayesian interval estimation for predictive values from case-control studies.

Positive predictive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) are often used to assess the accuracy of binary diagnostic tests. Unlike sensitivity and specificity, PPV and NPV are functions of the accuracy of the test and the overall prevalence of the disease in the population. In many studies of performance of estimators of PPV and NPV the population prevalence is assumed known. We allow for uncertainty in the estimate of the population prevalence and via simulation explore the impact of deviations from the assumed value.
Dentists' self-perceived role in offering tobacco cessation services: results from a nationally representative survey, United States, 2010-2011.

Introduction Dental visits represent an opportunity to identify and help patients quit smoking, yet dental settings remain an untapped venue for treatment of tobacco dependence. The purpose of this analysis was to assess factors that may influence patterns of tobacco-use-related practice among a national sample of dental providers. Methods We surveyed a representative sample of general dentists practicing in the United States (N = 1,802). Multivariable analysis was used to assess correlates of adherence to tobacco use treatment guidelines and to analyze factors that influence providers' willingness to offer tobacco cessation assistance if reimbursed for this service. Results More than 90% of dental providers reported that they routinely ask patients about tobacco use, 76% counsel patients, and 45% routinely offer cessation assistance, defined as referring patients for cessation counseling, providing a cessation prescription, or both. Results from multivariable analysis indicated that cessation assistance was associated with having a practice with 1 or more hygienists, having a chart system that includes a tobacco use question, having received training on treating tobacco dependence, and having positive attitudes toward treating tobacco use. Providers who did not offer assistance but who reported that they would change their practice patterns if sufficiently reimbursed were more likely to be in a group practice, treat patients insured through Medicaid, and have positive attitudes toward treating tobacco dependence. Conclusion Findings indicate the potential benefit of increasing training opportunities and promoting system changes to increase involvement of dental providers in conducting tobacco use treatment. Reimbursement models should be tested to assess the effect on dental provider practice patterns.
ζ-Crystallin from guinea pig lens is capable of functioning catalytically as an oxidoreductase

zeta-Crystallin, a major taxon-specific protein of the guinea pig lens, has been shown to be distantly related to the alcohol/polyol dehydrogenase family and to specifically bind NADPH. The capacity of zeta-crystallin to function catalytically was investigated in the present study. zeta-Crystallin exhibited an NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase activity with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP). The NADPH:DCIP oxidoreductase activity of zeta-crystallin exhibits a linear response with increasing protein concentration, and saturation kinetics with NADPH and DCIP. This activity was abolished by heat inactivation and immunoadsorption of the protein. Dicumarol, Cibacron blue, manganese, and sulfhydryl reagents were inhibitory.
Evaluating kriging as a tool to improve moderate resolution maps of forest biomass

The USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program (FIA) recently produced a nationwide map of forest biomass by modeling biomass collected on forest inventory plots as nonparametric functions of moderate resolution satellite data and other environmental variables using Cubist software. Efforts are underway to develop methods to enhance this initial map. We explored the possibility of modeling spatial structure to make such improvements. Spatial structure in the field biomass data as well as in residuals from the map was investigated across 18 ecological zones in the Interior Western U.S. Exploratory tools included directional graphs of summary statistics, three dimensional maps, Moran's I correlograms, and variograms. Where spatial pattern was present, field and residual biomass were kriged, and predictions made for an independent test set were evaluated for improvement over predictions in the initial biomass map. While kriging has some potential benefit when analyzing the field data and exploring spatial structure, kriging residuals resulted in little or no improvement in the initial biomass map developed using Cubist software. Stationarity assumptions, variogram behavior, and appropriate model fitting strategies are discussed.
Analysis of censored exposure data by constrained maximization of the Shapiro–Wilk W statistic

A new method for estimating the mean and standard deviation from censored exposure data is presented. The method WMAX treats the censored data as variables in a constrained optimization problem. Values for the censored data are calculated by maximizing the Shapiro–Wilk W statistic subject to the constraint that the values are between 0 and the limit of detection (or other censoring limit). The methodology is illustrated here with the Microsoft Excel Solver tool using real exposure data sets subject to repeated censoring. For the data sets explored here, the WMAX estimates are comparable to those obtained using the restricted maximum likelihood method based on bias as the performance index.
The Presence of Others and Overreporting of Voting in American National Elections

This study uses the 1978 and 1980 vote validation studies conducted by the University of Michigan Survey Research Center to test the extent to which false claims about voting are affected by the presence of third parties during the interview. The presence of third parties during interviews is far more frequent than is commonly as- sumed. But the tendency of respondents to give socially approved answers is not af- fected by the presence of others during the interview. Thus, additional efforts to avoid contamination of interviews by eliminating third parties are not likely to reduce the exaggeration of self-reported vote. The analysis suggests that the declared intention to vote is a far more important factor in whether people falsely report voting than is the presence of others. Additional effort to understand the motivational basis of voting and nonvoting could help to account for variation in voting overreports.