cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Girls With Attention Deficit Disorder: A Silent Minority? A Report on Behavioral and Cognitive Characteristics

A sample of girls and boys with attention deficit disorder (ADD) were examined for within-group sex differences and compared with control boys and girls on historical, behavioral, and cognitive characteristics. Profiles of essential and secondary features of ADD support the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders nosology for ADD with and without hyperactivity as clinically distinct subtypes of ADD, with the girls and boys with ADD with hyperactivity exhibiting attentional, behavioral, and cognitive impairments, and the children with ADD without hyperactivity exhibiting deficits along an attentional/cognitive axis. Management problems and antisocial behaviors were correlates of hyperactivity, and increased impulsivity was not associated with attentional deficits in the absence of hyperactivity. Within the ADD with hyperactivity group, the girls demonstrated more severe cognitive impairments, particularly in the area of language function, were younger at the time referral for medical attention, and tended to come from families of lower socioeconomic status. Disruptive, uncontrolled behaviors were more frequent among the boys with ADD with hyperactivity. The girls with ADD without hyperactivity demonstrated poorer self-esteem and were significantly older than the boys with ADD without hyperactivity at referral. Girls in both ADD with and without hyperactivity groups were more likely to suffer peer rejection than their male counterparts. The results of this study suggest that girls with ADD may be underidentified and that cognitive deficits have a more prominent role in the identification of girls, whereas behavioral disturbances increase the likelihood of identification for boys.
Comparative electrocardiographic, autonomic and systemic inflammatory responses to soy biodiesel and petroleum diesel emissions in rats

AbstractContext: Biodiesel fuel represents an alternative to high particulate matter (PM)-emitting petroleum-based diesel fuels, yet uncertainty remains regarding potential biodiesel combustion emission health impacts.Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare cardiovascular responses to pure and blended biodiesel fuel emissions relative to petroleum diesel exhaust (DE).Materials and methods: Spontaneously hypertensive rats were exposed for 4 h per day for four days via whole body inhalation to combustion emissions (based on PM concentrations 50, 150 or 500 μg/m3 or filtered air) from pure (B100) or blended (B20) soy biodiesel, or to pure petroleum DE (B0). Electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate variability (HRV, an index of autonomic balance) were monitored before, during and after exposure while pulmonary and systemic inflammation were assessed one day after the final exposure. ECG and HRV data and inflammatory data were statistically analyzed using a linear mixed model for repeated measures an...
Designing information systems for electronic commerce

Electronic commerce applies new business models. To use information technology to support a new business model, the supplier enterprise needs to develop an information system model for electronic commerce. Proposes a framework for developing an information system model to fit the business model of electronic commerce. This framework is structured around three domains: EC business model, information system model, and object‐oriented methodology.
Bioavailability of metals along a contamination gradient in San Diego Bay (California, USA)

San Diego Bay is heavily contaminated with metals, but little is known about their biological availability to local marine organisms. This study on 15 elements showed that concentrations of metals associated with sediment increased from the mouth to the back of the Bay while metals in seawater particulates were similar throughout the Bay. Metal bioavailability was assessed over 8 weeks following transplant of the local brittlestar, Ophiothrix spiculata (Ophuroidea, Echinodermata), from outside to inside the Bay. Despite a gradient of contamination, brittlestars accumulated similar levels of metals throughout the Bay, suggesting that metal contamination occurred through dissolved metals as well as through the diet. Sediment transplanted in dialysis tubing in the Bay accumulated metals only when placed on the seafloor bottom, indicating greater metal bioavailability near the bottom; the level of accumulation was similar between the mouth and the back of the Bay. The results are consistent with a circulation pattern in which a bottom layer of seawater, enriched with metals, drains from the back to the mouth of the Bay. There was a positive correlation between metal concentration in brittlestars and tidal range, suggesting increased metal exposure due to bay-ocean water exchange. For brittlestar arms the correlation was higher at the mouth than the back of the Bay, indicating greater metal accumulation in arms from dissolved metals in seawater than from ingestion of metal contaminated diet. In contrast, for brittlestar disks the correlation was higher at the back of the Bay, indicative of metal accumulation mainly through the diet. The results highlight the importance of considering bioavailability and physical processes in environmental quality assessments. � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Design, fabrication and characterization of high temperature piezoelectric vibration sensor using YCOB crystals

Abstract A shear-mode piezoelectric accelerometer using YCa4O(BO3)3 single crystals (YCOB) was designed, fabricated and successfully tested for high temperature vibration sensing applications. Dynamic modeling of the accelerometer was presented first, followed by YCOB single crystal sample preparation, sensor assembly and experimental setup establishment. The prototyped accelerometer was tested at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1000 °C and at frequencies ranging from 50 Hz to 350 Hz. The sensitivity of the prototype was found to be 5.9 ± 0.06 pC/g throughout the tested frequency, temperature and acceleration ranges. In addition, YCOB piezoelectric accelerometers retained the same sensitivity at 1000 °C for a dwell time of 9 h, exhibiting a high stability and reliability.
THE EFFECT OF CARCASS ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON MEAT OBTAINED FROM BOS INDICUS AND BOS TAURUS CATTLE1

Sides of 30 carcasses obtained from steers of Hereford and Angus (HA), Braham (Br) or Sahiwal (Sh) crossbreds were electrically stimulated (ES) by high voltage or remained as controls (CN). Longissimus muscle at the 12th rib of carcasses from the Br and Sh crossbreds was darker (P < 0.05) in color and possessed greater (P < 0.05) degrees of dark coarse band formation than muscle from the HA crossbreds. Broiled steaks from carcasses of Br and Sh crossbreds were less tender than steaks from HA. Electrical stimulation markedly improved (P < 0.05) dark coarse band formation, color and tenderness of steaks within the Bos indicus breed groups. Improved tenderness was associated with better (P < 0.05) sensory panel scores for ease of fragmentation of the myofibrillar portion and less (P < 0.05) connective tissue.
Pressure infiltration technique for synthesis of aluminum–fly ash particulate composite

Abstract Beds of nickel coated and uncoated cenosphere fly ash can be successfully infiltrated by molten aluminum under very low pressures. The density of the resultant composite is ≈1.4 and 1.2 g cm−3 respectively, compared to 2.68 g cm−3, the density for aluminum. The threshold pressure was found to be between 20.68 and 27.58 kPa for infiltration of molten pure aluminum into uncoated fly ash, and around 6.7 kPa for Ni-coated fly ash. These data were used to back calculate an effective wetting angle between molten pure aluminum and fly ash using Young’s and Washburn equations. The average value of the wetting angle calculated for uncoated fly ash is 111°. The microstructures and chemical composition of the composites made with coated and uncoated fly ash were studied using optical and scanning microscopy; they show good infiltration except for regions between contacting cenospheres. They also show transport of nickel from the bottom to the top of the sample when nickel coated particles were used.
Graftskin heals an ulcer on an amputation stump.

Background. A 51-year-old man presented with a chronic ulcer of 28 years' duration on the amputation stump of his right foot. The prosthesis was aggravating the ulcer, despite multiple therapies. Objective. To heal the ulcer and avoid a below-the-knee amputation. Graftskin, a bilayered living skin construct, was applied. Methods. Graftskin was sutured in place following gentle debridement. Pentoxifylline was given to improve circulation. The dressing was changed 5 days after Graftskin application, then weekly for 7 weeks. Results. Crusting was evident at 3 weeks, with an underlying white coating at 4 weeks. By 7 weeks, full reepithelialization was present under the crust and no ulceration remained. Over succeeding weeks the ulcer bed became flush with the surrounding skin. The patient's pain ceased, and some sensation and warmth returned to the stump. Conclusion. Graftskin treatment successfully healed a chronic ulcer, possibly preventing a more extensive amputation.
Does selective beta-1 blockade provide bone marrow protection after trauma/hemorrhagic shock?

Background Previously, nonselective beta-blockade (BB) with propranolol demonstrated protection of the bone marrow (BM) after trauma and hemorrhagic shock (HS). Because selective beta-1 blockers are used commonly for their cardiac protection, the aim of this study was to more clearly define the role of specific beta adrenergic receptors in BM protection after trauma and HS. Methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent unilateral lung contusion (LC) followed by HS for 45 minutes. After resuscitation, animals were injected with a selective beta-blocker, atenolol (B1B), butoxamine (B2B), or SR59230A (B3B). Animals were killed at 3 hours or 7 days. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured throughout the study period. BM cellularity, growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) in BM, and hemoglobin levels (Hb) were assessed. Results Treatment with a B2B or B3B after LCHS restored both BM cellularity and BM HPC colony growth at 3 hours and 7 days. In contrast, treatment with a B1B had no effect on BM cellularity or HPC growth but did decrease heart effectively rate throughout the study. Treatment with a B3B after LCHS increased Hb as compared with LCHS alone. Conclusion After trauma and HS, protection of BM for 7 days was seen with use of either a selective beta-2 or beta-3 blocker. Use of a selective beta-1 blocker was ineffective in protecting the BM despite a physiologic decrease in heart rate. Therefore, the protection of BM is via the beta-2 and beta-3 receptors and it is not via a direct cardiovascular effect.
Seizure susceptibility in mice: differences in brain ATP production in vitro.

Conversion of ADP to ATP in crude and purified brain and liver mitochondrial preparations from dilute and non-dilute strains of mice was studied. ATP production was found to be appreciably greater in brain mitochondria from 14-, 21-, and 35-day old dilute mice; maximum differences were observed at 21 days. No significant differences in conversion of ADP to ATP in liver mitochondrial preparations were found. The differences in brain mitochondria from these mice seemed not to be due to decreased ATPase activity in dilute mice. Dilute 21-day old DBA/2J mice were found to have approximately 25% more ATP in whole brain homogenates than 21-day old non-dilute C57BL/6J mice. These findings suggest a correlation between oxidative phosphorylation and seizure susceptibility in mice of dilute genotypes. Since similar differences in ATP production were found between the DBA/2J and C57BL/6J strains, and between dilute lethal (d1/d1) and littermate non-lethal controls (D/d1), thed locus would seem to be implicated.
Climate, climatic change, and water supply

The earth's climate is changing, and associated predictions of future floods and droughts reverberate throughout the news media. Coupled with forecasts of climatic change one can often find associated predictions of social unrest, wars, and famines, but these possible derivative issues have not been addressed. We considered only the simpler problems of water shortages, which may or may not be severe enough to be classified as droughts and which may or may not have resulted from climatic change. We also assessed the probable effects of climatic variability and climatic change upon the nation's water supply needs, policy, and design.
Prognosis Versus Actual Outcome. IV. The Effectiveness of Clinical Parameters and IL-1 Genotype in Accurately Predicting Prognoses and Tooth Survival

Background: Recently, a genetic marker (IL-1 genotype) that identifies individuals at higher risk for developing severe periodontal disease was discovered. A subgroup of the population reported on earlier was evaluated to determine if knowledge of the patient's IL-1 genotype would improve accuracy in assignment of prognoses and prediction of tooth loss. Methods: This subgroup consisted of 42 patients (1,044 teeth) in maintenance care for 14 years; 16 tested IL-1 genotype-positive (IL-1GP). Nine were smokers, and 30 had a history of smoking, with an average of 29.44 pack years. A multiple Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier survival plots were fit to the subset of patients to evaluate tooth loss. Results: Both IL-1GP and heavy smoking were significantly related to tooth loss. A positive IL-1 genotype increased the risk of tooth loss by 2.7 times, and heavy smoking by 2.9 times. The combined effect of IL-1GP and heavy smoking increased the risk of tooth loss by 7.7 times. The value of clinical parameters ...
The Academic Library Online: Is the Future of Academic Libraries a Virtual Reality?

Can academic libraries be a place of learning without any physical materials? Gone are the paper journals and book of old, replaced with study carrels, meeting rooms, and wireless access to a vast collection of knowledge residing in expensive databases and online resources. Is it possible to go paperless in a library? Is this happening today? Should it? The answers to these questions and the future role of the academic librarian are addressed in this article.
Poly(vinyl alcohol)–acrylamide hydrogels as load-bearing cartilage substitute

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) has been advanced as a biomaterial for the fabrication of medical devices to be used as synthetic articular cartilage because of its viscoelastic nature, high water content, and biocompatibility. Key material requirements for such devices are high creep resistance to prevent mechanical instability in the joint and high water content to maintain a lubricious surface to minimize wear and damage of the cartilage counterface during articulation. The creep resistance of PVA hydrogels can be increased by high temperature annealing; however this process also collapses the pores, reducing the water content and consequently reducing the lubricity of the hydrogel surface [Bodugoz-Senturk H, Choi J, Oral E, Kung JH, Macias CE, Braithwaite G, et al. The effect of polyethylene glycol on the stability of pores in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels during annealing. Biomaterials 2008;29(2):141-9.]. We hypothesized that polymerizing acrylamide (AAm) in the pores of the PVA hydrogel would minimize the loss of lubricity during annealing by preventing the collapse of the pores and loss of water content. Increasing AAm content increased porosity and equilibrium water content and decreased the coefficient of friction, tear strength, crystallinity, and creep resistance in annealed PVA hydrogels.
Multi-Component Diffusion in the Porous Anode of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Modeling of multi-component gas transport in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode has been carried out using a recently developed two-dimensional (2D) lattice Boltzmann (LB) model. The LB model can simulate gas diffusion in complex porous media between species having different molecular weights. The porous anode structure through which gas transport occurs is obtained from micrograph images of an existing SOFC, converted to digital form and used as an input for the LB model. Effect of medium geometry, mainly the porosity, and mass Peclet number on the gas transport behavior is examined for H2, H2O and N2 transport in the anode. The relationship between mass transfer and concentration polarization in the anode has been examined in detail. Predicted concentration polarization plots using the LB model are validated against prior studies and show good agreement. The LB model can be used for design and optimization of SOFC electrodes.
Effect of Te doping on step structure and ordering in GaInP

Abstract The effects of Te doping on the step structure and CuPt ordering in GaInP grown on vicinal (0 0 1) substrates have been investigated. The free electron concentration was found to be proportional to the diethyltelluride (DETe) flow rate. No saturation effects were found to concentrations as high as 8.4×10 18 cm −3 . Te is a very efficient dopant with a distribution coefficient of k Te =10 for the vicinal layers (misoriented by 3° in the (1 1 1)B direction) at a growth temperature of 670°C. The Te distribution coefficient had a slightly higher value of 19 for singular (0 0 1) layers. The degree of order was observed to decrease dramatically with increasing Te concentration, with a value of approximately 0.5 for undoped epitaxial layers and zero for high Te doping levels. The bandgap energy was changed by 110 meV as the Te doping level was increased from 10 17 to 10 18 cm −3 . The step structure, observed using atomic force microscopy, changed markedly over the range of doping that produced disordering. Step bunching occurred at 670°C in the undoped layers, but disappeared completely at electron concentrations of ⩾6×10 17 cm −3 . Thus, Te doping significantly improves the surface morphology viewed using atomic force microscopy. The degree of order and surface structure were observed to change at exactly the same doping concentration. This suggests that the disordering may be controlled by the fast propagation of [ 1 1 0] steps due to kinetic effects at the step edges. Bunching apparently disappears due to the increased sticking coefficients of group III adatoms at “up” steps, although thermodynamic explanation cannot be ruled out.
VisualizIR: a game for identifying and categorizing relevant text in documents

In this paper, we introduce VisualizIR, a game where players identify relevant document terms that match predefined categories. VisualizIR evaluates players on accuracy, recall, and precision against an established gold standard, a pooled consensus of judgments made by other players, or a weighted combination of the two. The annotated document can then viewed by any XML-compatible browser, allowing for quick identification of terms in the document related to each category. Here we describe some of the playability design tradeoffs made during the game's development, as well as our findings from two experiments conducted using VisualizIR output.
Hepatitis C and Innate Immunity: Recent Advances

Eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires a complex and coordinated interplay between innate and adaptive immune responses that, when it fails, leads to chronic infection. In this review, the innate immune mechanisms by which HCV is sensed and by which HCV undermines host defense are discussed. The critical role of dendritic cells in antigen presentation and T-cell activation in addition to type I interferon production and interference of HCV with innate immune cell functions are reviewed. Finally, current and emerging therapeutic approaches targeting innate immune pathways are evaluated.
Shorter hospitalization trends among children with sickle cell disease.

Background Vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) contribute to frequent hospitalizations among children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The objective of this study was to determine whether length of stay (LOS) has decreased for VOC hospitalizations between 1997 and 2009. Procedure We analyzed pediatric discharges (aged 0–18) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of SCD with crisis from the Kid's Inpatient Database (years 1997, 2003, and 2009), a nationally representative sample of pediatric hospital discharges. We conducted bivariate and multivariate, sample-weighted linear regression analyses to determine associations between independent variables (patient demographics, hospital characteristics, co-diagnoses, and procedures) and LOS. Results Both the number (22,661–21,741) and proportion of VOC hospitalizations (0.34–0.29%) among all pediatric hospitalizations marginally decreased between 1997 and 2009 (P < 0.01). Mean LOS decreased from 4.59 to 4.21 days (P < 0.01). For all study years, older age was the only socio-demographic variable associated with longer LOS, controlling for other factors. Between 1997 and 2009, LOS decreased for all age categories, with the largest statistically significant reduction occurring among adolescents (5.69–4.76 days). Conclusions Nationally representative hospital data indicate modest but meaningful reductions in LOS for children with VOC over a 12-year period. Adolescents who typically have the greatest disease severity showed the largest reduction in LOS. However, adolescents continue to account for a large proportion of inpatient stays for VOC. These findings illustrate that the adolescent period is a critical time in the lifespan for targeted intervention. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:679–684. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multilevel Safety Culture and Climate Survey for Assessing New Safety Program

AbstractConstruction safety culture is becoming a typical proactive safety performance measurement and strategy for safety improvement. However, there is no accepted industry wide definition for safety culture. There is also no clear distinction between safety culture and safety climate. So far, little research has investigated how safety programs can be developed to improve safety culture and climate, which in turn can be used to assess the effectiveness of these programs. This paper presents a study that examined the multilevel safety culture and climate to assess a newly launched safety program. Specifically, three different questionnaires were used to survey 71 top executives, 229 site management personnel, and 350 field workers, respectively. This study found wide acceptance of the program across all three groups, strong management accountability in enforcing safety, and a positive general safety climate among workers. The results demonstrated the program’s overall effectiveness in building positive ...
Shp-2 Tyrosine Phosphatase: Signaling One Cell or Many

Shp-2, a widely expressed cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase with two src-homology 2 (SH2) domains, has received much attention in the signal transduction field recently. Significant progress has been made in understanding the structure and function of this phosphatase, together with its Drosophila homologue, Corkscrew, as well as the close relative Shp-1 tyrosine phosphatase. The crystal structure of Shp-2 revealed an autoinhibitory mechanism of the catalytic activity by the N-terminal SH2 domain. Shp-2 apparently participates in signaling events downstream of receptors for growth factors, cytokines, hormones, antigens, and extracellular matrixes in the control of cell growth, differentiation, migration, and death. Shp-2 is an important molecule that integrates signals among various cytoplasmic pathways and may also couple intracellular and intercellular information flow.
Regressions for Estimating Gastropod Biomass with Multiple Shell Metrics

1Department of Biological Science, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, Florida 33181, U.S.A. 2Ocean Associates, Inc., 501 W. Ocean Blvd, Suite 4200, Long Beach, California 90802, U.S.A. 3Department of Biology, Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia 31907, U.S.A. *Corresponding author: aobaza@yahoo.com power and provide more accurate biomass estimates for snails because they exhibit a diversity of shapes. Comparisons among possible regression models may reveal that different metrics or combinations of metrics are better predictors of a particular mass measure for a given group (e.g., AFDM vs. wet mass). In this study, we consider three common, structurally diverse freshwater snail genera Planorbella, Pomacea and Haitia to examine the utility of using multiple length measures to predict multiple soft-tissue mass measures. Planorbella (Planorbidae) are pulmonate snails with planispiral shells that grow sinistrally (left handed). Haitia (Physidae) are small pulmonates with a sinistrally growing conispiral shell. Pomacea (Ampulariidae) are large caenogastropods that have globose, conispiral shells that are generally dextral (right handed) with
Medical hyperspectral imaging: a review

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emerging imaging modality for medical applications, especially in disease diagnosis and image-guided surgery. HSI acquires a three-dimensional dataset called hypercube, with two spatial dimensions and one spectral dimension. Spatially resolved spectral imaging obtained by HSI provides diagnostic information about the tissue physiology, morphology, and composition. This review paper presents an overview of the literature on medical hyperspectral imaging technology and its applications. The aim of the survey is threefold: an introduction for those new to the field, an overview for those working in the field, and a reference for those searching for literature on a specific application.
Idiotypic cascades associated with the CD4-HIV gp120 interaction: principles for idiotype-based vaccines.

Idiotypes (Id) are antigenic determinants expressed on the variable (V) region of the immunoglobulin molecule. Id-bearing antibodies, or Ab-1, are produced upon stimulation with a given antigen. Ab-1 may elicit the production of anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Id) or Ab-2. The anti-Id also expresses Id determinants and may in turn elicit the production of anii-anti-Id or Ab-3. The production of Ab-1, Ab-2, and Ab-3 responses resulting from stimulation with the antigen is representative of components within an Id cascade. The existence of this Id cascade is the basis for the development of Id based strategies for controlling the immune response to infectious agents and tumors. In this review we will focus on several aspects regarding the Id cascades that may be operational during the immune response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In light of several studies which suggest the existence of Id-anti-Id interactions operating during the course of HIV infection, we will discuss the potential applicat...
The plastic spin concept and a simple illustration of its role in finite plastic transformations

Abstract The basic kinematics and the rate constitutive equations are briefly presented within the framework of a macroscopic formulation of finite plastic transformations for structured media, employing the concept of tensorial structure variables. The key feature is the necessity to provide constitutive relations for the plastic spin according to the proposition of Mandel and Kratochvil. After obtaining these relations for a transversely isotropic medium employing the representation theorems for isotropic second order antisymmetric tensor-valued functions, the role of the plastic spin is illustrated by the analysis of large simple shear for such a medium.
Development of a web service for analysis in a distributed network.

Objective We describe functional specifications and practicalities in the software development process for a web service that allows the construction of the multivariate logistic regression model, Grid Logistic Regression (GLORE), by aggregating partial estimates from distributed sites, with no exchange of patient-level data. Background We recently developed and published a web service for model construction and data analysis in a distributed environment. This recent paper provided an overview of the system that is useful for users, but included very few details that are relevant for biomedical informatics developers or network security personnel who may be interested in implementing this or similar systems. We focus here on how the system was conceived and implemented. Methods We followed a two-stage development approach by first implementing the backbone system and incrementally improving the user experience through interactions with potential users during the development. Our system went through various stages such as concept proof, algorithm validation, user interface development, and system testing. We used the Zoho Project management system to track tasks and milestones. We leveraged Google Code and Apache Subversion to share code among team members, and developed an applet-servlet architecture to support the cross platform deployment. Discussion During the development process, we encountered challenges such as Information Technology (IT) infrastructure gaps and limited team experience in user-interface design. We figured out solutions as well as enabling factors to support the translation of an innovative privacy-preserving, distributed modeling technology into a working prototype. Conclusion Using GLORE (a distributed model that we developed earlier) as a pilot example, we demonstrated the feasibility of building and integrating distributed modeling technology into a usable framework that can support privacy-preserving, distributed data analysis among researchers at geographically dispersed institutes.
Lead dust contaminated U.S.A. communities: comparison of Louisiana and Minnesota

Lead from gasoline has played a major role in the geochemical distribution patterns of Pb within U.S. cities. Since 1950, ~75,000 and 89,000 t of Pb were consumed as a gasoline additive in Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively. Previously, a survey was conducted in five cities in Minnesota that showed a relation between soil Pb and city size. New empirical data are presented on the geochemical pattern of Pb in soils within six cities of Louisiana. Soils were collected from within 1 m of the sides (foundations) of residences, within 1 m of the street, and from open spaces (yards or parks) within each city. The data show that soil Pb is a function of city size and that the inner city of the largest town had the highest Pb accumulation. Remarkable statistical differences (exact p-values as low as 10−80) between street-side soils of central New Orleans and adjacent communities, and other cities of Louisiana, were demonstrated. The Louisiana results are similar to those of five cities in Minnesota. The median of foundation and street-side soil samples within inner city communities of New Orleans and Minneapolis were >840 and 265 ppm Pb, respectively, whereas the median soil Pb for foundations and street-sides of the small towns of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and Rochester, Minnesota, were <50 and 58 ppm Pb, respectively.
Sector priorities in meeting basic needs: some statistical evidence

Abstract This paper looks at what kinds of relationships exist between different indicators of basic needs satisfaction in order to make some general statements about linkages and priorities - for example, to see whether countries that have done better than average in meeting basic needs (i.e. have higher than average life expectancies) also have above-average performance in each of the basic needs sectors (primary education, basic health care, nutrition, clean water, adequate sanitation, shelter), or only in some of them. Rather than examining the experience of one particular country, this paper examines statistical indicators for the basic needs progress and basic needs inputs, constructed from World Bank data covering 86 developing countries. The results of four different methodologies confirm a high association between literacy and life expectancy. From this evidence, I suggest that basic education should have high priority in any program of meeting basic needs.
Proteinases of the cornea and preocular tear film

Maintenance and repair of corneal stromal extracellular matrix (ECM) requires a tightly coordinated balance of ECM synthesis, degradation and remodeling in which proteolytic enzymes (proteinases) perform important functions. There are natural proteinase inhibitors present in preocular tear film (PTF) and cornea simultaneously with proteinases that prevent excessive degradation of normal healthy tissue. Disorders occur when there is an imbalance between proteinases and proteinase inhibitors in favor of the proteinases, causing pathologic degradation of stromal collagen and proteoglycans in the cornea. Two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and MMP-9, are of major importance in terms of remodeling and degradation of the corneal stromal collagen. Immunohistochemical studies have shown different origins of MMP-2 and -9. MMP-2 is synthesized by corneal keratocytes and performs a surveillance function in the normal cornea, becoming locally activated to degrade collagen molecules that occasionally become damaged. Alternatively, MMP-9 may be produced by epithelial cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils following corneal wounding. Because the cornea is in close contact with the preocular tear film (PTF), proteinases have been evaluated in the PTF. In damaged corneas, total proteolytic activity in the tear fluid was found to be significantly increased compared to normal eyes and contralateral eyes. Studies analyzing the proteolytic activity in serial PTF samples during corneal healing led to the following conclusions: ulcerative keratitis in animals is associated with initially high levels of tear film proteolytic activity, which decrease as ulcers heal; proteinase levels in melting ulcers remain elevated leading to rapid progression of the ulcers. The success of medical and surgical treatment of the corneal ulcers is reflected by the proteolytic activity in tears. In animals, successful treatment leads to a rapid reduction in tear film proteolytic activity that corresponds with the improvement in the clinical signs of corneal ulceration. The in vitro effects of various compounds on proteolytic activity in the tear fluid of animals with ulcerative keratitis have been evaluated and their important inhibitory effects have been confirmed. Because these various compounds utilize different mechanisms to inhibit various families of proteinases, a combination of these proteinase inhibitors may be beneficial.
Science Writing Achievement among English Language Learners: Results of Three-Year Intervention in Urban Elementary Schools.

As part of our professional development intervention, this study examined third-grade ELL students' writing achievement that included “form” (i.e., conventions, organization, and style/voice) and “content” (i.e., specific knowledge and understanding of science) in expository science writing. The study included six treatment schools from a large urban school district. Data were collected from three different groups of students over 3 separate years. Students displayed a statistically significant increase each year, and the gains were incrementally larger over the 3-year period. Students at ESOL levels 1 to 4 made gains comparable to those who had exited from ESOL or never been in ESOL.
Large Amplitude Waves in Bounded Media. III. The Deformation of an Impulsively Loaded Slab: The Second Reflexion

Representations are derived that describe the interactions of the waves that are reflected from both perfectly rigid and perfectly free interfaces during the arrival of a centred wave with any wave travelling in the opposite direction. These are used to analyse the early stages of the deformation produced when the traction at the loaded boundary continues to vary after changing discontinuously.
Determination of electrokinetic coupling coefficients

Electrokinetic coupling can convert an electromagnetic wave into a seismic wave or a seismic wave into an electromagnetic wave and is the basis of a new exploration method called Coupled Waves (Thompson and Gist (1993 and 1999), Hornbostel and Thompson (2002), Hornbostel, et al. (2003), and Ross et al. (2005)). Theoretically, the magnitude of the response depends linearly on the electrokinetic coupling coefficient (Pride (1994) and White (2005)). This paper describes methods to measure the electrokinetic coupling coefficients in the laboratory and presents measurements of the coupling coefficients for a range of rock and fluid types.
Inversion of Sonic hedgehog action on its canonical pathway by electrical activity

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a morphogenic protein that operates through the Gli transcription factor-dependent canonical pathway to orchestrate normal development of many tissues. Because aberrant levels of Gli activity lead to a wide spectrum of diseases ranging from neurodevelopmental defects to cancer, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of Shh canonical pathway is paramount. During early stages of spinal cord development, Shh specifies neural progenitors through the canonical signaling. Despite persistence of Shh as spinal cord development progresses, Gli activity is switched off by unknown mechanisms. In this study we find that Shh inverts its action on Gli during development. Strikingly, Shh decreases Gli signaling in the embryonic spinal cord by an electrical activity- and cAMP-dependent protein kinase-mediated pathway. The inhibition of Gli activity by Shh operates at multiple levels. Shh promotes cytosolic over nuclear localization of Gli2, induces Gli2 and Gli3 processing into repressor forms, and activates cAMP-responsive element binding protein that in turn represses gli1 transcription. The regulatory mechanisms identified in this study likely operate with different spatiotemporal resolution and ensure effective down-regulation of the canonical Shh signaling as spinal cord development progresses. The developmentally regulated intercalation of electrical activity in the Shh pathway may represent a paradigm for switching from canonical to noncanonical roles of developmental cues during neuronal differentiation and maturation.
Creation of Murine Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms with Elastase

Transient intraluminal infusion of porcine pancreatic elastase into the infrarenal segment of the abdominal aorta is the most widely used animal model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) ever since it was first described in rats by Anidjar and colleagues.(1) The rationale for its development was based on the disrupted nature of elastin observed in AAAs. This rat model has been modified to produce AAAs in the infrarenal aortic region of mice.(2) The model has the ability to add broad insight into the pathobiology of AAA due to the emergence of numerous transgenic and gene knockout mice. Moreover, it is a viable platform to test potential therapeutic agents for AAA. In this video, we demonstrate the elastase infusion AAA procedure used in our laboratory. Mice are anesthetized using 2.5% isoflurane, and a laparotomy is performed under sterile conditions. The abdominal aortais isolated with the assistance of an operating stereomicroscope (Leica). After placing temporary ligatures around the proximal and distal aorta, an aortotomy is created at the bifurcation with the tip of a 30-gauge needle. A heat-tapered segment of PE-10 polyethylene tubing is introduced through the aortotomy and secured. The aortic lumen is subsequently perfused for 5-15 minutes at 100 mm Hg with saline containing type I porcine pancreatic elastase (4.5 U/mL; Sigma Chemical Co.). After removing the perfusion catheter, the aortotomy is repaired without constriction of the lumen.
L1-approximation to Laplace transforms of signed measures

Abstract For functions that are piecewise equal to one-sided Laplace transforms of signed measures, we construct interpolations that are entire functions with interpolation points that are zeros of Laguerre–Polya entire functions. If the interpolated function f is sufficiently regular, these interpolations are best approximations in L 1 -norm to f by functions of fixed exponential type. This is demonstrated for the example f a , b ( x ) = e a x ( 1 + e b x ) − 1 with 0 a b .
Intelligent logical design of relational databases

The research reported here concerns the use of well-behaved Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) in the logical design of database systems. Our results focus on prior ERD conditions for certain desirable logical designs, i.e. more “robust” relational scheme (e.g. in BCNF) than are obtained by ad hoc, unconditioned ERDs. The goal of our ERD-based design system is to ensure that enough conditions are present in the ERD as built interactively by the user of the demo system, so that a superior BCNF relational schema design is output by the usual subsequent transformation of the ERD.
Exploring Latin American family decision-making using correspondence analysis

Abstract To maintain a position in the market place, it is important for marketers to have a good understanding of consumer purchasing patterns, particularly when marketing in the global markets. Understanding purchasing behavior in a cultural context is an important dimension of consumer research. In this article, three Latin American societies are studied in cross-cultural comparisons of husband and wife decision-making roles in the purchase of various goods and services in some how resembling environments. There are high degrees of similarities in family purchasing decision roles exist among the three countries. This study provides insights for managerial and public policy makers on the implications of cross-cultural similarities and differences in consumer decision-making. This paper is composed of six sections. The first two sections present an introduction and a review of the consumer decision life style literature. Sections 3 Research questions , 4 Methodology offer a description and explains the methodology and research design used in this study. Sections 5 Findings , 6 Conclusions provide an in depth analysis, discussion and conclusion of the findings. Finally, Section 7 outlines the managerial implications and limitations to the study.
Ganglions of the hand and wrist: determinants of treatment choice

The aim of this study was to determine whether psychological factors (depression, catastrophic thinking, and pain anxiety) and pain intensity are associated with choice of operative treatment. Ninety new patients with a ganglion cyst on their hand or wrist completed psychological questionnaires (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and Center for the Epidemiological Study of Depression instrument) and an ordinal measure of pain intensity. After a minimum of 4 months, patients were contacted to determine if they chose operative treatment, to rate their pain intensity, and to complete the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire. Younger patients were more likely to choose operative treatment. Psychological factors were associated with pain intensity at enrolment, but not with treatment choice. Operative treatment did not result in less pain intensity or disability, or higher satisfaction compared with non-operative treatment.
Discovery and Characterization of a Disulfide-Locked C2-Symmetric Defensin Peptide

We report the discovery of HD5-CD, an unprecedented C2-symmetric β-barrel-like covalent dimer of the cysteine-rich host-defense peptide human defensin 5 (HD5). Dimerization results from intermonomer disulfide exchange between the canonical α-defensin CysII–CysIV (Cys5–Cys20) bonds located at the hydrophobic interface. This disulfide-locked dimeric assembly provides a new element of structural diversity for cysteine-rich peptides as well as increased protease resistance, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and enhanced potency against the opportunistic human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.
Sexual Reorientation Therapy: An Orthodox Perspective

This article evaluates the phenomenon of sexual reorientation therapy from the standpoint of Orthodox Christian theology. It is argued that homosexual desire is the product of the fall of mankind and cannot be considered "normal." At the same time, however, reorientation therapies, whether secular or Christian, are inherently reductionistic and fail to address the underlying spiritual pathologies involved in homosexual desire (or any other deep-seated passion). The purpose of therapeia in the Orthodox Church is the psycho-somatic transfiguration of the whole person into the image of Christ, not merely the cessation of homosexual activity or the "reidentification" of one's "lifestyle."
Alkali Gelatinization of Flours

Flours from 12 different species of grain, pod seed, and tuber plants were gelatinized with aqueous sodium hydroxide at room temperature. Changes in physical appearances and viscosity patterns were noted over a 7-day quiescent period in graded-strength alkali solutions in sealed jars. The alkali strength, 0.07–0.85-N, was sufficient to peptize proteins and hemicelluloses. Color development was strong and rapid and several flours evolved notable amounts of ammonia and perhaps amines. No two flours produced the same viscosity development patterns as time progressed. From the observed visual and viscosity changes, it was apparent that alkali gelatinization of the flours generally was complete within several hours at levels of 2.82-3.52 meq NaOH/g flour. Some discussion centers on differences between flours, between some species of flours and the starches obtained from those species, and the possible role of other flour constituents on the gelatinization behavior. Alkalische Verkleisterung von Mehlen. Mehle von zwolf verschiedenen Arten von Getreide, Hulsenfruchten und Knollenpflanzen wurden mit wasrigem Natriumhydroxid bei Raumtemperatur verkleistert. Die Veranderungen der physikalischen Eigenschaften und des Viskositatsverhaltens in unterschiedlich starken Alkalilosungen in verschlossenen Gefasen wurden uber einen Ruhezeitraum von 7 Tagen beobachtet. Die Alkalistarke von 0,07 bis 0,85-N reichte aus, um die Proteine und Hemicellulosen zu peptisieren. Die Farbentwicklung war stark und schnell, und verschiedene Mehle entwickelten beachtliche Mengen an Ammoniak und Aminen. Keine zwei Mehle zeigten mit fortschreitender Zeit die gleiche Entwicklung im Viskositatsverhalten. Aus den visuellen Beobachtungen und den Viskositatsanderungen war abzuleiten, das die alkalische Verkleisterung der Mehle allgemein innerhalb mehrerer Stunden bei Konzentrationen von 2,82 bis 3,52 meq NaOH/g Mehl vollstandig war. Abschliesend wird uber die Unterschiede zwischen den Mehlen, zwischen einigen bestimmten Mehlen und den aus ihnen gewonnenen Starken sowie uber die mogliche Rolle anderer Mehlbestandteile fur das Verkleisterungsverhalten diskutiert.
Characterization of optical constants for uranium from 10 to 47 nm

We use a laser high-harmonics-based extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) polarimeter to determine the optical constants of elemental uranium in the wavelength range from 10 to 47 nm. The constants are extracted from the measured ratio of p-polarized to s-polarized reflectance from a thin uranium film deposited in situ. The film thickness is inferred from a spectroscopic ellipsometry measurement of the sample after complete oxidation in room air. Uranium has been used as a high-reflectance material in the EUV. However, difficulties with oxidation prevented its careful characterization previous to this study. We find that measured optical constants for uranium vary significantly from previous estimates.