cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting left atrial thrombi in atrial fibrillation.

Background The aim of the study was to determine whether CHADS 2 score is predictive of left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Strategies for effective stroke prevention in AF require tools capable of identifying those patients at greatest risk for embolization of LAAT and most likely to benefit from warfarin. Nearly half of strokes in AF are due to noncardioembolic mechanisms for which antiplatelet therapy would be more appropriate. Previous attempts to develop such tools have been limited by including patients without proven cardioembolism. Methods Nonanticoagulated, nonvalvular AF patients with (cases) or without (controls) LAAT by transesophageal echocardiography were identified using Mayo Clinic Echocardiography and Cardioversion Unit Databases (Rochester, MN). Type and duration of AF, CHADS 2 score, and echocardiography measures were compared to determine variables predictive of LAAT. Results The CHADS 2 score was significantly higher for cases (n = 110, mean ± SD 2.8 ± 1.6) compared to controls (n = 387, 1.6 ± 1.3). By multivariate analysis, independent predictors of LAAT included heart failure (HR 5.78, P P P = .015), permanent AF (HR 3.02, P P P = .005). Using these elements, a new scoring system provided cleaner case-control separation (C-index 0.90) and higher predictive power compared to CHADS 2 (C-index 0.71). Conclusions The CHADS 2 score predicts the presence of LAAT in AF patients. Some, but not all, variables within this score are predictive of LAAT. By including only echo and clinical variables predictive of LAAT, our novel scoring system better identified those AF patients at greatest cardioembolic risk.
Color Characterization and Balancing by a Nonlinear Line Attractor Network for Image Enhancement

A novel method to map high dynamic range scenes to low dynamic range images utilizing the concept of color characterization, enhancement, and balancing is described in this letter. Each pixel of the image is first characterized by extracting the relationship of the red, green, and blue components along with its corresponding neighbors using a nonlinear line attractor network to form an associative memory. Then, the illumination enhancement process is performed using a hyperbolic tangent function to provide dynamic range compression to each pixel in the image. The slope of the hyperbolic tangent function is controlled using a parameter that is determined by the local and global statistics of the image to facilitate the change of the intensity level. A color balancing process restores the original color characteristics of the image based on learned associative memory matrices which eliminate image distortion due to improper recombination of red, green and blue components after enhancement. Experiments conducted on images captured at extremely uneven lighting environments show that the proposed method outperforms other image enhancement algorithms.
Solvent-Dependent Changes in Molecular Reorientation Dynamics: The Role of Solvent−Solvent Interactions

We report on the rotational diffusion dynamics of two different chromophores, resorufin and 6-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)hexanoic acid (NBDHA) in water and N-octyl-2-pyrrolidone (NOP) solvents. We measure the induced orientational anisotropy function, R(t), using time-correlated single photon counting. Our data show that both chromophores exhibit single exponential anisotropy decays in aqueous solution and two-component exponential anisotropy decays in NOP. The change of the anisotropy decay functionality indicates that the effective rotor shape swept out by solute rotational motion is different in the two solvents. We interpret these findings in the context of Chuang and Eisenthal's theory of fluorescence depolarization by rotational diffusion. The similarity in the behavior of the two different chromophores in these solvent systems points to solvent-solvent interactions and local organization as the dominant factors in mediating motional dynamics.
Children and memory loss: A program designed to help children cope when an adult they love has a dementing illness

Alzheimer's disease and related disorders are often described as having significant effects on all family members. Yet, while there is much research and programming devoted to caregivers, spouses and adult children, the effects of the disease process on young children in the family are often overlooked. The program described in this article was apilotprogram designed to assist children with a better comprehension of dementing illness and to promote parent/child communication about this topic.
Judging Inference Adequacy in Logistic Regression

Abstract Inference for logistic regression based on the information matrix may be poor. This is noted in two examples in which confidence regions are examined. A measure to detect such inadequacies is presented; it judges the quadratic approximation to the likelihood surface, which justifies the usual procedure.
Mapping the Abundance and Distribution of Adélie Penguins Using Landsat-7: First Steps towards an Integrated Multi-Sensor Pipeline for Tracking Populations at the Continental Scale

The last several years have seen an increased interest in the use of remote sensing to identify the location of penguin colonies in Antarctica, and the estimation of the abundance of breeding pairs contained therein. High-resolution (sub-meter) commercial satellite imagery (e.g., Worldview-1, Quickbird) is capable of colony detection and abundance estimation for both large and small colonies, and has already been used in a continental-scale survey of Adelie penguins. Medium-resolution Landsat imagery has been used successfully to detect the presence of breeding penguins, but has not been used previously for abundance estimation nor evaluated in terms of its minimum colony size detection threshold. We report on the first comprehensive analysis of the performance of these two methods for both detection and abundance estimation, identify the sensor-specific failure modes that can lead to both false positives and false negatives, and compare the abundance estimates of each method over multiple spatial scales. We find that errors of omission using Landsat imagery are low for colonies larger than ∼10,000 breeding pairs. Both high-resolution and Landsat imagery can be used to obtain unbiased estimates of abundance, and while Landsat-derived abundance estimates have high variance for individual breeding colonies relative to estimates derived from high-resolution imagery, this difference declines as the spatial domain of interest is increased. At the continental scale, abundance estimates using the two methods are roughly equivalent. Our comparison of these two methods represents a bridge between the more developed high-resolution imagery, which can be expensive to obtain, and the medium-resolution Landsat-7 record, which is freely available; this comparison of methodologies represents an essential step towards integration of these disparate sources of data for regional assessments of Adelie population abundance and distribution.
Evidence for preformed mRNA in the induction of TMP synthetase in Tetrahymena pyriformis

The induction of thymidylate (TMP) synthetase in Tetrahymena pyriformis occurred following a shift from complex medium to defined medium, or following addition of cyclic guanosine-3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) to complex medium. Inhibitors of macromolecular synthesis were used to probe the role of culture conditions in the enzyme induction. In defined medium actinomycin D minimally decreased the induction of enzyme activity, implying that control of enzyme synthesis is not exerted at the transcriptional level. Cycloheximide markedly inhibited the induction of TMP synthetase by defined medium, suggesting the requirement for protein synthesis in the induction process. In contrast, in complex medium where the activity of the synthetase was low (spec. act. <0.01), paradoxically, cycloheximide induced synthesis of the enzyme. This paradoxical effect was specific for cycloheximide, since neither puromycin nor pactamycin induced the enzyme. Further, the latter two both inhibited the inducing effect of cycloheximide by 60% and 81%, respectively. Actinomycin D only slightly (10%) lowered the paradoxical elevation in enzyme activity by cycloheximide. A possible utilization of preformed mRNA may underlie the basis of the increase in TMP synthetase specific activity in Tetrahymena pyriformis.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Emotion

In this article I respond to commentaries of my review of latent versus emergent variable models of emotion. I note that Ross Buck’s view of emotion as stated in his commentary largely endorses an emergent variable model. Drawing from Dynamical Systems Theory, Camras frames the emergent variable model as softly-assembled attractor states. This implies that emotions are “fuzzy sets” of indicators that vary in the degree to which they indicate an emergent emotional state. Calvo offers affective computing as a method of evaluating indicators according to their incremental contribution to predicting human emotional responses. This innovative perspective holds a great deal of promise. Ultimately, I hope that this discussion has contributed to the field's understanding of emotion and emotional processes.
Motivating methadone patients to include drug-free significant others in treatment: A behavioral intervention

The present study introduced a novel behavioral approach for encouraging methadone-treated patients to bring drug-free significant other support into treatment. Seventy-five patients referred to high-intensity psychosocial treatment due to chronic drug use were given 3 weeks to identify a drug-free significant other. Patients noncompliant with this intervention were started on a methadone dose taper that was stopped when significant other support was identified. Patients and their significant others were required to attend a significant other group one time per week for a minimum of 6 weeks. Eighty-five percent of the patients brought a drug-free significant other into treatment. Significant others included family members, partners, and friends. Patients who identified significant other support complied with 77% of their scheduled sessions. The results demonstrated that most methadone patients have drug-free support people who are willing to participate in their treatment. These individuals can be utilized to help patients initiate the process of building new drug-free social support networks.
ELDER'S ORAL HEALTH CRISIS

Abstract Dentistry must prepare to meet the challenges of providing oral health services to the increasing numbers of medically compromised and cognitively impaired older adults whose care is often complicated by functional, behavioral, and situational factors. Background With the unprecedented aging of the population, oral health care providers will be treating a greater number of older adults than in the past. There will also be a larger frail and vulnerable cohort with physical and/or cognitive conditions, disabilities and limited financial resources. The elderly suffer disproportionately from oral disease and limited access to oral health care. Many older adults are either unwilling or unable to receive routine care, putting them at greater risk for general and oral complications. Some present with extensive oral disease, the cumulative effects of disease throughout their lifetime, an even more complicated situation when frail elders are homebound or in long-term care institutions. To care optimally for this aging cohort, oral health professionals need to be knowledgeable about the many conditions, disabilities and age-related changes associated with aging. Methods Literature review and discussion of the key research studies describing demographic and societal changes leading to the current multifactorial oral health care crisis impacting older adults. The authors draw upon the evidence and their experience in geriatric patient care to provide information relevant to today's oral health care practitioners treating older adults. Conclusion Oral health services are an essential component of primary geriatric health care. The growing population of older and impaired adults requires practitioners who are sensitive to the myriad of functional, behavioral and situational factors that impact this aged cohort. Adequate access to quality oral health care for the aged is a salient public health issue that will require political and psychobiomedical interprofessional collaboration to adequately address.
Strategies of the United States Airlines

Abstract In this article the author examines the background of U.S. Airline operation and outlines the policies which have been adopted by the operators given that background.
Impact and contact stress analysis in multilayer media

Abstract The contact problem in a multilayer medium is analyzed based upon classical elasticity theory. The mixed boundary value problem is reformulated into a general approximation technique suitable for calculation on a digital computer. The Boussinesq problem demonstrates that this approximate method is much more accurate than an “exact” analysis recently published. A second example, which is most commonly applied in engineering practice, involves the parabolic punch. Numerical results are presented for both examples, to illustrate the physically significant effects of soft and hard layers and different layer thicknesses. The analysis is then extended to quasi-static impact. Results of experiments dropping a steel ball on nylon and rubber layers over a granite base are given and good agreement is found between the analytical and experimental results.
Application tuning through bottleneck-driven refactoring

To fully utilize the power of current high performance computing systems, high productivity to the end user is critical. It is a challenge to map an application to the target architecture efficiently. Tuning an application for high performance remains a daunting task, and frequently involves manual changes to the program. Recently refactoring techniques are proposed to rewrite or reorganize programs for various software engineering purposes. In our research we explore combining performance analysis with refactoring techniques for automated tuning that we expect to greatly improve the productivity of application deployment. We seek to build a system that can apply appropriate refactoring according to the bottleneck discovered. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through the tuning of several scientific applications and kernels.
Quasi-Optics Of Random Scattering In Planar Waveguides

A quasi-optical technique is developed to investigate random surface and volume scattering of guided waves in planar waveguides. Through the use of quasi-optics, the guide extinction coefficient is calculated in a simple manner by following a zigzagging ray in the guide. The analysis demonstrates that the scattering losses resulting from random surface roughness depend more strongly on optical wavelength than the index inhomogeneity-induced losses. For a typical correlation length both surface and volume scattering losses increase at shorter wavelengths. The surface roughness-induced losses are larger for low order TM modes than the TE modes of the same order but the differences between the polarizations decrease with increased wavelength and mode order.
Labor Supply and Investment in Child Quality: A Study of Jewish and Non-Jewish Women

This chapter analyzes the effects of children, among other variables, on the labor supply of Jewish and non-Jewish white women, using the data on adult white second-generation Americans in the 1970 Census. The Jewish identifier is reporting speaking a typically Jewish “mother tongue” as a child. Three measures of labor supply are considered.
Deformation of granitoid plutons in the Dongshan area, southeast China: constraints on the physical conditions and timing of movement along the Changle-Nanao shear zone

The NE-trending Changle-Nanao shear zone has affected several granitoid plutons in the Dongshan area, southeast China. Microstructures in the granitoids range from undeformed to solid state lineations and foliation. Migmatitic textures are common in some units. Microprobe analysis of total Al has been carried out on hornblende rims in four samples of gneiss from various points across the shear zone. Confining pressures calculated fall into range of: 4.2–4.9 kb. The average pressure (∼ 4.5 kb) suggests that the shear zone may have reached at least 16 km depth. Fluid inclusion studies referred from the correspondent PT isochores indicate that the temperature of ductile deformation in the shear zone was ∼ 740°C. Observations on intrusive relations between the various granitic phases and their relative degrees of deformation suggest that emplacement of the different magma phases may be closely related in time and to movement along the Changle-Nanao shear zone. Zircon from one deformed pluton yielded a crystallization UPb age of 121.5 ± 2.8 Ma. Field and microstructural data suggest the dated pluton is syntectonic, which constrains the upper age of high temperature deformation in the orthogneiss along the Changle-Nanao shear zone at that locality.
Cell biology: sterol sensor comes up for air.

In one example of a feedback mechanism in mammals, cells switch cholesterol synthesis on or off depending on the availability of sterol. A rewired version of this pathway in yeast acts instead as an oxygen sensor.
Spectrophotometric determination of trace copper in water samples with thiomichlersketone.

Abstract A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for determination of trace copper in water samples is proposed. In the presence of pH 4.6 HAc–NaAc buffer solution and surfactant polyethylene octyl phenyl ether (OP) medium, copper reacts with thiomichlersketone (TMK) to form a stable 1:4 complex. The complex Cu(II)–TMK–OP shows maximum absorbance at 500 nm with a molar absorptivity value of 5.7 × 104 l mol−1 cm−1. Beer's law is obeyed for copper concentrations in the range of 0–15 μg/25 ml. The average recovery of copper is between 95.8 and 106%. The method has been applied for determination of trace copper in different water samples with satisfactory results.
Threats and bargaining efficiency

A major focus of gaming research has been the effect of the availability of threat on the joint efficiency of play in variable-sum bargaining games. This research employs an experimental instrument designed to avoid the pitfalls pointed out by critics of earlier research in the area. The resulting data support the proposition that the availability of threat reduces bargaining efficiency.
Enhanced stability of horseradish peroxidase encapsulated in acetalated dextran microparticles stored outside cold chain conditions

Micro- and nanoparticles have been shown to improve the efficacy of safer protein-based (subunit) vaccines. Here, we evaluate a method of improving the vaccine stability outside cold chain conditions by encapsulation of a model enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), in an acid-sensitive, tunable biodegradable polymer, acetalated dextran (Ac-DEX). Vaccines that are stable outside the cold chain would be desirable for use in developing nations. Ac-DEX particles encapsulating HRP were prepared using two different methods, probe sonication and homogenization. These particles were stored under different storage conditions (-20 °C, 4 °C, 25 °C or 45 °C) for a period of 3 months. On different days, the particles were characterized for various physical and chemical measurements. At all conditions, Ac-DEX particles remained spherical in nature, as compared to PLGA particles that fused together starting at day 3 at 45 °C. Furthermore, our results indicated that encapsulation of HRP in Ac-DEX reduces its storage temperature dependence and enhances its stability outside cold chain conditions. Homogenized particles performed better than probe sonicated particles and retained 70% of the enzyme's initial activity as compared to free HRP that retained only 40% of the initial activity after 3 months of storage at 25 °C or 45 °C. Additionally, HRP activity was more stable when encapsulated in Ac-DEX, and the variance in enzyme activity between the different storage temperatures was not observed for either particle preparation. This suggests that storage at a constant temperature is not required with vaccines encapsulated in Ac-DEX particles. Overall, our results suggest that an Ac-DEX based micro-/nanoparticles system has wide applications as vaccines and drug delivery carriers, including those in developing nations.
Successful treatment by plasmapheresis of respiratory insufficiency in myasthenia gravis

Abstract A 27-year old man with myasthenia gravis developed a severe myasthenic crisis with respiratory insufficiency. In spite of high iv doses of pyridostigminebromide and corticosteroids, mechanical ventilation remained necessary. Treatment with plasma exchange grossly decreased the serum level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptor protein and caused an immediate clinical improvement. The respiratory assistance could be terminated and muscle strength increased substantially. Plasmapheresis seemed to be of definite benefit in the treatment of this acute crisis of myasthenia gravis.
Innate immunity conferred by Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 expression is pivotal to monosodium urate monohydrate crystal-induced inflammation.

Objective In gout, incompletely defined molecular factors alter recognition of dormant articular and bursal monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystal deposits, thereby inducing self-limiting bouts of characteristically severe neutrophilic inflammation. To define primary determinants of cellular recognition, uptake, and inflammatory responses to MSU crystals, we conducted a study to test the role of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2), TLR-4, and the cytosolic TLR adapter protein myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), which are centrally involved in innate immune recognition of microbial pathogens. Methods We isolated bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMDMs) in TLR-2−/−, TLR-4−/−, MyD88−/−, and congenic wild-type mice, and assessed phagocytosis and cytokine expression in response to endotoxin-free MSU crystals under serum-free conditions. MSU crystals also were injected into mouse synovium-like subcutaneous air pouches. Results TLR-2−/−, TLR-4−/−, and MyD88−/− BMDMs demonstrated impaired uptake of MSU crystals in vitro. MSU crystal–induced production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor α, keratinocyte-derived cytokine/growth-related oncogene α, and transforming growth factor β1 also were significantly suppressed in TLR-2−/− and TLR-4−/− BMDMs and were blunted in MyD88−/− BMDMs in vitro. Neutrophil influx and local induction of IL-1β in subcutaneous air pouches were suppressed 6 hours after injection of MSU crystals in TLR-2−/− and TLR-4−/− mice and were attenuated in MyD88−/− mice. Conclusion The murine host requires TLR-2, TLR-4, and MyD88 for macrophage activation and development of full-blown neutrophilic, air pouch inflammation in response to MSU crystals. Our findings implicate innate immune cellular recognition of naked MSU crystals by specific TLRs as a major factor in determining the inflammatory potential of MSU crystal deposits and the course of gouty arthritis.
The modal distribution method for statistical analysis of measured structural response

The newly proposed modal distribution method statistically quantifies overall differences between measured time-histories. In this method, power spectra of measured structural response are interpreted as collections of independent modal responses. Each modal response is isolated, re-scaled, and interpreted as a statistical distribution. Data-sets (windows in a measured time-history) are then compared using standard statistical methods, resulting in a quantitative significance level of the differences between power spectra. An example is presented to validate the new method and to quantify how long a time-history is required for the new method to meet confidence level requirements. The modal distribution method is found to be very effective at detecting subtle changes of mean modal frequencies, which may be used to infer changes in structural condition. The method is general and may find a broad variety of applications, but seems particularly well suited for structural health monitoring because it can be used to infer changes in structural condition from measured response data with only limited knowledge of the excitation.
Electromagnetic Environmental Testing

A number of factors which contributed to the establishment of the Army's Electromagnetic Environmental Test Facility (EETF) at the U. S. Army Electronic Proving Ground are reviewed. Technical planning to date covering the layout, organization and operation of the EETF is summarized. Finally, predictions as to the possible future scientific role and activity of the EETF are made.
Crystal growth and classical nucleation theory

Abstract Calculations were performed of the crystal growth rates in lithium disilicate glass in the low-temperature regime where homogeneous nucleation is observed. The computations were executed using the gain-loss (Becker–Doring) equations that form the framework of Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT). The growth rates were obtained in several different ways, using various choices for the kinetic model, the generalized diffusion coefficient, and the physical input data. The results of these calculations are compared with recently obtained experimental values of the growth rates.
Fault tolerant transform domain adaptive noise Canceling from Corrupted Speech Signals

Fault Tolerant Adaptive Filters (FTAFs) rely on inherent learning capabilities of the adaptive process to compensate for transient (soft) or permanent (hard) errors in hardware implementations. This paper investigates fault tolerant transform domain adaptive noise canceling filters to cancel noise from corrupted speech signals. Two transform domain adaptive FIR architectures are compared, one based on the conventional FFT and one on the Modified Discrete Fourier Transform (MDFT), both without zero padding. Results support the fact that the MDFT- based FTAF architecture is able to overcome certain fault conditions that cannot be properly handled with a conventional FFT-based FTAF architecture.
Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Colorectal Neoplasia in Ethnically Diverse Screening Population

Recent guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology for screening for colorectal cancer have included obesity as an important risk factor. The recommendation for screening obese people at earlier age was tempered by the need for more data regarding obesity and colorectal neoplasia. We designed a cross-sectional study to further examine the predictive value of obesity for colorectal adenomas in asymptomatic patients. We prospectively collected demographic, medical, lifestyle, and dietary history from asymptomatic patients presenting for screening colonoscopy. Patients underwent complete colonoscopy using high-definition colonoscope to detect colorectal adenomas. We defined advanced neoplasia as large (≥1 cm) adenoma, villous adenoma, high-grade dysplasia or cancer. Six hundred patients with median age of 56 years completed the study. Over 40% of these patients did not consider themselves Caucasian, and less than 5% had a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Overall, 40 patients (6.7%) had advanced neoplasia and 216 (36.3%) had any adenoma. There were 185 obese patients (30.8%), who had a prevalence of 44.3% for any adenoma and 13.0% for advanced neoplasia. After multivariate analysis, obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2] was significantly associated with increased risk of advanced neoplasia [odds ratio (OR) = 3.83; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.94–7.55]. Obesity was associated with advanced neoplasia in this screening population. Our data regarding the association of colorectal neoplasia with this modifiable risk factor has implications for screening and prevention of colorectal cancer.
Reliability of the Glasgow Coma Scale for the emergency department evaluation of poisoned patients

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was developed for monitoring the mental status of head-injured patients in the intensive care unit. The purpose of this study is to determine the inter-rater reliability of the GCS for poisoning patients in the emergency department. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study. Two observers used a standard assessment checklist to determine the GCS of suspected poisoning patients. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with a weighted Kappa score. Results: A total of 39 patients were enrolled. Weighted kappa for the total GCS demonstrated excellent agreement. Agreement was also good for each component of the score. Conclusion: The GCS is a reliable tool for the evaluation of mental status of poisoning patients in the emergency department.
Efficiency through feedback-contingent fees and rewards in auction marketplaces with adverse selection and moral hazard

This paper proposes a novel mechanism for inducing cooperation in online auction settings with noisy monitoring of quality and adverse selection. The mechanism combines the ability of electronic markets to solicit feedback from buyers with the more traditional ability to levy listing fees from sellers. Each period the mechanism charges a listing fee contingent on a seller's announced expected quality. It subsequently pays the seller a reward contingent on both his announced quality and the rating posted for that seller by that period's winning bidder. I show that, in the presence of a continuum of seller types with different cost functions, imperfect private monitoring of a seller's effort level and a simple "binary" feedback mechanism that asks buyers to rate a transaction as "good" or "bad", it is possible to derive a schedule of fees and rewards that induces all seller types to produce at their respective first-best quality levels and to truthfully announce their intended quality levels to buyers. The mechanism maximizes average social welfare for the entire community and is robust to a number of contingencies of particular concern in online environments, such as easy name changes and the existence of inept sellers. On the other hand, the mechanism distorts the resulting payoffs of individual sellers relative to the complete information case, transferring part of the payoffs of more efficient sellers to less efficient sellers. The magnitude of this distortion is proportional to the amount of noise associated with observing and reporting the quality of a good.
Multiferroic polymer composites with greatly enhanced magnetoelectric effect under a low magnetic bias

Multiferroic laminate composites consisting of chain-end cross-linked ferroelectric polymers and magnetostrictive Metglas are reported. The composites exhibit a greatly enhanced multiferroic voltage coefficient and sensitivity relative to analogous composites. These remarkable properties are attributed to high piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients, because of the formation of larger crystalline sizes and concurrent improvement in the polarization ordering in the cross-linked polymers.
The Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy: Development, Validation, and Reliability

Summary and Overall Discussion The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to quantita-tively and effectively measure the construct of ethnocultural em-pathy. On the basis of a review of the literature, ethnoculturalempathy as a construct was derived from definitions of generalempathy, multiculturalism, and cultural empathy. Our effort tocreate a three-factor scale was partially supported by the results ofthe factor analysis. Although there are parallels between the in-tended definition of the three factors and the final results, the factoranalysis revealed the presence of a fourth factor. The factorscontributed to the amount of variance accounted for by the scale inthe following order, from strongest to weakest: Empathic Feelingand Expression, Empathic Perspective Taking, Acceptance of Cul-tural Differences, and Empathic Awareness. The four-factor solu-tion suggests that there are four distinct components underlyingscores on the SEE.The four factors of the SEE closely replicate the theoreticalconstructs of empathy found in the literature and bring new un-derstanding to the construct of ethnocultural empathy. Duan andHill (1996) suggested that the concept of general empathy consistsof two components: empathic emotions and intellectual empathy.The most comprehensive model of cross-cultural empathy, dis-cussed by Ridley and Lingle (1996), includes communicativeempathy in addition to the similar emotional and intellectualaspects. The four factors revealed in the present study not onlysupport the existence of the emotional, intellectual, and commu-nicative aspects of ethnocultural empathy but also suggested thatthe components of ethnocultural empathy may be more compli-cated than has been conceptualized in the existing literature (i.e.,there may be more than three components). For example, theintellectual aspect of ethnocultural empathy may encompass one’sperspective taking and awareness toward racial and ethnicdifferences.Table 5Univariate Analyses of Variance on Racial Differences in SEE Subscale Scores
Necrotizing cellulitis caused by Apophysomyces elegans at a patch test site

Plant material occasionally is used in patch testing to diagnose contact dermatitis. Serious adverse reactions to this practice are extremely uncommon. The authors report on a 68-year-old non[ndash ]insulin-dependent diabetic gentleman with hand dermatitis in whom severe necrotizing cellulitis developed caused by Apophysomyces elegans, a subtype of mucormycosis, at the site of a patch test to a snapdragon plant from his garden.
Actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine on ventral tegmental area neurons of the rat in vitro

Abstract Intracellular recordings were made with conventional microelectrodes and with whole-cell patch-clamp electrodes from neurons of the rat ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra zona compacta in vitro. Neurons were distinguished as principal cells and secondary cells; it is known from previous work that most principal cells contain dopamine whereas secondary cells do not. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; 3–100 μM) depolarized (or evoked an inward current at −60 mV) 46% of 153 principal cells; a small proportion (11%) of cells were hyperpolarized (or showed outward current at −60 mV). Secondary cells were equally likely to be depolarized (or inward current at −60 mV, 30% of 80 cells) or hyperpolarized (or outward current at −60 mV, 28%). ∼40% of each type of cell were unaffected by 5-HT. Depolarizing responses of 5-HT were mimicked by (±)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) and blocked by ketanserin. Hyperpolarizing responses were mimicked by dipropyl-5-carboxamidotryptamine and reversed polarity at the K + equilibrium potential. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (or currents) mediated at GABA A receptors occured spontaneously in some principal cells; they were reversibly blocked by tetrodotoxin and bicuculline. 5-HT either increased or decreased the frequency of these synaptic potentials but did not change their mean amplitude or decay time. The results support the interpretation that 5-HT, released onto dopamine neurons by inputs from the dorsal raphe, acts on 5-HT 2 receptors to increase firing in a large proportion of dopamine-containing cells in the ventral tegmental area; however, this would be complemented by indirect changes in dopamine cell-firing resulting from 5-HT exciting or inhibiting local GABA-containing interneurons.
The Use of Manipulative Materials and Student Performance in the Enactive and Iconic Modes.

In recent years the use of manipulative materials for teaching mathematics in the elementary grades has received considerable support from many quarters in the mathematics education community. Modern elementary mathematics methods textbooks have reflected this support, and perhaps hundreds of workshops have been conducted to train in-service teachers in the use of these materials. On the national and state levels, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and its affiliated state organizations continue to devote large numbers of sessions at professional meetings to the use of manipulative aids. Despite the growing interest in the use of manipulative materials with elementary school children, the amount of research on the preparation of teachers to use manipulative aids is quite limited. This study submitted to empirical test the assumption that preservice elementary teachers need actual physical experience with manipulative materials to be able to demonstrate numerical and structural properties at the concrete (enactive) and semiconcrete (iconic) levels of abstraction. The results of recent research in this area are equivocal. Although some studies have indicated that the use of manipulative materials with college students can have a positive effect on achievement or attitude toward mathematics (Bluman, 1971; Douthitt, 1972; Hendrickson, 1970; Leitch, 1972; Smith, 1970; Swick, 1959; Unkel, 1971), the results of other studies have shown conflicting conclusions (Boonstra, 1970; Postman, 1971; Carpenter & McLeod, Note 1). Characteristic of the research in this area is the variety of modes of representation used in instruction with manipulative materials. Bruner (1964) has suggested that any domain of knowledge can be represented in three ways:
A calculation of photon decay

Abstract We present a calculation of the decay of the photon to lowest order in the gravitational coupling constant. The decay is highly non-exponential, and in addition is characterized by a finite asymptotic survival probability. The results are sensitive to the choice of the photon form factor. Depending on how it behaves, one gets: (a) no visible effects (b) the possibility of performing the gravito-electric effect (c) astronomical intensity-frequency correlations, or (d) some combination of the above.
Ventral corporal body grafting for correcting severe penile curvature associated with single or two-stage hypospadias repair

Abstract Purpose The literature on small intestinal submucosa for chordee correction in children is scarce. We reviewed our experience with 1 ply SIS for ventral corporal body grafting in cases of severe ventral penile curvature associated with proximal hypospadias in children. Materials and methods From 04-2001 to 12-2007, 58 boys with proximal hypospadias and severe ventral curvature underwent single layered SIS graft to the corporal bodies to correct chordee. In 43 patients the surgery was done in the first stage of a planned 2-stage procedure. Fifteen patients underwent a 1-stage chordee correction with SIS and tubularized transverse preputial flap urethra. Results Mean follow-up was 4.8 years. A straight phallus with good cosmesis was achieved in 57/58 patients. In 51/58 patients an artificial erection was performed in the operating room as part of a second stage procedure or for complications associated with the one stage urethroplasty. One patient needed a second procedure to correct the curvature (chordee was over-corrected and needed a ventral Nesbitt plication). In fifteen patients that underwent a 1-stage genital reconstruction, the neourethral meatus was left in the lower part of the glans in 8 patients and at the coronal sulcus in 7. Conclusions Corporal body grafting with single layer SIS is a viable option for correction of severe chordee associated with corporal body disproportion. SIS is a material with reliable results, easy availability and no donor site associated morbidity. As a result of penile elongation with a graft, simultaneous island flap urethroplasty became difficult in many patients.
Proposed Magnetic and Allied Observations during the Total Solar Eclipse on August 30

IN response to my appeal for simultaneous magnetic and allied observations during the coming total solar eclipse, cooperative work will be conducted at stations distributed practically along the entire belt of totality and also at outside stations, nearly every civilised nation participating.
A Path Independent Integral and the Approximate Analysis of Strain Concentration by Notches and Cracks

Abstract : An integral is exhibited which has the same value for all paths surrounding a class of notches in two-dimensional deformation fields of linear or non-linear elastic materials. The integral may be evaluated almost by inspection for a few notch configurations. Also, for materials of the elastic- plastic type (treated through a deformation rather than incremental formulation) , with a linear response to small stresses followed by non-linear yielding, the integral may be evaluated in terms of Irwin's stress intensity factor when yielding occurs on a scale small in comparison to notch size. On the other hand, the integral may be expressed in terms of the concentrated deformation field in the vicinity of the notch tip. This implies that some information on strain concentrations is obtainable without recourse to detailed non-linear analyses. Such an approach is exploited here. Applications are made to: Approximate estimates of strain concentrations at smooth ended notch tips in elastic and elastic-plastic materials, A general solution for crack tip separation in the Barenblatt-Dugdale crack model, leading to a proof of the identity of the Griffith theory and Barenblatt cohesive theory for elastic brittle fracture and to the inclusion of strain hardening behavior in the Dugdale model for plane stress yielding, and An approximate perfectly plastic plane strain analysis, based on the slip line theory, of contained plastic deformation at a crack tip and of crack blunting.
A 45-Degree Reflection-Type Color Kinescope

The 45 degree reflection-type color kinescope is an experimental tube of the single gun type in which the color is changed by applying a control voltage directly to the screen assembly. The screen assembly consists of a multi-apertured metal plate coated on the front side with red, green, and blue phosphor strips and mounted parallel to a glass plate coated with a transparent conductive film. An electron beam scans the back of the metal plate at an angle of incidence of approximately 45 degrees. The portion of the beam passing through the slots is reflected by the electric field between the plates, causing it to fall back on one set of phosphor strips. By varying the potential of the glass "reflector" plate, the beam can be shifted from one color phosphor to another. The scanning beam is not required to follow the aperture pattern and the color purity is independent of beam focus. A feature of this tube is the automatc registry of the three colors over all parts of the screen. The screen is not difficult to construct; the power required to switch colors at megacycle frequencies is small. Other characteristics of this tube which should be noted are: the unconventional shape of the bulb, and the need, in some forms of the tube, for a "keystoning" correction of the scanning. Experimental one-gun tubes having screens seven inches in diameter have been built and operated with the RCA color system.
Note on the electrical response of the human eye during dark adaptation.

Measurement of the magnitude of the principal component of the electrical response of the human eye to an intense flash of light, as a function of time in the dark following five minutes of light adaptation to an extremely bright field, shows an increasing response as a function of time in the dark. The curve levels off at a plateau before a second abrupt rise at about seven minutes in the dark. This break in the curve resembles the rod-cone break in the psychophysical dark-adaptation curve, in that a decrease in the level of prior light adaptation reduces the prominence of the break or even eliminates it. The variation in the initial dark electrical response after various time intervals of prior light adaptation resembles the variation in cone threshold after various durations of light adaptation.
Tourism and archaeological heritage management at Petra: driver to development or destruction?

This book is an extensive study of the history and current status of Petra. The central issues are framed around the hypothesis that the desire to generate revenues from the site may serve to compr...
Magnetic Hyperfine Structure in Diatomic Molecules

A general theory of the magnetic hyperfine structure in diatomic molecules, including states other than $^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ states, is given. The magnetic hyperfine interaction is derived from the Dirac equation for the electron in the molecular potential field. First-order hyperfine structure formulas are given for the various vector coupling schemes characteristic of molecular states. The $^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ magnetic hyperfine structures are obtained from second order hyperfine interactions. Applications to the ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}$${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ and ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$${\mathrm{O}}^{17}$ microwave spectra are discussed.
Low-temperature He-Na collision rate measurements

The foreign-gas collision broadening of the Na D2 line by He at a temperature of 8 K is measured. These data combined with those of other investigators provide an empirical scaling of the collision rates and cross sections over a wide range of temperatures and relative velocities, respectively.
Design and development of apparatuses to achieve the highest possible static pressures

Abstract The history of the physical development, and the design philosophy, of apparatuses for achieving very high static pressures is presented in this paper. The performance characteristics of various kinds of apparatuses will be compared and evaluated. The possibility of extending the current high static pressure record of about 2800 kbar will be considered.
Modeling of NOx formation in diesel engines using finite-rate chemical kinetics

Abstract A fast, physics-based model to predict the temporal evolution of NOx in diesel engines is investigated using finite-rate chemical kinetics. The temporal variation of temperature required for the computation of the reaction rate constants is obtained from the solution of the energy equation. NOx formation is modeled by using a six step mechanism with eight species instead of the traditional equilibrium calculations based on the Zeldovich mechanism. Fuel combustion chemistry is modeled by a single-step global reaction. Effects of various stages of combustion on NOx formation is included using a phenomenological burning rate model. The effects of composition and temperature on the thermophysical properties of the working fluid are included in the computations. Comparison with measured single-cylinder engine-out NO shows good agreement with experimental data. The validated model is then used to demonstrate the impact of various operating parameters such as injection timing and EGR on engine-out NOx. This fast, robust model has potential applications in model-based real-time control strategies seeking to reduce feed gas NOx emissions from diesel engines.