cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Description and Bionomics of a New Species of Puto from Utah (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

Descriptions and illustrations of the adult female and winged male of Puto sandini , a mealybug infesting Picea engelmannii Parry, are given, and the more prominent morphological changes occurring during development are discussed. P. sandini requires 4 years to complete its life cycle. It overwinters in the duff, feeds on the needles of the Engelmann spruce, mates and produces young on the main stem of its host.
Discriminant validity of test observations for children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity

This paper investigates the discriminant validity of test-session behaviors by comparing whether the observations of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) differed from those of unclassified controls. Test-taking behaviors were evaluated according to the Guide to the Assessment of Test Session Behavior for the WISC-III and WIAT (GATSB) (Glutting & Oakland, 1993) following administrations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) (Wechsler, 1991). Two groups were compared: an ADHD cohort (n = 49) and children from the GATSB standardization sample (n = 49) matched on the background characteristics of age, race, gender, parent educational attainment, and overall cognitive ability. A multivariate, two-group discriminant function analysis was used to compare groups. Results showed children with ADHD could be differentiated, Wilks c = .632, F = 18.96, df (3, 94]) p < .001). A classification analysis was used to evaluate the practical utility of the discrimination. The overall hit rate was 80.6% (p < .05), thereby adding to the overall validity of results. Findings suggest that in the course of one-to-one clinical assessments, standardized ratings of children's test behaviors provide useful information about the relative severity of children's inattentive, avoidant, and uncooperative dispositions, and that these factors can affect the magnitude of children's IQs.
Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students With Special Needs

The author provides an overview of the prevailing assessment and instructional issues related to culturally and linguistically diverse students with special education needs. Also, the author presents current trends and prevalence rates of students with disabilities who are also English language learners, in addition to general guidelines for the appropriate assessment of such students for special education services. Last, the author describes researchbased academic and behavioral strategies for these students, along with web-based resources geared to assist general and special educators working with diverse students with special needs.
SU‐E‐T‐640: DICOM‐RT Data Transfer of Structure Sets Between SRS Treatment Planning Systems

Purpose: To verify the integrity of data structures created in one treatment planning system and transferred to another using DICOM‐RT for stereotactic radiosurgery. Methods: Ten radiosurgery patients were selected for this retrospective study. Initial planning images were imported into a Brainlab iPlan© RT Image 4.1 workstation. Normal structures and lesions were contoured for each patient. The structure volume as reported by the iPlan software was recorded for each volume. The images and structures were then transferred via DICOM‐RT to a Leksell GammaPlan® workstation (for Perfexion™). The volume of each structure, as reported by GammaPlan, was compared to the iPlan values. Finally, all images and structures from the iPlan workstation and the GammaPlan workstation were sent via DICOM‐RT to a Varian Eclipse™ workstation so that the respective volumes could be determined on a common platform. Results: Structure volumes ranged from less than 0.1 cc (e.g. optic tracks) to over 30 cc (brainstem). Volumes reported by GammaPlan differed from those reported by iPlan, with the former generally being smaller. Differences of up to 0.5 cc were observed. The largest absolute differences tended to be for the larger structures. The greatest percent differences were for the smaller structures, with the reported volumes differing by a factor of two or more. When the structures were sent from iPlan and GammaPlan to Eclipse (and calculated with a single algorithm), the volume differences were found to be much smaller. Conclusions: It is feasible to import DICOM‐RT structure sets into the Leksell GammaPlan from other platforms such as Brainlab's iPlan RT Image. Different planning systems (e.g. GammaPlan, iPlan and Eclipse) use different algorithms to calculate structure volumes. These differences may have significant affects (especially for small structures) when calculating dose volume histograms and conformity indices.
Thermochemistry of molybdates V. Standard enthalpy of formation of cesium dimolybdate (Cs2Mo2O7)

The standard enthalpy of formation of cesium molybdate, Δ°f(Cs2MoO4, c, 298.15K), is reported. The result obtained, −(362.00±0.11)kcalthmol−1, is based on calorimetric measurements of the enthalpy of reaction of molybdenum trioxide with aqueous cesium hydroxide and of the enthalpy of solution of cesium molybdate in aqueous cesium hydroxide. Thermodynamic data are given for the formation of Cs2MoO4 both from its elements and from the oxides Cs2O and MoO3 at 298.15 K.
Medical Use of Recreational Drugs by AIDS Patients

A survey of 72 patients at an AIDS clinic regarding self-medication with recreational drugs for medical or psychological conditions related to their illness disclosed that marijuana was the primary drug used. The perceived benefit was for gastrointestinal conditions such as nausea, vomiting, indigestion and appetite improvement. Use of other "recreational" drugs as self-medication was reported to usually be ineffective or to worsen the condition they sought to help. Fifty-eight percent of patients reported some attempt to self-medicate. Thirty-two percent were currently using marijuana, and most admitted to pre-AIDS marijuana use. Fifty-seven percent of the sample reported some pre-AIDS drug use, primarily alcohol and marijuana. Results are discussed in terms of potential clinical problems arising from continued recreational drug use among AIDS patients.
Multiscale Fusion of Visible and Thermal IR Images for Illumination-Invariant Face Recognition

This paper describes a new software-based registration and fusion of visible and thermal infrared (IR) image data for face recognition in challenging operating environments that involve illumination variations. The combined use of visible and thermal IR imaging sensors offers a viable means for improving the performance of face recognition techniques based on a single imaging modality. Despite successes in indoor access control applications, imaging in the visible spectrum demonstrates difficulties in recognizing the faces in varying illumination conditions. Thermal IR sensors measure energy radiations from the object, which is less sensitive to illumination changes, and are even operable in darkness. However, thermal images do not provide high-resolution data. Data fusion of visible and thermal images can produce face images robust to illumination variations. However, thermal face images with eyeglasses may fail to provide useful information around the eyes since glass blocks a large portion of thermal energy. In this paper, eyeglass regions are detected using an ellipse fitting method, and replaced with eye template patterns to preserve the details useful for face recognition in the fused image. Software registration of images replaces a special-purpose imaging sensor assembly and produces co-registered image pairs at a reasonable cost for large-scale deployment. Face recognition techniques using visible, thermal IR, and data-fused visible-thermal images are compared using a commercial face recognition software (FaceIt®) and two visible-thermal face image databases (the NIST/Equinox and the UTK-IRIS databases). The proposed multiscale data-fusion technique improved the recognition accuracy under a wide range of illumination changes. Experimental results showed that the eyeglass replacement increased the number of correct first match subjects by 85% (NIST/Equinox) and 67% (UTK-IRIS).
Meta-analysis of 143 reported cases of aortic intramural hematoma

Abstract Aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) is a clinical condition that has still not been completely defined. We conducted a meta-analysis of reported cases and analyzed the demographic profiles, imaging modalities, pathologic sites, and treatment strategies in relation to outcome in 143 patients with IMH. We performed an English language search of Medline for manuscripts with the keywords “aortic diseases,” “aorta AND hematoma,” and “intramural hematoma.” Data from 143 reported cases were extracted. IMH of the aorta has a reported incidence of 5% to 20% among patients with acute aortic syndromes and a mortality rate of 21%. Most patients were men (61%) and median age was 68 years (range 15 to 88). Hypertension was a predisposing factor in 53% of the patients. Most patients had chest and/or back pain (80%). Transesophageal echocardiography, computer tomographic scan, or magnetic resonance imaging may be effectively used to diagnose this condition. There is no difference in the overall mortality rates in Stanford type A versus type B patients. Patients with Stanford type A IMH who underwent surgery, compared with those who underwent medical management, had a significantly better prognosis (14% vs 36% mortality, respectively, p
Increased risk of osteoporosis-related fractures in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Summary We sought to determine whether patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have an increased risk of osteoporosis and related fractures using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). Patients with IBS had increased adjusted odds of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures compared to the non-IBS control group, controlling for known risk factors for osteoporosis. Screening measures to identify osteoporosis in this group are advised.
FEARS OF DEATH AND THE PROBABILITY OF SUICIDE

Sznnrnay.-A higher fear of death and dying was associated with a higher estimated probability of suicide in 78 healthy undergraduates when they imagined dying of cancer. To explore whether the fear of death affects people's thoughts of committing suicide, 78 undergraduate students (Mag, = 21.8 yr., SD =5.4; 44.9% men) were given a questionnaire containing a hypothetical situation in which they were dying of cancer. They were assigned one of four levels of pain (0, 33, 67, 100) and one of four levels of anticipated pain from chemotherapy (0, 33, 67, 100). They were then asked to estimate the probabhty of their committing suicide given four probabilities of surviving for one year, i.e., 0, 33, 67, or 100. They were also administered the Collett-Lester fear of death scale (Lester, 1990) (M = 6.3, SD = 5.0). The probabhty of committing suicide (summed over all four survival probabhties) was positively associated with the fear of death of others, dying of self, and dying of others (Pearson rs=.29, .27, and .25, respectively, two-tailed p< .05) but not with gender, age, death of self, current pain, or pain from chemotherapy (rs= -.01, -.07, 20, .05, and .08, respectively). In a backward multiple regression, only fear of death of others predicted the probability of committing suicide. Thus, the anticipated probability of suicide in this hypothetical situation was positively associated with the ratings of fears of dying (of self and of others) and of fear of death of others. Perhaps a greater fear of death and dying leads such healthy students to be more llkely to anticipate suicide as a way of avoiding the suffering of cancer?
Adjuvant therapy for unresectable meningiomas: benign and malignant.

traaxial primary brain tumor and are discovered not infrequently in otherwise asymptomatic patients. The authors of natural history observational studies have suggested that the majority of asymptomatic meningiomas grow at a slow incremental rate and therefore may be reasonably followed without intervention. Nonetheless, a substantial number of them become symptomatic and are treated surgically. Not all meningiomas, however, can be safely or completely resected, and adjuvant therapeutic intervention is often warranted. This issue of Neurosurgical Focus is directed at aggressive or malignant meningiomas, as well as ones that cannot be completely excised. Our goal is to present current knowledge of meningiomas and highlight potential new therapies. The symposium opens with a general overview of intracranial meningiomas by Chamberlain and is followed by a discussion of epidemiology and etiopathogenesis of meningiomas by Barnholtz-Sloan. Commins reviews the pathological nature and classification of meningiomas. Rogers next discusses the use of conventional externalbeam radiotherapy in the management of these lesions. Loeffler and colleagues summarize their extensive experience with stereotactic radiotherapy for benign meningiomas. Davidson then presents a single-institution perspective on the utility of Gamma Knife surgery for meningiomas of the cranial base. In the next section of the meningioma symposium, the authors discuss medical management of meningiomas beginning with Couldwell’s paper regarding the use of cyclooxygenase inhibition with COX-2 agents. Roser discusses the eicosanoid cascade as a target for meningioma chemotherapy, and this is followed by Jensen’s discussion of calcium channel antagonists as inhibitors of meningioma proliferation. Chen presents laboratory data demonstrating that the protease inhibitor, nelfinavir, has at least additive cytotoxicity when combined with imatinib. Newton next summarizes the literature regarding hydroxyurea as a chemotherapeutic agent for meningiomas, and this is followed by Wen’s eloquent review of targeted therapy and potential strategies for the treatment of meningioma. The symposium concludes with two special reviews: intraosseous meningiomas reviewed by Elder and intraspinal meningiomas summarized by Vrionis. As editors of this issue of Neurosurgical Focus highlighting the treatment of meningiomas, we would like to thank the contributors for their timely and thoughtful reviews, and hope that this symposium will contribute to an improved understanding and appreciation of new and evolving therapies for meningiomas.
False-negative results of pre-discharge neonatal bilirubin screening to predict severe hyperbilirubinemia: a need for caution.

Routine bilirubin screening prior to newborn hospital discharge, using an hour-specific bilirubin nomogram, has been advocated to assess risk for subsequent severe hyperbilirubinemia. However, the false-negative rate has never been adequately studied. Our objective was to determine false-negative results of pre-discharge bilirubin screening. After routine pre-discharge, bilirubin screening was in place for over 4 years, we performed a retrospective chart review to identify infants readmitted for total bilirubin levels > 17 mg/dl (>290.7 μmol/l). We documented each infant's pre-discharge bilirubin level, risk-zone assignment by nomogram, the presence or absence of risk factors for severe hyperbilirubinemia, co-morbidities upon readmission, treatment received, and ultimate disposition. Readmitted infants whose pre-discharge bilirubin was in the low-risk ( 17 mg/dl (>290.7 μmol/l). All received phototherapy and none required exchange transfusion. Pre-discharge bilirubin values were <40th percentile (low-risk zone) in one infant (3.6%), and between 40–75th percentiles (low-intermediate risk zone) in twelve infants (43%). Risk factors for the development of severe hyperbilirubinemia were present in 27 (96%) readmitted infants. In conclusion, nearly half of readmitted infants had pre-discharge bilirubin values in zones considered at lower risk. The use of pre-discharge bilirubin screening alone to assign future risk for severe hyperbilirubinemia may provide false reassurance. Rigorous research is required to determine the test characteristics of pre-discharge bilirubin screening before widespread acceptance and implementation. Universal early post-discharge follow-up should remain the cornerstone of preventing severe hyperbilirubinemia.
Brain ACTH and endorphin reduced in rats with monosodium glutamate-induced arcuate nuclear lesions

IMMUNOASSAY and immunocytochemical techniques, in some instances with additional characterisation by bioassay and gel filtration, have demonstrated the presence of ACTH-like1–10, β-lipotropin (LPH)-like6,8,9,11–13 and beta-endorphin-like6,14,15 activity within the central nervous system. However, the source of these peptides in the central nervous system is uncertain3. Hypophysectomy is not associated with any change in hypothalamic content of ACTH1,5,10 or of beta-endorphin-like material14, suggesting a non-pituitary, presumably central nervous system, origin. Immunoreactive perikarya containing ACTH-like8–10,16,17, β-LPH-like8,9,11,13,16,17 and β-endorphin-like15–17 material have thus far only been demonstrated in the arcuate nucleus and adjacent lateral areas of the mediobasal hypothalamus. We considered that if the arcuate nucleus were the source of ACTH-like activity within other areas of the central nervous system, its destruction would result in a decrease of such activity. Neonatal administration of sodium glutamate produces central nervous system lesions, restricted largely to neurones of the arcuate nucleus and to the retina18, while sparing fibres of passage19. We report here that, using neonatal sodium glutamate administration to produce such arcuate nucleus destruction in rats, the content of ACTH and β-endorphin-like material in the hypothalamus and other brain regions is markedly reduced in the absence of any change in whole pituitary, anterior lobe or plasma ACTH concentrations.
The relationship of strength to function in the older adult.

Reduced lower extremity strength has been associated with reduction in gait speed, balance, stair-climbing ability, and getting up from a seated position. The relationship of lower extremity strength and the ability to accomplish selected functional activities was examined in 16 healthy but frail older adults ranging in age from 75 to 88 years (mean = 80.9 years). The following measures were obtained for each subject: preferred gait speed under laboratory and free walking conditions, 5 timed chair stand-ups, and time to complete an obstacle course. Strength measures of the hip extensors, hip abductors, knee extensors, planter flexors, and dorsiflexor muscle groups were obtained using a hand-held dynamometer. The relationship between the time to complete the functional activities and each of the strength variables was determined using Pearson product moment correlations. In addition, performance was examined in relation to various combinations of strength measures (e.g., hip and knee extension). Weak, nonsignificant hip, knee and ankle strength/functional activity relationships were found for all of the variables examined. When hip extension, knee extension, and ankle plantar flexion strength values were combined and normalized to body weight, a significant strength-to-functional activity relationship was found for 14" chair stand-ups (r = .636, p < .01). When values for quadriceps strength and gait speed for 35 adults ranging in age from 60-72 years were compared to those for 75-88 year olds, marked differences emerged. A more significant relationship between knee extension force and gait speed was observed for the younger adults (r = .528 vs r = .353).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Franck–Condon factors in studies of dynamics of chemical reactions. I. General theory, application to collinear atom–diatom reactions

We derive and show the utility of an approximate theory of chemical dynamics based on a generalized Franck–Condon factor. We begin by showing how the general expression for the transition matrix for an electronically adiabatic reaction may be rewritten in terms of a transition between two surfaces through the use of a quasiadiabatic representation. This exact transition matrix may be reduced to a Franck–Condon overlap integral in a variety of ways, and one possible sequence of approximations for accomplishing this reduction is outlined. We neglect terms due to virtual transitions to excited electronic states, make a Born–Oppenheimer approximation, neglect terms involving gradients of the nuclear wavefunction (low kinetic energy approximation), and finally make a Franck–Condon approximation. The overlap is then evaluated for the special case of collinear exoergic atom–diatom reactions for the purpose of studying product state vibrational distributions in these reactions. The evaluation is done approximately by using physical arguments to estimate the general appearance of the reagent and product quasiadiabatic surfaces, and assuming separable solutions to the Schrodinger equation on each surface. The overlap integral is then further approximated by expanding the integrand about the nuclear configuration of maximum overlap. This enables us to obtain a simple analytical result for the product state distribution, using either harmonic or Morse oscillator vibrational wavefunctions. We then use the resulting expressions to study the dynamics of the collinear F+H2(D2) and H(D)+Cl2 reactions. In both applications we find that the Franck–Condon overlap is capable of a qualitatively correct description of the product state distributions, including dependence on reagent translational energy, mass ratios, and various features of the potential energy surface. Furthermore, a physical description of the origin of a dynamic threshold effect in the F+H2(D2) reaction is provided, as is a simple interpretation of the role of potential energy release behavior in the determination of product state distributions.
Augmenting the impact of technology adoption with financial incentive to improve radiology report signature times.

Purpose Radiology report signature time (ST) can be a substantial component of total report turnaround time. Poor turnaround time resulting from lengthy ST can adversely affect patient care. The combination of technology adoption with financial incentive was evaluated to determine if ST improvement can be augmented and sustained. Methods This prospective study was performed at a 751-bed, urban, tertiary care adult teaching hospital. Test-site imaging volume approximated 48,000 examinations per month. The radiology department has 100 trainees and 124 attending radiologists serving multiple institutions. Over a study period of 4 years and 4 months, three interventions focused on radiologist signature performance were implemented: 1) a notification paging application that alerted radiologists when reports were ready for signature, 2) a picture archiving and communications systems (PACS)-integrated speech recognition report generation system, and 3) a departmental financial incentive to reward radiologists semiannually for ST performance. Signature time was compared before and after the interventions. Wilcoxon and linear regression statistical analyses were used to assess the significance of trends. Results Technology adoption (paging plus speech recognition) reduced median ST from >5 to P 24 to 15 to 18 hours ( P P Conclusions Technology interventions coupled with financial incentive can result in synergistic and sustainable improvement in radiologist report-signing behavior. The addition of a financial incentive leads to better performance than that achievable through technology alone.
Climate modeling with spherical geodesic grids

A new approach to climate simulation uses geodesic grids generated from an icosahedron and could become on attractive alternative to current models. We implemented an atmospheric general circulation model using a geodesic discretization of the sphere. Our model uses the message-passing interface and runs efficiently on massively parallel machines.
Yamabe Solitons, Determinant of the Laplacian and the Uniformization Theorem for Riemann Surfaces

In this letter, we prove that non-trivial compact Yamabe solitons or breathers do not exist. In particular our proof in the two dimensional case depends only on properties of the determimant of the Laplacian and turns out to be independent of the classical uniformization theorem (UT). Using this remarkable fact we are able to explain how an independent proof of the UT for Riemann surfaces can be obtained using the Yamabe–Ricci flow.
A large deformation anisotropic thermoviscoplastic constitutive model

An anisotropic large deformation thermoviscoplastic constitutive model has been formulated in which flow is regarded as a dissipative process characterized by a “driving energy”, a threshold energy, and a retardation time. Thermodynamic state functions such as internal energy are derived explicitly as functions of the state variables, namely temperature, elastic strain and flow strain. The model developed here is relevant to applications such as temperature rise and stress relaxation in metals under shock loading.
Density dependence in mule deer: a review of evidence

Wildlife managers often need tangible evidence of density dependence in populations to support decision making. Field experimentation to identify density dependent effects is often cost and time prohibitive. Thus, assimilation of existing knowledge into a balance of probabilities can serve as a surrogate for experimental research. A case study of such a process is found in the mule deer Odocoileus hemionus herds of Colorado. Wildlife managers and hunters expressed concern over a recent decline in western Colorado mule deer herds, yet the underlying cause of this decline is yet to be determined. In response to this management concern, we conducted a review of scientific evidence on Colorado's mule deer population dynamics. This review was done in the context of a conceptual model that portrays population growth as a function of population size, per capita growth rate and population carrying capacity. Similar declines that occurred during the 1960s and early 1990s resulted in similar reviews that identified...
EFFECT OF INCUBATION TEMPERATURE ON THE MACROMOLECULAR AND LIPID CONTENT OF THE PHYTOFLAGELLATE OCHROMONAS DANICA1

SUMMARY Ochromonas danica grown in a chemically defined medium under controlled conditions at different incubation temperatures showed marked changes in chemical composition and secretory pattern. As the incubation temperature rose from 15 to 30 C, the cell number per unit volume of medium increased; the cell mass reached a maximum and then declined slightly, and the weight per single cell decreased. The chemical composition of the cells changed with increasing temperature: carbohydrates decreased dramatically; proteins quadrupled at 20 C and then declined 25%; lipids increased; and RNA increased to 25 C and then decreased to about 40% of maximum at 30 C. The extracellular secretion by the cells of carbohydrates seemed to increase and then decline; RNA decreased; proteins increased; and lipids remained approximately constant, as the temperature increased. The implications of these findings for thermal pollution are discussed.
Identification and partial characterization of receptor binding sites for HGF on rat hepatocytes

Summary Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) (also known as Hepatopoietin A [HPTA] (1–9) is a heterodimeric heparin-binding polypeptide mitogen for hepatocytes distinct from other well-known growth factors. In this study, biologically active radioiodinated HGF was used to identify binding sites on intact hepatocytes in culture. The results show the presence of relatively low affinity binding sites due to the presence of heparin or heparin-like molecules and high affinity specific receptor binding sites on the cell surface of intact hepatocytes. Scatchard analysis of binding data indicates an apparent dissociation constant (K d ) of 3.5 nM with 120,000 sites per hepatocyte for the cell-surface receptor. Analysis of affinity cross-linked 125 I-HGF-receptor complex by SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions reveals the presence of a distinct band with apparent Mr of 230,000. These data show that HGF exerts its biological effect on hepatocytes (stimulation of DNA synthesis) through a specific and unique cell-surface receptor.
On the Degree of Property Tax Assessment Inequity in Complex Tax Jurisdictions

. The extent of interest in the degree of inequity in property assessment is indicative of the importance of identifying determinants of assessment inequity. Previous attempts to identify such determinants were certainly incomplete. An additional variable is offered for the list that would be expected to explain statistically the degree of inequity in the distribution of property tax liabilities, in general, and to examine specifically the relationship between assessment, inequity and the degree of complexity for assessing Jurisdictions. The latter are often complex in the sense that individual properties, although subject to a set of two or more nominal tax rates on assessed values, are not subject to the same set of nominal tax rates. It is argued—to the extent that individual property tax liabilities are capitalized in sale prices for individual properties—that the greater the number of specific property tax rates on assessed value, the greater is the expected frequency of change in such specific property tax rates and, therefore, the higher the expected value of the measure of the degree of inequity.
Predictive modelling of burn probability and burn severity in a desert spring ecosystem

Little is known about the fire ecology of desert springs, despite their importance for biodiversity and for provision of ecosystem services. Desert spring ecosystems are characterised by high and continuous fuel loads compared with surrounding uplands, suggesting that fire may play a significant ecological role. For the Ash Meadows spring complex in the south-western USA, we used ecological-niche factor analysis and a Bayesian model averaging regression technique to characterise the environmental conditions associated with spatially explicit burn probability and burn severity over a 24-year period. Burn probability and burn severity were both more strongly associated with fuel availability than with proximity to anthropogenic ignition sources; however, areas with more homogeneous vegetation cover were positively associated with high-severity burns but were negatively associated with burn probability. Burn probability was greater near areas of high anthropogenic influence, whereas areas further from anthropogenic alteration were more likely to experience high-severity fire. Riparian forest and emergent wetland vegetation were most likely to burn although they were among the rarest vegetation types. Human activities may strongly influence fire regimes in desert spring wetlands through groundwater pumping and introductions of exotic plants that alter fuelbed heterogeneity and shift the balance among woody and herbaceous vegetation.
Automated telephone-subscriber line-testing system

Powerful computer techniques and sophisticated measurement technology have been brought to bear on the testing of subscriber lines
Beneath the Surface: An Exploration of Neurobiological Alterations in Therapists Working With Trauma

This article explores the potential neurobiological alterations in clinicians who are exposed to the traumatic experiences of their clients. The authors speculate on the role of mirror neurons, the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, the amygdala, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, memory, and the left and right hemispheres. A view of these neurobiological processes is integrated with psychodynamic psychotherapy processes, and current conceptions of vicarious or secondary trauma. Implications for understanding the differential effects of trauma treatment on the therapist are explored.
The intervention in the democratic republic of Congo

(2003). The intervention in the democratic republic of Congo. Civil Wars: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 1-13.
Some superadditivity results in the torsion problem for multiply connected cross sections

In this note we prove strong superadditivity properties of the stress function in the elastic torsion problem for multiply connected regions. The results are extended to associated Green's functions and other domain functions.
Role of oestrogen in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common primary dementing disorder, results in devastating clinical and socio-economic consequences, and is a leading cause of death among the elderly. Despite recent advances in the neurobiology of AD, identification of effective treatment strategies has remained frustratingly elusive. Administration of currently available cholinergic drugs improves symptoms in some patients with AD, but may be associated with efficacy-limiting adverse effects. Moreover, it is not yet known whether cholinergic drugs have the potential to alter the progression of AD pathology. In contrast, cumulative evidence from basic neuroscience and clinical research demonstrates that oestrogen has significant neuromodulatory and neuroprotective properties. Furthermore, preliminary evidence from clinical studies indicates that oestrogen replacement therapy can significantly enhance cognitive function in postmenopausal women with AD, and reduce the risk for developing the disease. However, long-term ad...
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K and nucleolin as transcriptional activators of the vascular endothelial growth factor promoter through interaction with secondary DNA structures.

The human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoter contains a polypurine/polypyrimidine (pPu/pPy) tract that is known to play a critical role in its transcriptional regulation. This pPu/pPy tract undergoes a conformational transition between B-DNA, single-stranded DNA, and atypical secondary DNA structures such as G-quadruplexes and i-motifs. We studied the interaction of the cytosine-rich (C-rich) and guanine-rich (G-rich) strands of this tract with transcription factors heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K and nucleolin, respectively, both in vitro and in vivo and their potential role in the transcriptional control of VEGF. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay for our in vivo studies and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) for our in vitro studies, we demonstrated that both nucleolin and hnRNP K bind selectively to the G- and C-rich sequences, respectively, in the pPu/pPy tract of the VEGF promoter. The small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of either...
Effects of opioid antagonists and their quaternary derivatives on locomotor activity and fixed ratio responding for brain self-stimulation in rats.

Abstract Rats were implanted with stimulating electrodes aimed at the midbrain-central gray area (MID-CG) and trained to lever press for brain stimulation (ICSS) on a fixed ratio:30 (FR:30) schedule of reinforcement. When response rates were stable, animals were administered either naloxone hydrochloride, naltrexone hydrochloride, naloxone methobromide or naltrexone methobromide in a dose range of 0.1–30 mg/kg. Fifteen minutes after the subcutaneous administration of either drug or vehicle, animals were tested for 45 min in the ICSS procedure and changes in response rates following drug administration were compared with those following vehicle administration. Both naloxone and naltrexone hydrochloride produced graded decreases in responding over the entire dose range, while naloxone and naltrexone methobromide did not alter response rates at any dose level. In a separate testing procedure, 30 mg/kg naloxone and naltrexone hydrochloride produced modest reductions in motor activity, while the methobromide derivatives did not. These results demonstrated that the fixed ratio procedure was sensitive to changes in responding for ICSS produced by opioid antagonists, and this effect depends upon the entry of these opioid antagonists into the brain.
Role of gallium in alloy-porcelain bonding.

Les resultats de cette etude montre qu'un degazage d'un alliage ceramique contenant Au−Pd−In−Ga conduit a la formation a la fois d'oxyde de In et de Ga. Un traitement avec de l'acide fluorhydrique concentre, suggere par le fabricant comme traitement de conditionnement avant le chauffage de la porcelaine, dissout l'oxyde In mais l'oxyde Ga demeure relativement non affecte. Pendant le chauffage de la porcelaine l'oxyde Ga reagit chimiquement avec la porcelaine et resulte en une adherence alliage-porcelaine
Gaseous plume flows in space propulsion

Abstract This paper presents a gaskinetic study on high-speed, highly rarefied jets expanding into a vacuum from a cluster of planar or annular exits. Based on the corresponding exact expressions for a planar or annular jet, it is convenient to derive the combined multiple jet flowfield solutions of density and velocity components. For the combined temperature and pressure solutions, extra attention is needed. Several direct simulation Monte Carlo simulation results are provided to validate these analytical solutions. The analytical and numerical solutions are essentially identical for these high Knudsen number jet flows.
Alterations in N-acetylation of 3-methylhistidine in endotoxemic parenterally fed rats.

N-methylhistidine (3-meH) is endogenously released during muscle catabolism and serves as a marker of protein turnover. In rats > 85% of 3-meH is excreted in the urine as the N-acetyl derivative. It has been reported that the percent of non-acetylated 3-meH (NA-3-meH) varies minimally with stress. To further evaluate these reports we randomized 39 male Sprague-Dawley rats (157-213 g) to receive parenteral nutrition only (PN) or PN plus continuous infusion of Escherichia coli 026:B6 lipopolysaccharide at 6 (LPS-6) or 12 (LPS-12) mg.kg-1.d-1 for 48 h. All animals received isocaloric and isonitrogenous PN 24 h before and throughout the study with water ad libitum. Total 3-meH excretion was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the LPS-6 (470 +/- 136 micrograms/48 h) and LPS-12 (557 +/- 171 micrograms/48 h) groups versus the PN (331 +/- 126 micrograms/48 h) group. NA-3-meH differed significantly between the LPS-12 (218 /+- 89 micrograms/48 h, LPS-6 (94 +/- 48 micrograms/48 h), and PN (39 +/- 12 micrograms/48 h) groups (P < 0.05). Percent NA-3-meH increased significantly from 12.7 +/- 3.9% in the PN group to 19.8 +/- 8.0 and 39.9 +/- 12.8% in the LPS-6 and LPS-12 groups, respectively (P < 0.05). No significant changes in acetyl 3-meH were found between groups. These data suggest that either saturation or inhibition of acetylation pathways occurs with increasing levels of stress. Due to the disproportionate increases in NA-3-meH and percent NA-3-meH during endotoxemia, only total 3-meH should be used as an indicator of protein turnover in rats.
America, guns and freedom: Part II - An international perspective.

The need for reducing gun violence is discussed along with the necessity for citizens to assume some responsibility for protecting themselves, their families, and their property from criminal elements because the police cannot physically be everywhere to protect us all of the time. The problem of sensationalization of gun crimes by the media, multiple shootings by deranged individuals, accidents with firearms, suicide rates, and children with guns are discussed. The relationship of civilian disarmament in the context of tyrannical governments and genocide are also explored. Incidents in which liberty has been extinguished because firearms have been banned and citizens have been disarmed by increasingly oppressive governments, and the converse, countries where freedom has been preserved by armed citizens are also described. We conclude that guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens deter crimes, and nations that trust their citizens with firearms have governments that sustain liberty and affirm individual freedom. Governments that do not trust their citizens with firearms tend to be despotic and tyrannical, and are a potential danger to good citizens — and a peril to humanity.
Verapamil therapy: a new approach to the pharmacologic treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: III. Effects of long-term administration.

Abstract To determine the efficacy of long-term therapy with verapamil in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 78 patients began treatment with the drug in the hospital. Sixty-two patients (79 percent) were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV despite treatment with beta receptor blocking drugs. Fifty-four percent of all patients evaluated (42 of 78) and 63 percent of those discharged from the hospital (42 of 68) experienced sustained symptomatic improvement 6 to 30 months (median 14 months) after initiation of verapamil therapy. Of these 42 patients in improved condition, 25 had improvement by at least one New York Heart Association functional class, 14 improved by less than one functional class, two felt better taking verapamil than propranolol, and in one patient verapamil controlled asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia. Of the 53 patients who had the obstructive form of the disorder and were considered operative candidates, 25 (47 percent) experienced sufficient improvement so as to forgo operation. In patients remaining on verapamil therapy, the duration of treadmill exercise performed 5 days after the start of verapamil therapy increased by 3.1 ± 0.6 minutes (53 ± 10 percent, p
Life-cycle Water Quantity and Water Quality Implications of Biofuels

Water consumption and water quality continue to be key factors affecting environmental sustainability in biofu- el production. This review covers the findings from biofuel water analyses published over the past 2 years to underscore the progress made, and to highlight advancements in under- standing the interactions among increased production and water demand, water resource availability, and potential changes in water quality. We focus on two key areas: water footprint assessment and watershed modeling. Results re- vealed that miscanthus-, switchgrass-, and forest wood-based biofuels all have promising blue and grey water footprints. Alternative water resources have been explored for algae production, and challenges remain. A most noticeable im- provement in the analysis of life-cycle water consumption is the adoption of geospatial analysis and watershed modeling to generate a spatially explicit water footprint at a finer scale (e.g., multi-state region, state, and county scales) to address the impacts of land use change and climate on the water footprint in a landscape with a mixed biofuel feedstock.
The effect of biogenic amines and their analogs on carbohydrate metabolism in the fat body of the cockroach Blaberus discoidalis.

Several biogenic amines and their analogs were examined for stimulatory effects on glycogen phosphorylase activity and trehalose biosynthesis in fat body of the cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis. Octopamine and synephrine were the most potent activators of fat body phosphorylase; 10 muM octopamine being nearly as effective as the hypertrehalosemic hormone (HTH). Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and tyramine produced intermediate effects, whereas dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and melatonin had no effect. The fat body octopamine receptors appeared to be pharmacologically related to vertebrate alpha-adrenergic receptors and belonged to the Octopamine1 class receptor. In contrast to previous reports, synephrine also induced both phosphorylase activation and hypertrehalosemia as effectively as octopamine. Demethylchlordimeform, a formamidine insecticide structurally similar to octopamine, also strongly activated fat body phosphorylase, possibly by interaction with the octopamine receptor.
Electronic templates versus dictation for the completion of Mohs micrographic surgery operative notes.

BACKGROUND Operative notes can be generated electronically by manual input of the entire note, free-form oral dictation, or using either an electronic template or a template for dictation. There are few studies that have directly compared these modalities in terms of speed, accuracy, and completeness. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether electronic templates are more efficient and reduce errors compared to free-form oral dictation for the completion of Mohs micrographic surgery operative notes. METHODS Operative notes for 110 consecutive Mohs micrographic surgery cases were completed either by oral dictation or by electronic template. The time to dictate or complete the template was recorded for each note. Notes were subsequently edited, recording the number and type of errors as well as the time required to edit each note. RESULTS Compared with dictation, operative notes completed with the electronic template had fewer errors (5.8% vs. 81%), took less time to complete (175.5 seconds vs. 240.0 seconds), took less time to review and edit (41.6 seconds vs. 201.1 seconds), and were completed and signed in a more timely fashion (0.115 days vs. 20.7 days). CONCLUSION Electronic templates are a more accurate and rapid method compared to free-form oral dictation for the completion of Mohs micrographic surgery operative notes and have the advantage of being immediately available to review and sign.
Sweep A: space-efficient heuristic search in partially ordered graphs

We describe a novel heuristic search algorithm, called Sweep A*, that exploits the regular structure of partially ordered graphs to substantially reduce the memory requirements of search. We show that it outperforms previous search algorithms in optimally aligning multiple protein or DNA sequences, an important problem in bioinformatics. Sweep A* also promises to be effective for other search problems with similar structure.
On the sigma—pi separability problem

A canonical transformation is performed in order to eliminate the strong Coulomb interaction between sigma and pi electrons. Using a restricted basis set for the sigma—pi system, the separability problem is solved to the extent that further corrections are proportional to fluctuations of the already small energy transfer term of the pi electrons.
A Hybrid Cross-Layer Routing Protocol for MANETs

Wireless link effects impose unique challenges to routing protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs). In this paper, we propose Hybrid Cross-Layer Routing (HCLR) protocol designed and implemented based on the premise of being able to leverage a pair of proactive and reactive routing schemes. While the former is used to avoid long routing discovery latencies, the latter is used to compensate against wireless link effects thereby allowing for making more intelligent routing decisions. Compared to standalone proactive or reactive routing protocols, HCLR provides a two-tier improvement logic by performing local on-demand search in an n-hop neighborhood utilizing a 2-tuple cross-layer routing metric. We implement HCLR in Linux Quagga suite and demonstrate its performance improvements compared to OSPF MANET Designated Routing (MDR) through emulation studies.
Lung Disease Associated with the IVS8 5T Allele of the CFTR Gene

Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene. The 5T allele in intron 8 (IVS8) causes abnormal splicing in the CFTR gene, and is associated with lung disease when it occurs in cis with a missense mutation in the CFTR gene, R117H. However, the 5T variant alone has not been reported to cause lung disease. We describe two adult female patients with CF-like lung disease associated with the 5T allele. One patient's genotype is 5T-TG12-M470V/5T-TG12-M470V, and the other is DeltaF508/5T-TG12-M470V; full sequencing of the CFTR gene revealed no other mutation on the same allele as the 5T variant. The levels of full-length CFTR mRNA in respiratory epithelia were very low in these patients (11 and 6%, respectively, of total CFTR mRNA expression). Both patients had defective CFTR-mediated chloride conductance in the sweat ductal and/or acinar epithelia (sweat chloride, mmol/L, mean +/- SEM: 40.0 +/- 5.0 [n = 8 samples] and 80. 0 +/- 3.5 [n = 6 samples]) and airway epithelia (mV, mean +/- SEM CFTR-mediated Cl(-) conductance of 1.2 +/- 2.2 [n = 5 studies] and -6.75 +/- 8.1 [n = 4 studies]). These data suggest that the 5T polythymidine tract sequence on specific haplotype backgrounds (TG12 and M470V) may cause a low level of full-length functional CFTR protein and CF-like lung disease.