cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ILLNESS BEHAVIOR AND SELECTED ILLNESSES.

Abstract In the expanding field of medical sociology, the frequency of visits to a free medical facility has become an important form of illness behavior. Such behavior not only reflects the individual's physical health, but also his perception of it, and his decision what to do about it. Involved here are also his attitudes toward doctors and medical care, his psychological make-up, and his phenomenological well-being. Various studies have been able to relate the frequency of dispensary visits to such variables as occupational status, self-esteem and self-acceptance, perceived stress, and the readiness to assume the sick role. The present study was concerned with relating the frequency of dispensary visits to the following variables: disturbances of mood (reported well-being) and self-report measures of aggressive tendencies and of control over impulsiveness and over feelings of anger. The same variables were also related to three diagnostic categories: rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, and ulcer. The major findings, obtained on an industrial population of over 300 male workers, are summarized below: 1. 1. Subjects who obtained high scores on the Mood Scales labeled Aggressive, Jittery, and Depressed had a greater frequency of illness behavior (dispensary visits for illness and illness absences). 2. 2. Subjects who scored high on a self-report scale reflecting a tendency to engage in overt aggressive behavior, had a greater frequency of illness behavior. 3. 3. The above test and questionnaire data were unrelated to control variables, not indicative of illness behavior: hernia, dispensary visits for injuries, and absences for personal leaves. 4. 4. When the measures of control over impulsiveness and over feelings of anger were considered jointly with the other scales, then it was apparent that the amount of control affects the association of illness behavior with mood and overt aggressiveness: strong control reduces the association and weak control enhances it. 5. 5. If the scales reflecting tendency to engage in overt aggressive behavior and to control impulsiveness and angry feelings are used to construct a two-dimensional space, then the following placements of the different diagnostic categories are possible: 5.1. (a) Hypertensive men tend to be low on overt aggressiveness and high on control. 5.2. (b) Rheumatoid arthritics tend to be high on overt aggressiveness and high on control. 5.3. (c) Men with ulcers tend to be low on overt aggressiveness and low on control. 5.4. (d) Subjects with a high frequency of illness behavior tend to be high on overt aggressiveness and low on control.
Integrins, mast cells, and innate immunity

Over the past several years, there has been increasing awareness of the importance of mast cells in initial host defense against invading bacteria.[1][1] In several different models of infection of normally sterile body cavities, mast cells have a significant role in initiating the process of innate
Design of tenofovir–UC781 combination microbicide vaginal gels

Tenofovir (TFV) is a proven microbicide when administered topically as a vaginal gel. To improve its efficacy, TFV was combined with the nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor UC781 in a vaginal gel. Mixture design of experiments theory was used to define a range of gel compositions with varying rheological properties and to assess in vitro drug release and tissue retention. Experiments and computations led to the specification of three different gels referred to as a spreading gel (SG), an intermediate spreading gel (ISG), and a bolus gel (BG). These three gels, all containing 1.0% TFV and 0.1% micronized UC781, were evaluated for in vitro release, in vitro tissue retention and safety, and in vivo pharmacokinetics in the rabbit. There were some differences in in vitro release rates of UC781 (the higher the gel viscosity, the slower the release rate) across gels, while release of TFV was independent of gel type. In an organotypic human vaginal–ectocervical (VEC) tissue model, the amounts of tissue-associated TFV and UC781 were several orders of magnitude higher than their in vitro half-maximal inhibitory concentration. There were no differences in VEC tissue concentrations of TFV or UC781 between the SG, ISG, and BG. All three gels were well tolerated in the VEC model as assessed by tissue viability, electrical resistance, histology, and cytokine (interleukin-8 and interleukin-1 beta) release. The local vaginal tissue concentrations in rabbits following a single dose or seven once-daily doses were variable and generally lower than those found in the VEC tissue model. The approach described herein provides a rational schema to design and evaluate vaginal gels for use as microbicides. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 101:1852–1864, 2012
Advanced Vehicle Sonification Applications

Visual displays are still mainly used in the in-vehicle context, but they may be problematic for providing timely, appropriate feedback to drivers. To compensate for the drawbacks of visual displays, multimodal displays have been developed, but applied to limited areas (e.g., collision warning sounds). The present paper introduces advanced vehicle sonification applications: Two of our on-going projects (fuel efficiency sonification and driver emotion sonification) and a plausible future project (nearby traffic sonification). In addition, applicable sonification techniques and solutions are provided. Sonification applications to these areas can be an effective, unobtrusive means to increase drivers' situation awareness and engagement with driving, which will lead to road safety. To successfully implement these applications, iterative and intensive assessment of driver needs, effectiveness of the application, and its impact on driver distraction and road safety should be conducted.
Human papillomavirus DNA detection in ThinPrep Pap test vials is independent of cytologic sampling of the transformation zone.

Abstract Objective Sampling of the transformation zone (TZ) and endocervical cells (EC) has been widely regarded as a quality indicator in cervical screening programs; however, the significance of a TZ/EC sample (TZ/ECS) in promoting disease detection remains a matter of controversy. Because little data are available on the relationship between TZ/EC sampling and HPV DNA test results, we examined whether or not there is a measurable association between high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) DNA test results and TZ/EC sampling in several thousand women screened in a large academic women's hospital laboratory. Methods 9035 ThinPrep Pap tests (TPPT) reported as negative, LSIL, or HSIL and which also had Hybrid capture 2 (HC2) hrHPV DNA testing over an 18 month period between July 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006 were documented. 8415 negative, 526 LSIL, and 84 HSIL TPPT were included in the study. The age of patients, the presence or absence of a TZ/ECS, and hrHPV DNA test results were noted from CoPath data files. Patients were stratified into 10 year age groups for data analysis. Results An identical 2.8% of Pap negative patients were hrHPV DNA positive in both the 6709 cytology negative patients with a TZ/ECS and the 1706 cytology negative patients without a TZ/ECS. Neither were statistically significant differences noted for hrHPV DNA prevalence in patients with SIL Pap test results from women with and without a TZ/ECS. Conclusions HC2 hrHPV DNA detection in TPPT vials is independent of cytologic sampling of the transformation zone. hrHPV DNA results provide for the first time an available objective basis for risk assessment of patients with no TZ/ECS. The observation that hrHPV DNA test status is independent of presence or absence of a TZ/ECS is consistent with longitudinal studies of Pap negative women with no TZ/ECS which have not found increased disease on follow-up.
Validation of battery energy storage control for wind farm dispatching

Integrating a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with a large wind farm can smooth out the intermittent power from the wind farm. This paper focuses on the experimental validation of the proposed control strategy for the BESS. The paper considers a rule based control scheme, which is the solution of the optimal control problem defined, to incorporate the operating constraints of the BESS, such as state of charge limits, charge/discharge current limits and lifetime. The goal of the control is to have the BESS provide as much smoothing as possible so that the wind farm can be dispatched on an hourly basis based on the forecasted wind conditions. The effectiveness of this control strategy has been tested by using an actual wind farm data and it is shown that optimal dispatching is achieved with the proposed method. Finally, the method is verified with an experiment and the details of the implementation are explained.
Transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A) is a Ca2+-regulated Cl- secretory channel in mouse airways.

For almost two decades, it has been postulated that calcium-activated Cl– channels (CaCCs) play a role in airway epithelial Cl– secretion, but until recently, the molecular identity of the airway CaCC(s) was unknown. Recent studies have unequivocally identified TMEM16A as a glandular epithelial CaCC. We have studied the airway bioelectrics of neonatal mice homozygous for a null allele of Tmem16a (Tmem16a–/–) to investigate the role of this channel in Cl– secretion in airway surface epithelium. When compared with wild-type tracheas, the Tmem16a–/– tracheas exhibited a >60% reduction in purinoceptor (UTP)-regulated CaCC activity. Other members of the Tmem16 gene family, including Tmem16f and Tmem16k, were also detected by reverse transcription-PCR in neonatal tracheal epithelium, suggesting that other family members could be considered as contributing to the small residual UTP response. TMEM16A, however, appeared to contribute little to unstimulated Cl– secretion, whereas studies with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-deficient mice and wild-type littermates revealed that unstimulated Cl– secretion reflected ∼50% CFTR activity and ∼50% non-Tmem16a activity. Interestingly, the tracheas of both the Tmem16a–/– and the CFTR–/– mice exhibited similar congenital cartilaginous defects that may reflect a common Cl– secretory defect mediated by the molecularly distinct Cl– channels. Importantly, the residual CaCC activity in Tmem16a–/– mice appeared inadequate for normal airway hydration because Tmem16a–/– tracheas exhibited significant, neonatal, lumenal mucus accumulation. Our data suggest that TMEM16A CaCC-mediated Cl– secretion appears to be necessary for normal airway surface liquid homeostasis.
Radio-frequency-injector-driven Cherenkov free-electron laser

Abstract The match between the electron beam parameters typical of radio-frequency injectors and the requirements for Cherenkov free-electron laser operation are explored. Conditions for high-peak-gain, high-peak-power and short-pulse operation at far-infrared wavelengths are defined.
Novel flavonoids with antiproliferative activities against breast cancer cells.

A series of flavone analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-proliferation activity against breast cancer cells. The IC50 of compound 10 and 24 were determined to be at 5μM. These compounds were used as baits to screen breast cancer cDNA expression phage display proteome library. DNA sequencing of the binding phages suggests that eEF1A1 is a target protein for 10 and 24. Further optimization of these compounds led to the discovery of 39 with higher cytotoxic potency (IC50 = 1μM) and binding to eEF1A2. Biological and biochemical data suggest that eEF1A2 might be a therapeutic target and that 39 is an excellent lead compound for further development.
Glass formation through hydrolysis of Si(OC2H5)4 with NH4OH and HCl solution

Abstract Monolithic silica glass was obtained by heating the gels prepared by hydrolyzing Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 4 with NH 4 OH and HCl solution. The effect of the condition of hydrolysis of Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 4 on glass formation was examined by measuring the bulk density, the infrared spectra and the thermal shrinkage of the gel on heating. The gel prepared by hydrolysis with NH 4 OH solution consisted of numerous spherical particles, the bulk density being about 0.8. This gel abruptly shrank at about 1050°C, being converted to the pore free material similar to fused silica. The conversion of the gel to glass followed the sintering model in which the viscous flow controlled the sintering process. The viscosity and the activation energy for viscous flow were calculated on the basis of the Frenkel equation. On the other hand, the spherical particles were not observed in the gel prepared by hydrolysis with HCl solution. The bulk density of the gel was about 1.8. This gel was converted to glass at about 700°C, which was lower than the temperature of glass formation for the gel obtained by hydrolysis with NH 4 OH solution.
Relative efficiency of a pump for sampling larval gizzard and threadfin shad

Abstract Efficiency of a 1.18-m3/min-capacity pump for sampling larval fishes quantitatively was compared with that of a 0.25-m2 plankton net during monthly nighttime collections in a reservoir. Net samples contained seven fish taxa whereas only two were collected by pumps; however, gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum and threadfin shad D. petenense (which usually could not be distinguished from each other as small larvae) accounted for more than 97% of the specimens caught in both samplers. Regression analyses indicated that pump catch rates (expressed as number per 1,000 m3) averaged 39.5% of the net catches for 3–6-mm shad larvae, 8.5% for 7–12-mm larvae, and 1.1% for 13–20-mm larvae. Coefficients of variation among triplicate pump samples averaged about 2.6 times higher than they did for net samples for 3–6-mm larvae, 4.5 times higher for 7–12-mm larvae, and 9.0 times higher for 13–20-mm shad. Although pumps usually provided density estimates that were lower and less precise than those obtained from nets...
Biting the hand that fed it: Did the stock market boom of the late 1990s impede investment in manufacturing?

The stock market increase in the 1990s may have diverted funds from fixed investments in manufacturing to other investiments, such as share repurchases, and to firms with faster stock price gains. We find that overall investment remained lower than it could have been without the stock price appreciation. We also find that manufacturing investment was impeded by the developments in the stock market. Based on our results, the policy focus should be on offering incentives for corporate decision makers to prioritize productive investments over other uses of funds instead of means to entice lenders to increase lending to manufacturing firms.
Evaluating the impact of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment conditions on the cost of ethanol production

Abstract Ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment is an ammonia-based process for improving the susceptibility of lignocellulosic biomass to enzymatic attack. Four parameters – ammonia loading, water loading, reaction temperature, and residence time – can be varied in order to optimize AFEX pretreatment. The effect of these parameters on process economics of ethanol production was studied using a leading biorefinery model. Ammonia loading and residence time had the greatest impact on the economics of ethanol production, primarily due to processing costs for the chilled water condenser and the capital cost of the AFEX reactor. Water loading and reaction temperature had only modest impact on process economics. In addition, the impact of pretreatment conditions on makeup ammonia requirements was explored experimentally, which ranged from 15 to 25 g ammonia/kg biomass. Overall, pretreatment conditions can change the costs of ethanol production by up to 35 cents per gallon ethanol in an 850 ton/day refinery. By linking the results obtained from this Aspen model to experimental results for ethanol production and makeup ammonia recovery, this study can be used to create an economic optimum for AFEX pretreatment in contrast with simply maximizing fermentable sugar production.
Changes in the Paper Electrophoretic Whey-Protein Pattern of Cows with Acute Mastitis

Abstract Pre-treatment and post-treatment observations on 43 suspected cases of mastitis were made concerning: (1) the quality of the milk and the condition of the udder (barn tests); (2) the number of leucocytes in the milk; (3) the presence of bacteria in the milk, and (4) the relative amounts of the various whey proteins. The most consistent and obvious change in the whey-protein pattern of milk from mastitic quarters was the appearance of a fraction migrating at the rate of blood-serum albumin. Relative increases in the amount of immune globulins were also noted. The presence of blood-serum albumin in whey was consistently accompanied by high leucocyte counts, but the reverse was not necessarily true. There seemed to be little correlation between the presence of blood-serum albumin and bacteria in the milk. Blood-serum albumin in whey seems to be a reliable indicator of inflammation and, hence, mastitis.
Distinctions and similarities among working memory processes: an event-related potential study

Abstract Working memory has been conceptualized as consiting of a number of components, such as an articulatory loop for rehearsing verbal material, a visuo-spatial sketch pad for maintaining visual images and a central executive that controls which information is made available for conscious processing. We recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs) from normal human subjects while they maintained either visuo-spatial or phonological material in short-term memory for a 5-s interval. The results indicated that specialized brain systems for short-term storage of phonological and visuo-spatial information could be identified on the basis of marked differences between the topographies and morphologies of the ERP components elicited during these two types of short-term memory. The differences emerged during early encoding stages and continued through later retention stages.
Validation of an automated image analysis micronucleus scoring system

Abstract The Loats Automated Micronucleus Scoring System was developed to assist with the evaluation of compounds for the ability to induce micronuclei in mouse bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE). This image analysis system can identify PCE as well as normochromatic erythocytes (NCE) and calculate the PCE/NCE ratio as an index for bone marrow toxicity. Two studies were conducted to provide slides for a comparison of micronucleated PCE values collected manually to those collected by the automated system. Mitomycin C was used as a micronucleus-inducing agent to elicit a positive response and Lilly compound 303497 was used as an example of a compound negative for the induction of micronuclei. No statistically significant differences were observed between micronucleus counts obtained manually and those obtained by the automated system. The PCE/NCE ratios calculated by the automated system were also similar to those determined from the manually collected PCE and NCE counts for the vehicle and positive controls, however, differences in the ratios were observed in compound treatment groups. These differences were attributed to a larger population of transitional cells in the treated groups. These results confirm that the Loats Automated Micronucleus Scoring System is an acceptable alternative to manual evaluation of mouse bone marrow slides for the incidence of micronucleated PCE.
A Clubhouse Is a Clubhouse Is a Clubhouse.

Abstract This paper tells the story of the design, development, and implementation of a technology-rich after-school program. Through the examination of the original design of Kids Learning in Computer Klubhouses (KLICK!) and its diverse realizations in 10 middle schools, we are able to identify the spirit of this after-school program (freedom to learn, production of meaningful ‘works’, and collaboration) and factors that hindered its realization: the culture of schooling and inflexible interpretation of the design. The paper also discusses issues of innovation, localization of innovations, and the reciprocal redefinition of innovations.
Agricultural Surplus Disposal and U.S. Economic Policies

In the four and a half years ending December 31, 1958, the United States exported close to 2.1 billion—has been earmarked for economic development purposes in the receiving countries. Surplus disposal thus not only has become a primary means of promoting United States agricultural exports, but has acquired a major role in our foreign aid programs as well.
Land‐use and flood‐flows

Problems of flood-control increase in urgency of solution with more intensive use of land. The Omnibus Flood Control Act of 1936 (Public H. R. 738, 74th Congress) represents an important forward step on the part of the Federal Government to work out with States and Districts ways of alleviating flood-damage and of retardation of storm-runoff from its beginning in unabsorbed raindrops to raging rivers. The gathering grounds of flood-waters become as much a part of the problem as the flood-ways of the trunk-streams. In short, the science of hydrology is called upon to furnish the information necessary to a vast and vital undertaking in the use and protection of land- and water-resources.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Usefulness for the Etiological Diagnosis of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

With improvement in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques, the ability to identify lesions responsible for temporal lobe epilepsy has increased. MR imaging has also enabled the in vivo diagnosis of hippocampal sclerosis. Brain tumors are responsible for 2-4% of epilepsies in adult population and 10-20% of medically intractable epilepsy. The sensitivity of MR imaging in the diagnosis of tumors and other lesions of the temporal lobe (vascular malformations, etc.) is around 90%. Both hippocampal sclerosis and other temporal lobe lesions are amenable to surgical therapy with excellent postsurgical seizure outcome. In this article, we characterize and underline distinguishing features of the different pathological entities. We also suggest an approach to reviewing the MR images of an epileptic patient.
Chemotropic Response of the Pollen of Antirrhinum majus to Calcium

An improved spectrophotometric method for the determination of lipoxidase activity was developed and applied in studies of the purified enzyme and crude enzyme preparations from leguminous seeds, with linoleic acid solubilized in Tween 20 as the substrate. The optimum pH was found to be 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, and 5.5, for purified soybean lipoxidase and for the crude lipoxidases extracted from gram flour (Cicer sp.) soybean meal (Glycine niax L.), and hyclrated mung beans (Phaseolus aureus L.), respectively. The application of this test illustrates A) that the present method was free from the inherent limitations on pH present in the original methods, B) that increasing the amount of detergent, in a fixed concentration of fatty substrate, caused inhibition in the enzymatic activity; more pronounced inhibitions occurred when the concentrations of detergent as well as of fatty substrate were increased in equal proportions, and C) peroxide formation is proportional to time of reaction and to enzyme concentration. Determ,ination of lipoxidase activity in germinating mung beans indicated 3 periods of enzyme activity: a slow decline from 8 to 24 hours, a rapid decline from 24 to 40 hours, and a linear decline from 40 to 80 hours of germination. Literature Cited
Climatography of Thunder Events in the Conterminous United States. Part II: Spatial Aspects

Abstract The average temporal and spatial distributions of thunder events (periods of discrete thunder activity heard at a point) in the conterminous United States were found to be generally similar to those of thunder days. Annual averages of thunder events peak along the Gulf Coast (>100) and are also quite high in the central United States (Kansas, Missouri, Illinois with >75 events), and in the southwest (Arizona with 60 events). Thunder events are least along the west coast (<20) and in the northeast (<30). Multiple events per day are greatest in the Midwest (Illinois, Iowa) averaging 1.7 events per summer day, and are also high in the southwest (Arizona) with 1.5 events. This causes these two maxima in thunder event activity to be more pronounced than those found on the pattern of average thunder days. The average patterns for the thunder event frequencies, multiple events per day, and durations reveal that convective activity is weakest and shortlived along the west coast and in the northeast. The ...
Diffractive photonic crystal fiber

In the present report we propose an innovative concept for effective diffractive wave guiding of optical (infrared, visible and X-rays) beams based on the effect of diffractive multifocal focusing of radiation (DMFR). The optical DMFR effect, predicted earlier by theory, on a bicomponent diffraction system, has recently been confirmed experimentally. The bicomponent diffraction system consists of two plane screens with circular apertures, which are located in the first open Fresnel zone of each other along optical axes. It was shown that the diffraction picture in the focal planes of such a system represents a bright narrow peak at the center for open odd Fresnel zones, whose intensity can exceed by six times the value of the intensity of the incident spherical wave. We propose to utilize the DMRF effect for multi-component system of pinholes, positioned along the optical axis, and design a new diffractive photonic-crystal-like fiber (wave-guide), in which space localization of an electromagnetic field is rigidly fixed for given values of the wavelength and the pinhole diameter. Thus, such a diffractive photonic crystal has an internal periodic macrostructure, but it differs from a traditional photonic crystal in that the forbidden zones are formed in a natural way as a result of the diffraction off the pinhole system.
Application-Aware Routing for Multi-hop Cognitive Radio Networks with Channel Bonding

Due to the unequal spectrum resources in different areas, multi-hop wireless cognitive radio network (MWCRN) faces the challenge of a relatively poor performance. In this paper, we propose an application-aware routing scheme with channel bonding technique to help improve the efficiency and performance of a MWCRN network. More specifically, we formulate an optimization problem aiming to meet the application request, as well as operating at low transmission cost. To solve this problem, we first study the greatest lower bound of transmission cost named as Utopian cost, as well as an upper bound of transmission cost. Moreover, we propose two distributed algorithms for practical applications. Simulation results show that the proposed application-aware scheme achieves low transmission cost in MWCRN while satisfying demands of application requests.
Tolerability of oral xylitol solution in young children: implications for otitis media prophylaxis.

Summary Objective Xylitol, given as 2 g orally five times-a-day, significantly reduces the incidence of acute otitis media (AOM) in children. A less frequent dosing schedule, if tolerable and efficacious, would promote the more widespread use of this treatment. We sought to determine the tolerability and acceptability in young children of oral xylitol solution at doses of 5 g three times-a-day (TID) and 7.5 g once daily (QD). Methods The study was a 3-month randomized placebo-controlled trial of the tolerability and acceptability of oral xylitol solution in 120 children 6–36 months of age performed in the SCOR Network. Results Study withdrawals and unscheduled medical visits for gastrointestinal complaints did not differ significantly among the study groups. The proportions of subjects in the xylitol TID group who experienced excessive gas or diarrhea at months 1, 2, and 3 were 22.7%, 10.0%, and 14.3%, respectively, and in the xylitol QD group were 27.3%, 17.4%, and 14.3%, respectively, and these did not differ from the placebo groups. The proportions who accepted the study solution easily or with only minor difficulty at 1, 2, and 3 months in the xylitol TID group were 77.3%, 90.0%, and 90.5% and in the xylitol QD group, 77.3%, 82.6%, and 90.5%, respectively. Conclusions Oral xylitol solution at dosages of 5 g TID and 7.5 g QD is well-tolerated by young children. Given the potential for xylitol as a safe, inexpensive option for AOM prophylaxis, clinical trials using these dosages of xylitol can be conducted.
Gamma oscillations in the midbrain spatial attention network: linking circuits to function.

Gamma-band (25-140 Hz) oscillations are ubiquitous in mammalian forebrain structures involved in sensory processing, attention, learning and memory. The optic tectum (01) is the central structure in a midbrain network that participates critically in controlling spatial attention. In this review, we summarize recent advances in characterizing a neural circuit in this midbrain network that generates large amplitude, space-specific, gamma oscillations in the avian OT, both in vivo and in vitro. We describe key physiological and pharmacological mechanisms that produce and regulate the structure of these oscillations. The extensive similarities between midbrain gamma oscillations in birds and those in the neocortex and hippocampus of mammals, offer important insights into the functional significance of a midbrain gamma oscillatory code.
Strenuous exercise with caloric restriction: effect on luteinizing hormone secretion

WILLIAMS, N. I., J. C. YOUNG, J. W. McARTHUR, B. BULLEN, G. S. SKRINAR, and B. TURNBULL. Strenuous exercise with caloric restriction : effect on luteinizing hormone secretion. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 27, No. 10, pp. 1390-1398, 1995. To test whether strenuous exercise with and without caloric restriction alters LH secretion, and whether these changes are apparent in the immediate post-exercise period, LH pulse parameters were studied in four moderately trained eumenorrheic women over three successive menstrual cycles. Blood samples were obtained 5 h before and 5 h after 90 min of running at 74% VO 2max . Each test was preceded by a 7-d treatment of controlled diet and exercise (74% VO 2max ). During CONTROL, subjects were eucaloric on days 1-7, and performed no exercise on days 5-7. During STTI (short-term training increase), subjects were eucaloric and completed 90 min runs on days 5-7. During DIET/STTI, subjects consumed 60% of the calories necessary to maintain weight on days 1-7, and exercised as in STTI. A significant decrease in overall (0700-1830 h) LH pulse frequency during DIET/STTI compared with CONTROL and STTI treatments was observed. No changes were found in mean serum LH levels or peak amplitude. These results suggest that high-volume training combined with caloric restriction may predispose one to exercise-induced changes in LH pulse frequency, while adequate caloric intake may prevent these changes.
Sven Ivar Seldinger: Catheter introduction on a flexible leader

The Seldinger method of guide-wire catheterization was originally described by Sven Ivar Seldinger, a Swedish radiologist, as an arterial cannulation method for performing arteriography. Subsequent modifications have adapted the technique for use in venous catheterization. The major advantage of the Seldinger technique is that it allows for the insertion of a catheter that is larger in diameter than the needle utilized. Its principle use in emergency medicine has been in central venous cannulation, but the guide wire technique has also found utility in peripheral arterial cannulation, percutaneous transtracheal ventilation, and diagnostic peritoneal lavage.
Endovenous ablation of the great saphenous vein may avert phlebectomy for branch varicose veins.

Background Endovenous ablation of the great saphenous vein (GSV) may be performed simultaneously with stab phlebectomy of branch varicose veins or as a stand-alone procedure. A clinical approach of performing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) alone as initial treatment for varicose veins was reviewed. Methods Patients with duplex ultrasound–documented reflux in the GSV and CEAP clinical stage 2 to 6 were selected for RFA. Patients were examined within a week preoperatively with duplex ultrasound imaging. Patients were seen within a week postoperatively and again at 2 to 3 months to ascertain if further treatment was required. A retrospective review of the initial 184 procedures in a series from June 2002 through February 2005 was performed, allowing for a 9-month follow-up period. Results Three procedures were performed under general anesthesia and 181 with intravenous sedation and tumescent anesthesia. Postoperative duplex scans showed total occlusion or partial patency of 10 cm on postoperative duplex imaging. Nine limbs had no further therapy (37.5%), eight (33.3%) had subsequent stab phlebectomy, and three had stripping of the GSV and stab phlebectomy. Four limbs had a redo RFA, four limbs had an aborted RFA procedure, and one limb was lost to follow-up. Failure of total GSV occlusion was more often associated with use of a 6F catheter. Complications were generally mild, and there was no postoperative deep vein thrombosis. Conclusion Endovenous ablation of the GSV can be performed safely and effectively as the initial treatment for lower extremity varicose veins. Because most patients show clinical improvement after RFA, an algorithm of reassessment of the limb and branch varicose veins several months post-RFA allows most patients to defer stab phlebectomy.
Determination of critical micelle concentration of cationic surfactants by surface-enhanced Raman scattering

A novel approach, based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) functionalized silver nanoparticles, was developed to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of cationic surfactants. A graph was generated by plotting the Raman intensity ratio between the aromatic ring vibration of DTNB at 1558 cm−1 and its symmetric nitro stretching at 1333 cm−1 as a function of surfactant concentration. An abrupt change of slope at a particular concentration was shown to reliably predict the CMC of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).
Impulse response of a conducting sphere based on singularity expansion method

An approximate method based on the singularity expansion method is developed to determine the impulse response of a conducting sphere.
A new species of night-heron (Ardeidae: Nyctanassa) from Quaternary deposits on Bermuda

ABSTRACT Nyctanassa carcinocatactes is described from Pleistocene and Holocene cave and pond deposits on the island of Bermuda. It is most similar to the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron N. violacea but differs in having a shorter and much heavier bill, a much more massive cranium, and more robust hindlimbs. Early historical accounts contain descriptions of what is undoubtedly this species, which was presumably exterminated subsequent to human colonization of Bermuda. The cranial and hindlimb specializations of the new species appear to be adaptations for feeding terrestrially on land crabs.
Near threshold fatigue crack growth behavior of a titanium alloy: Ti-6A1-4V

Abstract Near threshold fatigue crack growth behavior of Ti-6A1-4V alloy was investigated as function of Widmanstatten microstructures. In particular, the effect of colony size on ΔK th , ΔK eff,th and K cl,th has been studied. It has been found that crack growth rates are strongly affected by the size of microstructural features such as colonies and α laths. However, the microstructural units controlling crack growth are colonies in fast cooled microstructures consisting of fine Widmanstatten colonies while they are α laths in relatively slow cooled ones with coarse colonies. As a result, the projection in literature of increased fatigue crack growth resistance at large colony sizes in titanium alloys can not be generalized. This distinction appears to be brought about by the thick continuous interplatelet β phase present in slow cooled structures. In fast cooled structures, thin discontinuous β phase is seen to be ineffective in arresting slip or crack. However, in slow cooled ones thick β phase appears to effectively retard slip/crack in fatigue. The thickness, composition, intrinsic properties such as modulus, ductility of β phase and an added environmental effect have been suggested to be important in this respect. The crack growth rates and the magnitudes of ΔK th and ΔK eff,th can be uniquely ordered when compared in terms of the controlling microstructural units in respective microstructures. However, crack closure levels at threshold appear to be dependent on colony size. In addition, an increase in the intrinsic crack growth resistance ΔK eff,th appears to exist when the cyclic plastic zone size approaches the thickness of α laths in the microstructure.
Exact decomposition of cnoidal waves into associated solitons

Abstract Starting from the Korteweg de Vries equation, a precise model is developed of the decomposition of cnoidal waves into associated solitons.
Stages in the Family Therapy of Adolescents

Family therapy is considered from the systems point of view as a process with a series of stages including definitive beginning and end points. The stages are identified as crisis points in family therapy - i.e., moments in the therapy process when the equilibrium of the family is upset and when stress reactions among family members are most likely to be intense. Since times of crisis also provide special opportunities for growth and change, they can be utilized therapeutically provided the therapist is knowledgeable about the kinds of upheavals that a family may experience and the time sequence in which they may occur. Eight such crisis points and their relation to therapeutic intervention are presented. The purpose of this paper is to outline the role of the crisis as therapeutic opportunity in the course of family therapy.
The Synthesis of Isomeric Dithymidyl-phosphorus(V)-meso-tetraphenylporphyrins

The synthesis of three novel axial dinucleosides was successfully accomplished. The compounds are 5″-O, 5″-O-dithymidylphosphorus(V)-meso-tetraphenylporphyrin, 5″-O, 3″-O-dithymi-dylphosphorus(V)-meso-tetraphenylporphyrin, and 3″-O, 3″-O-dithymidylphosphorus(V)tetraphenylporo-phyrin. These compounds could provide a lead toward the synthesis of an oligo-porphyrinyl DNA analogue that represents a system containing phosphorus(V)porphine units axially connected through the 5″-O-thymidine-3″-O bridges.
Differences in Conformity among Friends and Strangers

Two studies employed a variation of Asch's 1952 social influence paradigm to assess whether the tendency to conform is the same in a group of close friends as in a group of strangers. In Exp. 1, groups of 4 college students listened to a tape of static noise and attempted to determine whether a tone had been played along with the noise. Three experimental confederates, who were either friends of the naive subject or strangers, responded verbally with the wrong answer on 12 of 16 trials. Subjects in a group of strangers conformed to the incorrect group norm more frequently than subjects in a group of friends. In Exp. 2, two groups of 2 or 6 college students watched a beam of light and were asked to determine whether it had moved. Again, confederates who were either strangers or friends of each subject responded verbally with wrong answers. A 2 × 2 analysis of variance gave no main effects for group size or group type, but the interaction was significant, indicating that subjects were no more likely to conf...
Absorption of X-rays in Various Elements

IN a recent letter to NATURE (Nov. 12, p. 695), Dr. E. Jonnson concludes from his measurements on the absorption of X-rays over a wide range of wave-lengths that the so-called ‘jump’ δK of the absorption coefficient in passing the K-absorption limit is given by
Evolution in Candida albicans Populations During a Single Passage Through a Mouse Host

The mechanisms and rates by which genotypic and phenotypic variation is generated in opportunistic, eukaryotic pathogens during growth in hosts are not well understood. We evaluated genomewide genetic and phenotypic evolution in Candida albicans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans, during passage through a mouse host (in vivo) and during propagation in liquid culture (in vitro). We found slower population growth and higher rates of chromosome-level genetic variation in populations passaged in vivo relative to those grown in vitro. Interestingly, the distribution of long-range loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and chromosome rearrangement events across the genome differed for the two growth environments, while rates of short-range LOH were comparable for in vivo and in vitro populations. Further, for the in vivo populations, there was a positive correlation of cells demonstrating genetic alterations and variation in colony growth and morphology. For in vitro populations, no variation in growth phenotypes was detected. Together, our results demonstrate that passage through a living host leads to slower growth and higher rates of genomic and phenotypic variation compared to in vitro populations. Results suggest that the dynamics of population growth and genomewide rearrangement contribute to the maintenance of a commensal and opportunistic life history of C. albicans.
READING NONVERBAL CUES TO EMOTIONS: THE ADVANTAGES AND LIABILITIES OF RELATIONSHIP CLOSENESS

Accuracy at reading nonverbal cues to emotions was examined for close friends, less close friends, and strangers. Forty-eight senders were videotaped talking about an experience during which they felt either very happy, very sad, or very angry. Half of the time they expressed their emotion clearly, and half of the time they concealed their emotion. Forty-eight judges watched these tapes without sound and attempted to identify the senders’ emotions. Each judge watched a videotape of both a platonic friend and a stranger. Overall, friends were more accurate than strangers at identifying the senders’ emotions, however, less close friends were better than closer friends at correctly judging concealed sadness and anger. In discussing these findings, we consider models of motivated inaccuracy, accommodatingness, and emotions as calls to action.
General performance on a numeracy scale among highly educated samples.

Background. Numeracy, how facile people are with basic probability and mathematical concepts, is associated with how people perceive health risks. Performance on simple numeracy problems has been poor among populations with little as well as more formal education. Here, we examine how highly educated participants performed on a general and an expanded numeracy scale. The latter was designed within the context of health risks. Method. A total of 463 men and women aged 40 and older completed a 3-item general and an expanded 7-item numeracy scale. The expanded scale assessed how well people 1) differentiate and perform simple mathematical operations on risk magnitudes using percentages and proportions, 2) convert percentages to proportions, 3) convert proportions to percentages, and 4) convert probabilities to proportions. Results. On average, 18% and 32% of participants correctly answered all of the general and expanded numeracy scale items. Approximately 16% to 20% incorrectly answered the most straightfor...
Development of a Telescope for Medium-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomy

Since the launch of AGILE and FERMI, the scientific progress in high-energy (E(sub gamma) greater than approximately 200 MeV) gamma-ray science has been, and will continue to be dramatic. Both of these telescopes cover a broad energy range from approximately 20 MeV to greater than 10 GeV. However, neither instrument is optimized for observations below approximately 200 MeV where many astrophysical objects exhibit unique, transitory behavior, such as spectral breaks, bursts, and flares. Hence, while significant progress from current observations is expected, there will nonetheless remain a significant sensitivity gap in the medium-energy (approximately 0.1-200 MeV) regime; the lower end of this range remains largely unexplored whereas the upper end will allow comparison with FERMI data. Tapping into this unexplored regime requires significant improvements in sensitivity. A major emphasis of modern detector development, with the goal of providing significant improvements in sensitivity in the medium-energy regime, focuses on high-resolution electron tracking. The Three-Dimensional Track Imager (3-DTI) technology being developed at GSFC provides high resolution tracking of the electron-positron pair from gamma-ray interactions from 5 to 200 MeV. The 3-DTI consists of a time projection chamber (TPC) and 2-D cross-strip microwell detector (MWD). The low-density and homogeneous design of the 3-DTI, offers unprecedented sensitivity by providing angular resolution near the kinematic limit. Electron tracking also enables measurement of gamma-ray polarization, a new tool to study astrophysical phenomenon. We describe the design, fabrication, and performance of a 30x30x30 cubic centimeters 3-DTI detector prototype of a medium-energy gamma-ray telescope.
Chronic disease and recent addiction treatment utilization among alcohol and drug dependent adults

Background Chronic medical diseases require regular and longitudinal care and self-management for effective treatment. When chronic diseases include substance use disorders, care and treatment of both the medical and addiction disorders may affect access to care and the ability to focus on both conditions. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the association between the presence of chronic medical disease and recent addiction treatment utilization among adults with substance dependence.
Tracking Identity: Academic Performance and Ethnic Identity among Ecuadorian Immigrant Teenagers in Madrid

This article examines Ecuadorian students' attempts to contest immigrant stereotypes and redefine their social identities in Madrid, Spain. I argue that academic tracking plays a pivotal role in the trajectory of students' emergent ethnic identity. To illustrate this process, I focus on students who abandon their academic and professional ambitions as they are tracked into low-achieving classrooms, and in the process participate in social and cultural practices that reify dominant stereotypes of Latino immigrants. [academic tracking, identity, immigration, ethnicity, Spain]
NONSTATIONARY LOSS QUEUES VIA CUMULANT MOMENT APPROXIMATIONS

In this paper, we provide a new technique for analyzing the nonstationary Erlang loss queueing model with abandonment. Our method uniquely combines the use of the functional Kolmogorov forward equations with the well-known Gram-Charlier series expansion from the statistics literature. Using the Gram-Charlier series expansion, we show that we can estimate salient performance measures of the loss queue such as the mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, and blocking probability. Lastly, we provide numerical examples to illustrate the effectiveness of our approximations.