cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Families and Care Givers as Risk and Protective Factors in Preventing Youth Violence

This paper reviews research which discusses the risk and protective functions that families and other caregivers provide in influencing the development of aggressive behavior in youth. Currently, there is an emphasis on providing violence prevention programs in the school environment, typically with little parental or caregiver involvement. By enhancing the role of families and caregivers in youth violence prevention programs, we assert that an unique opportunity exists to both address specific risk factors for violence while enhancing the protective features of the family. Relatedly, the risk literature on youth violence indicates that the most influential risk factors (i.e., the family, community, and peers) have their principle impact on youth aggression outside the school. We suggest a shift in the focus of violence prevention programming that is more inclusive of families as both a risk and protective agent. In support of this position, relevant theory and reviews of exemplary family-involved programs are offered. Challenges to involving youth caregivers are identified and recommendations for overcoming those challenges suggested. Last, recommendations for future research and public policy in the prevention of youth violence are offered.
A Measure of Malpractice: Medical Injury, Malpractice Litigation, and Patient Compensation

"A Measure of Malpractice" tells the story and presents the results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study, the largest and most comprehensive investigation ever undertaken of the performance of the medical malpractice system. The Harvard study was commissioned by the government of New York in 1968, in the midst of a malpractice crisis that had driven insurance premiums for surgeons and obstetricians in New York City to nearly $200,000 a year. The Harvard-based team of doctors, lawyers, economists, and statisticians set out to investigate what was actually happening to patients in hospitals and to doctors in courtrooms, launching a far more informed debate about the future of medical liability in the 1990s. Careful analysis of the medical records of a representative sample of 30,000 patients hospitalized in 1984 showed that approximately 1 in 25 patients suffered a disabling medical injury, one-quarter of these as a result of the negligence of a doctor or other provider. After assembling all the malpractice claims filed in New York State since 1975, the authors found that just one in eight patients who had been victims of negligence actually filed a malpractice claim, and more than two-thirds of these claims were filed by the wrong patients. The study team then interviewed injured patients in the sample to discover the actual financial loss they had experienced: the key finding was that for roughly the same dollar amount now being spent on a tort system that compensates only a handful of victims, it would be possible to fund comprehensive disability insurance for all patients significantly disabled by a medical accident. The authors, who came to the project from very different perspectives about the present malpractice system, are now in agreement about the value of a new model of medical liability. Rather than merely tinker with the current system - which fixes primary legal responsibility on individual doctors who can be proved medically negligent - legislatures should encourage health care organizations to take responsibility for the financial losses experienced by all patients injured in their care.
Interactions between Nutrition and Environmental Exposures: Effects on Health Outcomes in Women and Children

Exposure to environmental chemicals is increasing globally. Nutritional status may modify susceptibility to chemical exposures. However, there are a large number of toxicants, and malnutrition takes many forms including deficiency and excess. Thus, the relation between environmental exposures and nutritional status is complex. The symposium on "Heavy Metal Exposures in Women and Children, the Role of Nutrients," presented at Experimental Biology 2007 examined interactions among nutritional status, nutrients, and heavy metals in vulnerable populations. The aim was to encourage nutritionists to consider environmental exposures in nutrition research. This introductory article highlights examples of nutrient-toxicant interactions.
Comparing Validity and Reliability in Special Education Title II and IDEA Data

Previous researchers have found that special education teacher shortages are pervasive and exacerbated by federal policies regarding “highly qualified” teacher requirements. The authors examined special education teacher personnel data from 2 federal data sources to determine if these sources offer a reliable and valid means of determining teacher shortages. Findings indicate that critical discrepancies exist at the state and national levels due to discrepancies between data sources, definitions, and missing data points. In addition, the number of not highly qualified special educators fluctuated widely by data source, possibly indicating an exponential rise in the use of long-term substitutes. Increased collaboration and coordination between state and federal agencies is recommended to ensure valid and reliable teacher qualification data collection and analysis.
Pre- and postnatal development of granulocytic stem cells in the rat

Bacterial sepsis is a relatively common problem in the neonatal period, particularly among prematurely delivered infants. The newborn rat has been widely used as a model for sepsis neonatorum, and in that model incomplete development of the neutrophil system has been postulated to be an important factor predisposing neonates to death from bacterial infection. In this study, that hypothesis was further tested by assessing neutrophil development in rats of various pre- and postnatal ages. Using standard soft agar colony techniques for detecting granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells [CFU(c)], the number of CFU(c)/g of body weight was seen to increase from 0.5 + 0.1 X 10(3) at 19-20 days gestation to 10.5 +/- 0.2 X 10(3) at 4 weeks. The anatomic location of CFU(c) changed from totally hepatic at 16 days gestation to almost totally myeloid at 4 weeks. Lastly, the proportion of mature, stored neutrophils/CFU(c) decreased from 2440 +/- 40 at 19-20 days gestation to 430 +/- 75 at 4 weeks.
Confronting Sexism: The Role of Relationship Orientation and Gender

This study examined whether relationship orientation was associated positively with confronting sexism and whether confronting sexism was associated positively with competence, self-esteem, and empowerment for women but not men in stereotypically masculine domains. Men and women undergraduates from a United States Midwestern university (n = 165) were exposed to a sexist statement during a staged, online interaction. Relationship orientation, confronting (i.e., publically rating the sexist statement as problematic and inappropriate), competence, self-esteem, and empowerment were assessed. Consistent with hypotheses, relationship orientation was associated positively with confronting. Additionally, confronting was associated positively with competence, self-esteem, and empowerment for women but not men. Implications for interpersonal confrontation, relationship orientation, and gender differences in response to everyday sexism are discussed.
Alzheimer's disease: Effects on language

The longitudinal effect of Alzheimer's disease on language functions has rarely been investigated. Through support from the National Institute of Mental Health, language functions were comprehensively assessed in 94 Alzheimer's patients and 53 normal control participants in a 3‐year study. Rate of decline of language abilities was calculated and related to overall dementia severity, family history of the disease, and age‐at‐onset. Linguistic communication inexorably declined during the disease course and was highly associated with increased dementia severity. However, rate of language decline was unrelated to either age at disease onset or family history of the disease. Notably, results failed to substantiate the existence of a clinically unique subgroup of Alzheimer's patients for whom language is particularly impaired, as was suggested by Faber‐Langendoen, in the most detailed investigation of the longitudinal effects of Alzheimer's disease on language.
Measuring the Magnetic Field of the Classical T Tauri Star TW Hydrae

We present infrared (IR) and optical echelle spectra of the classical T Tauri star TW Hydrae. Using the optical data, we perform detailed spectrum synthesis to fit atomic and molecular absorption lines and determine key stellar parameters: Teff = 4126 ± 24 K, log g = 4.84 ± 0.16, [M/H] = -0.10 ± 0.12, and log g = 5.8 ± 0.6 km s-1. The IR spectrum is used to look for Zeeman broadening of photospheric absorption lines. We fit four Zeeman-sensitive Ti I lines near 2.2 μm and find that the average value of the magnetic field over the entire surface is B = 2.61 ± 0.23 kG. In addition, several nearby magnetically insensitive CO lines show no excess broadening above that produced by stellar rotation and instrumental broadening, reinforcing the magnetic interpretation for the width of the Ti I lines. We carry out extensive tests to quantify systematic errors in our analysis technique that may result from inaccurate knowledge of the effective temperature or gravity, finding that reasonable errors in these quantities produce a ~10% uncertainty in the mean field measurement.
Stress and electric field gradient contributions to dielectric loss in ferroelectrics with interdigitated electrodes

Interdigitated electrode configurations produce nonuniform electric field and stress in the vicinity of the electrodes, creating a volume where the material is not uniformly polarized. This results in enhanced hysteresis in interdigitated electrode configurations relative to the hysteresis in the bulk material. The dielectric loss in a macro-fiber composite with interdigitated electrodes was characterized and is compared to the dielectric loss of the same material under a uniform field. The dielectric loss in the interdigitated electrode arrangement was found to be significantly larger and had a strong dependence on electric field amplitude. The dielectric loss is expressed in terms of an effective loss tangent (tan δ) and a more general damping model. A mechanism that contributes to the hysteresis is that the local stress in the ferroelectric material beneath the interdigitated electrodes induces ferroelastic polarization reorientation during each electric field cycle. The interactions between polarizati...
Vocal Function in Introverts and Extraverts during a Psychological Stress Reactivity Protocol.

Purpose To examine the proposal that introversion predictably influences extralaryngeal and vocal behavior in vocally healthy individuals compared with individuals with extraversion and whether dif...
Detection of one-, two-, and three-dimensional Markov constraints in visual displays II: Multistate displays.

The study of the depth of visual information processing is here extended to multistate displays. Two classes of variables are distinguished: display variables which may either be fixed at a single level or varied over its possible levels, e.g., a numeric character, its brightness, and its orientation; and spatial-temporal variables which assume all possible states within each display, e.g., the x- and y-coordinates of the display, and the time-coordinate, t, representing successive frames of the display. Information was encoded in terms of constraints upon combinations of variables. Excellent discrimination is achieved for detecting constraints among two, but not three, display variables; or for detecting constraints among one, but not two, display variables and up to three spatial-temporal variables. Comparisons are made with previous tests of the depth of visual information processing with binary-coded materials within the spatial-temporal microstructure of the display.
Visual capacities of the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus)--I. Spectral sensitivity and color vision.

Abstract Several features of spectral sensitivity and color vision were investigated in the owl monkey ( Aotus trivirgatus ) using forced-choice discrimination tasks. Measurements of spectral sensitivity indicate that the Aotus monkey: (1) shows a clear Purkinje shift; (2) has a dark-adapted spectral sensitivity function much like that of other mammals; (3) as measured in an increment-threshold task has a photopic spectral sensitivity function which is bimodal in form with peaks at about 460–480 and 520–540 nm. Experiments involving chromatic adaptation indicated that these monkeys have multiple spectral mechanisms operative at photopic light levels. Several color vision experiments, including discriminations of chromatic from equiluminant achromatic lights, as well as purity and wavelength discrimination, show that the Aotus monkey has trichromatic color vision. However, this color vision capacity is both weak and aberrant relative to normal primate trichromacy. It is concluded that the Aotus monkey can be formally classified as a protanomalous trichromat.
Alcohol stress response dampening: selective reduction of anxiety in the face of uncertain threat

Problematic alcohol use and stress-response dampening (SRD) are intimately interconnected. Recent evidence suggests that alcohol produces selective SRD during uncertain but not certain threat. We systematically varied shock probability in a novel task assessing alcohol SRD during low probable/uncertain threat, while holding temporal precision of threat constant. Intoxicated (0.08% target blood alcohol concentration) and placebo participants completed a cued shock threat task in which probability of shock administration at the offset of brief visual cues varied parametrically. High probability (100%) shock cues represented certain threat as used in earlier research, while lower probability (20% & 60%) shock cues provided novel uncertain threat conditions. Startle potentiation during cues and inter-trial-intervals (ITIs) served as the measure of affective response. General linear model analysis indicated that alcohol SRD magnitude increased monotonically as threat uncertainty increased. Alcohol SRD was significantly greater during 20% and 60% shock threat relative to 100% shock threat. Alcohol also significantly reduced startle potentiation during distal threat in shock-free ITIs. Alcohol SRD magnitude during distal/uncertain threat was meaningfully moderated by individual differences in negative affectivity and weekly alcohol consumption. This work advances understanding of which properties of uncertainty are relevant to anxiety and anxiolytic effects of alcohol.
Latissimus Dorsi Free Flap Salvage of Recurrent Chronic Osteomyelitis with Simultaneous Elbow Interposition Arthroplasty

Chronic osteomyelitis is difficult to resolve and usually requires radical debridement, filling of dead space, and a well-vascularized tissue to cover the involved bone. In the tibia, this is frequently accomplished with free vascularized muscle transfer and success rates over 90% for cases of limited involvement but lower success for diffuse involvement. Elbow joints, with advanced arthritis but ineligible for total joint replacement, have been treated with interposition arthroplasty and varying degrees of success limited primarily by instability. A 46-year-old male presented with diffuse osteomyelitis of all three bones at the elbow joint and advanced articular destruction from septic arthritis. He had undergone more than ten previous surgeries without resolution of the osteomyelitis or restoration of elbow function over a 2-year period. Radical debridement followed by a latissimus dorsi free muscle flap interposed to the dead space and layered onto the bones as an interposition membrane was able to solve both of his problems. At 3 years postoperatively, there is no evidence of recurrent osteomyelitis, and the patient declares satisfaction with the daily functional performance of his elbow joint.
Expression of Msl-2 causes assembly of dosage compensation regulators on the X chromosomes and female lethality in Drosophila

Abstract Male-specific lethal-2 (msl-2) is a RING finger protein that is required for X chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila males. Consistent with the formation of a dosage compensation protein complex, msl-2 colocalizes with the other MSL proteins on the male X chromosome and coimmunoprecipitates with msl-1 from male larval extracts. Ectopic expression of msl-2 in females results in the appearance of the other MSL dosage compensation regulators on the female X chromosomes and decreased female viability. We suggest that msl -2 RNA is the primary target of Sx1 regulation in the dosage compensation pathway and present a speculative model for the regulation of two distinct modes of dosage compensation by Sxl .
Use of medications by people with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy persons: a population-based study of fatiguing illness in Georgia

Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating condition of unknown etiology and no definitive pharmacotherapy. Patients are usually prescribed symptomatic treatment or self-medicate. We evaluated prescription and non-prescription drug use among persons with CFS in Georgia and compared it to that in non-fatigued Well controls and also to chronically Unwell individuals not fully meeting criteria for CFS.
Nonintrusive inertial vibration isolation technology for microgravity space experiments

The dynamic acceleration environment observed on Space Shuttle flights to date and predicted for the Space Station has complicated the analysis of prior microgravity experiments and prompted concern for the viability of proposed space experiments requiring long-term, microgravity environments. Isolation systems capable of providing significant improvements to this environment exist, but at present have not been demonstrated in flight configurations. A summary of the theoretical evaluation for two one degree-of-freedom (DOF) active magnetic isolators and their predicted response to both direct and base excitations is presented. These isolators can be used independently or in concert to isolate acceleration-sensitive microgravity space experiments, dependent on the isolation capability required for specific experimenter needs.
Comparing archaeological settlement systems with rank-size graphs: a measure of shape and statistical confidence

Rank-size analysis of settlement systems in archaeology has focused strongly on departures from log-normality, but it is not clear that a log-normal pattern should ordinarily be expected. Direct comparison of observed rank-size curves to each other is of greater utility in identifying chronological change and inter-regional variation in settlement dynamics as reflected in rank-size patterns. A coefficient of shape is proposed to facilitate comparison and to serve as a basis for bootstrap assessment of statistical confidence in any differences that are observed. The approach is illustrated with analysis of archaeological settlement data from China, Iran, Peru, and Mexico. These analyses provide insight into how many settlements must be observed to achieve high confidence and into the impact of curve shape on confidence.
Impact of Modification on Ground Motion Characteristics and Geotechnical Seismic Analyses for a California Site

The impact of different modification techniques on ground motion characteristics and results of seismic geotechnical analyses is investigated for a site in California. Twenty-eight motions were selected and scaled and also modified using both time domain (TD) and frequency domain (FD) techniques. PGV and PGD of the TD-modified motions are found to be larger than their FD-modified counterparts, but slightly less than the scaled ground motion characteristics. Cyclic stress ratios and amplification factors are similar for all sets of motions. Newmark-type slope displacements caused by the scaled and modified ground motions are similar (within 25%) for a variety of sliding masses.
An idea on the genesis of the first cancer cell

The first malignant cell could be the result of a type of fertilization or parthenogenesis between somatic cells that have undergone a meiotic or meiotic-like process initiated by carcinogens and viruses or occurring as a result of genetic errors.
The taurine content of avian erythrocytes and its role in osmoregulation

Abstract 1. 1. The taurine content of erythrocytes from 15 avian species contained levels of taurine in the range of 20–70 mmol/kg of hemoglobin, about 100-fold that of mammalian red blood cells. 2. 2. This high taurine content did not appear to be related to the nucleation of these cells as nucleated amphibian erythrocytes and human reticulocytes contained low levels. 3. 3. The erythrocytes lacked cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase, a key enzyme in the synthesis of taurine from cysteine, indicating a probable lack of synthetic capabilities. 4. 4. The cells were able to accumulate labeled taurine against a concentration gradient. This uptake was inhibited by β-alanine and was Na + -dependent. 5. 5. When incubated in hypotonic medium, the cell volume of pigeon erythrocytes rapidly increased and was followed by a much slower return to normal size. The cell volume reduction was accompanied by a slow efflux of taurine into the medium. 6. 6. These data suggest that taurine plays a role in cell volume maintenance and osmotic regulation in avian erythrocytes.
Somatosensory auras in focal epilepsy: a clinical, video EEG and MRI study.

Summary Purpose: To determine the clinical characteristics of somatosensory auras (SSA) and analyse features of seizure semiology predictive for localization in focal neocortical and limbic epilepsy. Methods: This study analyses the clinical, video-EEG and MRI imaging features of 75 consecutive patients with focal epilepsy who described somatosensory auras at seizure onset to determine the frequency and localising value of SSAs in different types of focal epilepsy. Sensory characteristics, somatotopic distribution, evolution of the auras and subsequent ictal features in relation to MRI and EEG findings were analysed. Results: The incidence of SSAs in 600 patients with focal epilepsy was 12%. Seventy-five patients were studied further: 77% reported tingling. Pain, thermal changes and a sense of movement or pulling were also reported. Distal unilateral auras in the hand and arm (46%) were most frequent and associated with a contralateral centroparietal focus. Contralateral auras were reported in 62% of lesional cases, focal cortical dysplasia was the commonest pathology in operated cases. Bilateral auras were associated with more diffuse pathologies or parasagittal foci. Evolution was centrifugal, somatotopic and usually unilaterally confined. Subsequent motor semiology was postural tonic, unilateral clonic, psychomotor or secondary generalized. Conclusion: SSA are highly correlated with centroparietal epilepsy but may occur in temporal lobe, mesial frontal and multifocal epilepsy. A lesional etiology including discrete dysplasias, tumours, ischemic and postencephalitic gliosis is likely.
On the mixing of a rectangular jet

Hot-wire measurements in an incompressible rectangular jet, issuing into a quiet environment at ambient conditions, are presented. A blow-down-type air supply system was used to provide the airflow to a cylindrical settling chamber 1.75 m in length and 0.6 m in diameter. The measurements were made with constant-temperature anemometers in conjunction with linearizers. The two signals from the linearizers were sent through a sum and difference unit which was calibrated from dc to 100 kHz. The distributions of mean velocity and the turbulence shear stresses were measured in the two central planes of the jet stations up to 115 widths downstream of the nozzle exit. Three distinct regions characterized the jet flow field: a potential core origin, a two-dimensional-type region, and an axisymmetric type region. The onset of the second region appeared to be at a location where the shear layers separated by the short dimension of the nozzle meet; and the third region occurred at a downstream location where the two shear layers from the short edges of the nozzle meet. In the central plane, similarity was found both in the mean velocity and shear stress profiles beyond 30 widths downstream of the nozzle exit; profiles of rms velocity showed similarity in the second, but not the third region.
Energy deposition in iron pentacarbonyl ions undergoing surface-induced dissociation in a Fourier transform mass spectrometer

Internal energy deposition into iron pentacarbonyl positive ions undergoing surface-induced dissociation (SID) in a Fourier transform mass spectrometer is estimated from the abundances and known critical energies of the product fragment ions. A narrow energy distribution, comparable to that reported in earlier BQ and tandem quadrupole SID studies of the same compound, is observed. As judged by the ratio of fragment ions to incident parent ions observed, SID of iron pentacarbonyl in the 3 T Fourier transform mass spectrometer is more efficient, but results in lower conversion of laboratory to internal energy. This may be a result of the more shallow collision incidence angle employed in the Fourier transform mass spectrometer measurements (a few degrees), which contrasts with the 32–60° collision angles used in the earlier BQ and tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry studies. Collision-induced dissociation with He under single collision conditions is also reported, Not unexpectedly, conversion of kinetic to internal energy was lower than found in a previous Fourier transform mass spectrometer study of the iron pentacarbonyl cation employing argon as collision gas under multiple collision conditions.
A stress-induced calcium-dependent protein kinase from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum phosphorylates a two-component pseudo-response regulator.

Summary McCDPK1 is a salinity- and drought-induced calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) isolated from the common ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. A yeast two-hybrid experiment was performed, using full-length McCDPK1 and truncated forms of McCDPK1 as baits, to identify interacting proteins. A catalytically impaired bait isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel protein, CDPK substrate protein 1 (CSP1). CSP1 interacted with McCDPK1 in a substrate-like fashion in both yeast two-hybrid assays and wheat germ interaction assays. Furthermore, McCDPK1 was capable of phosphorylating CSP1 in vitro in a calcium-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that the use of catalytically impaired and unregulated CDPKs with the yeast two-hybrid system can accelerate the discovery of CDPK substrates. The deduced CSP1 amino acid sequence indicated that it is a novel member of a class of pseudo-response regulator-like proteins that have a highly conserved helix–loop–helix DNA binding domain and a C-terminal activation domain. McCDPK1 and CSP1 co-localized to nuclei of NaCl-stressed ice plants. Csp1 transcript accumulation was not regulated by NaCl or dehydration stress. Our results strongly suggest that McCDPK1 may regulate the function of CSP1 by reversible phosphorylation.
Polyelectrolyte-Containing Fullerene I: Synthesis and Characterization of the Copolymers of 4-Vinylbenzoic Acid with C60

Polymerization of 4-vinylbenzoic acid in the presence of C60 using free radical initiator resulted in covalent incorporation of C60 in the polymer structure. Incorporation of the C60 moieties in the polymer was established by IR, NMR, and UV−vis spectroscopy. The solution UV−vis spectra of these C60-containing copolymers appear to be dominated by scattering, obscuring specific electronic excitation features associated with the fullerene. UV−vis spectral analysis of filtrate fractions collected using filters of varying pore sizes indicates that polymers form microgels with polydisperse particle sizes (micron to submicron dimensions) in solution that extensively scatter at shorter wavelengths. Differences in the fluorescence properties of the filtered fractions and unfiltered samples were observed. Furthermore, fluorescence emission spectra of a copolymer showed wavelength-dependent behavior. Polyelectrolyte behavior of these copolymers was studied by concentration dependent viscosity changes of the polymer...
The independent influence of apathy and depression on cognitive functioning in Parkinson's disease.

Objective The purpose of the present study was to examine the independent influence of symptoms of depression and apathy, two of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), on executive functioning and memory in PD patients using measures designed to discriminate between these symptoms. Method Participants included 68 nondemented, idiopathic PD patients, ages 56-82 years. The Apathy Evaluation Scale-Self-Rating and select items of the Beck Depression Inventory II were used to assess symptoms of apathy and depression, respectively. Cognitive function was assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised. Correlations and hierarchical regressions were conducted to investigate the relationships between apathy, depression, and cognitive function. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the degree of influence of depression and apathy on cognitive function. Results Results revealed that symptoms of apathy, but not depression, were significantly and negatively associated with executive functioning. Immediate memory was significantly and negatively associated with both apathy and depression. However, apathy accounted for additional variance in memory performance after controlling for depression at a level approaching significance. Conclusions Apathy is not only associated with cognitive impairment, but also with impaired daily functioning, caregiver burden and distress, medication noncompliance, and increased mortality. Differentiating apathy and depression, understanding their unique effects, and appropriately identifying apathy symptoms in patients have robust implications for the development of neuropsychological models of these effects in PD as well as practical implications in guiding improvements to patient care and enhancing quality of life in patients and caregivers.
Enumeration of previously frozen platelets using the Coulter Counter, phase microscopy, and the technicon optical system.

The Coulter Counter®, phase microscopy, and the Technicon® optical system were used to enumerate platelets in samples of whole blood, platelet- rich plasma, platelet concentrates before and after addition of DMSO, and on platelet concentrates that had been frozen, thawed, and washed. We observed agreement among the three counting methods when platelet counts were determined in whole blood, platelet-rich plasma, and platelet concentrate before and after DMSO addition. Enumeration after the cryopreservation process, however, showed highly significant differences among the counting systems. Platelet counts on platelet concentrates after freezing the thawing performed with the Coulter Counter were 25 per cent greater than with phase microscopy and 55 per cent greater than with Technicon. Counts with phase microscopy were 30 per cent greater than Technicon values. These data indicate that the method used to enumerate previously frozen platelets affects the apparent platelet count.
Pruritus and nonspecific nodules preceding myelomonocytic leukemia

Subacute myelomonocytic leukemia is typically preceded by a preleukemic phase lasting 1 to 10 years. We describe a case of subacute myelomonocytic leukemia preceded by pruritus for 7 years and by the intermittent appearance of nonspecific necrotic dermal nodules for 4 years.
Smooth Two-Dimensional Interpolations: A Recipe for All Polygons

This paper presents a method for constructing smooth and bounded interpolations on any polygon, whether convex or concave in shape, or even one containing holes or isolated points in its interior. The resulting two-dimensional function distributes the value at any given vertex or internal node over the remaining portion of the domain. The representation depends only on simple geometrical properties such as lengths and areas. Accordingly, it is invariant with respect to any chosen coordinate system. The resulting set of interpolations is smooth within the domain. Within a triangle, the behavior is akin to a linear color gradient. If necessary, linear boundary behavior can also be assured. A Java implementation is available online.
Analysis of the Spectrum in Phase-Contrast Mammography

ABSTRACT It has been proposed that the sensitivity of breast lesion detection can be improved with phase-contrast mammographic imaging. The recently introduced clinical system by Konica-Minolta, for example, reportedly yields enhanced lesion detectability. We hypothesize that the use of an optimized x-ray spectrum will result in even better performance. To test this hypothesis, we have performed a study of several clinical spectra from Mo and W sources over a broad spectral range. In the study, we have incorporated established dose measurements from a simple breast phantom used in the digital mammography literature, which has been updated to incorporate breast density properties in addition to conventional attenuation information. Established phase-contrast imaging simulation techniques, which employed a Fresnel propagator, were used to generate edge-enhanced radi ographs for analysis. In addition, detector sensitivity and tube loading parameters were incorporated into the analysis. The resulting mammography images were analyzed via measurement of object edge-enhanced contrast. Keywords: X-ray imaging, phase-contrast imaging, mammography
DÀGHELA, AVANTI UN PASSO: GIOVENTUÙ, MITO E POLITICA NEI MEMORIALI DEI VOLONTARI GARIBALDINI:

This essay analyzes the complex relationship between Garibaldi and the Italian youth during the period of the Unification of Italy. The myth of Garibaldi was born with the new generation who embraced the democratic nationalist creed propagated by Mazzini, and was later brought to the battlefields by Garibaldi. During the wars for the Italian Unification and all of the Garibaldi's enterprises, Italian youth fought for an idea of freedom and independence in a spirit of comradeship and affection. Their experiences were recounted in memoirs written over a long period of time, in which the authors returned with the memory to the main events of the Risorgimento, thus providing the character of that historical period to the later generations. Their writings, however, had an unforeseen outcome, because, in the end, they served as a means for the dominant conservative ruling class to co-opt the myth of Garibaldi in the name of a political strategy meant to attract to the Monarchy the popular support associated wit...
Attitudes toward abortion among catholic Mexican-American women: The effects of religiosity and education

Contrary to observed trends in religious fertility and contraceptive use differentials, Catholic/non-Catholic differentials in attitudes toward abortion have not been converging. This study suggests that this may be due to an interaction between religiosity and education. In a sample of Catholic Mexican-American women in Los Angeles County, the authors found that among respondents brought up in Mexico, education had a liberalizing effect on their attitudes. With the exception of the most devout, the same trend was observed among U.S.-reared respondents. Among the most religious group, however, education had the opposite effect, suggesting that convergence will be delayed.
Optimization of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer during on-site pollution analysis

The field transportable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer system developed at Kansas State University is now finishing the testing stage. The testing stage consisted of three parts: the measurements of (1) controlled releases of volatile organic compounds (VOC), (2) uncontrolled VOC releases at well documented sites, and (3) uncontrolled VOC releases at complex sites with little or no precharacterization1. Some measurements have been acquired in all three categories with most of the data acquisition taking place in the first two categories, which are discussed in these proceedings. These tests were developed to validate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities while enhancing the versatility and detection limits of the spectrometer system. The controlled VOC releases, for the most part, took place at the University of Kansas (KU). The KU tests utilized a co-monitoring technique, evacuated stainless steel canisters followed by GC/FID analysis, during the acquisition of the infrared data. The ability to monitor the concentrations of the released plume with another technique allowed for the comparison and examination of how varying parameters can affect the infrared spectrometer technique. The varying parameters that were addressed were wind, path length, temperature, barometric pressure, water and carbon dioxide concentration, and air borne particulates. One set of uncontrolled releases occurred at an active production facility. A list of the possible compounds that might be observed from the facility directly due to production was obtained. Infrared measurements were acquired at two different setup geometries down wind and one setup geometry up wind. The three path lengths were 390 meters, 500 meters, and 412 meters respectively. During these measurements two series of canister samples were obtained down wind and one series of canister samples were obtained up wind. The analyses of these canisters, on-going at this writing, is being performed by GC/FT-IR (matrix isolation). When the analysis from this method is complete the results will be compared. These two different data acquisitions have led to much insight into the capabilities of the spectrometer system and how varying parameters can affect the FT-IR spectrometer's performance. Preliminary analysis of the spectroscopic data from both data acquisitions will be discussed.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Changes in response to, and production of, transforming growth factor type β during neoplastic progression in cultured rat tracheal epithelial cells

As rat tracheal epithelial cells progress from a normal to a neoplastic phenotype there are systematic changes in their ability to produce and activate latent transforming growth factor type beta (TGF-beta) as well as systematic changes in their response to this growth factor. Using a TGF-beta radioreceptor binding competition assay it was found that normal proliferating rat tracheal cells in early primary culture produced latent TGF-beta. With the emergence of terminally differentiated cell populations active TGF-beta was also detected in the conditioned medium. When normal cells were cultured under conditions allowing for continued proliferation, no active TGF-beta was detected in the conditioned medium. Colonies of proliferating epithelial cells in 4-6 week primary cultures or subculturable tracheal cell lines did not produce detectable levels of active or latent growth factor. With neoplastic progression there was likewise a change in response to active TGF-beta. Normal tracheal cells in primary culture were highly sensitive to growth-factor-induced decreases in thymidine uptake as well as to the induction of terminal differentiation. Proliferating epithelial cells in late (4-6 week) primary cultures and preneoplastic, subculturable cell lines were often as sensitive as normal cells to the growth factor-induced decline in thymidine uptake. None of these altered populations, however, was induced to differentiate (to form cornified, cross-linked envelopes) in the presence of TGF-beta.
The biological response of hairy roots to O2 levels in bioreactors

The efficient exchange of gases between roots and their environment is one of the biggest challenges in bioreactor design for transformed root cultures. Gas-phase reactors can alleviate this problem as well as provide a new tool for studying the biological response of roots and other differentiated tissues to changes in the gas phase composition. In our comparison of liquid- and gas-phase reactors, roots grown in liquid (shake flasks or bubble column reactors) are shown to be under hypoxic stress. Roots grown in a gas-phase reactor (nutrient mist), while not hypoxic, produced 50% less biomass. These results suggest that the response of the tissues to gas phase composition are complex and need further study.
Assertiveness and patterns of drug use: a pilot study

The phenomenon of peer-pressure and drug use suggests that assertive-training holds promise as a drug abuse prevention study. This ex post facto study investigated the relationship between assertiveness and patterns of drug use. It was found that exploratory use of marijuana and hashish was the norm among this sample of college students. Furthermore, current users and those who had never used such drugs were considerably less assertive than those who had experienced with these drugs but no longer did so.
On reconstructing graphs from their sets of subgraphs

Abstract Using only the set of point-deleted subgraphs, several invariants of a graph are derived. That information is then used to show that disconnected graphs and separable graphs without endpoints are reconstructible from their sets of deleted subgraphs. Similar results are obtained in the line-deleted case.
Statistical mechanics of histories: a cluster Monte Carlo algorithm.

We present an efficient computational approach to sample the histories of nonlinear stochastic processes. This framework builds upon recent work on casting a $d$-dimensional stochastic dynamical system into a $(d+1)$-dimensional equilibrium system using the path-integral approach. We introduce a cluster algorithm that efficiently samples histories and discuss how to include measurements that are available into the estimate of the histories. This allows our approach to be applicable to the simulation of rare events and to optimal state and parameter estimation. We demonstrate the utility of this approach for ${\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ Langevin dynamics in two spatial dimensions where our algorithm improves sampling efficiency up to an order of magnitude.
Statistical evaluation of the rotatory dispersion parameters for helical polymers and proteins: two proposed methods and their application to data on polyglutamic acid and plasma albumin.

Abstract Two statistical methods for the evaluation of the best values of the parameters of the Moffitt equation, λ0, a0, and b0, are proposed. The first is based on the maximization of the F ratio of the linear regression term to the residual term in the Moffitt-Yang form of the equation. The second is based on the minimization of the quadratic term in an extended form of this equation. Both methods are readily programmed for a digital computer. The usefulness of these equations has been demonstrated by analysis of a large number of dispersion curves obtained on polyglutamic acid through the region of the helix-coil transition and on bovine and human plasma albumins as function of pH. The results clearly show the inability of the simple Drude equation to fit dispersion data on native plasma albumin even over a relatively narrow range of wavelengths, and the remarkable ability of the Moffitt equation to fit data over a much broader range. It is shown that the best values of the dispersion parameters are not altered by extending the dispersion data from 300 mμ down to 240 mμ; however, precision is actually lost by this extension of the data. The best value of λ0 is shown to be constant within experimental error throughout almost the entire helix-coil transition in polyglutamic acid. The best value of λ0 is not affected by omission of the correction for solvent refractive index provided that the dispersion of refractive index is simple; however, the best values of a0 and b0 are appreciably affected by omission of this correction.
Anesthesia in presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease: a study using the triple-transgenic mouse model.

Abstract Background Experimental evidence suggests that anesthetics accelerate symptomatic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because AD pathology precedes symptoms, we asked ourselves whether anesthetic exposure in the presymptomatic interval accelerated neuropathology and appearance of symptoms. Methods Triple-transgenic AD mice were exposed to general aesthetics, either halothane or isoflurane, at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, they then underwent water maze cognitive testing 2 months later, and subsequently their brains were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoblots, and immunohistochemistry for amyloid and tau pathology and biomarkers. Results Learning and memory improved after halothane exposure in the 2-month-old group relative to controls, but no changes were noted in the isoflurane group. When gender was examined in all age groups, females exposed to halothane performed better as compared with those exposed to isoflurane or controls. Therefore, improvement in the 2-month exposure group is most likely because of a gender effect. Level of phospho-tau in the hippocampus was significantly increased 2 months after anesthesia, especially in the 6-month exposure group, but changes in amyloid, caspase, microglia, or synaptophysin levels were not detected. Conclusions These results indicate that exposure to two different inhalation-type anesthetics during the presymptomatic phase of AD does not accelerate cognitive decline, after 2 months, and may cause a stress response, marked by hippocampal phosphorylated tau, resulting in preconditioning against the ongoing neuropathology, primarily in female mice.
The Collapse of Rotating Massive Stars in Three Dimensions

Most simulations of the core collapse of massive stars have focused on the collapse of spherically symmetric objects. If these stars are rotating, this symmetry is broken, opening up a number of effects that are just now being studied. The list of proposed effects spans a range of extremes: from fragmentation of the collapsed iron core to modifications of the convective instabilities above the core; from the generation of strong magnetic fields that then drive the supernova explosion to the late-time formation of magnetic fields to produce magnetars after the launch of the supernova explosion. The list of the observational effects of rotation ranges from modifications in the gamma-ray line spectra, nucleosynthetic yields, and shape of supernova remnants caused by rotation-induced asymmetric explosions to strong pulsar radiation, the emission of gravitational waves, and altered r-process nucleosynthetic yields caused by rapidly rotating stars. In this paper we present the results of three-dimensional collapse simulations of rotating stars for a range of stellar progenitors. We find that for the most rapidly spinning stars, rotation does indeed modify the convection above the proto-neutron star, but it is not fast enough to cause core fragmentation. Similarly, although strong magnetic fields can be produced once the proto-neutron star cools and contracts, the proto-neutron star does not spin fast enough to generate strong magnetic fields quickly after collapse, and, for our simulations, magnetic fields will not dominate the supernova explosion mechanism. Even so, the resulting pulsars for our most rapidly rotating models may emit enough energy to dominate the total explosion energy of the supernova. However, more recent stellar models predict rotation rates that are much too slow to affect the explosion, but these models are not sophisticated enough to determine whether the most recent or past stellar rotation rates are more likely. Thus, we must rely on observational constraints to determine the true rotation rates of stellar cores just before collapse. We conclude with a discussion of the possible constraints on stellar rotation that we can derive from core-collapse supernovae.