cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Random sampling of cognitions in alleviating anxiety attacks

The cognitive therapies (e.g., Beck, 1976; Ellis, 1970; Meichenbaum & Cameron, 1973; Mahoney & Arnkoff, in press) attempt to alter what the client thinks and thus to produce significant affective or behavioral change. Cognitive therapy theory states more or less explicitly that particular frequently occurring cognitions elicit particular undesirable behaviors or affective states, and that therapy should aim at reducing the frequency of the particular cognitions involved. The assessment of the cognition frequencies has usually been by the client's retrospective report (e.g., " I don't think about it as much as I used to") or ex hypothesi by counting the "resultant" affective or behavioral undesirable states. Hurlburt (1976, in press) has demonstrated the unreliability of retrospective reports of cognitive frequencies, and since the circularity of the latter counting method prohibits applying that evidence to the cognitive therapy theory, we are at this time unjustified in uncritically accepting the reduction-of-frequency-of-undesirable-cognitions explanation for the efficacy of cognitive therapy (Mahoney, 1977, p. 10). Hurlburt proposed cognition sampling as a means of making unbiased estimates of cognitive frequencies, and thus provided a way of bringing reliable, noncircular evidence to bear on the important issue of the cognitive frequency-affective/behavioral relationship. The present case applies Hurlburt's method for the first time to a clinic client, and serves as a hueristic for further research as well as a model for clinical application. The method uses
Exploring the nutrient inputs and cycles in Tampa Bay and coastal watersheds using MODIS images and data mining

Excessive nutrients, which may be represented as Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) levels, in natural water systems have proven to cause high levels of algae production. The process of phytoplankton growth which consumes the excess TN and TP in a water body can also be related to the changing water quality levels, such as Dissolved Oxygen (DO), chlorophyll-a, and turbidity, associated with their changes in absorbance of natural radiation. This paper explores spatiotemporal nutrient patterns in Tampa Bay, Florida with the aid of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS images and Genetic Programming (GP) models that are deigned to link those relevant water quality parameters in aquatic environments.
Streamer Propagation in OIls and its Relationship to Arrester Application

Using a high speed image converter camera together with a shadowgraphic technique, positive streamer velocities have been measured as a function of instantaneous voltage on impulses of varying shape and duration in transformer oil and Marcol 70. They have been found to propagate at a constant velocity which is independent of the instantaneous value of the voltage. The velocity appears to correlate with the rate of rise of voltage rather than the initation voltage itself. This result has implications for the use of arresters as protection for electrical equipment and these implications have been examined using breakdown measurements.
U.S. Women Physicians' personal and clinical breast cancer screening practices.

Little is known about predictors of physicians' personal or clinical compliance with breast cancer screening recommendations. We explored this in 4501 respondents to the Women Physicians' Health Study, a questionnaire-based study of a representative sample of U.S. women M. D.s. Overall, 21% of women physicians performed breast self-examination (BSE) at least monthly, about two thirds had received a clinical breast examination (CBE) within the last year, and 85% had received one within the last 2 years. Of those /=50-</=75 years old, and 53% reported doing so for CBE. Also associated with performing CBE was examining one's own breasts at least once a year. Associated with mammography were having had a mammogram oneself in the past year and having a personal history of breast cancer. Other parameters, including age, ethnicity, region, practice type, practice site, control of work environment, work hours, amount of general continuing medical education (CME), career satisfaction, general health status, other breast disorders, personally having a recent CBE, or family histories of breast cancer or any other breast disorder, were not multivariately significantly associated with our counseling frequency outcomes. Women physicians may be especially efficient targets for breast cancer screening education.
Impairment of hepatic drug metabolism in calcium deficiency.

Abstract The duration of action of hexobarbital but not that of barbital, a nonmetabolized barbiturate, is prolonged in calcium-deficient rats. This finding led to the investigation of the effects of calcium deprivation on drug metabolism in vitro . Calcium deficiency lowers the rate of metabolism of drugs by both oxidative and reductive pathways in liver microsomes. This impairment of hepatic drug metabolism appears to result from a decrease in the specific activity of the enzymes in the liver microsomes.
Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy studies of self assembled sub 10 nm copper-silicide nanostructures on Si(110)

Self assembled Cu3Si nanoislands and nanowires on Si(110) were fabricated with electron beam evaporation in ultra high vacuum while annealing the substrate at 600°C. Scanning tunneling microscopy technique was used to study the resultant nanostructures of sub 10 nm size. Surface images of a nanoisland and nanowire were obtained. The former showed evidence of single crystalline structures. The length, width, and height dimensions of the nanoisland and nanowire were ~100 nm × 30 nm × 6 nm and 75 nm × 12.5 nm × 3 nm, respectively. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy on both the nanostructures performed to obtain their local density of states. Both nanostructures did not exhibit metallic behavior.
There is no correlation between glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression and protein binding in the brains of house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

The stress response represents an animal’s attempt to cope with a noxious stimulus through a rapid release of corticosterone or cortisol (CORT) into the bloodstream, resulting in a suite of physiological and behavioral changes. These changes are mediated in large part through CORT’s binding to two different intracellular receptors, the high-affinity mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and the lower-affinity glucocorticoid receptor (GR). We tested the hypothesis that GR and MR mRNA expression would correlate with functional protein expression in neuronal tissue of wild-caught house sparrows (Passer domesticus). To test this hypothesis, we performed a parallel procedure in which protein concentrations were quantified in one half of house sparrow brains (n = 16) using radioligand binding assays, and mRNA levels were quantified in the other brain half using reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Two reference genes, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and TATA-box binding protein (TBP), were used for relative quantification of GR and MR mRNA. Quantifications showed that these two reference genes were not correlated with each other. Furthermore, there was no correlation between mRNA and protein levels for GR or MR using either reference gene, suggesting that regulation of mRNA and protein levels for MR and GR is not tightly linked. This study provides insight into the importance of regulatory steps between mRNA expression and the creation and stability of a functional protein. The overall conclusion is that mRNA expression cannot be used as a proxy for GR or MR binding in house sparrows.
Alcohol effects on hormone levels in normal postmenopausal women and in postmenopausal women with alcohol-induced cirrhosis

The effects of alcoholic beverage consumption on the hormonal status of postmenopausal women will be reviewed. Focused attention on the effect of social drinking among 244 normal postmenopausal women has revealed that moderate alcohol intake exerts a major influence not only on estradiol, testosterone, and the estimate of aromatization of testosterone to estradiol but also on the estrogen-responsive pituitary hormones in normal postmenopausal women. The hormonal status of 66 postmenopausal women with alcohol-induced cirrhosis is compared with normal alcohol-abstaining control women. As expected, there are significant differences in levels of all hormones; furthermore, hormonal interrelationships are also disrupted. Of major interest are findings that hormone levels in alcoholic cirrhotic postmenopausal women are related to the severity of liver disease. This observation supports a role for cirrhosis per se in the hormonal disruptions noted. Of further interest are findings that hormone levels may have prognostic value in postmenopausal women with alcohol-induced liver disease.
Role of Phosphodiesterase 3 in NO/cGMP-Mediated Antiinflammatory Effects in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Atherosclerosis involves cellular immune responses and altered vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. Nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP is uniquely capable of inhibiting key processes in atherosclerosis. In this study, we determined the effects of NO/cGMP and their molecular mechanisms in the regulation of NF-kappaB-dependent gene expression in VSMCs. We found that cGMP-elevating agents such as the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), reduced TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression in rat aortic VSMCs in a cGMP-dependent manner. The effects of SNAP and CNP on NF-kappaB are mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) but not cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) based on the findings that the selective PKA inhibitor, PKI, abolished the effects of SNAP and CNP on NF-kappaB, whereas the PKG inhibitor Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMP had no effect. Inhibition of cGMP-inhibited cAMP-hydrolyzing phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) blocked SNAP- and CNP-elicited effects on NF-kappaB-dependent transcription. Furthermore, cGMP analogues such as 8-pCPT-cGMP, which selectively activates PKG but does not inhibit PDE3, had no effect on NF-kappaB-mediated transcription. Activation of PKA by SNAP or cAMP-elevating agents not only inhibited TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression but also reduced endogenous NF-kappaB-dependent adhesion molecule and chemokine expression. These results suggest that SNAP and CNP exert inhibitory effects on NF-kappaB-dependent transcription by activation of PKA via cGMP-dependent inhibition of PDE3 activity. Therefore, PDE3 is a novel mediator of inflammation in VSMCs.
Demonstration of phase matching bandwidth extension in cavity-enhanced optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

Repetition rate scaling of optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) systems, while highly desirable for increased photon flux, requires average pump power scaling as well to maintain pump peak intensities. Alternatively, we have proposed cavity-enhanced OPCPA (C-OPCPA) [1] to boost nonlinear drive using moderate average power sources. In C-OPCPA, pump pulses are coherently combined in a low finesse enhancement cavity transparent to signal and idler containing an OPA crystal in which a signal is amplified. If the pump has a narrow bandwidth (BW) and the seed is sufficiently chirped, the cavity passively shapes the intra-cavity pump profile in the time domain to attain more optimal conversion and increased BW, overcoming limitations set by the bell-shaped pump intensity profile and the time-varying wave-vector mismatch of the interacting pulses. We previously simulated octave-spanning gain [1] showing the potential of this system.
Estrogenic and Developmental Regulation of 90-Kilodalton Heat Shock Protein Gene Expression

It is well known that when whole organisms, tissues or cultured cells are exposed to elevated temperature, a wide range of chemicals and other metabolic insults, they synthesize a small number of highly conserved proteins called heat shock proteins (HSPs). The HSPs are also classified as stress proteins or stress-induced proteins. The heat shock response is universal, which has led to the belief that the HSPs synthesized in response to stress ensure the survival of the essential cellular components during the stress period and allow a rapid recovery and resumption of normal cellular functions. Among all the classes of HSPs, proteins with an approximate molecular mass of 90 kDa (HSP-90) and 70 kDa (HSP-70) are the most prominent and also highly conserved among various organisms and tissues (For reviews see 1–5).
50 Mindful Organizing Establishing and Extending the Foundations of Highly Reliable Performance

Consistent with the positive organizational scholarship (POS) focus on positively deviant performance, mindful organizing represents a set of social processes that underlie the near-fl awless performance of high-reliability organizations (HROs). This chapter details the foundations of mindful organizing, reviews recent empirical developments, and proposes fi ve potential directions for further theoretical and empirical development, each of which deepens its contribution and connection to POS. The fi rst proposed direction is to conceptually and empirically link both Eastern and Western conceptions of individual mindfulness and mindful organizing. The second is to establish the affective foundations of mindful organizing, namely how emotion affects the relationships between mindful organizing and error-free performance, the discrete emotions that constitute mindful organizing, and how emotional narratives sustain mindful organizing. Third is to examine a broader range of outcomes of mindful organizing, including its effects on employees. Fourth is to better link mindful organizing to leader attributes and leadership processes. Last, the impact of mindful organizing also requires further construct validation, including differentiating it from related constructs and establishing its responsiveness to interventions.
Voiding Cystourethrograms and Urinary Tract Infections: How Long to Wait?

Objectives. Many authorities recommend an interval of at least 3 to 6 weeks after a urinary tract infection (UTI) before performing a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). However, such an interval may reduce the likelihood of completing the procedure. This study was performed to investigate whether the length of the interval between a UTI and the performance of the VCUG influences the presence or severity of reflux, and whether it influences the likelihood of actually having the study performed. Design. We reviewed 352 admissions of children under 10 years old whose discharge diagnoses indicated UTIs. These admissions occurred over a 27-month period between October 1994 and December 1996 at the Children9s Hospital of Austin, Texas. We identified 213 patients with confirmed UTIs and no other previously defined urinary tract pathology. These patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether they had a VCUG scheduled to be performed either within 1 week after the diagnosis of a UTI (the early group), or later than 1 week after the diagnosis (the late group). We compared the presence and severity of reflux in the 2 groups as well as the proportion of scheduled VCUGs that were actually performed. Results. Reflux was present in 19% of the patients studied within 1 week after UTI (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.9–26.4) and in 18% of those studied after 1 week (95% CI: 6.7–34.5). This difference was not statistically significant (χ 2 = .034; DF = 1). However there was a substantial difference between the 2 groups with regard to the number of scheduled VCUGs actually performed. Whereas 100% of the scheduled VCUGs in the early group were performed, only 48% (95% CI: 35.9–60.1) of those scheduled in the late group were performed. This difference is statistically significant (χ 2 = 89.6; DF = 1). Conclusions. In the hospitalized children who underwent VCUGs within a week after diagnosis of UTI, the presence of reflux is not significantly different from those studied later. Furthermore, late scheduling of VCUGs resulted in failure to perform the procedure in more than half of the patients. Some of the patients who were not evaluated would be expected to have vesicoureteral reflux and thus be at risk for chronic renal disease. Therefore, the traditional recommendation to perform the VCUG at 3 to 6 weeks after the diagnosis of UTI should be reconsidered, especially for hospitalized children.
The contribution of amino acid residues 1508–1515 of factor V to light chain generation

Summary. Background: Factor (F) V is activated by α-thrombin following cleavages at Arg709, Arg1018 and Arg1545. Amino acid region 1490–1520 of FV is essential for procofactor activation. Aim: To ascertain which amino acid residues from this region are important for light chain formation and procofactor activation, site-directed mutagenesis was used to create recombinant FV molecules missing amino acid 1508–1510 (FVΔ1508−1510) and 1508–1515 (FVΔ1508−1515). We have also created recombinant FV molecules with mutations 1508DDY1510AAF (FVAAF), 1514DY1515AF (FVAF) and Y1510F (FVY1510F). Methods and results: The recombinant mutant molecules were expressed and purified to homogeneity. The clotting activities of all clotting recombinant mutant FV molecules were tested in a two-stage assay following activation by α-thrombin and were found to be impaired compared with the clotting activity observed with wild-type recombinant FV or plasma-derived FV, with the exception of FVY1510F, which had normal clotting activity. Sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies to FV demonstrated that incubation of 100 nm recombinant wild-type or plasma-derived FV with 1 nmα-thrombin for 5 min was sufficient to generate heavy and light chains and completely activate the procofactor. In contrast, similar experimental conditions were ineffective in fully activating the two deletion mutant molecules as well as FVaAAF and FVaAF, resulting in accumulation of a Mr 220 000 fragment representing amino acids 1019–2195. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that amino acid residues 1508–1515 of FV are required for efficient cleavage by α-thrombin and light chain formation.
On the Notion of Bandlimitedness and its Generalizations

In this survey article we introduce the Paley-Wiener space of ban- dlimited functions P W!, and review some of its generalizations. Some of these generalizations are new and will be presented without proof because the proofs will be published somewhere else. Guided by the role that the differentiation operator plays in some of the characterizations of the Paley-Wiener space, we construct a subspace of vec- tors P W!(D) in a Hilbert space H using a self-adjoint operator D. We then show that the space P W!(D) has similar properties to those of the space P W!. The paper is concluded with an application to show how to apply the abstract results to integral transforms associated with singular Sturm-Liouville problems.
Shared vision: concordance among fathers, mothers, and pediatricians about unmet needs of children with chronic health conditions.

Objective. These analyses were undertaken to investigate the number and types of services and assistance believed to be useful to children with a chronic health condition and their families. The perspective of mothers, fathers, and primary care physicians were sought separately and compared. Methods. Families that include at least 1 child with a chronic health condition were selected from pediatric practices in Central Massachusetts. All 3 respondents completed a questionnaire describing their own perspective of current needs and of the severity of the child9s condition. The 3 perspectives are compared statistically and areas of agreement/disagreement are described. Results. Mothers, fathers, and physicians described children9s and families9 needs with a surprising degree of concordance. On the other hand, pediatricians identified fewer needs, despite rating the severity of children9s illnesses as greater than did parents. Mothers and fathers agreed substantially about the level of severity of their child9s condition and about their unmet needs. Conclusions. It is important that pediatric practice systems include effective mechanisms to assess parents9 opinions regarding the unmet needs of their child/family in the face of a child with a chronic health condition. Without input from families, pediatricians are aware of only some of the needs that parents identify. Pediatrics 2000;105:277–285; children, chronic health condition.
Office-based diagnostic percutaneous testis biopsy

SummaryPercutaneous testicular biopsy correlates with open biopsy. Successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) and pregnancy have been reported with testicular sperm extraction (TESE), thus the indications for testis biopsy have expanded. We examined the results, intraoperative findings and eventual patient outcomes in 22 patients with azoospermia or severe oligospermia (<5 million sperm ml−1). 22 patients, age 29–48, underwent percutaneous testis biopsy in the office with local anesthesia. Work-up included: history, physical exam, testicular volumes, serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, and two semen analyses. Biopsy was performed with an 18 G core biopsy system. Two passes with the biopsy gun were made: bilaterally in the majority of patients. A touch imprint was obtained for cytology and the remaining tissue was placed in Bouin's solution for pathologic examination. One patient developed a scrotal hematoma, which responded to aspiration with no further treatment needed. No adhesions or d...
Land hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) densities and patterns of gastropod shell use on small Bahamian islands

Aim To examine patterns of abundance, density, size and shell use in land hermit crabs, Coenobita clypeatus (Herbst), occurring on three groups of small islands, and to determine how these variables change among islands. Location Small islands in the Central Exuma Cays and near Great Exuma, Bahamas. Methods Land hermit crabs were captured in baited pitfall traps and were separately attracted to baits. A mark‐recapture technique was used in conjunction with some pitfall traps monitored for three consecutive days. The size of each crab and the type of adopted gastropod shell were recorded, along with physical island variables such as total island area, vegetated area, island perimeter, elevation and distance to the nearest mainland island. Results Relative abundances, densities and sizes of crabs differed significantly among the three island groups. Densities of land hermit crabs were as high as 46 m )2 of vegetated island area. In simple and multiple linear regressions, the only variable that was a significant predictor of the abundance of hermit crabs was the perimeter to area ratio of the island. Patterns of gastropod shell use varied significantly among the island groups, and the vast majority of adopted shells originated from gastropod species that inhabit the high intertidal and supratidal shorelines of the islands. Main conclusions Although densities of land hermit crabs varied, they were relatively high on many islands, and land hermit crabs may play an important role in these insular food webs. Patterns of shell use may be strongly restricted by island geomorphology: irregular shorelines provide relatively more habitat for the gastropod species that account for the majority of adopted shells and the steep sides of the islands prevent the accumulation of marine gastropod shells. The size of adult hermit crabs appears to be limited by the relatively small gastropod shells available, while the abundance of hermit crabs may be limited by the number of shells available.
Nonlinear PHMMs for the interpretation of parameterized gesture

Recently we modified the hidden Markov model (HMM) framework to incorporate a global parametric variation in the output probabilities of the states of the HMM. Development of the parametric hidden Markov model (PHMM) was motivated by the task of simultaneously recognizing and interpreting gestures that exhibit meaningful variation. With standard HMMs, such global variation confounds the recognition process. The original PHMM approach assumes a linear dependence of output density means on the global parameter. In this paper we extend the PHMM to handle arbitrary smooth (nonlinear) dependencies. We show a generalized expectation-maximization (GEM) algorithm for training the PHMM and a GEM algorithm to simultaneously recognize the gesture and estimate the value of the parameter. We present results on a pointing gesture, where the nonlinear approach permits the natural azimuth/elevation parameterization of pointing direction.
An interdisciplinary approach to STEM education through reconsideration of a classic on education

Our paper addresses the issue of STEM education within the larger context of interdisciplinary education. We ask: Is an interdisciplinary approach to education, in particular to engineering education, superior, in some sense, to one that is narrower but deeper in content, a specialized education wherein a person learns about and studies the cutting edge recent discoveries or theories that are understood by only a handful of people in this world? Our thesis is that such an interdisciplinary approach can indeed be superior to, and enhance, a field-specific education. We pose several major questions in regard to STEM education, and then suggest an approach to address these issues from the perspective of a major classic in the field of education. We apply the insights of that classic to these questions, concluding with references to parallel insights from others who have engaged these same issues both in education as well as in the application of our suggested approach in the realm of scientific research.
Active delay and loss adaptation in overlay multicast tree

In this paper, the adaptive overlay multicast (AOM) protocol is presented, which is specially beneficial to long-lasting, large data distribution applications with large receiver sets. AOM distinguishes itself from the previous research with the following characteristics: (1) scalable overlay multicast tree construction method and a scoping technique to decrease overhead, (2) active adaptation to dynamic network conditions, and (3) efficient loss measurement and adaptation algorithms. We present extensive simulations of AOM including real Internet data and compare it with a HMTP-like protocol. The results show that AOM builds high-quality trees and adapts well to the network conditions while incurring low overhead.
Castle Hall Academy: A Case Study In Non-Profit Accounting Mismanagement

This case requires you to resolve financial reporting deficiencies that arise in the audit of a not-for-profit entity, a prestigious private high school. This case is based on the actual experience that an audit firm had with a not-for-profit client. The primary reporting issues in the case relate to investments, contributions, severance packages, and leases that arise due to school management’s failure to consider recent accounting pronouncements. By completing this case, you will learn about standards that affect not-for-profit entities and how auditors resolve differences with clients. The decisions that you make require an understanding of technical knowledge of topics covered in typical intermediate accounting courses. In addition, the case requires you to integrate accounting theory with the practice of auditing. The premise for the case is that in order to be a successful auditor, you will need a good understanding of your client’s business as well as technical accounting issues.
Cancer cell-selective killing polymer/copper combination

Chemotherapy has been adopted for cancer treatment for decades. However, its efficacy and safety are frequently compromised by the multidrug-resistance of cancer cells and the poor cancer cell selectivity of anticancer drugs. Hereby, we report a combination of a pyridine-2-thiol containing polymer and copper which can effectively kill a wide spectrum of cancer cells, including drug resistant cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. The polymer nanoparticle enters cells via an exofacial thiol facilitated route, and releases active pyridine-2-thiol with the help of intracellularly elevated glutathione (GSH). Due to their high GSH level, cancer cells are more vulnerable to the polymer/copper combination. In addition, RNA microarray analysis revealed that the treatment can reverse cancer cells' upregulated oncogenes (CIRBP and STMN1) and downregulated tumor suppressor genes (CDKN1C and GADD45B) to further enhance the selectivity for cancer cells.
Run, Jane, Run! Gendered Responses to Political Party Recruitment

Many researchers point to gender inequities in party recruitment practices to explain women’s underrepresentation on the ballot. However, there has been little systematic research about how men and women respond to recruitment, so we do not know whether gender-balanced recruitment would actually lead to gender-balanced outcomes. We conduct two studies to address this question. First, in cooperation with a county Republican Party, we identically recruited 5510 male and 5506 female highly active party members to attend a free candidate training seminar. Republican women were half as likely to respond to the invitation as men. Second, we conducted a survey experiment of 3960 voters on the Utah Colleges Exit Poll. Republican men’s level of self-reported political ambition was increased by the prospect of elite recruitment significantly more than Republican women’s, thereby increasing the gender gap vis-a-vis the control. The gender gap in the effect of recruitment on political ambition among Democrats was much smaller. Together, these findings suggest that to fully understand the role recruitment plays in women’s underrepresentation, researchers must understand the ways in which men and women respond to recruitment, not just whether political elites engage in gendered recruitment practices.
The Fate of Pentachlorophenol in an Aquatic Ecosystem

Extensive fish kills occurred in a freshwater lake in December 1974 and again in December 1976 due to the accidental release of wood-treating wastes containing pentachlorophenol (PCP) in fuel oil. Samples of water, sediment, leaf litter, and fish collected from the lake were analyzed to determine the persistence and distribution of PCP and major PCP-degradation products in the aquatic environment.
Strategies for achieving healthy energy balance among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta.

Introduction Low-income African Americans who live in rural areas of the Deep South are particularly vulnerable to diseases associated with unhealthy energy imbalance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested various physical activity strategies to achieve healthy energy balance. Our objective was to conduct formal, open-ended discussions with low-income African Americans in the Mississippi Delta to determine 1) their dietary habits and physical activity levels, 2) their attitudes toward CDC's suggested physical activity strategies, and 3) their suggestions on how to achieve CDC's strategies within their own environment. Methods A qualitative method (focus groups) was used to conduct the study during 2005. Prestudy meetings were held with African American lay health workers to formulate a focus group topic guide, establish inclusion criteria for focus group participants, select meeting sites and times, and determine group segmentation guidelines. Focus groups were divided into two phases. Results All discussions and focus group meetings were held in community centers within African American neighborhoods in the Mississippi Delta and were led by trained African American moderators. Phase I focus groups identified the following themes: overeating, low self-esteem, low income, lack of physical exercise, unhealthy methods of food preparation, a poor working definition of healthy energy balance, and superficial knowledge of strategies for achieving healthy energy balance. Phase 2 focus groups identified a preference for social support-based strategies for increasing physical activity levels. Conclusion Energy balance strategies targeting low-income, rural African Americans in the Deep South may be more effective if they emphasize social interaction at the community and family levels and incorporate the concept of community volunteerism.
A Novel Vertex Affinity for Community Detection

We propose a novel vertex affinity measure in this paper. The new vertex affinity quantifies the proximity between two vertices in terms of their clustering strength and is ideal for such graph analytics applications as community detection. We also developed a framework that combines simple graph searches and resistance circuit formulas to compute the vertex affinity efficiently. We study the properties of the new affinity measure empirically in comparison to those of other popular vertex proximity metrics. Our results show that the existing metrics are ill-suited for community detection due to their lack of fundamental properties that are essential for correctly capturing inter- and intra-cluster vertex proximity.
Two New Species of Schoengastiine Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Brazil and Rediagnosis of Arisocerus Brennan, 1970

Colicus spinosus Goff & Gettinger, n. sp., is described from Marmosa agilis. Quadraseta brasiliensis Goff & Gettinger, n. sp., is described from Marmosa agilis, Monodelphis americana, and Oryzomys capito. All specimens were collected in central Brazil. The diagnosis of the genus Arisocerus Brennan, 1970, is corrected to describe the setation of the palpal tarsus as 7BS rather than 6BS as listed in the original description.
Determination of Benzoic Acid in Canned Mushroom by Cloud Point Extraction-HPLC

[Objective]To establish the method for extraction and concentration of benzoic acid from canned mushroom by cloud point extraction(CPE),determination of it by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. [Methods]Tween-20 was chosen as extraction solvent.The optimum CPE conditions were 2%(V/V) Tween-20,300 g/L(NH4)2SO4,equilibration temperature 90 ℃,equilibration time 10 min. [Results]Under this experimental conditions,the recoveries were 92.0%~102.0%,and RSDwas 1.50%. [Conclusion]This method is simple,fast,flexible,with less pollution and well practical utility.
An inspection of Culex pipiens pallens to Sixe Pesticides in different regions

Objective:To investigate the level of the resistance of Culex pipiens pallens to six insecticides in City,suburbs,rural and mountainous,providing the basis for the study of mosquito resistance produced mechanism and scientific and reasonable use of pesticides.Methods:Immersion method of pesticide was used to assay the medium lethal concentration(LC50) of the Ⅳ larvae.Results:The Culex pipiens pallens were most resistant to permethrin which the resistance ratios were all above 10 times in each area,there were higher than medium resistance.The resistances to fenobucarb and tetramethrin were lower than other usual pesticides,the mosquitoes showed the lower resistance(RR4).The resistance of rural was the highest to all sorts of insecticides in different regions.No statistical difference was found in the resistance between the natural populations from different regions(F=0.583,P=0.678).Analysis of variance showed statistical difference in the varied insecticidal resistance of the natural populations to different agents(F=9.136,P=0.000).Conclusion:The Culex pipiens pallens demonstrated varied resistance to the 6 pesticides,and were most resistant to permethrin.On the contrary,there were no insecticide resistance against fenobucarb and tetramethrin.The monitoring of its insecticide resistance should be strengthened in conjunction with proper application of insecticides in order to delay resistance evolution.
Which Numbers are Real?: Construction of the Reals

Why construct the reals? We will prove the existence of the real numbers two times—by twice constructing a complete, linearly ordered field. Afterwards, we prove that all complete, linearly ordered fields are isomorphic, meaning that our axiom system for the reals is categorical. The reader might well object to this chapter in the following terms: “I've used the reals all my life; their properties are familiar; I know how to calculate with them; I know the calculus; I know everything. Why should I bother to construct the reals, when I know the result in advance?” How do we know the reals exist? Just because we've used a few of them over the years and assumed some properties for them does not allow us to conclude that they are really out there. Physicists argued for years about properties of the aether before it was discovered that it doesn't exist. To avoid a similar fate the reals' existence must be proved. The simplest and most reliable way to do this is to construct them. It was empirical evidence (the Michelson-Morley experiment, 1887) that did the aether in. The reader might argue that generations of mathematicians, scientists, and engineers have used the reals without encountering any problems: doesn't that constitute experimental evidence for the existence of the reals? Certainly it does, but the goal of mathematics is to construct theories backed by stronger evidence than experiment. Experimental evidence only makes the existence of the reals plausible. It is possible, despite years of use, that the axioms of the reals contain a hidden inconsistency.
Introduction: on studying stories of peoplehood

Oh, oh, oh, the ancient fairy tale It is high time to begin it. The Fairy tale of the olden times It is just time to remember it. Opening lines of the Kyrgyz Manas Epos Manas and Moses The Republic of Kyrgyzstan, also termed the Kyrgyz Republic, came into existence after a coup ended the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyzstan on August 31, 1991. In the year 2002, the Republic maintained an official website linked to a 1992 Decree by Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev. He declared that 1995 would be “a year of national celebration of the millennium of the Kyrgyz heroic epos Manas.” Akayev also urged various governmental ministries to submit projects “on the revival of the age-old values and material and spiritual heritage of the Kyrgyz people connected with the epos Manas.” Those projects included organizing a single “scientific-propaganda coordinating center in the Republic in order to unite the means of mass media, science, culture and education for restoring the objective historical truth about the Kyrgyz and their historical memory.” This website is revealing on several levels. From academic and cultural viewpoints, reviving and celebrating the epos Manas was a highly commendable act. Twenty times longer than the Iliad and Odyssey combined, the epos details the history of the Kyrgyz people from ancient times until the eighteenth century. Many regard it as an irreplaceable source of Kyrgyz history, philosophy, ethnography and spirituality.
Intradiploic Epidermoid Tumors of the Cranium: Case Report with Review of the Literature.

Introduction Epidermoid cysts are a rare intracranial tumor, mostly arising from the cerebellar pontine angle but sporadically arising from the cranial diploe. Intradiploic epidermoids were first described in 1838 and have since been reported in sporadic case reports and case series. Due to the scarcity of cases, no institution has a large enough case series to fully characterize this tumor. We review numerous case series to better describe intradiploic epidermoids. Methods Using a search for intradiploic epidermoid, several case reports and series were found. References from these articles were reviewed for further cases. Results A total of 169 cases of intradiploic epidermoids were reviewed. The average age of patients presenting with intradiploic epidermoids was 38.1 years (standard error of the mean: 1.56). Overall, 68.9% of these patients presented with localized swelling over the scalp, 32.3% with headaches, and 42.7% with other neurologic symptoms. The most common location of the tumor was the frontal bones, with the least common the sphenoid, zygomatic, and maxillary bone. Surgical resection was curative in most cases, with a 3.2% mortality. Recurrence rate was only 5.8%, with nearly all occurring before 1999. Of the recurrent cases, malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma was estimated at 44% (4/9). Most of these cases are thought to have occurred as a result of incomplete resection of a primary intradiploic epidermoid. Conclusions To date, this is the largest review of intradiploic epidermoids reported in the literature. In the reported cases, most had a benign course. However, there are occasional malignant transformations, and some patients have neurologic sequelae from mass effect or tumor infiltration. This is a surgically curative tumor in most cases.
Reduction of micro-SPECT streak artifacts from imperfect system modeling

In micro-SPECT imaging, it can be challenging to model accurately the peripheral regions of a pinhole's response function, which correspond to large photon angles of incidence on the pinhole aperture. While it is possible, in principle, to simulate pinhole penetration and scatter accurately, uncertainties in the exact shape of the manufactured pinhole profile, or in detector sag angles during a SPECT orbit are problematic, especially for multi-pinhole systems where inconsistencies among projections can cause high-contrast streak artifacts in reconstructed images. We developed a method to reduce such artifacts, and tested it with data acquired on the Harvard Medical School muSPECT scanner. In this approach, we pre-calculate a set of rolled-off two-dimensional projection masks, one for each detector at each gantry angular position; during iterative reconstruction, the estimated and measured projections are both multiplied by the appropriate mask, which greatly reduces the magnitude of inconsistencies near the axial extrema of the pinhole projections. To compute the masks, we simulate by ray-tracing two sets of projection data from a uniform cylindrical emitter that fills the reconstruction field-of- view. The first set is simulated using the nominal pinhole maximum opening angle (73.6 degrees for our system); the second assumes the same opening angle, but the probability of each ray-traced photon path is weighted by a Hanning-window factor which decreases smoothly from unity (for all paths with angles of incidence within an opening angle less than 53.6-deg) to zero at 73.6-deg. The masks are then calculated by dividing the second set of simulated projections by the first. When this method was used to reconstruct measured high-count projections from Tc-99m phantoms, the streak artifacts were greatly reduced with no apparent loss of axial spatial resolution. Weighted reconstruction of Hanning-windowed projections is an effective approach for artifact reduction in muSPECT imaging.
Exploration of machine learning techniques in predicting multiple sclerosis disease course.

Objective To explore the value of machine learning methods for predicting multiple sclerosis disease course. Methods 1693 CLIMB study patients were classified as increased EDSS≥1.5 (worsening) or not (non-worsening) at up to five years after baseline visit. Support vector machines (SVM) were used to build the classifier, and compared to logistic regression (LR) using demographic, clinical and MRI data obtained at years one and two to predict EDSS at five years follow-up. Results Baseline data alone provided little predictive value. Clinical observation for one year improved overall SVM sensitivity to 62% and specificity to 65% in predicting worsening cases. The addition of one year MRI data improved sensitivity to 71% and specificity to 68%. Use of non-uniform misclassification costs in the SVM model, weighting towards increased sensitivity, improved predictions (up to 86%). Sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy improved minimally with additional follow-up data. Predictions improved within specific groups defined by baseline EDSS. LR performed more poorly than SVM in most cases. Race, family history of MS, and brain parenchymal fraction, ranked highly as predictors of the non-worsening group. Brain T2 lesion volume ranked highly as predictive of the worsening group. Interpretation SVM incorporating short-term clinical and brain MRI data, class imbalance corrective measures, and classification costs may be a promising means to predict MS disease course, and for selection of patients suitable for more aggressive treatment regimens.
Imaging of Diffuse Liver Disease

Diffuse liver disease is commonly encountered in routine practice and encompasses a broad range of pathologies. While some entities have unique imaging features, many diffuse liver diseases are relatively non-specific in appearance. This article will overview the etiologies and multi-modality imaging appearances of the more common diffuse liver diseases. Newer imaging techniques in the evaluation of diffuse liver disease include MR and US elastography, DWI/ADC, and hepatic perfusion imaging. These advanced techniques aid in the detection and quantification of hepatic fibrotic disease, allowing for early treatment, potential disease reversal, and prevention of cirrhosis and its attendant morbidity and mortality. Diffuse liver disease reflects a broad range of entities; while there are many shared imaging features, some diseases have unique imaging manifestations. An understanding of typical imaging appearances, as well as newer techniques in hepatic imaging, will allow radiologists to better evaluate diffuse liver diseases.
A Context-Dependent Attention System for a Social Robot

This paper presents part of an on-going project to integrate perception, attention, drives, emotions, behavior arbitration, and expressive acts for a robot designed to interact socially with humans. We present the design of a visual attention system based on a model of human visual search behavior from Wolfe (1994). The attention system integrates perceptions (motion detection, color saliency, and face popouts) with habituation effects and influences from the robot's motivational and behavioral state to create a context-dependent attention activation map. This activation map is used to direct eye movements and to satiate the drives of the motivational system.