cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preferences of Training Performance Measurement: A Comparative Study of Training Professionals and Non‐training Managers

ABSTRACT This survey-based study addressed a perceived gap between training performance evaluation practice and decision-making criteria required in business. Training professionals and non-training managers in North Carolina were surveyed. The study found that the groups differ in the performance measures that motivate them to act on training issues. Non-training managers preferred measurements of productivity, organizational climate, product quality, cost, and customer service reports. Training professionals preferred measures of opinions of the trainee's supervisor, end-of-training exam scores, progress/work performance reports, and opinions of the trainee. The study concluded that (1) training professionals and non-training managers react to different training performance measures; (2) training professionals are more likely to react to job/individual-level performance measures; (3) non-training managers are more likely to rely on organizational-level measures; (4) non-training managers are not primarily concerned with converting training benefits to dollar figures; (5) on-the-job tests and customer service reports are valued by both the training profession and business and industry; and (6) the low response suggests a potential lack of interest for the strategic position of the training function.
Is there Sufficient Enhancement of the Reduction in CVD Rates after a Decade of Statin Therapy to Justify Continuation

Randomized, controlled clinical trials have shown significant benefits of statin therapy in patients with or at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). But these trials typically enroll patients for only 5 years or so, prompting some clinicians to ask what the longer term follow-up of these patients will show. While most trials have a duration of only approximately 5 years, four large trials report extended post-trial follow-up to 10 years, and these trials, as well as multiple large cohort studies, suggest an expected benefit of statins’ effects beyond 10 years. In this review we will summarize the current state of the literature, the benefits noted to date, and the potentially accumulating, adverse effects of long-term statin use.
DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation

The article presents a review of the book “DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation,” by Edgar H. Schein with Peter DeLisi, Paul Kampas, and Michael Sonduck.
Permittivity of dilute fiber suspension

Abstract Several dilute discontinuous conducting fiber composites have been fabricated, and the observed low-frequency permittivities compared with predictions of transport models. Novel fabrication techniques have been employed to produce systems of highly aligned and well-dispersed fibers. The distribution of orientations of the included phase has been determined with a digitizing image analyzer and compared to a more accurate manual method of recording of fiber positions. Dilute approximations are invoked to predict the electrical transport properties of the materials. Composite permittivity is found to be well-represented by a simple mean-field approximation for composites with a low degree of fiber aggregation. The complex permittivities of matrix polymers and composites are characterized from 1 to 1000 kHz at temperatures ranging from 80 to 440 K. Composite dielectric constants are shown only under certain conditions to be invariant with temperature and frequency when reduced by matrix resin permittivity. The use of image analysis for structural characterization of transparent matrix composites is evaluated, and some limitations identified.
The structure of Hopf algebras with a projection

The smash product algebra and the smash coproduct coalgebra are well known in the context of Hopf algebras [ 1,5], and these notions can be viewed as being motivated by the semidirect product construction in the theory of groups and in the theory of afIine group schemes, respectively. Let
The influence of environmental and genetic factors on behavior problems and autistic symptoms in boys and girls with fragile X syndrome.

Objective. Fragile X syndrome, caused by mutations in a single gene of the X chromosome (FMR1), is associated with neurobehavioral characteristics including social deficits with peers, social withdrawal, gaze aversion, inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and autistic behavior. However, there is considerable variability in the behavioral and psychiatric problems among children with this condition. The purpose of this study was to measure genetic and environmental factors influencing behavior problems and autistic symptoms in children with fragile X syndrome. Design. We conducted an in-home evaluation of 120 children (80 boys and 40 girls) with the fragile X full mutation and their unaffected siblings, including measurements of the FMR1 protein (FMRP), quality of the home environment, maternal and paternal psychopathology, effectiveness of educational and therapeutic services, and child behavior problems. Results. Results of multiple regression analyses showed that for boys with fragile X, effectiveness of educational and therapeutic services and parental psychological problems predicted internalizing and externalizing types of problems, while the quality of the home environment predicted autistic behavior. For girls with fragile X, the results emphasized significant effects of FMRP on behavior, in particular social withdrawal and anxious/depressed behavior. Conclusions. These findings are among the first to link FMRP expression to behavior. They also emphasize the significance of home- and school-based environmental variables in the neurobehavioral phenotype and help to lay the foundation for studies designed to identify specific interventions for reducing problem behavior in children with fragile X syndrome.
The rate of O2 and CO binding to a copper complex, determined by a "flash-and-trap" technique, exceeds that for hemes.

The observation and fast time-scale kinetic determination of a primary dioxygen−copper interaction have been studied. The ability to photorelease carbon monoxide from [CuI(tmpa)(CO)]+ in mixtures of CO and O2 in tetrahydrofuran (THF) between 188 and 218 K results in the observable formation of a copper-superoxide species, [CuII(tmpa)(O2-)]+ λmax = 425 nm. Via this “flash-and-trap” technique, temperature-dependent kinetic studies on the forward reaction between dioxygen and [CuI(tmpa)(thf)]+ afford activation parameters ΔH⧧ = 7.62 kJ/mol and ΔS⧧ = −45.1 J/mol K. The corresponding reverse reaction proceeds with ΔH⧧ = 58.0 kJ/mol and ΔS⧧ = 105 J/mol K. Overall thermodynamic parameters are ΔH° = −48.5 kJ/mol and ΔS° = −140 J/mol K. The temperature-dependent data allowed us to determine the room-temperature second-order rate constant, kO2 = 1.3 × 109 M-1 s-1. Comparisons to copper and heme proteins and synthetic complexes are discussed.
Aluminum release rates from selected Spodosol Bs horizons : Effect of pH and solid-phase aluminum pools

Spodosol Bs horizon soils from Hubbard Brook, New Hampshire, Bear Brook watershed, Maine and Findley Lake watershed, Washington, were examined to determine the effect of pH and solid-phase Al pools on Al release rates. The clay fraction of all soils was dominated by hydroxy-Al interlayered 2:1 layer silicates and Al-humus complexes; the Washington soil also contained high concentrations of imogolite. Aluminum release rates were determined by reacting the <250-μm soil fraction with an acetate buffer (10−3M) adjusted to pH 3.3, 3.9, or 4.2 in a stirred, flow-through reaction vessel. Aluminum release rates at t = 0 ranged from 11–29 nmol/g/s(0.23-0.47 nmol/m2/s) at pH 3.3 to 5.8–14.5 nmol/ g/s (0.12-0.25 nmol/m2/s) at pH 4.2. The order of the reaction with respect to hydrogen ion concentration was 0.29-0.32 for initial rates and 0.36-0.57 after 60 min. Selective dissolution techniques using KCl, Na-pyrophosphate and acid oxalate were evaluated as a method for discriminating the source of dissolved Al. Treatment with KCl increased Al release rates for all soils and may result from precipitation of Al displaced by the KCl treatment. The Maine and New Hampshire soils showed a large reduction in Al release rates following treatment with pyrophosphate, indicating the possible role of Al-humus complexes in regulating release rates. In contrast, release rates in the Washington soil showed a large reduction in the initial rates following pyrophosphate treatment and a further reduction for the entire dissolution period following removal of imogolite with the acid oxalate treatment.
Large-scale constructed wetlands for nutrient removal from stormwater runoff: An everglades restoration project

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) constructed a wetland south of Lake Okeechobee to begin the process of removing nutrients (especially phosphorus) from agricultural stormwater runoff entering the Everglades. The project, called the Everglades Nutrient Removal (ENR) project, is a prototype for larger, similarly constructed wetlands that the SFWMD will build as part of the Everglades restoration program. This innovative project is believed to be one of the largest agricultural stormwater cleanup projects in the United States, if not in the world. This publication describes the ENR project's design, construction, and proposed operation, as well as the proposed research program to be implemented over the next few years.
Casein Kinase 1-dependent Phosphorylation of Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome-associated Residues Controls PERIOD 2 Stability

The mammalian circadian clock component PERIOD2 (PER2) plays a critical role in circadian rhythm entrainment. Recently, a missense mutation at a putative phosphorylation site in hPER2, Ser-662, was identified in patients that suffer from familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS). Patients with FASPS display abnormal sleep-wake patterns characterized by a lifelong pattern of sleep onset in the early evening and offset in the early morning. Although the phosphorylation of PER2 is strongly implied from functional studies, it has not been possible to study the site-specific phosphorylation of PER2 on Ser-662, and the biochemical functions of this residue are unclear. Here, we used phospho-specific antibodies to show that PER2 is phosphorylated on Ser-662 and flanking casein kinase (CK) sites in vivo. The phosphorylation of PER2 was carried out by the combined activities of casein kinase 1δ (CK1 δ) and casein kinase 1ϵ (CK1ϵ) and was antagonized by protein phosphatase 1. PER2 phosphorylation was rapidly induced in response to circadian entrainment of mammalian cell lines and occurred in both cytosolic and nuclear compartments. Importantly, we found that the pool of Ser-662-phosphorylated PER2 proteins was more stable than the pool of total PER2 molecules, implying that the FASPS phosphorylation cluster antagonizes PER2 degradation. Consistent with this idea, a Ser-662 → Ala mutation that abrogated PER2 phosphorylation significantly reduced its half-life, whereas a phosphomimetic Ser-662 → Asp substitution led to an elevation in half-life. Our combined findings provide new insights into PER2 regulation and the biochemical basis of FASPS.
NSF exit interview

In August, I completed an 11-month stint as director of the Petrology and Geochemistry (CH) Program in the Earth Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation. Like most bureaucracies, NSF gives standard exit interviews to all its departing employees. Below are a few of the questions I would rather have been asked, along with some of the answers I wish I knew a year ago. Q. There is a lot of talk these days about streamlining the federal government. Would you say that NSF wastes a lot of its resources on unnecessary internal administrative costs?
Pretreatment with finasteride decreases perioperative bleeding associated with transurethral resection of the prostate.

Abstract Objectives. The efficacy of finasteride in the treatment of gross hematuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia is well established. We evaluated a regimen of pretreatment with finasteride in decreasing perioperative bleeding associated with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Methods. A prospective analysis compared 25 patients pretreated with finasteride for 2 to 4 months before TURP with 50 patients without pretreatment. Patients in each group were further separated by the amount of prostate tissue resected. Patients were then followed up for perioperative bleeding, defined as a perioperative blood transfusion requirement or a return visit to the emergency room with gross hematuria or clot retention. Results. None of the patients with less than 30 g of prostate tissue resected experienced perioperative bleeding. In patients with 30 g or more resected, several episodes of bleeding occurred. In the patients pretreated with finasteride, 1 (8.3%) of 12 experienced perioperative bleeding; in the control group, 7 (36.8%) of 19 had an episode of bleeding. Conclusions. In patients with large prostate glands undergoing TURP, pretreatment with finasteride appears useful in reducing perioperative bleeding.
The low-frequency power spectrum of cosmic-ray variations during IGY

The power spectrum of cosmic-ray variations, as recorded by neutron monitors at various locations, is computed and analyzed. The frequency range covered, from 1/200 to 1/2 (day)−1, is found to contain only one significant peak, contributed by the well-known 27-day variation. Using the power spectrum, a quantitative estimate of the latitude dependence of the 27-day variation may be made. From this, the average rigidity dependence of the modulation amplitude is deduced and is found to be essentially the same as that of Forbush decreases. The averaging here is over the period July 1957 to December 1958, during which the peak decreased significantly. Irregular variations were also investigated, as was the correlation with magnetic activity. It was found that the irregular variations have approximately the same latitude dependence as the 27-day peak, and decrease roughly exponentially with increasing frequency. There was some correlation between magnetic activity and cosmic-ray variations, but it shows no clear recurrence tendencies. A general review of power spectral analysis, with emphasis on points relevant to this work, is included. The conclusions from the results obtained and the connection between Forbush decreases and the 27-day variation are also discussed.
Silibinin exerts sustained growth suppressive effect against human colon carcinoma SW480 xenograft by targeting multiple signaling molecules.

Purpose Earlier, we reported the strong preventive efficacy of silibinin against colorectal cancer (CRC), but its usefulness against established CRC or effect of its withdrawal on CRC growth remained unknown. Present study focused on these important issues by employing two different treatment protocols in advanced human CRC SW480 xenograft in nude mice.
Diagnosis and management of diverticulitis in women

Diverticular disease is thought to be related to dietary fiber deficiency and has a higher incidence in developed countries and in older patients, especially women. Diverticulitis is an inflammatory process of colonic diverticula that commonly presents with lower abdominal pain, fever, and leukocytosis. The differential diagnosis of diverticulitis includes ruptured ovarian cyst, ovarian torsion, tubo-ovarian abscess, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, appendicitis, Crohn's disease, colon cancer, ischemic colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, complicated ulcer disease, and urologic disease. Treatment may be medical or surgical, depending upon the severity of the episode and the presence or absence of complications.
A building code for building code: putting what we know works to work

Systems of programs control more and more of our critical infrastructures. Forty years of system development and research have taught us many lessons in how to build software that is reliable, relatively free of vulnerabilities, and can enforce security policies. Those years of experience seem not to have taught us how to get these lessons put into practice, particularly with respect to security, except in a few specialized places. This essay suggests an approach to capturing what we know in a way that can make a difference in systems on which we all rely.
Mind the gaps: weighting the unknown in large-scale one-class collaborative filtering

One-Class Collaborative Filtering (OCCF) is a task that naturally emerges in recommender system settings. Typical characteristics include: Only positive examples can be observed, classes are highly imbalanced, and the vast majority of data points are missing. The idea of introducing weights for missing parts of a matrix has recently been shown to help in OCCF. While existing weighting approaches mitigate the first two problems above, a sparsity preserving solution that would allow to efficiently utilize data sets with e.g., hundred thousands of users and items has not yet been reported. In this paper, we study three different collaborative filtering frameworks: Low-rank matrix approximation, probabilistic latent semantic analysis, and maximum-margin matrix factorization. We propose two novel algorithms for large-scale OCCF that allow to weight the unknowns. Our experimental results demonstrate their effectiveness and efficiency on different problems, including the Netflix Prize data.
Physicochemical characteristics and functional properties of various commercial chitin and chitosan products

Physicochemical characteristics and functional properties of five commercially available chitins and five chitosans were investigated. Physicochemical characteristics (nitrogen, ash, degree of deacetylation, bulk density, and viscosity) differed with products. In functional properties, dye binding capacity differed depending on the products, although average binding capacity (63%) of chitosans was higher than that (54%) of chitins. Water binding capacity ranged from 381 to 673% for chitins and from 458 to 805% for chitosans. Fat binding capacities of chitins were mostly similar (316−320%) except for one product (563%), whereas chitosans showed dissimilar binding capacities from 314 to 535%. However, significant correlations were observed between water binding capacity and bulk density (r = −0.89, P < 0.01) and between fat binding capacity and viscosity (r = 0.72, P < 0.05) of chitin products. Both water and fat binding capacity of chitosan products were significantly correlated positively with ash (r = 0....
An Outbreak of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serotype Oranienburg in Michigan Dairy Calves

The objectives of this study were to report an outbreak of highly drug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Oranienburg in dairy calves, and conduct an epidemiological investigation of Oranienburg identified on a dairy herd during a study to determine whether discontinuing feeding medicated milk replacer to preweaned dairy calves resulted in increased antimicrobial susceptibility in enteric bacteria. Calf fecal samples and swabs of calf and maternity pens were collected monthly over 18 months. Samples were streaked onto XLT-4 agar and characteristic colonies were subjected to biochemical tests to confirm Salmonella. Strain relatedness was examined by Xbal and BlnI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis on 62 randomly selected isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, using automated microbroth dilution, was conducted using a panel containing tetracycline, amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, ceftiofur, ceftriaxone, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, cefoxitin, gentamicin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. A total of 190 Salmonella spp. were isolated from 604 calf and 36 pen samples, of which 86% were Oranienburg and 97% were resistant to at least 9 agents. Environmental isolates had lower levels of resistance than fecal isolates. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis identified three strains: the most common strain was consistently present before the outbreak and at its peak. One strain was exclusively an environmental isolate, with little antimicrobial resistance. Multiresistant isolates with resistance to ciprofloxacin appeared early in the outbreak, and were replaced by multiresistant isolates with resistance to cephalothin. The differences in strains and resistance patterns suggest that the strains of Oranienburg found in fecal isolates may have different origins from environmental isolates.
ISOLATED HONEY BEE ABDOMENS FOR MONITORING EFFECTS OF STRESS IN THE AMERICAN COCKROACH

The isolated honey bee abdomen has been used for the qualitative detection of possible autoneurotoxins released into the haemolymph of cockroaches, kept in a colony, in response to stress induced by handling. When haemolymph containing toxic substances is introduced into the honey bee abdomen there is an increase in the frequency and amplitude of the spontaneous contractions. Two hours after stress the haemolymph no longer showed any evidence of stimulating substances when tested on the abdomen. Cockroaches maintained in isolation offered little resistance to handling and autotoxins did not appear in the haemolymph. These responses in the cockroaches are similar to those observed previously in the bee. Resume EMPLOI DE L'ABDOMEN ISOLE D'ABEILLE POUR MESURER LES EFFETS D'UN «STRESS» CHEZ LA BLATTE AMERICAINE Les neurotoxines qui peuvent etre liberees dans l'hemolymphe d'une blatte a la suite du stress provoque par sa capture et sa prehension entre les doigts, sont mises en evidence en utilisant comme reacteur biologique l'abdomen isole d'abeille. L'injection ou la transfusion (cf. texte) dans l'abdomen isole, du sang d'une blatte soumise a un tel stress, provoque un accroissement de la frequence et de l'amplitude des contractions musculaires spontanees de l'abdomen. Les substances excitatrices presentes dans l'hemolymphe de la blatte disparaissent deux heures apres le stress qui les a engendrees. Ces substances dites «autotoxines» n'apparaissent pas dans le sang de blattes isolees, qui ne montrent que peu de resistance a etre manipulees a la main; elles sont au contraire d'autant plus abondantes ou actives que les blattes sont groupees en plus grand nombre, conditions dans lesquelles elles presentent un stress maximum lors de leur capture a la main. Ces reponses chez la blatte sont comparables a celles qui ont eTE anTErieurement observees chez l'abeille.
A comparison of Lord's χ2 and Raju's area measures in detection of DIF

The area between item response functions esti mated in different samples is often used as a measure of differential item functioning (DIF). Under item response theory, this area should be 0, except for errors of measurement. This study examined the effectiveness of two statistical tests of this area—a Z test for exact signed area and a Z test for exact unsigned area—for different test length, sample size, proportion of DIF items on the test, and item parameter estimation conditions using the two- parameter model. Errors in detection made using these two statistics were compared with errors made using Lord's χ2. Differences between all three statistics were relatively small; however, the χ2 statistic was more effective than either of the two Z tests at detecting simulated DIF. The Z test for the exact signed area was the least effective and was the most likely to result in false negative errors.
Handbook of reliability engineering and management

Introduction, Definitions, and Relationships. The Role of Management in Reliability. Managing Reliability as a Process. Economics of Reliability. Design for Reliability. Failure Modes and Effects (FMEA) and Fault-Tree Analysis (FTA) (Success-Tree Analysis--STA). Reliability Specification and Goal Setting. Concurrent Engineering. Human-Centered Design. Reliability Information Collection and Analysis. Designing Experiments to Measure and Improve Reliability. Accelerated Testing. Failure Analysis System--Root Cause and Corrective Action. Physics of Failure. Maintainability and Reliability. Component Reliability. Thermal Management and Reliability of Electronics. Mechanical Stress and Analysis. Mechanical Reliability. Design for Mechanical Reliability. System Reliability. Software Reliability and the Development Process. Supplier Reliability and Quality Assurance. Techniques of Estimating Reliability at Design Stage. Mathematical and Statistical Methods and Models in Reliability and Life Studies. Life Distributions and Concepts. Graphical Analyses of Reliability Data. Appendices: A: Tables and Charts. B: Charts. C: Reliability Standards and Specifications.
VOTER PARTICIPATION IN MUNICIPAL COURT ELECTIONS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Although significant research has been done on voter participation and the election of executives and legislators, very little literature exists on the election of state judges, and there is virtually no literature on the election of trial court judges. In view of the policy-making activities of judges, this absence of research hampers understanding of the overall public policy-making process. The few studies of the election of state supreme court justices indicate that, compared to other nonpartisan elections, participation in judicial elections is somewhat similar. This study of municipal court elections in Los Angeles county found that voter participation was higher than expected and suggests that changes in the process could have policy implications.
Dynorphin peptides differentially regulate the human κ opioid receptor

Abstract Dynorphins, endogenous peptides for the κ opioid receptor, play important roles in many physiological and pathological functions. Here, we examined how prolonged treatment with three major prodynorphin peptides, dynorphin A (1–17) (Dyn A), dynorphin B (1–13) (Dyn B) and α-neoendorphin (α-Neo), regulated the human kappa opioid receptor (hKOR) stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Results from receptor binding and [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assays showed that these peptides were potent full agonists of the hKOR with comparable receptor reserve and intrinsic efficacy to stimulate G proteins. A 4-h incubation with α-Neo at a concentration of ∼ 600 × EC 50 value (from [ 35 S]GTPγS binding) resulted in receptor down-regulation to a much lower extent than the incubation with Dyn A and Dyn B at comparable concentrations (∼ 10% vs. ∼ 65%). Extending incubation period and increasing concentrations did not significantly affect the difference. The plateau level of α-Neo-mediated receptor internalization (30 min) was significantly less than those of Dyn A and Dyn B. Omission of the serum from the incubation medium or addition of peptidase inhibitors into the serum-containing medium enhanced α-Neo-, but not Dyn A- or Dyn B-, mediated receptor down-regulation and internalization; however, the degrees of α-Neo-induced adaptations were still significantly less than those of Dyn A and Dyn B. Thus, these endogenous peptides differentially regulate KOR after activating the receptor with similar receptor occupancy and intrinsic efficacy. Both stability in the presence of serum and intrinsic capacity to promote receptor adaptation play roles in the observed discrepancy among the dynorphin peptides.
Prostaglandins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Effects on renal hemodynamics

Renal prostaglandins are important modulators of renal hemodynamic function. Their synthesis from arachidonic acid precursor is regulated by neurohumoral vasoactive substances as well as by intrarenal factors. Endogenous renal prostaglandins exert little influence on renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate in the basal state. In contrast, inhibition of cyclooxygenase-dependent arachidonic acid metabolism with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in states of decreased renal perfusion causes marked alterations in these variables. Thus, clinical states characterized by decreased intravascular volume (decreased effective blood volume) with decreased renal perfusion augment the activity of various neurohumoral vasoactive systems and result in an increased dependence of renal hemodynamics on endogenous renal prostaglandin synthesis, which is stimulated, in a compensatory manner, by these same systems. The development of newer drugs that undergo biotransformation in the kidney between active and inactive forms may permit a lesser degree of renal cyclooxygenase inhibition, with the possibility of a reduction in the adverse effects on renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate. Appropriate clinical use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs requires careful consideration of the potential deleterious consequences of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition. Prostaglandins are considered to be autacoids and, as such, they exert their physiologic actions close to or at the site of synthesis. Therefore, production of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and, possibly, leukotrienes in the renal cortex by the constituent cells of the glomeruli and the arterioles would be anticipated to influence their hemodynamic functions, that is, glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow, renal vascular resistance, and juxtaglomerular granular cell renin release.
Stimulation experience and incentive variables as determinants of behavior elicited by hypothalamic stimulation

Incentive goal and extensive stimulation experience effects on proportion increase of hypothalamic electrode sites yielding elicited eating and drinking behavior
Roman impressions: contemporary city planning and housing in Rome

Abstract Since 1870, when Rome was established as the capital of a unified Italy, four general plans have guided its development. The first plan (1883) guided initial growth. In 1909, a liberal plan was initiated, and in 1931 there was a third plan embodying Fascist perspectives. The most recent master plan, still influencing development, was formulated in 1962. A key feature of this plan, the Asse Attrezatto or ‘equipped axis’, was to draw commercial, industrial, and residential development away from the historic center of the city. Owing to strong political disagreement with fundamental issues, the axis has not been executed. Nevertheless, the city has made a considerable achievement in relieving acute housing shortages brought on by rapid urban population growth, between 1945 and 1980.
A completely transistorized 600-channel multiplex system

The past 10 years have brought forth few improvements in long-haul telephone carrier systems, despite steadily-increasing consumer demands. Existing carrier systems were designed primarily for the transmission of speech and have been used mainly for that and for telegraphic transmissions. The common carriers, independents, and private and government-owned systems have done a remarkable job in providing new types of service such as handling of data, Teletype, and facsimile. However, costs have run high because of the need to derate capacities of systems designed primaily for voice transmission or to add suitable devices for correcting delay distortion, amplitude distortion, frequency stability, or signal-noise ratio.
Prognostic utility of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis

(95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.98-3.56) for the presence of any LGE, with large amounts of heterogeneity between studies (I 2 , 83.5%). Furthermore, there was a continuous relationship between risk and the amount of LGE detected. For every 10% of the left ventricular mass with LGE, the risk of MACE increased by 56% (HR 1.56/10% LGE, 95% CI 1.39-1.75; I2, 63.6%). Pre-specified meta-regression analyses revealed that the HR for MACE decreased with declining ejection fraction (p=0.02) when LGE was continuous, and was inversely related to age (p<0.001) when LGE was binary.
Alkali carbonation of calcium aluminate cements: influence of set-retarding admixtures under hydrothermal conditions

The preferential uptake of aluminium ions by lactone and carboxylic acid groups in glucuronic-6,3-lactone and gluconic acid suggested that these organic admixtures have a high potential as set-retarding admixtures of high-temperature calcium aluminate cement slurry. However, the liberation of abundant free calcium ions caused by the adsorption of aluminium ions by the admixtures, increased the carbonation rate of hydrated cement pastes after exposure to Na2CO3-laden water at 300 ‡C. Using inorganic acid admixtures, such as boric acid and sodium tetraborate decahydrate, the retarding ability of colloidal Ca(BO2)2 ·nH2O and aluminium hydroxide yielded by the reaction between admixture and cement was less than that of the reaction products derived from organic acid admixtures. Although Ca(BO2)2 ·nH2O in hot Na2CO3 solution was converted into CaCO3, the rate of alkali carbonation was almost the same as that of admixture-free calcium aluminate cement pastes.
Comparative morphology of primate spermatozoa using scanning electron microscopy. I. Families Hominidae, Pongidae, Cercopithecidae and Cebidae

Abstract Spermatozoa from 16 species of primates, representing Families Cercopithecidae Cebidae, Pongidae, and Hominidae, were viewed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Various techniques of specimen preparation were employed, especially critical point drying using CO 2 , but also critical point drying using N 2 O as well as air drying using amyl acetate. Details of ultrastructure and identifying features of the various families are presented, with both relationships and differences being evident. Accompanying light micrographs of several of the species illustrate size relationships of the head, midpiece, and principal piece of the tail. Dimensions of these parts of spermatozoa were calculated from such photographs, and add to the interpretation of overall morphology. SEM is of considerable value in understanding many details of structure in spermatozoa, and should contribute to the study of taxonomic affinities among the various primate groups.
Update on the theory and management of orthostatic intolerance and related syndromes in adolescents and children

Orthostasis means standing upright. One speaks of orthostatic intolerance (OI) when signs, such as hypotension, and symptoms, such as lightheadedness, occur when upright and are relieved by recumbence. The experience of transient mild OI is part of daily life. ‘Initial orthostatic hypotension’ on rapid standing is a normal form of OI. However, other people experience OI that seriously interferes with quality of life. These include episodic acute OI, in the form of postural vasovagal syncope, and chronic OI, in the form of postural tachycardia syndrome. Less common is neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, which is an aspect of autonomic failure. Normal orthostatic physiology and potential mechanisms for OI are discussed, including forms of sympathetic hypofunction, forms of sympathetic hyperfunction and OI that results from regional blood volume redistribution. General and specific treatment options are proposed.
Pressure gradient scaling method for fluid flow with nearly uniform pressure

Abstract A method is described for increasing the efficiency of numerical calculations of compressible fluid flow problems in which the pressure field is nearly uniform in space. This condition is ordinarily satisfied at low Mach number. It is shown that in such problems, the pressure gradient in the momentum equation may be multiplied by a scaling factor 1 α 2 (α > 1) without significant effect, provided that α is not too large and that the pressure inhomogeneities are not of interest. This scaling modification reduces the acoustic speed by a factor of α, thereby increasing the effective Mach number by the same factor. This reduces the disparity between the acoustic and convective time scales, which improves the computational efficiency of many numerical schemes for compressible flow. The relation between the present approach and the α-transformation of O'Rourke and Bracco is briefly discussed. The practical utility of the method is illustrated by sample calculations of combustion in ideal gas mixtures.
Sexual networks are diverse and complex: prevalence of relationships bridging population subgroups in the Seattle Sex Survey.

Goal: To better understand how and how often individuals bridge demographic groups in their sex partnerships, and to describe the epidemiologic characteristics of bridging and associations with history of sexually transmitted infection (STI). Methods: We describe the frequency of different hypothetical sexual bridging types among men and women aged 18 to 39 participating in a random digit dialing survey conducted in 2003 to 2004, and the associations of bridging behavior with risk factors for and self-reported history of STI. Results: Of the 1013 participants who described their 2 most recent sexual partnerships, 753 (74%), were classified as a bridge of some type. Education bridges were most prevalent (46%), followed by spatial (34%), age (29%), race (24%), and gender bridges (3%). Conclusions: Sexual networks are diverse and complex, and there are multiple potential paths for infection flow.
Electron Analog Tests of Proton Linear Accelerator Structure

Electron analog tests of the 805-Mc cloverleaf accelerating structure being considered for the proposed Los Alamos linac have been made and are being extended. In the test which has been completed, 187-kev electrons, which are relatively easy to handle, are substituted for 343-Mev protons in the full-scale structure, which represents half of a prototype tank. The energy gain has been measured using a lens filter system, which acts as a decelerating device that returns the electrons to zero energy. The additional voltage needed on the lens filter to stop electrons which have been further accelerated by the cloverleaf model is a direct measure of the energy gain. The gain observed in the analog experiment corresponds to that expected from independent shunt resistance measurements.
On strong consistency of the variance estimator

One way to construct a confidence interval for the mean constant of a stochastic process, is via consistent estimation of another parameter of the process, namely, the time-average variance constant. In this paper, we discuss strong consistency of the variance estimator for several methods of steady-state output analysis. These are; Batch Means (BM), Overlapping Batch Means (OBM), Spectral methods, and finally, Standardized Time Series (the area estimator of STS). A characterization of the spectral variance estimator is also presented; it is a generalization of OBM. Another estimator, which might be called Overlapping Area estimator, connects the area estimator with spectral methods.
Clinical failures of appropriately-treated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Summary Objectives Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections can be difficult to treat. We evaluated the rate of clinical failure in appropriately-treated patients and determined risk factors for failure. Methods We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients with invasive MRSA infections who completed recommended therapy at one hospital over a 7year period. Results Two-hundred and fifteen cases were included. Vancomycin monotherapy was given in 73%. Failure rates by infection site were as follows: osteomyelitis 37/81 (46%), epidural abscess five/18 (28%), surgical wound four/15 (27%), pneumonia eight/45 (18%), endocarditis five/32 (16%), bloodstream five/42 (12%), joint one/23 (4%), and meningitis zero/one (0%). In multivariate analysis, only a diagnosis of osteomyelitis was independently associated with relapse ( p Conclusions We found a high rate of treatment failure in an urban population among patients who completed recommended therapy, largely with vancomycin alone. Failure in osteomyelitis was particularly common. High quality comparative studies of antibiotic regimens for MRSA infections, particularly osteomyelitis, are needed.
Ability of DNA and spermidine to affect the activity of restriction endonucleases from several bacterial species.

Previous work has described the novel ability to modulate in vitro the activity of restriction endonuclease NaeI from Nocardia aerocoligenes by using cleavable DNA and spermidine [Conrad & Topal (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 9707-9711]. In this paper we report the results of a study of 49 type II restriction enzymes from a variety of bacterial species. On the basis of the rates of cleavage observed, we found that in addition to expected cleavable sites a number of enzymes had slow and resistant cognate recognition sites. Resistant sites were identified for BspMI, NaeI, and NarI; slow sites were identified for HpaII, NaeI, and SacII. Cleavage of these sites was found to be significantly enhanced by the addition of cleavable DNA or spermidine. We demonstrate that for BspMI, as for NaeI, activator DNAs increased Vmax without altering Km, whereas for HpaII, NarI, and SacII activator DNAs decreased Km without changing Vmax. Comparison among the Kms for NaeI cleavage of several different substrates demonstrated that distant DNA sequences can affect DNA recognition by the activated enzyme. Our observations extend DNA activation of the Nocardia NaeI endonuclease to restriction endonucleases from Nocardia argentinensis (NarI), Bacillus species M (BspMI), Haemophilus parainfluenza (HpaII), and Streptomyces achromogenes (SacII). In addition, activation has now been found to affect slow as well as resistant recognition sites.
Women in accounting occupations in the 1880 US Census

This article critically examines the characteristics of women who self report as accountants, auditors, or bookkeepers in the 1880 US Census. Census schedule images are used to explore their early lives and later occupations. The year 1880 predates the earliest US Certified Public Accountant (CPA) legislation, thus devices professions traditionally use to achieve closure were not yet in place. By 1900 both legal and credential barriers to the accounting profession were enacted. It is shown that young women were drawn to these accounting occupations for relatively short periods of time. Evidences of coding errors in the census database related to women in accounting occupations are discussed.
Social Safety for Young Children A Review of the Literature on Safety Skills Instruction

Young children in today's society may find themselves in situations that require appropriate action in order to avoid dire consequences, such as injury or death. These situations may be the result of contact with objects in the physical environment such as guns, knives, or toxins. In other cases, children may be faced with confronting dangers in the social environment, such as avoiding the lures of strangers or responding to the abuse or neglect of a caregiver. Although safety education programs are implemented frequently in school settings, few research studies have systematically evaluated the methodology for teaching safety skills to young children. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the empirical literature related to social safety skills instruction for young children with and without disabilities. Findings are classified into two groups: lures of strangers and sexual abuse. Implications for future research are discussed.
Athenagoras the Christian, Pausanias the Travel Guide, and a Mysterious Corinthian Girl

I say, then, that it was Orpheus and Homer and Hesiod who gave the genealogies and the names to those who are called gods. … And as for statuary (eἰκόνeς), it did not exist until the plastic arts and painting and sculpture were invented, nor had it even been conceived.These arts came in later with Saurias the Samian, Krato the Sikyonian, Kleanthes the Corinthian, and a Corinthian girl. Line drawing (σκιαγραφία) was discovered by Saurias, who sketched a horse in the sun; and painting (γραφική) by Krato, who traced the outline (σκιά) of a man and a woman in oils on a white background. Relief sculpture (κοροπλαθική) was discovered by the girl (she traced the outline [σκιά] of her lover on a wall while he was asleep). Her father was so delighted by the resemblance that, since he worked in ceramics, he engraved the impression and fleshed it out with clay. That figure (τύπος) is still preserved in Corinth. After them Daidalos, Theodoros, and Smilis invented sculpture and the plastic arts.
A Conception of Economic Development and National Projects for the Kyrgyz Republic

The author emphasizes the need for government intervention in the Kyrgyz economy in order to saturate the consumer market primarily with domestically produced goods, halt and reverse the depopulation of remote rural areas, and better exploit the country's potential, especially in minerals extraction and tourism.
Examining the Relative Contribution of Memory Updating, Attention Focus Switching, and Sustained Attention to Children’s Verbal Working Memory Span

Whereas considerable developmental memory research has examined the contributions of short-term memory, processing efficiency, retention duration, and scope of attention to complex memory span, little is known about the influence of controlled attention. The present study investigated the relative influence of three understudied attention mechanisms on the verbal working memory span of school-age children: memory updating; attention focus switching; and sustained attention. Results of general linear modeling revealed that, after controlling for age, only updating accuracy emerged as a significant predictor of verbal working memory span. Memory updating speed (that subsumed attention focus switching speed) also contributed but was mediated by age. The results extend the developmental memory literature by implicating the mechanism of memory updating and developmental improvement in speed of attention focus switching and updating as critical contributors to children’s verbal working memory. Theoretically, the results provide substantively new information about the role of domain-general executive attention in children’s verbal working memory.
Acene-linked conjugated polymers with ratiometric fluorescent response to 1O2

This communication describes new conjugated polymers that bear diarylanthracene or diaryltetracene pendants and respond to singlet oxygen by interrupting energy transfer resulting in blue-shifted fluorescence.
GeneScape : a relational database of Escherichia coli genomic map data for Macintosh computers

We present a relational database program developed in FoxBase+/Mac for the viewing and manipulation of ordered restriction maps and associated features of the Escherichia coli genome including sequenced genes and the Kohara miniset of bacteriophage lambda clones. Use of this program allows easy access to the wealth of information being collected in a dataset of DNA sequences, maps and genetic data known as EcoSeq, EcoMap and EcoGene respectively.
Polynomial time approximation schemes for Euclidean TSP and other geometric problems

We present a polynomial time approximation scheme for Euclidean TSP in /spl Rfr//sup 2/. Given any n nodes in the plane and /spl epsiv/>0, the scheme finds a (1+/spl epsiv/)-approximation to the optimum traveling salesman tour in time n/sup 0(1//spl epsiv/)/. When the nodes are in /spl Rfr//sup d/, the running time increases to n(O/spl tilde/(log/sup d-2/n)//spl epsiv//sup d-1/) The previous best approximation algorithm for the problem (due to Christofides (1976)) achieves a 3/2-approximation in polynomial time. We also give similar approximation schemes for a host of other Euclidean problems, including Steiner Tree, k-TSP, Minimum degree-k, spanning tree, k-MST, etc. (This list may get longer; our techniques are fairly general.) The previous best approximation algorithms for all these problems achieved a constant-factor approximation. All our algorithms also work, with almost no modification, when distance is measured using any geometric norm (such as l/sub p/ for p/spl ges/1 or other Minkowski norms).