cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changing an Organization's Culture: A Work Style Model and Process

This paper describes the collaborative development process of a new approach to screening job applicants at a national research laboratory. Developed jointly by members of a university graduate program, a private consulting firm, and a representative of the laboratory, the product, called "Select for Success" (SFS), reflects foundational ideas of the team members' graduate curriculum as well as the practical demands of the laboratory workplace. SFS assesses two main dimensions of work style: relational and reflective. The relational dimension refers to the importance one places on interacting with others in performing his/her work. The reflective dimension indicates a person's readiness to evaluate his/her actions and underlying assumptions and to adopt innovative ways of performing tasks. The employee's work style reflects a combination of these dimensions. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the SFS was implemented by the laboratory.
Using a scaffolding-based blogging approach to improve IT and CS undergraduate students' disciplinary writing skills

Writing has been recognized as an important skill in the technology field. To engage students in writing, we designed and experimented a scaffolding"based bl ogging strategy for disciplinary writing in our Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS) upper"division undergraduate courses. Specifically, we scaffolded the blogging process and designed course"specific writing tasks for studen ts to blog. Student feedback in end"of"semester survey in dicated that scaffolding"based blogging approach is beneficial in improving students' writing quality and motivating students to write. Student feedback also revealed a need for more guidance regarding the process of reviewing and critiquing the work of peers. Lessons learned and suggestions for instructors wishing to incorporate blog writing into their classroom activities are discussed.
Bipolar duraplasty: a new technique for reducing transcranial cerebral herniation to allow for definitive cranioplasty.

Large, full-thickness calvarial defects cause increased brain tissue compliance, often resulting in transient, transcranial herniation in the setting of normotensive intracranial pressures. Cranioplasty serves to protect the cerebrum from external injury, provide an aesthetic contour, and alleviate neurological symptoms. Traditional options for management include head elevation, osmotic diuresis, mild hyperventilation, durotomy with closure following fluid evacuation, expansile cranioplasty, lobectomy, and procedure abortion with prolonged helmet therapy. Patients treated conservatively with helmet therapy commonly are noncompliant and sustain repeated minor trauma to unprotected cerebral contents. Furthermore, recent literature suggests that early cranioplasty may improve outcomes and reduce costs. The authors present a novel solution, bipolar duraplasty, which allows safe, transient reduction of normotensive parenchymal herniation using bipolar electrocautery. The dura of the herniated sac is cauterized...
Talking identity in the public sphere: Broad visions and small spaces in sexual identity politics

L'A. decrit de quelle maniere l'identite des homosexuels s'affirme au sein de la sphere publique. Il affirme que les mouvements de base et les forums constituent des instruments qui contribuent a l'elaboration culturelle du discours identitaire de ce groupe. Il examine le role du discours dans la construction de l'identite sociale des homosexuels. Il montre comment, d'une part, les solidarites s'elaborent au sein des forums reunissant des homosexuels, et comment, d'autre part, s'articulent les interets politiques des homosexuels en tant qu'individus et les interets politiques de la communaute qu'ils forment. Il etudie les processus d'affirmation identitaire et les solidarites qui se developpent au sein du Network Against Right's Agenda (NARA). Il met en exergue les limites des discours qui mettent l'accent sur une communaute d'interets du fait de la diversite des interets individuels. Il analyse le lien entre identite politique et democratie
Representing Variability and Transmural Differences in a Model of Human Heart Failure

During heart failure (HF) at the cellular level, the electrophysiological properties of single myocytes get remodeled, which can trigger the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias that could be manifested in many forms such as early afterdepolarizations (EADs) and alternans (ALTs). In this paper, based on experimentally observed human HF data, specific ionic and exchanger current strengths are modified from a recently developed human ventricular cell model: the O’Hara–Virag–Varro–Rudy (OVVR) model. A new transmural HF-OVVR model is developed that incorporates HF changes and variability of the observed remodeling. This new heterogeneous HF-OVVR model is able to replicate many of the failing action potential (AP) properties and the dynamics of both $\bf {[Ca^{2+}]_i}$ and $\bf {[Na^{+}]_i}$ in accordance with experimental data. Moreover, it is able to generate EADs for different cell types and exhibits ALTs at modest pacing rate for transmural cell types. We have assessed the HF-OVVR model through the examination of the AP duration and the major ionic currents’ rate dependence in single myocytes. The evaluation of the model comes from utilizing the steady-state (S-S) and S1-S2 restitution curves and from probing the accommodation of the HF-OVVR model to an abrupt change in cycle length. In addition, we have investigated the effect of chosen currents on the AP properties, such as blocking the slow sodium current to shorten the AP duration and suppress the EADs, and have found good agreement with experimental observations. This study should help elucidate arrhythmogenic mechanisms at the cellular level and predict unseen properties under HF conditions. In addition, this AP cell model might be useful for modeling and simulating HF at the tissue and organ levels.
Risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation

We evaluated demographic characteristics and graft composition as risk factors for acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in 160 adult recipients of HLA-identical allogeneic blood stem cell transplants. The patients received a median nucleated cell dose of 7.9 × 108/kg and median C34+ cell dose of 5.6 × 106/kg. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine (CSA) and steroids, tacrolimus (FK506) and steroids, or FK506 and methotrexate. Grades 2 to 4 GVHD occurred in 31% (95% CI, 23% to 39%), and grades 3 to 4 GVHD in 14% (95% CI, 8% to 20%). In univariate analyses, GVHD prophylaxis with CSA and high CD34+ cell doses were significant risk factors for grades 2 to 4 GVHD, but diagnosis, age, use of total body irradiation, donor sex, female donor for male recipient, donor parity, donor alloimmunization, viral serology, nucleated cell dose, CD3+ cell dose, and CD56+ cell dose did not alter the incidence of GVHD significantly. With a CD34+cell dose less than 8 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg, the risk of grades 2 to 4 GVHD was significantly higher for those who received CSA (39%, 95% CI, 21% to 47%) in comparison with those on FK506 (18%, 95% CI, 10% to 26%) ( P = .03), but GVHD prophylaxis regimen had less impact with a higher CD34+cell dose (overall grades 2 to 4 GVHD rate 52%, 95% CI, 37% to 67%). GVHD prophylaxis and CD34+ cell dose are independent risk factors for acute GVHD after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation.
Physics of a two-dimensional electron gas with cold atoms in non-Abelian gauge potentials

Motivated by the possibility of creating non-Abelian fields using cold atoms in optical lattices, we explore the richness and complexity of noninteracting two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) in a lattice, subjected to such fields. In the continuum limit, a non-Abelian system characterized by a two-component ``magnetic flux'' describes a harmonic oscillator existing in two different charge states (mimicking a particle-hole pair) where the coupling between the states is determined by the non-Abelian parameter, namely, the difference between the two components of the ``magnetic flux.'' A key feature of the non-Abelian system is a splitting of the Landau energy levels, which broaden into bands, as the spectrum depends explicitly on the transverse momentum. These Landau bands result in a coarse-grained ``moth,'' a continuum version of the generalized Hofstadter butterfly. Furthermore, the bands overlap, leading to effective relativistic effects. Importantly, similar features also characterize the corresponding two-dimensional lattice problem when at least one of the components of the magnetic flux is an irrational number. The lattice system with two competing ``magnetic fluxes'' penetrating the unit cell provides a rich environment in which to study localization phenomena. Some unique aspects of the transport properties of the non-Abelian system are the possibility of inducing localization by varying the quasimomentum, and the absence of localization of certain zero-energy states exhibiting a linear energy-momentum relation. Furthermore, non-Abelian systems provide an interesting localization scenario where the localization transition is accompanied by a transition from relativistic to nonrelativistic theory.
"Condoms are the standard, right?": Exploratory study of the reasons for using condoms by Black American emerging adult women

Condoms are considered a highly effective form of sexually transmitted infection prevention for heterosexual sex. Black American women (BAW) have been and are at elevated risk for heterosexual exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) because they have been and continue to be less likely to negotiate condom use with a partner that supports them financially. However, BAW who have made tremendous educational gains may still encounter challenges regarding the distribution of power that can affect condom use and negotiation. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the reasons that highly educated, emerging, adult BAW reported for using condoms. One hundred twenty-seven emerging adult BAW (ages 18-29 years) completed a mixed-methods online survey during the spring of 2013 (January-May). Approximately 80% of the women were in college or college graduates. They had a high rate of previous HIV testing (68.5%). Through the use of an interpretive paradigm and grounded theory, three themes emerged regarding the reasons that the participants in this sample used condoms as their primary form of protection: (1) the reliable "standard," (2) pregnancy prevention, and (3) cost effective and "easily accessible." Findings are discussed in terms of their public health significance for this seemingly lower-risk population.
Nanomechanical Properties of Solid Surfaces and Thin Films

Instrumentation for the testing of mechanical properties on the submicron scale has developed enormously in recent years. This has enabled the mechanical behavior of surfaces, thin films, and coatings to be studied with unprecedented accuracy. In this chapter, the various techniques available for studying nanomechanical properties are reviewed with particular emphasis on nanoindentation. The standard methods for analyzing the raw data obtained using these techniques are described, along with the main sources of error. These include residual stresses, environmental effects, elastic anisotropy, and substrate effects. The methods that have been developed for extracting thin-film mechanical properties from the often convoluted mix of film and substrate properties measured by nanoindentation are discussed. Interpreting the data is frequently difficult, as residual stresses can modify the contact geometry and, hence, invalidate the standard analysis routines. Work hardening in the deformed region can also result in variations in mechanical behavior with indentation depth. A further unavoidable complication stems from the ratio of film to substrate mechanical properties and the depth of indentation in comparison to film thickness. Even very shallow indentations may be influenced by substrate properties if the film is hard and very elastic but the substrate is compliant. Under these circumstances nonstandard methods of analysis must be used. For multilayered systems many different mechanisms affect the nanomechanical behavior, including Orowan strengthening, Hall–Petch behavior, image force effects, coherency and thermal stresses, and composition modulation.
Spore Cortex Hydrolysis Precedes Dipicolinic Acid Release during Clostridium difficile Spore Germination

ABSTRACT Bacterial spore germination is a process whereby a dormant spore returns to active, vegetative growth, and this process has largely been studied in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. In B. subtilis, the initiation of germinant receptor-mediated spore germination is divided into two genetically separable stages. Stage I is characterized by the release of dipicolinic acid (DPA) from the spore core. Stage II is characterized by cortex degradation, and stage II is activated by the DPA released during stage I. Thus, DPA release precedes cortex hydrolysis during B. subtilis spore germination. Here, we investigated the timing of DPA release and cortex hydrolysis during Clostridium difficile spore germination and found that cortex hydrolysis precedes DPA release. Inactivation of either the bile acid germinant receptor, cspC, or the cortex hydrolase, sleC, prevented both cortex hydrolysis and DPA release. Because both cortex hydrolysis and DPA release during C. difficile spore germination are dependent on the presence of the germinant receptor and the cortex hydrolase, the release of DPA from the core may rely on the osmotic swelling of the core upon cortex hydrolysis. These results have implications for the hypothesized glycine receptor and suggest that the initiation of germinant receptor-mediated C. difficile spore germination proceeds through a novel germination pathway. IMPORTANCEClostridium difficile infects antibiotic-treated hosts and spreads between hosts as a dormant spore. In a host, spores germinate to the vegetative form that produces the toxins necessary for disease. C. difficile spore germination is stimulated by certain bile acids and glycine. We recently identified the bile acid germinant receptor as the germination-specific, protease-like CspC. CspC is likely cortex localized, where it can transmit the bile acid signal to the cortex hydrolase, SleC. Due to the differences in location of CspC compared to the Bacillus subtilis germinant receptors, we hypothesized that there are fundamental differences in the germination processes between the model organism and C. difficile. We found that C. difficile spore germination proceeds through a novel pathway.
Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara

Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara. John Middleton. editor in chief. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1997. vols.2466pp.
Natural Variation of Plant Metabolism: Genetic Mechanisms, Interpretive Caveats, and Evolutionary and Mechanistic Insights

Combining quantitative genetics studies with metabolomics/metabolic profiling platforms, genomics, and transcriptomics is creating significant progress in identifying the causal genes controlling natural variation in metabolite accumulations and profiles. In this review, we discuss key mechanistic and evolutionary insights that are arising from these studies. This includes the potential role of transport and other processes in leading to a separation of the site of mechanistic causation and metabolic consequence. A reilluminated observation is the potential for genomic variation in the organelle to alter phenotypic variation alone and in epistatic interaction with the nuclear genetic variation. These studies are also highlighting new aspects of metabolic pleiotropy both in terms of the breadth of loci altering metabolic variation as well as the potential for broader effects on plant defense regulation of the metabolic variation than has previously been predicted. We also illustrate caveats that can be overlooked when translating quantitative genetics descriptors such as heritability and per-locus r(2) to mechanistic or evolutionary interpretations.
GnRH action on luteal steroidogenesis during pregnancy1

Abstract The results of our study presented here establishes that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) acts directly on the corpus luteum, leading to suppressed production and release of progesterone and thus disrupting pregnancy. A GnRH-agonist (GnRH-Ag) treatment suppressed the luteal and serum progesterone levels. This suppression is neither mediated by a fall in ovarian testosterone production nor its conversion to estradiol. Although the treatment suppressed the nuclear estradiol-receptor content and binding sites for LH in the corpus luteum, it had no effect on the luteal binding sites for GnRH and prolactin within 24 h. GnRH-Ag augmented the plasma levels of luteinizing hormone, decreased the magnitude of nocturnal surges of prolactin, and had no effect on luteal cyclic adenosine 5′-monotriphosphate levels. Yet, the treatment had no effect on the luteal content of free cholesterol. We have also demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and peripheral benzodiazepine receptor in the rat corpus luteum, and the suppression of these proteins by GnRH-Ag leads to reduced steroidogenesis by the corpus luteum. Concomitantly, P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme, its activity, and its mRNA content and 3β-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase content in the corpus luteum decreased. The treatment suppressed the plasma levels of pregnenolone and 20α-dihydroprogesterone. These data suggest that the suppression of luteal steroidogenesis by GnRH-Ag may be due to its inhibitory effect on the cholesterol transport and/or on the enzymes involved in the steroidogenic pathway. Furthermore, based on other observations made in our laboratory, we propose a hypothesis that an endogenous GnRH is present in the corpus luteum/ovary during pregnancy in the rat and that this GnRH may play a physiological role in the regulation, maintenance, and/or termination of pregnancy.
Spatial variability of regional model simulated June–September mean precipitation over West Africa

[1] The study examines the spatial variability of June–September 2003 mean precipitation rates (Pr03) simulated by a regional climate model on a horizontal grid with 0.5° spacing. In particular, it evaluates the relative impact of different initial conditions versus the influence of the lateral boundary conditions (LBC), and it compares small spatial scale distributions of modeled Pr03 to data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the NOAA Climate Prediction Center data for the African Famine Early Warning System (FEWS). Simulations over West Africa were made with the CCSR/GISS RM3, driven by synchronous data from NCEP reanalysis. A five-member ensemble for a single season was generated by staggering the initial conditions of each member by 36 hr within the period May 9–15, 2003. Results showed that the LBC influence dominated over that of differing initial conditions, implying that the precipitation simulations suffered little contamination of random noise. In a second evaluation, small spatial scale distributions of Pr03 were computed as the difference between Pr03 and spatially smoothed fields. Spatial correlations between the RM3 product versus the TRMM and FEWS small-scale components of Pr03 were highest using TRMM data provided at 1° elements. Results suggest that the model may be challenged to simulate realistic small-scale features of the seasonal mean precipitation field, and/or that observational data sets do not adequately capture these fine spatial features.
Fine structure of the noctuid moth ear. I. The transducer area and connections to the tympanic membrane in Feltia subgothica haworth

The sensillum of the ear of Feltia subgothica contains two ciliated receptor cells, the A cells. The cilium of each is enclosed within a well developed scolops consisting of a cap, a set of scolopalial rods and a collar, an unusual structure contained within the dendrite. The tip of the cilium is inserted in a channel in the scolopalial cap. The cap is linked to the tympanic membrane by a series of three structures: a cap cell, a microtubular shaft and a microfibrillar plug. The two latter structures are heavily reinforced by cytoskeletal elements and the microfibrillar plug is actually continuous with the tympanic membrane. These three structures transmit the vibration of the tympanic membrane to the scolops. The simplicity and accessibility of the ear suggests that it might be a good system in which to investigate cellular events associated with transduction of sound in these receptors.
High aspect ratio patterning with a proximity ultraviolet source

A considerably less expensive option to synchrotron exposures of thick film photoresists is to use a proximity UV exposure tool. The use of UV radiation, however, is potentially limited by aerial image degradation as the image propagates through the thick photoresist layer. In addition to diffraction, run-out from uncollimated light or absorption in the resist easily dominate the aerial image problems for thick films. Alternatively, thick film lithography may be limited by the ability of present photoresists to print the aerial image. With some formulations, calculated line-and-space theoretical limits can be printed for 150-μm thick films. Typical aspect ratios for films greater than 200-μm thick exceed 20:1 with good process linearity and sidewall profiles and extension to 700-μm thick films is shown. We show that present commercial formulations of photoresists and not aerial image are likely the limiting factor in the practical resolution of final features from proximity UV printing. In particular, the redeposition of partially dissolved resist during drying after development leads to feature degradation. Released electrodeposited metal parts are also produced and demonstrated.
VITALIANO TREVISAN'S I QUINDICIMILA PASSI: AN AESTHETIC OF REPETITION

With a focus on Vitaliano Trevisan's novel, I quindicimila passi, this article addresses on a number of levels the writer's ‘redundant’ style: the repetition of elements borrowed from Thomas Bernhard; the repetitious syntax of his characters; the recurrence of the same narrator; the repetition of his societal critiques; and even the repetition of footsteps to the point where they could be the plot as much as a conduit to it. According to the scholar, Trevisan's style is part of a conscious strategy for defying the book industry; the author even parodies the Barthesian ‘death of the author’ in order to make his point. Additionally, Trevisan's epigonism of Bernhard is compared to that of a jazz musician playing a standard theme, the variation of which can demonstrate the virtuosity of the imitator while releasing unique richness that eludes artistic categorization.
The effect of insider trading on financial analysts' forecast accuracy and dispersion

Abstract While the United States Securities and Exchange Commission prohibits corporate insider trading based on non-public information, critics (e.g., Manne, 1966 , Carlton and Fischel, 1983 ) of this policy argue that allowing insiders to trade would increase the amount of information impounded in stock prices and thereby increase stock market efficiency. Our study provides evidence on this issue by examining whether corporate insider trading increases the amount of information available to financial analysts forecasting corporate earnings. We examined the impact of insider trading on the dispersion of financial analysts' earnings forecasts and magnitude of analysts' forecast errors. Our test results showed that as insider purchasing increases both forecast errors and forecast dispersion decrease. Insider selling, however, appeared to be unrelated to forecast errors or forecast dispersion. Insider purchasing had a greater impact on forecast errors than on dispersion and a greater impact on large firms than on small firms. We interpret these tests as evidence that the execution or disclosure of insider trading reveals information about firms' future prospects which is used in analysts' earnings forecasts.
Combining cost-based and rule-based knowledge in complex resource allocation problems

A major challenge in the formulation of optimization models for large-scale, complex operational problems is that some data are impossible or uneconomical to collect, producing a cost model that suffers from incomplete information. As a result, even an optimal solution may be “wrong” in the sense that it is solving the wrong problem. In many operational settings, knowledgeable experts will already know, at least approximately, how a model should behave, and can express this knowledge in the form of low dimensional patterns: “high powered locomotives should pull intermodal trains” (because they need to move quickly) or “loaded C-141s should not be flown into Saudi Arabia” (for maintenance reasons). Unlike the literature on inverse optimization which uses observed actions to train the parameters of a cost model, we used exogenous patterns to guide the behavior of a model using a proximal point term that penalizes deviations from these patterns. Under the assumption that the patterns are derived from rationa...
Long‐Term Trends in Audit Fees

The audit fees literature contains little by way of systematic evidence on long‐term trends in audit fees. This study analyzes trends in audit fees from 1980 through 1997, adjusting for changes in client size, complexity, and risk. The sample is restricted to clients of Big 6 firms that voluntarily disclosed audit fees in the period 1980–1997. Evidence is found that audit fees increased in the 1980s but stayed flat in the 1990s. Most important, a significant increase is noted in 1988, the year in which the Auditing Standards Board issued the “expectation gap” standards. These results hold even after controlling for wage increases in accounting firms, suggesting an expansion of auditing effort. There is no evidence that auditors obtain any price premium from industry specialization. The 1989 Big 8 mergers appear to have had a short‐term, but not long‐term, effect on fees. Finally, the magnitude of the audit fee model coefficient for accounts receivable and inventory has declined over the period, presumably...
Resistance of pulmonate snail populations to repeated treatments of copper sulfate

Two species of pulmonate snails,Lymnaea cat-ascopium andPhysa integra, were collected from Douglas and Houghton Lakes. Snail populations from the former lake (pristine) had never been exposed to copper sulfate, whereas those from the latter one (treated) had been subjected to the molluscicide for more than 40 years. Molluscs from the treated lake were more resistant to the copper at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 ppm than those from the pristine lake. Furthermore, larger lymnaeids had a higher survival rate than smaller ones.
A preliminary parametric study of electrorheological dampers

In approaching the design of an electrorheology-based, semi-active suspension, the electrorheological component (ER damper) can be built as either a flow-mode, shear-mode, or mixed-mode type of damper. The source of damping force in the flow-mode is exclusiuely from flow-inducedpressure drop across a value, while that in the shear-mode is purely from the shear stress on a sliding surface. The dynamics of the fluid flow are included in the derivation of the zero-field damping forces. The control effectiveness is found to be strongly related to the dynamic constant (which is proportional to the square root of the vibration frequency) and, for shearandflow-mode dampers, the ratio of the piston area to the cross-section of the ER control gap
Assessing the impact of the national ‘truth’ antismoking campaign on beliefs, attitudes, and intent to smoke by race/ethnicity

Objective. To examine racial/ethnic differences in the association between exposure to the ‘truth’ antismoking campaign and youth's beliefs and attitudes about cigarette companies and their intent to smoke. Design. The data are for 31,758 youth aged 12–17 from seven waves of the Legacy Media Tracking Survey (LMTS), conducted in the USA between December 1999 and July 2003. LMTS was designed to include sufficient proportions of African Americans (n=4631), Hispanics (n=6311), and Asians (n=2469) to assess tobacco countermarketing campaign associations in individual racial/ethnic groups. Separate belief and attitude indices were created. An indicator for the respondent not intending to smoke during the next year was created for non-smokers only, and models were estimated separately by ever-/never-smoking status. Results. Exposure to the truth campaign was positively associated with increased antitobacco beliefs and attitudes among youth overall. When analyzed by race/ethnicity, this association was statistica...
Cumulative adverse effects of offshore wind energy development on wildlife

Offshore wind energy development (OWED) is being pursued as a critical component in achieving a low-carbon energy economy. While the potential generating capacity is high, the cumulative effects of expansion of OWED on wildlife remain unclear. Since environmental regulations in many countries require analysis of the cumulative adverse effects (CAE) during permitting processes, this paper reviews the state of knowledge on CAE of OWED on wildlife. We synthesize ecological research on the effects of OWED on wildlife; delineate a framework for determining the scope of CAE assessments; describe approaches to avoiding, minimizing and compensating for CAE; and discuss critical uncertainties.
Current and future role of artificial insemination in the broiler industry

Abstract 1. This article addresses the current and future role of artificial insemination (AI) in the broiler industry. 2. The application and success of AI programmes in commercial broiler breeder operations are largely dependent on efficient cage management (nutrition, lighting, environment, health programmes) of both males and females. 3. Artificial insemination will remain a viable alternative for the broiler industry, which competes within the economic constraints of least‐cost production.
Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Treatment of Vesicoureteral Reflux and Urinary Incontinence

In the last two decades, convincing evidence of the utility of endoscopic correction of primary vesicoureteral reflux and urinary incontinence owing to intrinsic sphincter dysfunction has become available. However, the ideal bulking material has not yet been found. Polytetrafluoroethylene and purified crosslinked bovine collagen are most often used. Dextranomer microspheres suspended in sodium hyaluron solution and detachable microballoons are being studied, as are various types of beads and autologous chondrocytes.
On optimal transforms and quantization schemes in gaussian distributed source coding

Two different aspects of distributed source coding is discussed. First, a previously developed distributed uniform scalar quantization method is improved by adopting non-uniform quantization. It is observed that compared to uniform quantization, the non-uniform scheme further approaches to the distortion-rate bound by 0.5 bit. Turning then to sources with memory, the tradeoff between exploitation of time and space correlation is exposed. It is shown by example that optimal transforms deviate from their traditional counterparts. Specifically, optimal transforms in the distributed framework do not necessarily fully decorrelate each sequence in time
Crystal Methamphetamine Use and HIV Transmission Among Gay and Bisexual Men

In the United States, methamphetamine continues to be a substance that is used and abused by gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Although there is no evidence that suggests a causal pathway between use of the drug and HIV seroconversion, the two are highly associated. Moreover, numerous studies indicate use and abuse of methamphetamine among gay and bisexual men even after seroconversion. Effective interventions for treating the addiction must fully address the ‘meth-sex’ link. While strides have been made during the last decade in addressing methamphetamine addiction, the problem perpetuates within the population. It is proposed that future efforts must consider methamphetamine addiction more holistically within the larger framework of the totality of health disparities faced by sexual minority men, which includes, but is not limited to, HIV, and which understands and seeks to address the social and psychosocial stressors experienced by these men, which makes them vulnerable to the addiction.
Radiosensitivity of the Ageing Brain

VARIOUS effects of X-radiation on the function of the central nervous system have been investigated in both new-born and adult animals1. One of the factors which influences the severity of the X-radiation effects on the central nervous system is the age of the animal1. New-born rats X-radiated with a single whole-body dose of 500 r. exhibited a mature tonic–clonic seizure pattern elicited by electroshock stimulation of the brain at an earlier age (13 days) than the controls (21 days). It was concluded that X-radiation accelerates maturation of the brain1. The increased excitability of the developing nervous system after radiation was further demonstrated by increased intensity of spinal cord convulsions elicited by direct stimulation of the cord2. In adult rats investigations have demonstrated that exposure to a single dose of whole-body X-radiation as low as 15 r. increases brain excitability assessed by responses to electroshock stimulation1. The methods of electroshock stimulation of brain and direct stimulation of the spinal cord are used routinely by this and other laboratories to test the level of activity in the central nervous system8,4.
Interactive processes in gasification and combustion. Part I: Liquid drop arrays and clouds

Abstract A comprehensive review is presented of the interactive transport processes in the gasification and combustion of a cloud of drops and solid particles. The review is divided into two parts. Part I is concerned with the interactive processes for arrays, streams and clouds of drops while Part II presents a review of interactive processes for solid particles clouds. Isolated drop evaporation and combustion are briefly reviewed, as they relate to the interactive processes followed by approximate criteria for interactive combustion. The literature review reveals three distinctive types of studies: Arrays, streams and clouds in the areas of evaporation, ignition and combustion. An integrated approach starting from arrays to clouds and evaporation to combustion is presented. Array problems, analyzed with bispherical coordinates, method of images (MOI) and point source method (PSM) are reviewed. The results are briefly presented. Comparison of results between the different techniques and between the theory and experiment are given. A few of the array were interpreted with the “partial mass fraction” (analogous to partial pressure in thermodynamics) concept introduced in this review article. Convective effects on the array results are discussed. The point source resulting from the array studies are extended to the cloud problems by using the averaging technique for a statistically distributed cloud. The cloud problems of evaporation in confined and unconfined volumes, ignition and combustion are then reviewed. The relation of the results to spray combustion modeling is briefly discussed.
Social Security Reform and the Full-Funding Concept

Social Security, more accurately the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program, is woefully underfunded as measured by the long-term actuarial balance. Its reserves, on deposit with the U.S. Treasury Department, will be depleted in 2033, notwithstanding the fact that there is no money there. The surpluses that created them following the 1983 Amendments ended in 2010. The so-called reserves have long since been spent on other government programs and obligations. Yet the fiction endures. This article examines the origins of the full-funding standard and then analyses the real funding problems of OASDI and how they are measured. If the OASDI is seen as the pay-as-you-go system that it is, its problems would be more easily managed.
Large embolus in transit - an unresolved therapeutic dilemma (case report and review of literature).

Floating right heart thrombus, also known as “emboli in transit” is a potentially fatal condition, of varying etiology and usually coexisting with massive pulmonary embolism. Although the mortality rate is as high as 40%, there are no established therapeutic guidelines. A case is presented of an 84 year old female with a history of colon cancer and coronary artery disease who presented with sudden onset unresponsiveness. She was intubated in the ED and started on intravenous pressor support. A free floating large right ventricular thrombus and dilated right ventricle were noted on transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). She was managed medically with good short term outcome. Floating right heart thrombus is a rare occurrence. Recognition of signs and symptoms along with early TTE is critical for diagnosis and consideration of treatment modality. The existing literature does not offer a clear consensus for management of pulmonary embolism with co-existing mobile intra-cardiac thrombus. Choice of treatment is crucial and should be considered on a case-by-case basis after careful assessment of indications, contraindications, risks and benefits.
Hepatic Pedicle Clamping During Hepatic Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases: No Impact on Survival or Hepatic Recurrence

Hepatic pedicle clamping is often used during liver resection. While its use reduces blood loss and transfusion requirements, the long-term effect on survival and recurrence has been debated. This study evaluates the effect of hepatic pedicle clamping [i.e., Pringle maneuver (PM)] on survival and recurrence following hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). Patients who underwent R0 resection for CRLM from 1991 to 2004 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Operative, perioperative, and clinicopathological variables were analyzed. The primary outcomes were disease-free survival (DFS) and liver recurrence (LR). Disease extent was categorized using a well-defined clinical risk score (CRS). Subgroup analysis was performed for patients given preoperative systemic chemotherapy and postoperative pump chemotherapy. This study included 928 consecutive patients with median follow-up of 8.9 years. PM was utilized in 874 (94 %) patients, with median time of 35 min (range 1–181 min). On univariate analysis, only resection type (p 60 min). There was no association between DFS, overall survival (OS) or LR and Pringle time. Neither the CRS nor use of neoadjuvant therapy stratified disease-related outcome with respect to use of PM. PM was used in most patients undergoing resection for CRLM and did not adversely influence intrahepatic recurrence, DFS, or OS.
40 Gbit/s optical data exchange between wavelength-division-multiplexed channels using a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide.

We propose a time- and channel-selective optical data exchange between wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) channels by exploiting the cascaded second-order parametric nonlinear interactions in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide. It is observed that the PPLN-based optical data exchange provides nearly symmetric performance with signals located in the short- and long-wavelength ranges. Optical data exchange between two WDM channels is realized with a power penalty of less than 1.5 dB at 10 Gbit/s and 3 dB at 40 Gbit/s at a bit-error rate of 10−9. We demonstrate the 40 Gbit/s channel-selective optical data exchange between four WDM channels with a power penalty of ~4 dB.
An alternative Alcian Blue dye variant for the evaluation of fetal cartilage.

BACKGROUND: The most comprehensive evaluation of vertebrate skeletal development involves the use of Alizarin Red S dye to stain ossified bone and various other dyes to stain cartilage. The dye used most widely to stain fetal cartilage in rodents and rabbits is Alcian Blue 8GX. However, the global supply of this specific dye has been exhausted. Several forms of the dye marketed as Alcian Blue 8GX are now available, although they are not synthesized via the original 8GX manufacturing process. METHODS: One new Alcian Blue 8GX form and two Alcian Blue dye variants were evaluated in rats and rabbits using standard staining procedures. The staining quality of these dyes were evaluated relative to the original form of Alcian Blue 8GX based on cartilage uptake of the dye, clarity of the cartilaginous components, staining intensity of the dye, and overall readability of the specimens under stereomicroscopic evaluation. RESULTS: Staining with the newer form of Alcian Blue 8GX resulted in poor staining quality. The Alcian Blue-Pyridine variant performed well, although staining intensity was less than optimal. The Alcian Blue-Tetrakis variant provided staining characteristics that were most similar to the original form of Alcian Blue 8GX. CONCLUSIONS: Alcian Blue-Tetrakis was markedly better in its ability to stain fetal cartilage than the newer form of Alcian Blue 8GX. Birth Defects Res (Part B), 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Staging Nothing: Hamlet and Cognitive Science

In Hamlet, few things are as powerful as nothing. Nothing is seen by the watchman Barnardo at the start of the play. Nothing lies between Ophelia's legs. Nothing makes the player king weep for Hecuba. Nothing is the thing that makes up the king. Nothing comes up thirty times in Hamlet. 2 The presence of nothing in the text calls attention to the absence that nothing is supposed to stand for. Cognitive linguistics challenges a stable definition of nothing, illuminating the things from which no things spring. In performance, Hamlet's destabilization of nothing goes even further, pointing to the something that each particular nothing is. Staging nothing both sheds light on a major debate within cognitive linguistics and calls attention to the traditional assumption of a suspension of disbelief. The Way We Think In a 2001 issue of SubStance, a "Dialogue" took place between Ellen Spolsky on one side and John Tooby and Leda Cosmides on the other, regarding the ways literature may be evolutionarily adaptable. While both sides agreed on the value of literature, and used science to make an argument for it, the gulf between the two theories turned out to be fairly wide. Tooby and Cosmides follow a computational model of the brain derived from the work of Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker; Spolsky argues with cognitive scientists such as Eleanore Rosch and George Lakoff for an embodied brain. The paradigm shift between seeing the brain as a computer, with input undergoing algorithmic processing, and viewing it more as an organism, shaping and being shaped by its environment, is beginning to have profound impact on various fields. Until the debate is settled, any application of cognitive science to the humanities should foreground the paradigm in which it operates. Rather than rehearse the
Probing the role of an FeIV tetrazene in catalytic aziridination

An iron(IV) tetrazene complex has been synthesized that is an important addition to a previously proposed catalytic aziridination cycle. It provides two key insights about the aziridination: an iron(IV) imide is formed and this imide can bind an additional ligand in the cis position.
The inward calcium current is increased by sterol supplementation in Paramecium

Abstract 1. 1. The amplitude of the isolated voltage dependent inward calcium current of axenically grown Paramecium was greater in cells grown with sitosterol than those grown in stigmasterol supplemented medium. 2. 2. The duration of high K+ stimulated backward swimming, a bioassay for estimating calcium channel activity, was also increased in sitosterol supplemented cells. 3. 3. The major difference in the ciliary membrane lipids of cells grown in sitosterol medium was in the type and not the amount of sterols present. Other small differences were also noted in the phospholipids and fatty acids of sitosterol supplemented ciliary membranes. 4. 4. This work suggests that the type of dietary sterol can affect the excitability of cells by affecting the amplitude of the inward calcium current. The possible mechanisms involved in these effects are discussed.
Effects of neonatal seizures or anoxia on cerebellar mitotic activity in the rat.

Abstract Four-day-old Wistar rats subjected to bicuculline seizures (8 μg/g) or exposed 16 min to a 100% N2 atmosphere were compared to paired control littermates. Quantitative histological studies of mediosagittal sections of the cerebellar vermis showed reduced cerebellar mitotic activity in both experimental groups 3 days (but not 24 to 48 h) postinsult. This delay in histological expression of curtailed mitotic activity by metabolic insults may provide an opportunity for human studies.
Strategy for elucidating differentially expressed genes in leiomyomata identified by microarray technology.

Abstract Objective cDNA microarray technology identifies genes that are differentially expressed between tissues. Our previous study identified several genes that might contribute to the fibroid phenotype. We therefore sought to confirm genes involved in three distinct signal transduction pathways. Design Evaluation of differential mRNA and protein expression of Dlk, Frizzled-2, and CD-24 in fibroids compared with adjacent myometrium. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Five women undergoing medically indicated hysterectomy for symptomatic fibroids. Intervention(s) Microarray analysis of up to 33,000 genes, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Main outcome measure(s) Expression of mRNA transcripts and protein in fibroid compared with myometrium. Result(s) A more extensive microarray confirmed differential expression of Frizzled-2 and CD-24 but did not confirm Dlk overexpression. RT-PCR and real-time PCR demonstrated equivalent Dlk mRNA expression between fibroid and myometrium (ratio, 1.02), a slight Frizzled-2 overexpression (ratio, 2.09), and robust CD-24 overexpression in fibroids (ratio, 12.35). Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed Frizzled-2 overexpression, but did not confirm Dlk overexpression. Conclusion(s) Microarray technology is the first phase of tissue evaluation, but changes in gene expression must be confirmed. Confirmed genes can then be used to generate hypotheses testing their involvement in fibroid development.
It's never too late to change: A group psychotherapy experience for older women

Group psychotherapy in a mixed gender group is seen as useful for treatment of the unique existential and emotional problems of the older woman. This article describes the first year of a psychotherapy group for older adults, four women and three men in their early fifties to late sixties. Some issues discussed unique to this age group were loss, isolation, changing body image, and changed political views. There were differences in reactions between the men and women. The major value of group psychotherapy for older women is seen as providing a safe arena for exploring current issues, integrating a sense of self, enhancing self-worth, and overcoming isolation and despair.
The Polls: Cabinet Member and Presidential Approval

Are presidential approval and the level of approval of key administration officials linked? Previous findings reveal scant evidence of such a relationship and suggest presidential and subordinate approval are independently derived. This article examines this question further by assessing Americans' attitudes toward the secretaries of state during the George W. Bush presidency. I find no evidence of a causal connection between impressions of presidential perfor mance and approval of the secretary of state or vice versa. Cabinet member approval appears to be driven by media coverage of their activities rather than the macropartisanship or economic performance that influence presidential approval. The choosing of ministers is a matter of no little importance for a prince; and their worth depends on the sagacity of the prince himself.