cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generating indirect answers to Yes-No questions

An indirect answer to a Yes-No question conversationally implicates the speaker's evaluation of the truth of the questioned proposition. We present the approach to generation used in our implemented system for generating and interpreting indirect answers to Yes-No questions in English. Generation of a discourse plan is performed in two phases: content planning and plan pruning. During content planning, stimulus conditions are used to trigger speaker goals to include appropriate extra information with the direct answer. Plan pruning determines what parts of this full response do not need to be stated explicitly - resulting in, in appropriate discourse contexts, the generation of an indirect answer.
‘Subsistence first’ farm allocation decisions in senegal

Abstract This paper examines a problem, suggested by the Senegalese experience but common to many countries, of joint production of a subsistence crop (millet) which is subject to stringent marketing constraints and a cash crop (groundnuts) sold through established channels. Empirical implications for the intertemporal pattern of land allocation are drawn and evidence is provided to support the proposed approach.
The influence of drift gas composition on the separation mechanism in traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry: insight from electrodynamic simulations

The influence of three different drift gases (helium, nitrogen, and argon) on the separation mechanism in traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry is explored through ion trajectory simulations which include considerations for ion diffusion based on kinetic theory and the electrodynamic traveling wave potential. The model developed for this work is an accurate depiction of a second-generation commercial traveling wave instrument. Three ion systems (cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamine) whose reduced mobility values have previously been measured in different drift gases are represented in the simulation model. The simulation results presented here provide a fundamental understanding of the separation mechanism in traveling wave, which is characterized by three regions of ion motion: (1) ions surfing on a single wave, (2) ions exhibiting intermittent roll-over onto subsequent waves, and (3) ions experiencing a steady state roll-over which repeats every few wave cycles. These regions of ion motion are accessed through changes in the gas pressure, wave amplitude, and wave velocity. Resolving power values extracted from simulated arrival times suggest that momentum transfer in helium gas is generally insufficient to access regions (2) and (3) where ion mobility separations occur. Ion mobility separations by traveling wave are predicted to be effectual for both nitrogen and argon, with slightly lower resolving power values observed for argon as a result of band-broadening due to collisional scattering. For the simulation conditions studied here, the resolving power in traveling wave plateaus between regions (2) and (3), with further increases in wave velocity contributing only minor improvements in separations.
Enhancing Supervision in the Addictions Field: Introducing the Supervisor Evaluation of the Professional and Ethical Competence of Substance Abuse Counselors

Supervision is essential for promoting the professional and ethical competence of substance abuse counselors (SACs). However, supervisors in the addictions field often lack the preparation and resources to provide effective supervision, which may be contributing factors to the continued occurrence of ethical infractions by SACs. To assist those who supervise aspiring SACs and improve the supervision they provide, this article presents the Supervisor Evaluation of the Professional and Ethical Competence of Substance Abuse Counselors (SPEC-SAC). Ultimately, the SPEC-SAC is intended to assist supervisors in addressing the promoting the professional and ethical competence of those they supervise.
Specifying DICOM compliance for modality interfaces

For picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to be successful, they must be able to acquire image data from imaging devices and integrate this information into a PACS data base. Substantial effort has been invested in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard to define a standard network interface and data model for imaging devices that can facilitate information systems integration. A communication standard cannot ensure multivendor interoperability. Necessary implementation-specific requirements are beyond the scope of a standard but not of a user-generated conformance statement. A DICOM user conformance profile (UCP) is a formal statement drafted by a potential purchaser of medical imaging equipment to state clearly the subset of DICOM functionality that shall be provided by a potential vendor. The UCP specifies the service classes, information objects, and communication protocols to be supported by the implementation. A modality interface UCP presented by the author...
Polydipsia induced by intermittent delivery of salted liquid foods.

Food-deprived rats given constant access to water were exposed to fixed-time presentations of soybean milk and diluted sweetened condensed cows' milk. In some conditions these liquid foods were adulterated with varying amounts of sodium chloride. Under a fixed-time 30-sec schedule of food delivery, little water was consumed when the food was soybean milk alone, or soybean milk with sodium chloride added in concentrations of .9, 1.8, or 3.6%. However, schedule-induced polydipsia appeared when soybean milk adulterated with 7.2 or 14.4% sodium chloride was delivered under this schedule. When soybean milk containing 7.2% sodium chloride was presented under fixed-time 15-, 30-, 60-, 120-, and 240-sec schedules, schedule-induced drinking increased with the fixed-time value from 15 to 120 seconds, and decreased at 240 seconds. Like soybean milk, diluted sweetened condensed milk delivered under fixed-time schedules of 30, 60, and 120 seconds failed to evoke schedule-induced polydipsia, but did so when adulterated with 7.2% sodium chloride. Drinking induced by salted liquid foods resembled the polydipsia engendered by spaced dry-food presentations in several ways, including temporal relation to food delivery, persistence within and across sections, sensitivity to interfood interval, and magnitude relative to intake evoked by bulk-food presentation.
A modern approach to pilot/vehicle analysis and the Neal-Smith criteria

The present investigation is concerned with the development of a better pilot modelling technique via optimal control theory, taking into account concepts concerning 'pilot rating' considered by Neal and Smith (1970). The investigation conducted by Neal and Smith had the objective to provide data on the effects of Flight Control System dynamics and to develop a design criterion capable of pinpointing pilot problem areas encountered in performing a given task. Neal and Smith devised a 'pilot-in-the-loop' analysis capable of showing problem areas in pitch attitude tracking. Unfortunately the employed method has some drawbacks. The current investigation attempts, therefore, to provide an alternate approach which makes use of an optimal-control pilot model. An optimal control model (OCM) had been discussed by Kleinman et al. (1970). It is shown that the alternate approach, based on the OCM, offers some distinct advantages.
Using Narrative Theory and Self Psychology Within a Multigenerational Family Systems Perspective

This paper illustrates how a process of psychoanalytic psychotherapy can be enhanced and extehded by combining ideas from narrative theory and self psychology within a multigenerational family systems perspective. The illustration is based on a summary and discussion of a satisfactorily completed thirty-session psychotherapy for an adult man who sought therapy for relief from his depression.
Abstract 1467: Inhibition of Cdk4 radiosensitizes breast cancer cells by increasing PP2A levels, and decreasing Bad136 phosphorylation.

Treatment of breast cancers by targeting molecular markers associated with various subtypes has improved the outcome of breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, triple negative breast cancers lack these markers; missing estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2. These breast cancers are invulnerable to the most effective treatments. Albeit triple-negative breast cancers and Her2+ER-PR- breast cancers respond well to initial therapies, including radiation, those cancers are prone to recurrence and patients show decreased survival rates. Increasing evidence suggests that this resistance is in part related to deregulation of G1 phase regulatory mechanisms. G1/S phase regulatory molecules, including cyclins, Cdks and the E2Fs may contribute to lower survival rates, higher recurrence, and resistance to adjuvant therapies. Radiotherapy is one of the foundations of breast cancer treatments. However breast tumors can acquire radioresistance. Consequently, re-sensitizing malignant cells to radiation would increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy. To address whether deregulation contributes to radiotherapy resistance, a normal human mammary epithelial cell line, an ER-PR-Her2+ and an ER-PR-Her2- breast cancer cell line were analyzed in terms of molecular markers and radioresistance. Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A1 correlated with radioresistance and were overexpressed in all cell lines. Each influence Cdk2 and Cdk4 activities, respectively. We directly addressed the role played by those Cdks in radioresistance by generating cell lines stably expressing small hairpin RNAs (shRNA) targeting Cdk2 or Cdk4. Colony forming assays established that cell lines knocked down for Cdk2 did not display radiosensitization, however cell lines knocked down for Cdk4 were radiosensitized. Data demonstrated that silencing Cdk4 significantly increases radiation induced cell apoptosis in all ER-PR-Her2- cell lines without considerably altering cell proliferation, cell cycle progression or DNA repair. Cdk4 silencing in conjunction with ionizing radiation caused lower levels of phosphorylation of BCL-2 family member, BAD, a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family that promotes cell death when hypophosphorylated at at Ser-136. Elevated levels of PP2A, a phosphatase that dephosphorylates Bad at ser136 were also found. This is further supported by the data showing over expression of PP2A in ER-PR-Her2- cell lines increase apoptosis and encouraged radiosensitivity in colony formations experiments. We conclude that inhibition of Cdk4 activity sensitizes breast cancer cells to radiation by activating PP2A/Bad-dependent cell death pathways. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1467. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1467
848. Helper Dependent Adenovirus-Epstein- Barr Virus Hybrid Vector for Long Term Persistance in Hepatocytes

Helper Dependent Adenoviral (HDA) vectors are an effective method for in vivo gene transfer. The lack of viral genes and replication competent virus greatly diminishes the immune response and cytotoxicity of transduced cells. They are relatively easy to grow to high titers, appropriate for in vivo gene therapy. Though, like typical Adenoviral vectors, HDAs have no mechanism to persist in dividing cells.
Low angle X-ray diffraction as a probe of reactions at buried interfaces and as characterization technique for thin films

In this paper we describe several uses of low angle X-ray diffraction to determine the structure and reactivity of thin films and interfaces, highlighting the sensitivity of these measurements to alignment of the sample with respect to the goniometer. A TiN film is used to demonstrate the ability of low angle diffraction to measure thickness without assuming optical constants or calibration data. The ability to extract density information via the critical angle and smoothness of deposited films from diffraction data is also detailed. Diffraction data from a silicon-germanium superlattice demonstrate the sensitivity of low angle diffraction to interfacial interdiffusion. Several features of this interdiffusion process are highlighted including the structural relaxation of the superlattice on initial annealing followed by the non-linear interdiffusion of the silicon and germanium layers. We only observe interdiffusion of the layers at higher temperatures and the crystallization of the thermodynamically stable solid solution rather than the elements as previously reported. The facile crystallization of the solid solution highlights the synthetic advantages of superlattices in avoiding stable reaction intermediates compared with the long annealing times required in conventional synthesis.
Taxonomic and Biogeographic Relationships of Baja California Chickarees (Tamiasciurus)

Results of four statistical analyses consistently separated samples of Tamiasciurus from Baja California from samples of T. douglasii and T. hudsonicus. Univariate statistics indicated that 12 of 17 cranial characters were individually suffi- cient to distinguish one group from another. Discriminant analysis separated the two species and the Baja California group by equal intervals; distance coefficients among the three were similar. Individual populations within each group showed considerable overlap whereas the three groups did not overlap. Principal components analysis in- dicated that T. douglasii and T. hudsonicus differ primarily in size, whereas the Baja California group differs in shape from the other two species. Biogeographic evidence suggests that Tamiasciurus entered Baja California at one or more glacial maxima during the Pleistocene and a population was isolated by interglacial warming. The latest corridor would have closed about 15,000 years ago. Morphologic data indicate that the Baja California population warrants species status as T. mearnsi. The genus Tamiasciurus contains two species, T. douglasii and T. hudsonicus, and 29 subspecies (four in T. douglasii and 25 in T. hudsonicus; Hall and Kelson, 1959). The two species are distributed throughout most montane areas of North America with an area of contact in the Pacific Northwest. The distribution of each species is essentially continuous except for an isolated group in the Sierra San Pedro Martir of Baja California. The Baja California population, currently named T. douglasii mearnsi
Scintillation properties of improved 5% Eu2+-doped BaCl2 single crystal for X-ray and γ-ray detection

Abstract We present the scintillation characteristics of 5% Eu 2+ -doped BaCl 2 single crystals grown by the Bridgman–Stockbarger method. The single crystalline samples show very good scintillation properties compared to the previous reports most likely due to improved purity of the crystals. The light output and the energy resolution values derived from pulse height spectra under γ-ray excitation of a 137 Cs source are 52,000 ph/MeV and 3.5%, respectively.
Geomagnetic secular variation generated by a tangentially geostrophic flow under the frozen‐flux assumption—II. Sufficient conditions

SUMMARY Existing geomagnetic main field models do not take adequate account of constraints implied by the magnetohydrodynamics of the core surface. Yet the flow is likely to be tangentially geostrophic in a region that is located around the magnetic equator. This is called the geostrophic region. This region could be quite large if the Lorentz force does not exceed its presently accepted upper bounds. We first show that if the frozen-flux assumption also applies within this region, the secular variation must satisfy a continuous set of curvilinear integral constraints. We then prove that three sets of surface integral constraints, some of them having been derived by others, can be formally derived from these curvilinear constraints. We discuss the connections between these new constraints and the ones previously derived by other authors. The question whether the curvilinear integral constraints are in fact sufficient (i.e. whether any secular variation satisfying these conditions within a given region can be thought of as being generated by a tangentially geostrophic flow under the frozen-flux assumption within this region) is to be addressed in the second paper of the series.
Structural Mimicry of Retroviral Tat Proteins by Constrained β-Hairpin Peptidomimetics: Ligands with High Affinity and Selectivity for Viral TAR RNA Regulatory Elements

An approach is described to the design of β-hairpin peptidomimetic ligands for bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) Tat protein, which inhibit binding to its transactivator response element (TAR) RNA. A library of peptidomimetics was derived by grafting onto a hairpin-inducing d-Pro-l-Pro template sequences related to the RNA recognition element in Tat. One hairpin mimetic was identified that binds tightly (Kd ≈ 150 nM) to BIV TAR, and another that binds also to HIV-1 TAR RNA (Kd ≈ 1−2 μM). (In the same assay, the wild-type BIV Tat(65−81) peptide binds to BIV TAR with Kd ≈ 50 nM.) The high-affinity BIV-Tat mimetic was shown to adopt a stable β-hairpin conformation in free solution by NMR methods. Amino acid substitutions in this mimetic were shown to impact on the hairpin structure and to disrupt binding to the RNA. This family of conformationally constrained peptidomimetics affords insights into the structural requirements for binding to TAR RNA and provides a basis for the design of new ligands with incr...
GROWTH OF THE ENDOCRINE GLANDS AND VISCERA IN THE CHICK12

THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT of the White Leghorn chick from hatching until 30 days of age is very rapid as was shown in previous work, Breneman (1). It was suggested (2), that a secretion of gonadotrophic hormone by the pituitary and androgenic substance by the testes may begin as early as the fifteenth day after hatching. No analysis has been made, however, of the secretion ofother hormones nor of the development of the viscera during this period of rapid growth. The sensitivity of the Leghorn chick to slight variations in pituitary hormone level, as evidenced by testes growth or inhibition, and to varying amounts of androgenic hormones, as demonstrated by comb growth, makes this form especially valuable both as a test animal and for thestudy of normal development. It was hoped that the presence of pituitary thyrotrophic hormone might be detected because the thyroid gland of the chick is easily stimulated, Smelser (3).
Effect of Strain Nodes and Electrode Configuration on Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting From Cantilevered Beams

For the past five years, cantilevered beams with piezoceramic layer(s) have been frequently used as piezoelectric energy harvesters for vibration-to-electric energy conversion. Typically, the energy harvester beam is located on a vibrating host structure and the dynamic strain induced in the piezoceramic layer(s) results in an alternating voltage output across the electrodes. Vibration modes of a cantilevered piezoelectric energy harvester other than the fundamental mode have certain strain nodes where the dynamic strain distribution changes sign in the direction of beam length. It is theoretically explained and experimentally demonstrated in this paper that covering the strain nodes of vibration modes with continuous electrodes results in strong cancellations of the electrical outputs. A detailed dimensionless analysis is given for predicting the locations of the strain nodes of a cantilevered beam in the absence and presence of a tip mass. Since the cancellation issue is not peculiar to clamped-free boundary conditions, dimensionless data of modal strain nodes are tabulated for some other practical boundary condition pairs and these data can be useful in modal actuation problems as well. How to avoid the cancellation problem in energy harvesting by using segmented electrode pairs is described for single-mode and multimode vibrations of a cantilevered piezoelectric energy harvester. An electrode configuration-based side effect of using a large tip mass on the electrical response at higher vibration modes is discussed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally.
Phenomenological space-time: toward an experiential relativity

Subjects observing differently scaled environments undergo systematic shifts in the experience of time. The experience of temporal duration is compressed relative to the clock in the same proportion as scale-model environments being observed are compressed relative to the full-sized environment. This research suggests that spatial scale may be a principal mediator in the experience of time.
Managing conflict with emotional intelligence: abilities that make a difference

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) abilities and conflict management styles in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 126 participants completed a measure of EI and an assessment of conflict management styles. Regression analyses were then performed. Findings – Results of regression analyses indicate several significant relationships between EI abilities and participants’ conflict management styles. The EI abilities of problem solving, social responsibility, and impulse control were the most directly related to how participants managed conflict at the workplace. Research limitations/implications – Future research should attempt to replicate these findings in other samples. In addition, researchers should investigate other significant variables that explain people’s choices in conflict management styles. Practical implications – Implications of these findings suggest that for management development purposes, peo...
Early Detection of Developmental and Behavioral Problems

1. Frances Page Glascoe, PhD* 1. 2. *Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Child Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the percentage of children who drop out of school and have undetected disabilities or known environmental risk factors. 2. Describe the ways in which early intervention is effective. 3. Delineate methods of detecting disabilities and development delays. 4. Describe the percentage of children in whom assessment tools can detect disabilities correctly. 5. Determine how often children should undergo developmental testing. 6. Describe the role of parents in detecting and addressing developmental and behavioral problems. Approximately 15% to 18% of children in the United States have developmental or behavioral disabilities. An additional 7% to 10% experience substantive school failure and drop out before completing high school. Overall, one in four children has serious psychosocial problems. To ensure that these children are detected early and their difficulties addressed, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Children with Disabilities recommends that pediatricians use validated screening tools at each health supervision visit. Many pediatricians find it difficult to comply with this recommendation because of minimal reimbursement, young patients’ limited compliance with requests to stack blocks or answer questions, time constraints, and concerns about the accuracy and length of well-known screening tools. Finally, children who are at environmental risk for developmental delays and subsequent school failure due to poverty, limited parental education, and similar risk factors do not always receive health supervision visits. Accordingly, they are unavailable at times when pediatricians typically are most vigilant in their search for developmental problems. ### UNDERDETECTION Most physicians depend on clinical judgment rather than screening tools. Unfortunately, research shows that clinical judgment detects fewer than 30% of children who have mental retardation, learning disabilities, language impairments, and other developmental disabilities. Clinical judgment also identifies fewer than 50% of children who have serious emotional and behavioral disturbances. Use of improved classification systems, such as the Primary …
Atropine Prevents Increases in Brain Blood Flow during Hypertension in Newborn Piglets

Cerebral hyperperfusion associated with hypertension, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants. To examine the effect of hypertension on changes in total and regional brain blood flow (BBF), we increased the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in nine awake newborn piglets by an infusion of 0.7 mg/kg of metaraminol bitartrate (Aramine) (group I) and studied cerebral circulatory changes. In order to prevent the Aramine-associated bradycardia, we pretreated nine other piglets with atropine, which produced a higher level of hypertension (group II). MABP and BBF were measured and cerebral vascular resistance (CVR) was calculated during baseline, the Aramine infusion, and twice at decreasing MABP following the discontinuation of the Aramine infusion. In group I, the significant increase in MABP from 68 +/- 3 to 100 +/- 3 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM) during the Aramine infusion resulted in a significant increase in BBF (98 +/- 9 to 118 +/- 11 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1). MABP decreased significantly (although remained significantly above baseline levels), when Aramine was discontinued; however, total BBF remained elevated. CVR increased during the Aramine infusion, but decreased significant (versus the Aramine-infused state) in the post-Aramine period. Regional BBF increased significantly to the cerebrum and cerebellar cortex, but remained unchanged to the other regions including the brain stem. In group II, the Aramine infusion resulted in a significantly greater increase in MABP, a sustained increase in vascular resistance, and no increase in total BBF. Thus, atropine prevents increased BBF during hypertension in the newborn piglet.
The Role of Endothelin in the Pathogenesis of Heart Failure

In fewer than than 15 years since its discovery, endothelin is now recognized as playing a central role in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure. This review examines the signaling pathways and mechanism of action of endothelin in relation to the studies that have elucidated this role. Early investigations observed that the endothelin system is markedly upregulated in heart failure, whereas others demonstrated that endothelin is the most potent vasoconstrictor. However, it has multiple other actions, including mediating pathologic hypertrophy and fibrosis of both ventricular and vascular tissues, acting as a proarrhythmic, and potentiating the effects of other neurohormones. Endothelin receptor antagonists were developed to investigate the hypothesis that these adverse effects could be prevented and experimental studies showed promise in this regard. Clinical studies to date have not fulfilled this promise. Further analysis of these trials will hopefully provide insight into these disparate findings and guidance for future investigations.
Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction and Poisson's spot

When the Fresnel–Kirchhoff (FK) diffraction integral is evaluated exactly (instead of using the Fresnel approximation), the well-known mathematical inconsistency in the FK boundary conditions leads to unacceptable results for the intensity of Poisson's spot. The Rayleigh–Sommerfeld (RS) integral has no inconsistencies and leads to an accurate description. The case for RS is bolstered by the observation that it is equivalent to Fourier propagation.
TECHNICAL SODDI DEFENSES: THE TROJAN HORSE DEFENSE REVISITED

In 2004, the Trojan horse defense was at a crossroads, with two child pornography cases where it was successfully employed in the United Kingdom, resulting in acquittals. The original Trojan horse defense has now become part of the more general “technical SODDI” defense, which includes the possibility of unknown actors using unsecured Wi-Fi connections or having physical access to a computer to perform criminal acts. In the past ten years, it has failed to be effective in the United States for criminal cases, with no published acquittals in cases where it was the primary defense. In the criminal cases where it has been used as leverage in plea negotiations, there has been either poor forensics performed by the prosecution or political pressure to resolve a matter. On the civil side, however, the defense has been wildly successful, effectively shutting down large John Doe copyright infringement litigation against non-commercial violators.
Cutting Edge: CIAS1/Cryopyrin/PYPAF1/NALP3/ CATERPILLER 1.1 Is an Inducible Inflammatory Mediator with NF-κB Suppressive Properties

Mutations in the cold-induced autoinflammatory syndrome 1 (CIAS1) gene have been recently linked to three chronic autoinflammatory disorders. These observations point to an important role for CIAS1 in regulating inflammatory processes. We report that TNF-α and ligands recognized by multiple Toll-like receptors rapidly induce CIAS1 gene expression in primary human monocytes. Transfection of full-length CIAS1 or either of two shorter, naturally occurring isoforms dramatically inhibited TNF-α-induced activation of NF-κB reporter activity. Furthermore, CIAS1 suppressed TNF-α-induced nuclear translocation of endogenous p65. Transcriptional activity of exogenous NF-κB p65 was also blocked by CIAS1. The nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat regions, but not the pyrin domain of CIAS1, are responsible for this inhibition. These data suggest CIAS1/cryopyrin may act as a key regulator of inflammation, induced to dampen NF-κB-dependent proinflammatory signals.
Siteless Survey and Intensive Data Collection in an Artifact-rich Environment: Case Studies from the Eastern Corinthia, Greece

Archaeological survey in the eastern Mediterranean has become increasingly intensive over the last 20 years, producing greater and more diverse data for smaller units of space. While complex, siteless data sets have allowed more sophisticated reconstructions of natural and cultural regional histories, the employment of more intensive methods has refocused the scope of Mediterranean surveys from region to ‘micro-region’. Such increasingly myopic approaches have been criticized for their failure to address research questions framed by a large-scale, regional perspective and the analytical categories of ‘settlement’ and ‘site’. This paper uses results from a survey in southern Greece to show how artifact-based approaches make valuable contributions to ‘big-picture’ historical and archaeological issues in a Mediterranean context.
Programmable reconfigurable self-assembly: approaching the parallel heterogeneous integration on flexible substrates

This paper reports on a programmable reconfigurable liquid solder directed self assembly (PRS) method to enable parallel heterogeneous integration of components on nonplanar substrates. Metal contacts on segmented semiconductor devices bind to liquid-solder-based-receptors on a substrate surface during the fluidic self assembly. Programmability is implemented using solder-based receptors that can be switched "On" and "Off" using integrated heaters. This programmability enables the heterogeneous batch integration of components by sequentially activating selected receptors. We fabricated a prototype substrate to experimentally test the feasibility of PRS and successfully demonstrate the programmable assembly of multiple types of components onto target positions.
Electrical Properties of High‐Density Iron‐Deficient Nickel‐Zinc Ferrites

The dc resistivity of nickel-zinc ferrite was studied as a function of nickel/zinc ratio, apparent density, temperature, and grain size. Resistivities of Ni0.40Zn0.51Fe1.90O4– and Ni0.35Zn0.65-Fe1.90O4– are similar. Evaluation of samples sintered between 1100° and 1220°C showed that densification proceeds rapidly for sintering temperatures 1170°C; for these specimens the room temperature resistivity increases to an equilibrium value with sintering time. Samples sintered to 99+% of theoretical density at lower temperatures densify slowly; the resistivity is invariant with sintering time. The Seebeck coefficient for the p-type ferrites is 550 μV/°C from 200° to 700°C; the dielectric constant varies from 17.3 at 0.5 MHz to 16.4 at 15 MHz.
Using Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills to Evaluate a Basic Skills Simulation Curriculum for First-Year Surgical Residents

Background In response to new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements about simulation skill laboratories, programs are incorporating simulation into residents' training. Despite substantial research on simulators, few data exist to support the effectiveness of simulation skills curricula. We report on an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) used to assess residents' needs and evaluate a curriculum designed to increase proficiency. Study Design The five-session (10-week) curriculum covered asepsis, skin preparation, gowning, gloving, knot-tying, suturing, and excision. Performance on a 20-minute OSATS station was measured by unblinded raters using a task-specific checklist and seven global rating scales. Interns' pre-post improvement was assessed using paired t -tests. PGY2 and PGY3 residents were used as nonequivalent controls; their scores set a benchmark for PGY1 residents postcurriculum. Percentage of possible points earned was compared with a 75% "needs" criterion; ANOVA was used to assess group differences at the p Results Seven PGY2 and 6 PGY3 residents took the OSATS; 24 of 25 PGY1s completed both the baseline and postcurriculum OSATS. At baseline, PGY1 mean percent correct total score was 49%; they performed considerably below PGY2 (68%) and PGY3 (74%) residents. PGY1 scores improved significantly after 10 weeks (p ≤ 0.001). When their postcurriculum scores were compared with PGY2 and PGY3 resident benchmarks, there were no significant differences in checklist (p = 0.38), global item (p = 0.29), or total scores (p = 0.45). Conclusions Our results suggest that the simulation curriculum helped PGY1 residents attain basic surgical skills at levels consistent with PGY2 and PGY3 residents as measured by an OSATS. Only PGY3 residents performed at the 75% criterion.
The Power of Hypothesis Testing in Special Education Efficacy Research

The efficacy of special class placement for mildly handicapped children was an early focus of special education research and has been the subject of at least two narrative reviews and one meta-analysis. In general, special class placement has proved to be no more effective than regular class placement on measures of achievement and social adjustment. However, the power with which the efficacy of special classes has been tested is unknown; thus inadequate statistical power represents an alternative explanation for the findings. The power of the statistical tests in 35 efficacy studies to detect small, medium, and large effect sizes was determined. The power to detect a medium effect size where one existed was no better than chance. However, 21 studies had adequate power to detect a large effect size. The effect sizes for these 21 studies on academic and social measures were highly variable and their averages quite small. Thus, conclusions drawn from previous reviews may be valid, in spite of the failure of...
Evaluating a Residency Program Using Reflections of Recent Resident Graduates and their Pediatric Colleagues.

Background and Purposes: In response to the new Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandate for residency programs to use feedback to improve its educational program, we piloted a novel evaluation strategy of a residency program using structured interviews of resident graduates working in a primary care practice and their physician associates. Methods : A research assistant performed a structured telephone interview. Quantitative data assessing the graduate’s self-assessment and the graduate’s clinical practice by the associate were analyzed. In addition, we performed a qualitative analysis of the interviews. Results: Thirteen resident graduates in primary care practice and seven physician practice associates participated in the study. Graduate self-assessment revealed high satisfaction with their residency training and competency. The associates judged our graduates as highly competent and mentioned independent decision-making and strong interpersonal skills (such as teamwork and communication) as important. They specifically cited the graduate’s skills in intensive care medicine and adolescent medicine as well as communication and teamwork skills as important contributions to their practice. Conclusions: The ACGME Outcomes Project, which increases the emphasis on educational outcomes in the accreditation of residency education programs, requires programs to provide evidence of its effectiveness in preparing residents for practice. Direct assessment of the competency of our physician graduates in practice using structured interviews of graduates and their practice associates provide useful feedback information to a residency program as part of a comprehensive evaluation plan of our program’s curriculum and can be used to direct future educational initiatives of our training program.
Inflammaging as a prodrome to Alzheimer's disease.

Recently, the term "inflammaging" was coined by Franceshci and colleagues to characterize a widely accepted paradigm that ageing is accompanied by a low-grade chronic up-regulation of certain pro-inflammatory responses. Inflammaging differs significantly from the traditional five cardinal features of acute inflammation in that it is characterized by a relative decline in adaptive immunity and T-helper 2 responses and is associated with increased innate immunity by cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage. While the over-active innate immunity characteristic of inflammaging may remain subclinical in many elderly individuals, a portion of individuals (postulated to have a "high responder inflammatory genotype") may shift from a state of "normal" or "subclinical" inflammaging to one or more of a number of age-associated diseases. We and others have found that IFN-γ and other pro-inflammatory cytokines interact with processing and production of Aβ peptide, the pathological hallmark feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that inflammaging may be a "prodrome" to AD. Although conditions of enhanced innate immune response with overproduction of pro-inflammatory proteins are associated with both healthy aging and AD, it is suggested that those who age "well" demonstrate anti-inflammaging mechanisms and biomarkers that likely counteract the adverse immune response of inflammaging. Thus, opposing the features of inflammaging may prevent or treat the symptoms of AD. In this review, we fully characterize the aging immune system. In addition, we explain how three novel treatments, (1) human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC), (2) flavanoids, and (3) Aβ vaccination oppose the forces of inflammaging and AD-like pathology in various mouse models.
Somatic Twist: A Model for the Evolution of Decussation

Objective: In the chordate and vertebrate central nervous system, sensory and motor nerve tracts cross from one side to the other as they connect the brain with sensory receptors and motor neurons. These "decussations," crossings in the form of an X, relate each side of the brain to the opposite side of the body. The protochordates derive from an invertebrate ancestor, but no such contralateral arrangement occurs in any invertebrate phylum. No adaptive benefit of decussation has been established. What might explain the evolution of decussation? Method: A brief review of relevant features of comparative morphology of invertebrates, chordates and vertebrates leads to an explanatory model of decussation. Result: A "somatic twist model" of invertebrate-vertebrate transition accounts for decussations as byproducts of a more momentous change; the relocation of the neuraxis from the ventral to the dorsal aspect of the body. Evidence is presented that this inversion proceeded by means of a twisting of the body 180 degrees on its axis just behind its anterior pole. This rotation aligned the neuraxis with the dorsal head ganglia and brain and by twisting the nerve tracts it brought decussation in its wake. Conclusion: Decussation evolved as a byproduct of a genetically determined partial inversion of the body plan, which resulted in a 180 degree rotation posterior to the brain and oropharynx.
Evaluation of an automated ultraviolet radiation device for decontamination of Clostridium difficile and other healthcare-associated pathogens in hospital rooms

Background: Environmental surfaces play an important role in transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. There is a need for new disinfection methods that are effective against Clostridium difficile spores, but also safe, rapid, and automated. Methods: The Tru-D™ Rapid Room Disinfection device is a mobile, fully-automated room decontamination technology that utilizes ultraviolet-C irradiation to kill pathogens. We examined the efficacy of environmental disinfection using the Tru-D device in the laboratory and in rooms of hospitalized patients. Cultures for C. difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) were collected from commonly touched surfaces before and after use of Tru-D. Results: On inoculated surfaces, application of Tru-D at a reflected dose of 22,000 μWs/cm2 for ~45 minutes consistently reduced recovery of C. difficile spores and MRSA by >2-3 log10 colony forming units (CFU)/cm 2 and of VRE by >3-4 log10 CFU/cm 2 . Similar killing of MRSA and VRE was achieved in ~20 minutes at a reflected dose of 12,000 μWs/ cm 2 , but killing of C. difficile spores was reduced. Disinfection of hospital rooms with Tru-D reduced the frequency of positive MRSA and VRE cultures by 93% and of C. difficile cultures by 80%. After routine hospital cleaning of the rooms of MRSA carriers, 18% of sites under the edges of bedside tables (i.e., a frequently touched site not easily amenable to manual application of disinfectant) were contaminated with MRSA, versus 0% after Tru-D (P < 0.001). The system required <5 minutes to set up and did not require continuous monitoring. Conclusions: The Tru-D Rapid Room Disinfection device is a novel, automated, and efficient environmental disinfection technology that significantly reduces C. difficile, VRE and MRSA contamination on commonly touched hospital surfaces.
Preferred orientation of phyllosilicates: Effects of composition and stress on resedimented mudstone microfabrics

Abstract Development of a preferred orientation of clay minerals is investigated in response to changes in vertical effective stress and composition in resedimented material (Boston Blue Clay). Boston Blue Clay (BBC), an illitic glacio-marine clay composed of 57% clay-sized particles (
Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage and serious cardiopulmonary dysfunction--a systematic review.

Abstract Introduction: The association between the degree of neurological deficit and cardiopulmonary dysfunction in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is poorly understood. Method: A systematic search (MEDLINE, bibliographies, to 9.2004) was performed for prospective studies (any architecture; ≥10 patients with SAH), reporting on neurological deficit and cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Neurological deficit was graded according to the Hunt-Hess or Botterell scores as minimal (1 or 2 points), moderate (3), or severe (4 or 5), and tested for an association with cardiopulmonary dysfunction (Chi-square test). Results: Relevant data came from two randomized trials, four case control studies, and 31 uncontrolled series. In eight studies (386 patients), ECG abnormalities were found in 32% of patients with minimal, 55% with moderate, and 58% with severe neurological deficit ( P P =0.0001). In two trials (63), creatinine phosphoskinase was increased in 18% of patients with minimal, 71% with moderate, and 100% with severe neurological deficit ( P P P Conclusions: In patients with spontaneous SAH, cardiopulmonary dysfunction is more likely to occur with increasing neurological deficit.
Effects of ondansetron in early- versus late-onset alcoholics: a prospective, open-label study.

Background Early-onset alcoholics (EOAs) have a greater familial loading for alcoholism, more severe progression of the disorder, a greater severity of comorbid psychopathology, and a poorer response to treatment than late-onset alcoholics (LOAs). Ondansetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 antagonist, was found to be superior to placebo in the treatment of EOAs, but not of LOAs. This study compared the tolerability and potential efficacy of an oral solution of ondansetron in EOAs versus LOAs. Methods Forty outpatients with alcohol dependence (67.5% male; 87.5% European American; 20 EOAs; 20 LOAs) received an oral solution of ondansetron at a dosage of 4 microg/kg twice daily for 8 weeks, together with weekly relapse-prevention therapy. Results EOAs had a significantly greater decrease in drinks per day, drinks per drinking day, and alcohol-related problems than LOAs. Changes in the level of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin were consistent with changes in self-reported drinking behavior. Conclusions An oral solution of ondansetron seems suitable for the treatment of alcohol dependence, yielding findings consistent with evidence from a placebo-controlled trial that ondansetron, at a dosage of 4 microg/kg twice daily, is of value in the treatment of EOAs.
Avoiding Genetic Genocide: Understanding Good Intentions and Eugenics in the Complex Dialogue Between the Medical and Disability Communities

The relationship between the medical and disability communities is complex and multifaceted. Although physicians, healthcare researchers, and people with disabilities all work from the standpoint of wanting to do what is in the best interest of disabled individuals, the notion of what is actually "best" is often understood quite differently among these constituencies. Miller examines questions raised by modern genetic science from the disability perspective in order to elucidate many of the implications of this research for scientists, health care professionals, and disabled individuals.