cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents after blood‐brain barrier modification: Neuropathological studies

We examined in 47 dogs the effects of 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin (doxorubicin hydrochloride), cis-platinum (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) cyclophosphamide, and bleomycin given in association with osmotic blood-brain barrier modification. The dose of drug ranged from 100% to as little as 5 to 10% of the conventional systemic dosage. Serial neurological observation and subsequent postmortem neuropathological evaluation at times varying from 2.5 hours to 52 days after drug administration showed that cis-platinum and Adriamycin were highly neurotoxic, as evidenced by neurological deficits and pathological changes in the central nervous system parenchyma; 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin had much less, but consequential neurotoxicity; and cyclophosphamide was not associated with substantial toxicity. Intracarotid cis-platinum, unlike the other drugs, damaged the blood-brain barrier and resulted in marked neurotoxicity in the absence of osmotic blood-brain barrier opening. The neural lesions produced by these agents were not specific but were manifested as foci of hemorrhagic necrosis and edema. In addition, secondary brainstem hemorrhage was observed in animals that developed transtentorial herniation. On the basis of these studies, of five drugs studied at a wide range of doses, only cyclophosphamide appears to be safe enough to evaluate in clinical trials that utilize blood-brain barrier modification to enhance drug delivery. These studies also suggest that the lack of neurotoxicity associated with the usual administration of most chemotherapeutic agents probably stems from limited entry of drug into the brain through an intact blood-brain barrier.
Tapu-ae: A dynamic game requiring minimal equipment and maximum participation

(2011). Tapu-ae: A dynamic game requiring minimal equipment and maximum participation. Strategies: Vol. 24, No. 6, pp. 20-22.
Role of antibiotics in open fractures of the finger

The role of antibiotics was investigated prospectively in 91 open fractures of the finger. Antibiotics were administered to alternate patients with open phalangeal fractures. Only finger fractures distal to the metacarpophalangeal joint were included. Both groups were treated with aggressive surgical irrigation and debridement. In four patients in each group clinical signs of infection eventually developed; osteomyelitis did not develop in any patients, and no secondary surgical procedures were required in either group. This data indicates that vigorous irrigation and debridement is adequate primary treatment for open phalangeal fractures in fingers with intact digital arteries.
On the Maintenance of the Subtropical Front and its Associated Countercurrent

Abstract In the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Subtropical Countercurrent is an eastward flow across the Subtropical Gyre at a latitude where a classical wind-driven circulation theory would predict a westward flow. It is in geostrophic balance with the Subtropical Front, a zonal density front which runs across the ocean basin. From previous numerical models, it is argued that convergence of Ekman transports can hardly be the primary reason for the existence of such a phenomenon and that thermodynamic effects play a crucial role. To elucidate how them may be responsible for the frontal structure, a very simple analytical model is constructed where the dynamics yield motions consisting of a nondivergent wind-driven Sverdrup current and a geostrophic thermal flow that is divergent on a beta-plane. The surface temperature is governed by a nonlinear hyperbolic equation, for which the corresponding characteristics intersect, separating the basin into two distinct regions limited by a temperature discon...
Tephras, tsunamis, and modern carbonate beachrock

This paper has replaced my initial editorial on carbonate beachrock. The newspapers (local, regional, national, and international) report almost daily on the events leading to the beachrock formation, especially the work of tsunamis. I ask the reader to refer to my recent paper (Friedman 2004) on Holocene chronostratigraphic beachrocks and their geologic climatic significance to provide a background.
The Writing on the (Facebook) Wall: The Use of Social Networking Sites in Hiring Decisions

The popular media has reported an increase in the use of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook by hiring managers and human resource professionals attempting to find more detailed information about job applicants. Within the peer-reviewed literature, cursory empirical evidence exists indicating that others’ judgments of characteristics or attributes of an individual based on information obtained from SNSs may be accurate. Although this predictor method provides a potentially promising source of applicant information on predictor constructs of interest, it is also fraught with potential limitations and legal challenges. The level of publicly available data obtainable by employers is highly unstandardized across applicants, as some applicants will choose not to use SNSs at all while those choosing to use SNSs customize the degree to which information they share is made public to those outside of their network. It is also unclear how decision makers are currently utilizing the available information. Potential discrimination may result through employer’s access to publicly available pictures, videos, biographical information, or other shared information that often allows easy identification of applicant membership to a protected class. For the practice to progress in a positive direction, evidence for the validity and job-relevance of information obtained from SNSs needs to be established. Organizational researchers and practitioners also need to promote awareness and attempt to create safeguards against the potential negative outcomes related to misuse of SNSs by employers.
Chylothorax and child abuse.

OBJECTIVE:: Report of an unusual presentation of child abuse in a critical care setting. DESIGN:: Case report. SETTING:: Pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital. PATIENT:: A 6-month-old female. BACKGROUND:: Chylothorax in young children can be a sign of systemic illness or a nondisease entity (idiopathic); however, it also can be the only apparent manifestation of child abuse. CLINICAL RELEVANCE:: Child abuse can present with unusual findings, and the diagnosis is not always apparent. In this and previous case reports of child abuse presenting as chylothorax, the diagnosis of abusive injury was not initially made by the managing clinicians. When abusive injury is in the differential diagnosis of a child's condition, a thorough and complete investigation-including skeletal survey, eye exam by an ophthalmologist, cranial neuroimaging, and consultation with child abuse physicians and child protective services-may be indicated. CONCLUSION:: Before diagnosis of idiopathic chylothorax is made in a young child, clinicians should reexamine the patient and all radiographic studies, searching for findings that may indicate abuse. Further evaluation with a dedicated skeletal survey is suggested. Language: en
Person- centred communication Theory and Practice 1998

Person- centred communication offers helping professionals an understanding of the theory, practice, and value base that underline a person- centred approach in helping people. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.
Seasonal effects of 19 plant species on COD removal in subsurface treatment wetland microcosms

Abstract Plants have many well-documented influences in treatment wetlands, but differences in individual species’ effects on year-round and seasonal performance are poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated plant effects on seasonal patterns of organic carbon removal (measured as COD) and sulfate concentration (used as an indicator of rootzone oxidation) in replicated, batch-loaded, greenhouse microcosms simulating subsurface treatment wetlands. Microcosms were planted with monocultures of 19 plant species or left unplanted as controls, dosed every 20 days with synthetic secondary wastewater, and operated over 20 months at temperatures from 4 to 24 °C. Study-long COD removal averaged 70% for controls and 70–97% for individual species. Most species enhanced COD removal significantly and the benefits of plants were greatest at 4–8 °C because COD removal decreased at low temperatures in controls but displayed limited seasonal variation in planted microcosms. Removal was significantly better at 24 °C than 4 °C with two species ( Panicum virgatum and Leymus cinereus ), significantly poorer with two species ( Carex utriculata and Phalaris arundinacea ), and did not differ with 15 species. Only one species showed a significant positive correlation between temperature and COD removal ( Iris missouriensis , r = 0.67), while two species showed significant negative correlations (better when colder: Carex nebrascensis , r = −0.67; C. utriculata , r = −0.93). High COD removal throughout the study was strongly associated with high SO 4 concentrations at low temperatures, suggesting that plant performance is related to rootzone oxidation and species’ abilities to promote aerobic over anaerobic microbial processes, particularly in winter. Results indicate that improved year-round and cold-season COD removal is common across diverse wetland plant species and novel species can be as good or better than those typically used. Better performing species were largely in the sedge and rush families ( Cyperaceae and Juncaceae ), while poorer performing species were largely in the grass family ( Poaceae ).
Performance of numerically computed quadrature points

In this work we focus on the diagonal-mass-matrix spectral element method (DMM) in non-tensor product domains such as triangles and tetrahedra. For many problems, the DMM method is more efficient than methods which require the inversion of a wide bandwidth mass matrix. For elements which are tensor product domains, the method is formulated using a nodal basis derived from Gauss-Lobatto points which simultaneously provide well-conditioned interpolants and high quality quadrature. In non-tensor product domains such as triangles and tetrahedra such points are not known analytically. DMM therefore relies on numerically computed interpolation and quadrature points. Here we compare three point sets for use in DMM methods on triangles: Fekete points and two new point sets that have improved quadrature properties but less optimal interpolation properties. We show convergence results for the linear advection and Poisson problems, and the growth of the eigenspectrum for the first and second derivative operators. We conclude that these points sets, when used for DMM on triangles, suffer from numerical stability problems which can be overcome by employing common filtering techniques such as the erfc-log filter [J.P. Boyd, The erfc-log filter and the asymptotics of the Euler and Vandeven sequence accelerations, in: Proc. of 3rd Int. Conf. on Spectral and High Order Methods, 1996, pp. 267-276]. We show the growth of the maximum eigenvalues for both the first and second derivative operator is no worse than for that of tensor product domains. We also show that for the solution of the Poisson equation in weak form, the new points, which have improved quadrature properties, are superior to Fekete points.
FDA Perspective on Companion Diagnostics: An Evolving Paradigm

Therapeutic products are now being developed that target particular molecular lesions found in various types of cancers. The ability to correctly identify patients whose cancers have targetable lesions generally depends on a well-validated diagnostic test. Development and use of diagnostic tests together with therapies in clinical trials yields the information necessary to make a regulatory determination that both products are safe and effective, likely have clinical utility when used together, and reach the market for patient benefit. This model, called co-development, has been developed relatively recently, and is being put to use in numerous cancer therapeutic development programs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has articulated a policy that requires the coapproval of a diagnostic with a therapeutic product when the diagnostic is essential to the safe and effective use of the therapeutic product. At the same time, FDA has implemented a number of processes to manage the model without slowing the approval of the co-developed products. New diagnostic technologies, together with a rapid uptick in interest in targeted drugs, will challenge the still-evolving regulatory paradigm, but will likely result in some simplified approaches presenting new challenges in determining safety and effectiveness, but all with the promise of greater benefit to patients with cancer. See all articles in this CCR Focus section, “The Precision Medicine Conundrum: Approaches to Companion Diagnostic Co-development.” Clin Cancer Res; 20(6); 1453–7. ©2014 AACR .
Color image enhancement based on the discrete cosine transform coefficient histogram

This paper presents a new technique for contrast enhancement for color images called histogram shifting with alpha rooting. The novelty in the presented method consists in adapting spatial domain techniques into the transform domain. The benefits of operating in the transform domain include low complexity of computations, ease of viewing, and manipulation of the frequency composition of the image and preservation of the phase information. The combination of the alpha-rooting algorithm, coupled with histogram shifting shows the method's effectiveness for enhancing overexposed images. The contrast enhancement parameter of the algorithm is established automatically based on the entropy of the images. A comprehensive comparative study on image-enhancement algorithms based on discrete cosine transform coefficients is provided. Computer simulations and analysis are provided to compare the enhancement performance of the proposed technique to state of the art approaches. We perform a statistical analysis on the results and quantitatively show that the proposed approach performs well for color image enhancement, which is also validated by ratings from human observers.
Effect of digoxin on sinus nodal reentry in the dog.

Abstract The effect of digoxin on sinus nodal reentry was examined in 20 open chest mongrel dogs during infusion of digoxin at a rate of 2.5 μg/kg per min. The extrinsic cardiac nerve supply was removed acutely in 10 dogs and was left intact in the remaining 10 dogs. Sinus nodal reentry was relatively unaffected by digoxin in 18 of 20 dogs. In these 18 dogs, digitalis toxicity developed before reentry was abolished and was manifested as increased atrial and ventricular automaticity in 14 and as advanced atrioventricular (A-V) block in four. In the remaining two dogs, sinus nodal reentry was relatively sensitive to digoxin and was abolished before toxicity became manifest as advanced A-V block. The knowledge of the relative insensitivity of sinus nodal reentry to digoxin, at least in this experimental model, contrasts with the previously reported sensitivity of sinus nodal reentry to quinidine, and may be important in the management of sinus nodal reentry in man.
Enhancement of osteoblastogenesis and suppression of osteoclastogenesis by inhibition of de-phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha

The phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) is activated in response to various stresses such as viral infection, nutrient deprivation, and stress to the endoplasmic reticulum. Severe stress to the endoplasmic reticulum, for instance, induces an apoptotic pathway, while mild stress, on the contrary, leads to a pro-survival pathway. Little has been known about the elaborate role of eIF2α phosphorylation in the development of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Using salubrinal and guanabenz as inhibitors of the de-phosphorylation of eIF2α, we have recently reported that the phosphorylation of eIF2α significantly alters fates of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Based on our recent findings, we review in this research highlight the potential mechanisms of the enhancement of osteoblastogenesis and the suppression of osteoclastogenesis through the elevated level of phosphorylated eIF2α.
Emulation and Mimicry for Social Interaction: A Theoretical Approach to Imitation in Autism:

The "broken-mirror" theory of autism argues that dysfunction of the "mirror neuron system" is a root cause of social disability in autism. The present paper aims to scrutinize this theory and, when it breaks down, to provide an alternative. Current evidence suggests that children with autism are able to understand and emulate goal-directed actions, but may have specific impairments in automatic mimicry of actions without goals. These data are not compatible with the broken-mirror theory, but can be accounted for by a new model called EP-M. The EP-M model segments the mirror neuron system into an indirect, parietal route for goal emulation and planning (EP) and a direct occipital-frontal route for mimicry (M). This fractionation is consistent with neuroimaging and behavioural studies of the mirror neuron system in typical children and adults. I suggest that top-down modulation of the direct M route may be dysfunctional in individuals with autism, leading to abnormal behaviours on mimicry tasks as well as other social disabilities.
On the Prevention and Therapy of Prostate Cancer by Androgen Administration

It has been widely suggested that elevated androgen levels may be critically involved in the genesis of prostate cancer. Despite the dependency of the normal prostate and of most prostatic cancers upon androgens and the fact that tumors can be produced in some rodent models by androgen administration, I will argue that, contrary to prevalent opinion, declining rather than high levels of androgens probably contribute more to human prostate carcinogenesis and that androgen supplementation would probably lower the incidence of the disease. I will also consider the possibility that the growth of androgen-independent prostate cancers might be reduced by the administration of androgens.
Perinatal aspects of iron metabolism.

Iron sufficiency is critical for rapidly developing fetal and neonatal organ systems. The majority of iron in the third trimester fetus and the neonate is found in the red cell mass (as hemoglobin), with lesser amounts inthe tissues as storage iron (e.g. ferritin) or functional iron (e.g. myoglobin, cytochromes). Iron is prioritized to hemoglobin synthesis in red cells when iron supply does not meet iron demand. Thus, non-heme tissues such as the skeletal muscle, heart and brain will become iron deficient before signs of iron-deficiency anemia. Gestational conditions that result in lower newborn iron stores include severe maternal iron deficiency, maternal hypertension with intrauterine growth retardation and maternal diabetes mellitus. Stable, very low birthweight premature infants are also at risk for early postnatal iron deficiency because they accrete less iron during gestation, grow more rapidly postnatally, are typically undertreated with enteral iron and receive fewer red cell transfusions. Conversely, iron overload remains a significant concern in multiply transfused sick preterm infants because they have low levels of iron-binding proteins and immature antioxidant systems. Conclusion: The highly variable iron status of preterm infants combined with their risk for iron deficiency and toxicity warrants careful monitoring and support in the newborn and postdiacharge periods.
Wheeled locomotion for payload carrying with modular robot

Carrying heavy payloads is a challenging task for the modular robot, because its composing modules are relatively tiny and less strong compared with conventional robots. To accomplish this task, we attached passive rollers to the modular robot, and designed a wheeled locomotion gait called tricycleBot. The gait is inspired by paddling motion, and is implemented on the modular robot called SuperBot. Features of this gait are systematically studied and verified through extensive experiments. It is shown that tricycleBot can carry payloads at least 530% of its own weight. It can also be steered remotely to move forward/backward, turn left/right. Capability of tricycleBot demonstrates that the versatility of modular robot can be further expanded to solve very specialized and challenging tasks by using heterogeneous devices.
Posterior dislocation of the elbow with fractures of the radial head and coronoid.

Background: Posterior dislocation of the elbow with associated fractures of the radial head and the coronoid process of the ulna has been referred to as the "terrible triad of the elbow" because of the difficulties encountered in its management. However, there are few published reports on this injury. Methods: Eleven patients with this pattern of injury were evaluated after a minimum of two years. The radial head fracture had been repaired in five patients, and the radial head had been resected in four. None of the coronoid fractures had been repaired, and the lateral collateral ligament had been repaired in only three patients. All eleven patients returned for clinical examination, functional evaluation, and radiographs. Results: Seven elbows redislocated in a splint after manipulative reduction. Five, including all four treated with resection of the radial head, redislocated after operative treatment. At the time of final follow-up, three patients were considered to have a failure of the initial treatment. One of them had recurrent instability, which was treated with a total elbow arthroplasty after multiple unsuccessful operations; one had severe arthrosis and instability resembling neuropathic arthropathy; and one had an elbow flexion contracture and proximal radioulnar synostosis requiring reconstructive surgery. The remaining eight patients, who were evaluated at an average of seven years after injury, had an average of 92° (range, 40° to 130°) of ulnohumeral motion and 126° (range, 40° to 170°) of forearm rotation. The average Broberg and Morrey functional score was 76 points (range, 34 to 98 points), with two results rated as excellent, two rated as good, three rated as fair, and one rated as poor. Overall, the result of treatment was rated as unsatisfactory for seven of the eleven patients. All four patients with a satisfactory result had retained the radial head, and two had undergone repair of the lateral collateral ligament. Seven of the ten patients who had retained the native elbow had radiographic signs of advanced ulnohumeral arthrosis. Conclusions: Elbow fracture-dislocations that involve a fracture of the coronoid process in addition to a fracture of the radial head are very unstable and prone to numerous complications. Identification of the coronoid fracture is therefore important, and computed tomography should be used if there is uncertainty. With operative treatment, the surgeon should attempt to restore stability by providing radiocapitellar contact (preserving the radial head when possible and replacing it with a prosthesis otherwise), repairing the lateral collateral ligament, and perhaps performing internal fixation of the coronoid fracture.
Not all groups are equal: Differential vulnerability of social groups to the prejudice-releasing effects of disparagement humor

Research has shown that sexist humor allows men to express sexism by replacing nonsexist norms in a situation with a norm of tolerance of sex discrimination (Ford, Armstrong, & Edel, 2008). Our study extends those findings by testing the hypothesis that disparaging humor fosters the "release" of prejudice against only groups for whom society’s attitudes are ambivalent and thus for whom the expression of prejudice is dependent on immediate social norms to justify it (e.g., women, homosexuals). The expression of prejudice against groups like racists is socially acceptable and should not be dependent on events like disparaging humor to justify it. Consequently, disparaging humor should have little effect on the release of prejudice against them. One hundred sixty four participants completed measures of prejudice against homosexuals and racists (Cotrell & Neuberg, 2005). Participants read four jokes that disparaged homosexuals, or racists, or that contained no disparaging content. Next, participants allocated budget cuts to four student organizations including one that either supported racist or homosexual agendas. Results supported our hypothesis. Prejudice against homosexuals predicted the amount of money participants cut from the homosexual organization relative to the others upon exposure to anti-homosexual jokes (s = .61, p < .001) but not neutral jokes (s = .10, ns) or anti-racist jokes (s = .13, ns). In contrast, attitudes toward racists did not differentially predict budget cuts allocated to the racist organization upon exposure to anti-racist jokes (s = .30, ns), neutral jokes (s = .12, ns) or anti-homosexual jokes (s = .12, ns).
Everyday Sexism and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women A Correlational Study

This study examined the correlations between everyday (nonviolent) sexism and the development of trauma symptoms in women. A total of 382 women completed a subjective measurement of the experience of sexism, a checklist of gender-based stressors (including acts of violence), a measurement of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicated a moderately strong relationship between the experience of everyday sexism and PTSD. A stepwise multiple regression revealed that when all variables (test scores, subscale scores, and demographic characteristics) were entered, the most predictive variable for trauma was recent sexist degradation, accounting for 20% of the variance in PTSD scores.
Epithelial Implantation Cyst of the Iris

Following a penetrating eye injury, a 12-year-old girl presented with an enlarging epithelial cyst of the iris. The cyst was excised completely. Epithelial cysts arise after injury or operation from implantation or ingrowth of corneal or conjunctival epithelium. The cyst wall is composed of corneal or conjunctival epithelium, and the cyst contents may be clear or turbid. While generally more benign than the sheet-like epithelial ingrowth, cysts may lead to visual loss by growth into the visual axis, effects upon the lens, or by causing uveitis and glaucoma. Although excision is the preferred treatment, therapeutic alternatives include photocoagulation and chemical cautery.
Students' Perceptions of Ethical Issues in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry:

From six different hospitality and tourism programs, 349 students responded to a survey asking them to identify what they consider to be the most important ethical issues confronting the hospitalit...
Simulation of plasma during arc discharge ablation for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes

Summary form only given.Carbon nanotubes is one of the rapid growing fields of study, during the past two decades, due to their superior mechanical, thermophysical, and electrical properties. Nanotubes are synthesized using three major techniques: arc discharge ablation, laser ablation, and chemical vapor deposition. Out of these, arc discharge ablation is cheaper, easier and produces nanotubes with fewer topological defects. When, an electric arc is generated between the electrodes, placed in a closed chamber filled with a background gas, the catalyst doped carbon anode evaporates to form a web of nanotubes. In order to synthesize the nanotubes of desired properties, the influence of various input parameters (quantity and type of catalyst, background pressure, electromagnetic field, and etc.) on their growth has to be fully understood. Keeping this goal in view, a numerical program is developed to simulate and analyze the arc discharge ablation process.
Effect of Thyroprotein Feeding on Performance of Dwarf White Leghorn Pullets

Abstract Dwarf White Leghorn pullets provided 0.033% Protamone from one day of age had higher average body weight, feed consumption, and cloacal temperature than did control dwarf pullets at four weeks of age. The difference in feed consumption between the two groups continued to increase, while the difference in body weight and cloacal temperature remained constant up to 16 weeks of age; at 24 weeks of age control dwarfs had slightly higher average body weight and cloacal temperature. Feeding Protamone did not affect age at sexual maturity or rate of increase in egg production, but did result in a lower yolk weight, had no effect on yolk color and total egg weight, and gave a higher egg specific gravity at 24 weeks of age. Protamone feeding at 0.033% level from 24 to 44 weeks of age decreased egg production and increased feed consumed per hen-day and per dozen eggs, regardless of whether or not they received Protamone from 0 to 24 weeks of age. Egg weight was not affected by feeding Protamone from 24 to 44 weeks of age; however, eggs produced during that time were slightly smaller if the pullets were fed Protamone from 0 to 24 weeks of age, although this may not have been a true treatment effect. Yolk weight and yolk color at 44 weeks of age were not significantly affected by any treatment. Egg specific gravity was higher at 44 weeks of age if the eggs were from pullets fed Protamone from 24 to 44 weeks of age. Reversing the treatments and reducing the Protamone level to 0.011% from 44 to 64 weeks of age gave inconclusive results, although feed conversion appeared to be adversely affected while egg specific gravity seemed to be enhanced by the Protamone feeding.
Total Factor Productivity An Ecological-Economic Critique

Total factor productivity (TFP) is a central concept in the mainstream analysis of economic growth. Using aggregate production functions, economists estimate the shares of economic growth explained by increases in capital, labor, and (in some applications) natural resource inputs. The residual of unexplained growth is then ascribed to “disembodied” technological advance or TFP. This article develops a radical ecological-economic critique of TFP analysis. The critique uses Marxist theory to synthesize relevant nonmainstream perspectives including ecological economics (especially Georgescu-Roegen's critique of the aggregate production function and Daly's rejection of the mainstream “circular flow” vision of the economy), neo-Schumpetarian criticisms of disembodied technological change, and the “identification” critique which shows that TFP estimates merely capture the accounting identity between income and value added. From a Marxist perspective, TFP theory's false dematerialization of production technology...
Participation in SEPA, a Sexual and Relational Health Intervention for Hispanic Women:

HIV and intimate partner violence (IPV) risks are linked in Hispanic women, so integrated interventions can efficiently produce meaningful change. Integrated interventions for Hispanic women are promising, but factors that put Hispanic women at risk for HIV and violence may also impede engagement with interventions. This study examined barriers and facilitators of engagement in a group educational intervention, SEPA (Salud, Educacion, Prevencion y Autocuidado [Health, Education, Prevention, and Self-Care]), for Hispanic women. A total of 274 Hispanic women from South Florida in the SEPA condition of a randomized controlled trial completed baseline measures of violence, depression, familism, Hispanic stress, acculturation, and demographics, and 57% of the women engaged (attended two of five sessions). Education, IPV, and acculturation predicted engagement. Understanding engagement advances intervention development/refinement. Hispanic women who experience relationship violence are open to group interventio...
Fast surface reconstruction using the level set method

We describe new formulations and develop fast algorithms for implicit surface reconstruction based on variational and partial differential equation (PDE) methods. In particular we use the level set method and fast sweeping and tagging methods to reconstruct surfaces from a scattered data set. The data set might consist of points, curves and/or surface patches. A weighted minimal surface-like model is constructed and its variational level set formulation is implemented with optimal efficiency. The reconstructed surface is smoother than piecewise linear and has a natural scaling in the regularization that allows varying flexibility according to the local sampling density. As is usual with the level set method we can handle complicated topology and deformations, as well as noisy or highly nonuniform data sets easily. The method is based on a simple rectangular grid, although adaptive and triangular grids are also possible. Some consequences, such as hole filling capability, are demonstrated, as well as the viability and convergence of our new fast tagging algorithm.
Mixotrophy in gyrodinium galatheanum (DINOPHYCEAE): grazing responses to light intensity and inorganic nutrients*

This paper presents results of field and laboratory studies on mixotrophy in the estuarine dinoflagellate Gyrodinium galatheanum (Braarud) Taylor. We tested the hypotheses that this primarily photosynthetic organism becomes phagotrophic when faced with suboptimal light and/or nutrient environments. In Chesapeake Bay, incidence of feeding of this species on cryptophytes is positively correlated with prey density and concentrations of nitrate and nitrite, but negatively correlated with depth, salinity, and phosphate concentration. Feeding in natural assemblages and cultures increased hyperbolically with light intensity. The stoichiometric proportions of dissolved inorganic P and N (DIP:DIN) at the stations where G. galatheanum was present were far below the optimal growth P:N (1:10). Incidence of feeding was negatively related to the ratio of DIP to DIN, suggesting that P limitation may have induced feeding. Addition of nitrate, or addition of both nitrate and phosphate, inhibited feeding in a natural population, indicating that N limitation may also induce feeding. Ingestion of the cryptophyte, Storeatula major, by cultured G. galatheanum was higher in media low in nitrate or phosphate or both, but moderate rates of feeding occurred in nutrient-replete cultures. When cells were grown in media with varying concentrations of nitrate and phosphate, N deficiency resulted in greater cellular N and Chl a losses than did P deficiency, but P deficiency stimulated feeding more than N deficiency. Both N and P deficiency, or P:N ratios that deviated greatly from 1:10, result in an increase of cellular carbon content and an increase in propensity to feed. Our results suggest that feeding in G. galatheanum is partly a strategy for supplementing major nutrients (N and P) that are needed for photosynthetic carbon assimilation. Feeding in G. galatheanum may also be a strategy for supplementing C metabolism or acquiring trace organic growth factors, since feeding occurs, although at a reduced rate, in nutrient-replete cultures.
Implementing a genetic algorithm on a parallel custom computing machine

Genetic algorithms (GAs) are a currently popular method for nonlinear optimization that can be used to provide a solution for the chip partitioning problem. Unfortunately, GAs usually require prohibitively large computation times on current workstations. This paper demonstrates the utility of the Armstrong III architecture by addressing the computational problems associated with partitioning large designs using GAs. An example GA is presented for chip partitioning that runs on Armstrong III. GA computation bottlenecks are identified and hardware implementation strategies are discussed. Results are presented that show the Armstrong III architecture can be adapted to execute a GA in significantly less time than current workstations.
Current barriers in Y-Ba-Cu-O coated conductors

Current barriers in high temperature superconductors occur on many length scales. Eliminating them is critical to making superconductors more favorable for commercial applications. In state-of-the-art YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O (YBCO) coated conductors, barriers to current in short lengths of tapes are grain boundaries. On the scale of several tens of micrometers, the role of grain boundaries in the nickel substrate was investigated using a combination of plan-view scanning electron microscopy (SEM), backscattered electron Kikuchi pattern (BEKP) analysis, magneto-optical (MO) imaging, and focused ion beam (FIB) analysis. The combined techniques showed enhanced magnetic flux penetration, and hence reduced critical current density (J/sub c/), in the YBCO above nickel grain boundaries that have misorientation angles (/spl theta/) greater than 4/spl deg/ in pulsed laser deposited YBCO films and 5/spl deg/ in BaF/sub 2/-grown YBCO films. Additionally, BEKP percolation maps show that the YBCO layer is single-crystal-like below a percolation limit of a few degrees; the BEKP grain boundary maps displays the constrictions of the current path on the scale of 50-100 /spl mu/m. On the sub-micrometer scale, the misorientation angles of grain boundaries in the YBCO layer were investigated using transmission electron microscopy imaging and diffraction analysis. The average and range of /spl theta/ between neighboring YBCO islands above a single grain of the metal substrate were essentially the same in two samples with J/sub c/ values that differed by a factor of four. This suggests that defects on the macroscale, specifically the underlying nickel grain boundaries, may influence the J/sub c/ more than defects on the microscale. The results of this study suggest that that the way to improve the superconducting properties in the YBCO is to eliminate /spl theta/>4-5/spl deg/ boundaries in the nickel substrate or engineer the conductors in a way to increase the threshold angle.
Clinical approach to penicillin-allergic patients : a survey

Background Approximately 10% of individuals report a history of penicillin allergy. Objective We chose to survey various physician groups to determine how they would manage penicillin-allergic patients who present with an infectious process for which penicillin is the drug of choice. Methods In situations where penicillin was the drug of choice, physicians were asked to choose the type of antibiotic treatment for patients who presented with diseases of varying severity and who had either vague or convincing penicillin-allergic histories. Results A total of 601 surveys were mailed and 93 (16%) were returned. For those patients who present with a vague history of penicillin allergy, 58% and 59% of the physicians surveyed stated that they would choose cephalosporins for individuals with mild and moderate diseases, respectively. In contrast, in the vague penicillin history/severe disease scenario, physicians were split between choosing cephalosporins (42% of responders) and vancomycin (40% of responders). For those patients who present with a convincing history of penicillin allergy, 55% of the physicians chose erythromycin for individuals with mild disease; 44% chose quinolones for individuals with moderate disease, and 63% chose vancomycin for individuals with severe disease. In each of the three disease severities, physicians were significantly more likely to choose cephalosporins for patients with a vague history of penicillin allergy than for patients with a convincing history (each P −5 ). Conclusion The choice of antibiotics is influenced both by the type of penicillin allergic history and by the severity of the disease process to be treated. To decrease the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients labeled "penicillin-allergic", an effort should be made to identify, by skin testing, those patients who lack penicillin-specific IgE antibodies.
The End of Trial on Damages? - Intangible Losses and Comparability Review

This Article tracks the movement to dismantle the system of tort compensation by attacking trials as the means to fix damages. Many proponents are behaviorial law and economics scholars. They argue that human irrationality justifies removing damages from a populist trial system. Under their approach, bureaucrats would impose their own assessment of compensible risk and the value of intangible losses on the public. The purpose of this Article is to uncover the normative assumptions and real agenda of this movement--especially as they implicate democratic values--by using one example as a focal point. It is the device of comparability review, wherein appellate courts, many of them federal, reverse damages on the sole ground that they do not cohere with amounts given in allegedly similar cases. This flouts a foundational principal of remedies and a background assumption of American political values, i.e., that damages are supposed to be individualized to the particular victim.
Dynamically adapted context-specific hyper-articulation: Feedback from interlocutors affects speakers' subsequent pronunciations.

Abstract We ask whether speakers can adapt their productions when feedback from their interlocutors suggests that previous productions were perceptually confusable. To address this question, we use a novel web-based task-oriented paradigm for speech recording, in which participants produce instructions towards a (simulated) partner with naturalistic response times. We manipulate (1) whether a target word with a voiceless plosive (e.g., pill) occurs in the presence of a voiced competitor (bill) or an unrelated word (food) and (2) whether or not the simulated partner occasionally misunderstands the target word. Speakers hyper-articulated the target word when a voiced competitor was present. Moreover, the size of the hyper-articulation effect was nearly doubled when partners occasionally misunderstood the instruction. A novel type of distributional analysis further suggests that hyper-articulation did not change the target of production, but rather reduced the probability of perceptually ambiguous or confusable productions. These results were obtained in the absence of explicit clarification requests, and persisted across words and over trials. Our findings suggest that speakers adapt their pronunciations based on the perceived communicative success of their previous productions in the current environment. We discuss why speakers make adaptive changes to their speech and what mechanisms might underlie speakers’ ability to do so.
Enhanced Multijunction Cell and System Conversion Efficiency through Heterogeneous Microsystem Integration Techniques

We report on unique heterogeneous multijunction solar cell structures being created with advanced micro- and nano-system technologies with the potential for enhanced efficiency by removing or reducing losses present in traditional monolithic multijunction solar cells.
A Method for Intraoperative Repositioning of the Cervical Spine During Posterior Cervical Surgery

Positioning of the head during posterior cervical de- compression and fusion requires invasive techniques (eg, pins placed through the skull) and manual repositioning intraopera- tively. This article describes a new technique with a noninva- sive device for such positioning. From February 2005 until June 2010 at our institution, 94 patients underwent posterior cervical decompression and fusion with instrumentation. All were posi- tioned prone, and their heads were positioned via our technique and customized device. There were no intraoperative complica- tions secondary to this positioning. The device is easy to use, avoids complications associated with invasive devices, and ob- viates intraoperative repositioning during posterior approaches.
LCD display screen performance testing for handheld thermal imaging cameras

Handheld thermal imaging cameras are an important tool for the first responder community. As their use becomes more prevalent, it will become important for a set of standard test metrics to be available to characterize the performance of these cameras. A major factor in the performance of the imagers is the quality of the image on a display screen. An imager may employ any type of display screen, but the results of this paper will focus on those using liquid crystal displays. First responders, especially firefighters, in the field rely on the performance of this screen to relay vital information during critical situations. Current research on thermal imaging camera performance metrics for first responder applications uses trained observer tests or camera composite output signal measurements. Trained observer tests are subjective and composite output tests do not evaluate the performance of the complete imaging system. It is the goal of this work to develop a non-nondestructive, objective method that tests the performance of the entire thermal imaging camera system, from the infrared destructive, sensor to the display screen. Application of existing display screen performance metrics to thermal imaging cameras requires additional consideration. Most display screen test metrics require a well defined electronic input, with either full black or white pixel input, often encompassing detailed spatial patterns and resolution. Well characterized thermal inputs must be used to obtain accurate, repeatable, and non-destructive display screen measurements for infrared cameras. For this work, a thermal target is used to correlate the measured camera output with the actual display luminance. A test method was developed to determine display screen luminance. A well characterized CCD camera and digital recording device were used to determine an electro-optical transfer function for thermal imaging cameras. This value directly relates the composite output signal to the luminance of the display screen, providing a realistic characterization of system performance.
Capturing Cognitive Aspects of Human Judgment.

The problem of creating aggregated rankings using multiple inputs has been well-studied and applied to problems ranging from sports rankings to information retrieval, and more recently to data consisting primarily of human judgment. However, we find that standard models for rank aggregation largely fail to capture important features of noisy human-generated input on three different datasets. In contrast, we show that a recent, generalized model [2] based on random utility theory provides a better fit and is able to reveal distinctive patterns in human judgment. Our work provides new techniques for evaluating ranking algorithms and motivates new, cognitively inspired models for rank aggregation in settings in which people provide the input.
Lionfish cause increased mortality rates and drive local extirpation of native prey

As predators play a central role in prey population regulation, predicting the impact of a novel predator requires determining how the invader affects the compensatory dynamics that underlie native prey persistence. The Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive meso- predator that voraciously consumes native coral-reef fishes of the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean. The fairy basslet Gramma loreto is a common prey of lionfish, and pre-invasion research has demonstrated that basslet populations undergo regulating density-dependent mor- tality due to predation. To unequivocally measure lionfish effects on prey mortality and to test whether prey survival remained density-dependent when exposed to predation by the invader, a controlled field experiment was conducted wherein both fairy basslet settlement density and lion- fish presence were manipulated by divers on natural coral reefs. On reefs with and without lion- fish, fairy basslet populations were repeatedly censused over the 28 d experimental period and mortality rates across a gradient of prey densities were quantified. Per capita loss of fairy basslet was density-dependent on reefs with and without introduced lionfish; however, the magnitude of this loss was significantly higher on reefs with the invader present. High mortality rates at low prey density resulted in local extinction of 2 of 14 fairy basslet populations exposed to the invader, a phenomenon observed only on lionfish reefs. Further, 9 out of 14 lionfish-exposed prey popula- tions showed loss rates of >50% compared with just 3 prey populations with such rates on native- only reefs.