cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Susceptibility of Florida Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to dengue viruses from Puerto Rico

Locally acquired dengue cases in the continental U.S. are rare. However, outbreaks of dengue-1 during 2009, 2010, and 2013 in Florida and dengue-1 and -2 in Texas suggest vulnerability to transmission. Travel and commerce between Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland is common, which may pose a risk for traveler-imported dengue cases. Mosquitoes were collected in Florida and used to evaluate their susceptibility to dengue viruses (DENV) from Puerto Rico. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were susceptible to virus infection with DENV-1 and -2. No significant differences were observed in rates of midgut infection or dissemination between Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus for DENV-1 (6-14%). Aedes aegypti was significantly more susceptible to midgut infection with DENV-2 than Ae. albopictus (Ae. aegypti, ∼28%; Ae. albopictus, ∼9%). The dissemination rate with dengue-2 virus for Ae. aegypti (23%) was greater than Ae. albopictus (0%), suggesting that Ae. albopictus is not likely to be an important transmitter of the DENV-2 isolate from Puerto Rico. These results are discussed in light of Florida's vulnerability to DENV transmission.
Adiponectin in inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases

Circulating levels of adiponectin (APN) are reduced in obesity and associated comorbidities, with inflammation playing an important role in downregulating APN production. In contrast to obesity and metabolic disease, elevated systemic and local levels of APN are present in patients with inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases, including autoimmune and pulmonary conditions, heart and kidney failure, viral hepatitis, organ transplantation and perhaps critical illness. A positive association between inflammation and APN is usually reported in inflammatory/immune pathologies, in contrast with the negative correlation typical of metabolic disease. This review discusses the role of APN in modulation of inflammation and immunity and the potential mechanisms leading to increased levels of APN in inflammatory/immune diseases, including modification of adipose tissue physiology; relative contribution of different tissues and adipose depots; hormonal, pharmacological, nutritional and life style factors; the potential contribution of the microbiota as well as the role of altered APN clearance and release from T-cadherin-associated tissue reservoirs. Potential reasons for some of the apparently contradictory findings on the role of APN as a modulator of immunity and inflammation are also discussed, including a comparison of types of recombinant APN used for in vitro studies and strain-dependent differences in the phenotype of APN KO mice.
Computer-mediated communication system network data: theoretical concerns and empirical examples

The review combines two separate foci in recent research: (1) the diffusion and use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems in organizations, and (2) the conceptualization of communication as a process of interaction and convergence, as represented by the network paradigm. The article discusses (1) rationales for this combined focus based upon the characteristics of CMC systems, (2) application of the network paradigm to study CMC systems, (3) the collection samples, usage data, network flows, and content by CMC systems, (4) some theoretical issues that may be illuminated through analyses of data collected by CMC systems. The article concludes by discussing issues of reliability, validity and ethics.
Further Thoughts on Counterfactuals, Compatibilism, Conceptual Mismatches, and Choices: Response to Commentaries

The grand question of whether people have free will turns out to be not one but several different questions. We have been challenged and excited to work on them, and we are honored to benefit from the commentaries by such distinguished thinkers as Mele, Holton, and Nahmias. In this brief article we say how we have benefited from their comments.
Automatic tagging of Arabic text: from raw text to base phrase chunks

To date, there are no fully automated systems addressing the community's need for fundamental language processing tools for Arabic text. In this paper, we present a Support Vector Machine (SVM) based approach to automatically tokenize (segmenting off clitics), part-of-speech (POS) tag and annotate base phrases (BPs) in Arabic text. We adapt highly accurate tools that have been developed for English text and apply them to Arabic text. Using standard evaluation metrics, we report that the SVM-TOK tokenizer achieves an Fβ=1 score of 99.12, the SVM-POS tagger achieves an accuracy of 95.49%, and the SVM-BP chunker yields an Fβ=1 score of 92.08.
Some subcortical determinants of visual cortical excitability in the cat.

Alterations in visual cortical excitability due to tetanization of MRF, SC or PUL were assessed in terms of the amplitude of the cortical response to single, and to paired lateral geniculate (LGB) shocks at varying temporal intervals (the recovery cycle). Tetanization of any one of these subcortical structures could potentiate both the single evoked response and the recovery cycle. In addition, all three structures produced maximal effects on later components of the shock response, and reacted similarly to changes in tetanization intensity, LGB shock intensity and level of Nembutal anesthesia. MRF tetanization generally produced the greatest potentiation effect at lowest voltages, with SC and PUL requiring progressively higher voltages to produce an effect. In the case of PUL smaller effects on both the recovery cycle and single cortical responses were obtained. While there were no significant differences in the magnitude of recovery cycle potentiation following MRF and SC activation, the time course of s...
Effect of Friction on Contact Stress Distribution in Pin-Loaded Orthotropic Plates

An analytical solution is presented for determining the stress distribution in pin loaded composite joints using Lekhnitskii’s complex stress function approach. In this analysis, it is assumed that the pin is rigid, no clearance exists between pin and plate, and Coulomb friction is assumed to act throughout the contact region. The analysis also assumes that the contact boundary at the pin-plate interface spans through half of the hole boundary. The boundary conditions at the pin-plate interface are specified in terms of the trigonometric series used to represent the displacement field in the contact zone. Numerical results are presented for stress distribution in (±45°)s and (04°/±45°)s carbon fibers reinforced laminates.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Direct innervation of GnRH neurons by encephalic photoreceptors in birds.

In nonmammalian vertebrates, photic cues that regulate the timing of seasonal reproductive cyclicity are detected by nonretinal, nonpineal deep brain photoreceptors. It has long been assumed that the underlying mechanism involves the transmission of photic information from the photoreceptor to a cir- cadian system, and thence to the reproductive axis. An alternative hypothesis is that there is direct communication between the brain photoreceptor and the reproductive axis. In the present study, light and confocal microscopy reveal that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and processes are scattered among photoreceptor cells (identified by their opsin-immunoreactivity) in the lateral septum (SL). In the median eminence (ME), opsin and GnRH immuno- reactive fibers overlap extensively. Single and double label ultrastructural immunocytochemistry indicate that in the SL and preoptic area (POA), opsin positive terminals form axo-dendritic synapses onto GnRH dendrites. In the ME, opsin and GnRH terminals lie adjacent to each other, make contact with tanycytes, or terminate on the hypophyseal portal capillaries. These results reveal that brain photoreceptors communicate directly with GnRH-neurons; this represents a means by which photoperiodic information reaches the reproductive axis.
How Does Motivation Develop and Why Does It Change? Reframing Motivation Research

In this article, we argue for a change in how researchers study motivation to learn. We believe that research can provide better explanations of the origins and outcomes of behavior, and thus be more useful, if we focus on how motivation develops and why it changes. We suggest reframing motivation research in education by extending the current focus on beliefs to studying the transactions among persons engaged in specific classroom activities over time. We present one approach from developmental psychology—Rogoff's three planes—that attempts to account for this transaction. We then present examples of current motivation research to illustrate how this approach has been applied. We believe that using this framework can produce new results that are meaningful for both researchers and practitioners who want to understand and foster motivation in education.
Estimating shock pressures based on high-pressure minerals in shock-induced melt veins of L chondrites

Here we report the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations of the mineral assemblages and textures in shock-induced melt veins from seven L chondrites of shock stages ranging from S3 to S6. The mineral assemblages combined with phase equilibrium data are used to constrain the crystallization pressures, which can be used to constrain shock pressure in some cases. Thick melt veins in the TenhamL6 chondrite contain majorite and magnesiowstite in the center, and ringwoodite, akimotoite, vitrified silicate-perovskite, and majorite in the edge of the vein, indicating crystallization pressure of ~25 GPa. However, very thin melt veins (5-30 μm wide) in Tenham contain glass, olivine, clinopyroxene, and ringwoodite, suggesting crystallization during transient low-pressure excursions as the shock pressure equilibrated to a continuum level. Melt veins of Umbarger include ringwoodite, akimotoite, and clinopyroxene in the vein matrix, and Fe2SiO4-spinel and stishovite in SiO2-FeO-rich melt, indicating a crystallization pressure of ~18 GPa. The silicate melt veins in Roy contain majorite plus ringwoodite, indicating pressure of ~20 GPa. Melt veins of Ramsdorf and Nakhon Pathon contain olivine and clinoenstatite, indicating pressure of less than 15 GPa. Melt veins of Kunashak and La Lande include albite and olivine, indicating crystallization at less than 2.5 GPa. Based upon the assemblages observed, crystallization of shock veins can occur before, during, or after pressure release. When the assemblage consists of high-pressure minerals and that assemblage is constant across a larger melt vein or pocket, the crystallization pressure represents the equilibrium shock pressure.
Rapid in vitro modulation of [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding sites in rat striatal slices.

The effects of depolarizing concentration of potassium chloride on the modulation of [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding sites and high affinity choline uptake were examined in vitro. When rat striatal slices were incubated on Krebs buffer for 20 min, [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding sites diminished to 60% of binding neasured in fresh un-incubated tissue, and remained stable for 60 min. Upon addition of Krebs buffer containing 40 mM KCl, the number of binding sites increased during a 20 min period, and remained stable for 40 min. Chanees in [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding sites closely paralleled changes in high affinity choline uptake. Scatchrad analysis revealed that changes in binding result from alterations in the number of binding sites (Bmax), and not in the affinity (KD). These results suggest that neuronal depolarization rapidly alters the velocity of choline transport into cholinergic neurons by increasing the number of vailable carriers.
Improved atmospheric mapping functions for VLBI and GPS

New mapping functions based on in situ meteorological parameters have been developed for calculating the radio path length through the atmosphere at elevations down to 3°. The hydrostatic component of the mapping function is related to the geopotential height of the 200 mb isobaric pressure level above the site and provides a factor of two improvement in accuracy and precision over previous hydrostatic mapping functions at mid-latitudes. The wet component of the mapping function is calculated from the vertical profile of wet refractivity at the site but will provide an improvement of only about twenty-five percent. However, since the effect of known errors in the hydrostatic mapping function dominates that from the wet component, except near the equator, implementation of these mapping functions should reduce the contribution of the atmosphere to errors in estimates by VLBI and GPS of both the vertical component of site position and the radio propagation delay due to water vapor in the atmosphere.
Recovery of algebraic numbers from their p-adic approximations

We describe three ways to generalize Lenstra's algebraic integer recovery method. One direction adapts the algorithm so that rational numbers are automatically produced given only upper bounds on the sizes of the numerators and denominators. Another direction produces a variant which recovers algebraic numbers as elements of multiple generator algebraic number fields. The third direction explains how the method can work if a reducible minimal polynomial had been given for an algebraic generator. Any two or all three of the generalizations may be employed simultaneously.
Convergent Rhythm Generation from Divergent Cellular Mechanisms

Different modulatory inputs commonly elicit distinct rhythmic motor patterns from a central pattern generator (CPG), but they can instead elicit the same pattern. We are determining the rhythm-generating mechanisms in this latter situation, using the gastric mill (chewing) CPG in the crab (Cancer borealis) stomatogastric ganglion, where stimulating the projection neuron MCN1 (modulatory commissural neuron 1) or bath applying CabPK (C. borealis pyrokinin) peptide elicits the same gastric mill motor pattern, despite configuring different gastric mill circuits. In both cases, the core rhythm generator includes the same reciprocally inhibitory neurons LG (lateral gastric) and Int1 (interneuron 1), but the pyloric (food-filtering) circuit pacemaker neuron AB (anterior burster) is additionally necessary only for CabPK rhythm generation. MCN1 drives this rhythm generator by activating in the LG neuron the modulator-activated inward current (IMI), which waxes and wanes periodically due to phasic feedback inhibition of MCN1 transmitter release. Each buildup of IMI enables the LG neuron to generate a self-terminating burst and thereby alternate with Int1 activity. Here we establish that CabPK drives gastric mill rhythm generation by activating in the LG neuron IMI plus a slowly activating transient, low-threshold inward current (ITrans-LTS) that is voltage, time, and Ca2+ dependent. Unlike MCN1, CabPK maintains a steady IMI activation, causing a subthreshold depolarization in LG that facilitates a periodic postinhibitory rebound burst caused by the regular buildup and decay of the availability of ITrans-LTS. Thus, different modulatory inputs can use different rhythm-generating mechanisms to drive the same neuronal rhythm. Additionally, the same ionic current (IMI) can play different roles under these different conditions, while different currents (IMI, ITrans-LTS) can play the same role.
Psychosocial Aspects of Rehabilitation in Sports

When an athlete is injured, the primary focus of the sports medicine team is to treat the physical effects of the injury. However, many injured athletes experience negative psychological responses that should also be addressed throughout the rehabilitation process. Sports medicine professions should use psychosocial skills to help decrease the negative consequences of the injury, such as fear of reinjury, anxiety, depression, and adherence to rehabilitation. These psychosocial skills include goal setting, imagery, relaxation techniques, motivation, and self-talk. This article addresses the negative consequences of injury, psychosocial skills used to aid in the rehabilitation process, and clinical implications of the psychological aspects of rehabilitation in sport.
A critical analysis of the surgical outcomes for the treatment of Peyronie's disease.

Peyronie's disease (PD) is a relatively common condition, which can impair sexual function and result in emotional and psychological distress. Despite an abundance of minimally invasive treatments, few have confirmed efficacy for improving penile curvature and function. Surgical therapies include many different techniques and are reserved for patients with stable disease of ⩾12 months' duration. We searched PubMed for all articles from 1990 to the present relating to the surgical management of PD. Preference was given to recent articles, larger series, and those comparing various techniques and/or materials. Outcomes were subsequently analysed and organised by surgical technique and the graft material used. Available surgical techniques include plication/corporoplasty procedures, incision and grafting (I&G), and placing a penile prosthesis with or without adjunctive procedures. Although several surgical algorithms have been reported, in general, plication/corporoplasty procedures are reserved for patients with adequate erectile function, simple curvatures of 60° and those with deformities. Penile prostheses are indicated for combined erectile dysfunction and PD. Overall outcomes show high rates of improved curvature and patient satisfaction, with mildly decreased erectile function with both plication and the I&G procedure (I&G >plication) and decreases in penile length (plication >I&G). Surgical management of PD remains an excellent treatment option for patients with penile curvature precluding or impairing sexual activity. Surgical algorithms are available to assist treating clinicians in appropriately stratifying surgical candidates. Additional research is needed to identify optimal surgical techniques and materials based on patient and disease characteristics.
Catalytic asymmetric [4 + 2] additions with aliphatic nitroalkenes

We describe an unprecedented cycloaddition reaction of 2-pyrones with aliphatic nitroalkenes catalyzed by a new bifunctional cinchona alkaloid-derived catalyst bearing a bulky TIPS-ether at the 9-position. The [2.2.2] bicyclic adducts were obtained in good yield with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Carbon isotope effects were measured by 13C NMR and are indicative of a stepwise mechanism. Finally, a synthetic application is demonstrated, highlighting the utility of the cycloadducts.
Inter-urban competition and air transport in the deregulated era: The Nashville case

Abstract American cities are acting in a competitive environment as a result of forces like economic restructuring, capital mobility, and state devolution. Since the late 1970s, the federal government has dismantled the spatial boundaries of investment through the deregulation of several important sectors of the economy, including the airline industry. Transportation geographers have investigated how deregulation allowed airlines to develop a hub-and-spoke system. However, post-deregulation airline development has yet to be approached from the perspective of urban entrepreneurialism. Another layer of inter-urban competition has been added through new geographical patterns of airline investment, and capturing hub status through airport development may be especially valuable for mid-size cities. Most large cities have hub status, while small cities have no realistic chance of becoming major players in the air transportation network, thus making the hub an opportunity for mid-size cities. A case study of Nashville, Tennessee illuminates the strong local emphasis on airport expansion in the deregulated environment. Local business and government have been active and innovative, although not always successful, in policies that improve Nashville’s accessibility and position in the urban hierarchy.
Steroid Receptor Coactivator (SRC) Family: Masters of Systems Biology

The three members of the p160 family of steroid receptor coactivators (SRC-1, SRC-2, and SRC-3) steer the functional output of numerous genetic programs and serve as pleiotropic rheostats for diverse physiological processes. Since their discovery ∼15 years ago, the extraordinary sum of examination of SRC function has shaped the foundation of our knowledge for the now 350+ coregulators that have been identified to date. In this perspective, we retrace our steps into the field of coregulators and provide a summary of selected seminal work that helped define the SRCs as masters of systems biology.
Science Teacher Training: The Role of Universities

An increasing number of geoscience departments are recognizing the need to assume a larger role in facets of public education. The role of geoscience departments in the preparation and professional development of K-12 science teachers is particularly critical and meaningful, and it merges with other fundamental missions within universities. The importance of geoscience content for teachers and the general public is evident in the numerous Earth science—related public policy issues gaining ever increasing attention, including global climate change, energy, and water resources. Also, Earth science is not only included in science content education standards, but it is also interesting to students and provides an important gateway to foster interest in science in general.
Polymer Whiskers Grown from Methyl 2-Cyanoacrylate Vapor

Filaments of methyl 2-cyanoacrylate polymer were developed from the vapors of the monomer. While growing, the fibers seem to be chemically more active at their ends than along their sides, with this chemical specificity leading to a linearly ordered polymer structure. The number and character of the fibers are a function of the surface from which the fibers emanate and of the concentration of the monomer.
Centering Prayer for Women Receiving Chemotherapy for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To explore the feasibility of implementing centering prayer in chemotherapy treatment and assess its influence on mood, spiritual well-being, and quality of life in women with recurrent ovarian cancer. DESIGN Descriptive pilot study. SETTING Outpatient chemotherapy treatment suite in a large cancer center in the midwestern United States. SAMPLE A convenience sample of 10 women receiving outpatient chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer. METHODS A centering prayer teacher led participants through three one-hour sessions over nine weeks. Data were collected prior to the first session, at the conclusion of the final session, and at three and six months after the final session. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Feasibility and influence of centering prayer on mood, spiritual well-being, and quality of life. FINDINGS Most participants identified centering prayer as beneficial. Emotional well-being, anxiety, depression, and faith scores showed improvement. CONCLUSIONS Centering prayer can potentially benefit women with recurrent ovarian cancer. Additional research is needed to assess its feasibility and effectiveness. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Nurses may promote or suggest centering prayer as a feasible intervention for the psychological and spiritual adjustment of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.
Software developer perceptions about software project failure: a case study

Abstract Software development project failures have become commonplace. With almost daily frequency these failures are reported in newspapers, journal articles, or popular books. These failures are defined in terms of cost and schedule over-runs, project cancellations, and lost opportunities for the organizations that embark on the difficult journey of software development. Rarely do these accounts include perspectives from the software developers that worked on these projects. This case study provides an in-depth look at software development project failure through the eyes of the software developers. The researcher used structured interviews, project documentation reviews, and survey instruments to gather a rich description of a software development project failure. The results of the study identify a large gap between how a team of software developers defined project success and the popular definition of project success . This study also revealed that a team of software developers maintained a high-level of job satisfaction despite their failure to meet schedule and cost goals of the organization.
Evidence of Gravity Wave–Tidal Interaction Observed near the Summer Mesopause at Poker Flat, Alaska

An analysis of gravity wave-tidal interaction observed near the mesopause by the MST radar at Poker Flat in July of 1986 is presented. The observations revealed daily mean wind maxima of about 60 m/sec westward and 20 m/sec southward with daily mean momentum fluxes, contributed by gravity waves with periods less than 1 hour of 4-5 sq m/sec sq eastward and 1-2 sq m/sec sq northward. Considerable hourly height variability was found to exist for both winds and momentum fluxes. A significant modulation of the fluxes by tidal winds was observed, characterized by out-of-phase correlations over a number of heights.
Zafrira Lidovsky Cohen. Loosen the Fetters of thy Tongue, Woman: The Poetry and Poetics of Yona Wallach . Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 2003. x, 264 pp.

Think of the intensity and notoriety of Sylvia Plath in the English-speaking world, and multiply it several times: that is Yona Wallach for the Hebrew-speaking world today. The most passionate and flamboyant figure in postwar literary Israel, Wallach was born on a small farming village in 1944, lived there most of her life until her death of breast cancer in 1985, and after her death has become a cultural legend. In life Wallach experimented with sex, drugs, and madness (she checked herself into a mental hospital in 1964 and remained for three months, deliberately exploring what the subconscious yielded), was a compelling live performer of her poems, and was typically surrounded by worshipful younger writers. In her art she was yet more experimental. Her poetry combines mysticism, sexuality, an ecstatic love of nature and a correspondingly powerful mistrust of society and its conventions, a fascination with language and the breakdown of language, an insistence on the validity of freedom and will. Steeped in biblical allusions, mythology, fairy tales, and kabbalistic imagery, she often twists and turns her sources with playful or violent irony. Her lexicon swerves through extremes of exaltation and crudeness. Her verse sometimes is traditionally rhymed, more often unpredictably and jazzily ragged, her imagery is often surreal, her narratives elliptic, her syntax fractured—yet thrillingly readable.
THE EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION OF CORONARY SINUS RHYTHM IN MAN.

Abstract Coronary sinus rhythm was produced experimentally in 8 patients, utilizing the bipolar pacing catheter in the os of the coronary sinus. The distinction between coronary sinus rhythm and upper nodal rhythm is again seen to be an arbitrary one. The value of the P-R interval in coronary sinus rhythm and its relation to A-V block is discussed.
An Integrated "Error-Free" Communication System

In the interest of more efficient operation, a system is proposed which combines the functions of command, synchronization, range, and range rate on the two-way radio link. Extreme reliability of information transfer is achieved by employing "comma-free" words which have been coded for error detection. Consideration is given to an assumed elemental error probability, corresponding to a conservative signal level Pe = 10-4. The mean time between error for this case is 108 years. The coding is such that synchronization obtains the same high degree of reliability as the information. In addition to the advantages of essentially "error-free" communication, the system offers relative ease of implementation common to the class of cyclic codes.
Carborane Complexes of Ruthenium: Synthesis of the Bimetal Compounds [MRu(μ-CC6H4Me-4)(CO)4(η5-7,8-C2B9H11){κ3-HB(pz)3}] (M = Mo or W) and Their Reactions with Sulfur and Selenium†,‡

Addition of the reagent [Ru(CO)2(thf)(η5-7,8-C2B9H11)] (thf = tetrahydrofuran) to the compounds [M(⋮CC6H4Me-4)(CO)2{κ3-HB(pz)3}] (M = Mo or W, HB(pz)3 = hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)borato) in CH2Cl2 affords, respectively, the bimetal species [MRu(μ-CC6H4Me-4)(CO)4(η5-7,8-C2B9H11){κ3-HB(pz)3}] (M = Mo (4a), M = W (4b)). These complexes are readily cleaved by donor molecules, including thf, but they are stable in CH2Cl2 or toluene. X-ray diffraction studies established the molecular structures of 4b and the related species [WRu(μ-CC6H4Me-4)(CO)4(η5-7,8-C2B9H11)(η5-C5H5)] (2b). In both molecules very long Ru−W bonds (ca. 3 A) are asymmetrically bridged by the tolylmethylidyne groups (μ-C−W av 1.92 A, μ-C−Ru av 2.21 A). The complexes 4 react with sulfur or selenium in CH2Cl2 to give the compounds [MRu(μ-1κCα,1:2κE-ECC6H4Me-4)(CO)4(η5-7,8-C2B9H11){κ3-HB(pz)3}] (M = Mo, E = S (6a), Se (6c); M = W, E = S (6b), Se (6d)). The structure of 6b was established by X-ray diffraction. The molecule possesses an unusual struct...
Speech disfluencies of preschool-age children who do and do not stutter

Abstract Purpose The goals of the present study were to investigate whether (1) the speech disfluencies of preschool-age children are normally distributed; (2) preschool-age children who do (CWS) and do not stutter (CWNS) differ in terms of non-stuttered disfluencies; (3) age, gender, and speech-language ability affect the number and type of disfluencies children produce; and (4) parents’ expressed concern that their child stutters is associated with examiners’ judgments of stuttered disfluency. Method Four hundred and seventy two children participated, of which 228 were CWS (56 girls), and 244 CWNS (119 girls). Participants provided conversational speech samples that were analyzed for frequency of occurrence of (a) stuttered disfluencies, (b) non-stuttered disfluencies, and (c) total disfluencies. Results Results indicated that the underlying distributions of preschool-age children's stuttered and non-stuttered disfluency counts followed a negative binomial distribution (i.e., were not normal), with more children “piling up” at the low end [none or few disfluencies] and fewer children scoring in the upper [more severe stuttering] end of the distribution. Findings also indicated that non-stuttered disfluencies significantly predicted CWS/CWNS talker group classification, information that may be helpful to augment, but not supplant, talker group classification criteria based on stuttered disfluencies. Moreover, expressed parental concern about stuttering was strongly associated with frequency of stuttered disfluencies. Conclusion Findings suggest that the entirety of preschool-age CWS’ speech disfluencies – non-stuttered as well as stuttered – differs from that of their CWNS peers and that because these disfluencies are not normally distributed statistical analyses assuming normality of distribution are not the most appropriate means to assess these differences. In addition, certain “third-order” variables (e.g., gender) appear to impact frequency of children's disfluencies and expressed parental concerns about stuttering are meaningfully related to examiners’ judgments of stuttered disfluencies. Learning outcomes: The reader will recognize differences in speech disfluencies of preschool-age children who do and do not stutter. The reader will recognize whether age, gender and speech-language ability affect the number and type of disfluencies children produce. The reader will describe whether parental concern about stuttering is associated with examiners’ judgments of stuttering.
Systematic design of space-time codes employing multiple trellis coded modulation

The design of space-time (ST) codes employing multiple trellis coded modulation (MTCM) is considered. This structure is shown to be necessary for achieving maximum transmit diversity gain when using trellis codes with parallel paths. Systematic code search procedures with low complexity are described based on the properties of ST-MTCM codes. It is illustrated that, if the trellis branches are properly labeled, the overall coding gain can be made larger than that achieved by conventional ST codes with the same transmission rate and the same number of states.
Does satisfaction with abilities mediate the relationship between the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on valued activities and depressive symptoms

Objective Both impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on valued life activities and dissatisfaction with abilities have been linked to depression among individuals with RA. We integrated these concepts by examining the hypothesis that satisfaction with one's abilities may explain the mechanism by which the impact of RA on valued activities leads to depression. Methods Data were collected over 2 years (1997 and 1998) through interviews with the University of California, San Francisco, RA panel. Analyses examined whether activity impairment in 1997 predicted later (1998) dissatisfaction with abilities and depression. Results Greater impact on activities predicted dissatisfaction with abilities, which in turn was associated with higher depression scores. There was no direct relationship between activity impact and depression when satisfaction with abilities was considered. Conclusion Satisfaction with abilities mediated the relationship between the impact of RA on valued activities and an increase in depressive symptoms, suggesting a need to assess not only physical decline but also individuals' interpretation of the decline.
Uncertainty as a Basis for Standing

To obtain standing, a plaintiff must show that he has suffered an “injury in fact.” That injury must be concrete and particularized, as well as being actual or imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical. I will argue that, paradoxically, under some circumstances the fact that an injury is extremely uncertain ought to satisfy this test. Courts have a tendency to draw a stark line between present harms and future risks. But in the modern economy, this line is necessarily blurry. Insurance companies exist to handle risks. Risks can also be managed through futures markets and self-insurance. All of these mechanisms translate potential future events into present-day economic transactions. It would be silly to say that a rise in insurance rates or the unavailability of insurance did not constitute injuries in fact. The response of markets to risk can provide a valuable filter, distinguishing between the merely speculative prospect and the immediately costly uncertainty. We can begin to see why this may be so by considering a classic standing case, where the Court reached the right result for the wrong reason. In Duke Power Co. v. Carolina Environmental Study Group, Inc., the plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of the Price-Anderson Act, which limits the liability of the nuclear industry for damages resulting from a single nuclear accident. The plaintiffs claimed that without this limitation on liability, reactors would not be built, which would be to their benefit because a proposed Duke Power reactor would damage a lake they used. Their claim on the merits, however, did not relate to these immediate environmental injuries. Instead, it related to the liability limitation if and when a reactor in their
Decay exponents and diffraction coefficients for surface waves on surfaces of nonconstant curvature

The decay exponents and diffraction coefficients for a cylindrical surface of nonconstant curvature are computed by two methods which yield the same results. The results consist of leading terms which depend upon the curvature of the surface and corrections which depend upon the derivative of the curvature. The leading terms coincide with those found previously. With these corrections, the geometric theory of diffraction can be used at longer wavelengths than before. In the first method the solution for diffraction by an elliptic cylinder is expanded asymptotically for wavelengths small compared to the cylinder dimensions. From the expansion the decay exponents and diffraction coefficients are determined. They are then expressed in terms of the curvature and its derivative, and in this form they are assumed to apply to a cylinder of arbitrary convex cross section. This assumption is verified by comparison with the corresponding results for a parabolic cylinder. Then the same results are obtained by asymptotically solving the integral equation for the field on a cylinder of arbitrary convex cross section.
Photochemistry of Triton's atmosphere and ionosphere.

The photochemistry of 32 neutral and 21 ion species in Triton's atmosphere is considered. Parent species N2, CH4, and CO (with a mixing ratio of 3 x 10(exp -4) in our basic model) sublime from the ice with rates of 40, 208, and 0.3 g/sq cm/b.y., respectively. Chemistry below 50 km is driven mostly by photolysis of methane by the solar and interstellar medium Lyman-alpha photons, producing hydrocarbons C2H4, C2H6, and C2H2 which form haze particles with precipitation rates of 135, 28, and 1.3 g/sq cm/b.y., respectively. Some processes are discussed which increase the production of HCN (by an order of magnitude to a value of 29 g/sq cm/b.y.) and involve indirect photolysis of N2 by neutrals. Reanalysis of the measured methane profiles gives an eddy diffusion coefficient K = 4 x 10(exp 3)sq cm/s above the tropopause and a more accurate methane number density near the surface, (3.1 +/- 0.8)x IO(exp 11)/cu cm. Chemistry above 200 km is driven by the solar EUV radiation (lambda less than 1000 A) and by precipitation of magnetospheric electrons with a total energy input of 10(exp 8) W (based on thermal balance calculations). The most abundant photochemical species are N, H2, H, 0, and C. They escape with the total rates of 7.7 x 10(exp 24)/ s, 4.5 x 10(exp 25)/s, 2.4 x 10(exp 25)/s, 4.4 x 10(exp 22)/s, and 1.1 x 10(exp 24), respectively. Atomic species are transported to a region of 50-200 km and drive the chemistry there. Ionospheric chemistry explains the formation of an E region at 150-240 km with HCO(+) as a major ion, and of an F region above 240 km with a peak at 320 km and C(+) as a major ion. The ionosphere above 500 km consists of almost equal densities of C(+) and N(+) ions. The model profiles agree with the measured atomic nitrogen and electron density profiles. A number of other models with varying rate coefficients of some reactions, differing properties of the haze particles (chemically passive or active), etc., were developed. These models show that there are four basic unknown values which have strong impacts on the composition and structure of the atmosphere and ionosphere. These values and their plausible ranges are the CO mixing ratio f(sub co) = 10(exp -4) - 10(exp -3), the magnetospheric electron energy input (1 +/- 0.5) x 10(exp 8) W, the rate coefficient of charge-exchange reaction N2(+) + C(kappa) = 10(exp -11) - 10(exp -10)cu cm/s, and the ion escape velocity upsilon(sub i) approx. equals 150 cm/s.
Annual variation in West Nile virus antibodies in American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) in Eastern Pennsylvania

Abstract American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) nesting near Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in eastern Pennsylvania exhibited widespread West Nile virus (WNV) seroprevalence in 2004. Here we examine the dynamics of WNV in kestrels nesting near Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in 2004–06. We tested kestrel saliva for viral RNA using oral swabs analyzed by RT-PCR, and all swabs were negative for WNV. We used plaque-reduction neutralization testing (PRNT) to measure WNV antibodies in serum. In 2004, we tested 22 adult kestrels and most (95%) were positive for WNV. In 2005, we tested blood samples from six adults and seven nestlings, and WNV seroprevalence was 33% in adults and 14% in nestlings. In 2006, we sampled seven adults and eight nestlings, and 29% of the adults and no nestlings were positive. WNV was widespread in birds, mosquitoes, and humans in Pennsylvania in 2003, and subsequently has declined in these populations. The prevalence of WNV antibodies in the kestrels was compared to surveillance data for mosquitoes, d...
Origin of myofibroblasts in liver fibrosis

Most chronic liver diseases of all etiologies result in progressive liver fibrosis. Myofibroblasts produce the extracellular matrix, including type I collagen, which constitutes the fibrous scar in liver fibrosis. Normal liver has little type I collagen and no detectable myofibroblasts, but myofibroblasts appear early in experimental and clinical liver injury. The origin of the myofibroblast in liver fibrosis is still unresolved. The possibilities include activation of endogenous mesenchymal cells including fibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells, recruitment from the bone marrow, and transformation of epithelial or endothelial cells to myofibroblasts. In fact, the origin of myofibroblasts may be different for different types of chronic liver diseases, such as cholestatic liver disease or hepatotoxic liver disease. This review will examine our current understanding of the liver myofibroblast.
Effects of estradiol on ischemic factor-induced astrocyte swelling and AQP4 protein abundance

In the early hours of ischemic stroke, cerebral edema forms as Na, Cl, and water are secreted across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and astrocytes swell. We have shown previously that ischemic facto...
An empirically adjusted Newton-Raphson algorithm for finding local minima on molecular potential energy surfaces

A simple extension of the Newton–Raphson method is proposed that approximately accounts for anharmonicity in bond-stretching coordinates. By modeling each bonded distance in a polyatomic molecule as a Morse oscillator with no anharmonic stretch-stretch or stretch-bend coupling, a multiplicative correction factor to the Newton–Raphson step is derived. Representative examples suggest that the rate of convergence of the proposed scheme is typically faster than that of the standard Newton–Raphson method.
Perceived control and psychosocial/physiological functioning in African American elders with type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSEThe purpose of this pilot study was to assess (1) the reliability of the revised Wallhagen Perceived Control Questionnaire (PCQ-R), derived from a person-environment perspective, in a sample of elderly African Americans >60 years with Type 2 diabetes and (2) the relationship between the PCQ-R and psychosocial and physiological functioning.METHODSA descriptive, cross-sectional, pilot project was conducted with a convenience sample of 23 African Americans with Type 2 diabetes. Variables included health status, the PCQ-R, the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36, and glycosylated hemoglobin.RESULTSThe PCQ-R was reliable and significantly related to physical and social functioning, physical and emotional role involvement, mental health, vitality, and general health perception. No relationship was found with metabolic control.CONCLUSIONSFindings support the reliability of the PCQ-R and the conceptualization of control. However, confirmation is needed in a larger sample, and questions that emerged requi...
Complications of iliac angioplasty and stenting

Angioplasty and stenting are frequently used and accepted therapies for aortoiliac stenoses or occlusions. Complication rates are generally low and rarely severe. Complications can occur at the arterial access site, at the site of the iliac intervention, or remotely downstream from the angioplasty site. Most complications occur immediately or within a short time of the intervention. Some complications occur long after the procedure, however, making it more difficult to recognize the problem. Although many complications can be managed with further endovascular therapy, some complications, such as arterial rupture or stent infections, can have devastating consequences. Knowledge of the potential complications and their risk factors is the first step toward avoiding them. Methods of treating complications once they occur are discussed.
Flow through a rapidly rotating conduit of arbitrary cross-section

The problem of flow through rotating channels of almost arbitrary cross-section is considered. It is shown that when the ratio of the Rossby number and the Reynolds number is small (e = Ro/Re [Lt ] 1) and when the Reynolds number is not too large (Re [Lt ] e−1): (1) the viscous effects are important only in thin boundary layers along the channel walls; (2) the flow in the interior is geostrophic; and (3) the inertia effects may be neglected everywhere. Solutions for the geostrophic region and the boundary layers are obtained and are combined to give the complete velocity field. Experimental results for a circular conduit are presented which are in good agreement with the theory.
Self-reports of emotional distress in a sample of urban black high school students.

Emotional distress as assessed by the self-report Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) was examined in a sample of 607 urban black high school students aged 15–18. These adolescents reported high distress primarily about feelings of disadvantage, volatile anger, interpersonal sensitivity and loneliness. Females were significantly more likely than males to indicate emotional distress, although several of the leading distress items were endorsed equally by both groups. Male and female scores across the HSCL factors differed in degree rather than form. The great majority of these adolescents did not report significant emotional distress. These data provide a base from a non-clinical sample for comparison with other adolescent groups where emotional distress may play a role.
Differential Item Functioning Analysis of the Preschool Language Scale-4 Between English-Speaking Hispanic and European American Children From Low-Income Families

The study examined whether item bias is present in the Preschool Language Scale—4 (PLS-4). Participants were 440 children (3—5 years old; 86% English-speaking Hispanic and 14% European American) wh...
Body composition techniques and the four-compartment model in children

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy, precision, and bias of fat mass (FM) as assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), hydrostatic weighing (HW), air-displacement plethysmography (PM) using the BOD POD body composition system and total body water (TBW) against the four-compartment (4C) model in 25 children (11.4 +/- 1.4 yr). The regression between FM by the 4C model and by DXA deviated significantly from the line of identity (FM by 4C model = 0.84 x FM by DXA + 0.95 kg; R(2) = 0.95), as did the regression between FM by 4C model and by TBW (FM by 4C model = 0. 85 x FM by TBW - 0.89 kg; R(2) = 0.98). The regression between FM by the 4C model and by HW did not significantly deviate from the line of identity (FM by 4C model = 1.09 x FM by HW + 0.94 kg; R(2) = 0. 95) and neither did the regression between FM by 4C (using density assessed by PM) and by PM (FM by 4C model = 1.03 x FM by PM + 0.88; R(2) = 0.97). DXA, HW, and TBW all showed a bias in the estimate of FM, but there was no bias for PM. In conclusion, PM was the only technique that could accurately, precisely, and without bias estimate FM in 9- to 14-yr-old children.
Controlled Delivery of Antigens and Adjuvants in Vaccine Development

Advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and cancer immunology have inspired many new approaches to vaccine development. Many subunit antigens and peptides that are effective for vaccination have been discovered. These subunit antigens in turn stimulate synthesis of effective adjuvants to enhance their immunogenicity. Controlled-release technology offers the potential of further improving the efficacy of conventional vaccine formulations by optimizing the temporal and spatial presentation of the antigens and adjuvants to the immune system. The combination of sustained release and depot effect may also reduce the amount of antigens or adjuvants needed and eliminate the booster shots that are necessary for the success of many vaccinations. This review examines the contribution controlled release technology can make in various areas of vaccination, with an emphasis on tumor vaccines.