cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The utility of optical coherence tomography for diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma: a quantitative review.

BACKGROUND Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive near-infrared light imaging technology that can be utilized to diagnose basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) based on specific morphological features. OBJECTIVES To conduct a quantitative review using tumour-level data from published studies to assess: (i) the in vivo diagnostic accuracy of different OCT systems; (ii) correlation between OCT features and histopathological diagnosis; and (iii) factors that impact the accuracy of tumour depth estimation. METHODS Primary tumour-level data were extracted from published studies on the use of time-domain (TD-OCT), frequency-domain (FD-OCT) and high-definition (HD-OCT) systems for diagnosis of BCCs. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of BCC, prevalence of morphological features and correlation of tumour depth between OCT and histopathology were analysed. RESULTS In total, 901 BCCs from 31 studies were included. The sensitivity and specificity were 89·3% and 60·3% overall, and were highest for FD-OCT (93·7% and 61·4%, respectively). The most prevalent morphological features were lobular pattern (80·2%, 315 of 393 tumours) and hyper-reflective peritumoral stroma (51·7%, 203 of 393). Concordance between OCT and histopathological tumour depth categories was moderate (Pearson coefficient 0·48); it was highest for tumours < 1 mm and those on the extremities. The overall bias was 0·075 mm with an agreement range from -0·88 to 1·03 mm. HD-OCT and FD-OCT were superior to TD-OCT at identifying morphological features, but not at tumour depth estimation. CONCLUSIONS OCT is a viable tool for in vivo diagnosis of BCCs. FD-OCT and HD-OCT outperformed TD-OCT in diagnostic accuracy and detection of morphological features, but not tumour depth estimation.
Maximizing the Affordances of Contemporary Technologies in Education: Promises and Possibilities

Rapid advances in contemporary educational technologies are reshaping how students learn around the globe. Today’s students are growing up in technology-rich environments that are contextually integrated into their daily lives. The field of educational technology is faced with conceptual, methodological, and practical challenges requiring immediate attention. In this chapter, we discuss theoretical, methodological, and practical developments as well as challenges with contemporary forms of educational technologies. We conclude with a focus on the road ahead that each chapter delineated. More specifically, we summarize where current trends lie to predict affordances of the technologies and how the technologies might be able to advance student engagement, motivation, and learning in the future.
Experimental improvement of honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) queen quality through nutritional and hormonal supplementation

Queen reproductive potential (=quality) impacts the health and productivity of honey bee colonies. To determine the factors that affect reproductive quality during development, we tested queens produced under larval treatments by supplementing the diet with juvenile hormone (JH), additional sugars, or both, compared to untreated control. Furthermore, we varied the age of the larvae that were grafted (1 and 3 days old). We analyzed newly emerged virgin queens for their morphological characters as proxies for their reproductive potential. We found that the application of a sugar-enriched diet in combination with JH application onto 1st instar queen larvae produced higher-quality queens, while for 3rd instar larvae only the JH treatment resulted in increasing queen quality. For mated queens, those treated with JH plus supplemented sugars showed a significantly higher sperm count and sperm viability. Our findings demonstrate that honey bee queen reproductive potential can be increased through diet supplementation.
Baffin Bay/Nares Strait surface (seafloor) sediment mineralogy: further investigations and methods to elucidate spatial variations in provenance

The goal of the paper is to ascertain whether there are significant regional variations in sediment mineral composition that might be used to elucidate ice sheet histories. The weight percentages o...
Sox6: A new modulator of renin expression during physiological conditions

We present the case of a 34-year-old Jordanian woman who was referred to mainstream mental health services because of irritability, agitation, loss of appetite, withdrawal from family activities and sleeping difficulties. She was initially diagnosed with major depressive disorder but subsequently showed very poor response to antidepressant therapy. Her presentation gradually and dramatically progressed into full blown dementia within couple of years. Brain MRI showed atrophic cortical changes and subcortical white matter alterations consistent with Alzheimer’s dementia. Brain PET scan revealed reduction in cerebral glucose metabolism in temporoparietal areas bilaterally most consistent with Alzheimer’s dementia. There was a strong family history of early-onset dementia. A final diagnosis of young onset dementia was made, and unfortunately, she passed away at the age of 44 years.
PUBLIC POLICY Session 5: ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH: HOW GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, AND HEALTH POLICY CAN HELP TO REVERSE THE NATION'S GREATEST HEALTH DISPARITY: Session 322

Abstract People with serious mental illness have a reduced life expectancy between 11-30 years compared to the general population, accounting for one of the nation's greatest, but least recognized health disparities. The primary cause of early mortality is cardiovascular disease, cancer, and related risk factors including obesity, tobacco dependence, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an update on research addressing this challenge, including research on aging and mental health combined with implementation science can help to promote access to care models and technology to address this health disparity, along with the health care reforms needed to get the job done.
Are cannabis users less likely to gain weight? Results from a national 3-year prospective study.

Background Pre-clinical studies indicate increased food intake and weight gain as cannabinoid effects. Cross-sectional epidemiological studies, however, indicate lower prevalence of obesity among cannabis users. Here, we aim to study the weight-gain research question in the prospectively conducted National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Methods NESARC was designed to produce nationally representative estimates for the US population. Participants (aged 18+) completed computer-assisted personal interviews on cannabis use, body weight and height at Waves 1 (W1, 2001-02) and 2 (W2, 2004-05). General linear modelling yields estimates for change in body mass index (BMI) regressed on cannabis-use status, with covariate adjustment based on a conceptual model for BMI determinants (n = 33 000). Results At W2, 77% of the participants never used cannabis, 18% had discontinued use ('quit'), 3% were initiates and 2% were persistent users. Estimated W1-to-W2 BMI change shows an increase for all subgroups. Compared with never-users (reference), inverse slope estimates and attenuated change (%) in BMI between W1 and W2 are seen for cannabis-use subgroups: quitters [β = -0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.01, -0.60], initiates (β = -0.97; 95% CI = -1.36, -0.57) and persistent users (β = -1.26; 95% CI = -1.81, -0.72). Conclusion This new prospective study builds from anecdotes, pre-clinical studies and cross-sectional evidence on inverse associations linking cannabis use and obesity and shows an inverse cannabis-BMI increase association. Confirmatory studies with rigorous cannabis and BMI assays will be needed.
118 SECONDARY RHABDOMYOSARCOMA AFTER NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA TREATMENT.

Purpose NHL patients are at increased risk of the development of a secondary malignancy, typically myelodysplasia, acute leukemia, or lung cancer. To our knowledge, the development of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma has not been reported. Methods A 25-year-old white male previously treated for non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma of the left maxillary sinus and bilateral kidneys as a child with a CHOP-based chemotherapy that excluded radiation presented to his local medical doctor with complaints of frequent nosebleeds and right-sided facial pain. At presentation, the patient was noted to have anemia and thrombocytopenia with right-sided facial fullness and bilateral scrotal swelling. He was transferred to our facility for a thorough workup, including physical examination, bone marrow aspirate, otolaryngology evaluation, and radiologic review. Results Contrasted and noncontrasted CT scans of the head revealed ethmoid, sphenoid, right maxillary, and right mastoid sinus disease. There was also a 1.7 × 0.8 cm right nasal soft tissue density that enhanced with contrast material. Contrasted and noncontrasted CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis were revealing for a soft tissue mass overlying a fractured right-sided fourth rib. Ultrasonography of the scrotum revealed multiple hypoechoic solid nodules within both testicles that were felt to be suspicious for lymphomatous metastatic disease. Whole-body bone scan showed increased activity in the proximal half of the left humerus, right humerus, and anterior rib cage. There were also multiple foci about the right-sided facial and cranial regions. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were performed and were significant for embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. This was also the same pathologic finding of the biopsied right-sided nasal mass performed by Otolaryngology. Discussion Accompaning the success of clinically curing non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma is the long-term risk for the development of a secondary malignancy. Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia has the earliest appearance and typically occurs 5 to 10 years after treatment. Solid tumors appear 15 or more years after treatment and are most often found to be lung, brain, kidney, breast, and bladder. There are multiple contributing factors that include previous antecedent therapy and host susceptibility. This presentation of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma is not only unfortunate but rare.
ANK2 autism mutation targeting giant ankyrin-B promotes axon branching and ectopic connectivity

Giant ankyrin-B (ankB) is a neurospecific alternatively spliced variant of ANK2, a high-confidence autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gene. We report that a mouse model for human ASD mutation of giant ankB exhibits increased axonal branching in cultured neurons with ectopic CNS axon connectivity, as well as with a transient increase in excitatory synapses during postnatal development. We elucidate a mechanism normally limiting axon branching, whereby giant ankB localizes to periodic axonal plasma membrane domains through L1 cell-adhesion molecule protein, where it couples microtubules to the plasma membrane and prevents microtubule entry into nascent axon branches. Giant ankB mutation or deficiency results in a dominantly inherited impairment in selected communicative and social behaviors combined with superior executive function. Thus, gain of axon branching due to giant ankB-deficiency/mutation is a candidate cellular mechanism to explain aberrant structural connectivity and penetrant behavioral consequences in mice as well as humans bearing ASD-related ANK2 mutations.
In Situ Kinetic Studies of Rh(II)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Cyclopropanation with Low Catalyst Loadings

Dirhodium tetracarboxylates are versatile catalysts for the reactions of donor/acceptor carbenes. They catalyze a variety of transformations, including enantioselective intermolecular cyclopropanat...
Blameable and imperfect: A study of risk-taking and accountability

Abstract In this paper, we examine how stakeholders hold trustees accountable in voluntary relationships. Trustees are economic agents such as physicians, entrepreneurs, or political leaders who are entrusted with making risky decisions that impact stakeholders. These stakeholders often demand measures to hold trustees accountable for their risky decisions. Using a novel laboratory experiment, we explore how different accountability mechanisms influence the decisions of stakeholders and third-party participants in rewarding or punishing trustee risk choices. We find that stakeholders reward trustees based on both the outcomes of trustees’ choices and by the degree to which those choices match what their stakeholder would have chosen for themselves in a similar situation. Our results indicate that stakeholders’ accountability decisions are best explained by a theory that captures responses to both the pure quality of decisions and the perceived luck of the decision maker, or what we characterize as a good decision with moral luck theory. We further observe that these accountability decisions vary substantially between third-party and stakeholder enforcement and depending upon whether the trustee was also exposed to the risk environment they chose.
Community integration when moving on from permanent supportive housing.

AIMS This study explored community integration within a Moving On initiative that assisted individuals with the transition from permanent supportive housing (PSH) to more independent housing without service requirements. METHODS Participants completed baseline interviews while in PSH (n = 90) and, for those who moved on, a follow-up 1-year post-move (n = 45). Bivariate analyses and OLS regression were used to examine community integration outcomes and potential correlates. RESULTS For participants who moved on, subjective social quality of life and sense of community were higher post-move, while physical integration decreased, and time spent at home increased. Gender, mastery, and housing quality were associated with community integration post-move. CONCLUSION Moving On did not adversely impact most aspects of community integration, though PSH residents may need more support to facilitate participation in routine activities outside their home post-move. Findings also highlight the importance of supporting mastery given its potential role in community integration.
The Privileged Physician and Medical Malpractice: Why a Qualified Expert Testimonial Privilege Should Not Apply to Defendant Treating Health Care Providers

In Redding Life Care, LLC v. Town of Redding, the Connecticut Appellate Court recognized a qualified expert testimonial privilege that precludes discovery of an unretained expert’s opinion. That decision threatens to eliminate relevant and irreplaceable testimony of defendant treating health care providers in medical malpractice cases. The Appellate Court set forth a balancing test to determine if a party can overcome the qualified privilege as applied to a particular unretained expert: (1) whether the expert reasonably should have expected to be called upon to provide opinion testimony in subsequent litigation; and (2) whether there exists a compelling need for expert opinion testimony in the case. This Note analyzes the balancing test set forth in Redding as applied to defendant health care providers who participated in the treatment relevant to malpractice litigation. First, this Note considers whether the need for defendant health care providers’ testimony should overcome the Redding qualified testimonial privilege. Second, this Note explores whether the testimonial privilege violates Connecticut’s liberal rules of discovery as applied to defendant health care providers’ deposition testimony. Part I begins by discussing the risk of losing the expert opinion testimony of defendant treating physicians in medical malpractice litigation, addressing Connecticut’s requirements for expert testimony of treating physicians and the unique role of defendant health care providers. Part II presents a compelling need for defendant health care providers’ expert testimony in medical malpractice litigation, balancing the rights of expert witnesses to be free from testifying with the needs of courts and litigants for their evidence. Part III concludes by challenging the application of a qualified expert testimonial privilege to the discovery stage of medical malpractice litigation, considering the practical difficulties imposed by the Redding privilege in light of Connecticut’s liberal rules of discovery.
On the control of subantarctic stratification by the ocean circulation

A shallow mixed layer depth bias in Austral winter in the Subantarctic Zone is a common feature of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models, including the Community Earth System Model (CESM). The bias is related to other deficiencies in the model solution, including too-weak Subantarctic Mode water formation and excessive leakage of Agulhas waters into the Atlantic instead of into the Indian Ocean and Subantarctic Frontal Zone. This work investigates the hypothesis that the shallow bias is due to errors in the simulated ocean circulation. Results from a model with low resolution ocean component (1° grid) are compared against: (i) an experiment with an eddy resolving (0.1°) grid and (ii) experiments using the 1° grid and employing an adiabatic nudging of the ocean pressure field to observations that is referred to as a semi-prognostic method. For both the higher resolution and semi-prognostic experiments, improved horizontal advection of warm and salty water near the surface leads to a more realistic sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity front associated with the Agulhas Return Current and Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The warmer surface waters in the high-resolution model and semi-prognostic model lead to stronger air–sea heat loss, with a response of about 40 Wm−2 °C−1 in winter in the area of deep mixed layers. Budgets of the temperature and salinity stratification show that the deeper mixed layers in the high-resolution experiment are primarily a result of the increased surface heat loss, whereas in the semi-prognostic case salinity advection is the main factor leading to destabilization of the water column. Both results indicate that ocean circulation is a key factor in wintertime deep Southern Ocean mixing, associated with advection of water masses and air–sea feedbacks.
The Science of the Struggle for Existence: On the Foundations of Ecology

This book is a sustained examination of issues in the philosophy of ecology that have been a source of controversy since the emergence of ecology as an explicit scientific discipline. The controversies revolve around the idea of a balance of nature, the possibility of general ecological knowledge and the role of model-building in ecology. The Science of the Struggle for Existence is also a detailed treatment of these issues that incorporates both a comprehensive investigation of the relevant ecological literature and the development of an explicit theoretical framework in the philosophy of science. It addresses issues in the philosophy of ecology that are of particular importance for the deployment of ecology in the solution of environmental problems. It will have a cross-disciplinary appeal and will interest students and professionals in science, the philosophy of science, and environmental studies as well as policy-makers.
Survival of Staphylococcus aureus on sampling swabs stored at different temperatures.

Aims To understand the impact of storage temperature on recovery of Staphylococcus aureus on sampling swabs. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of skin and soft tissue infections, but also causes a variety of life-threatening diseases. With a large pool of asymptomatic carriers and transmission that can occur even through indirect contact, mitigation efforts have had limited success. Swab sampling, followed by culturing, is a cornerstone of epidemiological studies, however, S. aureus viability on swabs stored at different temperatures has not been characterized. Methods and results We determined survival rates on swabs stored at five different temperatures. Samples stored at -70°C had no decay over time while samples stored at higher temperatures showed an exponential decay in viability. Mortality rates were greatest for swabs stored at 37°C. Survival at intermediate temperatures (-20 to 20·5°C) did not differ significantly, however, we observed more variation at higher temperatures. Conclusions To maximize recovery of S. aureus cells, samples should be stored at -70°C or processed for culturing without delay. Significance and impact of the study Epidemiological studies of bacterial diseases are typically limited to determination of pathogen presence/absence, yet quantitative assessments of pathogen load and genetic diversity can provide insights into disease progression and severity, likelihood of transmission and adaptive evolutionary potential. For studies of S. aureus where time or access to a microbiology laboratory may delay culturing, deep freezing or timely culturing will maximize the degree to which sampling results reflect source status.
A Bioinspired Elastic Hydrogel for Solar-Driven Water Purification

The global demand for clean and safe water will continue to grow well into the 21st century. Moving forward, the lack of access to clean water, which threatens human health and strains precious energy resources, will worsen as the climate changes. Therefore, future innovations that produce potable water from contaminated sources must be sustainable. Inspired by nature, a solar absorber gel (SAG) is developed to purify water from contaminated sources using only natural sunlight. The SAG is composed of an elastic thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel, a photothermal polydopamine (PDA) layer, and a sodium alginate (SA) network. Production of the SAG is facile; all processing is aqueous-based and occurs at room temperature. Remarkably, the SAG can purify water from various harmful reservoirs containing small molecules, oils, metals, and pathogens, using only sunlight. The SAG relies on solar energy to drive a hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase transformation at the lower critical solution temperature. Since the purification mechanism does not require water evaporation, an energy-intensive process, the passive solar water-purification rate is the highest reported. This discovery can be transformative in the sustainable production of clean water to improve the quality of human life.
Understanding Cattle Behavior Makes Handling Easier

Cattle are visual animals that are motivated by fear. In the wild they are ever vigilant and any novel sight or sound is perceived as a possible danger. Their ears are more sensitive to high pitched noise than human ears and their wide angle vision enables them to scan the horizon for predators while they are grazing. Novelty can be both fear inducing and attractive. Calm cattle in a corral will approach and sniff a paper cup on the ground, but that same cup will cause them to balk and turn back if one attempts to force the animals to walk over it. Cattle are most likely to panic when they are suddenly confronted with a novel sight or sound.
Stoneridge Investment Partners v. Scientific-Atlanta: The Political Economy of Securities Class Action Reform

Stoneridge is the latest in a series of recent Supreme Court decisions restricting securities class actions. It is also the latest in a series of Court decisions (Affiliated Ute, Basic, and Central Bank) using the reliance element of the Rule 10b-5 cause of action to expand or restrict the reach of securities fraud class actions. In this essay I argue that the Court took a wrong turn in Basic when it failed to come to terms with the relation between reliance and damages in securities fraud. Central Bank held that the express causes of action in the securities laws should serve as a guide to the elements of implied cause of action in Rule 10b-5. A close reading of the express causes of action in the securities law suggests that damages should be limited to the defendant's benefit if the plaintiff cannot plead actual reliance on the fraudulent misstatement. Compensation should only be available in cases alleging actual reliance. Changing the damages measure to disgorgement in Rule 10b-5 actions based on Basic's fraud on the market presumption would substantially diminish the pocket shifting aspect of securities fraud class actions while maintaining their deterrent value. I analyze the institutions that might effect this needed change in the damages measure - the Court, Congress, the SEC, or shareholders. The available evidence suggests that the three governmental actors in this list are largely paralyzed from overhauling securities class actions in a meaningful way. I argue that shareholders, the parties who bear the costs of the current regime, must take matters into their own hands by amending the corporation's articles. The amendment proposed here would effect a limited waiver of compensatory damages in lawsuits relying on the fraud on the market presumption.
Transgenic papaya: development, release, impact and challenges.

Publisher Summary The pathogen-derived resistance approach for developing virus resistant transgenic plants is a time-tested and proven technology that works. Numerous reports starting from two decades ago have clearly vouched for its applicability to many viruses and crops. This chapter considers the development, testing, release and impact of the virus-resistant transgenic papaya in Hawaii. The efforts to transfer the technology to Jamaica, Venezuela, and Thailand have also been covered because they reflect the range of factors that affect deployment of transgenic crops in various countries. The focus is on the factors that contributed to the timely development and commercialization of the transgenic papaya and those that are affecting its impact. Challenges such as durability of resistance, growing of non-transgenic papaya in Hawaii for the Japanese market, deregulation of the transgenic papaya in Japan and the co-existence of transgenic and non-transgenic papaya in Hawaii have also been discussed. The Hawaii papaya project took on increased urgency because it coincided with the devastation that Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) caused to papaya production.
AC Losses of 19-Strand Subcables for the ANL 3.3 MJ Coil

Designs of multistrand-cable conductors for poloidal field and energy storage coils require low ac losses and cryostability. Even if the electromagnetic forces of these pulsed coils are generally supported by separate structural components the mechanical rigidity of the cable can significantly influence the performance of the coil. One way to improve the above factors is compacting or solder filling of the subcables. There have been considerable studies related to solder filling and ac losses of several kinds of subcable structures.1,2
Perceptions of an organization's culture for work and family

Purpose – This study sets out to examine whether proteges have more favorable perceptions of an organization's culture for balancing work and family than non‐proteges.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 418 employees of a major public accounting firm who completed a survey on mentoring and work‐family issues. Correlation analyses, t‐tests, and regressions were performed to test the hypotheses.Findings – The results strongly support the view that proteges had more favorable perceptions than non‐proteges of the organization's work‐family culture – the degree to which integration of employees' work and family lives is supported. Having a mentor was significantly related to each component of work‐family culture (managerial support, time demands, and career consequences) in the predicted direction.Research limitations/implications – By focusing on respondents in a single firm, it is impossible to determine whether the findings generalize to individuals in other industries or companies.Practic...
FPGA prototype queuing module for high performance ATM switching

FPGA technology has been used for the development and implementation of a prototype input queuing module of the Illinois Pulsar-based Optical INTconnect (iPOINT) Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) testbed. Pipeline techniques were extensively used to solve timing problems and increase throughput. This prototype queuing module has been fully tested for bandwidth of 100 Mbps. >
The Power of Partnering: The Cooperative Creation of Digital Collections

The use of consortia and partnerships has increased significantly over the past decade as a result of the increasing complexity of developing projects in a digital world. Funding agencies have acknowledged this by directing support to multi-institutional projects. Some agencies have gone so far as to establish categories that require multi-institutional applicants. Partnerships of disparate institutions provide opportunities for learning and growth. The paper describes one such partnership, Connecticut History Online, and investigates the value and significance that partnering plays in creating a successful digital product.
HIV-1-Specific T Cell Function During Acute HIV-1 Infection

HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells in primary infection are associated with the dramatic decline of peak viremia to the viral set point, while their antiviral activity in chronic infection is less apparent. Here, we comparatively analyzed functional properties of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells in primary and chronic infection, and demonstrate that the functional avidity and TCR affinity of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells was consistently higher in primary infection than in chronic infection. The change of TCR affinities between primary and chronic infection was linked to an almost complete switch in the clonotypic composition of epitope-specific CD8+ T cells, resulting from the preferential loss of high-avidity CD8+ T cell clones. These data suggest that the initial recruitment of high-avidity HIV-1specific CD8+ T cell may contribute to the control of HIV1 viremia during primary infection, while their selective elimination during the subsequent disease process contributes to the loss of immune control during chronic infection. from 2005 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA, 29 August – 2 September 2005
Deconstructing the Digit Recognition Problem

Decision tree pruning techniques and other forms of overfitting avoidance have often been considered statistical means of improving predictive accuracy. Intuitively, they are intended to determine the appropriate level of complexity for an induced model by distinguishing between signal and noise in training data, patterns that reflect the true underlying nature of data generation and those that arise by chance. In fact, however, overfitting avoidance methods simply encode preferences for certain classes of models. These preferences may increase accuracy when they bias induction in favor of predictive models, but they may just as well have the opposite effect if they bias induction away from predictive models. This paper analyzes the conditional value of overfitting avoidance and focuses on the effect of one highly-regarded pruning technique in variations of the well-known digit recognition problem.
Disparities in reported prenatal care advice from health care providers among women of Mexican origin in California.

Poorer birth outcomes have been documented among U.S.-born women of Mexican descent when compared with Mexican immigrant women. Behavioral changes that are associated with acculturation may contribute to these deteriorating outcomes. Prenatal health promotion advice can alter prenatal risk behaviors. The growing diversity of the U.S. population during the 1990s heightens the importance of examining the cultural relevance of current health promotion practices. This study examines disparities in the reported receipt of health behavior advice during pregnancy among U.S.-born women of Mexican origin and Mexican immigrant women in California. Data for the analysis are from the 1994–95 California Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. The study sample includes 1,423 women of Mexican descent. All participants had a live birth in California between January 1994 and December 1995. Women were interviewed about the prenatal counseling they received related to diet, smoking, and alcohol use. Logistic regression was used to analyze the likelihood of reporting advice after controlling for sociodemographic and health system characteristics. Immigrant women were more likely than the U.S.-born to report receipt of prenatal advice on smoking, alcohol, and diet (OR = 1.83, p < .05) despite evidence of the lower prevalence of related health risks among Mexican-born women. Culturally appropriate prenatal counseling would emphasize the maintenance of traditional protective behaviors among less acculturated foreign-born women, and the prevention or cessation of those risk behaviors among the more acculturated women.
On the Relation Between Sub-Auroral Electric Fields, the Ring Current and the Plasmasphere

Large electric fields in the sub-auroral, dusk side ionosphere have long been inferred from observations of fast (>1000m/s) sun ward ion drifts. Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) images of the plasmasphere obtained by the EUV camera on board the IMAGE satellite, suggest that the dusk side plasmapause can be eroded by these strong sub-auroral electric fields. Ring current models, that self-consistently compute the electric field, can reproduce the observed phenomena qualitatively, and they indicate that the electric field is driven by the closure of the Region 2 (R2) pressure-driven field aligned currents (FAC) through the dusk side, sub-auroral low-conductance ionosphere. We investigate the temporal and spatial relation between global ring current images and the onset of sub-auroral electric fields by using data from the High Energetic Neutral Atom (HENA) imager on board the IMAGE satellite, Ion Drift Meter (IDM) data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), and field-aligned currents (FACs) derived from Iridium magnetometer data. We find that the ring current pressure is enhanced about 30 min before an erosion of the plasmapause is first observed. We compute the correlation between the Region 2 FAC obtained by Iridium multiplied by the size of the low-conductance gap and the sub-auroral potential drop (SAPD) and find that it is 0.79 for the period 16-23 April 2002. These results show that there is a correlation between the FAC, the size of the low-conductance gap and strength of the SAPD.
Transient analysis of a PVDF Fresnel zone plate

A method of estimating transient beam profiles for polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Fresnel zone plates is presented. The plane and edge wave convolution integral approach is used to calculate the pressure at an arbitrary point due to the transient pressure at the front surface of the zone plate. This technique exploits the circular symmetry of the device to generate an analytic expression for the spatial impulse response. Theoretical estimates of the transient pressure are obtained using a lossy Mason model, which makes it possible to investigate the effects of various excitation signals on the beam profiles during the design phase. The dielectric and mechanical loss parameters used in the model are estimated from simple input impedance measurements of an air-backed, air-loaded sample of PVDF. Model results are presented for a 3-zone Fresnel zone plate, demonstrating the utility of the analysis in excitation signal design. >
The gelation of bile salt solutions

Abstract The gelation of aqueous bile salt solutions, accidentally observed in bacteriological media, has been studied. This property was observed with deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid. It precedes or competes with crystalline precipitation. No gelation is observed with cholic acid, nor with conjugated bile acids. The maximum effect is found at pH 7, but at higher concentrations of bile acids gelation may be observed between pH 6.4 and 7.8. Under certain conditions spherical gel particles occur and may eventually form a gel within a gel. The phenomenon and its specificity are explained on the basis of the specific molecular architecture of the bile acids. The analogy to the gelation of bromophenol blue solutions is pointed out.
LAND AND WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MPROVEMENT

Traditional conservation measures may not be, and usually are not, all that is needed to assure a quality environment. They are, however, fundamental. A national course of action involving land and water management is determined (1) at the market place, (2) at the ballot box, and (3) in the hearts and minds of individuals. To inform people about environmental management and conservation and appropriate uses of land, water and related resources is an exceedingly difficult problem. Research, action and educational programs dealing with environmental problems must have greater attention and support.
Fatigue life-limiting parameters in fibreglass composites

A study was conducted to determine the fatigue life-limiting parameters in E-glass fibre-reinforced vinyl esters. Because of the viscoelastic nature of fibreglass composites and the adiabatic heating during rapid fatigue cycling, the cyclic frequency has a significant effect on the fatigue resistance of the composites. For these same reasons, creep phenomena must also be considered in rationalizing fatigue characteristics of the materials. The surface condition of the composite, stress level, curing condition, and the surface integrity of fibreglass were also found to alter the fatigue behaviour of fibreglass composites.
Synthesis and processing of MgB2 powders and wires

Abstract Sintered powders and wires of superconducting MgB 2 have been fabricated under a variety of conditions in order to determine details of the diffusion of the Mg into B and to study the types of defects that arise during growth. For samples prepared by exposure of boron to Mg vapor at 950°C, the conversion of particles of less than 100 μm size to MgB 2 is complete in about 2 h. The lattice parameters of the MgB 2 phase determined from X-ray are independent of the starting stoichiometry and the time of reaction. Wire segments of MgB 2 with very little porosity have been produced by reacting 141 μm diameter boron fibers in an atmosphere of excess Mg vapor at 950°C. Defects in the reacted fibers are predominantly voids left as the boron is converted to MgB 2 .
Human-in-the-loop control of an assistive robotic arm in unstructured environments for spinal cord injured users

We describe the progress in implementing a vision based robotic assist device to facilitate Activities of Daily Living (ADL) tasks for a class of users with motor disabilities. The goal of the research is to reduce time to task completion and cognitive burden for users interacting with an unstructured environment via a Wheelchair Mounted Robotic Arm (WMRA). A developed robot system is tested with five healthy subjects to assess its usefulness.
Algebras associated to intermediate subfactors

The Temperley-Lieb algebras are the fundamental symmetry associated to any inclusion of ${\hbox{\uppercase\expandafter {\romannumeral2}}}_1$ factors $N \subset M$ with finite index. We analyze in this paper the situation when there is an intermediate subfactor $P$ of $N \subset M$ . The additional symmetry is captured by a tower of certain algebras ${\rm IA}_n$ associated to $N \subset P \subset M$ . These algebras form a Popa system (or standard lattice) and thus, by a theorem of Popa, arise as higher relative commutants of a subfactor. This subfactor gives a free composition (or minimal product) of an $A_n$ and an $A_m$ subfactor. We determine the Bratteli diagram describing their inclusions. This is done by studying a hierarchy $(FC_{m,n})_{n \in {\Bbb N}}$ of colored generalizations of the Temperley-Lieb algebras, using a diagrammatic approach, a la Kauffman, that is independent of the subfactor context. The Fuss-Catalan numbers $\frac{1}{(m+1)n+1}\left({(m+2)n\atop n}\right)$ appear as the dimensions of our algebras. We give a presentation of the $FC_{1,n}$ and calculate their structure in the semisimple case employing a diagrammatic method. The principal part of the Bratteli diagram describing the inclusions of the algebras $FC_{1,n}$ is the Fibonacci graph. Our algebras have a natural trace and we compute the trace weights explicitly as products of Temperley-Lieb traces. If all indices are $\geq 4$ , we prove that the algebras ${\rm IA}_n$ and $FC_{1,n}$ coincide. If one of the indices is $< 4$ , ${\rm IA}_n$ is a quotient of $FC_{1,n}$ and we compute the Bratteli diagram of the tower $({\rm IA}_k)_{k \in {\Bbb N}}$ . Our results generalize to a chain of $m$ intermediate subfactors.
Feline Asthma: What's New and where might Clinical Practice be Heading?

Practical relevance Feline bronchial asthma is one of the most commonly diagnosed respiratory conditions of cats. Clinical signs range from intermittent wheezing and coughing, which can compromise quality of life, to episodes of severe dyspnea that can be life-threatening. Clinical challenges Feline asthma can be easily disregarded as a simplistic condition. However, much about its pathophysiology remains obscure. There is no gold standard method of diagnosis, and current approaches are associated with various limitations. Also, feline asthma is typically treated with long-term glucocorticoid therapy, which can have significant consequences. Audience Because of its prevalence, general practitioners encounter asthma regularly. Refractory cases are often managed by veterinary internists and pulmonologists. Patient group Asthma can be diagnosed in cats of any age but is usually seen in young to middle-aged adults (mean 4 years, range 1–15 years). There is no sex predilection, but the Siamese breed appears to be overrepresented. Evidence base While the standard clinical approach to feline asthma has changed little in recent years, new research has provided greater insight into many aspects of this complex disease and new strategies are being studied. This article reviews the current literature in order to raise awareness of how advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of feline asthma may be determining the future direction of clinical practice.
Influence of Growth Regulators on Plant Growth, Yield, and Skin Color of Specialty Potatoes

2,4-D has been used since the 1950’s to enhance color in red-skinned potatoes, but there is little research on the potential use of other plant growth regulators to improve tuber skin color in the wide range of specialty potatoes now available on the market. Field trials conducted at Parma, ID in 2009 and 2010 evaluated the effect of foliar applications of 2,4-D, NAA, and LPE on plant height, foliar injury, tuber yield, size distribution, and skin color of six specialty potato cultivars. Skin color was rated visually and via HunterLab colorimeter at harvest, and again after storage (132 days in 2009 and 93 days in 2010) at 4 °C and 95 % R.H. 2,4-D caused slight foliar injury and reduced tuber size in all cultivars. It also increased visual skin color rating in the red-skinned cultivars ‘Red LaSoda’ and ‘TerraRosa’ at harvest and after storage, and influenced incidence of pink coloration around the eyes of ‘Yukon Gem’ tubers, but did not affect color of blue/purple-skinned cultivars. NAA and LPE did not consistently influence plant growth, yield, tuber size or visual skin color in any cultivar. Colorimetric evaluations mostly agreed with the visual ratings, and indicated that storage significantly altered skin color in all cultivars, regardless of growth regulator treatment.
Simple Technique for Extracting Flavor Compounds from Fatty Foods

Abstract A method for extracting flavor compounds from cheese with acetonitrile is described. Two of the unique advantages of the method are that it does not extract fat and the first few drops of the extract are sufficiently concentrated to permit gas-chromatographic analysis without solvent evaporation. The effectiveness of extraction is demonstrated on Cheddar cheese, Blue cheese, and heated milk fat. The recovery efficiency is exemplified by 103% recovery of added benzoic acid.
Mono-, bis-, and tris-1,3-dithiolane aromatic derivatives by esterification and amidation reactions

We report the synthesis of new aromatic derivatives containing the 1,3-dithiolane moiety. The 1,3-dithiolane groups are attached by simple esterification or amidation reactions of 1,3-dithiolane-2-carbonyl chloride with hydroxybenzenes, aniline, or 2,6-diaminopyridine. The isolated yields of these compounds range from 40 to 87%. All of the reported compounds are white solids and stable to air and moisture.
Soot particle aerosol dynamics at high pressure

Abstract We have used detailed calculations to analyze the coagulation dynamics of a soot eerosol at high pressures (20 and 50 atm). We find that the soot size distribution is altered compared to lower-pressure conditions because the mean free path at high pressures is reduced to the point that the particles are similar in size to the mean free path. At lower pressures the form of the size distribution becomes constant (“self-preserving”) in time, allowing optical measurements to be easily interpreted. However, we find that at pressures above about 5 atm the shape of the size distribution continually changes. As a result, proper and accurate interpretation of optical data at high pressures will be more difficult than at lower pressures.
Psychophysical Numbing: When Lives Are Valued Less as the Lives at Risk Increase

Costly life-saving interventions can often be described not only in terms of the number of lives that may be saved but also in terms of the proportion of lives saved out of some total number at risk. In a phenomenon that has been referred to as psychophysical numbing (PN), Fetherstonhaugh, Slovic, Johnson, and Friedrich (1997) found that participants rated an intervention saving a fixed number of lives to be less worth investing in when more total lives were at risk (i.e., when saved lives represented a smaller proportion of the total threat or problem). In two new experiments, life-valuation correlates of PN responding, as well as manipulations of death salience, accountability, and economics focus, were explored in the context of students’ willingness to support mandatory antilock brake requirements for new cars. PN responding was pervasive, but non-PN responders were clearly distinguished by the greater overall value they placed on saving lives. Salience and accountability manipulations did not debias judgments but did tend to rule out low-effort processing as an explanation for these quantity confusions. An emphasis on economic considerations was consistently related to greater PN responding.