cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social, Behavioral, and Cognitive Influences on Upper Echelons During Strategy Process: A Literature Review

This study reviews research on the social, behavioral, and cognitive influences on CEOs, top management teams (TMTs), and the CEO-TMT interface during strategic decision making. We identify the key issues examined in this research over the past 10 years and relate developments in the field to previous knowledge in this area. We also attempt to identify what constitutes an established body of knowledge in the field and, therefore, areas that need additional examination. Our review indicates that while there has been an explosion of research on the influence of CEO personality and TMT social processes on strategy process, much remains to be done in terms of examining CEO and TMT cognition, particularly at the level of the CEO-TMT interface.
Robotic Partial Nephrectomy with the Da Vinci Xi

Purpose. The surgical expertise to perform robotic partial nephrectomy is heavily dependent on technology. The Da Vinci Xi (XI) is the latest robotic surgical platform with significant advancements compared to its predecessor. We describe our operative technique and experience with the XI system for robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN). Materials and Methods. Patients with clinical T1 renal masses were offered RPN with the XI. We used laser targeting, autopositioning, and a novel “in-line” port placement to perform RPN. Results. 15 patients underwent RPN with the XI. There were no intraoperative complications and no operative conversions. Mean console time was 101.3 minutes (range 44–176 minutes). Mean ischemia time was 17.5 minutes and estimated blood loss was 120 mLs. 12 of 15 patients had renal cell carcinoma. Two patients had oncocytoma and one had benign cystic disease. All patients had negative surgical margins and pathologic T1 disease. Two postoperative complications were encountered, including one patient who developed a pseudoaneurysm and one readmitted for presumed urinary tract infection. Conclusions. RPN with the XI system can be safely performed. Combining our surgical technique with the technological advancements on the XI offers patients acceptable pathologic and perioperative outcomes.
Effect of the skeletal muscle relaxant dantrolene sodium on the isolated, perfused heart.

SummaryThe literature indicates that dantrolene sodium has produced negligible cardiovascular changes in intact dogs and in patients, but caused depression in the isolated perfused heart. In nine consecutive experiments rat hearts were perfused by means of a modified Langendorff preparation with 3.5% bovine albumin in buffered, mammalian Ringer's solution. Perfusion pressure and temperature were kept constant. Flow was measured with an infrared drop counter. Continuous recordings were made of heart rate, coronary flow, resting length, intraventricular pressure, force displacement and their first derivatives. Statistical analysis of all parameters before and during the perfusion with dantrolene sodium solution showed no significant changes for the same period of time. These results show that dantrolene sodium has no effect and do not confirm recent publications which reported a marked myocardial depression by dantrolene sodium.
Staining formalin-fixed nerve tissue with mercuric nitrate.

Experiments were made to test the impregnating effect of Hg(NO3)2 on nervous tissue that had been fixed and chromated with solutions of known pH. Brains of cats, kittens, rats and mice were fixed by the pulsating-perfusion method of Haushalter and Bertram (1955), after first washing out the blood with saline-acacia solution, at pH 7.0, then followed by a 10% formol-saline-acacia fixative of the same pH. The removed brains were sliced to 3 mm thickness and further fixed 1-2 days in 10% formalin whose pH was also adjusted to 7.0. Chromation with acidified ZnCrO4 at pH 3.1 for 1 day followed by impregnation for 2 days in a saturated solution of Hg(NO3)2 at pH 5.5-6.0 effected the staining. Dehydration, paraffin embedding and sectioning completed the process. Some moderately successful stains were made with mercuric salts with no chromation, but it was found that fixation at pH 7.0-7.2 followed by chromation at pH 3.1, and later by impregnation in Hg(NO3)2 at pH 5.8-6.0 was optimum for best staining of nerve ...
Laser tissue welding : a comprehensive review of current and future clinical applications

Laser techniques for joining tissue, in combination with other surgical technologies, will be a hallmark of surgery in the next century. At present, there are many clinical applications of tissue welding and soldering which are beginning to achieve wide spread acceptance. These exciting clinical developments are the result of many advances which have been made in the past few years in our understanding of the mechanism of laser tissue welding. Also contributing to this progress are many important technical refinements such as tissue solders and feedback control of the laser device. In this article, we describe in depth the history and development of laser tissue welding including key theoretical concepts as well as crucial experiments which have added to our insight into this phenomenon. We also review the evolving concepts of its clinical application and indicate clinical applications which are likely to become more important in the future.
Stability of Semi-Discrete Approximations for Hyperbolic Initial-Boundary-Value Problems: Stationary Modes

Spatially discrete difference approximations of hyperbolic initial-boundary-value problems (IBVPs) require numerical boundary conditions in addition to the analytical boundary conditions specified for the differential equations. Improper treatment of a numerical boundary condition can cause instability of the discrete IBVP even though the approximation is stable for the pure initial-value or Cauchy problem. In the discrete IBVP stability literature there exists a small class of discrete approximations which are called borderline cases. For nondissipative approximations, borderline cases are unstable according to the theory of the Gustafsson, Kreiss, and Sundstrom (GKS) but they may be Lax-Richtmyer stable or unstable in the L 2 norm on a finite domain. We show that borderline approximations can be characterized by the presence of a stationary mode for the finite domain problem. A stationary mode has the property that it does not decay with time and a nontrivial stationary mode leads to algebraic growth of the solution norm with mesh refinement. We give an analytical condition which makes it easy to detect a stationary mode and we investigate several examples of numerical boundary conditions corresponding to borderline cases.
Estimating erythrocyte glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by a new metho

A semi-quantitative fluorimetric assay for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase has been described. This method was applied to a number of animal species and correlates well with the standard spectrophotometric method.
Two-photon tomography

Two-photon fluorescence and second harmonics are used to image subsurface structures of highly scattering biological tissues. Ultrashort laser pulses at near-infrared spectra region were reflected by a dichroic beam splitter and then focused into tissue samples by an objective lens to generate nonlinear optical signal. The generated nonlinear optical signal were collected by the same objective lens and passing through the bean splitter to a photo-multiplier tube for detection. Two-photon fluorescence and second harmonics signals were confined in the focal region of the focused beam due to higher order (qudratic) intensity dependence on the excitation light when the focal region is not too deep inside the scattering sample.
A Coupled Diffusion Synthetic Acceleration for Binary Stochastic Mixture Transport Iterations

- The standard model for transport through binary stochastic media involves two coupled transport equations. Previous research has shown that several types of source iterations applied to the solution of these equations can converge arbitrarily slowly when one or both of the materials is optically thick and diffusive. In this work, we derive, analyze, and implement an acceleration scheme for binary stochastic mixture transport iterations. The equations are derived using the modified four-step method and take the form of discretized coupled diffusion equations. A Fourier analysis indicates that for a wide variety of physical problems and spatial mesh sizes, the scheme is rapidly convergent. Spectral radii measured during these accelerated iterations compare very well with Fourier analysis predictions.
Room 432, Bed 1.

Four are gathered in close proximityRealizing their lives will not reach infinity.A solemn tone with words unspokenEyes trained downward and hearts now broken.The social worker arrives to witness t...
Diagnosis and Molecular Classification of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a complex disease composed of diverse histological and molecular types with clinical relevance. The advent of large-scale molecular profiling has been helpful to identify novel molecular targets that can be applied to the treatment of particular lung cancer patients and has helped to reshape the pathological classification of lung cancer. Novel directions include the immunotherapy revolution, which has opened the door for new opportunities for cancer therapy and is also redefining the classification of multiple tumors, including lung cancer. In the present chapter, we will review the main current basis of the pathological diagnosis and classification of lung cancer incorporating the histopathological and molecular dimensions of the disease.
Revaluing marital immigrants: educated professionalism and precariousness among Chinese spouses in Taiwan

ABSTRACTDominant discourses of immigrant value in Taiwan and across Asia distinguish marital immigrants from desirable professional immigrants who are assumed to contribute their talents and economic productivity to their new home. This article examines national anxieties about the compromised value of marital immigrants and it illustrates the strategies adopted by immigrant spouses as they carve out new means of producing value through productive and reproductive labors. Focusing on mainland Chinese spouses in Taiwan, the article argues that contested political relations between Taiwan and China foster immigration policies that construct Chinese marital immigrants as familial dependents whose material desires and suspect political commitments are held in check by their identification with reproductive and care labors. The article asks how this complex devaluation system affects the life strategies of comparatively elite marital immigrants, Chinese women and men with postsecondary degrees and former profe...
The Impact of Stencil Printing Upon Assembly & Reliability Of 0.3mm Pitch CSP Components

Abstract With the continual shrinking of electronic assembly form factors, designers are being forced towards smaller, more complex components with decreasing interconnection pitches. As a consequence, the Surface Mount assembly process is becoming increasingly challenged. For the stencil printing process, this means that historically accepted stencil aperture area ratio design rules, (which dictate what can or cannot be printed), need to be significantly pushed to extend the printing process for next generation ultra -fine pitch components. As a result, a major study has been undertaken looking at several different aspects of the stencil printing process, and their impact upon the assembly and reliability of 0.3mm pitch CSP components. In a preliminary test, stencil printing factors such as stencil aperture size and printing technology (standard squeegees vs ultrasonically aided active squeegees) were investigated. Data showed that the active squeegees provided a significantly larger process window. Subs...
Dynamic phenotypes of degenerative myxomatous mitral valve disease: quantitative 3-dimensional echocardiographic study.

Background— Fibro-elastic deficiency (FED) and diffuse myxomatous degeneration (DMD) are phenotypes of degenerative mitral valve disease defined morphologically. Whether physiological differences in annular and valvular dynamics exist between these phenotypes remains unknown. Methods and Results— We performed triple quantitation of cardiac remodeling and of mitral regurgitation severity and of annular and valvular dimensions by real-time 3-dimensional-transesophageal-echocardiography. Forty-nine patients with degenerative mitral valve disease classified as FED (n=31) and DMD (n=18) by surgical observation showed no difference in age (65±10 versus 59±13; P =0.5), body surface area (2.0±0.2 versus 2.0±0.2 m2; P =0.5), left ventricular and atrial dimensions (all P >0.55), and mitral regurgitation regurgitant orifice ( P =0.62). On average, annular dimensions were larger in DMD versus FED, but height was similar resulting in lower saddle shape. Dynamically, annular DMD versus FED display poorer contraction and saddle-shape accentuation in early systole and abnormal enlargement, particularly intercommissural, in late-systole (all P <0.05). Valvular dynamics showed stable valvular area in systole in FED versus considerable systolic increased area in DMD ( P <0.001). Prolapse height and volume increased little throughout systole in FED versus marked increase in DMD ( P <0.001). Conclusions— Our novel observations show that FED and DMD, although both labeled myxomatous, display considerable physiological phenotypic differences. In DMD, the annular increased size and profoundly abnormal dynamics demonstrate DMD-specific annular degeneration compared with the enlarged but relatively normal FED annulus. DMD does not incur more severe mitral regurgitation, despite larger prolapse and valve redundancy, underscoring potential compensatory role of tissue redundancy of DMD (or aggravating role of tissue paucity of FED) on mitral regurgitation severity.
Introduction: Romanticism and Its Discontents

“Whoever wants something infinite doesn’t know what he wants. But this sentence can’t be reversed.” —F. SchlegelPerhaps for good reason and to the relief of our readers, not one of the essays in th...
International students’ transition from pathway program to mainstream university: insights and challenges

This paper is one facet of a larger research project focusing on a case study of an Australian pathway program and involving both student and teacher respondents. The first exposure to higher education (HE) is a particularly vulnerable time for many international students as they cope with challenges on multiple fronts, including their acculturation into a new academic environment. Despite prolific literature on international postgraduate students, it is this formative undergraduate stage of their academic development that has been least studied, especially within the context of a pathway program. Based on focus groups of international students who have successfully completed such a program and are now undertaking a mainstream university degree program, some comparisons are between these two educational frameworks, especially in relation to how successfully this transition is made. Key concerns raised by the students include the mismatch between the pedagogical approach operating within the pathway program and that at mainstream university, the latter proving much more challenging and demanding, and the perennial difficulties with English language proficiency at an academic level, especially the impact on students? assignments. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
Modelling of NSTX hot vertical displacement events using M3D-C1

The main results of an intense vertical displacement event (VDE) modelling activity using the implicit 3D extended MHD code M3D-C1 are presented. A pair of nonlinear 3D simulations are performed using realistic transport coefficients based on the reconstruction of a so-called NSTX frozen VDE where the feedback control was purposely switched off to trigger a vertical instability. The vertical drift phase is solved assuming axisymmetry until the plasma contacts the first wall, at which point the intricate evolution of the plasma, decaying to large extent in force-balance with induced halo/wall currents, is carefully resolved via 3D nonlinear simulations. The faster 2D nonlinear runs allow to assess the sensitivity of the simulations to parameter changes. In the limit of perfectly conducting wall, the expected linear relation between vertical growth rate and wall resistivity is recovered. For intermediate wall resistivities, the halo region contributes to slowing the plasma down, and the characteristic VDE t...
Multiple Defects Cause Degradation After High Field Stress in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

Gate and drain bias dependences of hot carrier degradation are evaluated for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs fabricated via two different process methods. Both positive and negative threshold voltage $V_{\mathbf{th}}$ shifts are observed for each device type, depending on the mode and duration of the stress, indicating the presence of significant densities of donor-like and acceptor-like traps. Worst-case stress bias for transconductance degradation is the “ON” state for both device types. We find that transconductance degradation provides a more effective parameter to monitor defect buildup than $V_{\mathbf{th}}$ shifts, and that a single worst-case stressing bias condition cannot be defined for all varieties of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Low-frequency noise measurements versus temperature assist the identification of defects responsible for the observed degradation. Defect dehydrogenation and oxygen impurity centers are found to be particularly significant to the response of these devices.
Varieties of scientific explanation

Scientific explanations often take one of two forms. The first is instantiation. According to this form, an event is said to be explained when it can be expressed as some particular value of a variable in a general proposition, equation, or law. One example of instantiation in psychology is Stevens’ psychophysical law. Another is the matching law in the experimental analysis of behavior. A second form of explanation is a deduction from a covering law. According to this form, an event is said to be explained when its description follows as a valid logical deduction in an argument that has a covering law as one premise and a statement of antecedent conditions as another premise. Examples of covering law explanations in psychology are found in traditional neobehaviorism, which sought to develop laws of behavior so that observed behavioral events could be explained as deductions therefrom. Strictly speaking, neither form of explanation is consistent with behavior-analytic explanations derived from Skinner’s radical behaviorism, which emphasize the pragmatic sources and contributions of the verbal behavior regarded as explanatory.
Semaglutide once-weekly: improved efficacy with a new safety warning

Introduction: Semaglutide once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) injection has been approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabet...
The Impact of Integrating Physical Health into a Brief CBT Approach for Medically Ill Veterans.

The current study explored the use and preliminary outcomes of physical health treatment elements integrated into a traditional brief cognitive behavioral therapy (bCBT) approach for medically ill veterans with depression and/or anxiety. Data were collected as part of a pragmatic randomized trial examining patient outcomes of bCBT versus an enhanced usual care condition. bCBT was delivered to participants by Veterans Health Administration (VA) mental health providers in the primary care setting. Using a skill-based approach, providers and participants selected modules from a list of intervention strategies. Modules included Taking Control of Your Physical Health, Using Thoughts to Improve Wellness, Increasing Pleasant Activities, and Learning How to Relax. Skill module use and impact on treatment completion and clinical outcomes were explored for participants randomized to bCBT who received at least one skill module (n = 127). Utilization data showed that participants and providers most commonly selected the physical health module for the first skill session. Receiving the “physical health” and “thoughts” modules earlier in treatment were associated with a higher likelihood of treatment completion (defined as four or more sessions). Preliminary outcome data suggest that the physical health skill module was equally effective or superior to other bCBT skill modules. Results suggest that incorporating physical health elements with a bCBT approach hold the potential to positively impact treatment engagement/completion and may result in improved outcomes for medically ill patient populations.
Stress overload and the new nightmare for Dreamers.

To determine if, following threats to DACA policies, Dreamer college students experienced greater stress overload, more symptoms, and worse grades than their classmates. Participants: Students (n =...
Design and Characterization of a Modular Hybrid Continuum Robotic Manipulator

We present a new design of a multi-DOF modular soft/rigid hybrid robotic manipulator that includes integrated electronics and is composed of several modules which each provide 1–2 degrees of freedom of motion. To control the robot, we present a new variant of the piece-wise constant curvature model made possible due to the geometry of the robot. Embedded inertial measurement units and pressure sensors are the sole sensors used in conjunction with the robot model to determine its kinematics. With the model, the soft robot can be controlled using traditional forward and inverse kinematics. Thus, its sensing and control are relatively simple compared to other soft robots. Additionally, it has a higher payload than other soft robot arms. We present models for each of the robotic joint modules created, as well as a new model for a bellows actuator based on its mechanics. With these models, we perform calculations about the stiffness of each module, and we compare these to experimental data on the modules and entire robot. The modeling introduced in this article had errors of less than 5%, and the robot arm achieved positioning accuracy of less than 1 cm.
Does Private Equity Ownership Make Firms Cleaner? The Role Of Environmental Liability Risks

This paper studies how Private Equity (PE) firms affect firms' environmental outcomes in the oil and gas industry. On average PE ownership leads to a 70% reduction in the use of toxic chemicals and a 50% reduction in satellite-based measures of CO2 emissions. However, this average effect hides significant heterogeneities. PE-backed firms increase pollution in locations and periods where environmental liability risk is low, as shown by a novel natural experiment that reduced these risks for projects located on federal and Native American territories. Overall, high-powered incentives to maximize shareholder value may benefit environmental outcomes when the risk of environmental regulation is high.
Prompt-gamma activation analysis and applications in industry, environment and medicine

Neutron capture reactions are in use for chemical analysis at nearly every research reactor. The (n, γ) reaction involves simple physics and penetrating radiations, and for that reason is free of systematic errors common to analytical methods which rely on dissolving the sample. A number of elements not easily determined by conventional neutron activation analysis can be measured through the gamma rays emitted promptly on neutron capture. New applications are being found, especially with recent advances in instrumentation and neutron beam shaping.
Evaluation of the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) system in the detection of mastitis pathogens from bovine milk samples

Abstract MALDI-TOF is a chemistry analytical tool that has recently been deployed in the identification of microorganisms isolated from nosocomial environments. Its use in diagnostics has been extremely advantageous in terms of cost effectiveness, sample preparation easiness, turn-around time and result analysis accessibility. In the dairy industry, where mastitis causes great financial losses, a rapid diagnostic method such as MALDI-TOF could assist in the control and prevention program of mastitis, in addition to the sanitation and safety level of the dairy farms and processing facility. However, the diagnostic strengths and limitations of this test method require further understanding. In the present study, we prospectively compared MALDI-TOF MS to conventional 16S rDNA sequencing method for the identification of pathogens recovered from milk associated with clinical and subclinical bovine mastitis cases. Initially, 810 bacterial isolates were collected from raw milk samples over a period of three months. However, only the isolates (481) having both 16S rDNA sequencing and MALDI-TOF identification were included in the final phase of the study. Among the 481 milk isolates, a total of 26 genera (12 g-postive and 14 g-negative), including 71 different species, were taxonomically charecterized by 16S rDNA at the species level. Comparatively, MALDI-TOF identified 17 genera (9 g-positive and 8 g-negative) and 33 differernt species. Overall, 445 (93%) were putatively identified to the genus level by MALDI-TOF MS and 355 (74%) were identified to the species level, but no reliable identification was obtained for 16 (3.3%), and 20 (4.2%) discordant results were identified. Future studies may help to overcome the limitations of the MALDI database and additional sample preparation steps might help to reduce the number of discordances in identification. In conclusion, our results show that MALDI-TOF MS is a fast and reliable technique which has the potential to replace conventional identification methods for common mastitis pathogens, routinely isolated from raw milk. Thus it's adoption will strengthen the capacity, quality, and possibly the scope of diagnostic services to support the dairy industry.
Proximal Row Carpectomy in Young Patients.

Background There continues to be controversy regarding the treatment of early-stage arthritis of the wrist, particularly in young patients, because of the large number of techniques, the poor long-term results for many of these techniques, and the overall paucity of high-level scientific data. Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) and 4-corner arthrodesis (4CA) have been established as the mainstay motion-sparing surgical treatment options in cases of early scapholunate advanced collapse and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse arthritis. However, there is marked controversy surrounding the best treatment option for younger patients with greater physical demands because of the questionable outcomes associated with these motion-sparing options in such patients1-9. Traditionally, many surgeons prefer 4CA over PRC for young, high-demand patients, in part because studies have suggested that young age and work status as a laborer are important risk factors for worse outcomes following PRC1,8. However, the concern for symptomatic nonunion and potential for radiolunate arthritis in 4CA, as well as the lack of medium to long-term comparative studies in this subset, make this recommendation controversial10. Description The wrist is accessed via the dorsal approach, creating a retinacular flap and a radially based ligament-sparing capsulotomy. The scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum are then excised en bloc. The radioscapholunate ligament is protected. The capsule and retinaculum and then repaired. Alternatives Alternatives to PRC include nonoperative treatment, 4CA, capitolunate arthrodesis, posterior and anterior interosseous neurectomies, total wrist arthroplasty, and total wrist arthrodesis. Rationale A recent study by Wagner et al. compared patients <45 years old who underwent either PRC or 4CA11. Overall, PRC and 4CA had similar complication rates, postoperative pain levels, wrist function, and long-term outcomes free of conversion to arthrodesis. Patients who underwent PRC had improved motion and fewer complications, whereas patients who underwent 4CA had slightly lower rates of radiocarpal arthritis. Therefore, in this technique article, we describe PRC for wrist arthritis in patients <45 years old.
Street Light Outages, Public Safety and Crime Attraction

For more than one hundred years, street lighting has been one of the most ubiquitous capital investments in public safety. Prior research on street lighting is largely limited to ecological studies of very small geographic areas, creating substantial challenges with respect to both causal identification and statistical power. We address limitations of the prior literature by studying a natural experiment created by short-term disruptions to municipal street lighting. We leverage a natural experiment created by the differential timing of the repair of nearly 300,000 street light outages in Chicago. By conditioning on street segment fixed effects and focusing on a short window of time around the repair of a street light outage, we can credibly rule out confounding factors due to area-specific time trends as well as street segment-level correlates of crime. We find that outdoor nighttime crimes change very little on street segments affected by street light outages, but that outages cause crime to spill over to nearby street segments. Effects are largest for robberies and motor vehicle theft. Despite strong environmental and social characteristics that tend to tie crime to place, we observe that street light outages are sufficiently salient to disrupt longstanding patterns. While the impact of localized street light outages can reverberate throughout a community, the findings imply that improvements in lighting can be defeated by the displacement of crime to adjacent spaces and therefore do not necessarily suggest that localized investments in municipal street lighting will yield a large public safety dividend.
Characteristics and Precipitating Circumstances of Suicide Among Children Aged 5 to 11 Years in the United States, 2013-2017.

Importance Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 11 years, with rates increasing during the past decade. A better understanding of factors associated with childhood suicide can inform developmentally appropriate prevention strategies. Objective To examine characteristics and precipitating circumstances of childhood suicide. Design, Setting, and Participants This qualitative study examined restricted-use data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) regarding child suicide decedents aged 5 to 11 years in the US from 2013 to 2017. The NVDRS is a state-based surveillance system that collects data on suicide and violent deaths in 50 states, with restricted-use data available from 37 states. Details and context related to suicide deaths were identified through a content analysis of case narratives from coroner or medical examiner and law enforcement reports associated with each incident. Exposures Characteristics and precipitating circumstances associated with suicide cited in the coroner, medical examiner, and law enforcement case narratives. Main Outcomes and Measures Suicide incidence and risk factors for suicide including mental health, prior suicidal behavior, trauma, and peer, school, or family-related problems. Results Analyses included 134 child decedents (101 [75.4%] males; 79 [59.0%] White individuals; 109 [81.3%] non-Hispanic individuals; mean [SD] age, 10.6 [0.8] years). Most suicides occurred in the child’s home (95.5% [n = 128]), and more specifically in the child’s bedroom. Suicide by hanging or suffocation (78.4% [n = 105]) was the most frequent method, followed by firearms (18.7% [n = 25]). Details on gun access were noted in 88.0% (n = 22) of suicides by firearm, and in every case, the child obtained a firearm stored unsafely in the home. Findings revealed childhood suicide was associated with numerous risk factors accumulated over time, and suggest a progression toward suicidal behavior, especially for youth with a history of psychopathology and suicidal behavior. An argument between the child and a family member and/or disciplinary action was often a precipitating circumstance of the suicide. Conclusions and Relevance This qualitative study found that childhood suicide was associated with multiple risk factors and commonly preceded by a negative precipitating event. Potential prevention strategies include improvements in suicide risk assessment, family relations, and lethal means restriction, particularly safe firearm storage. Future research examining the myriad aspects of childhood suicide, including racial/ethnic and sex differences, is needed.
Alternative Trade Organizations: An Emerging Distribution System for Less Developed Countries

Alternative trade, fair trade, and cooperative trade are all terms for an exchange of goods based on principles of economic justice, especially for the poor and powerless in the less developed countries. Numerous organizations, called alternative trade organizations, import farm products and handicrafts from these Third World nations and market them in the (over) developed countries.
Complete Preemption and the Separation of Powers

This is a short response, published in Pennumbra (the online companion to the University of Pennsylvania Law Review), to Gil Seinfeld's recent article, "The Puzzle of Complete Preemption." I first sound some notes of agreement with Professor Seinfeld's critique of the Supreme Court's complete preemption doctrine. I then turn to his proposed reshaping of the doctrine around the interest in federal legal uniformity. Although certainly more satisfying than the Court's account, Professor Seinfeld's refashioning of the doctrine raises a number of new difficulties. In particular, it invites the federal courts to engage in a range of line-drawing exercises to which they may not be especially well suited. I conclude by suggesting that the difficulties raised by Professor Seinfeld's refashioning support the view that complete preemption should depend on congressional intent, not judicial invention.
Comparison of reverse transcription-PCR with tissue culture and other rapid diagnostic assays for detection of type A influenza virus.

We applied a reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay for influenza A virus to combined nasal wash-throat swab specimens previously obtained from an outpatient pediatric population with acute respiratory illness during concurrent epidemics of influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus. The results of the RT-PCR assay were compared with those previously reported with virus cultivation and commercially available rapid diagnostic kits (E.A. Dominguez, L.H. Taber, and R.B. Couch, J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:2286-2290, 1993). With virus cultivation as the "gold standard", the RT-PCR assay had a sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency of 95, 98, and 97%, respectively, compared with 75, 100, and 93%, respectively, for the best diagnostic kit (Becton Dickinson Directigen). RT-PCR is an effective alternative to virus isolation for the detection of influenza A virus in clinical specimens.
Guest editors' introduction: Teaching evaluation by doing it: A multiple-utility approach

Abstract This paper maps a two-semester graduate course in planning, statistics, and research. The course utilizes program evaluation as the unifying theme to present statistics and planning. The course requires, as its core assignment, student teams to perform extramural evaluative research projects.
Gender as a moderator between having an anxiety disorder diagnosis and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) outcomes in rural patients.

Purpose: This paper examines gender as a moderating variable between having an anxiety disorder diagnosis and coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) outcomes in rural patients. Methods: Using the 2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, 17,885 discharge records of patients who underwent a primary CABG surgery were identified. Independent variables included age, gender, race, median household income based on patient's ZIP code, primary expected payer, the Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol Comorbidity Index, and an anxiety comorbidity diagnosis. Outcome variables included in-hospital length of stay and patient disposition (routine and nonroutine discharge). A 2 × 2 analysis of variance and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the interaction between gender and an anxiety disorder diagnosis on in-hospital length of stay and patient disposition. Findings: Twenty-seven percent of rural patients undergoing a CABG operation had a comorbid anxiety diagnosis. Rural patients who had nonroutine discharge were more likely to have comorbid anxiety diagnosis compared to rural patients who had a routine discharge. There was a significant interaction effect between having an anxiety diagnosis and gender on length of hospital stay but not for patient disposition. Conclusions: Three findings were noteworthy. First, anxiety disorder is prevalent in rural patients who are undergoing a CABG operation. Second, anxiety was a significant independent predictor of both length of hospital stay and nonroutine discharge for patients receiving CABG surgery. Last, having an anxiety disorder diagnosis increased hospital stay for both males and females; however, females seemed to be impacted more than males.
The Emergence of Hayek's Ideas on Cultural Evolution

F. A. Hayek's writings on cultural evolution are an essential part of his work, and some aspects of these writings (e.g., his defense of group selection) have generated considerable controversy. This historical paper traces the circumstances that led Hayek to introduce cultural evolution and related ideas into his work.
Hemodialysis Coil-induced Transient Neutropenia and Overshoot Neutrophilia in Normal Man

Profound transient neutropenia, followed by an overshoot of the neutrophil (N) count to an average of 2.5 ± 1.0 (mean ± 1 SD) times higher than average control N count, has been induced in seven normal subjects by reinfusion of heparinized blood that had been stagnated in a hemodialysis coil for 15 min. This was similar to the neutropenia-neutrophilia cycle occurring shortly after the initiation of hemodialysis in uremic patients. At the time of neutropenia, profound monocytopenia was also observed, but only a slight drop in lymphocyte count occurred. Neither monocytes nor lymphocytes subsequently recovered to higher than control values. A DF32P standard N survival procedure, performed in one subject with Hodgkin’s disease in complete unmaintained remission, showed that a large number of unlabeled N appeared during the overshoot, suggesting their marrow origin. Although in two of three attempts neutropenia was produced by reinfusion of blood through the coil without stagnation, no significant overshoot of N count following neutropenia occurred without the stagnation step. Simple phlebotomy and reinfusion of blood without the coil had no effect on the N count. This model may prove useful in studying the possible immediate regulation of the N count by marrow release of N and marrow N reserves in various patients.
Exploring the Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of UV Attenuation and CDOM in the Surface Ocean Using New Algorithms

Abstract : Our long-term objective is to develop a classification for the global ocean based on surface CDOM dynamics that identify regions by variability patterns and the ability to forecast CDOM variations with a known uncertainty. The central objective of this project is to apply and refine newly developed ocean color algorithms in the examination of the variability and predictability of UV optical properties in the ocean. This includes the following supporting activities: (1) gather, correlate, and provide QA/QC for existing long-term satellite and in situ data for use in evaluation of CDOM optics on a global scale (absorbance and UV attenuation spectra), (2) quantify and categorize the variability of global oceanic CDOM parameters (high or low, seasonal or random, existence of long-term trends) (3) provide statistical confidence for models forecasting CDOM optics, (4) examine distinct oceanic regimes for the fundamental causality for CDOM variability.
Jim Cummins, Kristin Brown, and Dennis Sayers, Literacy, technology, and diversity: teaching success in changing times

Cummins, Brown, and Sayers (2006), the authors of Literacy, Technology, and Diversity: Teaching for Success in Changing Times, have written an excellent critique of the research conducted by the National Reading Panel (NRP) that forms the foundation for the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in terms of literacy development. The authors contrast the findings of the NRP study with a comprehensive literature review of longitudinal research data from both domestic and international reading studies. Using the findings from this comprehensive literature review related to reading development, the authors illustrate issues resulting from the implementation of the NCLB, especially in terms of schools serving low income and minority students. Cummins, Brown, and Sayers conclude the book with recommendations for pedagogical approaches, assessment techniques, and technology-supported instructional strategies that better align with current theory related to how people learn and that support the needs of the diverse student populations teachers are now engaged with in the U.S. The comprehensive, longitudinal research data summarized by the authors demonstrates that U.S. students perform well in early elementary grades in terms of conversational fluency and decoding skills, but their performance drops off in higher grades where stronger reading comprehension skills of academic, complex prose is needed (p. 13, 52). Yet, the NCLB is focused ‘‘on implementing ‘scientifically proven’ approaches to initial reading instruction (thereby providing a solution to a nonexistent problem), while largely ignoring the real problems that many adolescents face in more advanced forms of reading comprehension’’ (p. 13). The authors also argue that
Chromogranin A predicts survival for resected pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Abstract Background Currently, no serological prognostic marker exists for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). Previous studies have suggested potential for chromogranin A (CgA); however, the prognostic capability of CgA remains controversial. Our purpose was to explore preoperative CgA levels in predicting outcomes in patients with resected pNETs. Materials and methods Patients with preoperative CgA levels who underwent resection of a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor between July 2002 and May 2013 were identified from a prospective database. An elevated preoperative CgA was defined as a CgA laboratory value above the normal limit of the assay. All patients had pathologically confirmed primary pancreatic tumors. Outcomes were compared between elevated and normal CgA groups. Results A total of 38 patients were identified that met inclusion criteria. Of these, 45% were male, and the median age was 57 y (range, 17–81 y). All underwent resection with curative intent. Elevated preoperative CgA was present in 16 patients (42%). There were no differences in node positivity or margin status between the normal CgA and elevated CgA groups on univariate analysis. However, tumor size and grade were significantly different between the two groups. Both disease-free survival (DFS; P = 0.006) and overall survival ( P = 0.017) were negatively impacted by an elevated preoperative CgA (median follow-up; 40 mo). Conclusions In patients with resected pNETs, an elevated preoperative CgA level was negatively associated with DFS and OS and was the only independent predictor of DFS. These results indicate that preoperative CgA may be a clinically useful prognostic marker for patients undergoing pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor resection.
The Plasma Membrane of Arabidopsis thaliana Contains a Mercury-Insensitive Aquaporin That Is a Homolog of the Tonoplast Water Channel Protein TIP

Plant cells contain proteins that are members of the major intrinsic protein (MIP) family, an ancient family of membrane channel proteins characterized by six membrane-spanning domains and two asparagine-proline-alanine (NPA) amino acid motifs in the two halves of the protein. We recently demonstrated that [gamma]-TIP, one of the MIP homologs found in the vacuolar membrane of plant cells, is an aquaporin or water channel protein (C. Maurel, J. Reizer, J.I. Schroeder, M.J. Chrispeels [1993] EMBO J 12: 2241–2247). RD28, another MIP homolog in Arabidopsis thaliana, was first identified as being encoded by a turgor-responsive transcript. To find out if RD28 is a water channel protein, rd28 cRNA was injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes. Expression of RD28 caused a 10- to 15-fold increase in the osmotic water permeability of the oocytes, indicating that the protein creates water channels in the plasma membrane of the oocytes and is an aquaporin just like its homolog [gamma]-TIP. Although RD28 has several cysteine residues, its activity is not inhibited by mercury, and in this respect it differs from [gamma]-TIP and all but one of the mammalian water channels that have been described. Introduction of a cysteine residue next to the second conserved NPA motif creates a mercury-sensitive water channel, suggesting that this conserved loop is critical to the activity of the protein. Antibodies directed at the C terminus of RD28 were used in combination with a two-phase partitioning method to demonstrate that RD28 is located in the plasma membrane. The protein is present in leaves and roots of well-watered plants, suggesting that its presence in plants does not require a specific desiccation regime. These results demonstrate that plant cells contain constitutively expressed aquaporins in their plasma membranes (RD28), as well as in their tonoplasts ([gamma]-TIP).
Generalized Hückel-Möbius rule

Abstract Within the framework of the simple Huckel molecular orbital model we present a “topological” generalization of the standard Huckel-Mobius rule concerning cycles of sizes 4 and 4 n + 2. This generalization says that the number of non-bonding orbitals as well as the balance between bonding and anti-bonding orbitals is preserved under a prescribed two-site “reductive” structural transformation, which for the special case of a single cycle (annulene) reduces in essence to the conventional Huckel-Mobius rule.
Steroid Hormone Signaling between Schwann Cells and Neurons Regulates the Rate of Myelin Synthesis

Fluorescence digital imaging microscopy was used to develop a method that allows the continuous monitoring and quantitative measurement of a single myelin internode throughout its development. Using this technique, steroid hormones such as progesterone and dexamethasone were shown to reduce the time required for the initiation and to regulate the rate of myelin synthesis. Progesterone was capable of increasing the rate of myelin synthesis in Schwann cell/neuronal co-cultures in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR and in situ hydridization studies revealed that the mRNAs for P450scc and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, the enzymes involved in progesterone biosynthesis, were induced at the onset of myelin synthesis. The progesterone receptor protein translocated into the nucleus of the neurons during myelin synthesis, suggesting that progesterone could also be affecting neuronal gene expression. Changes in gene expression caused by progesterone are being examined to identify additional factors that may control myelin formation.