cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social policy instruments and the compliance environment

Abstract Two types of social policy instruments — making group behavior public to the individual and making individual behavior public to the group — are used by charities to encourage giving and by policymakers to incentivize other prosocial behaviors. However, models of social norms suggest that the effects of such interventions are theoretically ambiguous and may even backfire in low-compliance environments. We examine these questions in the context of a public good game. Exploiting a unique experimental design, we show that initial contributors' giving decisions are sensitive to the behavior of the group while initial non-contributors' decisions are not. In contrast, making own behavior public to the group increases contributions for all group types, even those comprised entirely of initial non-contributors. These findings suggest that publicizing contributions causes individuals to respond to a common understanding of prosocial behavior that is not defined solely by the initial group norm.
Boston Keratoprosthesis-Associated Infections: Prevention and Therapeutics

For the four to eight million persons who are blind from corneal disease worldwide (Smith and Taylor, Refract Corneal Surg 7:436–439, 1999; Global Data on Visual Impairments. 2010 World Health Organization; WHO/NMH/PBD/12.01. Available from URL: http://www.who.int/blindness/GLOBALDATAFINALforweb.pdf; Burton and Mabey, PloS Negl Trop Dis 3:e460, 2009; Gilbert and Muhit, Community Eye Health J 21:46–47, 2008; Silva et al., Acta Ophthalmol Scand 84:396–400, 2006), and who cannot be helped by standard corneal transplantation (Garg et al., Eye 19:1106–1114, 2005), an artificial cornea is an obvious concept (Pellier de Quengsy G. Precis ou cours d’operations sur la chirurgie des yeux. Paris: Didot; 1789.), yet only a small number of devices have been implanted over its history prior to 1990 (Mannis MJ, Dohlman CH. The artificial cornea: a brief history. In: Mannis MJ, Mannis AA, editors. Corneal transplantation: a history in profiles, Hirschberg history of ophthalmology, vol. 6. Oostende: JP Wayenborgh; 1999. p. 321–335; Dohlman et al., Am J Ophthalmol 77:694–700, 1974; Cardona and DeVoe, Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol 83:271–80, 1977; Barnham and Roper-Hall, Br J Ophthalmol 67:468–74, 1983). The reason for this slow progress has been primarily due to the risk of infection (Mannis MJ, Dohlman CH. The artificial cornea: a brief history. In: Mannis MJ, Mannis AA, editors. Corneal transplantation: a history in profiles, Hirschberg history of ophthalmology, vol. 6. Oostende, Belgium: JP Wayenborgh; 1999. p. 321–335; Dohlman et al., Am J Ophthalmol 77:694–700, 1974; Cardona and DeVoe, Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol 83:271–80, 1977; Barnham and Roper-Hall, Br J Ophthalmol 67:468–74, 1983; Dohlman and Doane, Cornea 13:214–8, 1994; Alvarez de Toledo et al., An Inst Barraquer 28:95–100, 1999; Falcinelli et al., Arch Ophthalmol 123:1319–29, 2005).
Reciprocal regulation and integration of signaling by intracellular calcium and cyclic GMP.

Calcium and guanosine-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) are second messenger molecules that regulate opposing physiological functions, reflected in the reciprocal regulation of their intracellular concentrations, in many systems. Indeed, cGMP and Ca2+ constitute discrete points of integration between multiple cell signaling cascades in both convergent and parallel pathways. This chapter describes the molecular mechanisms regulating intracellular Ca2+ and cGMP, and their integration in specific cellular responses.
Phylogenetic Emergence and Molecular Evolution of the Immunoglobulin Family

Publisher Summary The combinatorial immune system defined by the presence of antigen specific recognition units from the immunoglobulin family, the genetic machinery necessary for recombination, and cells of the lymphoid series expressing these receptors is fully functional from the earliest extant gnathostomes to mammals; however, the definitive evidence for genes specifying immunoglobulins, T-cell receptors (TCR), or recombination activating genes has not been documented for more primitive agnathan vertebrates, lower deuterostomes, or protostome, or acoelomate invertebrates. This chapter focuses on the appearance and molecular evolution of antibodies and T-cell receptors (TCR), which are the antigen-specific recognition elements of the combinatorial immune system. The combinatorial immune system of jawed vertebrates arose as an evolutionary big bang that involves the generation and duplication of V and C domains from an unknown precursor, and also involves the incorporation of joining segment genes, recombination signal sequences, and transmnembrane/cytoplasmic segments. The most recent major step in the evolution of immune system was the emergence in mammals of germinal centers within the lymph nodes, correlating with the IgM to IgG switch and affinity maturation following from somatic mutation and antigenic selection. The distinct heavy chain isotypes, such as IgY of chickens, reptiles, and amphibians and IgW of sharks have also arisen through gene duplication in evolution, and these may show distant relationships to mammalian immunoglobulins, such as IgD and IgE.
Effect of Promoter Methylation on the Regulation of IFN-γ Gene During In Vitro Differentiation of Human Peripheral Blood T Cells into a Th2 Population

The carefully orchestrated events that result in a protective immune response are coordinated to a large extent by cytokines produced by Th1 and Th2 cell subsets. Th1 cells preferentially produce IL-2 and IFN-gamma, resulting in a cellular response that helps to eliminate infected cells. In contrast, Th2 cells produce IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10, stimulating an Ab response that attacks extracellular pathogens, thereby preventing the cells from becoming infected. To elucidate the mechanisms of differential regulation of cytokine genes by these two different subsets of T cells, we established an in vitro differentiation model of freshly isolated human peripheral blood T cells in which IFN-gamma was used as an index gene to study the transcriptional regulation. The data presented here demonstrate that the IFN-gamma promoter undergoes differential methylation during in vitro differentiation: the promoter becomes hypermethylated in Th2 cells, whereas it is hypomethylated in Th1 cells. Hypermethylation in Th2 cells results in chromatin condensation and exclusion of CREB proteins from the IFN-gamma promoter. Treatment with 5-azacytidine, a demethylating agent, causes Th2 cells to reverse histone condensation and enables CREB recruitment to the hypomethylated promoter. This results in the increased production of IFN-gamma. These data indicate the importance of promoter methylation in the regulation of the IFN-gamma gene during differentiation.
Breast-feeding practices in relation to HIV in India.

The benefits of breast-feeding on infant and child health are both well established and substantial. Breast-feeding provides complete nutrition for the newborn for at least 6 months and can provide a significant proportion of nutritional needs up to 1 year of life. Breast-feeding also confers significant protection against infectious morbidity and mortality from gastrointestinal infections lower respiratory infections and otitis media due to the presence of numerous immunological factors in breast-milk. Breast-feeding is especially important in developing countries where use of replacement foods is not advisable due to poor sanitation unsuitable preparation and prohibitive costs. Recent studies confirm the impact of breast-feeding on morbidity and mortality. A pooled analysis of 6 studies in developing countries revealed that mortality rates were significantly higher in non-breast-fed infants through the first 8 months of life with the greatest protection in disadvantaged populations with lower education. Deaths from diarrhea were 10 times higher in infants who were never breast-fed or where breast-feeding was stopped. With regard to morbidity in resource poor settings risks of both diarrheal and acute respiratory illness are associated with type of infant feeding. Infants who were not breast-fed had a 17-fold increased risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia compared to breast-fed infants. Over the past several decades countries throughout the world have put tremendous effort into promoting breast-feeding within the population. In developing countries during the 1990s (based on 37 countries with trend data) continued improvements were made in exclusive breast-feeding (see definitions below) for the first four months of life with rates increasing from 48% to 52%. Estimates show that amongst infants aged six months or younger in the developing world the prevalence of no breast-feeding was around 5%. The prevalence of continued breast-feeding was 86% and 68% for infants and children aged 6-11 and 12-23 months respectively. (excerpt)
War/rape/porn

This piece is an experiment in a Gaga feminist reaction to the undertone of sex and sexuality in militarism in contemporary global politics. It looks at the sexualization of war/rape/porn, arguing that revealing and considering the grotesque is the only path to denormalize it.
Phase II study of pyrazoloacridine in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma

Purpose: Pyrazoloacridine (PZA) is an acridine derivative selected for clinical development because of broad preclinical antitumor activity and solid tumor selectivity. Phase I evaluations with PZA have demonstrated predictable toxicity and suggested clinical efficacy. A phase II trial in patients with previously untreated advanced colorectal cancer was conducted. Methods: PZA was administered at a dose of 750 mg/m2 intravenously over 3 h every 21 days to patients who received a total of 31 courses of PZA. Results: In 15 patients evaluable for response, no responses were observed (0% response rate, 95% confidence interval 0–22%). Toxicity to PZA consisted of myelosuppression and neurotoxicity that was treatment-limiting in several instances. Conclusion: PZA at this dose and schedule of administration is inactive in patients with colorectal cancer.
Frequency-dependent conductivity of a pinned Wigner crystal

Abstract We have evaluated the frequency-dependent conductivity of the electron crystal state which occurs in two-dimensional systems in a strong magnetic field and studied its dependence on the strength of a commensurate pinning potential. We find that, in contrast to the zero-field case, the pinning frequency is linearly proportional to the strength of the pinning potential and point out that, even in the absence of pinning, poles in the frequency-dependent conductivity do not occur at magnetophonon frequencies. Our calculations are based on a time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation which allows for arbitrarily large anharmonicities in the electron crystal and can be used to justify a “two-fluid” model in which the system consists of a thermally excited gas of interstitial electrons and an essentially classical electron crystal.
Reinforcement of facial prosthetic dental stone molds.

THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 113 The most commonly used molds in the subspecialty of facial prosthetics are made of dental plaster and stone. The molds’ material advantages are that they are economical, time efficient, and easy to fabricate. The disadvantages are wear with repeated use for prosthesis fabrication, they must be thoroughly dry before processing with moisture sensitive facial materials (polyurethane), and they fracture during processing. To help prevent fracture during processing, use ADA Class V Stone, ensure the mold section(s) are 25 to 30 mm thick, hydrate molds before the wax elimination process, and fabricate the geometry of the mold sides to have equal height to help distribute even compressive forces in the hydraulic press. Even with the above precautions, molds still fracture. Once the circumferential integrity of the mold is fractured, the choice is usually to discard the mold. Some authors advocate buying a commercially available hose clamp to provide circumferential binding to maintain the integrity of the mold after fracture.1 An alternative technique is to wrap an autopolymerizing acrylic resin around the fractured mold (Fig. 1). If the potential for mold fracture is great, the following technique is recommended. Thoroughly dry the mold, which will enable the resin to intimately and cohesively adapt to the mold without the water, potentially acting as a separating medium. Mix the autopolymerizing acrylic resin in accordance with the manufacturers’ directions (exclude soaking the cast in water). Wrap the resin around the mold. Press the resin onto the mold’s sides to attain intimate fit. Let the material polymerize for 24 hours then continue processing the facial prosthesis (Fig. 2).
Hierarchical Text Segmentation from Multi-Scale Lexical Cohesion

This paper presents a novel unsupervised method for hierarchical topic segmentation. Lexical cohesion -- the workhorse of unsupervised linear segmentation -- is treated as a multi-scale phenomenon, and formalized in a Bayesian setting. Each word token is modeled as a draw from a pyramid of latent topic models, where the structure of the pyramid is constrained to induce a hierarchical segmentation. Inference takes the form of a coordinate-ascent algorithm, iterating between two steps: a novel dynamic program for obtaining the globally-optimal hierarchical segmentation, and collapsed variational Bayesian inference over the hidden variables. The resulting system is fast and accurate, and compares well against heuristic alternatives.
Application level modeling of parallel machines

In this paper, we consider the application level performance modeling of parallel machines consisting of a large number of processing elements (PE's) connected in some regular structure such as mesh, tree, hypercube, etc. There are K problem types, each arriving according to a Poisson process, and each of which needs a PE substructure of some given size and topology. Thus several problems can run on the machine simultaneously. It is desired to characterize the performance of such a system under various types of allocation schemes.We show that if the queueing is considered external to our model, it is possible to construct a Markovian model with local balance property. The time for which a substructure is held by a problem could be generally distributed. The model can be solved efficiently using standard techniques; however, because of rather complex structure of the state space, its direct enumeration is difficult to avoid. We also show how the size of the state space can be reduced when the set of allowed substructures is highly regular. We then show how queueing delays can be modeled approximately. Finally, we consider the solution of models involving shared resources such as global memory.
Effects of sulphydryl inhibitors on frog sartorius muscle: p‐chloromercuribenzoic acid and p‐chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid

1. Experiments were done on frog sartorius muscles to study the effects and mechanisms of action of the -SH inhibitors, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) and p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid (PCMBS). 2. Both organomercurials produce a depolarization of the surface membrane which is associated with a period of asynchronous twitching and followed by inexcitability. 3. Only PCMB produces a unique fractionation of the electrically evoked twitch into an initial rapid and later slow phase. 4. PCMB and PCMBS increase the rate of 45Ca efflux from whole muscle. Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA, 5 mM) causes only limited antagonism of the enhancement of 45Ca efflux produced by PCMB whereas it completely antagonizes this same effect of PCMBS. EDTA selectively removes superficial calcium without penetrating into the intracellular space. 5. The results suggest that PCMB inhibits -SH groups in the terminal cisternae causing a fractionation of the twitch. PCMBS acts primarily at surface sites with limited access to the cisternae and sarcoplasmic reticulum.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ATYPICAL TERATOID/RHABDOID TUMORS OF INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD

In 1987, a distinctive brain tumor arising in young children was first described. This tumor contained neuroepithelial, peripheral epithelial, and mesenchymal elements, but lacked divergent tissue differentiation characteristic of malignant teratomas. It was originally designated as atypical teratoid tumor, but because of the prominent rhabdoid component, the tumor designation was modified to atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) of infancy and childhood. AT/RTs occur most commonly in infants under 2 years of age, often have central nervous system (CNS) dissemination, do not respond to therapy, and typically are fatal within 1 year. Most are located in the cerebellum (65%), but they may arise at any CNS site. Histologically, various patterns can be present within the same tumor, but they all have a population of rhabdoid cells, and 70% contain fields typical of a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET/medulloblastoma). Less frequently, malignant mesenchymal tissue and/or an epithelial component are fou...
Mars low-latitude neutron distribution: Possible remnant near-surface water ice and a mechanism for its recent emplacement

Abstract The Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray Spectrometer/Neutron Spectrometer/High Energy Neutron Detector has provided measurements of near-surface hydrogen, generally interpreted as resulting from water, in the equatorial and mid-latitudes. Water abundances as great as 10% by mass are inferred. Although such high abundances could be present as adsorbed water in clays or water of hydration of magnesium salts, other measurements suggest that this is not likely. The spatial pattern of where the water is located is not consistent with a dependence on composition, topography, present-day atmospheric water abundance, latitude, or thermophysical properties. The zonal distribution of water shows two maxima and two minima, which is very reminiscent of a distribution that is related to an atmospheric phenomenon. We suggest that the high water abundances could be due to transient ground ice that is present in the top meter of the surface. Ice would be stable at tens-of-centimeters depth at these latitudes if the atmospheric water abundance were more than about several times the present value, much as ice is stable poleward of about ±60° latitude for current water abundances. Higher atmospheric water abundances could have resulted relatively recently, even with the present orbital elements, if the south-polar cap had lost its annual covering of CO 2 ice; this would have exposed an underlying water-ice cap that could supply water to the atmosphere during southern summer. If this hypothesis is correct, then (i) the low-latitude water ice is unstable today and is in the process of sublimating and diffusing back into the atmosphere, and (ii) the current configuration of perennial CO 2 ice being present on the south cap but not on the north cap might not be representative of the present epoch over the last, say, ten thousand years.
BASINS OF ATTRACTION OF THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL "POOR MAN'S NAVIER–STOKES EQUATION"

This research is part of an ongoing effort to construct "synthetic velocity" subgrid-scale (SGS) models using discrete dynamical systems (DDSs) for use in large-eddy simulations of turbulent flows. Here we will outline the derivation of the two-dimensional (2-D) "Poor Man's Navier–Stokes" (PMNS) equation from the 2-D, incompressible Navier–Stokes equation to be used in such models and report results from subsequent numerical investigations. In our results emphasis is placed on the effects of initial conditions on the dynamics of the 2-D PMNS equation, using such modes of investigation as regime maps, basins of attraction diagrams, phase portraits, time series and power spectra. The most important findings of this investigation concern applicable ranges of bifurcation parameters, causes and effects of symmetries seen in solutions of the PMNS equation, and the suitability of the methods of investigation used here.
Improving polyp detection algorithms for CT colonography: Pareto front approach

We investigated a Pareto front approach to improve polyp detection algorithms for CT colonography (CTC). A dataset of 56 CTC colon surfaces with 87 proven positive detections of 53 polyps sized 4-60mm was used to evaluate the performance of a one-step and a two-step curvature-based region growing algorithm. The algorithmic performance was statistically evaluated and compared based on the Pareto optimal solutions from 20 experiments by evolutionary algorithms. The false positive rate was lower (p<0.05) by the two-step algorithm than by the one-step for 63% of all possible operating points. While operating at a suitable sensitivity level such as 90.8% (79/87) or 88.5% (77/87), the false positive rate was reduced by 24.4% (95% confidence intervals 17.9-31.0%) or 45.8% (95% confidence intervals 40.1-51.0%), respectively. We demonstrated that, with a proper experimental design, the Pareto optimization process can effectively help in fine-tuning and redesigning polyp detection algorithms.
Protein carboxymethylase activity in the rat superior cervical ganglion during development and after axonal injury.

Summary The activity of protein car☐ymethylase (PCM), which catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl- l -methionine to car☐yl side chains of proteins to form labile protein-methylesters, was examined in the rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and iris during development. In the ganglion the enzyme activity3.3 ± 0.3 (pmol methanol/ganglion/10 min) at birth, gradually increased reaching adult levels28.3 ± 3, by the 30th postnatal day; an 8-fold increase which parallels the increase in protein content. In the iris, one of the target tissues innervated by ganglion neurons, the activity,3.9 ± 0.09 at birth, increases only about 4-fold during development. The source of PCM activity in the iris is mainly in tissues other than sympathetic terminals, since 10 days after removal of the ganglion, about 85% of the enzyme activity is still present in the ipsilateral iris as compared to contralateral controls. One day after crushing the postganglionic nerve, enzyme activity in the proximal nerve stump increases to 126% of control values suggesting an accumulation due to blockade of axonal transport. PCM activity in SCG does not increase after postganglionic nerve section and there is only a transient increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Because the protein content of the ganglion increases after axonal injury, there appear to be decreases in enzyme concentration relative to protein. The results of this study show that during postnatal development protein car☐ymethylase activity in the superior cervical ganglion gradually increases with growth; that the enzyme is present in neurons of the ganglion and may be transported down their axons; and that changes in the enzyme activity during the reaction to axonal injury are comparable to those of other enzymes important in neuronal function.
Exploring Gender Differences in State Legislators' Policy Preferences

While a great deal of research documents women elected officials’ more liberal policy attitudes and concludes that increased women’s representation will produce more liberal policies, I argue that the influence of gender and ultimately the influence of women’s representation remain unclear. First, constituency demands may explain observed gender differences. Second, the influence of gender may vary among legislators. I find that although constituency interests do have a significant effect, women continue to express significantly more liberal welfare policy preferences than men. In addition, I find that gender differences in legislators’ preferences are greater among Republican and conservative legislators than among Democratic and liberal legislators. Consequently, predicting the impact of increasing women’s representation on policy is likely to be more complex than previously thought.
Methodological difficulties of modeling peer influence

Using data from wave IV of the National Youth Survey, the effect of drug-related peer delinquency on delinquency is modeled as a function of the bond to peers. Due to the complexities of such a test, this article discusses limitations of both the standard linear model and Tobit regression when applied to delinquency data coupled with statistical interactions. Results from a censored least absolute deviations (CLAD) model and why this is a useful alternative to OLS and Tobit are discussed. The results suggest the effect of peers increases with the intensity of bonds to peers. However, encouragement is provided for further investigating peer influence, a process, as opposed to an additive peer effect.
Reciprocal disclosures and language intensity: Attributional consequences

This study examined the personality attributions made of a second speaker when (1) he reciprocated or failed to reciprocate the intimacy level of a disclosure made by an initial speaker and when (2) he matched or failed to match the initial speaker's level of language intensity. Results indicate that a speaker's level of language intensity qualifies to some extent the positive judgments of reciprocated initimacy and the negative judgments of non‐reciprocated intimacy obtained in previous research. Other findings indicate that (1) high intimacy and high intensity result in attributions of high speaker internality and (2) a perceiver's own tendency to disclose affects his or her judgments of high‐ and low‐intimacy messages which vary in language intensity.
Decreased drug binding by serum albumin during renal failure.

Abstract By means of an ultrafiltration technique, the capacity of serum from normal subjects and patients with acute and chronic renal failure to bind the azo-dye o -methyl red under physiological conditions was determined. In 29 patients with chronic renal failure the amount of dye bound was 75.0% (SE ± 1.8) compared to 82.5% (SE ± 3.0) in 5 patients with acute reversible renal failure and 89.9% (SE ± 1.0) in 9 healthy volunteers. To examine whether the observed decrease in binding was purely quantitative and due to a concomitant decrease in serum albumin, or was qualitative and due to decreased binding capacity of the albumin molecule, a Scatchard plot of pooled normal sera was established, and individual patient sera were compared to this. In this way molecular interaction was studied and in 20 of the 29 patients with chronic renal failure a qualitative decrease in binding was demonstrable. This was shown not to be due to retained metabolites.
The association between K + and H + distribution in skeletal muscle: Implication to linked transport

Abstract Data from the literature and results from a mathematical model of steady state fluid-electrolyte balance are used to support the observation that a relationship exists between the concentration gradients of K + and H + in the fluids of skeletal muscle over a range of acid-base disturbances. This relationship is shown to be consistent with the premise that the steady state electrochemical potential gradients for these ions remain constant under these conditions. Using a pump-leak model of ion transport, and the constant electric field assumption, it is also demonstrated that the steady state rates of active transport of K + and H + are related. These results suggest that the relations between both the steady state concentration gradients and the active transport rates for these ions are not necessarily the result of fixed biochemical mechanisms, but may come about simply from coupling through macroscopic thermodynamic processes.
A quantitative study of the relation between molecular structure and adsorption affinity on silicic acid-celite columns

Abstract The development rates of a variety of monofunctional and polyfunctional aromatic compounds dissolved in benzene have been measured on columns of activated silicic acid-Celite under conditions which at least closely approximate equilibrium. From these rates, extrapolated to the linear region of the isotherm, equilibrium constants for the adsorption process (“adsorption affinities”) have been calculated by least squares methods. It is shown that the adsorption affinities of simple polyfunctional compounds can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from individual group adsorption affinities deduced from studies on monofunctional compounds. Quantitative values for the adsorption affinities of some common functional groups in the silicic acid-benzene system are listed.
Stress aware switching activity driven low power design of critical paths in nanoscale CMOS circuits

Recent research on low power circuits make use of dual VT and strained silicon technologies. Low VT assignment on performance critical paths improves performance at the expense of leakage current. Strained silicon devices on the other hand have greater leakage but provide much larger ON current. The increased drive strength can be used to reduce gate sizes. In this work we show that selective use of strained silicon gates in high-activity critical paths reduce overall power due to decreased dynamic power arising from smaller gate sizes, that more than offset increased leakage due to strained silicon gate. Similarly, we find that up-sizing gates in low-activity critical paths reduce total power. Even though up-sized gates dissipate more dynamic power, lower switching activity, coupled with lower leakage compared to low VT devices make this a better choice. An optimization algorithm based on slack distribution between low and high switching activity gates is presented. Simulation results show an overall power benefit of 5.4% while improving performance by 15% even though overall leakage is 1% higher than original circuit.
Amphibian burrows and ephemeral ponds of the Lower Permian Speiser Shale, Kansas: evidence for seasonality in the midcontinent

Abstract Burrows attributed to the lysorophid Brachydectes elongatus occur within a green mudstone lens in the Lower Permian (Wolfcampian) Speiser Shale (Council Grove Group) of eastern Kansas. The burrow-bearing unit consists of a 100 m long lens of massive, calcareous, silty mudstone with a maximum thickness of 35 cm. The lens also contains the fossils of fish, amphibians, reptiles, charophytes (Stomachara), and ostracodes (Carbonita). The mudstone lens pinches out laterally into red, pedogenically modified mudstone. The burrows occur in three layers. At the top of each layer is a subaerial exposure surface indicated by rhizoliths, mudcracks, and coarse-grained lags. The mudstone lens is interpreted as the deposit of a shallow, ephemeral pond. The burrows occur in three vertically and temporally separated clusters with concentrations up to 20/m2. The burrows show two types of architecture. Type I burrows are elongate, elliptical tubes 4–32 cm long and 2–7 cm in width. Type II burrows are short, elliptical tubes 1.5–3.5 cm in length and 2.5–5 cm in width. The burrow fill consists of a mudstone capped by sandy siltstone. Each burrow layer contains a varying number of articulated and disarticulated lysorophid skeletons within the burrows and surrounding matrix. While similar to Permian lungfish burrows, the architecture and surficial morphology of the lysorophid burrows permits their distinction even in the absence of body fossils. The occurrence of burrow layers capped by subaerial exposure surfaces and separated by layers of non-burrowed, massive mudstone indicates that burrowing occurred in response to episodic, perhaps seasonal, droughts on the Permian coastal plain. The lysorophid burrowing behavior is analogous to that of the extant amphibians Amphiuma sp. and Siren intermedia, which inhabit rivers and ponds in the southeastern USA.
Alcohol and tobacco advertising in black and general audience newspapers: targeting with message cues?

This study content analyzed 928 tobacco- and alcohol-related advertisements from a 3-year national sample of Black (n = 24) and general audience (n = 11) newspapers from 24 U.S. cities. The authors compared the frequency of tobacco and alcohol product and control advertising in Black versus general audience newspapers, as well as the presence of 5 message cues: model ethnicity, presence of health official, referral to resources, personal behavior mobilization, and localization. Results within health issues show that Black newspapers had more alcohol product advertising than did general audience newspapers. In contrast, Black newspapers had less alcohol and tobacco control advertising than general audience newspapers. Black newspapers’ tobacco/alcohol product advertisements had more African American models than did general audience newspapers’ tobacco/alcohol advertising, whereas general audience newspapers’ tobacco control advertisements were significantly more likely to feature public health officials th...
Monolithic photonic crystal-based fiber-tip Fabry-Pérot static pressure sensor

We developed a monolithic photonic crystal-based optical fiber-tip static pressure sensor. The single-crystalline silicon, from which the sensor was built, ensures a low-stress membrane free of the buckling that is characteristic of oxide membranes on silicon. The photonic crystals on the membrane improve its reflectance and sharpen the Fabry-Perot resonance peaks. The sensor head fits within an 11 mm × 1.8 mm × 1.8 mm volume and exhibits a sensitivity of 6.76 nm/kPa with excellent linearity up to 3.73 kPa.
Pathophysiology and risk factors of cervical artery dissection: what have we learnt from large hospital-based cohorts?

Purpose of reviewCervical artery dissection (CeAD) is a major cause of ischemic stroke in young and middle-aged adults, although relatively uncommon in the community. Recent large collaborative projects have provided new insights into mechanisms and risk factors of CeAD.Recent findingsPathologic cha
Thiopurine methyltransferase biochemical genetics: human lymphocyte activity.

The level of human erythrocyte (RBC) thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity is inherited as a monogenic trait. Experiments were performed to determine whether the level of TPMT activity in the human lymphocyte is regulated in parallel with RBC TPMT. Supernatants of lymphocyte homogenates contained TPMT activity. Lymphocyte TPMT activity was maximal at a reaction pH of 6.6. The apparent Km value for 6-mercaptopurine, the thiopurine substrate for the reaction, was 8.1×10−4m, and the apparent Km value for S-adenosyl-l-methionine, the methyl donor for the reaction, was 3.6×10−6m. The average TPMT activity in lymphocytes isolated from blood of 55 randomly selected subjects was 11.0±0.4 units/109 cells (mean ± SE), with a range of from 4.8 to 17.7 units/109 cells. There was a significant correlation of relative RBC with relative lymphocyte TPMT activity in blood samples from these 55 subjects, with a correlation coefficient of 0.563 (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient for RBC with platelet enyzme activities in these same subjects was also highly significant (r=0.680, P<0.001). Blood samples from four previously identified subjects who were homozygous for the allele TPMTL, subjects who lacked detectable RBC enzyme activity, also lacked detectable lymphocyte and platelet TPMT activities. These results were compatible with the conclusion that the genetic polymorphism which regulates RBC TPMT activity also regulates the level of human lymphocyte and platelet TPMT activities.
High School Journalists Write About Nutrition and Physical Activity

Many content analyses of mass media and health messages have been conducted, but little is known regarding the perceptions of high school students about health-related topics. The authors conducted...
Retrieval of material parameters for uniaxial metamaterials

We present a general method for retrieving the effective tensorial permittivity of uniaxially anisotropic metamaterials. By relaxing the usually imposed constraint of assuming nonmagnetic metal/dielectric metamaterials, we also retrieve the effective permeability tensor and show that multilayer hyperbolic metamaterials exhibit a strong and broadband diamagnetic response in the visible regime. The method provides the means for designing magnetically anisotropic metamaterials for studying magnetic topological transitions in the visible regime. We obtain orientation-independent effective material parameters, which are distinguishable from mere wave parameters. We analytically validate this method for Ag/SiO_2 planar metamaterials with a varying number of layers and filling fractions and compare to the results from effective medium theory and Bloch theory.
196 YOGURT IN DIET OF LACTOSE INTOLERANT CHILDREN

Enhanced digestion of yogurt by lactose intolerant individuals is due to inherent beta-galactosidase (lactase) in the culture organisms that aids in the hydrolysis of ingested lactose. We studied yogurt intolerance in 80 children with lactose intolerance, aged 0.5-13 years (x=4.25). Lactose tolerance was evaluated using relevant clinical and laboratory parameters. Small intestinal mucosa was morphologically examined in children with chronic diarrhea. Of 80 patients, 60 (80.00%) had secondary type lactose intolerance, followed by damaged mucosa of small intestine, associated with Rotavirus (23) and Salmonella (1) gastroenteritis, postinfective persistent diarrhea (16), infestation with Giardia lamblia (3) and Ascaris lumbricoides (1) and gluten sensitive enteropathy (20). In 16 (20.00%) it was the case of ontogenic or later onset lactose deficiency, clinically manifested by secondary irritable colon syndrome. In all cases diet treatment involved about 500 ml of jogurt daily, divided in 2-3 portions. None of the cases showed elements of intolerance to the fermented milk preparation. Our results makes jogurt as a well-tolerated source of milk for 1actose-deficient children, confirming that it can be successfully applied in children aged over 6 months.
Social press and its influence on psychiatric treatment goals

Patients and staff differ markedly in their goals for inpatient treatment. Staff regard insight as the most important goal for therapy; patients rate insight as their last choice. Despite a considerable amount of social press on the patient, this disagreement persists throughout the patients' hospitalization. Patients change their outward behavior but hold to their original ideologies regarding treatment goals.
D-optimum designs for the linear logistic model when restrictions exist on p

Abstract Suppose that the linear logistic model describes the relationship between a proportion p and some quantitative variable x and that p varies within the range [p01,p02]⊂[0,1]. Using the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker theorem, the D-optimum design for this model is a balanced 2-point design with the location of the design points determined by p01,p02. A step-by-step procedure is presented for obtaining the D-optimum design points for any values p01,p02. In addition, the efficiencies of these designs are discussed in the context of quality assurance experiments.
NMR studies of the structure of non-metallic glasses

Abstract Boron-11 NMR spectroscopy has been used for 25 years to determine for borate glasses and crystalline compounds the fractions of borons in BO 2 ( N 4 ) and BO 3 ( N 3 ) configurations, and the fractions of BO 3 units having all bridging ( N 3S ) and one or more non-bridging ( N 3A ) oxygens. Iron lead borate glasses containing up to 15.3 mol% Fe 2 O 3 are found to have the iron ions distributed uniformly throughout the glasses, and the iron oxide influences the borate network only up to 4.64 mol% Fe 2 O 3 . Recent studies of glasses in the systems Li X Li 2 OB 2 O 3 where X = F, Cl reveal that N 4 is determined solely by the oxygen available as Li 2 O in these superionic conducting glasses. The greater sensitivity of boron-10 NMR spectra to structural details has now permitted identification in glasses of structural groupings found in the crystalline compounds of borate glassforming systems, and quantitative determination of the amount of each unit. Spectra for alkali borate glasses have permitted construction of quantitative models for these glasses at all compositions. Oxygen-17 NMR spectra for vitreous B 2 O 3 and SiO 2 yield bonding and structural information confirm models for these glasses. Silicon-29 NMR spectra for glasses in the system K 2 OSiO 2 show agreement with the spectra for the crystalline compounds at compositions for which compounds exist, and differ significantly from compound to compound.
Scar burden by myocardial perfusion imaging predicts echocardiographic response to cardiac resynchronization therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy

Background About 30% of patients with heart failure do not respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We hypothesized that scar burden can predict poor response to CRT in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Methods Fifty patients (age, 68.5 ± 9.2 years; 84% men; mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 19.7% ± 5.2%) with ICM who underwent CRT-defibrillator implantation and 201 Tl single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging were included. Myocardial perfusion imaging studies were read quantitatively, generating a summed perfusion score (SPS). Left ventricular (LV) lead position was determined by chest radiography. Echocardiograms were performed before and after (median, 11.0 months) CRT. Results Echocardiographic response, defined as ≥15% relative increase in LVEF, was documented in 28 (56%) patients. The mean SPS (18.8 ± 11.3 vs 33.7 ± 11.1; P = .000025) and the average scar density in the segments immediately adjacent to the LV lead (0.70 ± 0.91 vs 1.64 ± 0.82; P = .0004) were significantly lower in responders versus nonresponders. Global scar burden ( r = −0.53; P = .00007), scar burden near the LV lead ( r = −0.49; P = .0003), and the number of segments with a score of 4 ( r = −0.53; P = .0007) inversely correlated with increase in LVEF after CRT. The hazard ratio for nonresponse increased with increasing tertiles of global SPS, scar density in the vicinity of the LV lead, and number of segments with transmural scar (ie, perfusion score=4). Conclusions Higher overall scar burden, a larger number of severely scarred segments, and greater scar density near the LV lead tip portend an unfavorable response to CRT in ICM patients. Prospective confirmation of these findings is warranted.
Persistent strong anti-HLA antibody at high titer is complement binding and associated with increased risk of antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients.

Background Sensitized heart transplant candidates are evaluated for donor-specific anti-HLA IgG antibody (DSA) by Luminex single-antigen bead (SAB) testing (SAB-IgG) to determine donor suitability and help predict a positive complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch (CDC-XM) by virtual crossmatching (VXM). However, SAB testing used for VXM does not correlate perfectly with CDC-XM results and individual transplant programs have center-specific permissible thresholds to predict crossmatch positivity. A novel Luminex SAB-based assay detecting C1q-binding HLA antibodies (SAB-C1q) contributes functional information to SAB testing, but the relationship between SAB strength and complement-binding ability is unclear. Methods In this retrospective study, we identified 15 pediatric and adult heart allograft candidates with calculated panel-reactive antibody (cPRA) >50% by SAB-IgG and compared conventional SAB-IgG results with SAB-C1q testing. Results Pre- and post-transplant DSA by SAB-C1q correlated with DSA by SAB-IgG and also with CDC-XM results and early post-transplant endomyocardial biopsy findings. Individual HLA antibodies by SAB-IgG in undiluted sera correlated poorly with SAB-C1q; however, when sera were diluted 1:16, SAB-IgG results were well correlated with SAB-C1q. In some sera, HLA antibodies with low mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) by SAB-IgG exhibited high SAB-C1q MFIs for the same HLA antigens. Diluting or heat-treating these sera increased SAB-IgG MFI, consistent with SAB-C1q results. In 13 recipients, SAB-C1q–positive DSA was associated with positive CDC-XM and with early clinical post-transplant antibody-mediated rejection (cAMR). Conclusions Risk assessment for positive CDC-XM and early cAMR in sensitized heart allograft recipients are correlated with SAB-C1q reactivity.
Persistent Barriers to E-commerce in Developing Countries: A Longitudinal Study of Efforts by Caribbean Companies

Studies summarized by the United Nations Commission on Trade and Development show that companies in developing countries face problems executing e-commerce strategies. To determine which barriers might be transitional and which might be persistent, a longitudinal study was conducted of companies in five Caribbean countries. Interviews were conducted with 23 companies in 2004. Interviews were repeated in 2008 with those companies that were still in operation. Some improvements were found in general telecommunications support, but persistent barriers were found in logistics services, and new problems were identified in increased competition and increased shipping costs. As a result of these changes, the general focus of managers shifted from establishing web sites and making them visible to more general managerial tasks connected to finding a place in an increasingly competitive environment. The results of this study suggest improved strategies for companies in developing countries seeking to use e-commerce to expand their markets.
Intra- and inter-rater reliability of digital image analysis for skin color measurement

Analysis of skin color is useful to understand skin phenotype (1), compare injured and non-injured skin (2–4), describe pathology (5), and monitor the outcomes from therapeutic interventions (6). Changes in skin color over time are monitored in dermato-cosmetic research; the color response may indicate the integrity of the skin barrier, skin sensitivity, properties of drugs and other vehicles applied to the skin, and skin protection from sun screens (7). Capture of digital images provides the opportunity for skin and tissue color analysis when more advanced techniques such as spectrophotometry (7–9) are not available or feasible. Digital image analysis has been used for over 15 years in medical imaging (10, 11) and is a well-established scientific technique to measure skin color (12–14) and skin injury (15–17). To ensure the accuracy and precision of data, collected through digital image color analysis (DICA), strategies are needed to assess if training and the use of a standard protocol lead to data that are repeatable for the same analyst and reproducible across different analysts. Reliability testing also ensures that the fidelity of analysis procedures is maintained over the lifetime of a study. In the context of a study of genital skin injury after consensual sexual intercourse as compared with rape, we developed and tested a protocol with a series of 210 digital images of constitutive and facultative skin color at five anatomical sites as well as mucous membrane and vaginal wall color. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of data from an experienced color analyst (the expert) and a novice color analyst who was trained using a structured protocol for DICA of the skin.
Chemical vapor deposition of nanometer-size aluminum features on silicon surfaces using an STM tip

Abstract We have deposited aluminum (Al) features on silicon (Si) surfaces using the lectron beam and electric field produced at the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), in both tunneling and field emission modes. Lines as small as 3 nm in width have been produced on crystal Si(001). Al deposition is accomplished by exposing the tip-sample junction to trimethylaluminum (TMA) gas while tunneling. The electron beam of the STM tip dissociates the TMA molecules adsorbed on the surface, resulting in the production of surface-bound Al and hydrocarbon gas. Independent Auger electron spectroscopy studies of the electron induced deposition of Al from TMA shows nearly pure Al deposits.