cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P399 Evaluation of Community Based HIV/STI testing Program Tailored to Black MSM in a Southeast US City

Background Black MSM (BMSM) are disproportionately burdened by HIV and STIs in the US. Structural barriers to HIV/STI testing in clinical settings, including prior negative experiences, concerns about privacy/confidentiality and limited care access, compound disparities by contributing to delayed treatment and ongoing transmission. Testing modalities circumventing these barriers are needed for this priority population. Methods We recruited 25 MSM (mean age=35;SD=11; 88% Black) following their participation in Safe Spaces and Places (SSP) – a community-based, online-linked, mobile van HIV/STI testing modality in Baltimore, MD. Participants completed 60-minute semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions of SSP relative to clinic-based testing experiences. Interview transcripts were doubled coded until there was group consensus and analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results Participants described a preference for the SSP testing modality compared to their clinic-based testing experiences. Three themes related to this preference emerged from the interviews: 1) greater comfort with staff and testing environment – e.g. ‘it was like a different environment than being in a hospital. And everybody was real kind and polite;’ 2) less concern with maintaining privacy/confidentiality – e.g. ‘I felt like the van is much more discrete and private... When you’re in the [STD clinic], you’re out there with a bunch of people…it’s just really crowded;’ and 3) increased accessibility – e.g. ‘I did really like the van being in the evening hours, being offered multiple days per week so that I could fit it in my schedule. I like that it shows up in different places in the community.’ Discussion Our findings suggest this majority Black sample of MSM preferred the SSP testing modality because it removed barriers to HIV/STI testing for this priority population. Increasing access to HIV/STI testing in BMSM will require identifying barriers to testing in this population and developing modalities that attend to these barriers.
Wave Breaking, Turbulence and Mixing

The evolution of programmed unstable breaking wave packets was studied in the laboratory. Measurements of the surface elevation were used to estimate the momentum flux lost from the wave field due to breaking. The currents resulting from breaking were measured using laser anemometry. (This paper is an extended abstract of work to be published in full elsewhere.)
Chapter 17 – Commentary

Publisher Summary One arena in which the inclusion of emotion has been particularly fruitful is in work on social change and social movements. Serious consideration of the role of emotion in social processes is a relatively recent addition to much of sociology. This chapter traces the rise, fall, and reemergence of emotions among movement scholars and discusses two papers that both validate and challenge current thinking on emotions and social change. While early social movement and collective behavior researchers considered emotion to be sociologically relevant, they also conceptualized it chiefly as a threat to existing social structures and as fundamentally incompatible with rational motivations. Gradually, concern with feelings, sentiments, moods, and passions has begun to assume a more central place in the discipline.
Immunological and Chemical Identification of Intracellular Forms of Adenovirus Type 2 Terminal Protein

Highly purified adenovirus type 2 terminal protein (TP) with an apparent M(r) of 55,000 (55K) was prepared in quantities of 10 to 30 mug from guanidine hydrochloride- or sodium dodecyl sulfate-disrupted virions (60 to 120 mg). Guinea pigs were immunized with 14 to 20 injections of TP in amounts of 1 to 2 mug. Antiserum to TP was used to study the intracellular polypeptides related to adenovirus type 2 TP. By immunoprecipitation with anti-TP serum, we identified 80K and 76K polypeptides in the nucleoplasmic and cytoplasmic S100 fractions of [(35)S]methionine-labeled cells early and late after infection with Ad2. By immunoautoradiographic analysis which eliminates coprecipitation of unrelated proteins, we identified an 80K polypeptide (probably an 80K-76K doublet) in unlabeled, late infected cells, using anti-TP serum and (125)I-labeled staphylococcal protein A. About two- to threefold-higher levels of the 80K and 76K polypeptides were present in the nucleoplasm than in the S100 fraction, and two- to threefold-higher levels were found in late infected cells than in early infected cells (cycloheximide enhanced, arabinofuranosylcytosine treated). We did not detect the 80K or 76K polypeptide in uninfected cells, indicating that these polypeptides are virus coded. Tryptic peptide map analysis showed that the 80K and 76K polypeptides are very closely related and that they share peptides with the DNA-bound 55K TP. Our data provide the first direct demonstration of intracellular 80K and 76K forms of TP. The intracellular 80K and 76K polypeptides are closely related or identical to the 80K polypeptide that Challberg and co-workers (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:5105-5109, 1980) detected at the termini of adenovirus DNA synthesized in vitro and to the 87K polypeptide that Stillman and co-workers (Cell 23:497-508, 1981) translated in vitro. We did not detect the 55K TP in early or late infected cells, consistent with the proposal by Challberg and co-workers that the 80K polypeptide is a precursor to the virion-bound TP and that the conversion of the 80K polypeptide to the 55K TP occurs during virus maturation. The 80K and 76K polypeptides have many more methionine-containing tryptic peptides than does the 55K TP, and most of the tryptic peptides unique to the 80K and 76K polypeptides are very hydrophobic. Thus, the conversion of the 80K and 76K polypeptides to the 55K TP may involve the removal of a specific hydrophobic protein region.
Micrometeorological measurements of methane flux in a Minnesota peatland during two growing seasons

Methane flux was measured, employing themicrometeorological eddy correlation technique,during two growing seasons (1991 and 1992) in apeatland in Minnesota. As compared to 1991, the1992 season was wetter and cooler. Here we examinethe seasonal distributions of CH4 flux and therelationship between concurrently measured CH4and CO2fluxes. Midday CH4 flux was low(1.5 mg m-2 h-1) during late May in bothseasons. Subsequently, the flux ranged from 2.5 to5.5 mg m-2 h-1 during early June to earlyJuly in both years. Methane flux peaked at6.5 mg m-2 h-1 during mid July in 1991. The peak flux (8.0 mg m-2 h-1) in 1992occurred 3 weeks later. A sustained drop in watertable during late July to late August in 1991 mayhave reduced the methane emission. During midAugust–mid October in 1992, the water table wasconsistently high and the flux ranged from 2.0 to3.0 mg m-2 h-1. As compared to 1991,CH4 flux during this time in 1992 was higher byabout 1.0 mg m-2 h-1 because of theoverriding influence of the water table. Integration over the growing season (late May to midOctober), indicated that this ecosystem releasedapproximately 10.4 and 11.5 g C m-2 of CH4in 1991 and 1992, respectively. We examined our concurrent measurements on methaneflux and canopy photosynthesis under a variety ofenvironmental conditions from different parts of thegrowing season. On a time scale of the entireseason, the overall patterns of methane flux andcanopy photosynthesis were similar in both years. Canopy photosynthesis, however, showed large day-to-daychanges in response to variations in temperatureand moisture. Corresponding changes in methane fluxduring these selected periods were relatively small. The slopes and correlation coefficients of linearregressions between methane flux and photosynthesisdata varied widely. Accordingly, a close coupling between short-term (day to day) variations inmethane flux and canopy photosynthesis was not evident.
Role of divalent cations in the subunit associations of complex flagella from Rhizobium meliloti

Rhizobium meliloti, a symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium with complex flagella, as well as other members of the family Rhizobiaceae, rapidly lost motility when suspended in buffers lacking divalent cations but retained good motility in buffers containing calcium, magnesium, barium, or strontium. Loss of motility was associated with loss of flagella from the cells. Analysis of flagella by sedimentation, gel electrophoresis, and electron microscopy revealed that removal of divalent cations from the complex flagella of R. meliloti resulted in extensive dissociation of the flagellar filaments into low-molecular-weight subunits. Accordingly, divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium that are normally present at high concentrations in the soil solution may be crucial to the assembly and rigidity of complex flagella.
A high speed pipeline structure of hardware implementation for block classification for distributed video coding

Distributed video coding (DVC) is a video coding paradigm that aims at shifting the complexity from the encoder to the decoder. Traditionally, the existing DVC codecs encode the video frames as either key frame or Wyner-Ziv (WZ) frame. In WZ frames, all blocks are encoded as WZ blocks. We observed that, in WZ frame, there exists few blocks having intense motions, while many blocks have scarce motions. To improve the higher Rate-Distortion performance, we need to classify the blocks in a WZ frame into three categories, namely key block, WZ block and skip block. And encode each category with different scheme. So, a high speed classifier is very important to improve the throughput of the codec. In this paper, we propose a high speed pipelined block classifier for distributed video codec, which is suitable to work in real time video processing.
A prospective longitudinal study of consistency and change in parental influence on children's academic achievement

The purpose of this study was to investigate issues of consistency and change in parenting behaviors and children's outcomes over time, and, prospectively, the nature of the relationship between parents and children's acadenuc achievement. Both &mily status and family processes were included in the conceptual model. The model investigated how these &ctors affected parenting behaviors, and how, in turn, these behaviors influence children's attributes and their academic achievement. Pearson correlations and MANOVAs were used to explore consisten(^ and change in parenting behaviors and children's outcomes over time. Structural equation modeling was utilized to elucidate the e£fect of family status and family processes on adolescent academic achievement. The correlational results showed that parental behaviors were quite stable across time as were children's academic orientation, selfesteem, social adjustment, and academic achievement. Few changes occurred in parenting behaviors and children's outcomes over time. The prospective longitudinal findings indicated that parental education had direct and indirect effects on children's academic achievement. Father's educational level did affect paternal nurturance behaviors, but no relation was found between mother's education and nurturant parenting. Unexpectedly, both parental depression and parental marital happiness had no effects on nurturant parenting. Parental nurturance behavior had an indirect effect on children's academic achievement through children's academic orientation. Gender differences were revealed in some parent-child dyads in the present study. Implications for parents and educators and suggestions for future research were addressed.
A PERSPECTIVE ON SEGMENT REPORTING CHOICES AND SEGMENT RECONCILIATIONS

In 2014, segment reporting gained third place in SEC comment letters. This article reviews the history of segment reporting including segment reporting choices and segment reconciliations, the current concerns as the level of detail in segment disclosures varies widely across organizations, the value relevance of segment reconciliations and its market consequences, and the importance of segment reporting to management. The following are highlights of the manuscript: The third-most-common area discussed in SEC comment letters: segment reporting. The application of SFAS131: the whole may not equal the sum of its parts. The level of detail in segment disclosures varies widely across organizations. Segment reconciliation adds value to consolidated earnings. Segment reconciliation can have significant market consequences. Additional guidance on segment reporting may be beneficial and necessary in the future.
Toward a broader view of security protocols (transcript of discussion)

In keeping with the tradition of this workshop this is actually a position paper in the sense that it represents work that’s not done and ideas for work that could be done, rather than simply a paper that got rejected from a bunch of other conferences. [Laughter]
Implementation of a hybrid optical homomorphic filter using liquid crystal television as spatial light modulator

We present a method of using a liquid crystal television (LCTV) as a spatial light modulator (SLM) in an optical computing experiment. Using LCTVs as SLMs to modulate an image optically and combining this process with a digital computer has allowed implementation of various image-processing algorithms that have only been demonstrated in the digital domain. In particular, we are using an LCTV as an SLM for the hybrid optical implementation of a homomorphic filter to remove image shading.
Uterine contractility and plasma progesterone levels in the nonpregnant woman

Abstract Thirty-three uterine contractility recordings were obtained in four nonpregnant patients, covering 16 cycles. A modification of the sponge-tip catheter method was used. Plasma progesterone concentration at the time of the recordings was measured and correlated with the contractility patterns observed. All the recordings were done in the presence of intrauterine Silastic capsules, which were empty during the first two cycles and replaced by identical capsules filled with progesterone for the next two menstrual cycles. The observed patterns of uterine contractility failed to show a consistent relation to the plasma progesterone levels or to the phase of the cycle. The local administration of progesterone via the Silastic capsules did not affect uterine contractility. Breakthrough bleeding in one patient was associated with “labor-like” contractions, which did not coincide with abdominal cramps. Strong frequent contractions were observed with the urge to urinate.
Comparison of electrosurgical plasma coagulation and potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser photocoagulation for treatment of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-related epistaxis

Background Potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser photocoagulation is commonly used for treatment of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-related epistaxis (HHT-RE). Electrosurgical plasma coagulation (EPC), also known as coblation, has not been rigorously evaluated for HHT-RE. Methods Patients seeking treatment for HHT-RE between September 2010 and September 2012 were prospectively randomized (1:1) to KTP or EPC in a single blind prospective cohort study. Length of surgery and estimated blood loss (EBL) were recorded. Epistaxis severity scores (ESSs) and 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for HHT-RE–related symptoms were administered at enrollment and at 3, 6, 12 months following surgery. Statistical analysis used Friedman's and Pearson's chi-square tests. Results Eleven HHT patients were prospectively enrolled and followed. Six patients underwent EPC treatment while 5 underwent KTP. Three patients in the KTP subgroup and 2 patients in the EPC subgroup requested additional surgical treatment within 12 months (p > 0.999). There were no significant differences in terms of EBL (p = 0.126) and length of surgery (p = 0.429) between treatment groups. Mean ESSs were not significantly different between groups at any follow-up point (KTP, p = 0.896; EPC, p = 0.159). Compared to KTP, mean ESSs were higher in the EPC subgroup at baseline and lower at all other time points. Mean nasal obstruction VAS scores were significantly lower in the EPC subgroup at all follow-up points. Conclusion EPC is a viable alternative to KTP laser photocoagulation for epistaxis control in patients with HHT. Subjectively, patients experience less nasal obstruction following EPC as compared to KTP treatment. A multicentered, well-powered study is warranted to better determine treatment outcomes.
Biological nitrogen fixation in acidic high-temperature geothermal springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The near ubiquitous distribution of nifH genes in sediments sampled from 14 high-temperature (48.0-89.0°C) and acidic (pH 1.90-5.02) geothermal springs in Yellowstone National Park suggested a role for the biological reduction of dinitrogen (N(2)) to ammonia (NH(3)) (e.g. nitrogen fixation or diazotrophy) in these environments. nifH genes from these environments formed three unique phylotypes that were distantly related to acidiphilic, mesophilic diazotrophs. Acetylene reduction assays and (15) N(2) tracer studies in microcosms containing sediments sampled from acidic and high-temperature environments where nifH genes were detected confirmed the potential for biological N(2) reduction in these environments. Rates of acetylene reduction by sediment-associated populations were positively correlated with the concentration of NH(4)(+), suggesting a potential relationship between NH(4)(+) consumption and N(2) fixation activity. Amendment of microcosms with NH(4)(+) resulted in increased lag times in acetylene reduction assays. Manipulation of incubation temperature and pH in acetylene reduction assays indicated that diazotrophic populations are specifically adapted to local conditions. Incubation of sediments in the presence of a N(2) headspace yielded a highly enriched culture containing a single nifH phylotype. This phylotype was detected in all 14 geothermal spring sediments examined and its abundance ranged from ≈ 780 to ≈ 6800 copies (g dry weight sediment)(-1), suggesting that this organism may contribute N to the ecosystems. Collectively, these results for the first time demonstrate thermoacidiphilic N(2) fixation in the natural environment and extend the upper temperature for biological N(2) fixation in terrestrial systems.
Fluctuation induced diamagnetism in aluminum

Abstract The magnetic field and temperature dependence of the magnetization of bulk aluminum near the normal-superconductor transition has been measured. Due to the large amount of supercooling in one of the samples it was possible to extend the measurements well below the critical temperature. A comparison of the experimental results with theory is presented.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Rural Business Clusters: The Relation Between ICT Adoption and Benefits Derived From Cluster Membership

This study examines the relationships between information and communication technologies (ICT) usage, the benefits a company derives from membership in a rural business cluster, and the success of rural companies. Analysis of 333 rural businesses located in northern lower Michigan showed a strong relationship between (a) ICT adoption and benefits derived from the membership in business clusters, (b) ICT adoption and self-reported business success, and (c) benefits derived from business clusters and business success. Although analysis indicates that these relationships may be industry specific, results suggest that ICT adoption by rural enterprises may have advantages for the region's social capital and business success and may help reduce the digital divide experienced in rural communities.
Competition between Energy and Electron Transfer from CdSe QDs to Adsorbed Rhodamine B

Understanding the dynamics of exciton quenching in quantum dots (QDs) is essential to their potential applications, such as solar cells and biological imaging. In this work, the competition between...
Sodium Selenite Increases the Activity of the Tumor Suppressor Protein, PTEN, in DU-145 Prostate Cancer Cells

Epidemiological and clinical data suggest that selenium may prevent prostate cancer; however, the cellular effects of selenium in malignant prostate cells are not well understood. We previously reported that the activity of the tumor suppressor PTEN is modulated by thioredoxin (Trx) in a RedOx-dependent manner. In this study, we demonstrated that the activity of Trx reductase (TR) is increased by sevenfold in the human prostate cancer cell line, DU-145, after 5 days of sodium selenite (Se) treatment. The treatment of DU-145 cells with increasing concentrations of Se induced an increase in PTEN lipid phosphatase activity by twofold, which correlated with a decrease in phospho-ser 473 -Akt, and an increase in phospho-Ser 370 -PTEN levels. Se also increased casein kinase-2 (CK2) activity; and the use of apigenin, an inhibitor of CK2, revealed that the regulation of the tumor suppressor PTEN by Se may be achieved via both the Trx-TR system and the RedOx control of the kinase involved in the regulation of PTEN...
Sources of Information for Home and Community-Based Services

Responses (N = 621) from a population-based statewide random digit dial telephone survey were analyzed to determine the sources of information respondents would use to locate home and community-based long-term care services and to identify predictors of use of each source. Respondents turn to formal sources of information more than informal sources, and age, race, income, and gender significantly predicted the source of information used. Findings support development of targeted public awareness campaigns that take a multi-pronged approach using multiple dissemination mechanisms to inform the public about long-term care options.
Mechanism of chimera formation during the Multiple Displacement Amplification reaction

Multiple Displacement Amplification (MDA) is a method used for amplifying limiting DNA sources. The high molecular weight amplified DNA is ideal for DNA library construction. While this has enabled genomic sequencing from one or a few cells of unculturable microorganisms, the process is complicated by the tendency of MDA to generate chimeric DNA rearrangements in the amplified DNA. Determining the source of the DNA rearrangements would be an important step towards reducing or eliminating them. Here, we characterize the major types of chimeras formed by carrying out an MDA whole genome amplification from a single E. coli cell and sequencing by the 454 Life Sciences method. Analysis of 475 chimeras revealed the predominant reaction mechanisms that create the DNA rearrangements. The highly branched DNA synthesized in MDA can assume many alternative secondary structures. DNA strands extended on an initial template can be displaced becoming available to prime on a second template creating the chimeras. Evidence supports a model in which branch migration can displace 3'-ends freeing them to prime on the new templates. More than 85% of the resulting DNA rearrangements were inverted sequences with intervening deletions that the model predicts. Intramolecular rearrangements were favored, with displaced 3'-ends reannealing to single stranded 5'-strands contained within the same branched DNA molecule. In over 70% of the chimeric junctions, the 3' termini had initiated priming at complimentary sequences of 2–21 nucleotides (nts) in the new templates. Formation of chimeras is an important limitation to the MDA method, particularly for whole genome sequencing. Identification of the mechanism for chimera formation provides new insight into the MDA reaction and suggests methods to reduce chimeras. The 454 sequencing approach used here will provide a rapid method to assess the utility of reaction modifications.
On the Estimation of the Correlation Coefficient from Grouped Data

Abstract This article proposes two estimators of the correlation coefficient, ρ, when statisticians will not construct a master file on individuals because of confidentiality issues. The approach depends on grouping the data according to the values of one of the variables. Group means and total variance for both variables are required to calculate the estimators. The complete bivariate sample need never be compiled. The estimators are shown to be asymptotically normal. Asymptotic and Monte Carlo results are examined. For 1,000 observations in 10 groups, these results indicate that the ratio of the mean squared error (MSE) for one of the proposed estimators relative to that for the usual estimator of ρ ranges from .82 to .95 as ρ ranges from .9 to .25. The proposed estimators are more efficient than previous estimators for grouped data.
Mechanism of Actin Filament Turnover by Severing and Nucleation at Different Concentrations of ADF/Cofilin.

Summary ADF/cofilins are key regulators of actin dynamics during cellular motility, yet their precise role and mechanism of action are shrouded in ambiguity. Direct observation of actin filaments by evanescent wave microscopy showed that cofilins from fission yeast and human do not increase the rate that pointed ends of actin filaments shorten beyond the rate for ADP-actin subunits, but both cofilins inhibit elongation and subunit dissociation at barbed ends. Direct observation also showed that cofilins from fission yeast, Acanthamoeba , and human sever actin filaments optimally at low-cofilin binding densities well below their K d s, but not at high binding densities. High concentrations of cofilin nucleate actin assembly. Thus, the action of cofilins in cells will depend on the local concentration of active cofilins: low concentrations favor severing, whereas high concentrations favor nucleation. These results establish a clear paradigm for actin turnover by coflin in cells.
A Pilot Study on Collective Effects of 22q13.31 Deletions on Gray Matter Concentration in Schizophrenia

The association of copy number variation (CNV) with schizophrenia has been reported with evidence of increased frequency of both rare and large CNVs. Yet, little is known about the impact of CNVs in brain structure. In this pilot study, we explored collective effects of all CNVs in each cytogenetic band on the risk of schizophrenia and gray matter variation measured in structural magnetic resonance imaging. With 324 participants’ CNV profiles (151 schizophrenia patients and 173 healthy controls), we first extracted specific CNV features that differ between patients and controls using a two sample t-test, and then tested their associations with gray matter concentration using a linear regression model in a subset of 301 participants. Our data first provided evidence of population structure in CNV features where elevated rare CNV burden in schizophrenia patients was confounded by the levels associated with African American subjects. We considered this ethnic group difference in the following cytoband analyses. Deletions in one cytoband 22q13.31 were observed significantly (p,0.05) more in patients than controls from all samples after controlling ethnicity, and the deletion load was also significantly (p=1.44610 24 ) associated with reduced gray matter concentration of a brain network mainly comprised of the cingulate gyrus and insula. Since 80% deletion carriers were patients, patients with deletions also showed reduced gray matter concentration compared with patients without deletions (p=3.36610 24 ). Our findings indicate that regional CNVs at 22q13.31, no matter the size, may influence the risk of schizophrenia with a remarkably increased mutation rate and with reduced gray matter concentration in the peri-limbic cortex. This proof-of-concept study suggests that the CNVs occurring at some ‘hotspots’ may in fact cause biological downstream effects and larger studies are important for confirming our initial results.
Social influences on early developing biological and behavioral systems related to risk for affective disorder

Dramatic changes take place in the neural physiology and emotional behavior of the human infant during the first 2 years of life. Evidence suggests that certain variations in the infant's early social environment, such as disturbances in mother-infant interaction that are associated with maternal depression, influence the development of biological systems related to the expression and regulation of emotion, particularly those systems involved in frontal lobe, autonomic, and adrenocortical functioning. In this essay, we provide an overview of the links between maternal depression and disruptions in early social and emotional development, and we highlight parallels between disturbances in biological systems found in depressed adults and those found in infants of mothers experiencing depression. We then discuss the possibility of sensitive periods for the enduring influences of maternal depression on the emotional development of these children and for increased risk for affective disorder. Finally, we point to directions for further research on the nature of the intergenerational transmission of emotional disturbance.
The relevance of drug sequence in combination chemotherapy

The concept of combining chemotherapeutic agents to increase the cytotoxic efficacy has evolved greatly over the past several years. In the past, the rationale for combination chemotherapy centered on attacking different biochemical targets, overcoming drug resistance in heterogenous tumors, and increasing the dose-density of combination chemotherapy to take advantage of tumor growth kinetics. The overall goal was to improve clinical efficacy with acceptable clinical toxicity. It is now apparent that the sequence of drug administration can significantly enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy. These sequence-dependent effects can be explained by chemotherapy-induced cell cycle perturbations, or by pharmacodynamic interactions between the agents in combination. In this review, we focus on drug combinations with taxanes and camptothecins, which we believe best illustrate the importance of the cell cycle and pharmacologic interactions in the sequential administration of chemotherapy. As our understanding of the cell cycle grows, our ability to appropriately sequence chemotherapy can have a great impact on the treatment of human cancers. Copyright 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.
The solubility of ferric ion in marine mineral aerosol solutions at ambient relative humidities

Abstract The solubility of ferric ion from Fe 2 O 3 , FeO(OH) and Fe(OH) 3 in hygroscopic marine aerosol solutions was estimated from free energies at the pHs and ionic strengths that are characteristic of ambient trade wind aerosol particles collected at Barbados, West Indies, under conditions when significant concentrations of Saharan dust were present. The chemical composition of these mineral-containing particles was based on measurements made with cascade impactor samples with the assumptions that the particles in a given size fraction were internally mixed and that the NO 3 − and nonsea-salt (nss) SO 4 2− in the particles were initially in the form of HNO 3 and H 2 SO 4 . At typical local relative humidities (RH) above 80%, the pH of the aerosol solution could be lower than 1.0 and the ionic strength could be higher than 3.0 even when part of the acid has been neutralized by NH 3 and CaCO 3 . The concentration of ferric ion increases by three orders of magnitude for each unit decrease in pH. By considering changes in speciation and ionic strength, the ferric ion solubilities at pHs of 2, 5 and 8 are estimated to be, respectively, 6.67 × 10 −5 mol kg −1 , 5.53 × 10 −14 mol kg −1 , 3.17 × 10 −15 mol kg −1 from Fe 2 O 3 , 1.10 × 10 −4 mol kg −4 , 8.68 × 10 −14 mol kg −1 , 5.04 × 10 −15 mol kg −1 from FeO(OH) and 1.55 × 10 1 mol kg −1 , 1.12 × 10 −8 mol kg −1 , 6.61 × 10 −10 mol kg −1 from Fe(OH) 3 . The ferric ion solubilities in aerosol solutions are far higher than those normally expected for seawater, fresh water and even rain water in which the pHs are usually higher. Thus aerosol solution processes may be a major factor affecting the fraction of iron that will readily dissolve when the atmospheric mineral particles enter the ocean. These same aerosol solution processes may explain the unusually large solubilities that have been observed for other aerosol metals in aqueous solutions.
Notes on Some Remarkable Australasian Walkingsticks, Including a Synopsis of the Genus Extatosoma (Orthoptera: Phasmatidae)

This paper presents notes and photographs of species belonging to four of the more striking genera of Australasian walkingsticks, and it is hoped that some of the material contained may be of interest to general entomologists and teachers.
Prognosis following neonatal brachial plexus palsy: an evidence-based review

Purpose The spontaneous recovery rate of neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP) is often cited as 75–95%. However, recent reports have found the recovery rate to be much lower. The purpose of this study was to perform an evidence-based review aimed at summarizing the available English language information regarding prognosis following NBPP based on the Narakas classification.
Effect of general anesthesia on cardiac vagal tone.

Although it is accepted that general anesthetics alter cardiac vagal tone, the magnitude of this effect was difficult to quantify by noninvasive methods until recently. Twenty-eight mongrel dogs we...
Computer simulation of the aggregation and sintering restructuring of fractal-like clusters containing limited numbers of primary particles

A random particle computer simulation (in three dimensions) was conducted to investigate the structure and aggregation characteristics of small clusters (containing limited numbers of primary particles per cluster). Though an individual cluster of small size does not satisfy the power law, it was found that these aggregated clusters are fractal-like and comply with the fractal power law form in a statistical sense. This statistically averaged fractal dimension decreases as the clusters become smaller. A cluster-restructuring model is further developed to simulate the topological evolution of dendritic structured materials due to sintering at high temperatures. Results indicate that the cluster fractal dimension increases as sintering proceeds for small clusters, in contrast to results for large clusters wherein the topology is retained and the fractal dimension remains constant. A relationship of the fractal dimension change with the normalized surface area of dendrites for different-sized clusters is established.
The equivalence of computerized and paper-and-pencil psychological instruments: implications for measures of negative affect.

The use of computerized psychological assessment is a growing practice among contemporary mental health professionals. Many popular and frequently used paper-and-pencil instruments have been adapted into computerized versions. Although equivalence for many instruments has been evaluated and supported, this issue is far from resolved. This literature review deals with recent research findings that suggest that computer aversion negatively impacts computerized assessment, particularly as it relates to measures of negative affect. There is a dearth of equivalence studies that take into account computer aversion’s potential impact on the measurement of negative affect. Recommendations are offered for future research in this area.
LONG‐TERM FOLLOW‐UP OF PREVIOUSLY SEPARATED PIGTAIL MACAQUES: GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSE TO NOVEL SITUATIONS

A follow-up study of monkeys who experienced maternal separations as infants 2.5-4.9 years earlier was performed. Matched pairs of previously separated and nonseparated control monkeys were observed individually in four unfamiliar situations, and their behavioral responses and plasma cortisol levels were measured. Results indicated that previously separated animals displayed more disturbance than did their matched controls, and levels of disturbance were significantly correlated with the degree of behavioral and physiological disturbance displayed during the original maternal separations. The results support the idea that the perception of the maternal separation may be a significant factor in whether long-term behavioral deficits exist in social and emotional functioning.
Magnetic Interactions and Transport in (Ga,Cr)As

The magnetic, transport, and structural properties of (Ga,Cr)As are reported. Zincblende ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{x}\mathrm{As}$ was grown by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy. At low concentrations, $x\ensuremath{\sim}0.1,$ the materials exhibit unusual magnetic properties associated with the random magnetism of the alloy. At low temperatures the magnetization $M(B)$ increases rapidly with increasing field due to the alignment of ferromagnetic units (polarons or clusters) having large dipole moments of order $10\char21{}{10}^{2}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}.$ A standard model of superparamagnetism is inadequate for describing both the field and temperature dependence of the magnetization $M(B,T).$ In order to explain $M(B)$ at low temperatures we employ a distributed magnetic-moment model in which polarons or clusters of ions have a distribution of moments. It is also found that the magnetic susceptibility increases for decreasing temperature but saturates below $T=4\mathrm{K}.$ The inverse susceptibility follows a linear-$T$ Curie-Weiss law and extrapolates to a magnetic transition temperature $\ensuremath{\theta}=10\mathrm{K}.$ In magnetotransport measurements, a room-temperature resistivity of $\ensuremath{\rho}=0.1\ensuremath{\Omega}\mathrm{cm}$ and a hole concentration of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{20}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ are found, indicating that Cr can also act as an acceptor similar to Mn. The resistivity increases rapidly for decreasing temperature below room temperature, and becomes strongly insulating at low temperatures. The conductivity follows $\mathrm{exp}[\ensuremath{-}{(T}_{1}{/T)}^{1/2}]$ over a large range of conductivity, possible evidence of tunneling between polarons or clusters.
Boolean designs and self-dual matroids

Abstract In this paper we consider a variety of questions in the context of Boolean designs. For example, Erdos asked: How many subsets of an n-set can be found so that pairwise their intersections are all even (odd)? E. Berlekamp [2] and the author both answered this question; the answer is approximately 2[ 1 2 n]. Another question which can be formulated in terms of Boolean designs was asked by J. A. Bondy and D. J. A. Welsh [1]. For what values of d can one find a connected binary matroid of rank d which is identically self-dual? We prove that such matroids exist for all d except 2, 3, and 5. The paper ends with a discussion of more general modular designs and with constructions of some identically self-dual matroids representable over the field of three elements.
Snake-directed antipredator behavior of rock squirrels (spermophilus variegatus): Population differences and snake-species discrimination

The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe the snake-directed antipredator behavior of rock squirrels; (2) to assess whether rock squirrels distinguish nonvenomous gopher snakes from venomous rattlesnakes; (3) to compare antisnake behavior in a snake-rare urban site and a snake-abundant wilderness site as a means of assessing whether natural selection or experience has generated population differences in behavior; (4) to assess snake densities in the two study sites; (5) to compare the antisnake behavior of rock squirrels with that of their closest relatives, California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi), a species that appears to differ from rock squirrels in exhibiting marked sexual-size dimorphism; and (6) to gather additional data on sexual size dimorphism in these two ground squirrel species. We tethered nonvenomous gopher snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) and venomous western diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus atrox) in the field near burrows of marked squirrels and videotaped the ensuing interactions. Rock squirrels from both urban and wilderness populations confronted snakes while waving their fluffed tails from side to side, throwing substrate at the snakes, and even attacking snakes on occasion. Survey data confirmed large differences in snake densities between the two sites. Squirrels from the snake-abundant wilderness site distinguished rattlesnakes from gopher snakes, but squirrels from the snake-rare urban site did not. Since these squirrels show similar evidence of selection from snakes, as revealed by their equivalent physiological resistance to rattlesnake venom, we attributed these behavioral differences to the effects of snake experience. Rock squirrel antisnake behavior was very similar to that of California ground squirrels. Where the two species' behavior was dissimilar, the differences may be due in part to the interspecies variation in sexual size dimorphism confirmed in this study, and to the greater number of rattlesnake species that rock squirrels encounter.
Characteristics of Teachers Implementing Home Economics Programs for Physically Handicapped Students.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to ascertain selected attitudes, characteristics, and instructional behaviors of teachers implementing home economics programs for physi cally handicapped students. Twenty-six teachers employed in fifteen public day or residential schools in six Midwestern states made up the deliberate sample. Data were collected by observation, questionnaires, and selected attitudinal and knowledge devices. On the Analysis of Teaching Instrument, teachers scored highest on items which involved students in the learning process, provided a combination of activities, and exhibited concern for their pupils. Less experienced teachers tended to score higher on the Analysis of Teaching Instrument and the Ambiguity Tolerance Scale, whereas more experienced teachers scored higher on the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale. While teachers considered knowledge of handicap ping conditions and contact with disabled persons important, they did not score high on instruments which measured these characteristics; they did score high on the attitudinal device. Results suggest that teachers of mainstreamed classes need to have a command of the subject matter presented, basic knowledge of handicapping conditions, and training which includes experiences that foster realistic, positive attitudes by working with and teaching handicapped students.
Early opsin expression in Xenopus embryos precedes photoreceptor differentiation

The visual pigment which serves as the first step in the phototransduction cycle in vertebrate rod cells consists of a retinal chromophore which is linked to the transmembrane protein, opsin. Opsin genes have been isolated from a number of different organisms and studies have shown opsin to be developmentally regulated with both mRNA and protein expression associated with the morphological differentiation of photoreceptor cells. Due to its potential utility as a marker for rod photoreceptor determination in studies of retinal tissue interactions, and because no amphibian opsin genes have as yet been cloned, we isolated cDNA clones of the Xenopus laevis opsin gene. Sequence analysis shows that within the coding region Xenopus opsin shares a high degree of identity with other rod opsin genes, except at the C-terminal where it more closely resembles the mammalian color opsins. A developmental analysis, on the other hand, reveals that Xenopus opsin transcripts are detectable in a retina-specific fashion early in retinal development. Using in situ hybridization we find that Xenopus opsin mRNA is initially restricted to a few isolated cells in the presumptive photoreceptor layer which express the gene at relatively high levels. This suggests that rod photoreceptor determination occurs in single cells, and that the mechanisms controlling opsin expression in Xenopus are initiated well before any evidence of morphological differentiation.
Defining the future of emergency care.

Four decades ago, the National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council published Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society. Release of this landmark report was a watershed event in the development of emergency medical services (EMS) in the United States. Emergency care has dramatically evolved since then. Breakthroughs in biomedical research have given us tools to rapidly diagnose life-threatening conditions and the capacity to intervene to blunt or prevent their effects. This increase in capability produced a commensurate increase in expectations. Once, emergency physicians admitted acutely ill patients to the hospital for a diagnostic evaluation. Now, they must complete the evaluation themselves to justify the need for admission. Thanks to television shows such as ER and stories on the evening news, the public expects miracles to happen when they enter an emergency department (ED). Many are quick to blame the doctor if it doesn’t work out that way. To guarantee that patients have access to emergency care, Congress enacted the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law that mandates treatment without regard for the patient’s ability to pay. But success came at a price. No funding was appropriated to defray the costs of EMTALA-mandated care. As the number of uninsured Americans increased and even fully insured patients encountered problems securing timely appointments outside the ED, use grew at a rapid rate. It now exceeds 114 million visits per year, more than 10% of all outpatient encounters in the United States. Some visits are for relatively minor problems, but most involve potentially serious illnesses or injuries. Recently, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported that in 2003, 55% of community hospital admissions for conditions other than maternal and neonatal ones began in the ED. Unfortunately, the rapid growth in ED use collided with equally dramatic reductions in hospital capacity. The result is that in cities across the United States, patients on stretchers line the hallways of EDs, waiting for the next available inpatient bed. There was a time when the notion of diverting an inbound ambulance was unthinkable. Today, it happens more than a half million times per year.
Extended KP equations and extended system of KP equations: multiple-soliton solutions

In this work we study an extended Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP) equation and a system of KP equations. We show that the extension terms do not kill the integrability of typical models. Hereman’s simplified method is used to justify this goal. Multiple soliton solutions will be derived for each model. The analysis highlights the effects of the extension terms on the dispersion relations, and hence on the structures of the solutions.