cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An open spatial capture–recapture model for estimating density, movement, and population dynamics from line‐transect surveys

The purpose of many wildlife population studies is to estimate density, movement, or demographic parameters. Linking these parameters to covariates, such as habitat features, provides additional ecological insight and can be used to make predictions for management purposes. Line-transect surveys, combined with distance sampling methods, are often used to estimate density at discrete points in time, whereas capture-recapture methods are used to estimate movement and other demographic parameters. Recently, open population spatial capture-recapture models have been developed, which simultaneously estimate density and demographic parameters, but have been made available only for data collected from a fixed array of detectors and have not incorporated the effects of habitat covariates. We developed a spatial capture-recapture model that can be applied to line-transect survey data by modeling detection probability in a manner analogous to distance sampling. We extend this model to a) estimate demographic parameters using an open population framework and b) model variation in density and space use as a function of habitat covariates. The model is illustrated using simulated data and aerial line-transect survey data for North Atlantic right whales in the southeastern United States, which also demonstrates the ability to integrate data from multiple survey platforms and accommodate differences between strata or demographic groups. When individuals detected from line-transect surveys can be uniquely identified, our model can be used to simultaneously make inference on factors that influence spatial and temporal variation in density, movement, and population dynamics.
Review article: the role of nutrition in alcohol-associated liver disease.

Background Malnutrition is a commonly encountered issue in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease. The role of nutritional supplementation in the management of alcohol-associated liver disease is integral to patient outcomes-it has been shown to decrease rates of hepatic encephalopathy, improve outcomes post-liver transplant, reduce 90-day hospital readmissions and lower mortality. Despite these benefits, many studies have shown nutritional support to be an underutilised tool in the care of patients with alcohol-associated liver disease. Aims To review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, recommendations for nutritional assessment and supplementation, as well as future directions for research of the relationship between nutrition and alcohol-associated liver disease. Methods A literature search was conducted via PubMed using MeSH terms to inform this narrative review. Results Decreased dietary intake, socioeconomic status, impaired absorption of nutrients and increased free radical species are implicated in the pathophysiology of malnutrition in alcohol-associated liver disease. Conclusions Malnutrition is common in alcohol-associated liver disease, and physicians should be aware of its association with poor clinical outcomes. Routine nutritional assessment, involvement of a dietician and nutritional supplementation are recommended to improve clinical outcomes in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease.
Differential Cross Sections for the Be 9 (He 3 , p)B 11 Reaction

The differential cross sections for the six highest energy proton groups from the ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, p){\mathrm{B}}^{11}$ reaction have been measured as a function of angle at a bombarding energy of 4.5 Mev. For the five highest energy groups, the cross sections are largest in the forward direction and are not symmetric about 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. For all six proton groups, yields observed at large angles to the incident beam direction are comparable to the forward yields. A strong maximum in the backward direction is observed for the third excited state proton group. At 4.5 Mev, the total cross sections are 11.5 millibarns for the ground-state proton group and 7.4 millibarns for the first excited state proton group. For the proton groups leaving ${\mathrm{B}}^{11}$ in the ground and first excited states, differential cross sections have been measured at six angles as a function of bombarding energy in the range from 1.8 to 5.0 Mev. In each case, the total cross section for the reaction shows no resonances. The change in the angular distributions which may be inferred from these yield curves is seen to proceed in a gradual manner with increasing bombarding energy. Differential cross sections for the second and third excited state proton groups were measured at 7\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the bombarding energy interval from 3.0 to 5.0 Mev. The observed characteristics for this reaction taken together indicate that direct interactions are important.
Energy Redistribution in Molecules in the Quasi-Periodic and Ergodic Regimes

Some results on the classical mechanics of anharmonic vibrations in several-dimensional systems are summarized, and their relation to unimolecular reaction rate theory and to infrared multiphoton dissociation of molecules is discussed. Quantum connections are considered using semiclassical theory.
A techno-economic assessment of offshore wind coupled to offshore compressed air energy storage

Abstract A critical challenge associated with renewable energy is managing its variable and intermittent output. Offshore compressed air energy storage (OCAES) is a carbon-free storage technology that can used to support renewable energy generation in marine environments. This paper provides the first economic characterization of OCAES performance when coupled to an offshore wind farm by employing a mixed integer programming model. The model seeks the minimum levelized cost of electricity by optimizing the grid-tied cable capacity and OCAES component sizes across a range of specified cable capacity factors. OCAES can be used to increase the capacity factor of the grid-tied transmission cable, but the resultant levelized cost of electricity strongly depends on the OCAES cost assumptions. Compared to using a land-based gas turbine as backup, OCAES is significantly more expensive, even when the price of carbon exceeds 1000 $/tC.
Circuitry and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Maladaptive Decision Making Following Chronic Adolescent Alcohol Intake

Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance among adolescents and shows the highest liability of all abused drugs. Using a probability discounting task and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) we ...
Causative Verbs with PLACE Arguments

The first classes of verbs to require another look are causative verbs with place arguments. These include two ypes: change-of-state verbs, with an abstract place and change-of-location verbs, with a concrete place.We begin with verbs that take an obligatory place argument and then consider optional place argument verbs.
The PGRMC1 Protein Level Correlates with the Binding Activity of a Sigma-2 Fluorescent Probe (SW120) in Rat Brain Cells

We examined the progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) protein expression in rat brain cells as the prerequisite step to understand the biology of PGRMC1 in the central nervous system (CNS). We also performed correlation studies between the PGRMC1 protein level and the binding activity of a sigma-2 fluorescent probe, SW120, in order to explore the possibility of using sigma-2 radiotracer of positron emission tomography (PET) to noninvasively image the CNS. Embryonic primary neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia cells were cultured. Immunocytochemistry, Western blot, and SW120 staining were performed in these cells. The protein expression of PGRMC1 determined by immunocytochemistry and SW120 staining is prominent in neurons and relatively low in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia cells. The PGRMC1 expression level correlates with the binding activity of SW120 in rat brain cells. The sigma-2 receptor PET radiotracer can be potentially used to noninvasively image neuron/synapse densities in the CNS.
Conjugate Unscented Transform based approach for dynamic sensor tasking and Space Situational Awareness

This paper presents a framework to manage sensor systems for the effective characterization and monitoring of uncertainty in distributed sensing problems. The problem of Space Situational Awareness, where a multitude of Resident space objects has to be tracked by a limited number of sensors is taken as the primary example. The central motive of the paper is to iteratively update sensor modalities of the sensors in an efficient manner so as to improve the overall tracking process of the dynamic targets. Recently developed Conjugate Unscented Transformation (CUT) method has been utilized to efficiently compute the expectation integrals that arise in the nonlinear state estimation process and sensor performance evaluations. Few sensor optimization problems are posed to optimally pair sensors to the targets using information measures such as Fisher Information and Mutual Information. Finally, numerical simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Structural and Motivational Approaches to Social Exchange

In our daily life, we constantly encounter situations where we are giving favor and assistance in return for something else received in the past, or in anticipation of receiving something else in the future. This may be as simple as a smile in exchange for a smile, or morning’s greetings for morning’s greetings, or it may be a dinner invitation for a favor done. The notion of exchange, or reciprocity (see below for a conceptual distinction between these two terms), is so pervasive in our everyday life that we generally assume its operation without stopping to think about it. As we assume reciprocal behavior in our own daily life, in ethnographic reports of other peoples, too, anthropologists generally accept the same assumption. When they describe, for example, payment of cattle for a bride in East Africa, offering a gift in India to earn spiritual merit, exchanging favors between compadres in Middle America, giving a ceremonial necklace in return for an arm shell in the Trobriand kula ring, and potlatching each other by Kwakiutl chiefs, ethnographers are assuming the operation of some reciprocal principle. It is, in fact, probably safe to assume that in every society some form of reciprocal principle is operating, and that for every individual some of his behavior is governed by some such principle.
A Modular Toolkit for Machine Translation Based on Layered Charts

We present a freely available toolkit for building machine translation systems for a large variety of languages. The toolkit uses standard linguistic data representation based on charts and typed feature structures; A modular open architecture based on standardized interfaces and processing architecture, enabling the addition of external language processing components and the configuration of new applications (plug-and-play); An open library of basic parameterizable language processing components including a morphological finite-state processor, dictionary components, an island chart parser, chart generator, and chart-based transfer engine (for MT systems). It is open-source: the C++ source code is available, and portable: targeted systems are Unix and Windows systems.
Long-term Cyclicities in Earthquake Energy Release and Major River Flow Volumes in Virginia and Missouri Seismic Zones

We have investigated the time series for earthquake strain energy releases and flow volumes for the major rivers that bisect the regions of seismicity in Virginia (Giles County; central Virginia) and Missouri (New Madrid) seismic zones. Our procedure is to integrate with respect to time over data lengths up to 70 years duration and then to subtract a least squares straight-line fit. The resulting residual earthquake and flow volume time series and their spectral densities both exhibit dominant periods in the 20–30 year range. These common cyclities lend support for an important role of water in intraplate seismogenesis. The fracture permeability of crystalline rocks, caused by a long history of compressional and extensional tectonic episodes, together with the driving potential supplied by long-term cyclical variations in streamflow, can result in the diffusion of fluid pressure transients to focal depths as deep as 20 km. At those depths there is also present a quasi-static, hydrolytic weakening effect of water on asperities present in the fault zones. This combination of mechanical and chemical effects can cause intraplate earthquakes in highly-stressed crustal volumes.
Do Invading Rusty Crayfish Interfere with Reproduction in a Native Congener

Abstract The rusty crayfish, Orconectes rusticus, has spread from its original range throughout much of northeastern North America, often completely replacing native crayfish. I tested the hypothesis that reproductive interference is a mechanism of the rusty crayfish's invasion of streams of the upper Susquehanna River watershed, where O. rusticus is replacing the native O. propinquus. I collected females from allopatric and sympatric sites during the spring reproductive period to measure size-specific probability of reproduction, fecundity, and the frequency of nonviable eggs. The predicted size at which females had a 50% probability of reproducing at sympatric sites was slightly larger for O. rusticus and considerably smaller for O. propinquus compared to allopatric sites, but O. propinquus also differed in size among site types. There were no differences between site types in average clutch size or the frequency of nonviable eggs. The differences in reproduction between allopatric and sympatric sites d...
Passionate Hobby: Rudolf Frederick Haffenreffer and the King Philip Museum/The Smithsonian and the American Indian: Making a Moral Anthropology in Victorian America,

Passionate Hobby: Rudolf Frederick Haffenreffer and the King Philip Museum. Edited by Shepard Krech III in. Studies in Anthropology and Material Culture, Vol. VI. Providence, Rl: Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University, 1994. 191 pp., b/w and color illus., appendix, notes. $25.00 (paper). The Smithsonian and the American Indian: Making. Moral Anthropology in Victorian America, Curtis M. Hinsley. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1981. 319 pp., b/w illus., notes, bibliography, index. $17.95 (paper).
Nonlinear Population Pharmacokinetics of Sirolimus in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Sirolimus, the prototypical inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin, has substantial antitumor activity. In this study, sirolimus showed nonlinear pharmacokinetic characteristics over a wide dose range (from 1 to 60 mg/week). The objective of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model to describe the nonlinearity of sirolimus. Whole blood concentration data, obtained from four phase I clinical trials, were analyzed using a nonlinear mixed-effects modeling (NONMEM) approach. The influence of potential covariates was evaluated. Model robustness was assessed using nonparametric bootstrap and visual predictive check approaches. The data were well described by a two-compartment model incorporating a saturable Michaelis–Menten kinetic absorption process. A covariate analysis identified hematocrit as influencing the oral clearance of sirolimus. The visual predictive check indicated that the final pharmacokinetic model adequately predicted observed concentrations. The pharmacokinetics of sirolimus, based on whole blood concentrations, appears to be nonlinear due to saturable absorption.
Effect of Cysteine on the Functional Properties and Microstructures of Wheat Flour Extrudates

The effect of the concentration of added cysteine (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.5% (w/w)) on the functional properties and microstructures of wheat flour extrudates was studied in order to elucidate the relationship of the disulfide cross-linking, the extrudate microstructure, and the functional property of proteins through the high-temperature short-time extrusion. The added cysteine markedly affected the functional properties and microstructures of the extrudates during twin-screw extrusion. After extrusion, the disulfide content in the extrudate (including in both protein and cystine) increased by nearly two times. The expansion ratio of the extrudates decreased by 25%. The bulk density of the extrudates first dropped by 50% and then remained constant. The expansion volume of the extrudates first increased by 25% and then returned back. The water-holding capacity of ground extrudates decreased by 16%. The oil-absorption capacity of ground extrudates first increased by 135% and then remained constant....
Decay of mesons in flux-tube quark model.

Strong decays of several light mesons are investigated in a flux-tube quark model, where a qq\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} pair is created either in the $^{3}\mathrm{S}_{1}$ state or in the $^{3}\mathrm{P}_{0}$ state within the flux tube. For comparison, decay rates are also calculated in a naive $^{3}\mathrm{P}_{0}$ model, where a qq\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} pair is created anywhere in the neighborhood of parent quarks. The sensitivity of the decay width to the radius of the pion, to relativistic factors like (m/E), and to final-state interactions is studied. Both the $^{3}\mathrm{S}_{1}$ and $^{3}\mathrm{P}_{0}$ models can explain the available data; however, the $^{3}\mathrm{S}_{1}$ model requires stronger final-state interactions.
Utilization of emergency department resources of patients presenting with abdominal pain by age group

Study objectives: People older than 65 years are the fastest-growing segment of our population and have historically used the largest proportion of medical resources. Improvements in abdominal computed tomography (CT) and sonogram could result in more accurate diagnosis and decreased hospital admissions. We evaluate current emergency department (ED) resource utilization by patients who have acute abdominal pain and are grouped by age. Methods: Patients who presented for emergency evaluation with acute abdominal pain and were older than 18 years were evaluated during July 2003. Data on demographics and ED evaluation or therapy were abstracted using a standardized data collection sheet with longitudinal follow-up to determine outcome. Patients were grouped by age, and standard proportions and relative risk were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for parametric data with a P value less than .05 set for significance. Results: Of a total of 282 patients presenting to the ED with abdominal pain, 215 were aged 18 to 64 years (younger), and 67 were in the 65 and older age group (older). Both groups were similar with respect to sex, race, presenting vital signs (including temperature), and leukocytosis. Older patients were 1.5 times (95% CI 1.1 to 2.0) more likely to be admitted (55% versus 33%) but had the same operative rate (11% versus 10%). Sonogram was ordered more frequently in younger patients (34% versus 12%, relative risk 2.9, 95% CI 1.4 to 5.6), but abdominal CT was obtained at the same rate (23% versus 33%). Laboratory investigations were similar between groups (95% CI 66% to 79%), but ECGs were obtained 2.4 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.4) and radiographs 2.3 (95% CI 1.5 to 3.4) times more frequently in older patients. Antibiotic and analgesic use in the ED was similar between groups. Conclusion: Patients older than 65 years composed one third of all those evaluated for abdominal pain. Despite the fact that older patients required operative intervention at the same rate as younger patients, they used twice the number of resources, including hospital admission. Frequency of CT or sonogram was surprisingly low for both groups. Older patients with abdominal pain remain disproportionate users of ED resources.
Sex differences in sensitivity to the social consequences of acute ethanol and social drinking during adolescence

In human adolescents, sociable males frequently drink to enhance positive emotional states, whereas anxious females often drink to avoid negative affective states. This study used a rat model of adolescence to provide information regarding possible sex differences in contributors to social drinking. The effects of ethanol (0, 0.5, and 0.75g/kg) on play fighting and social preference were assessed on P30, P32, and P34 using a within-subject design. Then animals were tested in a social drinking paradigm (P37-P40), with this testing revealing high drinkers and low drinkers. Sex differences in sensitivity to ethanol emerged among high and low drinkers. High socially drinking males, but not females, when tested prior to drinking sessions, showed significant increases in play fighting at both doses. In low drinking males, play fighting was increased by 0.5g/kg ethanol, whereas the higher dose of 0.75g/kg produced significant decreases in play fighting. High drinking females initially showed low levels of social preference than high drinking males and low drinking females and were extremely sensitive to ethanol-induced enhancement of this social measure. Low social drinkers, both males and females, were more sensitive to the suppressing effects of ethanol on social preference following 0.75g/kg ethanol. These findings indicate that during adolescence enhanced sensitivity to the facilitating effects of ethanol on play fighting is associated with heavy drinking among males, whereas low social preference together with high sensitivity to ethanol-induced enhancement of social preference is related to high social drinking in females. Language: en
Coal particle suspensions in vertical downflow

Etude experimentale de la perte de charge, de la vitesse des particules, du nombre de Nusselt des particules, du nombre de Nusselt des parois pour des ecoulements descendants de particules de charbon de 100 et 300 microns de diametre moyen, pour des concentrations de 0 a 30 kg de charbon/hg air et des nombres de Reynolds de l'air de 10000 a 30000
Effects of esmolol on cardiac function: Evaluation by noninvasive techniques

Abstract In a double-blind, randomized, crossover study, the effects of esmolol and propranolol were examined at rest and during peak upright exercise in 15 patients. At rest, both esmolol and propranolol significantly decreased heart rate, systolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac index and right ventricular ejection fraction. During exercise, significant decreases were also found in heart rate, systolic blood pressure and cardiac index in both treatment groups. No significant differences were found between mean esmolol and mean propranolol measurements at rest and during exercise, except for the exercise systolic blood pressure, which was lower during esmolol infusion. Blood levels of esmolol decreased markedly by 30 minutes postinfusion, as did its β-blocking action. Esmolol was well tolerated with no important local, systemic or laboratory abnormalities. Thus, the effects of esmolol on cardiovascular performance at rest and during exercise are similar to those of propranolol.
Generalization of Veneziano's Formula for the Five-Point Function

We generalize Veneziano's formula for the five-point function by writing an integral formula on a two-dimensional space and imposing on it the requirements implied by crossing symmetry, analyticity, and Regge behavior.
One-step purification of histidine-tagged cytochrome bo3 from Escherichia coli and demonstration that associated quinone is not required for the structural integrity of the oxidase.

Abstract The cytochrome bo 3 ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli is a member of the heme-copper superfamily of proton-pumping respiratory oxidases. An improved preparative protocol was desired that would minimize the potential damage during protein isolation of labile mutants of the oxidase. Variants of the oxidase containing a histidine tag at the carboxy-terminus of either subunit I, II or III were constructed. The constructs with the histidine tag on either subunit I or II successfully allowed the enzyme to be isolated with high purity in one step using Ni 2+ affinity chromatography. The enzyme with the histidine tag on subunit II is particularly useful insofar as the enzyme isolated in this manner has little, if any, heterogeneity resulting from the presence of heme O in the low spin heme-binding site, i.e., cytochrome oo 3 is minimized. The enzyme can be prepared in virtually any quantity very rapidly and is suitable for biophysical characterization. Cytochrome bo 3 was prepared in either Triton X-100, sucrose monolaurate, or dodecyl maltoside. The enzyme isolated in the presence of either sucrose monolaurate or dodecyl maltoside contains approximately one equivalent of associated ubiquinone, whereas this is absent when Triton X-100 is used. However, the UV/vis absorbance and steady-state kinetic properties of the enzyme are virtually identical regardless of which detergent is used. These data are consistent with previous reports that cytochrome bo 3 contains an equivalent of `tightly associated' ubiquinone, but clearly demonstrate that this quinone can be removed without damaging the enzyme and is not critical to the maintenance of the native structure of the oxidase.
Tone excited jets, part V: A theoretical model and comparison with experiment†

A mathematical model of tone-excited jets is developed which consists of two major components: a mathematical description of the process by which the intrinsic instability waves of the jet are excited by the upstream tones; and the modeling of the nonlinear interaction between the mean flow of the jet, the excited large-scale instability waves or turbulence structure, and the fine scale turbulence. It is assumed that each of these jet flow components can be characterized by a few parameters, which are then related by conservation equations that are supplemented by closure models. This quasi-linear model's results are compared with experimental measurements, and good agreement is obtained over a wide range of excitation frequencies and excitation levels.
Advances in hot wire chemical vapor deposition technology for the synthesis of novel silicon thin films materials

Abstract We report in this paper on fabrication of an advanced hot wire chemical vapor deposition technique. We introduced for the first time ‘box-type’ ceramics filament holder in hot-wire CVD technology. The surface topography and atomic-scale structure of the films synthesized by the new ceramics hot-wire CVD technique have been compared with that of films prepared with that of standard hot-wire CVD.
Gross error detection when constraints are bilinear

Rollins and Davis (1992) introduced an approach that can obtain unbiased estimators for true values of process variables when biased process measurements and leaks exist. They addressed linear physical constraints only. We discuss ways to extend their approach to cases where constraints are bilinear
Comparisons of human-cell-based and submitochondrial particle bioassay responses to the MEIC compounds in reference to human toxicity data.

Abstract Toxicity results from submitochondrial particle (SMP) bioassays were compared to results from multiple human-cell-based assays to evaluate the SMP tests’ ability to indicate cellular toxicity. Correlation analyses between cell-based and SMP responses were conducted on a series of diverse chemicals of human toxicologic interest chosen in the Multicentre Evaluation of In vitro Cytotoxicity (MEIC) study and suggest a high degree of ordering. The r2 correlation coefficient obtained when comparing the log-transformed SMP results to the average cellular response for all compounds was 0.75 (n=42). When specific mitochondrial inhibitors (to which SMP arc extremely sensitive) and toxic metals (which SMP modeled poorly) were removed, the correlation improved to 0.91 (n=34). When the SMP assay of each individual cell-based assay was compared to the average toxic response of all the cell-based assays for these 34 compounds, the SMP r2 was greater than the median r2 of the cell-based assays, indicating its ability to predict cell-based toxic responses with a high degree of accuracy. Comparisons of the SMP data to the human toxicity data are similar to the cell line assays, where removal of the specific mitochondrial toxicants and metals greatly improves the relationship.
Measurement services for ultrasonic non‐destructive evaluation

Acoustic emission and pulse/echo ultrasonic techniques offer great potential for detecting and evaluating materials defects nondestructively. However, these methods are sensitive to measurement system characteristics and to the condition of the reference artifacts used. An effort to improve the reliability and diminish the uncertainty of these techniques is underway at the National Bureau of Standards. Part of this effort has focused on the development of measurement services for transducers and reference blocks. The measurement services now available from NBS are described below:
660 Do Breaks in Endoscopy Fellowship Training Decrease Colonoscopy Competency

660 Do Breaks in Endoscopy Fellowship Training Decrease Colonoscopy Competency? Jennifer Jorgensen*, Grace H. Elta, Joseph C. Kolars, Joel H. Rubenstein Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Background: Some experts believe it is essential to teach endoscopy longitudinally to build and maintain endoscopic skills, fearing that breaks in training will result in loss of skills. However, limited surgical data has demonstrated that concentrated educational experiences can provide lasting improvement in skills. There are no prior studies on the effects of breaks in endoscopy training on competency in colonoscopy. Cecal intubation is frequently used as a surrogate for overall competency in colonoscopy because it is easily measured and objective. Aim: Determine if breaks in gastroenterology fellow endoscopy training cause decrements in cecal intubation rates. Methods: Prospective data on independent extent reached for all colonoscopies performed by our gastroenterology fellows were collected over 16 months. Cumulative summation (CUSUM) learning curves, which identify changes in competency over shorter numbers of procedures than traditional learning curves, were constructed. The changes in the CUSUM slope for the ten colonoscopies after a break in training minus the slope before the break were calculated. The maximum possible difference is /-1.0, with a negative difference signifying improvement. Chi-square test was conducted for the association of length of breaks, fellowship year, and number of colonoscopies performed with the change in the slope of the CUSUM learning curve. Linear regression was conducted to estimate the effect of the length of the break on the change in slope before and after a break and the slope at the end of the rotation, adjusting for fellowship year and number of colonoscopies performed prior to the break. Results: 5,685 colonoscopies were performed by 24 fellows with 57 breaks in training. The median length of a break was 5 weeks (range 2, 36). The mean change of the slope after a break was 0.01 (range -0.57, 0.49). Breaks in endoscopy training of 8 weeks or longer were associated with decrements in cecal intubation competency compared to shorter breaks (46% vs. 19%, p 0.05; mean slope differences 0.07 vs. 0.00). However, breaks in training were not associated with worse cecal intubation competency at the completion of the subsequent rotation, adjusting for number of prior colonoscopies and fellowship year ( 8 weeks vs. 8 weeks: -0.05 slope, p 0.29). Conclusions: Breaks in endsocopy training of at least 8 weeks are associated with decrements in cecal intubation competency. However, these effects are small and do not persist to the end of the subsequent endoscopy rotation. Teaching endoscopy in blocks rather than as a longitudinal experience is probably adequate, especially if it is necessary to balance other clinical and research experiences. However, the effects of longer breaks on competency deserves further study. Funding: ASGE Quality in Endoscopy Research Award
Composite knots in the figure-8 knot complement can have any number of prime factors

Abstract We study an Anosov flow ∅ t in S 3 – \s{figure-8 knot\s}. Birman and Williams conjectured that the knot types of the periodic orbits of this flow could have at most two prime factors. Below, we give a geometric method for constructing knots in this flow with any number of prime factors.
ADAPTING PSYCHOTHERAPY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Requests for the assessment and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among adult patients are on the rise. The findings from longitudinal research indicate that clinically significant symptoms persist into adulthood for many children diagnosed with ADHD. Many other patients’ symptoms are not identified until they are in active treatment for other complaints in adulthood. Thus, psychotherapists are increasingly likely to encounter adult patients with ADHD-related issues. However, the same core symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that create functional problems in patients’ lives also interfere with the effectiveness of psychotherapy. The aim of this article is to summarize the accumulated clinical and empirical wisdom about how to effectively adapt psychotherapy to meet the needs of adult patients with ADHD.
Thermal Expansion of HMX

Thermal expansion of the β-phase of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (β-HMX, C4H8N8O8) was studied in the temperature range of −150 to 30 °C. β-HMX is monoclinic (a = 6.5255(10) A, b = 11.0369(18) A, c = 7.3640(12) A, and β = 102.67(1)°), space group P21/n. On cooling from room temperature to −150 °C the crystal under goes an anisotropic contraction with the a-axis virtually unchanged while the b and c axes contract by approximately 1.8 and 0.6% respectively. The disproportionate change in the a and c axes results in approximately a 0.4% change in the β angle. Despite the large differences in expansion along the different axes no phase change was observed. β-HMX (C4H8N8O8) exhibits anisotropic thermal expansion in the temperature range of −150–30 °C with the a axis virtually unchanged but does not undergo a phase change.
The use of real-time PCR and fluorogenic probes for rapid and accurate genotyping of newborn mice.

Real-time PCR and fluorogenic probes were combined in a simple, rapid and sensitive method to genotype murine breeding stocks and their progeny for a point mutation. DNA from tail biopsies of newborn mice was mixed with amplification primers and fluorogenic hybridization probes in a PCR mixture. The primers were designed to amplify a region of the Fas-Ligand gene including the site for the gld natural point mutation. The fluorogenic hybridization probes overlaid this target sequence and were used to detect amplification of the PCR fragment as well as determine the presence of the point mutation using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Both mutated and wild-type forms of the gene fragment were amplified as detected with real-time PCR. Melting curve profiles completed on each amplified sample revealed the genotype for each mouse. These genotypes were confirmed by sequencing the amplified fragments. These results suggest real-time spectrofluorometric PCR techniques incorporating FRET-based hybridization probes may be used for rapid, sensitive, inexpensive and reliable genotyping.
An Exploratory Study of Convention Destination Competitiveness from the Attendees’ Perspective: Importance-Performance Analysis and Repeated Measures of MANOVA

Destination competitiveness has become a prominent part of hospitality and tourism literature. Competitiveness, however, is not easily defined or uniformly calculated because a number of diverse factors must be considered. Although meeting planners’ site selection criteria has been studied in existing convention destination research, the attendees’ perspective has rarely been examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the indicators that affect a convention destination’s competitiveness in the eyes of convention attendees. Data were collected from three trade shows hosted by three different convention destinations, which resulted in 696 usable responses for data analyses. Importance-performance analysis (IPA) was implemented on seven attributes of convention destination competitiveness. In addition, the overall destination competitiveness indices were calculated to see the relative competitiveness among the destinations. Repeated measures of MANOVA were conducted to complement and t...
Molecular alignment effects on high harmonic generation in N/sub 2/ in a hollow core waveguide

Nitrogen molecules in a capillary waveguide are transiently aligned using intense laser pulses. Significant variations in the HHG yield are observed as the molecular axis direction is varied with respect to the polarization an intense probe laser.
Psychosocial treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder

A review of the psychosocial treatment research literature indicates that several forms of therapy appear to be useful in reducing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Strongest support is found for the treatments that combine cognitive and behavioral techniques. Hypnosis, psychodynamic, anxiety management, and group therapies may also produce short-term symptom reduction. Still unknown is whether any approach produces lasting effects. Imaginal exposure to trauma memories and hypnosis are techniques most likely to affect the intrusive symptoms of PTSD, whereas cognitive and psychodynamic approaches may better address the numbing and avoidance symptom cluster. Treatment should be tailored to the severity and type of presenting PTSD symptoms, to the type of trauma experience, and to the many likely comorbid diagnoses and adjustment problems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Nuclear Morphometry in Normal and SV-40 Transformed Human Diploid Fibroblasts

These experiments were designed to compare the densitometric, morphometric, and texture characteristics of intact nuclei from stationary WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts and their stationary SV40-transformed counterparts (2RA cells) by means of automated image analysis and to compare the differences in template activity of the chromatins isolated from the two cell lines. While the frequency distributions of directly measured parameters as area and IOD show a substantial overlap between WI-38 and 2RA cells, average optical density parameter derived as IOD per unit area, yields two distinctly separated distributions, which permit objective identifications of individual SV40 transformed cells. Chromatin of the stationary 2RA cells appears more condensed than that of the confluent WI-38 cells, quite compatible with the decreased template activity of chromatin from transformed cells.
PPAR\upgamma represses VEGF expression in human endometrial cells: Implicationsfor uterine angiogenesis

Endometrial vasculature supports physiological uterine growth, embryonic implantation and endometrial pathology. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is regulated by diverse developmental and hormonal signals, including eicosanoid ligands of PPAR $$\upgamma$$ . The action of natural and synthetic PPAR $$\upgamma$$ ligands on VEGF expression in primary and transformed human endometrial cell cultures was established by quantifying endogenous gene expression and transfected VEGF gene reporters. VEGF promoter-luciferase constructs were truncated and mutated to map functional sequences. Endometrial tissues and cells express PPAR $$\upgamma$$ protein. Treatment of transformed and primary endometrial cells with rosiglitazone, a synthetic PPAR $$\upgamma$$ agonist, or prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Δ12-14 J2, a naturally occurring eicosanoid ligand, decreased VEGF protein secretion. In transiently transfected Ishikawa cells, rosiglitazone repressed VEGF gene promoter-luciferase activation with an IC50 ∼ ∼ 50 nM. Truncated and mutated VEGF promoter constructs revealed that the PPAR $$\upgamma$$ -regulated domain is a direct repeat (DR)-1 motif –443 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site. Conclusions: PPAR $$\upgamma$$ ligands repress VEGF gene expression via a PPAR $$\upgamma$$ -responsive element (PPRE) in the VEGF gene promoter. Agonists of this nuclear receptor might be exploited pharmacologically to inhibit pathological vascularization in complications of pregnancy, endometriosis and endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Equivalence of the Color Trails Test and Trail Making Test in Nonnative English-Speakers ☆

The Color Trails Test (CTT) has been described as a culture-fair test of visual attention, graphomotor sequencing, and effortful executive processing abilities relative to the Trail Making Test (TMT). In this study, the equivalence of the TMT and the CTT among a group of 64 bilingual Turkish university students was examined. No difference in performance on the CTT-1 and TMT Part A was found, suggesting functionally equivalent performance across both tasks. In contrast, the statistically significant differences in performance on CTT-2 and TMT Part B, as well as the interference indices for both tests, were interpreted as providing evidence for task nonequivalence of the CTT-2 and TMT Part B. Results have implications for both psychometric test development and clinical cultural neuropsychology.
Dynamic model constraints on oxygen-17 depletion in atmospheric O2 after a snowball Earth

A large perturbation in atmospheric CO2 and O2 or bioproductivity will result in a drastic pulse of 17O change in atmospheric O2, as seen in the Marinoan Oxygen-17 Depletion (MOSD) event in the immediate aftermath of a global deglaciation 635 Mya. The exact nature of the perturbation, however, is debated. Here we constructed a coupled, four-box, and quick-response biosphere–atmosphere model to examine both the steady state and dynamics of the MOSD event. Our model shows that the ultra-high CO2 concentrations proposed by the “snowball’ Earth hypothesis produce a typical MOSD duration of less than 106 y and a magnitude of 17O depletion reaching approximately −35‰. Both numbers are in remarkable agreement with geological constraints from South China and Svalbard. Moderate CO2 and low O2 concentration (e.g., 3,200 parts per million by volume and 0.01 bar, respectively) could produce distinct sulfate 17O depletion only if postglacial marine bioproductivity was impossibly low. Our dynamic model also suggests that a snowball in which the ocean is isolated from the atmosphere by a continuous ice cover may be distinguished from one in which cracks in the ice permit ocean–atmosphere exchange only if partial pressure of atmospheric O2 is larger than 0.02 bar during the snowball period and records of weathering-derived sulfate are available for the very first few tens of thousands of years after the onset of the meltdown. In any case, a snowball Earth is a precondition for the observed MOSD event.
Retention of material practiced under delayed auditory feedback: preliminary observations on two additional variables.

Summary.-GO Ss read and recalled a short story. The two experimental groups had a portion of the story presented under delayed auditory feedback; 1 group had a delay of .2 sec., the second a delay of .8 sec. Half the Ss also gave a 15-min. delayed recall wbile the other half gave a 30-min. delayed recall. These two treaunents were equal in effect on immediate and delayed recall. The delayed recall for the material practiced under delayed auditory feedback did not produce the recall facilitation previously found with a delayed recall of 24 hr. Several past studies (King, 1963, 1965; King & Walker, 1965) have shown that retention of prose material practiced under delayed auditory feedback (DAF) is significantly poorer than that obtained from appropriate controls. In other studies (King & Dodge, 1965; King & Wolf, 1965) a second retention test for the material practiced under DAF (taken approximately 24 hr. zfter the initial retention measure) yielded greater retention, relative to the initial amount of material recalled, in comparison to material not presented under DAF. This report concerns some initial observations on two additional variables relative to the above findings. First, it should be noted that in all of those studies the amount of delay introduced in DAF was .2 sec. In this study a delay interval of .8 sec. was employed in addition to the standard control and .2-sec. delay groups. Second, the possibility was investigated that the increase in delayed retention of the material presented under DAF might be obtained in a shorter time period than 24 hr., thus delayed recalls were obtained 15 min. after original recall for one group and 30 min. afterward for another group. Method.-The learning material was a short passage, "The Wet Frontier." The 166word story was divided into three paragraphs. Sixty Ss were randomly divided among a control group and two experimental groups. Each of the three groups were further divided into rwo subgroups of 10 Ss each. One subgroup gave a delayed recall 15 min. after original learning, the other 30 min. later. A Lafayette Instrument Company (Model 775a) DAF apparatus was used with the recalls obtained by use of a Grundig Stenorette tape recorder. Following a brief introdu:tion to the experimental situation, the entire story was read, using the usual DAF setup, bat DAF was introduced only on the second or middle paragraph for the two experimental groups. An immediate recall of the story was obtained from each S. Each S was then taken to a second experimental room where he worked on a series of pencil mazes for ei-her 15 or 30 min. Following this, he was returned to the main experimental room where a second recall (henceforth called the delayed recall) of the story was obtained. The recalls were scored for accuracy by counting the total number of three-word sequences and the total number of words. The over-all accuracy score was an arithmetic sum of these two quantltles.