cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skill performance on biorhythm theory's physically critical day.

The hypothesis of a critical day in biorhythm theory predicts that skill performance would be lower than normal on a physically critical day. Participants in an archery league were observed in 346 events. Indoor archery performance provided scores identical to the goal of the task and unaffected by environmental conditions or other competitors. Above-average performances on 34 physically critical days did not differ significantly from the population proportion of above-average performances. No support for the hypothesis was provided by this observation of archery performance. Language: en
Size-Dependent Selection at the Footgear of a Groundfish Survey Trawl

Abstract Three trawl bags were attached underneath the footgear of a multispecies groundfish survey trawl to estimate escapement of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides, yellowtail flounder Pleuronectes ferrugineus, and thorny skate Raja radiata. Data from 26 fishing hauls on the Grand Bank, off the coast of Newfoundland, were used in the study. Net efficiency of the survey trawl reached 50% for the two flounder species greater than 24 cm and for Atlantic cod exceeding 35 cm, but efficiency never exceeded 42% for any size of thorny skate, Catchability coefficients ranged from 0.24 to 0.44. Trawl vulnerability was size-dependent for Atlantic cod, American plaice, and yellowtail flounder but not for thorny skate, Escapement of small fish underneath the footgear was affected by the towing speed and type of footgear. The highly variable abundance indices of prerecruit Atlantic cod, American plaice, and yellowtail flounder on the Grand Bank seen in bottom-trawl surveys from y...
Modal analysis of the 'gap effect' in waveguide dielectric measurements

In waveguide measurements on dielectric slabs, small air gaps between the guide walls and the dielectric sample are found to be capable of radically altering the complex reflection and transmission coefficients of the excitation mode. The modal-analysis representation is used to compute these coefficients for low-loss and high-loss samples with air gaps. The 'gap effect' is explained quantitatively by considering the influence of the dominant 'slab mode,' which focuses its energy into the dielectric slab, and the dominant 'gap mode,' which focuses its energy into the air gap. An experimental approach, which consists of filling the air gap with conducting paste, is shown to essentially correct the problem. >
Multidimensional perfectionism, depression and relational health in women with eating disturbances.

Abstract Objective This study investigated multidimensional perfectionism, depression, and relational health and quality across varying severities of eating disorders. The Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnoses (Mintz, O'Halloran, Mulholland, & Schneider, 1997) was used to distinguish clinical, subclinical, and asymptomatic groupings. Method The sample included 212 women recruited from a university and an eating disorder treatment center. Results Results indicated significant differences across all the three groups on perfectionistic discrepancy. All three groups also differed on their level of depressive mood. However, there were no significant group differences on relational health and quality. Discussion This study contributes to the understanding of intrapersonal and interpersonal correlates of eating disorders and subclinical eating disturbances. This understanding allows for better identification of vulnerability to eating disorders and offers the potential to design more specialized and effective treatments.
The UPDRS-8: A Brief Clinical Assessment Scale for Parkinson's Disease

We evaluated a brief, 8-item version of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) using two existing patient databases. One database included 1,445 PD patients. Spearman correlation between UPDRS-8 motor scores and full UPDRS motor scores was .765 (p < .001). Correlation between total UPDRS-8 scores and full UPDRS total scores (parts I-III) was .798 (p < .001). Correlation between total UPDRS-8 scores and total 39-item PD questionnaire (PDQ-39) scores was .629 (p < .001). In 177 patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS), UPDRS-8 motor scores were similarly significantly sensitive to change as full UPDRS motor scores in assessing change from the medication OFF state to the medication ON state at baseline and from the medication OFF state at baseline to the medication OFF/stimulation ON state 1 year post-DBS. The UPDRS-8 focuses on items that are most relevant for clinical decision making. In this study, the UPDRS-8 exhibited good correlation with the full UPDRS and the PDQ-39. We therefore believe that it can provide a useful, rapid assessment of PD patients in clinical practice. Whether it might be useful in clinical trials depends on demonstrating that it is also sensitive to relatively small changes in clinical status.
A high-throughput open-array qPCR gene panel to identify, virulotype, and subtype O157 and non-O157 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Abstract Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), including O157 and non-O157 serotypes are significant foodborne pathogens that require sensitive and discriminatory methods for detection and characterization. There are numerous PCR-based methods for the detection of EHEC virulence factors, but the time and cost involved with large-scale screening efforts and population level analyses have limited the size and scope of studies. Recent technological advancements have combined the high-throughput performance of the microarray with the specificity and sensitivity of real-time qPCR to make large-scale screening efforts both time- and cost-effective. This study identified and evaluated a panel of 28 genetic markers including known virulence and regulatory genes, O-antigen genes, and select prophage regions of O157 and non-O157 EHEC that can be used with high-throughput PCR to virulotype, serotype, and preliminarily subtype large numbers of isolates. The PCR assays for the target genes were shown to be robust using multiple extraction methods and PCR platforms. Preliminary quantitative PCR showed that an EHEC concentration of 104 CFU/ml or lower could be detected, with a linear range of detection over five to six orders of magnitude. The panel of 28 target genes has the potential to become an integral tool in outbreak, environmental, and genetic investigations of EHEC.
REGOLITH AND MEGAREGOLITH FORMATION OF H-CHONDRITES : THERMAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE PARENT BODY

Abstract Spectral reflectivity data and its location near an orbital resonance suggest that Asteroid 6 Hebe may be the source body for H-chondrites, the second largest meteorite group. Recent spacecraft images of asteroids and theoretical modeling indicate that, contrary to previous ideas, asteroids can retain thick regoliths. We model the thermal evolution of a Hebe-sized object coated with a thick insulating regolith and heated by26Al and other long-lived radionuclides. The heat conduction equations for spherically symmetric objects were solved using finite-difference approximations. We assumed a three-layer structure with regolith and megaregolith overlying a rocky core. The three layers differed in bulk density, porosity, and thermal conductivity. Interior peak temperatures were set to match metamorphic temperatures of H6 chondrites. The regolith has a major influence on thermal history, and the results are very different from those for a simple rocky body published by various authors. Regolith insulation produces a uniform interior peak temperature of ∼1250 K and moves the petrographic type boundaries close to the surface of the parent body. Petrologic types 3–6 can be produced within 10 km of the asteroid's surface with only moderate (∼1 km) regolith thicknesses. The calculations indicate that H4–H6 formation would be consistent with the cooling rate estimates and Pb–Pb formation ages if the material originated in the near surface regions. We suggest that many if not all H-chondrites could have been formed in a megaregolith and thick regolith. Their observed properties are consistent with this environment, especially the abundance of regolith breccias and H-chondrites of all petrologic types with implanted solar wind gases.
The Effects of Leadership on Quality

Abstract:Research examining quality management has focused primarily on manufacturing organizations with specific attention directed toward organizational employees. Many in the field of quality believe that management is key for a successful quality program, yet the effects of specific leadership styles on quality performance have not been determined. In this study, leadership styles within transformational, transactional and non-transactional classifications are evaluated relative to the organization's performance based on the criteria from the Baldrige Quality Award. Results indicate that leadership does have an affect on quality, and certain transformational and transactional styles are more effective.
Surfactant polymers designed to suppress bacterial (Staphylococcus epidermidis) adhesion on biomaterials

We describe a series of surfactant polymers designed as surface-modifying agents for the suppression of bacterial adhesion on biomaterials. The surfactant polymers consist of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone with hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and hydrophobic hexanal (Hex) side chains (PVAm/PEO:Hex). Surface modification is accomplished by simple dip coating from aqueous solution, from which surfactant polymers undergo spontaneous surface-induced assembly on hydrophobic biomaterials. The stability of PVAm/PEO:Hex on pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and polyethylene (PE) was demonstrated by the absence of detectable desorption under flow conditions of pure water over a 24-h period. PEO surfactant polymers with four different PEO:Hex ratios (1:1.4, 1:2.5, 1:4.6, and 1:10.7) and a dextran surfactant polymer were compared with respect to S. epidermidis adhesion under dynamic flow conditions. Suppression of S. epidermidis adhesion was achieved for all modified surfaces over the shear range 0-15 dyn/cm(2). The effectiveness depended on the surfactant polymer composition such that S. epidermidis adhesion to modified surfaces decreased significantly with increasing PEO packing density. Modified HOPG was more effective in reducing bacterial adhesion compared with the corresponding modification on PE, which we attribute to the presence of defects in surfactant polymer assembly on PE. Our results are discussed from the perspective of critical factors, such as optimal PEO packing density and hydration thickness, that contribute to the effectiveness of surfactant polymers to shield a biomaterial from adhesive bacterial interactions.
PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF ACHENE DORMANCY IN POLYGONUM CONVOLVULUS (POLYGONACEAE)

Germination of dormant achenes of wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus L.) was promoted at 25 C if they were stratified at low temperatures. Preincubation at either 2 C or 10 C promoted subsequent germination at 25 C equally, although the period of time to reach maximum germination was shorter for the 2 C treatment. Moreover, a preincubation treatment of a daily alternating cycle 2 C for 20 hr and 10 C for 4 hr promoted germination at 25 C more than either temperature alone. Removing portions of the hard pericarp and testa did not promote germination of dormant achenes at 25 C except when the portion of those structures covering the tip of the radicle was removed. This suggests that the structures covering the embryo do not prevent germination by restricting the movement of water or gases but rather restrict growth mechanically. Complete removal of the pericarp promoted germination, but much higher germination was obtained when the testa was also removed, indicating that the pericarp may not be the main factor in dormancy. Thus the role of low temperature in the loss of dormancy in wild buckwheat achenes may be to promote the production of hydrolytic enzymes that lower the mechanical resistance of pericarp and testa and/or increase the embryo growth potential beyond some threshold level and thereby enable the radicle to overcome the resistance to growth imposed by the structures covering the embryo. Wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus) is a common annual weed in cultivated fields of North America. Its persistence as a weed has been attributed in part to dormancy of newly ripened achenes that allows germination to be spread over several subsequent seasons (Hume, Martinez, and Best, 1983).
Evanescent wave spectroscopy for studying swelling/de-swelling kinetics of soft matter

Optical fibers connected to a spectrophotometer are shown to be analytical devices for recording the kinetics of structural changes within soft materials deposited on the side surface of the fiber core. A portion of electromagnetic radiation propagating inside an optical fiber penetrates out of its core (evanescent field) and interacts with molecules located within the depth of penetration (∼λ/10). It can be absorbed, scattered or can excite molecules around the fiber core surface. To prove the concept, a cylindrical hydrogel film [poly-N-(isopropylacrylamide), PNIPA] was polymerized by an evanescent wave around the fiber core immerged into the hydrogel forming solution. The integral intensity of light passing through the fiber core covered with the dried PNIPA hydrogel film was recorded with time during its hydration to reveal tiny features of swelling kinetics. The volume transition temperature (∼32 °C) was determined for the PNIPA hydrogel by measuring integral intensity and spectral composition of light passing through the combined gel-on-fiber core system at different temperatures. This value agrees well with the one known from the literature. Above this temperature, the PNIPA hydrogel shrank absorbing/scattering the light in different spectral ranges with a temperature increase. The results are of great importance for practical applications such as the time-resolved spectroscopy of structural transformations within not only synthetic, but also natural soft materials (cells, organelles, microorganisms, etc.).
Inquiry-Based Learning in Remote Sensing: A Space Balloon Educational Experiment

Teaching remote sensing in higher education has been traditionally restricted in lecture and computer-aided laboratory activities. This paper presents and evaluates an engaging inquiry-based educational experiment. The experiment was incorporated in an introductory remote sensing undergraduate course to bridge the gap between theory and application of relevant technology. During this semester-long experiment, titled ‘ESF goes to space’, students designed, built, launched and successfully acquired imagery from the upper stratospheric parts (approximately 27 000 m). Replication guidelines are presented and a post-evaluation discusses benefits and limitations for students, instructors and university.
The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R): validation with clinical and nonclinical samples

Past suicidal behaviors including ideation and attempts have been identified as significant risk factors for subsequent suicidal behavior. However, inadequate attention has been given to the development or validation of measures of past suicidal behavior. The present study examined the reliability and validity of a brief self-report measure of past suicidal behavior, the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Participants included psychiatric inpatient adolescents, high school students, psychiatric inpatient adults, and undergraduates. Logistic regression analyses provided empirical support for the usefulness of the SBQ-R as a risk measure of suicide to differentiate between suicide-risk and nonsuicidal study participants. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses indicated that the most useful cutoff scores on the SBQ-R were 7 for nonsuicidal samples, and 8 for clinical samples. Both the single SBQ-R Item 1 and SBQ-R total scores are recommended for use in clinical and nonclinical settings.
Brownian motion of nonlinear oscillators: The projection operator method and its application to a double-well-potential oscillator

A projection operator method is presented, which provides the most efficient way for calculating the stationary behavior of nonlinear Brownian motion. A continued-fraction expansion of the Fourier-Laplace transform of the displacement correlation function or the spectral density is used. This method utilizes a successive optimization procedure on the nonlinear terms and includes the method of “statistical linearization” as the lowest order approximation. A systematic way to calculate the continued fraction numerically up to sufficient order for convergence is developed, which enables us to obtain the spectral density of a system previously uncomputable.
Taxonomic studies of Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh (Phaeophyta) in Southern California: Holdfasts and basal stipes

Abstract Morphometric data and transplant experiments were used to study phenotypic and genotypic differences between Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh populations with “ M. angustifolia -type” and “ M. pyrifera -type” holdfasts in southern California. The difference between these holdfast types, which involves the age at which they appear rhizomatous, is related to differences in the lengths of their basal stipes. Earlier development of the rhizomatous appearance in the M. angustifolia -type holdfast than in the M. pyrifera -type is due to shorter basal stipes. It was also found that populations intergrade on the basis of basal-stipe lengths. These findings support the concept of a single species of Macrocystis in southern California rather than that of two species as suggested in some publications.
USE OF A FULL DIALLEL CROSS TO ESTIMATE GENERAL AND SPECIFIC COMBINING ABILITY IN CHICKENS.

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE diallel cross has become a common method of analyzing intra-specific genetic variability among crosses (partial diallel) or among parental subpopulations and their crosses (full diallel). The breeder needs the full diallel to determine whether crossing per se is of value in improving productivity. He needs further to determine the relative importance of certain kinds of specific combining ability, to indicate whether extensive crossing is needed to exploit nonadditive genetic variation. A diallel analysis that allows estimation of maternal effects is needed to determine whether reciprocal crosses are likely to be equivalent. This study estimates the relative importance of general and specific combining ability and maternal influence in strain and breed crosses for certain economic traits in pullets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental Stock. Samples of three White Leghorn (W.L.) and three Rhode Island Red (R.I.R.) “closed-flock” strains were obtained from leading commercial breeders in 1956 and crossed in all…
Pomeron exchange and exclusive electroproduction of ϱ-mesons in QCD

Abstract A Pomeron-exchange model of exclusive electroproduction of ϱ-mesons is examined using a dressed-quark propagator. It is shown that by representing the photon-ϱ-meson-Pomeron coupling by a nonperturbative, confined-quark loop, one obtains predictions for ϱ-meson electroproduction that are in good agreement with experiment.
Clinical impact of residual extraretroperitoneal masses in patients with advanced nonseminomatous germ cell testicular cancer.

Objective Integration of platinum-based chemotherapy and surgical resection of residual masses is essential in the management of advanced nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT). We reviewed our institutional experience in patients undergoing resection of extraretroperitoneal (ERP) residual masses after chemotherapy to assess its impact on cancer progression and survival. Methods Between 1989 and 2003, 532 patients with advanced NSGCT underwent postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) with a median follow-up of 41 months. Survival probabilities were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine the prognostic significance of risk factors for progression and survival. Results Of 532 patients, 402 (76%) underwent PC-RPLND alone, and 130 (24%) underwent resection of ERP residual disease concurrently or in a staged fashion within 6 weeks. Concordance between retroperitoneal (RP) and ERP sites of disease was 83% in the presence of fibrosis, 42% for teratoma, and 47% for viable NSGCT. Overall, 34% of patients undergoing resection of ERP residual disease had either teratoma or viable disease on final pathology. Five-year probability of freedom from progression was 74% (95% CI 65%, 82%) and disease-specific survival was 84% (95% CI 75%, 89%). On multivariable analysis the histologic findings at the ERP site were significant predictors of disease progression, independent of the RP findings. Conclusion Our data suggest that teratoma or viable NSGCT is present in approximately one-third of patients undergoing resection of residual ERP disease. The presence of residual ERP teratoma and viable NSGCT predicts for cancer progression independent of RP histology.
Design and Implementation of System Integration Method for Power Distribution and Consumption

Quantities of application systems with no unified model and interface standard exist in power distribution and consumption, which restricts intensive operation and management of electric power enterprise. Based on “Integration Study on Intelligence Power Distribution and Consumption Park Technology” (project number: 2011AA05A117) in 863 national scientific and technological project in 2011, the paper first analyzes characteristics of power distribution and consumption system and problems of current system integration method, then proposes a new integration and implementation method that is suitable for power distribution and consumption system, which gives practice principles for system integration of power distribution and consumption.
Localization in modern standard Arabic

Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the official language used in all Arabic countries. In this paper we describe an investigation of the uniformity of MSA across different countries. Many studies have been carried out locally or regionally on Arabic and its dialects. Here we look on a more global scale by studying language variations between countries. The source material used in this investigation was derived from national newspapers available on the Web, which provided samples of common media usage in each country. This corpus has been used to investigate the lexical characteristics of Modern Standard Arabic as found in 10 different Arabic speaking countries. We describe our collection methods, the types of lexical analysis performed, and the results of our investigations. With respect to newspaper articles, MSA seems to be very uniform across all the countries included in the study, but we have detected various types of differences, with implications for computational processing of MSA.
Extending a combinatorial geometry by adding a unique line

A bijective correspondence is established between extensions of a combinatorial geometry G by the addition of a unique line and parallel structures of G.
Effect of ethanol on lipid metabolism and epithelial permeability barrier of skin and oral mucosa in the rat

Background: Ethanol consumption induces changes in lipid metabolism. This might be reflected locally as an alteration in the epithelial lipid barrier. Methods: Rats were fed with an isocaloric liquid diet with, or without, ethanol (6.7%) and were sacrificed at 60 or 120 days. Plasma and liver triglycerides, γ-glutamyl-transferase (GGTP) levels, and permeability (Kp) of skin and buccal mucosa to tritiated water and the tobacco carcinogen, nitrosonornicotine, were determined. Results: Significant elevation of GGTP at 120 days and triglycerides at both 60 and 120 days was observed for rats fed with ethanol diet. For this diet, Kp values to both penetrants increased significantly for skin in rats after 120 days compared to all other groups. Conclusion: The parallel between changes in lipid metabolism and permeability suggests that one effect of ingested alcohol is to alter the lipid-containing permeability barrier of stratified squamous epithelium.
Magnesium therapy in massive digoxin intoxication

A potentially fatal case of massive digitalis intoxication is presented. Recurrent ventricular fibrillation failed to respond to lidocaine or phenytoin, but responded dramatically to magnesium sulfate infusion. A review of the literature and previous clinical studies, as well as the case reported here, appears to indicate that magnesium sulfate given intravenously in adequate quantities (2 to 3 g in one minute followed by 2 g/h for 4 to 5 h) is effective in controlling ventricular irritability caused by toxic levels of digitalis preparations.
Abundances in Stars from the Red Giant Branch Tip to near the Main-Sequence Turnoff in M5

We present the iron abundance and abundance ratios for 18 elements with respect to Fe in a sample of stars with a wide range in luminosity, from luminous giants to stars near the turnoff in the globular cluster M5. The analyzed spectra, obtained with the High Resolution Echelle Spectrograph at the Keck Observatory, are of high dispersion (R = λ/Δλ = 35,000). We find that the neutron capture, the iron peak, and the α-element abundance ratios show no trend with Teff and low scatter around the mean between the top of the red giant branch and near the main-sequence turnoff, suggesting that at this metallicity non-LTE effects are not important over the range of stellar parameters spanned by our sample. To within the precision of the measurements (about ±0.1 dex), gravitationally induced heavy-element diffusion does not appear to be present among the stars near the main-sequence turnoff studied here. Our work and other recent studies suggest that heavy-element diffusion is inhibited in the surface layers of metal-poor stars. Differences in the Na abundance from star to star that extend to the main-sequence turnoff are detected in our sample in M5. The anticorrelation between O and Na abundances, observed in other metal-poor globular clusters, is not detected in our sample, but it may be hidden among stars with only upper limits for their O abundances. As we found in M71, there is a hint of star-to-star variation in the Zr abundance. Overall the abundance ratios of M5 appear very similar to those of M71, with the possible exception of the neutron capture element Ba, for which we argue that the apparent difference may be due to difficulties in the analysis. As in M71, the α-elements Mg, Ca, Si, and Ti are overabundant relative to Fe. The results of our abundance analysis of 25 stars in M5 provide further evidence of abundance variations among specific light elements at unexpectedly low luminosities, which cannot be explained by our current understanding of stellar evolution.
Infrared spectroscopic analysis of complex polymer systems

A procedure has been developed for the analysis of complex polymer systems, using infrared spectroscopy. Its application to the analysis of styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymers hydroxylated in the solid phase by reaction with peracetic acid is described. Twenty-two frequencies of analytical interest were found sufficient to describe the infrared spectrum of the reacted polymer and were used to estimate the concentrations of the 12 components (functional groups) found to be present. A least-squares solution of the Lambert-Beer law equations was used to determine the 12 concentrations of interest. The errors associated with the regression and with the uncertainties in the determination of the absorptivities were determined using model compounds with the functional groups in approximately similar environments to those found in the polymer. With this procedure, the concentrations of the major components could be determined to within ±30%, which was sufficient to determine the effects of diffusion on the solid-phase reaction process.
Erlotinib-associated exacerbation of hypothyroidism with pericardial tamponade.

ABSTRACT Objective To report a case of erlotinib-associated exacerbation of hypothyroidism complicated by pericardial tamponade. Methods We describe the patient’s clinical presentation, biochemical workup, and clinical course. Results Non-small cell lung cancer was diagnosed in a 54-year-old woman. After cisplatin and radiation therapy, she was noted to have subclinical hypothyroidism that did not necessitate treatment. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib, 150 mg once daily, was prescribed. Three months later, the patient was documented to have severe hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine was prescribed, but she continued to experience shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest and back pain, which resulted in an emergency department visit. Inpatient workup revealed cardiac tamponade with a large pericardial effusion and a right ventricular diastolic collapse. Pericardiocentesis was performed. Conclusions This is the first case report linking erlotinib use and thyroid disease. (Endocr Pract. 2012; 18:e111-e113)
Evidence that the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior questionnaire (STAB) predicts momentary reports of acting-out behaviors

Abstract There is growing recognition that substantively important distinctions exist across physically aggressive, rule-breaking, and socially aggressive forms of antisocial behavior. Even so, one limitation to accumulating additional scientific insights into the correlates and origins of these three varieties of antisocial behavior has been the lack of an efficient self-report assessment in the public domain. The Subtypes of the Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire (STAB) was developed to address this need. Although there is already a good deal of psychometric support for the STAB, prior research has yet to examine its “ecological” validity. In other words, it remains unclear whether the STAB scales would predict the frequency of acting-out behaviors in daily life. The current study sought to examine this question via an electronic diary study, in which participants reported on their momentary behaviors on multiple occasions in their natural environments. Analyses revealed that each STAB scale uniquely predicted only the momentary acting-out behaviors characteristic of that scale. Such findings provide further support for the STAB as a promising self-report measure of physically aggressive, rule-breaking, and socially aggressive forms of antisocial behavior.
Synthesize dye-bioconjugates to visualize cancer cells using fluorescence microscopy

The clinical diagnosis of most cancers is based on evaluation of histology microscopic slide to view the size and shape of cellular nuclei, and morphological structure of tissue. To achieve this goal in vivo and in deep tissue, near infrared (NIR) dyes-bovine serum albumin (BSA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) conjugates were synthesized. The spectral study show that the absorption and fluorescence of the dye-conjugates are in the “tissue optical window” between 650 nm and 1100 nm. The internalization and pinocytosis of the synthesized compound were investigated in cell level using fluorescence microscopy to obtain the optimal concentration and staining time scale.
Impact of Nursing Case Management on an Underserved Population

Underserved populations face many barriers to health care that include lack of personal resources such as limited income, lack of or inadequate health care insurance, and limited community health care recourses. Nursing case management is an outcome-oriented model and is well suited to address these obstacles to care with interventions of resource identification, coordination of care, and promotion of self-sufficiency. This article will outline health care barriers for residents of a Housing First program, describe the implementation of a nursing case management model for these residents, discuss barrier reduction interventions, and present the related outcomes on acute care and preventative health care services. Implications of the model and outcomes are discussed.
Little finger carpometacarpal arthroplasty technique and result in 3 cases.

Purpose To present our surgical technique and results for the treatment of posttraumatic arthritis of the little finger carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 3 patients who underwent our surgical technique. All patients had previously sustained intra-articular fractures of the base of the little finger metacarpal and presented with painful posttraumatic arthritis of the fifth metacarpal–hamate joint. Patients were treated with little finger CMC arthroplasty and extensor carpi ulnaris suspensionplasty. Results We observed the 3 patients in the office over a mean of 21 months and by telephone for a mean for 51 months postoperatively. They had improvements in wrist motion and grip strength. Finger motion remained stable. Pain and tenderness at the little finger CMC joint were eliminated. Conclusions Our technique provided satisfactory pain relief and motion preservation for posttraumatic arthritis of the little finger CMC joint. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Severity of alcohol use and problem behaviors among school-based youths in Puerto Rico

OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to: (a) categorize youths into groups based on their level of alcohol use and number of symptoms of alcohol abuse and dependence defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), and (b) examine whether these categories were associated with other problem behaviors in which youths engage (marijuana use, sexual intercourse, and having been arrested or having trouble with the law). METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional survey administered to 972 school-based youths from one middle school and one high school in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Youths were categorized based on their alcohol use and alcohol problems. These categories were then examined for associations with lifetime marijuana use, lifetime sexual intercourse, and having been arrested or having had trouble with the law in the past year. The original eight categories of alcohol use were collapsed into six categories based on the results. RESULTS: For virtually every group characterized by higher severity of alcohol use and alcohol problems, researchers found an increasing prevalence of marijuana use in their lifetimes, increasing odds of sexual intercourse in their lifetimes, and having had trouble with the law in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: Knowing about variations in alcohol use and alcohol problems may be instrumental in measuring the degree to which youths may also be engaging in a range of other elevated risk behaviors and a progression to more serious forms of alcohol and drug use.
Memory’s Malleability: Its Role in Shaping Collective Memory and Social Identity

If anything has been learned about memory, it is that it is fragile and error prone (Schacter, 2001; Loftus, 2005). Far from being a verbatim record of the past, memory is well understood as a reconstructive process replete with distortions, and at times, gross inaccuracies. Although often associated with negative consequences (Wells and Olson, 2003; McNally and Geraerts, 2009) there is growing evidence to suggest that memory's imperfections may also be a virtue (Schacter, 2012; Schacter et al., 2011). The reconstructive nature of memory is believed to provide greater cognitive flexibility (Schacter and Addis, 2007), underlie mental time travel (Schacter et al., 2008; Szpunar, 2010), and support the construction and maintenance of self-identity and life-stories (Greenwald, 1980; Markus and Nurius, 1986; Bruner, 1991; Baerger and McAdams, 1999; Conway and Pleydell-Pearce, 2000; Wilson and Ross, 2001). We argue here that memory's malleability benefits more than just the self – the same attitudes, schemata, and social and physical environments that render an individual's memory unique can also transform initially disparate memories into shared recollections. It is our proposition that autobiographical memories are simultaneously reconstructed to be distinct from that of another person and converge with it as a result of social interactions. Through this convergence, emerges collective memory that will in turn establish a collective identity and promote sociality. Our aim here is to bridge the gap between individual and collective memory by discussing several lines of research elucidating the processes by which the malleability of memory promotes the formation of shared memories.
Psychiatric diagnoses and cognitive impairment in pediatric multiple sclerosis

Background:Pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) represents approximately 5% of the MS population; information regarding clinical features is slowly accumulating. Cognitive and psychiatric impairments ...
Group Dynamics: A Modern Redefinition of their Therapeutic Significance as Boundary Processes

Group dynamics have not always been viewed as having a positive influence upon the group psychotherapy process. During the last 35 years, a number of significant systematic changes have occurred in both the conceptual delineation of group dynamics and their technical use in the form of specific interventions with groups.
An Apoptosis-inducing Isoform of Neu Differentiation Factor (NDF) Identified Using a Novel Screen for Dominant, Apoptosis-inducing Genes

Apoptosis is a genetically programmed series of events that results in cell death. As a consequence, it is difficult to identify dominant genes that play a role in this process using genetic selections in conventional cell culture systems. Accordingly, we have established an efficient expression screen to isolate dominant, apoptosis-inducing genes. The assay is based on the apoptotic morphology induced in the human kidney cell line 293 after transient transfection of small plasmid pools from normalized cDNA expression libraries. Using this assay, we isolated a novel isoform of the proto-oncogene Neu differentiation factor (NDF), a ligand for erbB receptor tyrosine kinases. Several lines of experimental evidence indicate that this gene kills in a cell-autonomous fashion and independently of known erbB receptors. This apoptotic property of an NDF isoform is readily contrasted with NDF's transforming potential and might balance the tendency to tumorigenesis in cells that overexpress NDF.
The structure of emotions during acute myocardial infarction: A model of coping

The present state of medical care for heart attacks, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), clearly indicates that rapidly and expeditiously seeking definitive medical care will reduce morbidity and prevent mortality. Despite the clearly established advantages of rapid AMI treatment, the time from the onset of acute symptoms of AMI to definitive medical care is often prolonged and individuals with a prior history of AMI and/or coronary artery disease (CAD) extend care-seeking. Behaviors and actions surrounding acute care-seeking are often fraught with complex social, psychological and emotional processes. The purpose of the present paper is to bring together a theoretical and an applied understanding of the interval of time from acute symptom onset to definitive medical care during AMI; and to understand the role of emotions in the care-seeking process. This task is especially important among individuals with a prior history of AMI and/or CHD. These individuals can be seen as experiencing a "spectrum of posttraumatic disturbances", ranging from anxiety to posttraumatic stress disorder and alexithymia. These disturbances contribute to extended care-seeking thereby placing the individuals at greater risk for AMI and sudden cardiac death. Effective intervention requires three elements. First, knowledge is necessary so that individual and lay others can correctly label symptoms and signs of an AMI. Second, it is necessary to provide feasible behaviors that individuals and lay others can use to access definitive medical care. Third, and perhaps most importantly, it is necessary to provide understanding of and skills to cope with the emotional arousal surrounding both the primary traumatic experience of symptoms and signs, potential secondary traumatic consequences of AMI care-seeking and tertiary trauma from the long-term consequences of CHD.
Documenting Women’s Postoperative Bodies: Knowing Stephanie and “Remembering Stephanie” as Collaborative Cancer Narratives

Photographic representations of women living with or beyond breast cancer have gained prominence in recent decades. Postmillennial visual narratives are both documentary projects and dialogic sites of self-construction and reader-viewer witness. After a brief overview of 30 years of breast cancer photography, this essay analyzes a collaborative photo-documentary by Stephanie Byram and Charlee Brodsky, Knowing Stephanie (2003), and a memorial photographic essay by Brodsky written ten years after Byram's death, "Remembering Stephanie" (2014). The ethics of representing women's postsurgical bodies and opportunities for reader-viewers to engage in "productive looking" (Kaja Silverman's concept) are the focal issues under consideration.
Assessment of Age-Related Changes in Abdominal Organ Structure and Function With Computed Tomography and Positron Emission Tomography

With the size of the aged population in the United States expected to grow considerably during the next several decades, the number of imaging studies performed on such aged individuals will similarly increase. Thus, it is important to understand normal age-related changes in the structural and functional imaging appearance of the abdominal organs. We therefore present preliminary data and a review of the literature relevant to structural and functional changes in the abdominal organs of children and older adults. In a retrospective study of both adult and pediatric populations, we used computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and PET/CT imaging to investigate age-associated changes in size, attenuation, and metabolic function of the abdominal organs. Organs of interest include the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, adrenal glands, stomach, small bowel, colon, and rectum. Although volumes of adult liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys do not change significantly with age, adult left and right adrenal gland volumes do significantly increase with age (r = 0.2823, P = 0.0334, and r = 0.3676, P = 0.0049, respectively). Also, the attenuation of adult liver (r = -0.2122, P = 0.0412), spleen (r = -0.4508, P < 0.0001), pancreas (r = -0.5124, P = 0.0007), and left and right adrenal gland (r = -0.5835, P < 0.0001 and r = -0.6135, P < 0.0001, respectively) decrease significantly with increasing age. Every organ studied in the pediatric population demonstrates a positive association between organ volume and age. Significant age-related changes in organ function are noted in the adult liver and small bowel, with the liver demonstrating a positive association between metabolic activity and age (r = 0.4434, P = 0.0029) and the small bowel showing an inverse association between mean small bowel standardize uptake value and age (r = -0.2435, P = 0.0174). Also, the maximum overall small bowel and colon metabolic activity in children increases with age (r = 0.6478, P = 0.0008). None of the other organs studied (ie, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands, stomach, colon, rectum) demonstrate significant changes in metabolism with advancing age. The metabolic volumetric product (calculated as the product of organ volume and mean organ SUV) of the liver and spleen does not change significantly with age. In conclusion, various abdominal organs demonstrate differential changes in volume, attenuation, and/or metabolism with increasing age in pediatric and adult populations.
Some Reflections on the Constitutionality of Sex Offender Commitment Laws

This essay reflects upon the author’s experience in litigating and writing about major constitutional cases involving sex offender civil commitment programs, such as Kansas v. Hendricks and Kansas v. Crane, both of which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The article addresses several questions about such programs, and also discusses the propriety and role of “substantive due process” constitutional analysis in this context.
Biochemical effects of 17β-estradiol on UMR106 cells

Abstract The effect of 17β-estradiol (E) on an osteoblast-like cell line, UMR106, was studied in vitro. The concentrations of transferrin and seven enzymes (gamma glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase and aspettate aminotransferase) were measured in these cells after incubation in culture medium containing either E or the vehicle. E treatment increased five of the seven enzymes and increased the transferrin concentration in the UMR106 cells white simultaneously reducing the proliferation rates, 4-Hydroxytamoxifen, an estrogen antagonist, produced a mild estrogen agonist action on growth rates and enzyme concentrations in the UMR106 cells, When E was present simultaneously, the agonist properties of 4-hydroxytamoxifen were enhanced. These studies show that E enhanced activity of five enzymes and the transferrin content of UMR106 cells after a 2-day incubation. 4-Hydroxytamoxifen enhanced the E effect, illustrating that estrogen antagonists may manifest agonist or antagonist properties depending on the model. These results extend our previous observations showing a direct effect of E in vitro on osteoblast-like cells.
Parameter identification in a class of nonlinear systems

Two approaches are proposed for on line identification of parameters in a class of nonlinear discrete time systems. The system is modelled by state equations in which state and input variables enter nonlinearly in general polynomial form while unknown parameters and random disturbances enter linearly. States and inputs are observed with measurement errors represented by white Gaussian noise having known covariance. System disturbances are also white and Gaussian with finite but unknown covariance. One method of parameter estimation is based upon a least squares approach; the second is a stochastic approximation algorithm (SSA). In each case the algorithm is motivated by minimization of an appropriate error criterion and modified to eliminate bias errors. Under fairly mild conditions the estimate derived from the least squares algorithm (LSA) is shown to converge in probability to the correct parameter; the SAA yields an estimate which converges in mean square and with probability one. Examples are given illustrating convergence of a recursive form of the LSA. This recursive form still requires inversion of a matrix at each step. The SAA requires no matrix inversions but experience to date with the algorithm indicates that convergence is slow relative to that of the LSA.
Lines Avoiding Unit Balls in Three Dimensions

Let B be a set of n unit balls in ℝ3. We show that the combinatorial complexity of the space of lines in ℝ3 that avoid all the balls of B is O(n3+e), for any e > 0. This result has connections to problems in visibility, ray shooting, motion planning, and geometric optimization.
Nutrition Management in Pediatric Small Bowel Transplant

Fifty-five children received intestinal transplants (ITx) at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh between July 1990 and January 1997. We assessed 23 children who had at least 1 year of follow-up with functioning intestinal grafts (7 isolated small bowel, 13 liver/ small bowel, and 3 multivisceral) for nutritional status, linear growth, and weight gain. We divided the children into 4 groups by age: infants <1 year (n = 4), toddlers 1–5 years (n = 6), preadolescents 5–10 years (n = 6), and adolescents 10–18 years (n = 7). We began an appropriate elemental formula at an average of 15 days post-ITx (median, 13 days). At 1-year post-ITx, 15 children (65%) were thriving on oral diets, 7 children (31%) required enteral tube feedings that were secondary to oral aversion, and 1 child (4%) received partial parenteral nutrition support. Anthropometric data showed linear growth, appropriate weight in relation to height, and maintenance of fat and muscle stores. Serum albumin increased one-year post-ITx in each age g...