cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sample size policy for qualitative studies using in-depth interviews.

In recent years, there has been an increase in submissions to theJournal that draw on qualitative research methods. This increaseis welcome and indicates not only the interdisciplinarityembraced by the Journal(Zucker, 2002)butalsoits commitmenttoawidearrayofmethodologies.Forthosewhodoselectqualitativemethodsandusegroundedtheory and in-depth interviews in particular, there appear to be alotofquestionsthatauthorshav ehadrecentlyabouthowtowritea rigorous Method section. This topic will be addressed in a sub-sequentEditorial.Atthistime,however,themostcommonques-tion we receive is:‘‘How large does my sample size have to be?’’and hence I would like to take th is opportunity to answer thisquestionbydiscussingrelevantdebatesandthenthepolicyoftheArchivesofSexualBehavior.
Regulation of the mitochondrial oxidation-reduction state in intact hepatocytes by calcium ions

Abstract The mitochondrial NADH:NAD ratio of isolated intact liver cells incubated in calcium-free Hanks solution, in the endogenous state or with lactate, alanine, α-ketoglutarate, glutamate, fumarate, malate, or albumin-bound palmitate, was elevated by 1 mM CaCl2. The chloride salts of Ba+2, Cd+2, Cu+2, Mn+2, Sr+2, Zn+2, Al+3, Ce+3 and La+3 caused no such change. In contrast, calcium decreased the mitochondrial NADH:NAD ratio of hepatocytes incubated with succinate. Calcium did not affect the NADH:NAD ratio in the liver cell cytosol or the energy charge. The calcium-induced elevation in the mitochondrial NADH:NAD ratio was reversed by the uncoupler 1799. These observations demonstrate a specific effect of calcium ions in the regulation of the mitochondrial oxidation-reduction state in intact liver cells.
Effects of Electrofishing Fields on Captive Embryos and Larvae of Razorback Sucker

Abstract In the laboratory, we assessed the effects of electroshocking embryos and early larvae of razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus with square-wave pulsed DC in homogeneous fields. Embryos at early epiboly, early tail bud, or fin fold developmental stages and pre-swim-up larvae were exposed for 10 s to simple pulse currents of 30 Hz (l2% duty cycle), 60 Hz (24% duty cycle), or 80 Hz (40% duty cycle), or to a fixed complex pulse current of three 240-Hz, 2.6-ms pulses delivered at 15 Hz (12% duty cycle). Peak-voltage gradient for each current was 1.2 V/cm (power density = 936 μW/cm3). Tests were also conducted with the 60-Hz current at peak-voltage gradients of 5.0 V/cm (16,250 μW/cm3) and 10.0 V/cm (65,000 μW/cm3). Survival of embryos from treatment through hatching improved significantly (P ≤ 0.05) at successive developmental stages; embryos at early epiboly were most sensitive to electric shock. Mean survival of embryos at each developmental stage was significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) in controls than ...
Regulation of hypothalamic preprogrowth hormone-releasing factor messenger ribonucleic acid expression in food-deprived rats: a role for histaminergic neurotransmission

To determine the component(s) of dietary protein that regulates GH-releasing factor (GRF) synthesis, we measured hypothalamic prepro-GRF mRNA by solution hybridization/nuclease protection analysis in food-deprived rats refed protein-free diets (PF) supplemented with individual amino acids. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were allowed free access to food (Fed), food deprived for 72 h (FD), or FD then refed for 72 h with a normal (NF) diet, a protein-free (PF) diet, or PF diets containing tyrosine, tryptophan (Trp), glutamic acid, or histidine (His). Food-deprived rats displayed the expected 80% reduction in hypothalamic prepro-GRF mRNA. Upon refeeding, levels were normalized in rats refed a normal diet, but not in those refed a PF diet alone or with tyrosine, Trp, or glutamic acid. In contrast, prepro-GRF mRNA was restored to 70% of Fed values by a PF diet with His. Supplementing a PF diet with His was sufficient to maintain hypothalamic prepro-GRF mRNA expression, as 3 days of feeding replete rats with PF ...
Decomposition/generalization methodology for object-oriented programming

Abstract The object-oriented paradigm is often connected with bottom-up programming, which is characterized by steps of composition and specialization. The opposite of bottom up is the top-down paradigm, based on steps of decomposition and generalization. In most projects, a free exchange between top-down and bottom-up methods is the best mode of operation. This article presents a variant of the top-down paradigm called the decomposition/generalization methodology, which is based on stepwise refinement. Decomposition consists of selection, refinement, class membership for deferred functions, code update, and verification. Generalization consists of the establishment of inheritance relations and the sliding of member functions to the base class. Although the language used here is C + +, the same methodology can be easily adapted to object-oriented PASCAL, SMALLTALK, and other object-oriented languages.
Recommendations for repeat courses of antenatal corticosteroids: A decision analysis

Abstract Objective: The objective was to review the evidence regarding multiple versus single courses of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS), devise dosing regimens based on this evidence, and then, by using decision analysis, compare 5 ACS regimens: (1) single course, (2) weekly courses, (3) every-other-week dosing, (4) every-other-week dosing with no more than 2 courses, and (5) an every-other-week dosing regimen with no third courses after 30 weeks and no second course after 32 weeks. Study Design: The literature was examined for evidence regarding a dose response of the benefits and detriments of ACS. A decision analytic model was designed by using odds ratios, risks of morbidity and mortality, and birth rates from the literature. Mathematic modeling, based on data in the literature, was used to estimate the number of patients who would present at risk for preterm delivery and at what gestational age they would subsequently be delivered. A sensitivity analysis was performed to account for uncertainties in the data. Results: Of approximately 4 million annual births in the United States, a conservative estimate of 138,000 patients will present between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation at risk for preterm delivery, with 91,915 deliveries. If the 5 different dosing regimens are applied to these patients, strategy 1, the single course of ACS, would result in 30,232 cases of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and 4032 neonatal deaths. Three of the other dosing regimens (2, 3, and 5) would all decrease the number of cases of RDS but would concomitantly increase neonatal deaths. Only dosing regimen 4 would decrease the cases of RDS by 2187 without increasing the number of neonatal deaths. Conclusion: There is evidence that there may be a decrease in the incidence of RDS secondary to the use of multiple doses of ACS; however, a concomitant increase in neonatal deaths may also occur. On the basis of our results, we recommend the following: (1) all fetuses between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation at risk for preterm delivery should be given the first course, (2) if there is a persisting risk of preterm delivery subsequent to this, the next course should be given 2 weeks later, and (3) no more than 2 courses should be given. These recommendations need to be examined in a randomized, controlled trial. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;186:1221-9.)
The exchange rate as nominal anchor: A test for Ukraine

Abstract Transition economies, and especially those of the former Soviet Union, have used fixed exchange-rate policy as a nominal anchor for interest rates and inflation during recent decades. In this paper I demonstrate that the rigorous application of this policy in Ukraine over the period 1999–2005 did not in fact eliminate significant deviations of Ukrainian interbank interest rates from those on the London interbank market. Estimation using weekly data over the period 1999–2005 illustrates that the government’s “nominal anchor” policy vis a vis the US dollar was effective at eliminating the risk of currency depreciation. However, other risks related to convertibility and liquidity were either not addressed or exacerbated, and thus deviations from uncovered interest parity continued through the period. This has a clear policy implication: monetary and financial-sector policy should be coordinated to eliminate convertibility and liquidity risk as well as the risk of currency depreciation.
A Sweater Unraveled: Following One Thread of Thought for Avoiding Coincident Entities

L'A. presente l'approche du probleme de la coincidence des entites proposee par D. Wiggins dans son article intitule «Etre au meme endroit au meme instant» (in «Philosophical review», 77, 1968, pp. 90-95), qui expose differentes positions ontologiques au sein d'une metaphysique moderee des objets materiels. Etablissant une taxonomie motivationnelle du reductionnisme materialiste, du materialisme revisionniste et de l'eliminativisme atomiste, l'A. traite de la question de l'existence et de l'identite des objets ordinaires dans le monde en termes de changement substantiel (Aristote) qui interroge la possibilite d'un depassement du nihilisme ontologique et de l'arbitraire par la motivation
Rat liver bile acid CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase: expression, characterization, and peroxisomal localization.

Bile acid CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAT) is responsible for the amidation of bile acids with the amino acids taurine and glycine. Rat liver BAT (rBAT) cDNA was isolated from a rat liver λZAP cDNA library and expressed in Sf9 insect cells using a baculoviral vector. rBAT displayed 65% amino acid sequence homology with human BAT (hBAT) and 85% homology with mouse BAT (mBAT). Similar to hBAT, expressed rBAT was capable of forming both taurine and glycine conjugates with cholyl-CoA. mBAT, which is highly homologous to rBAT, forms only taurine conjugated bile acids (Falany, C. N., H. Fortinberry, E. H. Leiter, and S. Barnes. 1997. Cloning and expression of mouse liver bile acid CoA: Amino acid N-acyltransferase. J. Lipid Res. 38: 86–95). Immunoblot analysis of rat tissues detected rBAT only in rat liver cytosol following homogenization and ultracentrifugation. Subcellular localization of rBAT detected activity and immunoreactive protein in both cytosol and isolated peroxisomes. Rat bile acid CoA ligase (rBAL), the enzyme responsible for the formation of bile acid CoA esters, was detected only in rat liver microsomes. Treatment of rats with clofibrate, a known peroxisomal proliferator, significantly induced rBAT activity, message, and immunoreactive protein in rat liver. Peroxisomal membrane protein-70, a marker for peroxisomes, was also induced by clofibrate, whereas rBAL activity and protein amount were not affected. In summary, rBAT is capable of forming both taurine and glycine bile acid conjugates and the enzyme is localized primarily in peroxisomes in rat liver.
Cochlear temperature correlates with both temporalis muscle and rectal temperatures. Application for testing the otoprotective effect of hypothermia

Conclusions. During systemic hypothermia, the internal temperature of the rat cochlea correlates best with the temporalis muscle and rectal temperatures. These positive correlations will be used in future studies to assess the efficacy of mild and moderate hypothermia to protect hearing against the progressive loss caused by electrode insertion in a clinically relevant model of cochlear implantation trauma. Objective. To monitor the internal temperature of the cochlea during induced systemic hypothermia using a reference tissue instead of an internal cochlear temperature probe. Material and methods. The temperatures of the cochlea, brain, temporalis muscle and rectum were determined during periods of normothermia (37°C), mild (33°C) and moderate (30°C) hypothermia and slow rewarming in anesthetized adult Fisher rats. These values were compared using statistical analysis to establish the best correlations between the temperature of the cochlea and the temperature at the three other temperature measurement ...
Stabilization of a model atom undergoing three-photon ionization

We present evidence obtained from numerical experiments that strong-field stabilization of atoms can occur in the context of photon frequencies as low as those corresponding to three-photon ionization of the ground state of a quasihydrogenic atom.
Modeling Subordinate Perceptions of Sexual Harassment: The Role of Superior–Subordinate Social–Sexual Interaction

Abstract The last 25 years have seen a dramatic increase in empirical studies in the area of sexual harassment. Yet no conceptual model exists that incorporates the complexity of moderators of sexually harassing behavior, attributions made due to this behavior, and how this behavior affects social–sexual interaction, which may lead to variations in the perception of sexual harassment. This article breaks new theoretical ground by proposing an integrative framework, which seeks to examine antecedents of the perception of sexual harassment in organizations from an interactional perspective. The model highlights and examines the intermediate stages of social–sexual interaction that may be critical in understanding the nature and perception of sexual harassment in the workplace.
1-Butene + Isobutane Reactions on Solid Acid Catalysts in Dense CO2-Based Reaction Media: Experiments and Modeling

Steady C8 alkylate production, lasting several days, was observed on a SiO2-supported Nafion catalyst during 1-butene + isobutane alkylation in dense CO2-based reaction mixtures (358−368 K; I/O = 5). Pressure-tuning studies reveal that C8 alkylate selectivity is favored at near-critical pressures (79 bar), decreasing by fourfold at higher pressure (131 bar). The selectivity enhancement at the lower pressures was partly due to retention of heavier (C12+) products in the catalyst pores, which break through when the pores are filled. By periodic increases of the pressure prior to this breakthrough, pore cleaning is demonstrated. Effective rate constants, estimated from the steady conversion data, decrease at increased pressures, implying enhanced pore-diffusion limitations in denser media. The rate constants for butene dimerization are roughly 3 orders of magnitude greater than those for alkylation. Consistent with model predictions, operating the reactor at lower space velocities with nearly total butene co...
The Effects of Feedback During Exploratory Mathematics Problem Solving: Prior Knowledge Matters

Providing exploratory activities prior to explicit instruction can facilitate learning. However, the level of guidance provided during the exploration has largely gone unstudied. In this study, we examined the effects of 1 form of guidance, feedback, during exploratory mathematics problem solving for children with varying levels of prior domain knowledge. In 2 experiments, 2nd- and 3rd-grade children solved 12 novel mathematical equivalence problems and then received brief conceptual instruction. After solving each problem, they received (a) no feedback, (b) outcome feedback, or (c) strategy feedback. In both experiments, prior knowledge moderated the impact of feedback on children's learning. Children with little prior knowledge of correct solution strategies benefited from feedback during exploration, but children with some prior knowledge of a correct solution strategy benefited more from exploring without feedback. These results suggest that theories of learning need to incorporate the role of prior knowledge and that providing feedback may not always be optimal.
Nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation increases blood flow during the early stages of stress fracture healing.

Despite the strong connection between angiogenesis and osteogenesis in skeletal repair conditions such as fracture and distraction osteogenesis, little is known about the vascular requirements for ...
Trends in Municipal Government in the South

Municipal government in the South is no longer the concern of a few as it was not so many years ago.' In an area which has been, and to a considerable extent still is, strongly rural and agrarian in thought and practice, the twin facts of the increase in the number of cities and the concentration of urban population in emerging metropolitan districts have hastened the changes in the pattern of local government. Increasingly the governmental needs of many sections of the South require the attention of city rather than rural government. If an observer of the municipal scene had arranged to space his travels in the early or middle thirties and today, he would be confronted on his second visit with both familiar and changed conditions. He would find, for example, that the answer to the question where the city was going to get the money was as hard and, to municipal councils and administrators, as cruel a question as it had been in the past. Obstacles to municipal fiscal freedom would still be found in state constitutions and statutes. "Economy" and "efficiency" would still be staples of conversation, especially among taxpayers before city councils when additional or increased taxes were being considered, and our observer would notice the familiar sight, as he had earlier, of some of the most vociferous objectors appearing the next day at the city hall and demanding increased municipal expenditures for one of their pet projects. (For one verbal symbol, however, our observer would listen in vain; that ominous word "retrenchment" had disappeared, even if only temporarily, from the municipal lexicon.) If municipal abstinence to achieve survival was the order of the day in the early thirties, however, our observer would find that current municipal revenues and expenditures were
Shear viscosity and thermal conductivity of nuclear 'pasta'

We calculate the shear viscosity \ensuremath{\eta} and thermal conductivity \ensuremath{\kappa} of a nuclear pasta phase in neutron star crusts. This involves complex nonspherical shapes. We use semiclassical molecular dynamics simulations involving 40, 000 to 100, 000 nucleons. The viscosity \ensuremath{\eta} can be simply expressed in terms of the height ${Z}^{*}$ and width $\ensuremath{\Delta}q$ of the peak in the static structure factor ${S}_{p}(q)$. We find that \ensuremath{\eta} increases somewhat, compared to a lower density phase involving spherical nuclei, because ${Z}^{*}$ decreases from form factor and ion screening effects. However, we do not find a dramatic increase in \ensuremath{\eta} from nonspherical shapes, as may occur in conventional complex fluids.
Engineer or technologist: A matter of degree? Part II: It is at the interface of entry-level positions, where EE and EET graduates meet, that the similarities in their backgrounds tend to mask their differences

Since the 1940s, the analogy of a spectrum has been used to define the engineering manpower team. At that time, a simple, two-dimensional chart showed the relationship between theoretical and practical knowledge as it applied to two-year associate degree engineering technicians (EETs) and four-year baccalaureate degree engineers (EEs). With scientists and craftspeople extending the spectrum at either end, we had a manpower model that was simplistic but easy to discuss with interested students and employers. The fact that there were many engineers and technicians in industry whose backgrounds did not fit the academic definitions associated with that model was not really recognized at that time. The engineering profession was an open profession then as much as it is today.
High dimensional nearest neighbor searching

As databases increasingly integrate different types ot Information SUCh as time-series, multimedia and scientific data, it becomes necessary to support efficient retrieval of multi-dimensional data. Both the dimensionality and the amount of data that needs to be processed are increasing rapidly. As a result of the scale and high dimensional nature, the traditional techniques have proven inadequate. In this paper, we propose search techniques that are effective especially for large high dimensional data sets. We first propose VA+-file technique which is based on scalar quantization of the data. VA+-file is especially useful for searching exact nearest neighbors (NN) in non-uniform high dimensional data sets. We then discuss how to improve the search and make it progressive by allowing some approximations in the query result. We develop a general framework for approximate NN queries, discuss various approaches for progressive processing of similarity queries, and develop a metric for evaluation of such techniques. Finally, a new technique based on clustering is proposed, which merges the benefits of various approaches for progressive similarity searching. Extensive experimental evaluation is performed on several real-life data sets. The evaluation establishes the superiority of the proposed techniques over the existing techniques for high dimensional similarity searching. The techniques proposed in this paper are effective for real-life data sets, which are typically non-uniform, and they are scalable with respect to both dimensionality and size of the data set.
The effects of maternal thyroid hormone function on early pregnancy

Purpose of reviewIt is unclear whether pregnancy outcomes are impacted by nonovert thyroid disease, and whether detection and treatment of abnormalities improve outcomes. Consequently, there is an ongoing debate regarding universal thyroid screening in pregnancy. A lack of solid evidence has prompte
The Big Five in Personnel Selection: Factor Structure in Applicant and Nonapplicant Populations

Recent personnel selection studies have focused on the 5-factor model of personality. However, the stability of this factor structure in job applicant populations has not been determined. Conceptual and empirical evidence has suggested that similar factor structures should not be assumed across testing situations that have different purposes or consequences. A study was conducted that used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the fit of the 5-factor model to NEO Five-Factor Inventory (P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1989) test data from student and applicant samples. The 5-factor structure fit the student data but did not fit the applicant data. The existence of an ideal-employee factor in the applicant sample is suggested
Lessons from the trenches: meeting evaluation challenges in school health education.

BACKGROUND: Those involved in school health education programs generally believe that health-education programs can play an important role in helping young people make positive health decisions. Thus, it is to document the effects of such programs through rigorous evaluations published in peer-reviewed journals. METHODS: This paper helps the reader understand the context of school health program evaluation, examines several problems and challenges, shows how problems can often be fixed, or prevented, and demonstrates ways in which challenges can be met. A number of topics are addressed, including distinguishing between curricula evaluation and evaluation of outcomes, types of evaluation, identifying stakeholders in school health evaluation, selection of a program evaluator, recruiting participants, design issues, staff training, parental consent, instrumentation, program implementation and treatment fidelity, participant retention, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, presentation of results, and manuscript preparation and submission. RESULTS: Although there is a lack of health-education program evaluation, rigorous evaluations that have been conducted have, at least in some cases, led to wider dissemination of effective programs. CONCLUSIONS: These suggestions will help those interested in school health education understand the importance of evaluation and will provide important guidelines for those conducting evaluations of school health-education programs. Language: en
Findings and outcomes of psychological evaluations of gastric bypass applicants.

Abstract Background Among severely obese persons seeking surgical treatment, lifetime prevalence rates of Axis 1 psychiatric disorders range up to 50%; 27% to 42% have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of evaluation. Despite recommendations by the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel that evaluation for surgery include a mental health component, little data are available on the outcomes of such evaluations. Similarly, there are also few data on the frequency and type of psychotropic medication use by these patients. The primary objective of this study was to describe the recommendations resulting from psychological evaluations of bariatric surgery applicants; a secondary purpose was to describe the point and lifetime prevalences of psychotropic medication use. Methods We examined the psychological evaluation recommendations of successive gastric bypass applicants at the Medical University of South Carolina. Results Results indicated that the overwhelming majority (81.5%) of gastric bypass applicants had no psychological contraindication to surgery. A smaller percentage (15.8%) required psychological treatment before surgery, and only 2.7% of all applicants were considered psychologically inappropriate for surgery. Results also indicate that 47.7% were using at least 1 psychotropic medication at the time of the evaluation, and that 9.2% were using more than 1. The overwhelming majority of medications used were antidepressants, followed by antianxiety medications and mood stabilizers. Conclusions These results indicate that the vast majority of patients will not be denied surgery as the result of a psychological assessment, yet approximately 20% of patients may be considered, based on psychological evaluation, psychologically inappropriate for immediate surgery, at least without initial treatment. These data also suggest that pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric disorders is quite common among gastric bypass applicants.
Doped Silicon Nanoparticles Synthesized by Nonthermal Plasma

Silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) < 6 nm have been doped with B and P in nonthermal plasma. The doping efficiency of B is smaller than that of P, consistent with the theoretically predicted larger formation energy of B than P. The effect of doping on the oxidation-induced changes in light emission from Si-NPs is different between B and P. It appears that P is at or near the surface of Si-NPs, and that B is well incorporated inside Si-NPs. Inks based on doped Si-NPs are produced by attaching alkyl ligands to the surface of Si-NPs and dispersing them in organic solvents.
Children's Literature: Preparing Preservice Teachers for the Multicultural Classroom.

(1993). Children's Literature: Preparing Preservice Teachers for the Multicultural Classroom. Action in Teacher Education: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 45-51.
USING BAYESIAN METHODS TO CONTROL FOR SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESEARCH: AN ILLUSTRATION USING TOXICS RELEASE INVENTORY DATA FOR A SUNBELT COUNTY

ABSTRACT: Many previous environmental justice (EJ) studies have argued that there is disproportionate collocation of environmental disamenities with racial and ethnic minorities, even holding constant other factors such as income and political action. However, most of the EJ studies do not account for the presence of spatial autocorrelation, especially those that also include nonnormal distributions. Using the location of new Toxics Release Inventory facilities (TRIFs) in Maricopa County, Arizona in the 1990s, we illustrate a finding of spatial autocorrelation and the use of Bayesian spatial models to accommodate the issue. The results show that the relationship between Asian minority status in a census tract and new TRIF establishments found with regression models does not remain statistically significant once spatial autocorrelation is accounted for. Instead, three variables, the percentage of American Indians in the tract, population density, and the percentage of residents aged 55–74, statistically significantly explained new TRIF establishments. This illustrates that failure to control for spatial autocorrelation can lead to incorrect policy understanding.
A morphological defect in shiner perch resulting from chronic exposure to chlorinated sea water

1) A morphological defect to one eye was observed in 17 of 20 young shiner perch exposed to chlorinated sea water, and it was absent in the 5 controls. The occurrence of the defect was apparently related to the concentration of total residual oxidants. 2) Behavioral aberrations appeared to be associated with the morphological defect in exposed fish. Fish with severe cases were observed to be unsuccessful at feeding and at avoiding capture by dip-net. 3) Fish which died during the experiment varied in the degree of severity of the observable morphological aspects of the defect.
An inequality for the chromatic number of a graph

where k = k(G) is the chromatic number of G, with equality if and only if G is a complete graph or an odd circuit. More recently Wilf [2] sharpened Brooks' inequality to k(G) ~< 1 + ~, (2) where A = A(G) is the largest eigenvalue of the vertex-adjacency matrix of G, i.e., the matrix whose i, j entry is 1 is vertices i and j are connected and 0 otherwise. In the case of a star graph with n vertices (k = 2), (1) gives only k ~ n whereas (2) gives 0(V'n). In examination it appears that the only properties of the function A(G) needed in the proof of (2) are P~. G' C G ~ A(G') ~ ,~(G).
Influence of polyunsaturated and saturated dietary lipids on adipose tissue, brain and mitochondrial membrane fatty acid composition of a mammalian hibernator.

Dietary lipid composition profoundly influences the hibernation pattern of the chipmunk Eutamias amoenus. The object of the present study was to investigate whether these physiological changes following feeding of saturated and ~~~t~ Iipids were associated by c~~sition~ changes of fatty acids of tissues and membranes. Animafs were fed with rodent chow (control diet), rodent chow with lO?G sunflower seed oil (unsaturated diet) and rodent chow with 10% sheep fat (saturated diet). Diet-induced changes in the fatty acid composition of depot fat and brain total lipids and of mitochondrial phospholipids were determined. The fatty acid unsaturation index was lower in animals on saturated diet than in animals on unsaturated diet (depot fat 86.1 vs. 145.9; heart rnit~~n~ia 207.6 vs. 247.1; liver ~t~ho~a 148.4 vs. 173.5). Pronomced differences between dietary groups were also observed in n - 3 or n - 6 fatty acids or their ratios of depot fat, brain and liver mitochondria. Generally, the diet-induced differences in tissue and membrane fatty acid composition in E. ~~oenus were more pronounced than those observed previously in non-~~mating species. !Selective feeding and incorporation of high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids into tissues and cell membranes may be an important preparation for hibernation in E. amoenus which lowers its body temperature during torpor to about 0°C.
Unsupervised anchor shot detection using multi-modal spectral clustering

This paper presents a novel unsupervised method for anchor shot detection using spectral clustering with multi-modal features. Unlike previous unsupervised studies where the acoustic trajectory features can not be combined with visual features directly, only a pairwise distance matrix from each attribute is needed instead of individual samples so that diverse information from heterogeneous features can be integrated in a unified manner. Experimental evaluation on a subset of the TRECVID 2004 dataset showed that an appropriate incorporation of the acoustic information with visual information will improve the F1 score from 0.68 for visual information only system to 0.87 in our unsupervised anchor shot detection system. Also a comparison study on the same dataset with a supervised system showed that the performance of our unsupervised system approach that of the supervised system.
Beyond Electocracy: Rethinking the Political Representative as Powerful Stranger

This year's Chorley lecture examines certain theoretical and practical questions concerning political representation in constitutional democracies and advances three claims. (1) That electocracy (rule by elections) reduces the role of citizens to a series of discrete choice points, often shifting the actual moment of choice to the politician. (2) That a preoccupation with winner-take-all elections encourages representatives in the US to see themselves as powerful strangers with a proprietary interest in their position. (3) That representatives can deepen democracy by functioning as catalysts for citizen involvement not just surrogates for citizen views or identities. Drawing on historic and contemporary examples of ordinary people who mobilize collectively to build new forms of citizen power before and after elections, Professor Guinier adapts the framework of collective efficacy to describe this conceptual move. She argues that vibrant constituencies of accountability can transform the representational relationship to reimagine democracy as self-governance not just self-government.
Transport mechanisms in the micellar solubilization of alkanes in oil-in-water emulsions

Abstract The theory governing mass transfer rates associated with moving a solute from an oil droplet into an aqueous micellar solution is discussed. This theory is used to determine critical dimensionless groups that characterize transfer mechanisms, and to obtain rate equations for several limiting cases. These theoretical results are compared with experimental measurements of emulsified alkane solubilization into nonionic and anionic micellar solutions, with varying levels of convection and values of the aqueous phase viscosity. We conclude that two mechanisms are consistent with our observations: a molecular diffusive mechanism coupled with fast, irreversible reaction as proposed by (Kabalnov and Weers, Langmuir 12 (1996) 3442), or an interfacially controlled mechanism. The ability to understand and control these kinetic mechanisms is important in such processes as flavor and drug release, surfactant-based environmental remediation, detergency, multiphase chemical reactions, emulsion stability and in vivo digestion.
Design methodology of a hybrid micro-scale fuel cell-thin-film lithium ion source

Emerging ad-hoc wireless sensor nodes and other micro-scale applications demand long operational lives, small form factors, and total integration, which are next to impossible to fully achieve with conventional battery technologies. Efficient, power-moded, fully integrated systems inherently demand high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPRs), as in wireless sensor applications where telemetry is a power-consuming function with low duty-cycle operation. Lithium ion batteries (Li-Ion), while conforming to micro-scale dimensions and supplying moderate power densities, cannot store enough energy to sustain extended lifetimes, which is where fuel cells (FCs) excel. Although various control strategies for energy flow between batteries and FCs have been proposed in the past, none of them superimpose the severe constraints of a micro-scale system on the design, where volume, energy, and power are scarce and the performance of the MEMS FCs degrade with time. This paper presents a hybrid micro-scale MEMS FC-thin-film Li-Ion source and proposes a design methodology for the same wherein volume, energy, and power are optimized for peak-power and extended-lifetime performance. The FC is ultimately used to both charge and supply the load asynchronously, depending on the state of the load, while the Li ion mostly functions as a power cache. System simulations of a multi-sensor wireless system load show and validate how peak-power, average-power, duty-cycle, and frequency performance are achieved and how they relate to lifetime.
Time-resolved flash spectroscopic investigations of the reactions of singlet arylhalocarbenes

Abstract The results of time-resolved laser flash spectrometric studies of singlet arylhalocarbenes are reviewed. In particular, the absolute rate constants for reactions of phenylchlorocarbene and related carbenes with alkenes are summarized and systematized. The experiments described provide the basis for a detailed examination of carbenic reactivity-selectivity principles. The results of studies on the influence of temperature on the absolute rate constants for carbene reactions are consistent with the existence of transient carbene/alkene intermediates.
Attenuation of the side effect profile of regadenoson: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study with aminophylline in patients undergoing myocardial perfusion imaging and have severe chronic kidney disease--the ASSUAGE-CKD trial.

A subgroup analysis of the ASSUAGE trial suggested that the standardized intravenous aminophylline administration following regadenoson-stress leads to substantial attenuation of regadenoson adverse-effects in patients with severe chronic kidney disease (CKD). In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of patients with stage 4 and 5 CKD, we compared the frequency and severity of regadenoson adverse-effects in those who received 75 mg of intravenous aminophylline versus a matching placebo administered 90 s post-radioisotope injection. Consecutive 300 patients with severe CKD (36 % women; 86 % end-stage renal disease; age 55 (±13) years) were randomized to receive aminophylline (n = 150) or placebo (n = 150). In the aminophylline arm, there was 65 % reduction in the incidence of the primary endpoint of diarrhea (9 (6.0 %) vs. 26 (17.3 %), P = 0.002), 51 % reduction in the secondary endpoint of any regadenoson adverse-effect (47 (31.3 %) vs. 96 (64 %), P < 0.001) and 70 % reduction in headache (16 (10.7 %) vs. 54 (36 %), P < 0.001). The stress protocol was better tolerated in the aminophylline group (P = 0.008). The quantitative summed difference score, as a measure of stress-induced ischemic burden, was similar between the study groups (P = 0.51). In conclusion, the routine standardized administration of intravenous aminophylline in patients with severe CKD substantially reduces the frequency and severity of the adverse-effects associated with regadenoson-stress without changing the ischemic burden. [NCT01336140]
Nonvalue of culturing cerebrospinal fluid for fungi.

No studies have evaluated the efficacy of culturing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for fungi. Because of the facts that the most common fungi responsible for meningitis grow well in media utilized for routine bacterial cultures and that cryptococcal antigen tests are commonly ordered, the efficacy of routinely performing fungal cultures specifically to recover fungi has been questioned. We examined data from 1,225 samples of CSF which were cultured for both bacteria and fungi. Twelve specimens yielded fungi, 10 from fungal cultures and 8 from bacterial cultures. Cryptococcus neoformans was found in 10 specimens, Candida albicans was found in 1, and a Cladosporium sp. was found in 1. Eight of 12 positive specimens had concordant culture results. The discordant cases were one specimen that was bacterial culture positive but fungal culture negative and three specimens that were fungal culture positive but bacterial culture negative. Of the latter discrepant cultures, one had fungal contamination only and the other two were positive for cryptococcal antigen. Therefore, omitting the fungal cultures on these specimens would not adversely impact patients. When both cryptococcal antigen tests and bacterial cultures are ordered routinely, eliminating fungal cultures on CSF would have had no impact on the patients in this study. All the clinically significant fungi were detected by the cryptococcal antigen test and/or bacterial culture. With a few exceptions, the combined use of cryptococcal antigen test and bacterial cultures of CSF could replace routine fungal cultures of CSF. Exceptions include settings where fungal pathogens other than Cryptococcus and Candida remain important causes of meningitis.
Reflux Symptoms in 100 Normal Infants: Diagnostic Validity of the Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire

To identify the prevalence of reflux symptoms in normal infants, to characterize the diagnostic validity of a previously described 138-item Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire (I-GERQ) for separating normal infants from those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and to identify potentially provocative caretaking practices, we administered the questionnaire to 100 infants attending a well-baby clinic (normals) and to 35 infants referred to the Gastroenterology Division for evaluation for GERI) and testing positive on esophageal pH probe or biopsy (GERD infants). Differences were analyzed by Chi-square, and odds ratios were defined. The diagnostic validity of a 25-point I-GERQ GERD score based on 11 items on the questionnaire was evaluated by calculating its sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. We found that normal infants had a high prevalence of reflux symptoms, such as daily regurgitation (40%), respiratory symptoms, crying more than an hour a day (17%), arching (10%), or daily hiccups (36%) but that many symptoms were significantly more prevalent in the GERD than in the normal infants (Chi-square P < .05), and odds ratios were above 3 for nearly 20 items. The positive and negative predictive values for the 25-point I-GERQ score were 1.00 and .94-.98, respectively. Environmental smoke exposure did not quite reach significance as a provocative factor for GERD. Although normal infants have a high prevalence of symptoms suggesting GERD, a simple questionnaire-based score is a valid diagnostic test with high positive and negative predictive values.
Using Laboratory Experimental Auctions in Marketing Research: A Case Study of New Packaging for Fresh Beef

This paper illustrates the use of laboratory experimental auctions in a pretest market research program for new products. We review the experimental auctions literature, discuss the range of auction mechanisms available and present the advantages and disadvantages of using a particular mechanism for a laboratory pretest market. We then present a step-by-step example of how a theoretically incentive compatible auction mechanism fifth-price, sealed-bid was used in a laboratory pretest market for vacuum-packaged beef. Based on the illustration, we discuss the potential for using laboratory experimental auctions in pretest market research. We present the limitations that may be encountered in such applications and outline research aimed at improving the behavioral properties of the technique.
Benign mixed tumor of the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland. Clinical diagnosis and appropriate surgical management

The treatment of suspected benign mixed tumor (pleomorphic adenoma) of the lacrimal gland consists of wide local surgical excision of the tumor and its capsule in their entirety. The tumor should be approached routinely via a lateral orbitotomy to provide maximal exposure and allow complete removal of the lesion. However, if clinical and radiographic evidence indicates a far anterior location implying an origin in the more superficial palpebral lobe, an anterior transcutaneous approach is advantageous and preferred. The authors report an adult case of an anteriorly located benign mixed tumor of the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland. The authors reviewed the characteristic clinical, echographic, and computed tomographic (CT) features, offered a differential diagnosis, and described surgical removal using a cryoprobe via an anterior lid approach. An awareness of the distinctive clinical and diagnostic features of benign mixed tumor of the palpebral lobe should help to avoid the complications that ensue from an incisional biopsy or piecemeal resection through the lid, and also to avoid the need for more extensive surgery for removal of residual or recurrent tumor.
Stunned, infarcted, and normal myocardium in dogs: simultaneous differentiation by using gadolinium-enhanced cine MR imaging with magnetization transfer contrast.

PURPOSE: To simultaneously differentiate stunned, infarcted, and normal myocardial regions by using gadolinium-enhanced cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with magnetization transfer contrast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve dogs were imaged on days 1 and 8 after transient 90-minute coronary artery occlusion. A magnetization transfer contrast with echo-train readout (MTET) MR sequence was performed before and 30 minutes after gadolinium contrast enhancement. Ex vivo analysis consisted of MR imaging, microsphere blood flow analysis, and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. A paired two-tailed t test was used to compare wall thickening from day 1 to day 8. Linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses were used to compare infarct size depicted with MTET imaging with that seen on TTC-stained tissue. RESULTS: Severe wall motion abnormalities were detected in all dogs. At TTC analysis, seven dogs had evidence of myocardial infarction and five had evidence of stunned myocardium. The mean percentages of l...
Market Transition and the Deinstitutionalization of Standard Work Hours in Post-Socialist China:

The authors investigate the relationship between market transition and work hours in urban China. Regression analysis of data from the 2006 Chinese General Social Survey reveals a negative relationship between economic marketization, measured at the province level, and the likelihood that an employee works standard hours. Standard hours are less common among those working for smaller employers, which are less subject to outside scrutiny. This relationship between employer size and standard hours is stronger in more marketized regions. These findings support the authors’ argument that standard work hours are deinstitutionalized as employers strive for low cost and flexibility in China’s increasingly marketized but poorly regulated economy. Comparisons of the Chinese experience with recent trends in the United States reveal remarkable similarities in the weakening of social employment contracts precipitated by the ascendency of markets and the systematic disempowering of labor.
The Integration of Grid-enabled Internet GIServices and Geographic Semantic Web Technologies

This paper presents a new framework for Grid-enabled GIService web portals to facilitate the building of high-level intelligent Internet GIServices. The five-tier architecture suggested here can support advanced semantic search and query functions for distributed GIServices by combining Grid computing, Semantic Web, and software agent technologies. The design of the web portal user interface with software agents can help end users combine and integrate computing power with geospatial data and services. Geospatial ontologies are incorporated into the framework by using geographic web ontology language (G-OWL). Intelligent software agent (GeoAgent) techniques are used to automate the procedures for searching, retrieving and processing geospatial data. The proposed Internet GIService architecture will provide a blue print for the establishment of Grid-enabled Internet GIServices and will help the GIS community to identify potential technical challenges to implement intelligent Internet GIServices.
Dissecting X-Ray Raman Resonances Using Four-Wave Mixing

The stimulated x-ray Raman signal has been calculated for the amino acid cysteine using broadband (FWHM ≃14.2eV, 128 as) pulses tuned to the nitrogen K-edge. Peaks correspond to those valence excited states and reveal electronic Frank-Condon overlaps between canonical valence orbitals and relaxed orbitals in the presence of the core hole. The coupling between excited states with valence- and core-holes is further explored using a coherent, wave-vector matched photon echo technique, where it is possible to eliminate stimulated emission and excited-state absorption by taking the waiting time to be longer the lifetime of the core hole (∼ 7:1 fs for nitrogen).