cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Size increase with altitude in the Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis)

ABSTRACT Heat is generated by the body volume and lost across its surface. Therefore larger homeotherms with their proportionately larger volume and smaller surface area will withstand cold better ...
Effect of Air-Conditioning on Light Duty Gasoline Vehicles Fuel Economy:

With more stringent U.S. fuel economy (FE) standards, the effect of auxiliary devices such as air-conditioning (AC) have received increased attention. AC is the largest auxiliary engine load for li...
The effect of dietary vitamin D supplementation on sodium-dependent phosphate uptake and expression of NaPi-IIb in the small intestine of weanling pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 to stimulate Na+-dependent phosphate uptake in Caco-2 cells, and the effects of dietary vitamin D supplementation to vitamin D-deficient nursery pigs on Na+-dependent nutrient uptake and mRNA expression of NaPi-IIb cotransporter and calbindin D(9k) in the jejunum. In Exp. 1, 250,000 Caco-2 cells were seeded on Costar 12 mm Snapwell inserts with a 0.40 µm polycarbonate filter and a seeding density of 0.25 × 106 and studied at 15 d postconfluence. Cells were treated with 10 nM of either 1,25(OH)2D3 or vehicle for 48 h and then mounted in modified Ussing chambers for transepithelial measurements. In Exp. 2, pigs (n=32) were removed from sows at 3 d of age, placed on a vitamin D-deficient milk replacer diet and housed in a room devoid of sunlight and UV light in the range of 280 to 300nm. On d 28, serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations were measured to verify low vitamin D status. Pigs (BW 10.10 ± 0.38 kg) were then individually housed d 28 post-weaning and allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments. Dietary treatments consisted of corn-soybean based diets with vitamin D supplementations of 0 or 1,500 IU/kg diet for 12 d. Blood samples were taken from the brachiocephalic vein on the initial (d 0) and final day (d 10,11, or 12) of the study for analysis of serum 25(OH)D3 , P, and Ca. Pigs were euthanized and jejunal segments were harvested and used in modified Ussing chambers and for RNA isolation and subsequent quantitative RT-PCR analysis. In Exp. 1, treating Caco-2 cells with 10 nM 1,25(OH)2D3 resulted in a 52% increase (P 0.10) among treatment groups. Additionally, NaPi-IIb and calbindin D(9k) mRNA expression were not different (P > 0.10) between treatment groups. No differences (P > 0.10) were detected in final serum P or 25(OH)D3 concentrations between treatments. However, serum Ca linearly increased (P < 0.05) as the concentration of supplemental vitamin D increased in the diet. Overall, while 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulated Na+-dependent phosphate uptake in Caco-2 cells, supplementing diets with 1,500 IU/kg Vitamin D3 from cholecalciferol did not increase jejunal Na+-dependent phosphate uptake or NaPi-IIb mRNA expression over that of pigs fed diets with no supplemental cholecalciferol.
The Role of Anti-harmony in Learning Neutral Vowels

The present study used an artificial grammar learning paradigm to explore the prediction that exposure to anti-harmony might help learners infer that a neutral vowel in a vowel harmony language is transparent. Participants were exposed to a back/round harmony language with a neutral vowel [a]. This neutral vowel either always selected a back vowel suffix, always selected a front vowel suffix, or selected both front-and back vowel suffixes, in adherence to anti-harmony. Results indicated that exposure to a back/round harmony with the neutral vowel selecting either back vowel suffixes, or both front and back vowel suffixes, could induce a bias towards transparent vowels. Assuming that participants inferred that the centralized [a] paired with [o] harmonically, then the predictions that exposure to anti-harmony could induce a bias towards a transparent vowel interpretation were borne out. However, the bias towards a transparent vowel was not significantly different between the anti-harmony conditions and the harmony condition, suggesting that this effect should be replicated with other neutral vowels.
Adenosine-induced transient hypotension for carotid artery injury during endoscopic skull-base surgery: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND As the management of ventral skull-base pathology has transitioned from open to endonasal treatment, there has been an increased focus on the prevention and endoscopic endonasal management of internal carotid artery (ICA) and major vascular injury. The use of adenosine to induce transient hypotension or flow arrest has been previously described during intracranial aneurysm surgery; however, there have been no reports of the technique being used during endonasal skull-base surgery to achieve hemostasis following major vascular injury. METHODS Case report (n = 1) and literature review. RESULTS A 25-year-old female underwent attempted endoscopic endonasal resection of an advanced right-sided chondrosarcoma. During resection of the tumor, brisk arterial bleeding was encountered consistent with focal injury to the right cavernous ICA. Stable vascular hemostasis could not be achieved with tamponade. An intravenous bolus dose of adenosine was administered to induce a transient decrease in systemic blood pressure and facilitate placement of the muscle patch over the direct site of vascular injury. The patient subsequently underwent endovascular deconstruction of the right ICA. CONCLUSION This is the first reported use of adenosine to induce transient hypotension for a major vascular injury sustained during endonasal skull-base surgery. Based on well-established safety data from neurosurgical application, adenosine has the potential to be used as a safe and effective adjunctive technique in similar endonasal circumstances and may represent an additional tool in the armamentarium of the skull-base surgeon. Surgeons should consider having adenosine available when a risk of ICA injury is anticipated.
MDS code constructions with small sub-packetization and near-optimal repair bandwidth

An (n, M) vector code C ⊆ &#x1d53d;n is a collection of M codewords where n elements (from the field &#x1d53d;) in each of the codewords are referred to as code blocks. Assuming that &#x1d53d; ≅ &#x1d539;e, the code blocks are treated as e-length vectors over the base field &#x1d539;. Equivalently, the code is said to have the sub-packetization level e. This paper addresses the problem of constructing MDS vector codes which enable exact reconstruction of each code block by downloading small amount of information from the remaining code blocks. The repair bandwidth of a code measures the information flow from the remaining code blocks during the reconstruction of a single code block. This problem naturally arises in the context of distributed storage systems as the node repair problem [4]. Assuming that M = |&#x1d539;|ke, the repair bandwidth of an MDS vector code is lower bounded by ((n − 1)/(n − k))· e symbols (over the base field &#x1d539;) which is also referred to as the cut-set bound [4]. For all values of n and k, the MDS vector codes that attain the cut-set bound with the sub-packetization level e = (n − k)⌈n/(n − k)⌉ are known in the literature [23,36].This paper presents a construction for MDS vector codes which simultaneously ensures both small repair bandwidth and small sub-packetization level. The obtained codes have the smallest possible sub-packetization level e = O(n − k) for an MDS vector code and the repair bandwidth which is at most twice the cut-set bound. The paper then generalizes this code construction so that the repair bandwidth of the obtained codes approach the cut-set bound at the cost of increased sub-packetization level. The constructions presented in this paper give MDS vector codes which are linear over the base field &#x1d539;.
What Do We Miss about Students’ Individual Decision Making by Focusing Only on Overall Trends?

Many in the higher education community, including chemistry educators, are appropriately worried about trends in retention, often at both the local and national levels. Such trends inherently disti...
FDG-avid benign osseous processes on PET/CT

755 Learning Objectives: 1. To recognize several benign osseous processes which may appear FDG-avid on PET/CT scanning. 2. To describe imaging features which may be helpful in the differentiation of these benign processes from malignancy. Abstract Body: There are many physiologic and pathologic osseous processes which may result in abnormal FDG uptake on PET scanning. Often, these are incidental findings on PET/CT scans performed for other purposes (e.g., staging or restaging of unrelated malignancy). Some benign musculoskeletal variants which are known to accumulate FDG include benign (traumatic or osteoporotic) fractures, degenerative/inflammatory joint disease, infection (osteomyelitis/discitis), prostheses (normal or complicated), metabolic bone disease (fibrous dysplasia, Paget9s disease), and cartilaginous tumors such as enchondroma. Bone marrow FDG uptake may be related to benign processes such as post-chemotherapeutic (or colony stimulating factor induced) marrow hyperplasia or anemia. Recognition of the imaging characteristics of these benign processes is important to assist in differentiation from malignancy and to avoid misdiagnosis.
The Impact of Mind Wandering on Signal Detection, Semi-autonomous Driving Performance, and Physiological Responses:

Significant growth in the number of autonomous vehicles is expected in the coming years. With this technology, drivers will likely begin to disengage from the driving task and often experience mind...
Colocolic intussusception secondary to submucosal lipoma

Adult intussusception is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain and poses diagnostic challenges for emergency physicians due to its varied presenting symptoms and time course. We report a case of chronic colocolic intussusception secondary to a lead point submucosal lipoma. Dedifferentiating intussusception with or without a lead point is important in determining appropriate management.
Physician perspectives on discussions with parents of infants with suspected ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to understand pediatric urologists' perceived role of patient characteristics on discussions about treatment of infants with suspected UPJ obstruction. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with pediatric urologists from three geographically diverse sites. Interview domains included: clinical indications for surgery, discussions with parents, and consideration of parent socioeconomic factors. Transcribed data and field notes were analyzed using a team-based, inductive grounded theory approach. Results Thirteen physicians were interviewed. Physicians reported a standardized approach to discussions to facilitate parental understanding. While they did not report overt consideration of demographics, they tailored discussions based on educational and cultural background and language barriers. Physicians also reported that concerns about risk of loss to follow up contributed to their treatment recommendations. Most physicians recognized that the lack of clear data often led to use of personal experience to guide recommendations. Conclusion Physicians recognize a gap in data to guide surgical decisions and utilize personal experience to augment this gap. They also recognize the influence of educational and language barriers on discussions with families and consider risk of loss to follow up when making recommendations, suggesting an implicit consideration of demographics. These findings suggest that development of evidence-based guidelines may reduce treatment variations. Level of Evidence Not applicable (qualitative research study written in compliance with COREQ guidelines).
Chemical and Microstructural Characterization of pH and [Ca 2+ ] Dependent Sol-Gel Transitions in Mucin Biopolymer.

Mucus is responsible for controlling transport and barrier function in biological systems, and its properties can be significantly affected by compositional and environmental changes. In this study, the impacts of pH and CaCl2 were examined on the solution-to-gel transition of mucin, the primary structural component of mucus. Microscale structural changes were correlated with macroscale viscoelastic behavior as a function of pH and calcium addition using rheology, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, surface tension, and FTIR spectroscopic characterization. Mucin solutions transitioned from solution to gel behavior between pH 4–5 and correspondingly displayed a more than ten-fold increase in viscoelastic moduli. Addition of CaCl2 increased the sol-gel transition pH value to ca. 6, with a twofold increase in loss moduli at low frequencies and ten-fold increase in storage modulus. Changing the ionic conditions—specifically [H+] and [Ca2+] —modulated the sol-gel transition pH, isoelectric point, and viscoelastic properties due to reversible conformational changes with mucin forming a network structure via non-covalent cross-links between mucin chains.
Visualization strategies for regression estimates with randomization inference

Coefficient plots are a popular tool for visualizing regression estimates. The appeal of these plots is that they visualize confidence intervals around the estimates and generally center the plot a...
Effects of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor on Injured Dopaminergic Neurons

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on injured dopaminergic neurons. The degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra is characteristic for Parkinson's disease and the loss of dopaminergic function is most likely responsible for the majority of behavioral deficits of the disease. The identification of a trophic factor able to promote survival and function of dopaminergic neurons and to protect them from degeneration after injury could have significant impact on the future treatment of Parkinson's disease. BDNF, a growth factor belonging to the neurotrophin protein family, which includes nerve growth factor (NGF), stimulates developmental growth and differentiation of dopaminergic neurons in culture. The pretreatment of cultured dopaminergic neurons with BDNF diminishes the susceptibility of these cells to intermediate concentrations of the selective dopaminergic neurotoxin MPP+. In contrast to these actions in vitro, it is found that intraventricular BDNF administration is unable to protect axotomized dopaminergic neurons from degeneration in a similar way as NGF offers protection for axotomized cholinergic neurons. However, these findings do not generally exclude that adult dopaminergic neurons are responsive to BDNF.
Multinational Enterprises and Cross-border Acquisitions: Evolution of the Field

The rise of the multinational enterprise to international prominence has been remarkable. This study takes an evolutionary approach in chronicling the development of the multinational enterprise fi...
Adaptive Data Function for Robust Ultrasound Elastography

Regularized optimization-based ultrasound elastography techniques minimize an energy function consisting of data and continuity terms to obtain the displacement tensor between radio-frequency (RF) frames. The data term associated with the existing energy-based techniques takes only the amplitude similarity into account and hence lacks robustness to the outlier samples present in the RF frames. This drawback creates noticeable artifacts in the strain image. To address this issue, we devise the data function as a linear combination of the amplitude and gradient residuals. We follow an iterative scheme to estimate the adaptive weight associated with each similarity term. Finally, we convert the non-linear optimization problem to a sparse system of linear equations which is solved for millions of variables in an efficient manner. We name our technique rGLUE: robust data term in GLobal Ultrasound Elastography. We validate rGLUE using simulation and in vivo breast datasets. In both of the experiments, rGLUE proves its robustness to outliers and outperforms state-of-the-art time-delay estimation technique both visually and quantitatively. For the noisy simulation data, the proposed rGLUE technique improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) from 1.67 to 7.04 and 2.89 to 13.46, respectively. In case of the breast datasets, SNR and CNR improves from 6.35 to 7.81 and 7.94 to 9.90, respectively.
A Divide and Conquer method with Semi-Global Failover for Software Defined Networks

Many service providers need to provide many other functions than just a network connectivity. They also need to provide network functions such as network address translation, firewall, encryption, Domain Name Service (DNS), caching, routing and many other services. Usually these functions come with the hardware at the user or customer's premises. This can increase the revenue of the revenue, but also can cost a lot and also be extremely difficult to maintain. In traditional network architecture, it is very difficult to configure the network and later modify the configuration, since both the data plane and control plane are bound together. To address this issue, SDN exists which decouples the data and the control plane. However, within SDN there are also different types of failure with some existing solutions to these types of failure. A divide and conquer approach in the high-level architecture of SDN-based networks with a semi-global controller will be discussed. The semi-global controller will be responsible for any failure that a conventional distributed master-slave controller architecture cannot handle, allowing the system to have an extra layer of fault tolerance. The research will begin comparing the traditional networking with Software Defined Networking. Then looks at different fault domains in SDN. Next the solution playing on the high-level architecture of SDNs with a semi-global controller will be defined. Also, some metrics and results against the prepared prototype will be analyzed and compared with other existing fault tolerance solutions.
Financial Toxicity in Breast Reconstruction: A National Survey of Women Who have Undergone Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy.

Despite awareness regarding financial toxicity in breast cancer care, little is known about the financial strain associated with breast reconstruction. This study aims to describe financial toxicity and identify factors independently associated with financial toxicity for women pursuing post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. A 33-item electronic survey was distributed to members of the Love Research Army. Women over 18 years of age and at least 1 year after post-mastectomy breast reconstruction were invited to participate. The primary outcome of interest was self-reported financial toxicity due to breast reconstruction, while secondary outcomes of interest were patient-reported out-of-pocket expenses and impact of financial toxicity on surgical decision making. In total, 922 women were included (mean age 58.6 years, standard deviation 10.3 years); 216 women (23.8%) reported financial toxicity from reconstruction. These women had significantly greater out-of-pocket medical expenses. When compared with women who did not experience financial toxicity, those who did were more likely to have debt due to reconstruction (50.9% vs. 3.2%, p < 0.001). Younger age, lower annual household income, greater out-of-pocket expenses, and a postoperative major complication were independently associated with an increased risk for financial toxicity. If faced with the same decision, women experiencing financial toxicity were more likely to decide against reconstruction (p < 0.001) compared with women not experiencing financial toxicity. Nearly one in four women experienced financial toxicity from breast reconstruction. Women who reported higher levels of financial toxicity were more likely to change their decisions about surgery. Identified factors predictive of financial toxicity could guide preoperative discussions to inform decision making that mitigates undesired financial decline.
Epidemic Control and Resource Allocation: Approaches and Implications for the Management of COVID-19

The experience with COVID-19 underscores a classic public policy choice problem: how should policymakers determine how to allocate constrained budgets, limited equipment, under-resourced hospitals and stretched personnel to limit the spread of the virus. This article presents an overview of the general literature on resource allocation in epidemics and assess how it informs our understanding of COVID-19. We highlight the peculiarities of the pandemic that call for a rethinking of existing approaches to resource allocation. In particular, we analyse how the experience of COVID-19 informs our understanding and modelling of the optimal resource allocation problem in epidemics. Our delineation of the literature focuses on resource constraint as the key variable. A qualitative appraisal indicates that the current suit of models for understanding the resource allocation problem requires adaptations to advance our management of COVID-19 or similar future epidemics. Particularly under-studied areas include issues of uncertainty, potential for co-epidemics, the role of global connectivity, and resource constrained problems arising from depressed economic activity. Incorporating various global dimensions of COVID-19 into resource allocation modelling such a centralized versus decentralized resource control and the role of geostrategic interests could yield crucial insights. This will require multi-disciplinary approaches to the resource allocation problem.JEL Classifications: I14, I18, E61, D60, H4, H12
Characterization of engineered nanoparticles in natural waters

Abstract Engineered nanoparticles are being progressively incorporated into consumer products due to their novel properties and applications. As these nano-containing products transition through their life cycle, it becomes essential that the fate of the nanoparticles is investigated and any potential risks are assessed. It is probable that many of these nanoparticles will be released into and persist in the environment and eventually contaminate natural surface waters, ultimately posing inquiry into the efficacy of water treatment processes for engineered nanoparticle removal. Although a pressing issue, there is a lack of methods that can be applied to investigate the fate, transport, and occurrence levels of engineered nanoparticles in the environment. An interdisciplinary and multi-step analytical approach will be required to adequately characterize engineered nanoparticles in complex environmental matrices such as natural water to determine whether or not they pose a potential risk to human health. This includes online combination approaches of several analytical techniques, as well as innovations into applying methods specifically for complex aqueous samples. Further, the complex nature of engineered nanoparticles of different materials will likely require unique detection schemes to quantify their occurrence levels in the environment.
Some Observations on Time-Hardening and Strain-Hardening Rules for Creep in Zircaloy-2

A study was made of the applicability of time-hardening and strain-hardening rules to describe creep deformation in Zircaloy-2 under variable stress and temperature conditions. Variable stress and ...
The Single-Trauma Couple

Abstract Trauma survivors and their spouses/partners who seek therapy may present with unique dynamics due to the effects of previous trauma. The current paper provides an analysis of a clinical case vignette for understanding the effects of trauma when only one partner reports a trauma historysingle-trauma couples. The description of the single-trauma couple includes the relevant trauma history, anecdotal case information, and a session transcript, which identify primary issues experienced by the couple. The authors emphasize the importance of using a “trauma lens” when working with couples and families to avoid overlooking important cues about the individual and systemic effects of traumatic stress. Clinical and research implications are also described.
A Review of “Touch in Museums: Policy and Practice in Object Handling”

Touch in Museums: Policy and Practice in Object Handling, edited by Helen Chatterjee, presents a rich compilation of research-based articles that discuss the value of and possibilities for object h...
Semiconductors, III–VI

The sections in this article are 1 Crystal, Chemical Bonding, and Electronic Structure 2 Thin-Film Growth 3 Properties of III–VI Materials and Thin Films Toward Device Applications 4 Summary 5 Acknowledgment
Impact of CYP2C19 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir in patients with pancreatic cancer.

AIM This study evaluated the influence of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir and its metabolite M8 in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS Nelfinavir was administered orally to patients for over 10 days. The plasma concentrations of nelfinavir and M8 were measured by HPLC. The genotypes of CYP2C19*1, CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. RESULTS Pharmacokinetic profiles of nelfinavir and M8 were characterized by wide interindividual variability. The mean Cmax of nelfinavir in CYP2C19*1/*1 patients was 3.89 ± 0.40 (n = 3) and 5.12 ± 0.41 (n = 30) µg ml(-1) , while that of CYP2C19*1/*2 patients was 3.60 (n = 1) and 6.14 ± 0.31 (n = 5) µg ml(-1) at the doses of 625 and 1250 mg nelfinavir twice daily, respectively. For the M8 metabolite, the mean Cmax of CYP2C19*1/*1 patients was 1.06 ± 0.06 (n = 3) and 1.58 ± 0.27 (n = 30) µg ml(-1) , while those of CYP2C19*1/*2 patients were 1.01 (n = 1) and 1.23 ± 0.15 (n = 5) µg ml(-1) at the doses of 625 and 1250 mg nelfinavir twice daily, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0,12 h)) values of nelfinavir for CYP2C19*1/*1 patients were 28.90 ± 1.27 and 38.90 ± 4.99 µg ml(-1) ·h and for CYP2C19*1/*2 patients, AUC(0,12 h) was 28.20 (n = 1) and 40.22 ± 3.17 (n = 5) µg ml(-1) ·h at the doses of 625 and 1250 mg nelfinavir twice daily, respectively. The Cmax of nelfinavir was significantly higher (P <0.05) in CYP2C19*1/*2 patients but there was no statistical difference in AUC(0,12 h). CONCLUSION CYP2C19*1/*2 genotype modestly affected the pharmacokinetic profiles of nelfinavir and M8 in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Design of integrated RF bandpass filters and oscillators for low-power radio receivers

Full integration of radio receivers requires technology for implementing on-chip RF/IF bandpass filters and local oscillators. Analysis indicates that filter/oscillator designs operating in the VHF to L-Band frequency range are possible at low levels of power consumption if on-chip inductors are admitted into the design process. A prototype, fully-integrated LC oscillator operating at 200 MHz is reported and filter and oscillator theory developed is used to show that low-power fully-integrated PCS receivers for wideband services such as DECT are within reach.
Emily Dickinson: Poet as Pastoral Theologian

Mystic. Rebel. Recluse. Genius. Skeptic. Poet. Pastoral theologian? Who was Emily Dickinson? Among other descriptors, Dickinson (1830–1886) was a complex 19th century woman who possessed great intellectual and poetic gifts, whose life and work retains tantalizing mysteries, and who can be considered a fascinating “woman out of order” in her time and still in ours (Stevenson-Moessner & Snorton 2010). Immersing oneself in the stories that continue to spin around her life and ongoing discussion about the meaning of her poems can be a rewarding, inspiring adventure, and in what follows, I attempt to show how at least some of her poems can be considered artistic expressions of pastoral theology.
In Vivo and ex Vivo Effects of Copper on Rat Liver Metallothionein

In order to test the hypothesis that exogenous copper could displace endogenous zinc from metallothionein under in vivo and ex vivo conditions, a series of zinc-copper competition experiments were conducted with rat liver. Intraperitoneal injection of zinc alone resulted in a large increase in zinc and a small increase in copper associated with hepatic metallothionein 24 hr later, as compared to controls. Intraperitoneal injection with copper alone resulted in increases in both zinc and copper bound to metallothionein 6 hr later. Intraperitoneal injection of zinc at time zero and copper at 18 hr, followed by killing at 24 hr, resulted in no increase in zinc, but a significant increase in copper, bound to metallothionein. Exposure of rat livers to copper ex vivo in an isolated perfusion apparatus gave different results from the in vivo experiments in regards to the metal composition of metallothionein. Animals were injected i.p. with zinc at time zero, and their livers were removed at 18 hr for a 2-hr perfusion. The zinc and copper contents of metallothionein in the groups receiving zinc in vivo and then either killed or perfused without additional metal were the same. The group which received zinc in vivo and copper exmore » vivo showed a large decrease in its metallothionein zinc content, a decrease which was matched almost exactly by a large increase in its metallothionein copper content. These results are consistent with the above-mentioned hypothesis and with recent in vitro results demonstrating the ability of copper to displace zinc from metallothionein.« less
Present Day Electron Synchrotrons for Energies above 3 GeV

The characteristics of five accelerators designed for energies exceeding 3 GeV are discussed. The features of the Cornell 10 GeV machine are described in some detail.
Acute Aortic Syndromes: New Insights from Electrocardiographically Gated Computed Tomography

The development of retrospective electrocardiographic (ECG)-gating has proved to be a diagnostic and therapeutic boon for computed tomography (CT) imaging of patients with acute thoracic aortic diseases, such as aortic dissection/intramural hematoma (AD/IMH), penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (APU), and ruptured/leaking aneurysm. The notorious pulsation motion artifacts in the ascending aorta confounding regular CT scanning can be eliminated, and involvement of the sinuses of Valsalva, the valve cusps, the aortic annulus, and the coronary arteries in aortic dissection can be clearly depicted or excluded. Motion-free images also allow reliable identification of the site of the primary intimal tear, the location, and extent of the intimomedial flap, and branch artery involvement. ECG-gated CTA also allows the detection of more subtle lesions and variants of aortic dissection, which may ultimately expand our understanding of these complex, life-threatening disorders.
Proton and carbon-13 NMR studies of methyl-(6-O-L-phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucoside and methyl-(6-O-D-phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucoside by 1H and 13C nmr showed that the LD compound is more flexible than DD and that DD probably assumes a folded conformation.

Abstract Study of methyl-(6-O-L-Phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside and methyl-(6-O-D-phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside by 1H and 13C nmr showed that the LD compound is more flexible than DD and that DD probably assumes a folded conformation.
Anomalous Effect of Subconjunctival Miconazole on Candida albicans Keratitis in Rabbits

After intrastromal injection of a standardized inoculum of Candida albicans blastoconidia in Dutch-belted rabbits, the efficacy of subconjunctival therapy with amphotericin B and miconazole was evaluated using a quantitative isolate recovery technique. The subconjunctival injection of miconazole resulted in the recovery of significantly more viable organisms compared to the number recovered in controls (2,000 μg daily, P
De-commitment to losing strategic action: Evidence from the divestiture of poorly performing acquisitions

We use a mental accounting framework to study the conditions in which CEOs de-commit to poorly performing acquisitions and so become more likely to divest them. We test this framework by contrasting the experiences of 68 firms that divested acquisitions with a control sample of 68 firms that did not divest their acquisitions. Consistent with the theory that we use to explain and predict de-commitment, our results suggest that poorly performing acquired units tend to be divested when executives can place them within attributional accounts (i.e., accounts for the cause of the performance that do not incriminate them) and comprehensive accounts (i.e., within the context of overall firm performance). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atomistic visualization: on-the-fly data extraction and rendering

In this paper, we present an approach involving on-the-fly data extraction and rendering to achieve a real-time integration between analysis and visualization of atomistic simulation data. The integration is demonstrated along two directions: The first direction is to explore coordination environments by rendering spatial variation and temporal stability of the coordination states computed for each atom, and the second direction is to explore the aggregate atomic movement by computing ellipsoids. Ellipsoids are computed from covariance matrices of the time-varying positional data. The proposed approach is applied to visualize the data from first-principles molecular dynamics simulations.
Visual disability variables. II: The difficulty of tasks for a sample of low-vision patients.

Abstract Massof RW, Hsu CT, Baker FH, Barnett GD, Park WL, Deremeik JT, Rainey C, Epstein C. Visual disability variables. II: The difficulty of tasks for a sample of low-vision patients. Objectives To test the validity and reliability of measures of visual ability and to evaluate the relation between measurements made at the task level and measurements made at the goal level of a hierarchical model for visual disability. Design Validation of a telephone-administered functional assessment instrument using Rasch analysis on self-assessment ratings. Setting Telephone interviews of respondents in their homes. Participants Consecutive series of 600 outpatients with low vision. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Ordinal ratings of the difficulty in performing a subset of 337 tasks. Measures of the visual ability of each patient and the required visual ability to perform each task were made using the Andrich rating scale model. Measurement validity and reliability were tested statistically by comparing response patterns and distributions to measurement model expectations. Results Results were consistent with a single visual ability construct. Patients' visual ability estimated from task difficulty ratings agreed with estimates from goal difficulty ratings ( r =.74); the difficulty of individual goals was equal to the weighted average of the difficulties of subsidiary tasks ( r =.79). However, conclusions from the Rasch analysis were not confirmed by principal components analysis of item residuals, which indicated that visual ability had a 2-dimensional structure, with 1 factor related to mobility and the other related to reading. Factor analysis on person measures estimated from subsets of functionally grouped items confirmed the 2-dimensional structure of visual ability. Conclusions Our study results confirm the hierarchical structure of the Activity Breakdown Structure model and show how the individualized Activity Inventory can produce measures of limitations in functional vision.
Advancing Child Protection Through Respecting Children's Rights: A Shifting Emphasis for School Psychology

Abstract. The moral imperative of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, backed by robust empirical findings, leads to the conclusion that the protection of children from violence and neglect and the promotion of their well-being should be major priorities in every society. This article argues that School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice III should be reorganized around a child rights framework. We lay out the scientific foundation for why this change is imperative and describe what is needed to ensure children's protection, empowerment (right to participate and be heard), and freedom from violence. The proposed framework includes efforts to (a) educate all in the school community about child rights; (b) build a mechanism for the discussion of child rights and resolution of rights violations within schools; (c) guarantee children the right to express their views and to participate fully in matters that affect them; (d) impart all school community members with the skills...
Aptamer-containing surfaces for selective capture of CD4 expressing cells.

Aptamers have recently emerged as an excellent alternative to antibodies because of their inherent stability and ease of modification. In this paper, we describe the development of an aptamer-based surface for capture of cells expressing CD4 antigen. The glass or silicon surfaces were modified with amine-terminated silanes and then modified with thiolated RNA aptamer against CD4. Modification of the surface was first characterized by ellipsometry to demonstrate assembly of biointerface components and to show specific capture of recombinant CD4 protein. Subsequently, surfaces were challenged with model lymphocytes (cell lines) that were either positive or negative for CD4 antigen. Our experiments show that aptamer-functionalized surfaces have similar capture efficiency to substrates containing anti-CD4 antibody. To mimick capture of specific T-cells from a complex cell mixture, aptamer-modified surfaces were exposed to binary mixtures containing Molt-3 cells (CD4+) spiked into Daudi B cells (CD4−). 94% pur...
Modulation of cellular phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate levels in primary macrophages affects heat-killed but not viable Mycobacterium avium's transport through the phagosome maturation process.

Summary Most disease causing mycobacteria are intramacrophage pathogens which replicate within nonacidified phagosomes that can interact with the early endosomal network but fail to mature to a phagolysosome. The mycobacterial phagosome retain some proteins required for fusion with endocytic vesicles including Rab5 but lack others such as early endosomal autoantigen 1 (EEA1). As the membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns-3-P) is required for EEA1 membrane association and phagosome maturation, it may be a potential target of pathogenic mycobacteria. To test this hypothesis, macrophage cellular levels of PtdIns-3-P were altered by retroviral introduction of the type III Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (VPS34) and the PtdIns-3-P phosphatase myotubularin 1 (MTM1). By utilizing the PtdIns-3-P-specific probes FYVE and PX coupled to EGFP (EGFP-2-FYVE and EGFP-PX, respectively), the expression of PtdIns-3-P on the mycobacterial phagosome was addressed. All phagosomes containing viable Mycobacterium avium stained positive for EGFP-2-FYVE and EGFP-PX despite obvious differences in PtdIns-3-P concentrations in cells expressing MTM1 or VPS34. Altering PtdIns-3-P cellular concentrations did not affect trafficking of live bacilli. However, a significant increase in the transport of killed bacilli to a late endosomal/lysosomal compartment was observed in VPS34-compared to MTM1-transduced macrophages. Therefore, although overexpression of PdtIns-3-P in macrophages can facilitate phagosome maturation, its effect on phagosomes containing viable M. avium was negligible.
A Paradigm Shift in the Relationship between Tourists and their Hosts: The Impact on the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago

Tourism has assumed a decidedly new dynamism in relationships between tourists and their hosts. This phenomenon is prevalent in Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. The cultural diffusion enabled by globalization has created ease and familiarity making the interacting parties very comfortable with each other. Still, a level of unexplored fascination between the two exists. This interaction comes with risk factors manifested in the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other social ills seriously impacting the twin island nation. Latest reports show that the HIV incidence rate in that country has reached unprecedented levels (over 20,000 in 2009). Through this study the authors look critically at the extent to which the sexual nature of the relationships between locals and visitors to Trinidad and Tobago are contributing to the rapid growth of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the resulting myriad of social and economic challenges faced by the nation's Government.
PARSEC: An Interactive Poisson Series Processor for Personal Computing Systems

PARSEC is a PC-based, interactive algebraic manipulation package designed to manipulate series of the kind frequently found in Celestial Mechanics applications and perturbation procedures. The system is fundamentally an input/command interpreter which allows the user to enter algebraic expressions and procedures and to control the flow of series manipulations interactively. The system is designed to allow easy manipulations of polynomial-trigonometric series within the environment of an electronic scratchpad.
A Simple Method TOWARDS Decapping of the MEMS and CMOS Parts for CD Measurements and Failure Analysis

Decapping is very important and essential for the MEMS failure analysis. Herein, we take a simple and environment friendly method to separate the device into MEMS and CMOS parts for CD measurements and failure analysis.
Pityriasis rubra pilaris in children.

Abstract Background: Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is an uncommon dermatosis in children. Few long-term studies on the treatment and prognosis of PRP in children have been performed. Objective: Our purpose was to retrospectively review the clinical course and treatment of all cases of PRP in children 19 years or younger who were seen at the Mayo Clinic. Methods: The clinical courses of the 30 patients with PRP seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1975 and 1997 were reviewed. Results: The most common presenting form of PRP in children is the type III juvenile form (Griffiths' criteria). Treatment ranged from topical steroids, tar, and ultraviolet B to systemic retinoids and methotrexate. The best response was obtained with isotretinoin; 5 of 6 patients showed 90% to 100% clearing within 6 months of treatment. Follow-up information was obtained by questionnaire and was available for 83% of patients. Overall, 43% had 90% to 100% resolution of their disease, 23% had a moderate response (30%-90% improvement), and 17% had a poor response ( Conclusion: PRP in children is a noninherited dermatosis with no sex predilection, occurring mainly in the type III classic juvenile form. Retinoids should be considered as first-line treatment for PRP. Recurrence rate, previously thought to be rare, was about 17% in our population. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:386-9.)
From Classical French Poet to Militant Haitian Statesman: The Early Years and Poetry of the Baron de Vastey

This article reconsiders the Baron de Vastey's oeuvre in light of new information that proves that he led a vibrant career as a classical French poet in metropolitan France before becoming a Haitian statesman. Because little is known about Vastey's childhood and adolescence, few scholars are aware that before he became perhaps the most well-known statesman of postindependence Haiti, he was a classical French poet who espoused peaceful sentiments, but uttered nary a word about the problems of colonialism and slavery. As a result of the very existence of these poems, literary critics and historians of the Black Atlantic will no doubt have to reconsider their assessments of the poet turned statesman whom the French Revolution taught to consider violence as an awful bourgeois indulgence, but for whom the Haitian Revolution was considered to be the only protection against the tyranny of colonialism.
Perceived Discrimination in Clinical Care in a Nationally Representative Sample of HIV-Infected Adults Receiving Health Care

BACKGROUND: Perceived discrimination in clinical settings could discourage HIV-infected people from seeking health care, adhering to treatment regimens, or returning for follow-up. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine whether HIV-infected people perceive that physicians and other health care providers have discriminated against them. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional data (1996 to 1997) from the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS), which conducted in-person interviews with a nationally representative probability sample of 2,466 HIV-infected adults receiving health care within the contiguous U.S. MEASUREMENTS: Reports of whether health care providers have been uncomfortable with the respondent, treated the respondent as an inferior, preferred to avoid the respondent, or refused the respondent service. Questions also covered the types of providers who engaged in these behaviors. RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of HIV-infected adults receiving health care reported experiencing at least 1 of 4 types of perceived discrimination by a health care provider since becoming infected with HIV, including 8% who had been refused service. White respondents (32%) were more likely than others (27%) and Latinos (21%) and nearly twice as likely as African Americans (17%) to report perceived discrimination (P<.001). Respondents whose first positive HIV test was longer ago were also more likely to report discrimination (P<.001). Respondents who reported discrimination attributed it to physicians (54%), nurses and other clinical staff (39%), dentists (32%), hospital staff (31%), and case managers or social workers (8%). CONCLUSIONS: Many HIV-infected adults believe that their clinicians have discriminated against them. Clinicians should make efforts to address circumstances that lead patients to perceive discrimination, whether real or imagined.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Social Networks and Social Networking

This issue's theme includes three articles on research activities that have drawn on ideas from social networking to drive innovative designs. The focus covers the design, development, and study of social technologies at the level of individuals, groups, and organizations. Although the tools described here are all intended for individuals, each article highlights how new technologies and technical competencies will further push our understanding of human social-networking drives and desires.
The scientific impact of reaching the diffraction limit with ELTs

The new generation of extremely large telescopes (ELTs) will have key advantages over today's 8-10m telescopes. They will collect more light due to their larger area: light-gathering power scales as the telescope diameter D2, so gains of a factor of ~10 or more are expected. Further, with adaptive optics performing at close to the diffraction limit, ELTs will have much higher point-source sensitivity. This is because for observations limited by background light from the sky, there will be less background included within a diffraction-limited area. Point-source sensitivity will improve at least as fast as D4, permitting gains of a factor of 70 - 100. We describe a few of the areas of astronomical science which stand to benefit from these huge performance improvements: 1) Direct imaging and spectroscopy of giant extrasolar planets, and of protoplanetary disks. 2) Resolved stellar populations and in particular the kinematics of stars close to the black hole at the Galactic Center, and 3) Properties of galaxies at redshifts from 1.5 to 7, to shed new light on the processes of galaxy assembly and evolution. These and other new science capabilities will enable ELTs to produce dramatic advances in astrophysical understanding.