cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Velvet Rope Discrimination

Public accommodations are private and public facilities that are held out to and used by the public. Public accommodations were significant battlegrounds for the Civil Rights Movement as protesters and litigators fought for equal access to swimming pools, movie theaters, and lunch counters. These sites were also important for the Women’s Rights Movement, which challenged sexist norms that prohibited their service in bars and restaurants if they were unaccompanied by men. Tragically, public accommodation law has fallen off the civil rights race and gender agenda. This inattention exists despite media accounts, case law, and empirical data that demonstrate that discrimination based on race and sex thrives in these spaces. This Article focuses on two normalized practices that violate federal and state anti-discrimination laws yet have been undertheorized by legal scholars: dress codes and gender-based pricing (i.e. ladies’ night) in bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. It deploys legal history to illustrate how access to these public accommodations has been determined by assumptions about race and sex for more than a century. Statutory developments — mostly notably Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and similar state-analogs — helped cabin racial and gender discrimination in public accommodations. Yet throughout the late 1960s, “velvet rope discrimination” evolved, which refers to the use of legally protected categories by public accommodations in their determinations of who is granted entry and in their provision of service. This Article examines public accommodations law through the lens of velvet rope discrimination and argues for the legal prohibition of dress codes and gender-based pricing. These policies traffic dangerous stereotypes about racial minorities, women, and the LGBTQ community and precludes their equal enjoyment of these facilities. By offering a comprehensive legal account of two overlooked practices, this Article presents a new way of thinking about anti-discrimination law and democratic inclusion.
Diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia are associated with inferior oncologic outcomes in adrenocortical carcinoma

Prior literature suggests that cancer patients with hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) exhibit worse oncologic and overall outcomes. Tumor metabolism and anabolism pathophysiology may explain this association, although this has not been adequately studied in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). We hypothesized that DM would be associated with worse oncological outcomes in ACC, and we utilized data from a national database and institutional sources for multimodal analysis. Both a multi-institutional database (the Collaborative Endocrine Surgery Quality Improvement Program or CESQIP) and a single-center longitudinal cohort (Dana Farber Cancer Institute or DFCI) were queried as unique retrospective cohorts to identify patients with ACC. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, DM-specific variables, and oncologic outcome data were assessed. Results were analyzed via univariate analysis and multivariable linear regression analysis. Statistical significance was defined as p 110 mg/dL had increased risk (HR 36.3, 95% confidence interval 1.6, 831.3) for all-cause mortality. This multi-institutional, multimodal analysis suggests that patients with DM have worse oncologic and overall outcomes for ACC. While further study is warranted, consideration should be given among clinicians to optimize glycemic control as part of their ACC management.
Lateral Buckling of Beams

This paper is intended to provide a brief summary of information that may be used as background material in writing specifications for the design of beams and girders whose strength is controlled b...
The building bridges initiative in health sciences and medical education: Fostering connections between Brazil and the United States.

Building Bridges is an outreach initiative that has focused upon effectuating increased communication among biomedical scientists, educators, and students in Brazil and the United States-the countries with the greatest number of medical schools in the Americas. It has been a developing project over the last 6 years, and has involved faculty, students, and civic leaders from many universities in the two countries. This Special Issue of The Anatomical Record is a continuation of the Building Bridges initiative, and brings to the fore attention onto some of the creative research being done in biomedical science, evolutionary science, biomedical education, and current health topics in Brazil. Fostering open routes of communication among scientists is a core humanistic value that is at the heart of progress and is the center of our actions. This paper reviews the history of the Building Bridges Initiative.
Time-resolved absorption spectroscopic characterization of ultrafast laser-produced plasmas under varying background pressures.

Time-resolved tunable laser absorption spectroscopy is used to characterize the physical properties of ultrafast laser-produced plasmas. The plasmas were produced from an Inconel target, with $\ensuremath{\le}0.4\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{wt}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}%$ Al, using $\ensuremath{\sim}35\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$, $\ensuremath{\sim}800\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, $\ensuremath{\sim}5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mJ}$ laser pulses at varying Ar background pressures from 1 to 100 Torr. The absorption spectrum of atomic Al is measured with high spectral and temporal resolution when the probe laser is stepped across the selected Al transition at 394.4 nm. Spectral fitting is used to infer linewidths, kinetic temperature, Al column density, and pressure broadening coefficient. The late time physical properties of plasmas are compared for various pressure levels. Our studies highlight that a significant lower state population exists even at early times of ultrafast laser-produced plasma evolution, and lower state population persistence decreases with increasing ambient pressure. We also show that the fundamental optical properties, such as pressure broadening, can be measured using ultrafast laser-produced plasmas combined with laser absorption spectroscopy.
„Mein grösster Wunsch ist es, eine Lehrstelle zu finden“. Jugendliche mit Migrationshintergrund beim Übergang ins duale Berufsbildungssystem

Die Integrationspolitik der Schweiz ist foderalistisch organisiert, das heisst die Integrationsmassnahmen werden dezentral vor allem auf kantonaler und lokaler Ebene umgesetzt. Mit Ausnahme von Sprachkursen gibt es bis jetzt kaum Integrationsbemuhungen auf nationaler Ebene. Stattdessen vertraut der Staat auf den Arbeitsmarkt als wichtigsten Inkorporationsmechanismus. Anders als in Schweden und den Niederlanden, wo Zugewanderte als ethnische Minderheiten wahrgenommen werden, zielt die schweizerische Integrationspolitik auf Individuen. Personen mit Migrationshintergrund mussen in der Schweiz uber ihre individuellen Leistungen in der Arbeitswelt zeigen, dass sie es verdienen, in der Schweiz arbeiten und leben zu durfen. Noch mehr als von anderen Gesellschaftsmitgliedern wird von ihnen erwartet, dass sie mit Hilfe ihrer personlichen Fahigkeiten zum Wohlstand und Erfolg der schweizerischen Gesellschaft beitragen. Das Berufssystem ist dabei eng mit dem Bildungssystem verknupft: Westliche Gesellschaften legitimieren ihr Gesellschaftssystem uber Bildung, wobei von einer scheinbaren Gleichheit bei der Einschulung der Kinder ausgegangen wird. Gemass dem meritokratischen Prinzip entscheidet die individuelle Leistung uber die gesellschaftliche Position ein jeder Person. Schulische Titel werden in berufliche Positionen transferiert, wobei „geglaubt wird, dass die schulischen Titel das schulisch erworbene Wissen adaquat wiedergeben“. In der Schule lernen die Schulerinnen und Schuler, den Wettbewerb als legitim hinzunehmen. Dadurch wird der Wert der Chancengleichheit verinnerlicht und gesellschaftliche Ungleichheiten legitimiert.
48 – Cross-Cultural Research

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on cross-cultural research, which is concerned with natural group differences and seeks to comprehend the systematic covariation between culture and behavioral variables, including psychopathology. The multiple cross-cultural comparisons using a specific-topic approach focuses on a selected topic and cross-compares various cultural samples so that, based on resulting similarities and differences, cultural dimensions may emerge. One advantage of this approach is that informationobtained through comparison is relatively objective, and it is also useful in examining the phenomena mainly from the standpoint of frequency and mode of difference. A disadvantage, however, is that only a selected area of mental illness/health is compared. An extension of cross-comparison is the hologeistic comparison approach, which is a study using data from worldwide samples of entire societies or cultures. It is also called a pan-cultural or holocultural study. By utilizing the information gathered and recorded by anthropologists on existing cultural units worldwide, the information concerned is sampled from all available societies. Mathematical statistics are utilized to test associations and significance levels of the variables in question. The advantage of this approach is that worldwide samples, as far as they are available, are included so that universalities versus cultural uniqueness can be examined more explicitly. However, this approach suffers severely from its reliance on existing recorded information. The unique subject-focused intensive study approach is more focused on special issues or topics that are highlighted by cultural impact and are worth while for study from a mental health point of view. This kind of investigation, frequently adopted by medical anthropologists and clinical cultural psychiatrists, is based on the intensive study of selected unique subjects observed within a culture, with or without comparison with other culture units.
Evolved diffusion limited aggregation compositions

Diffusion limited aggregation (DLA) is a simulation technique for modeling dendritic growth. It has seen limited use for artistic purposes. We consider an evolutionary scheme for evolving DLA compositions with multiple seed particles. As a consequence we are led to consider robustness and stability issues related to the use of evolutionary computation whose phenotypes invoke inherently random processes.
Diagnostically Challenging Epithelioid Vascular Tumors

The diagnosis of vascular tumors is a challenging area in soft tissue pathology. Epithelioid vascular tumors pose a particular challenge. Due to the epithelioid morphology of the tumor cells, they can be misdiagnosed as a variety of other entities, including metastatic carcinoma or epithelioid sarcoma. Furthermore, it can be difficult to distinguish between different epithelioid vascular tumors. This review focuses on vascular tumors characterized by epithelioid endothelial cells, including epithelioid hemangioma, cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, epithelioid sarcomalike hemangioendothelioma/pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma, and epithelioid angiosarcoma.
New Targets identified for therapeutic intervention in the reversal of rituximab and drug resistant AIDS-B-NHL.

5424 Rituximab has been used in the treatment of B Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) with significant clinical responses. However, a subset of patients fails to respond to treatment with rituximab used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. The mechanism by which B-NHL patients resist treatment is not known. We have reported that treatment of the AIDS B-NHL cell line 2F7 with rituximab resulted in significant inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway and inhibition of Bcl-2 expression concomitantly with chemoresistance. The pivotal role of Bcl-2 in chemoresistance was demonstrated by various methods as inhibition of Bcl-2 expression or activity sensitized the tumor cells to drug-induced apoptosis (Oncogene, 23(20):3530-40, 2005). In order to examine the mechanism of NHL resistance to rituximab, we have developed in the laboratory rituximab-resistant clones of 2F7 (2F7RR) and have compared their response with the wild type to rituximab treatment alone and with the combination of chemotherapeutic drugs. Unlike the wild type 2F7, rituximab treatment failed to sensitize 2F7 RR1 to drug-induced apoptosis, failed to modulate the p38MAPK/NF-κB/YY1/STAT3 signaling pathways, did not inhibit Bcl-2 expression, and failed to chemosensitize the tumor cells. We examined the effect of various chemical inhibitors of this signaling pathway on chemosensitization. We demonstrate that treatment with the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib or the NF-kB inhibitor DHMEQ significantly sensitized 2F7-RR1 cells to drug (CDDP, vincristine, adriamycin, VP16, taxol)-induced apoptosis. These inhibitors also resulted in the inhibition of NF-kB, YY1 and downregulated Bcl-2 expression. These findings demonstrate that rituximab and drug-resistant clone 2F7-RR1 can be sensitized to reverse chemoresistance. The findings also identify intracellular targets whose modification can reverse resistance. Such targets include the p38 MAPK pathway, the transcription factors NF-kB, YY1, or STAT3 and also inhibitors of Bcl-2 expression and/or activity. These findings also suggest that combination treatment of currently used drugs such as Bortezomib and chemotherapeutic drugs have a potential for the treatment of rituximab and drug-resistant AIDS-B-NHL. This study was supported in part by a philanthropic contribution from the JCCC/Rosenfield Fund under the direction of David Leveton.
Sexual Abuse and Premenstrual Syndrome: Comparison between a Lower and Higher Socioeconomic Group

Of 174 women presenting symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), 40% had a history as victims of sexual abuse. Thirty-three percent were of a high-SES (socioeconomic status) group and 52% of a low-SES group. The authors found a connection between sexual abuse and psychiatric hospitalization for women seeking treatment for PMS. Beck Depression Inventory scores were high, supporting current research indicating a prevalence of affective disorders in women seeking treatment for PMS. However, the authors found few differences between the high- and low-SES groups. Specific questioning regarding a history of adverse sexual experiences is critical in evaluating all patients.
Numerical modeling of vortex merging in axisymmetric mixing layers

A computational model of the large-scale motions inside the forced axisymmetric mixing layer has been developed. The resulting vortex dynamics has been seen to be dependent on the subharmonic content of the forcing function in a manner analogous to that seen experimentally in the two-dimensional mixing layer. Thus, the behavior of the coherent structures inside the forced axisymmetric mixing layer can be predicted from knowledge of the forcing frequencies. Of course, since the modeling here does not account for either azimuthal instabilities or turbulence, these results may be applicable only in the near field, with the exact extent of this region dependent on the nature of the physical forcing.
HER2 therapy: Molecular mechanisms of trastuzumab resistance

Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody targeted against the HER2 tyrosine kinase receptor. The majority of patients with metastatic breast cancer who initially respond to trastuzumab develop resistance within one year of treatment initiation, and in the adjuvant setting 15% of patients still relapse despite trastuzumab-based therapy. In this review, we discuss potential mechanisms of antitumor activity by trastuzumab, and how these mechanisms become altered to promote therapeutic resistance. We also discuss novel therapies that may improve the efficacy of trastuzumab, and that offer hope that the survival of breast cancer patients with HER2-overexpressing tumors can be vastly improved.
Consumer goals/skills that mothers want their children to learn

The study purpose was to assess consumer practices and attitudes of mothers (n= 117), and consumer goals/skills that their children were to learn. Mothers with at least one child aged 5–9 years were recruited from an ongoing study and through posters, flyers and referrals. Mail-out surveys included a validated consumer questionnaire and requests for information related to socioeconomic status (SES), age, paid-employment and gender/age of children. Responses were analysed using SAS, Cronbach’s alpha and qualitative analyses. Results indicated that mothers were of middle/upper SES and had 2.3 children/family, and 64% were in paid-employment. Mother–child co-shopping and mothers’ role modelling were major means of teaching consumer goals/skills. Children were to learn about getting the best buy and quality for the money, cost/unit comparison, being knowledgeable about products and avoidance of impulse buying. Mothers were consciously consumer training their children.
The MBH-σ* Relation in Local Active Galaxies

We examine whether active galaxies obey the same relation between black hole mass and stellar velocity dispersion as inactive systems, using the largest published sample of velocity dispersions for active nuclei to date. The combination of 56 original measurements with objects from the literature not only increases the sample from the 15 considered previously to 88 objects but allows us to cover an unprecedented range in both stellar velocity dispersion (30-268 km s-1) and black hole mass (105-108.6 M☉). In the MBH-σ* relation of active galaxies, we find a lower zero point than the best-fit relation of Tremaine et al. for inactive galaxies, and an upper limit on the intrinsic scatter of 0.4 dex. There is also evidence of a flatter slope at low black hole masses. We discuss potential contributors to the observed offsets, including variations in the geometry of the broad-line region, evolution in the MBH-σ* relation, and differential growth between black holes and galaxy bulges.
Action of Diethylstilbestrol on Staphylococci: Further Observations on the Effect of Resting Cells

Diethylstilbestrol (DS) has been shown to be active against staphylococci and other gram-positive bacteria but not against gram-negative microorganisms. The present study extends these findings. Standardized suspensions of 14C-labeled Staphylococcus aureus serotypes III and IV and Shigella flexneri were prepared and exposed to pharmacological concentrations of DS (1 to 20 μg/ml) under diverse environmental conditions; the cells were removed by membrane filtration and the presence of radioactive substances in release to the supernatant fraction was followed by standard radioisotopic techniques. Controls were exposed similarly to the hormone vehicle alone (buffer containing 2% ethyl alcohol). DS at bactericidal concentrations above 6 μg/ml caused significant leakage of cellular radioactivity of S. aureus labeled with 14C-glucose and 14C-glutamic acid within 1 to 4 hr after exposure to DS. Maximum leakage of radioactivity occurred under anaerobic conditions at 37 C. Absorption studies of 14C-labeled DS indicated that the affinity of S. flexneri for DS is markedly less than that of S. aureus. This might be one reason for the resistance of gram-negative bacteria to DS.
Nationalism in United States Foreign Policy in the Post 9/11 Era

One year after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, the administration of President George W. Bush introduced a revolutionary foreign policy strategy—the Bush Doctrine. Proponents of this strategy advocated the use of American ‘hard power’ as a tool to promote freedom and democracy, beginning with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Opponents of the doctrine saw it as dangerously nationalistic, with the potential to entangle the United States in a myriad of protracted international conflicts. This thesis will identify aspects of nationalism within post-9/11 American foreign policy and illuminate the incompatibility of nationalism and the fundamental tenets of conflict resolution. This study theorizes that nationalism played a significant role in the development of the Bush Doctrine. Although its advocates promote specific policies historically associated with nationalism, as a rule they have not acknowledged its influence. Conversely, opponents of the doctrine acknowledge this influence and warn of its destructive characteristics. The study presented herein identifies nationalism as a powerful force in American culture and politics—one that has a profound influence on American foreign policy and on the longevity of our foreign wars.
Ulnar artery aneurysm in ostegenesis imperfecta

A case of acute thrombosis of an ulnar artery aneurysm in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta tarda is described. The pathophysiology of osteogenesis imperfecta is reviewed and the possible association of defective collagen maturation and aneurysm formation is postulated. Most ulnar artery aneurysms or thromboses should be surgically resected and the artery repaired by microsurgical technique with primary anastomosis if possible or a venous interpositional graft if direct repair is not possible without tension.
Null Space Precoding for Downlink Network MIMO Systems with No CSI

Multicell coordination increases the cell-edge users' throughput in cellular wireless communication if the inter-cell interference (ICI) is mitigated properly. In this paper, we use the null space concept to design precoders and decoders to remove ICI for cell-edge users in the downlink of a network MIMO system. We propose two novel methods that are able to eliminate ICI assuming no channel state information (CSI) is available at the basestations. Calculating signal-to-interference-ratio (SINR), we show that our proposed methods reaches to higher SINR in comparison to the block diagonalization (BD) with full CSI. By simulations, we show our methods outperform the BD method with full CSI in terms of BER since the SINR is higher for our proposed methods. We also show that to obtain most of sumrate provided by coordination strategy, it is not necessary to have global coordination and having four cells coordinating with each other is enough to reach more than 85 percent of maximum achievable sum-rate.
Implicit race attitudes predict trustworthiness judgments and economic trust decisions

Trust lies at the heart of every social interaction. Each day we face decisions in which we must accurately assess another individual's trustworthiness or risk suffering very real consequences. In a global marketplace of increasing heterogeneity with respect to nationality, race, and multiple other social categories, it is of great value to understand how implicitly held attitudes about group membership may support or undermine social trust and thereby implicitly shape the decisions we make. Recent behavioral and neuroimaging work suggests that a common mechanism may underlie the expression of implicit race bias and evaluations of trustworthiness, although no direct evidence of a connection exists. In two behavioral studies, we investigated the relationship between implicit race attitude (as measured by the Implicit Association Test) and social trust. We demonstrate that race disparity in both an individual's explicit evaluations of trustworthiness and, more crucially, his or her economic decisions to trust is predicted by that person's bias in implicit race attitude. Importantly, this relationship is robust and is independent of the individual's bias in explicit race attitude. These data demonstrate that the extent to which an individual invests in and trusts others with different racial backgrounds is related to the magnitude of that individual's implicit race bias. The core dimension of social trust can be shaped, to some degree, by attitudes that reside outside conscious awareness and intention.
Membrane Cytoskeletal Changes during In-Situ to Invasive Progression of Breast Cancer Cells Observed by Multi-Scale Diffusion Analysis of Transmembrane Proteins

When cells change from stationary growth to migration stage, such as during the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), it is expected that their mechanics change as well as the membrane - cytoskeleton interactions. Such changes are thought to occur during the differentiation of cancers to more invasive types [Choi et al 2013, Human Pathology], during normal development of a tissue, or wound-healing.We show how change of membrane cytoskeletal features can be quantified in single cells, by measuring the diffusion of fluorescently tagged transmembrane (TM) proteins level using camera-based FCS (bimFCS) technique. Data is analyzed in two populations of diffusion states: fast, in between cytoskeleton fences, and slow, due to hopping effect over them. Our technique makes quantification of average fence spacing and the protein-fence interaction strength possible for the ROI observed.Using bimFCS, we analyzed the diffusion behavior of TM proteins in TM12 (epithelial) and TM12T (mesenchymal) breast cancer cell membranes. Cytoskeletal features (average fence spacing, protein-fence interaction strength) of invasive type TM12T cells show clear differences from the ones of in situ type TM12 cells.We also observed changes during the EMT in single cell level, after wound simulating scratches by pipette-tip. Over a period of 24 hours wound-healing experiment on stage, at physiological temperature, we observed critical changes of cytoskeletal features by comparing the slow and fast diffusion coefficients for differentiating TM12 cells during the process.
Environmental Choice and Control In Community Care Settings for Older People1

This study focuses on the long-term stable levels of environmental choice and control available in community care settings, and explores how variations in these factors affect elderly residents of such settings. New methods to evaluate naturally-existing levels of policy choice and resident control are developed and applied to a representative sample of residential care facilities. The findings showed that residents with more functional resources, and women residents, were inore likely to live in facilities high in choice and control, and that these personal and environmental factors were associated with better resident functioning and more cohesive, independence-oriented social environments with relatively little conflict. Functionallyable residents reacted more positively to high control and women residents reacted more positively to high choice. Investigators who attempt to manipulate perceived control in institutional settings need to consider the existing opportunities residents have to exercise control, as well as the levels of other relevant personal and environmental resources.
The palladium-catalyzed synthesis of diphenyl carbonate from phenol, carbon monoxide, and oxygen

Abstract Diphenyl carbonate was obtained from the reaction of carbon monoxide, phenol, and oxygen using catalytic quantities of palladium, a tertiary amine, and an oxidation cocatalyst at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. A variety of copper, vanadium, cobalt, and manganese salts were effective cocatalysts, although in many cases side products were produced. Using catalytic quantities of manganese salts, up to 100 mol of diphenylcarbonate per mol of palladium was realized.
Outcomes and Management of Patients with Cushing’s Disease without Pathological Confirmation of Tumor Resection after Transsphenoidal Surgery

Context: Despite the success of transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for the treatment of Cushing’s disease, in a number of cases, an ACTH-staining pituitary adenoma is not identified histologically. The clinical significance of lack of histological confirmation remains unclear. Setting: This was a retrospective review of patients treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Patients: Of 490 TSS procedures for Cushing’s disease between 1993 and 2004, we identified 111 cases without histological adenoma confirmation. Main Outcome Measure: Remission and recurrence of Cushing’s disease were measured. Results: Overall, 50% of these patients achieved remission, a figure lower than for our entire series (79%) and for patients with histological confirmation of an ACTH-staining adenoma (88%) (P < 0.001). Patients with a history of two prior TSS achieved remission less often than patients with a history of fewer TSS (P = 0.026). No other factors influenced remission rates. Although the overall recurrence rate (2...
Rapid prototyping and manufacturing in the USA

Reports on some of the latest developments in the Rapid Prototyping Association/Society of Manufacturing Engineers (RPA/SME).
The free orthomodular lattice on countably many generators is a subalgebra of the free orthomodular lattice on three generators

We show every at most countable orthomodular lattice is a subalgebra of one generated by three elements. As a corollary we obtain that the free orthomodular lattice on countably many generators is a subalgebra of the free orthomodular lattice on three generators. This answers a question raised by Bruns in 1976 [2] and listed as Problem 15 in Kalmbach's book on orthomodular lattices [6].
Are the Tabloids Always Wrong or Is That Just What We Think? Need for Cognition and Perceptions of Articles in Print Media

This study examines how need for cognition, source credibility, and communication strength influence perceptions of a print-media communication. Participants read a strong or weak communication about an evolutionary theory, presented as an article from the Washington Post (high credibility) or the National Enquirer (low credibility). Results revealed a significant Need for Cognition × Source × Communication Strength interaction. Low-need-for-cognition participants who read the weak communication rated the article more positively when it was attributed to the high-credibility source than to the low-credibility source. Source credibility did not affect impressions of the article and theory among participants high in need for cognition or reading the strong communication. However, articles from the Washington Post were rated as more believable, factual, accurate, and true than those from the National Enquirer.
Using Multiple-choice Tests to Evaluate Students' Understanding of Accounting

Despite the wide diversity of formats available for constructing class examinations, there are many reasons why both university students and instructors prefer multiple-choice (MC) tests over other examination formats. However, it is not clear whether MC questions assess the same level of students' understanding as constructed-response questions. This paper examines this debate within the context of teaching accounting classes, and reports the analysis of 238 test scores of students from the USA who were given both MC and short-answer questions on the same examination. The results indicate that the scores on the MC questions (and selected additional variables) explained about two-thirds of the variability in the scores on the short-answer questions, suggesting that MC questions can perform adequate assessment of subject mastery. This paper also provides some caveats in interpreting our results and suggests some extensions to the present work.
Abnormalities of serum amylase and lipase in HIV-positive patients.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to study asymptomatic pancreatic enzyme abnormalities in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS: Serial serum amylase and lipase determinations were performed in ambulatory HIV-seropositive patients in whom pancreatitis was not suspected. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Fifty-two patients (60%) were found to have abnormal amylase or lipase values on at least one determination. Only 12 (14% of all patients) had a more than twofold elevation of pancreatic enzymes. Seven patients had transient elevations of lipase within 3 months after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Independent factors associated with abnormal pancreatic enzymes were: positive serology for chronic hepatitis B or C, history of intravenous cotrimoxazole administration for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, stage B of HIV disease, and HIV risk factors other than male homosexuality (mainly intravenous drug use). None of the patients developed clinical pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic mild to moderate elevations of amylase or lipase are common in HIV-positive patients, and are usually associated with positive serology for chronic hepatitis B or C, and medications, especially antiretrovirals and intravenous cotrimoxazole.
Zinc deficiency—induced anorexia influences the distribution of serum insulin-like growth factor—binding proteins in the rat

Zinc (Zn) deficiency can result in severe growth retardation in mammals, and in a number of animal model systems it leads to low circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations. Using a weanling male rat model and a number of feeding schemes, we show that in addition to lower circulating IGF-I concentrations, Zn deficiency leads to alterations in the distribution of serum IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Serum from Zn-deficient animals labeled in vitro with [125I]IGF-I displayed three peaks of tracer activity: 150 kd (IGFBP-3), 37 kd (IGFBP-2 and -1), and 8 kd (free [125I]IGF-I). Relative to controls, Zn-deficient animals demonstrated more tracer binding in the 37-kd region, whereas less was found in the 150- and 8-kd peaks. Serum from chronically calorie-restricted fed animals displayed [125I]IGF-I binding profiles similar to Zn-deficient serum, implicating Zn deficiency-induced anorexia as the principle factor underlying both the lower circulating IGF-I and the alterations in IGFBP profiles. Concentrations of IGFBP-4 were unaffected by diet manipulation based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)/Western ligand blot (WLB) analysis.
In vitro approaches in developmental toxicology

While the usefulness of in vitro screens in developmental toxicology seemed obvious a decade or more ago, integration of in vitro or short-term screens for developmental toxicity into the toxicology armamentarium of tests has been very slow. The large number and complexity of critical events in normal development in vivo limit the usefulness of in vitro systems that measure a very narrow range of developmental events, even though such systems are very useful for mechanistic research. Better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms involved in normal development that is evolving from molecular and developmental biology laboratories should help to identify critical events and processes in development that could serve as functional screens for abnormal development in the future.
The temporal properties of the human short-wave photoreceptors and their associated pathways.

Flicker modulation sensitivity measurements made on high intensity orange steady back- grounds indicate that signals from short-wavelength sensitive cones (S-cones) have access to two pathways. At low Scone adaptation levels the frequency response falls quickly with increasing frequency, but at higher adaptation levels it extends to much higher frequencies. At these higher S-cone adaptation levels, the following procedures can selectively expose either a process sensitive to low frequencies or one more sensitive to higher frequencies: (1) at high flicker frequencies, the Scone signal can be nulled by a long-wavelength sensitive cone (L-cone) signal of suitable amplitude and phase, but at low frequencies a residual flicker persists; the modulation sensitivity for the residual flicker is lowpass in shape with a rapid decline in sensitivity with increasing flicker frequency; (2) sensitivity to Sicker in the presence of a 17 Hz S- or L-cone mask is also lowpass with a similarly steep loss of high frequency sensitivity; yet (3) sensitivity to flicker during transient stimulation of the S-cones at 0.5 Hz is comparatively wideband (and slightly bandpass) in shape. The S-cone signal produced by the high frequency process is almost as well- maintained towards high frequencies as M- and L-cone signals. Furthermore, it is capable of participating in flicker photometric nulls with M- and L-cone signals. At low frequencies, however, when the low frequency S-cone signal is also present, satisfactory nulls can not be found. From these and phenomeno- logical considerations, we identify the low and high frequency S-cone processes as S-cone inputs to the chromatic and luminance pathways, respectively. The phase adjustments needed to optimize flicker photometric nulls reveal that the S-cone input to the luminance pathway is actually inverted, but this is demonstrable only at relatively low frequencies: at medium or high frequencies the S-cone influence can be synergistic with that of the other cone types because of a delay in the transmission of Scone signals,
Control Of Transient Raman Amplifiers

We have studied the phase pulling and locking of an injected Stokes pulse in a transient Raman amplifier both experimentally and theoretically. In addition, we have investigated the pulse energy statistics and related spatial modes of a high gain amplified Stokes pulse. Experiments reported here show that in the unsaturated case, the phase of the amplified Stokes is pulled almost instantaneously to that of the pump, as soon as integrated gain levels of slightly greater than unity are reached. For higher input seed-Stokes levels, such that the amplified Stokes energy is saturated, the phase locking is completed early, and the phase of the amplified Stokes then follows the phase excursion of the pump. The phase pulling has been modelled theoretically for the specific parameters of our experiment. We have also used the pulse energy statistics to study the seed-Stokes control of a high gain Raman amplifier. For an input seed-Stokes beam to control a transient, high gain Raman amplifier, operated near threshold, it must dominate the self-generated Raman which builds from quantum noise. For a near-unity-Fresnel-number Raman amplifier we have measured the number of input seed-Stokes photons needed to produce an unchanged statistical signature on the amplified Stokes pulse and have found that a surprisingly large number (109) were needed. For a larger Fresnel number Raman amplifier, a near-field camera was used to study the level at which the seed-Stokes pulse controlled the spatial output of the amplifier. Control of the spatial modes seems to have a sharp threshold with input Stokes energy and was fully established with an input of 2x103 photons per mode.
MRapparent diffusion coefficient quantification as an imaging biomarker for anatomic response of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma to doxorubicin drug-eluting beads chemoembolization

MR-apparent diffusion coefficient quantification as an imaging biomarker for anatomic response of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma to doxorubicin drug-eluting beads chemoembolization N. Kokabi, J.C. Camacho, M. Xing, H. Kitajima, D. Qiu, P. Mittal, H.S. Kim; Interventional Radiology and Image Guided Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Division of Abdominal Imaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; MR Research Division, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA; Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
Absorption of laser light in air in the 193 nm range: Analysis of laser locking

Abstract Light from a tunable ArF-excimer laser is absorbed by air at 300 K and at higher temperatures. The data are compared with calculations of Lee and Hanson and they also lead to values of the fraction of the laser light that is narrow-band.
Dual-stage repetitive control for high-speed nanopositioning

Abstract This paper studies an enhanced dual-stage repetitive controller (RC) for improved robustness and tracking of periodic reference trajectories in piezo-based nanopositioning systems. The dual-stage RC system consists of a signal generator designed to provide high gain at the fundamental and all the harmonic frequencies of the reference trajectory and another that offers high gain only at the odd harmonics. The stability of the dual-RC system is analyzed, and simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate its performance compared to PID control and standard RC. The proposed controller is implemented using FPGA hardware (with closed-loop sample rate of 100 kHz), and then applied to a custom-built three-axis serial-kinematic nanopositioning stage. The measured tracking results at 1 kHz and 2 kHz show that the enhanced dual-RC minimizes the maximum steady state error to approximately 2.71% and 5.05%, respectively. Compared to (1) traditionally-used PID control and (2) standard RC, the improvement in tracking precision is over 88%, nearly one order of magnitude reduction in the tracking error, and over 35%, respectively, underscoring the benefits of the controller.
The Current Role of Decompressive Shunts and Liver Transplant in Portal Hypertension

Based on our current management of many patients with variceal bleeding and the availability of all treatment options at our institution, the algorithm of management given in Figure 3 has evolved
Interviewing and Counseling Adolescent Patients

Faced with heavy office schedules and with limited time, doctors often feel the need for practical pointers on obtaining information and working with teenage patients. This paper provides some guidelines to adolescent interviewing and counseling based upon experiences in the University of Washington Adolescent Program.
Validation of a Clinical Score for Assessing the Risk of Resistant Pathogens in Patients With Pneumonia Presenting to the Emergency Department

Background Resistant organisms (ROs) are increasingly implicated in pneumonia in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). The concept of healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) exists to help identify patients infected with ROs but may be overly broad. We sought to validate a previously developed score for determining the risk for an RO and to compare it with the HCAP definition. Methods We evaluated adult patients admitted via the ED with bacterial pneumonia (January-December 2010). We defined methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and extended-spectrum β-lactamases as ROs. The risk score was as follows: 4, recent hospitalization; 3, nursing home; 2, chronic hemodialysis; 1, critically ill. We evaluated the screening value of the score and of HCAP by determining their areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curves for predicting ROs. Results The cohort included 977 patients, and ROs were isolated in 46.7%. The most common organisms included MRSA (22.7%), P. aeruginosa (19.1%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (19.1%). The risk score was higher in those with an RO (median score, 4 vs 1; P 0 had a high negative predictive value (84.5%) and could lead to fewer patients unnecessarily receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics. Conclusions ROs are common in patients presenting to the ED with pneumonia. A simple clinical risk score performs moderately well at classifying patients regarding their risk for an RO.
Epithelium, heal thyself!

T he respiratory epithelium is the first cell layer to come into contact with the approximately 7,000 liters/air humans at rest breath in every day. Thus, epithelial layer defense and repair processes must be robust enough to withstand the onslaught of infectious, chemical, and other insults likely to come its way. The significance of pulmonary epithelial injury and repair to pulmonary homeostasis and diseases takes many forms. Perhaps of most importance is repopulation of the denuded airway or alveolar epithelial basement membrane – a key process in lung tissue repair. In asthmatic conditions, airway epithelial cell responses to injury, be it infectious, immunologic, chemical, or physical injury, can induce the release of soluble mediators that alter airway responsiveness to a contractile stimulus or induce subepithelial fibrosis. Similarly, in conditions with alveolar inflammation/fibrosis (i.e., acute lung injury) type II alveolar epithelial cells must clear alveolar fluid, reform a tight barrier, repopulate the denuded alveolar basement membrane, and participate in provisional alveolar matrix remodeling, including fibrinolysis. Evidence for a role of epithelial-mesenchymal cell interactions and/or epithelial-mesenchymal transition in fibroproliferative diseases of the lung is rapidly mounting. In summary, migration of epithelial cells to cover wounded areas of airway or alveolar wall, as well epithelial cell physiological and biological responses that depend on tight epithelial cell-cell contacts are of paramount importance to lung homeostasis and disease.
Seasonal coupling of organic matter production and particle flux in the western Bransfield Strait, Antartica

Abstract Simultaneous measurements of seasonal depletions in dissolved inorganic carbon (ΣCO2), nitrogen [NO3− + NO2−] and phosphate (HPO42−) and concentrations of C, N and P collected using sediment traps at five representative sites in a 25,000 km2 sector of the western Bransfield Strait over a 4-month period have allowed us to evaluate the coupling between primary production and particle flux. During the spring bloom period (December to January), we observed a substantial removal of ΣCO2, [NO3− + NO2−] and HPO42− corresponding to a net upper water column (0–50 m) seasonal production of 8410 mmol C m−2, 827 mmol N m−2 and 53.1 mmol P m−2. This equates to an average C:N:P ratio of 158:15.6:1. These C:N (and C:P) ratios are higher than the expected Redfield ratios and also exceed the C:N and C:P ratios directly measured for suspended and sinking particles. We hypothesize a coupled formation of carbon-rich dissolved organic matter as a sink for approximately 30–50% of the ΣCO2 removed during net photosynthesis. The rapid production and accumulation of phytoplankton in the northern portion of Gerlache Strait during the spring bloom resulted in a substantial pCO2 undersaturation (pCO2 ≤ 100 μatm) compared to surface samples collected from lower productivity areas in Drake Passage (pCO2 ≥ 325 μatm). Nevertheless, CO2 invasion from the atmosphere was minimal, in part due to the fact that there was little or no wind-driven mixing at this time of the year. Particulate C, N, P and ATP fluxes derived from free-floating sediment traps, revealed a substantial variability in time and space. The greatest seasonal variation occurred at the stations with the highest rates of primary production. For example, both the highest (31.1 mmol C m−2 day −1) and lowest (
Osmotic molecular dynamics simulation of vapor–liquid equilibria for propylene + dimethyl ether and nitroethane + propylene glycol monomethyl ether mixtures

In response to the First Industrial Fluid Simulation Challenge issued by the Computational Molecular Science and Engineering Forum (CoMSEF) of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), we have performed osmotic molecular dynamics (OMD) simulations on model mixtures representing propylene + dimethyl ether and nitroethane + propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME) at each of two temperatures. The models are standard force-field models available in the literature for site–site interactions between heavy nuclei. Coulombic and Lennard–Jones (LJ) potentials are defined at each site and cross Lennard–Jones interactions are obtained from the Lorentz–Berthelot combining rules. OMD simulations yield the activity coefficients for each component in the mixture at the specified composition. However, because values of individual activity coefficients are less accurate for smaller mole fractions, when the composition difference across the membrane is large, we have chosen to impose thermodynamic consistency to smooth the data over the whole composition range. This is done by fitting simulated values of both activity coefficients simultaneously to the Wilson activity coefficient correlation. Pxy diagrams and data are then reported at the desired compositions for both systems at two different temperatures using the smoothed activity coefficients.