cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forced convection over a three-dimensional horizontal backward facing step

Forced convective flow over a 3-D backward-facing step is studied numerically. The momentum and energy equations were discretized by means of a finite volume technique. The SIMPLE algorithm scheme was used to link the pressure and velocity fields in the entire domain and a line-by-line scheme was used in each plane to compute the velocity, pressure, and temperature field distributions. The code was validated by comparing numerical predictions with experimental data for flow over a 3-D backward facing step that is available in the literature. Flow of air (Pr = 0.70) over a three-dimensional horizontal backward-facing step geometry with an aspect ratio AR = 8 and an expansion ratio ER = 2 was considered. The stepped wall downstream of the expansion was heated by subjecting it to a constant heat flux (qw = 50 Wm−2) and the other walls were considered as insulated. The inlet flow was taken to be hydro-dynamically fully developed with a uniform temperature profile. Locations where the streamwise velocity and t...
Didn't we just see you? Time to recurrence among frequently encountered families in CPS

Abstract In child protection services, multiple maltreatment recurrences, or chronic maltreatment, has been a concern drawing increased attention because of its persistent harm to the children and the need to consider more effective intervention strategies to meet its unique needs. Timing has been an important issue in understanding the pattern of chronic maltreatment. No existing research has examined the influence of the interval between previous maltreatment incidents on future recurrences. The current study uses state administrative data to conduct longitudinal analyses to examine how the interval between previous maltreatment incidents is associated with the likelihood of future maltreatment occurrence among children who encountered multiple maltreatment recurrences. The findings suggest that short intervals are associated with increased likelihood of encountering a future recurrence, while controlling various covariates. The findings suggest the possibility of including the interval between previous maltreatment incidents as an indicator for child maltreatment risk assessment, and the need for developing responsive intervention strategies to stop the trend of chronic maltreatment.
Molecular Cloning of a Taxa-4(20),11(12)-dien-5α-ol-O-Acetyl Transferase cDNA from Taxus and Functional Expression in Escherichia coli

Abstract The taxa-4(20),11(12)-dien-5α-ol- O -acetyl transferase which catalyzes the third step of Taxol biosynthesis has been isolated from methyl jasmonate-induced Taxus cells, and partially purified and characterized (K. Walker, R. E. B. Ketchum, M. Hezari, D. Gatfield, M. Golenowski, A. Barthol, and R. Croteau, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 364, 273–279 1999). A revised purification method allowed internal amino acid microsequencing of the enzyme, from which primers were designed and employed to amplify a transacetylase gene-specific fragment. This radiolabeled, 900-bp amplicon was used as a hybridization probe to screen a cDNA library constructed from poly(A) + RNA isolated from induced Taxus cells, from which a full-length transacetylase sequence was obtained. Expression of this clone from pCWori + in Escherichia coli JM109 cells yielded the functional enzyme, as determined by radiochemical assay and combined capillary gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric verification of the acetylated product. The full-length DNA has an open-reading frame of 1317 nucleotides corresponding to a deduced amino acid sequence of 439 residues that exhibits high sequence identity to the proteolytic fragments of the native enzyme, which the recombinant transacetylase resembles in properties. Consistent with the size of the operationally soluble native enzyme, the DNA appears to encode a monomeric protein of molecular weight 49,079 that bears no N-terminal organellar targeting information. Sequence comparison of the taxadien-5α-ol- O -acetyl transferase with the few other known acyl transferases of plant origin indicates a significant degree of similarity between these enzymes (64–67%). The efficient conversion of taxadien-5α-yl acetate to further hydroxylated intermediates of the Taxol pathway confirms the significance of this acylation step and suggests this taxadienol transacetylase to be an important target for genetic manipulation to improve Taxol production.
Effect of Processing Temperature and Storage Time on Nonfat Dry Milk Proteins

Changes in physicochemical properties of pooled nonfat milk preheated to 63°C (I), 74°C (II), and 85°C (III), before spray-drying were examined. Insoluble material from III contained more protein (particularly at reduced pH) and more coagulated protein-lactose aggregates than either I or II. Soluble material from III was practically depleted of whey proteins which were utilized to form complexes stabilized through disulfide bonds. Milk protein micelles from III were heavier (ca 1 × 1011 g/mole) than either I or II. An unsweetened milk-orange juice blend, which was pasteurized at 63°C for 30 min and stored at 4°C, developed a precipitate which contained more protein and pectin, but less sucrose than the supernatant.
So where do we go from here

The research and clinical enterprise of behavior therapy has prospered, having become the mainstream of psychotherapy research and a central aspect of clinical practice. The percentage of controlled clinical studies published in Behavior Therapy has steadily increased over the years, and studies now have a longer duration of follow-up. Despite this progress, a theme of discontent has been sounded in the literature. One source of discontent has been sown by the claim that all therapies are equal. Such a claim leads to a theoretical and therapeutic deadend. Rather, it is necessary to identify the active ingredients of all therapies that have been demonstrated to work in particular conditions. Amongst the challenges and opportunities facing behavior therapy in the near term, are the facilitation of behavior change in the real world, a vigorous exploitation of the interaction between behavioral and pharmacologic therapies, and the development of a behavioral epidemiology focusing upon understanding the etiology of the conditions that we treat.
Optical properties of zinc-blende CdSe and ZnxCd1-xSe films grown on GaAs.

We present room-temperature ellipsometric measurements of the dielectric function of ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cd}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$Se single-crystal films grown on (001)GaAs in the 1.5--6.0-eV energy region x ranging from 0 to 1. We identify the ${\mathit{E}}_{0}$, ${\mathit{E}}_{0}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{0}$, ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$, ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{1}$, and ${\mathit{E}}_{2}$ threshold energies using the CdSe band structure calculated with a nonlocal empirical pseudopotential method. We find that the contact exciton effect has to be included in the calculated dielectric function of CdSe in order to obtain good agreement with our measurements. A compositon-dependent critical-point analysis of the ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$ and ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{1}$ structures has been performed. We also find that the spin-orbit-splitting band gap ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{1}$(x), the linewidths, and the excitonic angles are about maximum at x=0.5, which we attribute to the statistical fluctuation of the alloy composition. Finally, the ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$ and ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{1}$ critical-point amplitudes cannot be understood by the one-electron approximation, confirming the existence of strong excitonic effects.
Intracranial ependymoma in children: analysis of prognostic factors.

Between 1955 and 1986, 25 children (aged 2 weeks to 15 years) were treated for intracranial ependymoma at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Nine patients had supratentorial primaries (5 high-grade, 4 low-grade), and 16 had infratentorial primaries (9 high-grade, 7 low-grade). Five patients had gross complete resection and 20 had incomplete resection. Seven patients received craniospinal irradiation (25–36 Gy to the neuroaxis, 45–55 Gy to tumor bed), 12 received local field irradiation (29–60 Gy, median 50 Gy). Five infants had adjuvant chemotherapy without radiotherapy, and 6 children had postradiotherapy adjuvant chemotherapy, and 12 patients had salvage chemotherapy with various agents and number of courses. Eight patients are alive, disease-free and without relapse from 1 year to 12 1/2 years from diagnosis (median 42 months). The primary failure pattern was local recurrence. The data suggest that 1) the long-term cure rate of children with ependymoma is suboptimal; 2) histologic grade may be of prognostic importance for supratentorial tumors; 3) prognosis appears worse for girls and infants under 3 years of age; 4) in well-staged patients routine spinal irradiation could be omitted; 5) the role of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear.
Effect of Emergency Department CT on Neuroimaging Case Volume and Positive Scan Rates

Abstract Rationale and Objectives The authors performed this study to determine the effect a computed tomographic (CT) scanner in the emergency department (ED) has on neuroimaging case volume and positive scan rates. Materials and Methods The total numbers of ED visits and neuroradiology CT scans requested from the ED were recorded for 1998 and 2000, the years before and after the installation of a CT unit in the ED. For each examination type (brain, face, cervical spine), studies were graded for major findings (those that affected patient care), minor findings, and normal findings. The CT utilization rates and positive study rates were compared for each type of study performed for both years. Results There was a statistically significant increase in the utilization rate after installation of the CT unit (P Conclusion After installation of a CT scanner in the ED, there was increased utilization and a decreased rate of positive neuroradiologic examinations, the latter primarily due to lower positive rates for facial CT scans.
Mental Health Characteristics and Health-Seeking Behaviors of Adolescent School-Based Health Center Users and Nonusers*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to compare the mental health risk profile and health utilization behaviors of adolescent school-based health center (SBHC) users and nonusers and discuss the role that SBHCs can play in addressing adolescent health needs. METHODS: The sample included 4640 students in grades 9 and 11 who completed the California Healthy Kids Survey between fall 2000 and spring 2005 at 4 high schools in Alameda County, California. Chi-squared tests of significance and multivariate logistic regression were used to compare characteristics of SBHC users and nonusers and identify demographic, health status, and behavioral characteristics predictive of SBHC use. RESULTS: Controlling for demographic variables and general health status, students who reported frequent feelings of sadness, trouble sleeping, suicide ideation, alcohol or marijuana use, the recent loss of a close friend or relationship, or other difficult life event were significantly more likely to seek SBHC services than their peers. Neither health insurance status nor a student’s ‘‘usual’’ source of health care was predictive of general SBHC use, but being on public assistance or having no insurance was predictive of a student seeking SBHC mental health services. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that SBHCs are able to attract students with the most serious mental health concerns and can play an important role in meeting needs that might otherwise go unmet. The provision of SBHC mental health services in particular may fill a need among adolescents with public or no insurance.
Effect of PCB (aroclor 1254) on early development and mortality in Arbacia eggs

Arbacia punctulata eggs were continuously exposed to various concentrations (0.5, 1, 5, 10 mg l−1) of the PCB mixture, Aroclor 1254 in filtered sea water using reagent grade acetone as a carrier molecule. Control eggs were cultured in acetone and sea water. The effects of the PCB on fertilization efficienty, pluteus development, and its acute toxicity to the eggs were studied. Differences between control and experimental results were tested using Chi-square and a 95% level of confidence. When the eggs were initially exposed to the PCB at the time of fertilization there were no significant differences between the % fertilization, pluteus development, or % mortality when the controls were compared to the experimentals. However, when the eggs were initially exposed to PCB 1 h prior to fertilization there was a reduction in fertilization efficiency in all PCB concentrations. In all but the 0.5 mg l−1 PCB concentration, the % mortality was higher and the % pluteus development was lower.
Methodological and theoretical issues in neural network models of frontal cognitive functions.

Neural network models have made significant strides in recent years toward modeling of neuropsycho-logical data. in particular, three different research groups, including that of the present authors, have simulated in model networks some of the behavioral effects of frontal lobe damage. in this article we review these models and discuss their significance in terms of hierarchical organization in the nervous system. These models, to varying degrees, incorporate several widely used neural network principles that have also been used to model a wide range of data in other areas such as categorization, conditioning, and motor control. These principles include associative learning, competition, opponent processing, neu-romodulation, and interlevel resonant feedback. Specifically, we show how combinations of these principles serve to model the attentional requirements of cognitive tasks and motor plans.
Individual Differences in Vulnerability to Sleep Loss in the Work Environment

There are considerable individual differences in cognitive performance deficits result- ing from extended work hours and shift work schedules. Recent progress in sleep and perfor- mance research has yielded new insights into the causes and consequences of these individual dif- ferences. Neurobiological processes of sleep/wake regulation underlie trait individual variability in vulnerability to performance impairment due to sleep loss. Trait vulnerability to sleep loss is observed in the laboratory and in the work environment, even in occupational settings where (self-)selection pressures are high. In general, individuals do not seem to accurately assess the magnitude of their own vulnerability. Methods for identifying workers who are most at risk of sleep loss-related errors and accidents would therefore be helpful to target fatigue countermea- sure interventions at those needing them most. As yet, no reliable predictors of vulnerability to sleep loss have been identified, although candidate genetic predictors have been proposed. However, a Bayesian forecasting technique based on closed-loop feedback of measured perfor- mance has been developed for individualized prediction of future performance impairment dur- ing ongoing operations. Judiciously selecting or monitoring individuals in specific tasks or occu- pations, within legally and ethically acceptable boundaries, has the potential to improve opera- tional performance and productivity, reduce errors and accidents, and save lives. Trait individ- ual variability in responses to sleep loss represents a major complication in the application of one-size-fits-all hours of service regulations—favoring instead modern fatigue risk management strategies, because these allow flexibility to account for individual vulnerability or resilience to the performance consequences of extended work hours and shift work schedules.
The relationship between vascular alterations and symptom development in Verticillium wilt of chrysanthemum

The presence of localized water stress symptoms and the extent of xylem vessel alteration, of the horticultural chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum morifolium (Ramat) Hemsl. infected with the vascular wilt pathogen Verticillium dahliae, Kleb., are highly related. Leaf lobes with the initial wilt symptom, a slight flaccidity of the lobe tip, were examined with the scanning electron microscope. Vessels of uninoculated plants always had smooth walls and unobstructed pits. Vessels of inoculated plants were altered in several ways: (1) the pits appeared to be coated with a sheath material ranging from smooth to “pebbly” or “blistered”, (2) vessel lumens contained a fibrillar, net-like material and (3) vessel lumens were occluded with solid plugs. Each lobe was dissected to evaluate vessel alteration within the transition region from turgid to flaccid tissue. The occurrence of sheath material was progressive from the base to tip of a lobe, with the terminal flaccid section having more extensive and severe “blistering” and fewer uninvaded, clear vessels than the basal turgid section. No direct relation was found between “blistering” and the extent of colonization, but the development of disease symptoms was closely related to coated vessel walls and plugged vessels. Symptoms of water stress appear to be the outward expressions of occlusion of vessel lumens by plugs and occlusion of vessel pits by a sheath material that restrict water movement within the affected parts of leaves.
Complement factor B activation in patients with preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Bb, the active fragment of complement factor B (fB), has been reported to be a predictor of preeclampsia. However, conflicting results have been found by some investigators. We hypothesized that the disagreement in findings may be due to the racial/ethnic differences among various study groups, and that fB activation is significant in women of an ethnic minority with preeclampsia. We investigated the maternal and fetal levels of Bb (the activated fB fragment) in pregnant women of an ethnic minority with or without preeclampsia. We enrolled 291 pregnant women (96% of an ethnic minority, including 78% African-American). Thirteen percent of these were diagnosed with preeclampsia. Maternal venous blood was collected from all participants together with fetal umbilical cord blood samples from 154 deliveries in the 291 women. The results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and multivariate analyses. Maternal Bb levels were significantly higher in the preeclamptic group than in the nonpreeclamptic group. Levels of Bb in fetal cord blood were similar in both groups. Subgroup analyses of African-American patients' results confirmed the study hypothesis that there would be a significant increase in Bb in the maternal blood of the preeclamptic group and no increase in Bb in the fetal cord blood of this group. These results suggest that a maternal immune response through complement fB might play a role in the development of preeclampsia, particularly in African-American patients.
Clones, Harms, and Rights

As the possibility of cloning humans emerges on the horizon people are worrying about the morality of using the new technology. They are anxious about the ethical borders that might be crossed when duplicate humans can be produced by separating the cells of a newly fertilized human egg or, in the more distant future, by creating a zygote from an existing person's genetic material. They are apprehensive about eugenics, concerned about creating humans as sources of spare parts for others, uneasy about producing humans without intending to allow them to live and develop, and uncomfortable about using duplicate humans as business ventures.
Majorana neutrinos and the production of the right-handed charged gauge boson

A possibility of a very clean signature for the production of ${{W}_{R}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ is pointed out. If the right-handed neutrino is lighter than ${{W}_{R}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, left-right symmetric gauge theory predicts the decay ${{W}_{R}}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}+2$ hadronic jets, with the branching ratio \ensuremath{\sim}3%. The lack of neutrinos in the final state and the absence of a sizable background make ${{W}_{R}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ rather easy to detect (if it exists). Detailed predictions regarding the production and decay rates of ${{W}_{R}}^{+}$ are presented.
Study of lattice vibrations by resonance absorption of nuclear gamma rays

It has recently been demonstrated by Mossbauer that in a large proportion of emissions or absorptions of gamma rays by nuclei bound in crystals at low temperature the recoil energy is taken up by the crystal as a whole (no phonons are emitted). This makes it possible to observe resonance absorption of nuclear gamma-rays without high-speed rotors or elevated temperatures, as had been done in the past. In the present paper we show that an extension of Mossbauer's technique can be utilized to directly observe the frequency distribution of lattice vibrations in the crystal. Specifically, if the emitter and absorber have the same favorable crystal structure, then the self-absorption cross section observed in a rotor experiment at low temperature will be proportional to N(S)S, where N(S) dS is the number of phonon states in an energy interval dS, and S is the doppler shift in the gamma-ray energy induced by the rotor motion. Criteria are given for determining favorable cases.
Age, depressive symptoms, and rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To examine the relationship between age and depression in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Two separate outpatient cohorts of persons with RA were studied. In both studies, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was administered to all subjects, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was determined by age group. In the second study, data on additional measures of disease activity, pain, life stress, and coping were collected for use in multiple linear regression analyses. Results In both samples, a significant correlation between age and depression was found; younger persons (age ≤45 years) with RA were significantly more depressed, even after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as sex, marital status, antidepressant medication, arthritis medication, functional class, and disease duration. Conclusion The findings show that younger persons with RA are at higher risk for depressive symptoms than their older counterparts.
Chronic exercise training maintains previously attained cardiopulmonary fitness in patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1

The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiopulmonary effect and CD3+CD4+ lymphocyte change due to a 1 year program of moderate exercise training in five of six human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV‐1) infected persons who had previously completed an initial 24‐week exercise training program. Mean entry CD4 count of the five was 274/(xl. Mean entry maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was 41 ml.kg‐1.min‐1 for the five subjects. No change was observed in any measured cardiopulmonary parameter (VO2max, oxygen pulse, minute ventilation) or CD4 count in four of the five participants. The fifth participant, however, showed a profound immunologic and cardiopulmonary deterioration that preceded by less than 1 year the development of two acquired immunodeficiency syndrome‐defining illnesses. The results suggest that chronic exercise training is feasible and beneficial for those HIV‐1 persons with stable and improving CD4 counts above 200/μ1.
Ranging behavior, group size and behavioral flexibility in Ethiopian hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas).

This study reports group size, home range size, daily path lengths, seasonal effects on ranging behavior and qualitative information on diet for a population of hamadryas baboons inhabiting the lowlands of the northern Rift Valley in central Ethiopia. The minimum home range size and daily path length for this population are similar to those reported for other populations of hamadryas baboons in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Group sizes, however, are much larger than those in most other hamadryas populations for which published data are available. The large group sizes in this area may be related to the abundance of one food resource in particular, doum palm nuts. Overall, this study suggests that hamadryas baboons may be more flexible in some aspects of their behavioral ecology (e.g. group size) than in others (e.g. ranging behavior).
THE SYNDROME OF CONGENITALLY APLASTIC OVARIES WITH SEXUAL INFANTILISM, HIGH URINARY GONADOTROPINS, SHORT STATURE AND OTHER CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES: TABULAR PRESENTATION OF TWENTY-FIVE PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED CASES

IN 1938, Turner (7) reported 10 instances of a new syndrome, confined to females, and characterized by sexual infantilism, short stature, webbing of the neck, and cubitus valgus. This was the first report in the American literature calling attention to the syndrome, which later was found to include congenitally aplastic ovaries. The next contribution to the understanding of this condition appeared in 1942 when Varney, Kenyon, and Koch (8) described 4 short, sexually retarded females, all of whom excreted abnormally large amounts of urinary gonadotropins; indeed their titers equalled those of castrate or postmenopausal women. On the basis of 7 scattered autopsy reports discovered in the foreign literature, they suggested the importance of ovarian aplasia as one of the cardinal characteristics of the syndrome. Later that same year, Albright, Smith, and Fraser (1) submitted 11 patients of their own, particularly stressing the primary ovarian insufficiency and discussing its differentiation from primary pitui...
Management of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome.

Abstract Background Recent advances in resuscitation science have revolutionized care of the cardiac arrest patient. Dramatic departures from time-honored advanced cardiac life support therapies, such as cardiocerebral resuscitation and bundled post-arrest care, have given rise to a new paradigm of resuscitation practices, which has boosted the rate of neurologically intact survival. Objectives This article reviews the pathophysiology of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome, the collective pathophysiology after return of spontaneous circulation, and presents management pearls specifically for the emergency physician. This growing area of scientific inquiry must be managed appropriately to sustain improved outcomes. Discussion The emergency physician must understand this pathophysiology, manage resuscitated patients according to the latest evidence, and coordinate with appropriate inpatient resources. Conclusion The new approach to cardiac arrest care is predicated on a chain of survival that spans the spectrum of care from the prehospital arena through the emergency, intensive, and inpatient settings. The emergency physician is a crucial link in this chain.
The response of NaI(T1) to 30−60 MeV Z = 1 particles

Abstract Measurements are reported for the light output response on a NaI(T1) detector for protons, deuterons, and tritons with energies between 30 and 60 MeV. The stopping power region covered by this data overlaps previous data taken with electrons and protons. The new data around 60 MeV is interesting in that the light output is greater for deuterons (and tritons) than that for protons by the equivalent of ≈ 1 MeV. A comparison is made with the model of Murray and Meyer for light output response in inorganic crystals.
Rapid characterization of wood pulp lignin by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy

Abstract FT-Raman spectroscopy is used for the rapid measurement of wood pulp lignin. A total of 23 western softwood pulp samples with known kappa numbers (10–38) are used. Each sample is divided into three portions and scanned separately. The integrated area of the lignin band at approximately 1600 cm −1 is ratioed against the integrated area of the cellulose bands in the 1200–1010 cm −1 region and correlated to known kappa numbers. The measured ratios behave linearly with the kappa number ( r = 0.99) and can be reproducibly determined with an error of approximately 2% or less. The data are presented and discussed in view of the potential for at-line analysis of lignin associated with chemical delignification of wood pulp.
Why is working memory related to fluid intelligence

Nearly 1,000 adults performed a battery of cognitive tests and working memory tasks requiring simultaneous storage and processing of information. Because the amount of to-be-remembered information, or set size, varied randomly across trials, the relation between fluid intelligence and working memory could be examined across different levels of complexity and across successive trials in the working memory tasks. Strong influences of fluid intelligence were apparent in the simplest versions and on the initial trials in the working memory tasks, which suggests that the relation between working memory and fluid intelligence is not dependent on the amount of information that must be maintained, or on processes that occur over the course of performing the tasks.
Formative Evaluation: A Case Study of the Illinois Birth-to-Three IV-E Waiver.

Few interventions addressing early childhood trauma have adequate evidence. The Illinois Birth-to-Three Waiver is a 5-year federal project to reduce trauma and increase permanency for young children. In this article the authors describe the explorative and formative phases, including: (a) developing a well-built research question; (b) working with purveyors of evidence-supported interventions (ESIs); (c) adapting ESIs to a large public child welfare system; (d) developing fidelity measures, assessment data and outcomes; and (e) managing the challenges of implementing a randomized controlled trial. Public and private agency staff work in conjunction with university partners to merge implementation science, program evaluation, and intervention research. The project's theory of change stipulates that working with the triad of birth parent(s), foster parent(s), and focal child is critical to achieving project outcomes. The authors articulate the importance of working closely with an interdisciplinary team to ...
A Hypervariable Region within the 3′ cis-Acting Element of the Murine Coronavirus Genome Is Nonessential for RNA Synthesis but Affects Pathogenesis

The 3' cis-acting element for mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) RNA synthesis resides entirely within the 301-nucleotide 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of the viral genome and consists of three regions. Encompassing the upstream end of the 3' UTR are a bulged stem-loop and an overlapping RNA pseudoknot, both of which are essential to MHV and common to all group 2 coronaviruses. At the downstream end of the genome is the minimal signal for initiation of negative-strand RNA synthesis. Between these two ends is a hypervariable region (HVR) that is only poorly conserved between MHV and other group 2 coronaviruses. Paradoxically, buried within the HVR is an octanucleotide motif (oct), 5'-GGAAGAGC-3', which is almost universally conserved in coronaviruses and is therefore assumed to have a critical biological function. We conducted an extensive mutational analysis of the HVR. Surprisingly, this region tolerated numerous deletions, rearrangements, and point mutations. Most striking, a mutant deleted of the entire HVR was only minimally impaired in tissue culture relative to the wild type. By contrast, the HVR deletion mutant was highly attenuated in mice, causing no signs of clinical disease and minimal weight loss compared to wild-type virus. Correspondingly, replication of the HVR deletion mutant in the brains of mice was greatly reduced compared to that of the wild type. Our results show that neither the HVR nor oct is essential for the basic mechanism of MHV RNA synthesis in tissue culture. However, the HVR appears to play a significant role in viral pathogenesis.
Reliability of multimodal evaluation of abnormal screening mammogram results

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of the multimodal evaluation of suspicious or equivocal screening mammogram results by use of ancillary imaging studies and needle biopsies. STUDY DESIGN: This article reports on the experience of the Breast Evaluation Center at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center between 1989 and 1993 where 43,125 screening mammograms were performed. RESULTS: A total of 2866 patients were called back for additional evaluation, which consisted of magnification views and ultrasonography. Since 1990 fine-needle biopsies have been done on selected patients and since 1992 core biopsies have been available. Needle localization excisional biopsies were performed on 344 patients, and 158 cancers were diagnosed. This represents a 46% positive predictive value. Careful follow-up was obtained on the patients seen in 1990 to attempt to determine whether any cancers developed within a year of the time the patients with abnormal screening mammogram results had been evaluated with imaging modalities but no tissue diagnosis made. One cancer may have been missed. The cost savings of this protocol are also examined. CONCLUSION: Multimodal evaluation of patients with suspicious screening mammogram results appears to be a cost effective approach with adequate sensitivity and specificity. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;174:1683-7.)
The Politics of Electoral Reform in Britain

The debate about electoral reform in Britain has experienced periodic revivals, as critics have challenged the established system of first- past-the-post. The debate has revolved about how British ...
The effect of microstructure on the resistance to electromigration of AlCu thin film conductors

Abstract Aluminum-copper alloy films were prepared by vacuum evaporation under varying conditions of deposition rate and substrate temperature. They were subsequently subjected to electromigration testing using the median time to failure (MTF) and temperature-ramp resistance analysis to characterize electromigration (TRACE) methods and the resulting activation energies for electromigration were extracted. It was found that certain microstructural configurations affected the beneficial effects of copper on the resistance of thin films to electromigration. The magnitude of the activation energies ranged from 0.25 eV up to 0.95 eV. The differences in the activation energies Q were related to the deposition conditions, the films' grain size distributions, the copper content of the films, the Al 2 Cu precipitate distributions in the films, and the possible presence of Guinier-Preston zones. The Avrami analysis of the resistometric data for the lifetime experiments was also employed. It was found that a single failure mechanism dominated over the temperature range of the MTF experiments, but this mechanism was dependent on the deposition conditions.
Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes of Wide-necked Aneurysms Treated with the Solitaire AB Stent

Objective This study investigated the clinical and angiographic outcomes of treatment with stent-assisted coil embolization using the Solitaire AB stents for wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.
The Historical Roots of Tax Increment Financing, or How Real Estate Consultants Kept Urban Renewal Alive

Scholars often explain the rise of tax increment financing (TIF) as a natural progression toward localized revenue sources born of devolution, increased interlocal competition for business investme...
A numerical technique for gradient-type interface in the inverse scattering problems

A numerical technique for gradient-type interface in the inverse scattering problems is presented in this paper. Such an interface is a point at which the velocity profile suffers a jump in first derivative. The time domain approach to scattering from gradient-type interface leads to an integro-differential equation. Using Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto nodes we construct the N th polynomial interpolation to solve the integro-differential equation. An illustrative example is included to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method.
Lactate Dehydrogenase Monoclonal Antibody Sandwich ELISA To Determine Cooking Temperature of Ground Beef

Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to bovine muscle lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were prepared and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed, using MAb as capture antibodies and polyclonal antibodies as detector antibodies. The ability of the sandwich ELISA to quantify LDH was tested in a ground beef model system and commercial ground beef products cooked to different endpoint temperatures (EPT). The LDH content of extracts decreased from 805 μg/g of meat in ground beef cooked to 64 °C to 0.24 μg/g of meat cooked to 74 °C. Commercially cooked patties with EPTs between 68.3 and 71.1 °C averaged 3.38 μg of LDH/g of meat. Similar concentrations of LDH (about 3 μg/g of meat) were observed in both the model system and commercially cooked patties at EPT of about 70 °C. Fat content had no effect on the concentration of LDH in ground beef cooked to 69.4 °C. Five freeze−thaw cycles had no effect on the LDH concentration of raw ground beef. Repeated freezing and thawing of raw meat decreased the LD...
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and cardiovascular outcomes in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Background Persons with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis carry an exceptionally high burden of cardiovascular disease. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are recommended for patients on dialysis, but there are few data regarding their effectiveness in ESRD. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of results of the HEMO study, a randomized trial of dialysis dose and membrane flux in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. We focused on the nonrandomized exposure of ACEI use, using proportional hazards regression and a propensity score analysis. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes examined in the present analysis were cardiovascular hospitalization, heart failure hospitalization, and the composite outcomes of death or cardiovascular hospitalization and death or heart failure hospitalization. Results In multivariable-adjusted analyses, there were no significant associations among ACEI use and mortality (hazard ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.82-1.14), cardiovascular hospitalization, and either composite outcome. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use was associated with a higher risk of heart failure hospitalization (hazard ratio 1.41, 95% CI 1.11-1.80). In the propensity score–matched cohort, ACEI use was not significantly associated with any outcomes, including heart failure hospitalization. Conclusions In a well-characterized cohort of patients on maintenance hemodialysis, ACEI use was not significantly associated with mortality or cardiovascular morbidity. The higher risk of heart failure hospitalization associated with ACEI use may not only reflect residual confounding but also highlights gaps in evidence when applying treatments proven effective in the general population to patients with ESRD. Our results underscore the need for definitive trials in ESRD to inform the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
New data in the study of cross-lamination structures

The concept of the elementary (unit) series, with its basic parameters, is developed in a critical review of the classifications of cross-bedded [cross-laminated; cross-stratified] structures of sediments, to the point that the type of the cross-bedding becomes an exact index of the dynamic environment of the sedimentation and hence of the facies of the sediments. – IGR Staff.
The energetics of diatom/solid dissociative adsorption

Abstract The generalized Langevin method for gas-solid scattering is combined with a London-Eyring-Polanyi-Sato type potential function in order to allow calculation of collisions and simple reactions at the gas-solid interface. Energy transfer and dissociative adsorption for selected collission configurations for a diatomic molecule scattering off a Cu(100) single crystal face have been studied by integrating the classical trajectories. Special emphasis is placed on determining the relative importance of the macroscopic parameters of the collision system on the microscopic mechanisms of these processes. Energy accommodation and dissociative adsorption were found to be greatly effected by the Debye temperature of the solid.
Morphology and porosity enhancement of graphite nanofibers through chemical etching

Abstract The morphology, structure, and porosity of graphite nanofibers (GNFs) can be significantly modified through simple exposure of the GNFs to acids, followed by a high temperature treatment. This treatment leads to chemical etching, fiber rupture and/or partial exfoliation. The degree of these somewhat competing processes is dependent upon acid exposure conditions and thermal treatment temperature. As the temperature of thermal treatment is increased, both the surface area and pore volume of the modified GNFs are significantly increased. Low-temperature treatments (600–800 °C) tend to favor the formation of micropores, whereas higher temperatures (>800 °C) lead to the formation of mesopores. An extended heat treatment at 1000 °C after acid exposure produces a drastic increase of mesopores and a pronounced change in fiber morphology, evidenced by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. This ability to select the operative pore size of graphitic nanofibers may lead to applications of these materials for energy storage, size-selective catalysis, as well as separation techniques where a finely controlled graphitic pore structure is desired.
Primary care patients' opinions regarding the importance of various aspects of care for depression.

Abstract The objectives of this study were to 1) ascertain the importance of various aspects of depression care from the patient’s perspective and 2) select items and scales for inclusion in a new instrument to measure primary care patients’ attitudes toward and ratings of depression care. We used a cross-sectional survey at a university-based urban primary care clinic; the subjects were adult patients being recruited for a study of minor depression. To help prioritize attitudinal domains, including 126 items identified previously in focus groups, we asked patients to rate the importance of each aspect of depression care on a five-point scale. Items were ranked according to mean scores and the percentage of patients ranking the items as extremely important. The items were selected for inclusion in an instrument to measure patients’ attitudes toward depression care based on their importance ratings. We performed reliability and validity testing of scales comprising the 30 most important items and a shortened version that includes 16 items. The sample included 76 patients (mean age 34.8 years; mean CES-D score, 22.2; 72% women; 36% African-American; 32% college graduates). Forty-six percent had visited a mental health professional in the past. The top 30 items for the overall sample came from the following domains: 1) health care providers’ interpersonal skills, 2) primary care provider recognition of depression, 3) treatment effectiveness, 4) treatment problems, 5) patient understanding about treatment, 6) intrinsic spirituality, and 7) financial access to services. Scales comprising items from these domains show adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha >0.70) as well as convergent and discriminant validity. We have designed a brief patient-centered instrument for measuring attitudes toward depression care that has evidence for internal item consistency reliability and discriminant validity.
Effects of Anhedral and Dihedral on a 75-deg Sweep Delta Wing

An investigation into the effects of spanwise camber in the form of anhedral and dihedral on a 75-deg sweep delta wing is detailed. Data are presented encompassing force balance, surface pressure measurement, seven-hole probe surveys, and vortex burst trajectories. The results show that the net effect of this form of nonplanarity is an increase in lift for anhedral and a decrease in lift for dihedral compared to the planar wing. Small anhedral angles aremosteffectivein augmenting lift. Anhedral doesnot appearto greatly augmentthestrength of theleading-edge vortex. The major benee t from anhedral would appear to be due to its displacing effect on the vortex trajectory: drawing the vortex closer to the wing surface and inboard compared to the planar wing. As the vortex is drawn inboard, its induced surface loading acts on a greater area of the wing. Dihedral also draws the vortex closer to the wing surface (to a greater extent then anhedral ) while moving the vortex toward the wing leading edge. In addition, anhedral doesnotappearto introduceany detrimental effectson longitudinal stability and doesnot incur any penalties in terms of vortex burst characteristics.
Novel low-grade glioneuronal neoplasm presenting in an octogenarian: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract Glioneuronal neoplasms are rare tumors that typically affect patients in the first three decades of life. Since the publication of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2000 classification of tumors, further variants of these tumors have been reported. While most of these lesions are clinically and histologically low grade, aggressive variants have been reported. We present an 83-year-old gentleman who presented with a history of ataxia and weight loss. MRI and CT scan revealed a ring-enhancing bihemispheric lesion in the premotor cortex consistent with a malignant primary brain tumor crossing the corpus collosum. The patient underwent a stereotactic biopsy with drainage of the cystic component. Histopathologic studies revealed a mixed glioneuronal tumor with benign characteristics. A craniotomy was performed and the tumor was resected. Postoperatively, the patient has been followed with serial MRI scans with no evidence of disease recurrence at 27 months. Glioneuronal tumors are extremely uncommon in the octogenarian population, however, it is important to include them in the differential diagnosis of intracerebral masses. They are histopathologically quite heterogeneous, and in this report we present a novel subtype. Radiographically, these lesions can mimic more aggressive primary brain tumors.
Diet pattern and longevity: do simple rules suffice? A commentary

Nutritionism reduces dietary advice to statements about a few nutrients, with sometimes unintended implications for science, industry, and the public. Although reductionist questions about nutrition are legitimate scientifically, a nutrient focus in the public arena forces the food industry to compete with the use of nutrient statements. Consumers must interpret information that may not be correct or relevant. The theory of food synergy, which postulates that the many constituents of individual foods and dietary patterns act together on health, leads to the idea that dietary policy would be clearer if it focused on foods. To illustrate this method, the food-based A Priori Diet Quality Score was described in the Iowa Women's Health Study; a substantial total mortality reduction for increasing quartiles of the score was found. The simple food-based rules implied in this a priori score support minimizing meat, salt, added sugar, and heavily processed foods while emphasizing phytochemical-rich foods. These principles could help improve nutrition policy, help industry to supply better food, and help to focus future scientific research. Although an understanding of what foods are best for health is a step forward in nutrition, other major challenges remain, including getting high-quality food to the masses and food sustainability.