cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scrotal temperature reflects intratesticular temperature and is lowered by shaving.

AbstractIntratesticular and scrotal skin temperatures were measured in 34 men undergoing scrotal or inguinal surgical procedures under general anesthesia. Scrotal temperatures were measured before and after a dry scrotal shave. Intratesticular temperature was measured under direct vision with a needle thermistor.Linear regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between intratesticular and scrotal skin temperatures. In addition, simple scrotal shaving significantly decreased scrotal skin temperature. These observations suggest that scrotal skin temperature measurements may be useful to detect elevations of intratesticular temperature and scrotal shaving may be a useful adjunct for testicular cooling.
In Vitro Repair of Meniscal Radial Tear With Hydrogels Seeded With Adipose Stem Cells and TGF-β3.

Background:Radial tears of the meniscus are a common knee injury, frequently resulting in osteoarthritis. To date, there are no established, effective treatments for radial tears. Adipose-derived s...
IQ, Heritability, and Human Nature

Scientific revolutions are no everyday affair. So it is of some importance that Fortune (Alexander, 1972) and several other major magazines have recently proclaimed that we are in the midst of a major Kuhnian revolution in the social sciences, one that has significant implications for social policy. According to these magazines, ‘environmentalist’ theories, which assume that equalization of human environments and opportunities will increase equality of achievement between individuals, groups, and races, are in ‘crisis’. The crisis exists because the egalitarian reform programs of the 1960’s, which relied on such theories and thus constituted tests of them, failed to equalize achievement. In the face of this crisis, Fortune suggests, scientists are welcoming evidence from the study of ducks, baboons, and humans which points to “a basic intractability in human nature, a resistance to being guided and molded for improving society” (Alexander, 1972,p. 132). But if human nature is intractable, the argument continues, then social policy should be adjusted to recognize the inherited capacities and differences between individuals, groups and races, rather than continue to insist on unrealistic egalitarian reform programs.
EPR STUDY OF OXYGEN-IMPLANTED SILICON

A new spin-1/2 anisotropic EPR spectrum (Si-I5) described by a spin-Hamiltonian having a Zeeman term with nearly axial symmetry and a hyperfine term with axial bonding symmetry has been observed in float-zoned silicon after implantation with oxygen. The experimental parameters are compatible with the identification of the I5 spectrum with a high concentration of vacancy-oxygen defects in crystalline regions of high damage density. The dependence of lattice damage production and annealing on oxygen fluence has been studied by monitoring the intensity of the amorphous reasonance (Si-a) at g=2.0055.
MARGRET M. AND PAUL B. BALTES FOUNDATION IN BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY AWARD LECTURE

The Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award in Behavioral and Social Gerontology recognizes outstanding early-career contributions in behavioral and social gerontology. The lecture will be presented by the 2017 recipient Giyeon Kim, PhD, Chung-Ang University. The award is generously funded by the Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation.
The routinization of computer programming

What is most remarkable about the work programmers do is how quickly it has been transformed. Barely a generation after its inception, programming is no longer the complex work of creative and perhaps even eccentric people. Instead, divided and routinized, it has become mass-production work parcelled out to interchangeable detail workers. Some software specialists still engage in intellectually demanding and rewarding work—people who are called by such names as systems engineers, analysts, or simply software scientists—but they make up a relatively small and diminishing proportion of the total programming workforce. The great and growing mass of people called programmers (as well as those who do software work but for a variety of reasons are called something else) do work which is less and less distinguishable from that of clerks or, for that matter, assembly line workers.
Market Theory and Capitalist Axiomatics

Producing a properly philosophical theory of capitalism as an open axiomatic system requires adding intensive multiplicities to the mathematical account of set theory, which allows only extensive m...
Cognitive Deficits in Patients With Schizophrenia: Effects and Treatment

The average patient with schizophrenia performs on cognitive tests at the lowest 5% to 10% of the general population. Cognitive impairments impact patients on virtually every aspect of functioning, interfere with patients' ability to engage in real-world tasks, and affect long-term outcome. Therefore, cognitive deficits should be included in the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Clinicians need to focus treatment options on helping patients to regain premorbid levels of cognitive functioning.
Granular Transcriptomic Signatures Derived from Independent Component Analysis of Bulk Nervous Tissue for Studying Labile Brain Physiologies

Multicellular organisms employ concurrent gene regulatory programs to control development and physiology of cells and tissues. The Drosophila melanogaster model system has a remarkable history of revealing the genes and mechanisms underlying fundamental biology yet much remains unclear. In particular, brain xenobiotic protection and endobiotic regulatory systems that require transcriptional coordination across different cell types, operating in parallel with the primary nervous system and metabolic functions of each cell type, are still poorly understood. Here we use the unsupervised machine learning method independent component analysis (ICA) on majority fresh- frozen, bulk tissue microarrays to define biologically pertinent gene expression signatures which are sparse, i.e. each involving only a fraction of all fly genes. We optimize the gene expression signature definitions partly through repeated application of a stochastic ICA algorithm to a compendium of 3,346 microarrays from 221 experiments provided by the Drosophila research community. Our optimized ICA model of pan fly gene expression consists of 850 modules of co-regulated genes that map to tissue developmental stages, disease states, cell-autonomous pathways and presumably novel processes. Importantly, we show biologically relevant gene modules expressed at varying amplitudes in whole brain and isolated adult blood-brain barrier cell levels. Thus, whole tissue derived ICA transcriptional signatures that transcend single cell type boundaries provide a window into the transcriptional states of difficult to isolate cell ensembles maintaining delicate brain physiologies. We believe the fly ICA gene expression signatures set, by virtue of the success of ICA at inferring robust often low amplitude patterns across large datasets and the quality of the input samples, to be an important asset for analyzing compendium and newly generated microarray or RNA-seq expression datasets.
Coronavirus membrane fusion mechanism offers a potential target for antiviral development

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has focused attention on the need to develop effective therapies against the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, and also against other pathogenic coronaviruses (CoV) that have emerged in the past or might appear in future. Researchers are therefore focusing on steps in the CoV replication cycle that may be vulnerable to inhibition by broad-spectrum or specific antiviral agents. The conserved nature of the fusion domain and mechanism across the CoV family make it a valuable target to elucidate and develop pan-CoV therapeutics. In this article, we review the role of the CoV spike protein in mediating fusion of the viral and host cell membranes, summarizing the results of research on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and recent peer-reviewed studies of SARS-CoV-2, and suggest that the fusion mechanism be investigated as a potential antiviral target. We also provide a supplemental file containing background information on the biology, epidemiology, and clinical features of all human-infecting coronaviruses, along with a phylogenetic tree of these coronaviruses.
Chapter 15 – Superconductivity

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the experimental observations of superconductivity in various fullerene-related compounds. The first observation of superconductivity in a carbon-based material goes back to 1965, when superconductivity was observed in the first-stage alkali metal graphite intercalation compound. The early observation of superconductivity in a doped fullerene solid attracted interest because of its relatively high Tc. This work was soon followed by observations of superconductivity at even higher temperatures. It is interesting to note that if superconductivity had been found in these alkali metal-doped C60 compounds prior to the discovery of superconductivity in the cuprates, the alkali metaldoped fullerenes would have been the highest-Tc superconductors studied up to that time. At present, the highest-Tc organic superconductor is an alkali metal-doped fullerene, namely Cs3C60 under pressure with Tc ∼ 40 K, breaking a record previously held by the tetrathiafulvalene derivative.
Using local rather than general anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair is associated with shorter operative time and enhanced postoperative recovery

Abstract Background Inguinal hernia repair is the most common general surgery procedure and can be performed under local or general anesthesia. We hypothesized that using local rather than general anesthesia would improve outcomes, especially for older adults. Methods This is a retrospective review of 97,437 patients in the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program who had open inguinal hernia surgery under local or general anesthesia. Outcomes included 30-day postoperative complications, operative time, and recovery time. Results Our cohort included 22,333 (23%) Veterans who received local and 75,104 (77%) who received general anesthesia. Mean age was 62 years. Local anesthesia was associated with a 37% decrease in the odds of postoperative complications (95% CI 0.54–0.73), a 13% decrease in operative time (95% CI 17.5–7.5), and a 27% shorter recovery room stay (95% CI 27.5–25.5), regardless of age. Conclusions Using local rather than general anesthesia is associated with a profound decrease in complications (equivalent to “de-aging” patients by 30 years) and could significantly reduce costs for this common procedure.
Attempted Suicides in the Elderly With Existing DNRs: An Emerging Geriatric Ethical Dilemma

Several critical clinical and ethical issues, including immediate treatment decisions, emerged in a case of a double suicide attempt by an elderly couple with a suicide pact and existing do-not-resuscitate (DNR) documentation. This case was complicated by the advanced age of both patients and their family's expectations and perception of mental illness in the geriatric population. In addition to the myriad of legal and ethical challenges that frequent the end-of-life care, the emerging trend of suicide pacts among the elderly, particularly with existing DNR documentation, warrants further exploration.
Who’s Going to Pick Up the Trash? Using the Build America Bond Program to Help State and Local Governments’ Cash Deficits

All over the United States, state and local governments are facing increasing revenue deficits due to the current economic recession. Even during good economic times, state and local governments experience temporary cash-flow deficits. State and local governments use short-term municipal bond debt to finance temporary cash-flow deficits caused by the normal erratic collection of tax revenue. The issuance of short-term debt secured by future tax revenue has always been a financing tool that helped local governments with cash-flow problems. The effects of the subprime mortgage crisis and the current recession threaten state and local governments’ ability to use this financial tool. The increased cost of issuing short-term debt, coupled with the general reduction of tax revenue collected due to the current recession, has restricted state and local governments’ ability to issue short-term debt. Without the use of affordable short-term debt, state and local governments are faced with severe cash-flow problems that threaten their ability to pay for services for their citizens. For example, local governments may be faced with the decision to layoff public safety workers such as fire fighters and police officers, reducing library and recreational park hours, or, in some cases, reducing trash pickup within their communities. To reduce the borrowing costs for state and local government issuers of short-term municipal bonds that are used to finance cash-flow deficits, this article proposes to utilize a federal subsidized taxable bond program similar to the Build America Bond program.
Secured Transactions History: The Fraudulent Myth

England first adopted Germanic law banning nonpossessory secured transactions because at the time, England was controlled by the Normans. The ban persisted as long as statutes favored alternative security devices, namely the pledge and the collusive judgment, the major competing security device. But the allowance of interest after 1571 obviated the advantage of the pledge to surreptitiously generate interest under the usury ban. The 1677 Statute of Frauds destroyed the priority of the collusive judgment, changing its priority from date of the judgment entered to the delivery of the writ of execution to the sheriff for execution. The nonpossessory secured transaction appeared shortly thereafter in both England and America. When challenged by third parties during the eighteenth century, the Anglo-American nonpossessory secured transaction faced threats from the 1571 Fraudulent Conveyance Statute and the reputed ownership clause of the 1624 Bankruptcy Statute. Courts generally upheld these transactions under the absolute-conditional rule, and later the rebuttable rule devised to allow oral transactions in compliance with the sale of goods provision of the 1677 Statute of Frauds. Only where the reputed ownership clause applied, for English merchants in bankruptcy proceedings and later for Pennsylvania merchants, did the courts strike down the nonpossessory secured transaction as fraudulent. By focusing on the few Pennsylvania cases applying the per se fraud rule, and then only after 1819, the fraudulent theorists cut off any attempt to understand the reason for the transaction. The transaction long served a useful function to compel compliance with promises after the collapse of the collusive judgment in 1677 until made fraudulent by the chattel mortgage acts.
Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Young Refugees: Comparison of Questionnaire Data with and without Involvement of an Interpreter.

Background: The substantial number of young refugees who have arrived in Europe since 2015 requires rapid screening to identify those in need of treatment. However, translated versions of screening measures are not always available, necessitating the support of interpreters. The Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) is a validated questionnaire for posttraumatic stress symptoms. Here, we report on the psychometric properties of the CATS in a sample of young refugees as a function of interpreter involvement. Methods: A total of N = 145 (Mage = 16.8, SD = 1.54; 93% male) were assessed with the CATS, with half of the screenings conducted with and half without interpreters. Post hoc analyses included calculating internal consistency using Cronbach’s α. We used confirmative factor analysis to investigate the factor structure. Results: The CATS total scale showed good reliability (α = 0.84). Differences in psychometric properties between the interpreter vs. the no interpreter group were minor and tended to be in favor of the interpreter group. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis were acceptable after the exclusion of items with low item-scale correlations. Conclusions: The sample and the administration of the assessment represent the situation of young refugees in Germany, where resources are low and translated versions not always available. The CATS may be a helpful screening tool for clinicians working with young refugees, even when administered with an interpreter. Limitations include the post hoc design of the analysis without randomization of participants and the lack of a third comparison group using translated questionnaire versions.
Absolute measurable spaces

Absolute measurable space and absolute null space are very old topological notions, developed from well-known facts of descriptive set theory, topology, Borel measure theory and analysis. This monograph systematically develops and returns to the topological and geometrical origins of these notions. Motivating the development of the exposition are the action of the group of homeomorphisms of a space on Borel measures, the Oxtoby-Ulam theorem on Lebesgue-like measures on the unit cube, and the extensions of this theorem to many other topological spaces. Existence of uncountable absolute null space, extension of the Purves theorem and recent advances on homeomorphic Borel probability measures on the Cantor space, are among the many topics discussed. A brief discussion of set-theoretic results on absolute null space is given, and a four-part appendix aids the reader with topological dimension theory, Hausdorff measure and Hausdorff dimension, and geometric measure theory.
The significance of changes in body mass in human evolution

Body mass changes in the Hominini are examined from an evolutionary perspective. Among the conclusions drawn from this examination are the following: 1.) hominids (sensu lato) are among the largest and most terrestrial primates; 2.) early Homo is on average larger in size than Australopithecus (although the two taxa do show some size overlap); 3.) following its emergence in the early Pleistocene, Homo shows a steady increase in body mass, reaching its maximum near the end of the middle Pleistocene; 4.) Homo subsequently decreases in size throughout the late Pleistocene and into the Holocene, only to increase in size again very recently (the so-called “secular trend”); 5.) body mass variation among humans today tends to follow well-known ecogeographical “rules”, which are empirical observations with multiple potential theoretical explanations.
Validation and tuning of an MPEG-1 video model

Variable Bit Rate (VBR) video traffic is expected to become one of the major traffic sources for high-speed networks. Although the modeling of VBR video sources has recently received significant attention, there is currently no widely accepted model which lends itself to mathematical analysis. This paper addresses the problem of characterizing the traffic generated by VBR video applications. Specifically, we define an analytically tractable model for the traffic generated by an MPEG-1 encoder. An extensive validation of this model is carried out by analyzing its suitability to capture the statistical behavior of a wide variety of MPEG-1 sources ranging from movies, sports events, talk shows, etc. We show that our model, with an adequate tuning of its parameters, is able to provide an accurate representation of these different kinds of MPEG-1 sources.
Activation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase by H2O2: ROLE IN CELL SURVIVAL FOLLOWING OXIDANT INJURY (∗)

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is comprised of key regulatory proteins that control the cellular response to both proliferation and stress signals. In this study we investigated the factors controlling MAPK activation by H2O2 and explored the impact of altering the pathways to kinase activation on cell survival following H2O2 exposure. Potent activation (10-20-fold) of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK2) occurred within 10 min of H2O2 treatment, whereupon rapid inactivation ensued. H2O2 activated ERK2 in several cell types and also moderately activated (3-5-fold) both c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38/RK/CSBP. Additionally, H2O2 increased the mRNA expression of MAPK-dependent genes c-jun, c-fos, and MAPK phosphatase-1. Suramin pretreatment completely inhibited H2O2 stimulation of ERK2, highlighting a role for growth factor receptors in this activation. Further, ERK2 activation by H2O2 was blocked by pretreatment with either N-acetyl-cysteine, o-phenanthroline, or mannitol, indicating that metal-catalyzed free radical formation mediates the initiation of signal transduction by H2O2. H2O2-stimulated activation of ERK2 was abolished in PC12 cells by inducible or constitutive expression of the dominant negative Ras-N-17 allele. Interestingly, PC12/Ras-N-17 cells were more sensitive than wild-type PC12 cells to H2O2 toxicity. Moreover, NIH 3T3 cells expressing constitutively active MAPK kinase (MEK, the immediate upstream regulator of ERK) were more resistant to H2O2 toxicity, while those expressing kinase-defective MEK were more sensitive, than cells expressing wild-type MEK. Taken together, these studies provide insight into mechanisms of MAPK regulation by H2O2 and suggest that ERK plays a critical role in cell survival following oxidant injury.
Chapter 36 Games in coalitional form

15. Summary This chapter has had two principal purposes. One was to develop the idea of the “coalitional function” of a cooperative game as a means of abstracting from given settings (pure exchange economies, strategic-form games, political games, and the like) the possibilities available to the various coalitions through player cooperation. The other was to present several classes of games (market games, simple games, convex games, symmetric games) on which attention will be focused in subsequent chapters, and to provide several tools (covers and extensions, contractions and reductions, and the like) which will be useful in further analysis.
Recent progress in the treatment and prevention of cancer-related lymphedema

This article provides an overview of the recent developments in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer-related lymphedema. Lymphedema incidence by tumor site is evaluated. Measurement techniques and trends in patient education and treatment are also summarized to include current trends in therapeutic and surgical treatment options as well as longer-term management. Finally, an overview of the policies related to insurance coverage and reimbursement will give the clinician an overview of important trends in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cancer-related lymphedema.
18 Multiple comparisons

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the basic concepts of multiple comparisons. It presents several methods for constructing multiple testing procedures along with the p-value based procedures, which are modifications of the simple Bonferroni procedure. A multiple comparison procedure (MCP) is a statistical procedure for making all or selected inferences from a given family while controlling or adjusting for the increased incidence of type I errors because of multiplicity of inferences. Reporting p-values for individual hypotheses is a standard practice. These p-values may be obtained by using different tests for different hypotheses. The Bonferroni procedure is the simplest MCP. The Bonferroni procedure is a completely general procedure requiring no assumptions concerning the joint distribution or the correlations among the test statistics. The chapter discusses the problem of multiple endpoints along with several miscellaneous problems associated with multiple comparisons.
Common Care: Toward a More Acceptable Option of Care for the Frail Elderly

ABSTRACT A significant fraction of frail elders would choose to forego aggressive medical treatments in favor of more palliative care for future illness if a coordinated alternative was available. Current alternatives, such as Hospice, PACE and cure-oriented home care are inadequate or inappropriate for the choices of this cohort. This article discusses another possible alternative, based upon symptom management in the home, by the family. It is understood that these patients would likely have a shorter existence, but like Hospice patients, more attention could be given to managing their symptoms and to the issues of psychosocial quality of their lives.
Chronic, intermittent loading alters mechanosensitive channel characteristics in osteoblast-like cells

The effects of chronic, intermittent strain on the mechanosensitive cation (SA-cat) channels in UMR-106.01 osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells were studied using patch-clamp techniques. Chronically strained cells demonstrated significantly larger increases in whole cell conductance when subjected to additional mechanical strain than nonstrained controls (69.0 +/- 15.1 vs. 14.1 +/- 3.1%; P < 0.001). This increase could be blocked by the SA-cat channel inhibitor, gadolinium, and corresponded to a three- to fivefold increase in SA-cat channel activity. Chronic strain increased the number of open channels in response to stretch and induced spontaneous SA-cat channel activity in 33% of the patches of strained cells. Graded increases in negative patch pressure demonstrated that SA-cat channels in chronically strained cells were activated at significantly lower levels of mechanical perturbation than nonstrained controls. These data suggest that chronic, cyclic strain reduces the activation threshold of the SA-cat channel and further strengthen our hypothesis that this channel may act as a mechanotransducer for the activation of bone remodeling by physical strain.
Bitter taster status predicts susceptibility to vection-induced motion sickness and nausea.

Background Sensitivity to bitter taste and susceptibility to nausea are both protective mechanisms that guard against toxin ingestion, and both these traits vary within and between populations. Thus, we postulated that they may have co-evolved, such that they are associated. Methods Bitter taster status was determined in 40 subjects (13 men, 27 women) by measuring the differential perceived taste intensity between salt and n-propylthiouracil using a labeled magnitude scale; susceptibility to vection-induced motion sickness and nausea was assessed using an optokinetic drum, a validated multi-symptom scoring scale, and electrogastrography. Key Results Taster status distribution was 25% non-tasters (NT), 40% tasters (T), and 35% supertasters (ST). Gender had no impact on this distribution, but females had a higher mean maximum symptom score than males (12.4 ± 1.4 vs 7.3 ± 2.0). Non-tasters displayed a faster and larger increase in mean symptom scores, had a higher percentage of subjects with high maximum symptom scores, and had a higher mean maximum score than T or ST, (14.8 ± 2.6 vs 7.1 ± 1.8, vs 9.8 ± 2.0). Taster status did not affect the gastric myoelectric frequency response to vection. Conclusions & Inferences Non-tasters are more susceptible to vection-induced motion sickness and nausea than T or ST, suggesting these two traits may have co-evolved in a reciprocal manner: in environments where the NT trait conferred an evolutionary advantage by enabling intake of fruits and vegetables containing bitter, yet beneficial, phytonutrients, increased nausea susceptibility may have arisen to maintain protection against ingested toxins.
Local atomic environments of hard magnets, metallic glasses, and icosahedral phases

Abstract Voronoi polyhedra furnish a useful measure of the local environment of an atom, including a description of the site symmetry of the atom, and a catalog of what atoms constitute its nearest neighbors. A modified Voronoi construction also accounts for the relative sizes of the various atoms. Several applications of such polyhedra are presented, including magnetic moments and anisotropies in hard magnets, polymorphism in metallic glasses, local environments in quasicrystals, and supersymmetry in αMn.
Hovering in Asteroid Dynamical Environments Using Higher-Order Sliding Control

Close-proximity operations around small bodies in general and asteroids in particular are extremely challenging. In this paper, we apply the higher-order sliding modes theory to devise a class of discontinuous two-sliding homogeneous controllers for hovering in highly uncertain dynamical environments typically found around asteroids. The class of controllers that can be constructed using the higher-order sliding modes theory is shown to be globally finite-time stable against perturbations with a known upper bound. The behavior of the proposed two-sliding controller as a function of the design parameters has been analyzed via a set of closed-loop simulations around 433 Eros and 1999 RQ36 Bennu. For all cases, the controller is demonstrated to be highly effective in achieving and maintaining the hovering state in spite of perturbing accelerations as well as navigation errors. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the two-sliding controller can be implemented in a bang-off-bang fashion for propellant savin...
Peer modeling and college men's sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of peer modeling on sexually impositional behavior in the laboratory. Male participants with and without a self‐reported history of sexually aggressive behavior viewed video clips depicting nonaggressive and sexually aggressive behavior and then chose one of the clips to show to a female confederate. Half of the participants were first exposed to a male confederate who showed the sexually aggressive video clip to a female confederate. The other half of the participants were exposed to a male confederate who showed a nonaggressive video clip to a female confederate. Exposure to a male confederate who showed a sexually aggressive video clip to a female was associated with participants' choosing to engage in this same behavior. A self‐reported history of sexually aggressive behavior was also associated with participants' showing the sexually aggressive video clip in spite of believing the effect on the female viewer would be negative.
An examination of restaurant loyalty programs: what kinds of rewards do customers prefer?

Purpose – This study aims to investigate customer preferences towards loyalty reward programs in the restaurant industry. Willingness to join such programs and expected benefits are also examined.Design/methodology/approach – Focus group interviews followed by a survey methodology were used to test the research questions. The study sample included participants in a popular arts festival in Pennsylvania, USA and restaurant patrons in Las Vegas, USA.Findings – A vast majority of study respondents favored immediate, necessary, and monetary gratification. These results were consistent across restaurant types (fast‐food versus casual dining). Although savings was the most sought‐after benefit, intangible benefits such as quality and convenience also received high ratings. Casual dining customers, in particular, seemed to be highly motivated by exploration and entertainment‐type benefits.Research limitations/implications – Future research should investigate the optimal level or combination of rewards. In additi...
ZONES OF DIFFERENTIAL SENSORY BLOCK DURING EXTRADURAL ANAESTHESIA

We have measured spinal segmental levels of anaesthesia to light touch (LT), pinprick (PP) and cold temperature discrimination (TE) during 2% lignocaine extradural anaesthesia in 22 patients, to determine if zones of differential sensory block develop during extradural anaesthesia and, if so, the extent to which TE extends beyond PP or LT levels and how age affects differential block. The median thoracic dermatomal levels were 4.5 for LT, 2.0 for PP and 2.0 for TE. Zones of differential sensory block developed within 5 min of extradural injection of local anaesthetic, and persisted for the next 55 min. In all instances, PP extended more cephalad than LT, and TE extended above PP levels. There were no differences in the extent of zones between the two groups of patients with mean ages of 28 and 48 yr. Thus, during extradural anaesthesia, sympathetic denervation extended one to two spinal segments above the sensory levels of LT and PP anaesthesia, age (28 vs 48 yr) affected neither the cephalad extent nor the width of zones of differential block, and PP levels of anaesthesia were closer to presumed levels of sympathetic block than were LT levels.
Radioactive Cerium and Praseodymium

A 140\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1-day half-life is assigned ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{139}$. It decays by $K$-electron capture to ${\mathrm{La}}^{139}$. Two $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-rays of 0.184 and 0.8 Mev are associated with ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{139}$. The 0.184-Mev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray is found to be partially internally converted, giving electrons of approximately 0.145 and 0.178 Mev. A 30.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.7-day half-life is assigned to ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{141}$ which is found to decay by the emission of a 0.66-Mev ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-particle and a $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray of approximately 0.2 Mev to stable ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{141}$. A 1.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1-day half-life is assigned to ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{143}$ which decays by the emission of a 1.3-Mev ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-particle and a 0.6-Mev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray to ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{143}$. A 13.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 half-life is assigned ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{143}$ which decays to stable ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{143}$ by emission of a 0.83-Mev ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$-particle. The saturation intensity ratio of the ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{142}(d,n){\mathrm{Pr}}^{143}$ reaction to the ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{142}(d,2n){\mathrm{Pr}}^{142}$ reaction is found to be 2.9.
Economic Impacts of Alternative Approaches to Storm-Water Management and Land Development

This paper explores how estimated construction costs and projected revenue from sales could influence the decision to maintain open spaces in predevelopment condition and to implement a decentralized swale-based storm-water management system characteristic of low impact development. Four development alternatives were explored for a hypothetical residential subdivision. Hedonic price analysis was used to develop a price equation for the Gainesville, Fla. residential market. The hedonic analysis indicated that reduction in lot size to preserve open-space and conversion from a curb and gutter storm-water drainage system to a swale-based system would both result in a lower sale price per lot. Estimated construction costs indicated that this same combination of site planning and storm-water system design would result in the lowest per lot construction cost. The ratio of revenue (sale price) to construction cost showed that a development incorporating lot size reductions for open-space preservation and a swale-...
Biomolecules and surfaces

The majority of the processes that occur in living systems take place at surfaces or interfaces. Biomolecules at surfaces exhibit crystallization, reconstruction, contraction, diffusion in the surface plane, sorption, epitaxy, phase transitions, catalysis, catalytic fouling, electron tunneling, work function shifts, oxidation, and contamination. However, these terms from the jargon of surface science are rarely used to describe the phenomena occurring in living systems. In this review, the terminology and phenomenology that biologists deal with will be placed in the context of contemporary surface science. Methods to maintain the structural integrity of biomolecules under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions (analogous to efforts by catalysis researchers to relate their UHV studies to high‐pressure processes in liquids) will be discussed. Data will be presented on biomolecules at organic and inorganic interfaces obtained by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, static secondary ion mass spectrometry, attenuated ...
The use of reflex high-risk human papillomavirus testing for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance interpretations on vaginal specimens.

BACKGROUND: The use of reflex high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing as a triage method for cervical specimens with an interpretation of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) is well established. To the authors' knowledge, very little has been reported regarding the utility of this approach in vaginal specimens in women with a prior hysterectomy. The current study evaluated the results of hrHPV testing in women with vaginal specimens interpreted as ASC-US in the authors' laboratory. METHODS: Follow-up information, including results of hrHPV testing, was sought for all vaginal smears reported as ASC-US from the authors' cytology laboratory during the calendar years 2005 and 2006. RESULTS: For the 2 years reviewed, 254 ASC-US vaginal specimens were available for assessment. Reflex hrHPV testing was requested on 236 (92.9%), with sufficient residual material available in 193 specimens. hrHPV was detected in 44 (22.8%). Follow-up results were available for 136 specimens, with a squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL, all but 1 of which was low grade) found to be present in 21 (15.4%). SIL was identified in significantly more women in whom hrHPV was detected compared with those in whom hrHPV was not detected (41.9% vs 4.2%; P < .001 by the Fisher exact test). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of detection of squamous abnormalities in women with ASC-US on vaginal preparations in whom hrHPV was detected were found to be higher than in those without hrHPV. These findings suggest that clinical follow-up is needed for women in whom hrHPV is detected. hrHPV testing may be clinically useful as a method of triage for women with ASC-US vaginal smears. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2009. Published 2009 by the American Cancer Society.
A large-scale candidate gene association study of age at menarche and age at natural menopause

Recent genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified several novel genetic loci associated with age at menarche and age at natural menopause. However, the stringent significance threshold used in GWA studies potentially led to false negatives and true associations may have been overlooked. Incorporating biologically relevant information, we examined whether common genetic polymorphisms in candidate genes of nine groups of biologically plausible pathways and related phenotypes are associated with age at menarche and age at natural menopause. A total of 18,862 genotyped and imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 278 genes were assessed for their associations with these two traits among a total of 24,341 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, N = 2,287) and the Women’s Genome Health Study (WGHS, N = 22,054). Linear regression was used to assess the marginal association of each SNP with each phenotype. We adjusted for multiple testing within each gene to identify statistically significant SNP associations at the gene level. To evaluate the overall evidence for an excess of statistically significant gene associations over the proportion expected by chance, we applied a one-sample test of proportion to each group of candidate genes. The steroid-hormone metabolism and biosynthesis pathway was found significantly associated with both age at menarche and age at natural menopause (P = 0.040 and 0.011, respectively). In addition, the group of genes associated with precocious or delayed puberty was found significantly associated with age at menarche (P = 0.013), and the group of genes involved in premature ovarian failure with age at menopause (P = 0.025).
Predicting the compressive mechanical behavior of bone

The principal objectives of this study were to determine the mathematical dependency of the compressive mechanical properties of human bone on several commonly used measures of bone composition, and to assess variations in this dependency based upon the composition range spanned by the data. Destructive mechanical tests were conducted along the superior-inferior axis of 496 cubic specimens of human trabecular and cortical bone from five male donors (ages 46-84 yr), including specimens from lumbar vertebrae and femoral metaphyses and diaphyses. There was over a 3000-fold variation in strength (S, ultimate stress) and over a 20,000-fold variation in stiffness (E, elastic modulus) over the range of apparent dry density (rho a = 0.05-1.89 g cm-3), apparent ash density (rho alpha = 0.03-1.22 g cm-3) and mineral content (alpha = 17.4-66.2%) examined. Both linear and power models produced very high correlations (R2 > 0.81) between mechanical properties and bone composition, but the linear models resulted in a much greater percent deviation (PD) of the predicted dependent variable with respect to the measured value, in comparison to power models. The best correlations were obtained using rho alpha as the only independent variable: S (MPa) = 117 rho alpha 1.93 +/- 0.04 (R2 = 0.969, PD = 29.9, E (GPa) = 10.5 rho alpha 2.57 +/-0.04 (R2 = 0.965, PD = 46.7). Power models of bone stiffness and strength, incorporating only low density data (rho alpha < 0.2 g cm-3, rho a < 0.3), were characterized by approximately squared exponents and these models underestimated the stiffness (five-fold) and overestimated the strength (two-fold) for higher density data, which were characterized by exponents greater than two. Using a subset of the data based upon an apparent dry density range of 0.22 < rho a < 1.89 g cm-3, it was possible to obtain a mathematical relationship in which bone stiffness and strength were precisely proportional to the cube and square, respectively, of the apparent dry density. These results indicate that the mathematical dependency of bone compressive mechanical properties on composition is closely dependent upon the density and mineral content range examined and, in terms of a single compositional measure, is best predicted by apparent ash density expressed as a power function.
Control of Inflammation, Cytokine Expression, and Germinal Center Formation by BCL-6

The gene encoding the BCL-6 transcriptional repressor is frequently translocated and mutated in diffuse large cell lymphoma. Mice with a disrupted BCL-6 gene developed myocarditis and pulmonary vasculitis, had no germinal centers, and had increased expression of T helper cell type 2 cytokines. The BCL-6 DNA recognition motif resembled sites bound by the STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) transcription factors, which mediate cytokine signaling. BCL-6 could repress interleukin-4 (IL-4)-induced transcription when bound to a site recognized by the IL-4-responsive transcription factor Stat6. Thus, dysregulation of STAT-responsive genes may underlie the inflammatory disease in BCL-6-deficient mice and participate in lymphoid malignancies.
“New” vs. “old” economy: insights on competitiveness in the global IT industry

Abstract To be competitive in today's “new economy” of the global e-marketplace, an Information Technology (IT) firm cannot go it alone. The successful company must compete within a proactive industry that has focused government support, several established consortia, a selective consumer base, and an innovation strategy that is open to change and has the organizational freedom to collaborate. This paper reviews a currently successful firm, and identifies the elements critical to its competitiveness within the IT industry at the national, industry and firm levels. It establishes a model for understanding these relationships and roles, and it addresses various measurements and theories about national competition, innovation phases, market influences, and the challenges associated with innovation in this Internet economy.
Socioeconomic context and the association between marriage and Mexico-U.S. migration.

In this paper, I analyze how the association between Mexico–U.S. migration and marriage varies across socioeconomic settings in origins. Using Mexican Migration Project data and employing bilevel survival analysis with controls for socioeconomic, migrant network, and marriage market characteristics and family size, I find that single people are most likely to migrate relative to those married in areas of recent industrialization, where the Mexican patriarchal system is weaker and economic opportunities for both men and women make post-marital migration less attractive. Marital status is not significant in agriculture-dependent areas, where the bargaining power of husbands might be higher relative to other settings; their age-profiles of earnings flatter; and remunerated female work scarcer, making migration attractive later in the life course.
Rps8, A New Locus in Soybean for Resistance to Phytophthora sojae

Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae M.J. Kaufmann & J.W. Gerdemann (=Phytophthora megasperma Drechs. f. sp. glycinea T. Kuan & D.C. Erwin) is the second leading cause of yield loss in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in the USA. Currently, seven loci for resistance with 13 alleles have been identified in soybean. Populations of P. sojae exist in many soybean production regions that cause disease on plants with many, if not all, of these genes. Consequently, the need for new resistance loci is great. A number of plant introductions (PIs) from South Korea were identified in an earlier study that may contain novel resistance loci. The objectives of this project were to identify the allele(s) for resistance to P. sojae present in PI399073 and to map these allele(s) to a linkage group. PI399073 was crossed with ‘Williams’ and ‘S 19-90’ to develop populations. These populations were assayed for disease resistance, single sequence repeats (SSR), restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), and isozyme markers. A new Phytophthora resistance locus, Rps8, was mapped to MLG (major linkage group) A2 in two different crosses with PI399073. This is the first locus for Phytophthora resistance that has been identified on MLG A2.
A mechanics based study of crack closure measurement techniques under constant amplitude loading

Abstract An elastic–plastic finite element model was used to simulate a growing fatigue crack in a middle-crack tension specimen made of an aluminum alloy. The finite element analysis provided the load–displacement curve at various locations as is commonly done in experimental work, and the crack opening stress intensity factor (Kop) was determined with ASTM standard methods, Elber’s method, and the Adjusted Compliance Ratio (ACR) method. The performance of ACR was compared against the established standard methods. Measurement location effects on Kop and ACR were investigated. ASTM (2% offset) and ACR methods gave values that were dependent upon measurement location. Whereas, Elber’s method (0% offset) gave values that were independent of measurement location.