cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Personality in frontal lobe disorders

Personality changes in frontal lobe disorders are easy to recognize, but their evolution can be hard to predict. Both focal lesions and diffuse neurodegenerative processes may produce personality change based on interruption of prefrontal cortex or subcortical structures that comprise the frontal-subcortical circuits. Observed changes in personality have been classified by behavioral neurologists into three frontal-subcortical circuit syndromes, yet a given patient may defy this classification system by manifesting only selective features of one or more syndromes simultaneously, based on the neuroanatomic distribution of pathology. The orbitofrontal syndrome is the most well known and consists of major antisocial behaviors such as disinhibition, emotional lability, and impulsivity. In some cases, changes are severe enough to lead to new onset of criminality. Apathy and amotivational state lie at the other end of the personality change spectrum. Many psychologic instruments can measure the degree of change in personality, but none of them can be used to extrapolate a patient's ability to function at home or at large in society. The psychopathy checklist by Hare may predict risk of violence but has been validated only for use in criminal populations.
Reclaiming the essence of nursing: the meaning of an immersion experience in Honduras for RN to bachelor of science students.

Cultural immersion experiences incorporated in baccalaureate nursing programs have yielded positive short- and long-term effects on the personal and professional lives of the participants. Despite this evidence, little is known about how immersion experiences affect the RN student returning to school. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover the meaning of a week-long immersion in Honduras for RN students ( N = 8) and its impact on their professional practice upon return from Honduras. Data were analyzed through reflective journals and two focus groups conducted postimmersion experience. Transcripts were analyzed, and four themes emerged: from the outside looking in, struggling with dissonance, searching for meaning, and from the inside looking out. These themes combined to form the essence of the meaning of the experience: reclaiming the essence of nursing. Implications for practice, education, and research are addressed.
Choosing the Network Less Traveled: Perceptions of Internet-Based Teaching in College Geography

This study examines factors affecting the acceptance and utilization of the Internet as a teaching tool in college geography. Geography faculty members were surveyed with a questionnaire that measured their perceptions of Internet-based teaching. An analysis of the survey data identified factors that influenced perceptions and adoption decisions among various groups of geographers. Overall, the results support hypothesized relationships between perceptions of innovations and rates of adoption and reveal intradisciplinary patterns of using the Internet for college geography instruction.
Zigzag map: a variability-aware discrete-time chaotic-map truly random number generator

Presented is a circuit implementation for the discrete-time zigzag map, which exhibits high speed, low power consumption, and above all resilience to process variations. Circuit parameter variations result in alteration of the chaotic map parameters, such as the slope and the location of the breakpoints in the map, which in turn degrade the randomness of the generated bit sequence or even cause the saturation problem when the map is used in a truly random number generator (TRNG). Because of the resilience of the presented circuit implementation to process variations, a truly random sequence is obtained that passes all the TRNG statistical test suites, after very simple post-processing of the output bit sequence.
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL COPPER SULPHIDE ELECTRODES IN ALKALINE MEDIA: EFFECT OF XANTHATE ADSORPTION

A photoelectrochemical approach is utilized for studying the processes that take place on copper sulfide mineral surfaces in alkaline solutions, either in absence or presence of potassium ethyl - xanthate. It is found that photoresponses are closely related to the mineral stoichiometric composition which also determines its semiconducting or metallic character. It appears that in the potential interval where xanthate anions can be adsorbed, surface composition and reactivity are closely linked
A Useful Model for the Calculation of the Performance of Batch and Continuous Jigs

A model based on the potential energy minimization principle allowing for the dispersive effects due to panicle-particle and particle-fluid interactions is developed and applied to the jigging of coal. The model requires only a single parameter, the specific stratification constant. The model generates the equilibrium stratification profile for all components in the jig bed and the separation of each component is then calculated as a function of the total yield of solids. The model is validated against experimental data obtained from a laboratory batch jig and against operating data from several industrial single and two-compartment Baum and Batac jigs. The model calculates the performance of continuous jigs for arbitrary compositions of the feed and is paticularly useful for the reliable simulation of washing plant performance.
PKA Phosphorylation of Src Mediates cAMP's Inhibition of Cell Growth via Rap1

In fibroblast cells, cAMP antagonizes growth factor activation of ERKs and cell growth via PKA and the small G protein Rap1. We demonstrate here that PKA's activation of Rap1 was mediated by the Rap1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor C3G, the adaptor Crk-L, the scaffold protein Cbl, and the tyrosine kinase Src. Src was required for cAMP activation of Rap1 and the inhibition of ERKs and cell growth. PKA activated Src both in vitro and in vivo by phosphorylating Src on serine 17 within its amino terminus. This phosphorylation was required for cAMP's activation of Src and Rap1, as well as cAMP's inhibition of ERKs and cell proliferation. This study identifies an antiproliferative role for Src in the physiological regulation of cell growth by cAMP.
A syntactic pattern-recognition approach for process monitoring and fault diagnosis

Abstract Process operators often deal with vast amounts of sensor data that are typically updated every few minutes. From such real-time data, operators extract interesting and important qualitative trends and features that describes the essential aspects of the process behavior. This level of understanding is essential for performing causal reasoning about process behavior. To aid this decision-making process of operators, a syntactic pattern-recognition approach for process monitoring has been developed. The syntactic pattern-recognition approach has two main parts: (i) a set of primitives that form the trend description language to represent basic changes in trends and (ii) a grammar to perform error correction and explanation generation. The syntactic approach to process monitoring provides a capability to describe complex patterns using a small set of simple primitive patterns. In this work, a backpropagation-based neural network was trained to identify the presence of the appropriate primitives in a trend of noisy process data. A process grammar which can utilize both contextual and non-contextual information to perform error correction and explanation generation has also been developed. These are discussed with the aid of a FCCU case study.
Normal Spectral Emission From Nonhomogeneous Mixtures of CO2 Gas and Al2O3 Particulate

Measurements of spectral, normal intensity, accounting for nongray banded emission from CO{sub 2} gas and the influence of a highly scattering particulate, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, are presented. Detailed specifications of the temperatures, particle and gas properties, optical depths, and experimental uncertainties are given. The average temperatures are in the range 445 K to 600 K, pressures are approximately 1 atm. the layer depth is 0.5 cm, and particle optical depths are in the range 0 to 3. The intensity emitted from the medium is reported over a wavelength range of about 4.0 {mu}m to 4.7. Since the particle is virtually nonemitting, no continuum emission outside the 4.3 {mu}m CO{sub 2} band is detected. The effect of the particle is seen in the spectrally dependent and extinction coefficient dependent changes in the band structure when scattering is present. Modeling of the nonisothermal temperature distribution of the layer emerges as a critical factor in determining the magnitude of the emitted intensity. Uncertainty in the magnitude of the temperature accounts for most of the estimated uncertainty in the spectral intensity. A comparison of the experimental band intensities with values computed using a nonhomogeneous scattering model (which rigorously incorporates wide-band modeling) indicates excellent agreementmore » for most runs.« less
Health-related quality of life in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Although chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) has consistently been shown to impair patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL), the impact of chronic hepatitis B (CH-B) on HRQL has not been fully explored. Aim: Compare HRQL between patients with CH-B, CH-C, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and healthy controls. Design: Three HRQL questionnaires [Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ), Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Health Utility Index (HUI Mark-2 and Mark-3)] were administered prospectively. Additional clinical and laboratory data and normative data for healthy individuals, were available. Analysis: Scores were compared using analysis of variance and multiple regression. Results: One hundred and forty-six patients with CH-B, CH-C and PBC were included [mean age 47.1 years (±11.6), 41% female, 33% cirrhosis]. CH-C and PBC patients scored the lowest on all CLDQ, SF-36 and HUI domains compared with CH-B patients and healthy controls. CH-B patients had scores similar to the healthy population, measured by most CLDQ and SF-36 scales. However, the HUI scores for CH-B patients showed more impairment than population norms. Having CH-B and not having cirrhosis were predictive of utility and HRQL scores in multivariate models. Conclusions: CH-B patients have better HRQL than CH-C, PBC and population norms. CH-B patients' overall utility scores are lower than population norms.
Hope and dysphoria: The moderating role of defense mechanisms.

It was hypothesized that the adaptive value of hope cognitions would be dependent upon the quality of an individual's defense style. Undergraduate students completed measures of hope, defense mechanisms, and dysphoria in two studies. As predicted, defense mechanisms significantly moderated the relation between hope and dysphoria. In addition, both hope and defense mechanisms predicted dysphoria as main effects. Individuals who had low hope and an immature defense style had particularly high levels of dysphoria. Low hope was not maladaptive for individuals with a mature defense style, suggesting that a subtype of low hope (“defensive hopelessness”) may exist that is analogous to defensive pessimism. Individuals with high hope had low levels of dysphoria regardless of defense style. Overall, the present study suggests that an integration of psychodynamic and cognitive perspectives on hope may be productive.
Segmentation of adipose and glandular tissue for breast tomosynthesis imaging using a 3D hidden-Markov model trained on breast MRIs

Breast tomosynthesis involves a restricted number of images acquired in an arc in conventional mammography projection geometry. Despite its angular undersampling, tomosynthesis projections are reconstructed into a volume at a dose comparable to mammography. Tomosynthesis thus provides depth information, which is especially beneficial to patients with dense breasts. Because the device can be based on an existing FFDM unit, tomosynthesis may be used to accurately assess breast tissue composition, which would greatly benefit high-risk patients with less access to costly imaging modalities such as MRI. This study plans to extract quantitative 3D breast tissue density information using a fully automatic probabilistic model trained on segmented MRIs. The MRI ground truth was obtained for 293 breasts by iterative threshold-based fatty / glandular tissue segmentation. After training a 3D hidden Markov model (HMM) on 10 MR volumes, our model was validated by segmenting 214 of the 293 breasts. After the tomosynthesis value optimization, the same trained HMM was tested to segment breast tomosynthesis volumes of subjects whose MRIs were used for validation. Initial training / testing of the HMM on MRIs matched density to thresholding within 5% for 70/214 breasts and 10% for 127/214 breasts. HMM segmentation was qualitatively superior at the cranial/caudal end slices in MRIs and quantitatively superior for most tested tomosynthesis volumes. Its robustness and ease of modification give the HMM great promise and potential for expansion in this multi-modality study.
Induced electrocorticographic gamma activity during auditory perception

Abstract Objective : To define the spatial, temporal, and functional characteristics of induced gamma (>30 Hz) activity during functional activation of the left superior temporal gyrus. Methods : Electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings were made in 4 clinical subjects during auditory tone and phoneme discrimination tasks, and event-related changes in the ECoG band power were calculated. The topography and temporal sequence of event-related power changes in different gamma bands were contrasted with those of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), and with those of event-related power changes in the alpha band (8–12 Hz). Results : Auditory stimuli induced a broadband power augmentation that included 40 Hz, as well as higher (80–100 Hz) gamma frequencies. The topography of gamma augmentation was similar, but not identical, to that of the AEP, and was more focused than that of alpha power suppression. Its temporal onset coincided with the N100, but outlasted it. Phonemes produced greater gamma augmentation than tones, while a similar difference was not observed in the N100. Conclusions : Auditory perception induces ECoG gamma activity not only at 40 Hz, but also in higher gamma frequencies. This activity appears to be an index of cortical activation that reflects task-specific processing in the human auditory cortex more closely than the AEP or alpha power suppression.
Powers and Functions of the Japanese Diet, II.

The principle of "no taxation without representation," so dearly prized in European constitutional systems, finds its counterpart in the Japanese regime. In the ornate language of Prince Ito: "It is one of the most beautiful features of constitutional government and a direct safeguard to the happiness of the subjects that the consent of the Diet is required for the imposition of a new tax and that such matters are not left to the arbitrary action of the Government."37 The enactment of this rule, so far as the Japanese constitution is concerned, is found in Article LXII, which reads: The imposition of a new tax or the modification of the rates [of an existing one] shall be determined by law. However, all such administrative fees or other revenue having the nature of compensation shall not fall within the category of the above clause. The raising of national loans with the contracting of other liabilities to the charge of the national treasury, except those that are provided in the budget, shall require the consent of the Imperial Diet. In their commentaries on this article, the jurists of the new school emphasize the requirement of the consent (kyosan) of the Diet for taxation, while the jurists of the old school emphasize the duty of the subject to submit to taxation. Minobe says: "The tenet that taxation must be levied only with the participation and consent of the Diet, and not through the arbitrary will of the ministry, is a corollary of the principle of government by law."38 On the other hand, Hozumi declares: "The Japanese constitution does not admit the doctrine that national expenditure is dependent upon the freely granted contribution of citizens. The constitution clearly shows that citizens have a duty to submit to taxation as well as to conscription. Taxation is the result of law and not of the consent of the Diet rendered from year to year."39 Thus, according to Hozumi, it is the Government that determines the income and expenditure for the year. And, if the Government neglects to prepare the financial measures, the Diet itself has no power to prepare and vote them.
Phase formation and crystallization behavior of melt spun Sm–Fe-based alloys

Abstract The phase formation and microstructures of Sm–Fe alloys have been investigated at Sm levels of 11 and 17 atomic percent and with alloying additions of Ti and C. At lower Sm content, virtually phase pure SmFe 7 formed, while higher Sm content resulted in the formation of SmFe 7 , SmFe 2 and amorphous phases. The addition of Ti and C resulted in greater stability and a larger volume fraction of the amorphous phase. The binary Sm–Fe alloys at both Sm levels had tremendously variable microstructures, with large discrepancies in grain size and phase distribution from region to region. The addition of Ti and C tended to result in a more homogeneous microstructure, as well as a refinement in the microstructural scale.
Long-term expression pattern of melanocyte markers in light- and dark-pigmented dermo-epidermal cultured human skin substitutes

Purpose Transplantation of pigmented tissue-engineered human autologous skin substitutes represents a promising procedure to cover skin defects. We have already demonstrated that we can restore the patient’s native light or dark skin color by adding melanocytes to our dermo-epidermal skin analogs. In this long-term study, we investigated if melanocytes in our skin substitutes continue to express markers as BCL2, SOX9, and MITF, known to be involved in survival, differentiation, and function of melanocytes.
Cross-dialectal perceptual experiences of speech-language pathologists in predominantly caucasian American school districts.

Purpose This study aimed to determine if the number and type of African American English (AAE) features that are spoken in sentences influence speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') judgments of (a) how noticeable the dialect is (dialect detectability) and (b) how understandable a speaker is to others (comprehensibility). Method Certified SLPs with little conversational experience with AAE were recruited from predominantly Caucasian American school districts in Michigan. They listened to sentences that contained varying amounts and types of AAE phonological features. The SLPs rated the sentences on 5-point scales regarding dialect detectability and comprehensibility. The ratings for the different sentences were compared to determine how the variables contributed to the SLPs' judgments of AAE. Results Both dialect detectability and comprehensibility ratings were affected by the number of AAE features that were included in the sentences. The types of AAE features consistently affected the comprehensibility r...
Reagentless detection of DNA sequences on chemically modified electrodes.

Microarray analysis requires complex optical instruments and numerous reagents. Several new electrochemical methods for creating sequence-selective microlocations are emerging; such approaches potentially facilitate electrochemical (electronic) readouts of microarrays. These developments parallel the migration of glucose sensing in diabetes monitoring from optical to electrochemical methods. Recent work provides a strategy that minimizes the use of added reagents and potentially produces a reusable sensor that can be applied to continuous monitoring applications.
Interpreting subject and informant reports of function in screening for dementia

A related article showed that five widely used screens for dementia predicted criterion diagnosis well with extreme scores, but misclassified many persons when screen scores were intermediate (borderzone). In this article, based on representative samples of community elders from the North Manhattan Aging Project, information on the subject's functioning was added to intermediate dementia screen scores and found to increase specificity, with sensitivity held constant. Informant reports on the subject's functioning predicted criterion diagnosis somewhat better than did the subject's self-report of functioning.
Feminization of Agriculture, Relational Exchange, and Perceived Fairness in China: A Case in Guangxi Province.

This study examines the inconsistency between the unequal allocation of family labor and a lack of perceived unfairness among spouses of male-outmigrant couples in rural Guangxi, China. It explores relational (versus transactional) exchange processes conditioned by husband-wife mutual dependence. Using both qualitative and quantitative data collected in three villages, this study finds that among male-outmigrant couples the gendered division of labor—''men work and women plough''—serves as a collective strategy to cope with poverty. Consequently, instead of engaging in direct exchange using privatized resources, marriage partners indirectly reciprocate each other through culturally prescribed family roles. Relational exchange emphasizes the equality of obligations and nonmarket strategies, which are likely to strengthen relational harmony by enhancing marriage partners' appreciative feelings of each other's contributions to the well-being of the family, thus promoting perceived fairness despite the uneven allocation of family tasks.
Flow in an experimental micro–magma chamber

The chemical evolution and eruptive behavior of magmas may be controlled largely by convective processes within magma chambers. According to a recent National Research Council Report [Committee on Physics and Chemistry of Earth Materials, 1987], “the style of convection itself, whether it is turbulent, laminar, large-scale, of multiple scales, tiered, or localized and intermittent, is very much at question.” In the U.S. National Report to the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, Marsh [1987] reviewed recent theoretical and experimental developments related to the style of convection in magma chambers, noting both significant quantitative advances and also the many remaining uncertainties. With regard to double-diffusive convection, he stated “as ever, the critical question concerns whether or not actual magma chambers convect in this style.” Similarly, Spera et al. [1986] , in discussion of double-diffusive convection, cautioned against “applying results from saltwater tanks to magma chambers.”
Single quantum dot analysis enables multiplexed point mutation detection by gap ligase chain reaction.

Gene point mutations present important biomarkers for genetic diseases. However, existing point mutation detection methods suffer from low sensitivity, specificity, and tedious assay processes. In this report, we propose an assay technology which combines the outstanding specificity of gap ligase chain reaction (Gap-LCR), the high sensitivity of single molecule coincidence detection and superior optical properties of quantum dots (QDs) for multiplexed detection of point mutations in genomic DNA. Mutant-specific ligation products are generated by Gap-LCR and subsequently captured by QDs to form DNA-QD nanocomplexes that are detected by single molecule spectroscopy (SMS) through multi-color fluorescence burst coincidence analysis, allowing for multiplexed mutation detection in a separation-free format. The proposed assay is capable of detecting zeptomoles of KRAS codon 12 mutation variants with near 100% specificity. Its high sensitivity allows direct detection of KRAS mutation in crude genomic DNA without PCR pre-amplification.
Perceptual and Cognitive Visual Functions of Parietal and Temporal Cortices in the Cat

We used reversible cooling deactivation to compare the functions of cortices lining the middle suprasylvian (MS) sulcus and forming the ventral portion of the posterior suprasylvian (vPS) gyrus. A battery of attentional, motion and mnemonic processing tasks were used and performance was examined during deactivation of each region. The results show a clear dissociation of functions. Deactivation of MS cortex resulted in profound deficits on a visual orienting task and on the discrimination of direction of motion, whereas deactivation of vPS cortex severely impaired both retention and learning of novel and overlearned object discriminations. In addition, deactivation of either MS or vPS cortex impaired discrimination of learned patterns when components of the patterns were in motion, whereas only deactivation of vPS cortex impaired the discrimination when all components were static. Together, these results show that a region of parietal cortex contributes to the processing of visual motion and to attentional processes, whereas a region of temporal cortex contributes to the learning and recognition of three-dimensional objects and two-dimensional patterns. This functional dissociation is linked to differences in underlying visual pathways, which have many features in common with the parietal and temporal visual processing streams previously identified in monkeys and humans. Furthermore, the broad similarity in neural operations carried out in parietal and temporal cortices of cats, monkeys and humans suggests the existence of a common plan for cortical processing machinery within mammals with well developed cerebral cortices.
Abdominal imaging utilization in the emergency department: trends over two decades

To assess patterns of use of abdominal imaging in the emergency department (ED) from 1990 to 2009. We retrospectively reviewed data on adult ED patients treated between 1990 and 2009 at our university-affiliated quaternary care institution. Examinations were coded by abdominal imaging modality: x-ray, sonography, CT, or MRI. Proportional costs for each imaging modality were evaluated using relative value units (RVUs). Chi-square tests were used to assess for significant trends. The intensity of abdominal imaging per 1,000 ED visits increased 19.3% from 1990-2009 (p = 0.0050). The number of abdominal CT scans per 1,000 ED visits increased 17.5-fold (p < 0.0001). Similarly, the number of abdominal MRIs per 1,000 ED visits increased from 0 to 1.0 (p < 0.0001), and the number of abdominal sonographs per 1,000 ED visits increased 51.6% (p = 0.0198). However, the number of x-ray examinations per 1,000 ED visits decreased 81.6% (p < 0.0001). Abdominal imaging RVUs per 1,000 ED visits increased 2.7-fold (p < 0.0001), due primarily to CT imaging, which accounted for 14% of RVUs in 1990 and 76% of RVUs in 2009. The intensity of abdominal imaging examinations per 1,000 ED visits and the number of abdominal imaging RVUs increased significantly over a 20-year period. CT replaced x-ray as the most common abdominal imaging modality for evaluation of ED patients. In light of these increasing costs as well as the increased radiation exposure of CT, clinical decision rules and computerized decision support may be needed to ensure appropriate utilization of abdominal CT in the ED.
HOW INVESTORS INTERPRET CHANGES IN CORPORATE FINANCIAL POLICY

In May 1987, Apple Computer announced that it would pay $5 million in cash dividends on its common stock your cents per share) for the first time in its history. On the day of the announcement, the market value of Apple's equity rose by $219 million. In May 1986, Emhart announced that it intended to issue 2.75 million shares to raise $102 million in new equity. Following the announcement, the market value of its existing equity fell by $23 million. In February 1939, General Motors declared a 2-for-1 stock split for the first time since 1955, and increased its dividends. The announcement led the market value of GM's equity to increase by $1.3 billion.
A neuromechanical strategy for mediolateral foot placement in walking humans.

Stability is an important concern during human walking and can limit mobility in clinical populations. Mediolateral stability can be efficiently controlled through appropriate foot placement, although the underlying neuromechanical strategy is unclear. We hypothesized that humans control mediolateral foot placement through swing leg muscle activity, basing this control on the mechanical state of the contralateral stance leg. Participants walked under Unperturbed and Perturbed conditions, in which foot placement was intermittently perturbed by moving the right leg medially or laterally during the swing phase (by ∼50–100 mm). We quantified mediolateral foot placement, electromyographic activity of frontal-plane hip muscles, and stance leg mechanical state. During Unperturbed walking, greater swing-phase gluteus medius (GM) activity was associated with more lateral foot placement. Increases in GM activity were most strongly predicted by increased mediolateral displacement between the center of mass (CoM) and the contralateral stance foot. The Perturbed walking results indicated a causal relationship between stance leg mechanics and swing-phase GM activity. Perturbations that reduced the mediolateral CoM displacement from the stance foot caused reductions in swing-phase GM activity and more medial foot placement. Conversely, increases in mediolateral CoM displacement caused increased swing-phase GM activity and more lateral foot placement. Under both Unperturbed and Perturbed conditions, humans controlled their mediolateral foot placement by modulating swing-phase muscle activity in response to the mechanical state of the contralateral leg. This strategy may be disrupted in clinical populations with a reduced ability to modulate muscle activity or sense their body's mechanical state.
Using qualitative physics to build articulate software for thermodynamics education

One of the original motivations for research in qualitative physics was the development of intelligent tutoring systems and learning environments for physical domains and complex systems. This paper demonstrates how a synergistic combination of qualitative physics and other AI techniques can be used to create an intelligent learning environment for students learning to analyze and design thermodynamic cycles. Pedagogically this problem is important because thermodynamic cycles express the key properties of systems which interconvert work and heat, such as power plants, propulsion systems, refrigerators, and heat pumps, and the study of thermodynamic cycles occupies a major portion of an engineering student's training in thermodynamics. This paper describes CyclePad, a fully implemented learning environment which captures a substantial fraction of a thermodynamics textbook's knowledge and is designed to scaffold students who are learning the principles of such cycles. We analyze the combination of ideas that made CyclePad possible, comment on some lessons learned about the utility of various techniques, and describe our plans for classroom experimentation.
Reduced contraction and altered frequency response of isolated ventricular myocytes from patients with heart failure.

Background Previous work has failed to demonstrate reduced maximal contraction of isolated ventricular myocytes from failing human hearts compared with nonfailing control hearts. The effect of alterations in stimulation frequency and temperature on the contraction of isolated ventricular myocytes has been investigated. Left ventricular myocytes were isolated from the hearts of patients with severe heart failure undergoing heart transplantation and compared with myocytes isolated from myocardial biopsies from patients with coronary disease but preserved left ventricular systolic function or from myocytes from rejected donor hearts. Methods and Results Myocytes were exposed to either a maximally activating level of extracellular calcium at 37°C or to 2 mmol/L calcium at 32°C. There was no significant difference in the contraction amplitude between myocytes from failing and nonfailing hearts at 0.2 Hz. With increasing stimulation frequency, there was a reduction in contraction amplitude in cells from failing hearts relative to control hearts in both maximal calcium from 0.33 Hz (4.5% versus 6.6%) to 1.4 Hz (3.9% versus 8.8%) (ANCOVA, P <.001) and at 2 mmol/L calcium from 0.50 Hz (2.3% versus 3.5%) to 1.4 Hz (1.8% versus 3.9%) (ANCOVA, P <.001). The time to peak contraction and the times to 50% and 90% relaxation were prolonged in myocytes from failing hearts at stimulation rate of 0.2 Hz ( P <.01), but only the time to 50% relaxation was prolonged at 1.0 Hz ( P <.05). Conclusions Reduced contraction, slowed relaxation, and impaired frequency response occurring at the level of the individual ventricular myocyte can be demonstrated in human heart failure. This demonstrates that disruption of myocyte function can contribute to both the systolic and the diastolic abnormalities that occur in the failing human heart.
An Evaluation of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) Scales

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–Adolescent (MMPI-A) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2 (MMPI-2) True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) scales are measures of acquiescence and nonacquiescence included among the standard validity scales on these instruments. The goals of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of these scales in detecting varying degrees of acquiescence and nonacquiescence and to evaluate cutoff scores for clinical use. After the removal of invalid protocols from the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A normative samples, each normative sample was randomly divided in half. For each measure, one half of the normative sample served as a comparison group and the other half was modified with increasing degrees (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) of randomly inserted true or false responses. The results for a 9.1% base rate of acquiescence or nonacquiescence provide support for TRIN cutoff scores at or near those presented in the MMPI-A and MMPI-2 manuals.
Effects of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on macrophytes and invertebrate communities in a shallow lake

SUMMARY 1. We performed two field experiments using different cage sizes to determine the direct and indirect effects of carp on macrophytes and invertebrate community composition in a shallow lake. 2. The presence of carp produced a significant decrease in macrophyte abundance, changes in species composition and decreased abundance and diversity of invertebrates in small (2.5 · 2.5 · 2.0 m) cages. In large exclosures (15 · 5 m), only macrophyte stem length was significantly affected by carp. 3. There was considerable variation in the macrophyte and invertebrate responses to carp on different sides of the lake in the large exclosures, suggesting that wind and wave action are also important variables affecting macrophyte growth and persistence. 4. The data suggest that carp can significantly affect species abundance and diversity of macrophytes and some macroinvertebrates.
Reciprocal longitudinal relations between nonresident father involvement and adolescent delinquency.

Using a representative sample of low-income, primarily minority adolescents (N=647, aged 10–14 years at Wave 1), this study examined bidirectional longitudinal relations between nonresident father involvement, defined as contact and responsibility for children's care and behavior, and adolescent engagement in delinquent activities. Autoregressive and fixed effects models found that higher nonresident father involvement predicted subsequent decreases in adolescent delinquency, particularly for youth with initial engagement in delinquent activities. Adolescent delinquency did not predict subsequent changes in father involvement. However, the two factors covaried: As adolescent delinquency increased, so too did father involvement, suggesting that nonresident fathers may increase their involvement in the face of adolescent problem behavior, with this pattern driven primarily by African American families.
Of Cardiovascular Illness and Diversity of Biological Response

Noise in gene expression (stochastic variation in the composition of the transcriptome in response to stimuli) may play an important role in maintaining robustness and flexibility, which ensure the stability of normal physiology and provide adaptability to environmental changes for the living system. Broad-based technologies have allowed us to study with unprecedented accuracy the molecular profiles of various states of health and cardiovascular disease. In doing so, we have observed a correlation between the degree of variation in gene expression and the state of health. Specifically, the stochastic variation in gene expression in response to environmental and physiological factors is found in healthy mice, and tends to disappear in mice with advanced disease states. Although further evidence is needed to draw a solid conclusion with respect to the significance of decreased transcriptional noise in the disease state as a whole, it is tantalizing to introduce the concept that stochasticity may be linked to the organism's adaptability to a changing environment, and the "quiet" states of gene expression may indicate the loss of diversity in the organism's response.
Optical gain from the direct gap transition of Ge-on-Si at room temperature

We report direct band gap optical gain of tensile strained n+ epitaxial Ge-on-Si at room temperature, which confirms that band-engineered Ge-on-Si is a promising gain medium for monolithic optical amplifiers and lasers on Si.
Sequence features of DNA binding sites reveal structural class of associated transcription factor

Motivation: A key goal in molecular biology is to understand the mechanisms by which a cell regulates the transcription of its genes. One important aspect of this transcriptional regulation is the binding of transcription factors (TFs) to their specific cis-regulatory counterparts on the DNA. TFs recognize and bind their DNA counterparts according to the structure of their DNA-binding domains (e.g. zinc finger, leucine zipper, homeodomain). The structure of these domains can be used as a basis for grouping TFs into classes. Although the structure of DNA-binding domains varies widely across TFs generally, the TFs within a particular class bind to DNA in a similar fashion, suggesting the existence of class-specific features in the DNA sequences bound by each class of TFs. Results: In this paper, we apply a sparse Bayesian learning algorithm to identify a small set of class-specific features in the DNA sequences bound by different classes of TFs; the algorithm simultaneously learns a true multi-class classifier that uses these features to predict the DNA-binding domain of the TF that recognizes a particular set of DNA sequences. We train our algorithm on the six largest classes in TRANSFAC, comprising a total of 587 TFs. We learn a six-class classifier for this training set that achieves 87% leave-one-out cross-validation accuracy. We also identify features within cis-regulatory sequences that are highly specific to each class of TF, which has significant implications for how TF binding sites should be modeled for the purpose of motif discovery. Contact:lee@cs.duke.edu; amink@cs.duke.edu
Addressing sleep disturbances: An opportunity to prevent cardiometabolic disease?

There is increasing awareness of the role of sleep disturbance as an important factor in health and disease. Although sub-clinical sleep disturbances (insufficient sleep duration or inadequate sleep quality) may be difficult to assess with conceptual and/or methodological clarity, this review attempts to summarize and synthesize these findings. First, the concept of sleep disturbance in a public health context is introduced, to provide context and rationale. Second, operational definitions of 'cardiometabolic disease' and 'sleep disturbance' are offered, to address many unclear operationalizations. Third, the extant literature is summarized regarding short or long sleep duration and/or insufficient sleep, insomnia and insomnia symptoms, general (non-specific sleep disturbances), circadian rhythm abnormalities that result in sleep disturbances, and, briefly, sleep-disordered breathing. Fourth, the review highlights the social/behavioural context of sleep, including discussions of sleep and race/ethnicity, socio-economic position, and other social/environmental factors, in order to place these findings in a social-environmental context relevant to public health. Fifth, the review highlights the issue of sleep as a domain of health behaviour and addresses issues regarding development of healthy sleep interventions. Finally, a research agenda of future directions is proposed.
Quantifying the uncertainty in an AVO interpretation

Lithologic interpretations of amplitude variation with offset (AVO) information are ambiguous both because different lithologies occupy overlapping ranges of elastic properties, and because angle-dependent reflection coefficients estimated from seismic data are uncertain. This paper presents a method for quantifying and combining these two components of uncertainty to get a full characterization of the uncertainty associated with an AVO-based lithologic interpretation. The result of this approach is a compilation of all the lithologies that are consistent with the observed AVO behavior, along with a probability of occurrence for each lithology. A 2-D line from the North Sea illustrates how the method might be applied in practice. For any data set, the interaction between the geologic and measurement components of uncertainty may significantly affect the overall uncertainty in a lithologic interpretation.
Pavement Surface Macrotexture Measurement and Applications

Different techniques for measuring pavement surface macrotexture and their application in pavement management are discussed. The main applications of surface macrotexture are to measure the frictional properties of the pavement surface and to detect hot-mix asphalt (HMA) construction segregation or nonuniformity. Since surface macrotexture can be measured quite efficiently using noncontact technologies and provides important information regarding pavement safety and HMA construction quality, this parameter may be included in the quality assurance or control procedures. Correlations between different measuring devices were investigated utilizing different HMA wearing surfaces. Excellent correlation was found between the circular track meter and sand patch measurements. In addition, the macrotexture determined using a laser profiler correlates well with that determined with sand patch measurements. Consistent with previous studies, it was found that the skid number gradient with speed is inversely proportional to the pavement macrotexture. However, there was a noticeable difference in speed dependency when smooth and ribbed tires were used. Oscillations in the percent normalized gradient with time due to seasonal variations were also observed. Macrotexture measurements hold great promise as tools to detect and quantify segregation for quality assurance purposes. A standard construction specification was proposed in a recent NCHRP study. However, the equation proposed for computing the nonsegregated estimated (mean) texture depth could not be applied to the mixes studied. An alternative equation has been proposed, which estimates the surface macrotexture using the mix nominal maximum size and voids in the mineral aggregate. The study was based on the mixes used at the Virginia Smart Road. Further investigation using other mixes is recommended.
Buyer agent to enhance consumer awareness: SAATHI

Personal agents have been developed that assist a user with information processing needs by generating, filtering, collecting, or transforming information. On the other hand, internet stores are providing services customized by the needs and interests of individual customers. Such services can be viewed as ''seller's agents'' whose goal is to push merchandise and/or services on to the users. This leads us to believe that there is a growing need for deploying ''buyer's agents'' whose goal is to best serve the consumer's interests. The Internet contains a huge volume of information which can overwhelm a buyer. The buyers may often make misinformed decisions based on partial, outdated, irrelevant or incorrect information. We have identified several key functionalities of buyer's agents whose goal is to reduce information overload and improve relevancy and accuracy of information for consumers. In particular, such agents can make consumers aware of complex interactions between specified preferences and prevailing market conditions, provide differential analysis for decision support, and use domain ontologies to help the user reformulate queries to improve satisfaction with query results. We present SAATHI, a prototype buyer's agent that demonstrate some of these functionalities in an apartment locator domain.
A Video Processing Approach to the Study of Obesity

Currently, a significant obstacle in identifying the most important factors that contribute to obesity is the lack of appropriate tools to evaluate food consumption and physical activity on a daily basis. This paper presents a novel video-based approach to estimating the energy intake and expenditure of individuals who are over-weight or obese. We propose to utilize a miniature video camera to chronically record data surrounding an individual's daily activity. From the recorded data, energy intake and expenditure are extracted objectively using signal processing algorithms. We discuss two algorithms which are both featured with low computational complexity, suitable for processing large sets of field-acquired video data. These algorithms estimate: (i) energy intake (caloric content) by determining the physical dimensions of the foods consumed; and (ii) energy expenditure by evaluating the extent of the subject's physical activity. We also report initial experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new approach.
Bad behavior and conflict in retailing spaces: Nine suggestions to ease tensions

Abstract This article builds on years of work studying territoriality and conflict issues between customers and employees in retail and service settings. The key contribution of this research is to illustrate the bad behaviors and conflicts that take place in retail spaces between customers, between customers and employees, and between employees. Using multi-methods of data collection—critical incident technique, interviews, mystery shoppers, and surveys—the authors outline these bad behaviors and conflicts for managers and offer nine solutions to help retailers handle these behaviors and conflict in retail spaces.
Behavioral Treatment of Alcoholism

The reporting of a case history presents an immediate dilemma. Does one start from scratch with a new case and attempt to follow an ideal prescription, so as to achieve a model instance of assessment and treatment? Or does one report, with flaws included, an already completed case which was seen in routine fashion? Both approaches have merit. The former may serve as an unblemished treatment prototype, while the latter is probably closer to the reality of how clinicians actually work.
Statistical Significance Testing in Science and in the Courts after Matrixx

The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in the "Matrixx" case has caused some confusion about statistical significance and materiality. This article clarifies the role of statistical significance testing in the sciences and examines how it is used in securities litigation to evaluate the materiality of disclosures. The article concludes that SCOTUS was not repudiating significance tests of stock price movements, but was instead commenting on statistical significance in a different context, i.e., adverse incident reports.