cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feedback Specificity and the Learning of Intercultural Communication Skills

The role of explicit feedback in learning has been studied from a variety of perspectives and in many contexts. In this paper, we examine the impact of the specificity of feedback delivered by an intelligent tutoring system in a game-based environment for cultural learning. We compared two versions: one that provided only “bottom-out” hints and feedback versus one that provided only conceptual messages. We measured during-training performance, in-game transfer, and long-term retention. Consistent with our hypotheses, specific feedback utterances produced inferior learning on the in-game transfer task when compared to conceptual utterances. No differences were found on a web-based post-test. We discuss possible explanations for these findings, particularly as they relate to the learning of loosely defined skills and serious games.
Political Morality under Radical Conditions

When, in the seventeenth century, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes defended absolute monarchy, his masterpiece Leviathan was perceptively received with a great deal of suspicion and dissatisfaction. For it was at once clear—Hobbes drew attention to the fact—that he had not defended the divine right of kings and his concessions to parliamentary interests were, however conceptually serious, utterly lacking in any explicit provision for parliament’s political power. The boldest stroke of Hobbes’s endeavor lay in collapsing the distinction between egoistic prudence and political morality. Nevertheless, in achieving that extraordinary simplification, Hobbes never doubted that “all men by nature reason alike, and well, when they have good principles” and that the “signs of prudence are all uncertain” though “the signs of science are some, certain and infallible; some, uncertain.”1 For Hobbes, human nature was essentially invariant, and the unreliability of prudence lay with its depending on contingent and particular experience, which obscured (rather than precluded) our grasp of the laws of nature (the laws of prudence), as well as with its contrast to science proper (the theoretical knowledge, in effect, of causal invariances).
Cardiovascular Clearance for Sports Participation

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a young athlete is a rare but tragic occurrence. The goal of this article is to provide information about the risks of sudden cardiac death in athletes by reviewing the epidemiology and describing the current screening recommendations of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology. 1 The specifics of and reasons for differences between screening guidelines in the United States and the screening guidelines in Europe are highlighted. Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes that can be expected in the setting of conditioning vs pathology are described. Intrinsic cardiac pathologies and disorders, with related cardiac findings, are reviewed, including prevalence and inheritance patterns. Also included is a brief medical-legal discussion about physician liability in the course of making sports clearance decisions. In an area in which there is no single national standard but in which there is an expectation by almost all states for a clearance examination, this article aims to help physicians make thoughtful decisions when evaluating a seemingly healthy patient in order to detect those rare athletes who may be at increased risk of succumbing to a sudden cardiac death during sports participation. 21.
Abstract 18670: Ischemic Stunning in Patients Suffering VT/VF Cardiac Arrests

Introduction: Left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) are frequently evaluated following cardiac arrests (CA). LVEFs may be affected by the circumstances of the arrest, or may be relevant in the causation of the arrest. We evaluate immediate LVEF in patients with CA and compare to subsequent LVEF during the index hospitalization. Hypothesis: We expect transient reversible stunning to be present in all patients with CA. Methods: Patients were identified by query of billing for CA from Jan 2010 to May 2014. Records were reviewed for confirmation of CA during that time period, and then demographics and echocardiographic information were collected. Results: Of 145 patients meeting criteria for the study, 80 had a ventricular tachycardia/ fibrillation (VT/VF) arrest and 65 had either an asystolic or pulseless electrical activity (PEA) arrest. The mean initial LVEF was lower in those suffering VT/VF compared to asystolic/PEA arrests (36.4% +/- 16.7 vs 42.4% +/- 19.6; p=0.05). However, there was no difference in subsequent LVEFs (43.7% +/- 16.3 vs 46.1% +/- 17.8; p=0.58). Those diagnosed with STEMI had markedly lower initial LVEFs compared to those without STEMI (29.2% +/- 14.4 vs 41.4% +/- 18.1; p=0.002), but subsequent LVEFs were similar (41.4 +/- 16.8 vs 45.9 +/- 16.7; p=0.33). Conclusions: Patients suffering from VT/VF arrests have lower initial LVEF compared to those with asystolic/PEA arrests. LVEF improve in patients suffering from VT/VF arrests but not in those with asystolic/PEA arrests. Similarly those with STEMI in the context of an arrest suffer from ischemic stunning. Reduced LVEFs in the setting of VT/VF and STEMI arrests should be expected to improve in most patients, arguing for reversible cardiac stunning in those patients.
Regression Analysis for the Factor Affecting on Farm Land/Urban Land Value in Urban Sprawl

In this study, the factors affecting on land value in urban sprawl were analysed via regression analysis. In the analyse, the nominal value of land was taken to be dependent variable while factors affecting the value of the land in urban sprawl were considered to be independent variables. 9 factors that were thought to affect the value of the land were handled. In this study, 3 separate models were analyzed, and all models provided statistically significant results. The basic reason for applying three separate models is to be witness the effects by including the variables in different categories (environmental, social amenity and economical factors) separately to the model. As a result of these analyses, all of environmental, amenity and economic factors should be considered for valuation of urban sprawl.
False Identity: Lymphoid Hyperplasia Imitating a Large Paraganglioma

The danger of the parapharyngeal space mass comes from the small space and vital neighboring structures. Its differential diagnosis is broad, however benign lymphoid hyperplasia in this region has not been previously reported. The clinical presentation, imaging, surgical findings and pathology slides were reviewed in an adult patient with a parapharyngeal space mass. The literature on somatostatin-positive parapharyngeal space lesions was reviewed. A 51-year old male with otalgia for 3 months, hearing loss, and tinnitus underwent audiogram, revealing asymmetric hearing loss. Laryngoscopy demonstrated a paretic true vocal cord. Subsequent MRI demonstrated 4.5 cm post-styloid parapharyngeal space mass displacing the carotid artery anterolaterally. Octreoscan scan showed significant uptake of the somatostatin analog. Angiogram showed prominent vascular blush. The mass was excised transcervically and histopathology demonstrated lymphoid hyperplasia. This case demonstrates that post-styloid parapharyngeal masses may be lateral retropharyngeal nodes. An octreotide-positive lymphoid hyperplasia has never been previously reported.
Dose-Intense BCNU/Melphalan Regimen Followed By Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (AHCT) Results in Prolonged PFS in Myeloma Patients

Background AHCT with high dose melphalan (MEL200, 200 mg/m2) is considered a standard regimen for myeloma. We performed a retrospective analysis of the outcomes in patients who received our dose-intense regimen of carmustine (BCNU, 300-550 mg/m2) plus MEL200 in the era of proteosome inhibitors (PI) +/- IMiDs induction. Methods Three cohorts of patients were included for analysis: Cohort A (n=339) included patients who received BCNU/MEL200 followed by AHCT before 07/2006, representing a population before the PI +/- IMiDs era. Cohort B (n=465) and Cohort C (n=95) included patients from 01/2009 to 12/2016, representing populations in the PI +/- IMiDs era, who received BCNU/MEL200 or only MEL200, respectively. Primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS) defined as time to disease progression or death from any cause after transplant. The PFS was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimation and log-rank test was used to test differences between groups. Results First, we compared patients between two different era who had BCNU/MEL200 regimen. As expected, Cohort B had a significantly longer PFS than Cohort A (median PFS: 3.28 vs 2.44 Yrs, p Conclusions Our dose-intense BCNU/MEL200 regimen was effective in this large patient cohort, and compared favorably to MEL200 especially in patients with suboptimal response (PR/SD) prior to transplant in the era of PI +/- IMIDs induction. A prospective randomized clinical trial comparing BCNU/MEL200 vs MEL200 is required to validate these findings which is being planned.
Early treatment with GLP-1 after severe trauma preserves renal function in obese Zucker rats

Early posttrauma hyperglycemia (EPTH) is correlated with later adverse outcomes, including acute kidney injury (AKI). Controlling EPTH in the prehospital setting is difficult because of the variabi...
Narrative as a Critical Context for Advanced Language Development in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose This review details characteristics of narrative language that make it a critical context for advanced language development in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The nature of narrative as a...
Time Independent Deformation of a Sn-Ag-Bi Pb-Free Solder: Stress–Strain Deformation and Yield Stress Properties

This study examined the yield stress and stress–strain deformation of the 91.84Sn-3.33Ag-4.83Bi (wt.%, abbreviated Sn-Ag-Bi) solder as part of an overall effort to develop a computational model for predicting solder joint reliability. These properties were obtained by compression testing and correlated with the role of Bi in the microstructure by scanning electron microscopy. The strain rates were 4.2 × 10−5 s−1 and 8.3 × 10−4 s−1. The test temperatures ranged from − 25°C to 160°C. Samples were tested in the as-fabricated condition or following a 24-h aging treatment at either 125°C or 150°C. The yield stress decreased monotonically with test temperature at both strain rates for Sn-Ag-Bi in the as-fabricated condition. The 125°C, 24 h aging treatment increased the yield stress measured at 25°C, 75°C, and 125°C, but left it unchanged at − 25°C and 160°C. The 150°C aging treatment caused a cross-over effect at approximately 30°C and 70°C for the 4.2 × 10−5 s−1 and 8.3 × 10−4 s−1 strain rates, respectively. Work softening was observed; its source was a combination of continuous dynamic recrystallization and the Portevin–Le Chatelier effect. The latter phenomenon was solely responsible for fluctuations in the stress–strain curves. Significant variations were observed for the Bi-rich structures as a function of aging treatment as well as following deformation, yet yield stress and plastic deformation performance remained predictable under these very high homologous temperatures.
Dosimetric modeling of Tc-99, Cs-137, Np-237, and U-238 in the grass species Andropogon Virginicus: Development and comparison of stylized, voxel, and hybrid phantom geometry.

Abstract This paper discusses the development, comparison, and application of three anatomically representative computational phantoms for the grass species Andropogon virginicus, an indigenous grass species in the Southeastern United States. Specifically, the phantoms developed in this work are: (1) a stylized phantom where plant organs (roots or shoots) are represented by simple geometric shapes, (2) a voxel phantom developed from micro-CT imagery of a plant specimen, and (3) a hybrid phantom resulting from the refinement of (2) by use of non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) surfaces. For each computational phantom, Monte Carlo dosimetric modeling was utilized to determine whole-organism and organ specific dose coefficients (DC) associated with external and internal exposure to 99Tc, 137Cs, 237Np, and 238U for A. virginicus. Model DCs were compared to each other and to current values for the ICRP reference wild grass in order to determine if noteworthy differences resulted from the utilization of more anatomically realistic phantom geometry. Modeled internal DCs were comparable with ICRP values. However, modeled external DCs were more variable with respect to ICRP values; this is proposed to be primarily due to differences in organism and source geometry definitions. Overall, the three anatomical phantoms were reasonably consistent. Some noticeable differences in internal DCs were observed between the stylized model and the voxel or hybrid models for external DCs for shoots and for cases of crossfire between plant organs. Additionally, uptake data from previous hydroponic (HP) experiments was applied in conjunction with hybrid model DCs to determine dose rates to the plant from individual radionuclides as an example of practical application. Although the models within are applied to a small-scale, hypothetical scenario as proof-of-principle, the potential, real-world utility of such complex dosimetric models for non-human biota is discussed, and a fit-for purpose approach for application of these models is proposed.
Mapping the Families of Tax

The Tax Code contains not one, but two conceptions of family. Existing scholarship does not address this puzzle but instead takes one of two views on the family — either the family is a tool for avoiding taxes or it is a source of discrimination. Current scholars, motivated by the discrimination concern, reject the relevance of kinship to tax and argue for an increasing focus on the individual. This Article takes a different approach. Utilizing the status/contract distinction familiar to family law scholars, it explains the puzzle of the multiple families in the Code, identifying the two families of the Code and their respective functions. Specifically, this Article shows that when we convey benefits through the Code we understand family as broad and contract-based. On the other hand, when our goal is to root out or head off tax gaming and avoidance, we constrict our notion of family to that of the nuclear, status-based family. Current reform proposals undervalue the importance of family to the prevention of avoidance and evasion, make targeting beneficial provisions more difficult, and inhibit the challenging work of reforming the Code to be both administratively feasible and non-discriminatory. Contrary to existing scholarship, this Article argues we should neither cut kinship from the Code nor rely exclusively upon the contract family. Instead, this Article creates a framework for modernizing the tax treatment of the family that draws upon kinship and both the status and contract families to maintain fairness and administrability and utilizes that framework to make preliminary reforms to existing law.
Plasma, urine and tissue concentrations of Flunixin and Meloxicam in Pigs

The objective of this study was to determine the renal clearance of flunixin and meloxicam in pigs and compare plasma and urine concentrations and tissue residues. Urine clearance is important for livestock show animals where urine is routinely tested for these drugs. Fourteen Yorkshire/Landrace cross pigs were housed in individual metabolism cages to facilitate urine collection. This is a unique feature of this study compared to other reports. Animals received either 2.2 mg/kg flunixin or 0.4 mg/kg meloxicam via intramuscular injection and samples analyzed by mass spectrometry. Pigs were euthanized when drugs were no longer detected in urine and liver and kidneys were collected to quantify residues. Drug levels in urine reached peak concentrations between 4 and 8 h post-dose for both flunixin and meloxicam. Flunixin urine concentrations were higher than maximum levels in plasma. Urine concentrations for flunixin and meloxicam were last detected above the limit of quantification at 120 h and 48 h, respectively. The renal clearance of flunixin and meloxicam was 4.72 ± 2.98 mL/h/kg and 0.16 ± 0.04 mL/h/kg, respectively. Mean apparent elimination half-life in plasma was 5.00 ± 1.89 h and 3.22 ± 1.52 h for flunixin and meloxicam, respectively. Six of seven pigs had detectable liver concentrations of flunixin (range 0.0001–0.0012 µg/g) following negative urine samples at 96 and 168 h, however all samples at 168 h were below the FDA tolerance level (0.03 µg/g). Meloxicam was detected in a single liver sample (0.0054 µg/g) at 72 h but was below the EU MRL (0.065 µg/g). These data suggest that pigs given a single intramuscular dose of meloxicam at 0.4 mg/kg or flunixin at 2.2 mg/kg are likely to have detectable levels of the parent drug in urine up to 2 days and 5 days, respectively, after the first dose, but unlikely to have tissue residues above the US FDA tolerance or EU MRL following negative urine testing. This information will assist veterinarians in the therapeutic use of these drugs prior to livestock shows and also inform livestock show authorities involved in testing for these substances.
A National Study of Theories and Their Importance for Faculty Development for Online Teaching

This article presents the results of a national study of 39 higher education institutions that collected information about their practices for faculty development for online teaching and particularly the content and training activities used during 2011-2012. An instrument of 26 items was developed based on a review of literature on faculty development for online teaching and analyzed in Meyer (2014). The study found that 72% (n=29) organizations used learning style theory as a basis for their training activities, followed by 69% that used adult learning (Merriam, 2001) and self-directed learning (Knowles, 1975), 64% that used Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model, 59% that used Knowles' (1975) andragogy theories, and 54% that used various instructional design models. Models of good practice were strongly favored (79%) over research on online learning (31%) or theories of learning (23%) in faculty training. Pedagogies of online learning were most important to 92% of the respondents, while research about online learning was most important to only 23% of those who completed the survey. Differences based on Carnegie classification were also found.
Direct Model Reference Adaptive Control for Tracking Contracting Nonlinear Systems

In this paper, a new direct model reference adaptive control (DMRAC) for nonlinear control affine systems is proposed to track a contracting nonlinear reference model. The structure of the uncertainty is assumed, including a multiplicative unknown parameter on the input. The contracting reference model enables the use of the certainty equivalence principle (CEP) for designing the simple controller, a tool which often cannot be used for nonlinear systems due to its weakness on these systems. The proposed controller is constructed to minimize the distance from the estimated plant vector field to the desired contracting vector field, which leverages the benefits of the contracting reference model. Even though the proposed controller does not perfectly match the true contracting vector field, the combined efforts of the adaptive controller and the adaptation law make the Riemannian distance asymptotically approach zero with bounded parameter error. In addition, the proposed algorithm is extended to the case of using a control contraction metric (CCM) based controller to construct the contracting reference model. A fully actuated pendulum example is studied to illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.
Some Aspects of Complex Sentence Structure in Bahasa Malaysia

This paper is a tentative description of several processes of complex sentence building in Bahasa Malaysia. Described are several types of embedding and conjoining, and some transformational rules are proposed whereby these are accomplished. Informants for the study were Miss Noraini Aziz of Kuala Selangor (Selangor State) and Miss Latifah Abdol Lati, of Alor Gajah (Malacca State).
Effect of co-products of enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction of soybeans on ethanol production in dry-grind corn fermentation.

Abstract Enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction processing (EAEP) is an environmentally-friendly alternative to solvent and mechanical oil extraction methods, and can achieve ∼97% oil recovery from soybeans. The present study utilized soy skim (protein rich) and insoluble fiber (IF; carbohydrate rich), both co-products of EAEP, in dry-grind corn fermentation. The effects of adding soy skim and untreated IF (UIF), either separately or together, and adding pretreated IF (TIF), on ethanol production were investigated. Maximum ethanol production was achieved when UIF and skim were slurried together (corn-to-UIF ratio 1:0.16; skim-to-UIF ratio 6.5:1) and when fiber-hydrolyzing enzymes were added to corn fermentation. This modification to corn fermentation increased ethanol yield by 20%, ethanol production rate by 3%, and decreased fermentation time by 38 h compared to corn-only fermentation. An attempt was also made to utilize pentoses (from soy skim and IF) in integrated corn-soy fermentation slurry by an additional Escherichia coli KO11 fermentation step.
Observational Goals for Max '91 to Identify the Causative Agent for Impulsive Bursts

The possibility that main sequence stars of spectral types A and F could lose evolution-altering amounts of mass due to a combination of pulsation and rotation has been suggested by Willson, Bowen, and Struck-Marcell (=WBS, 1987). These stars would evolve down the main sequence on a timescale that is less than or on the order of the nuclear evolution timescale. The mass loss process would end when the pulsation ends and/or when the rotation is braked.
Simplicity from complexity: emergence of cohesion in the evolutionary dynamics of grammar networks

Question: Under what conditions will a group of adaptive, communicating agents converge on a single language, and when will there instead be a multiplicity of languages? This is sometimes termed the ‘Tower of Babel problem’, and is similar to those addressed in Slobodkin’s book on simplicity and complexity. Features of the model: Agents learn to speak a language from those around them locally, or from those with whom they communicate. Learning fidelity can vary, as can connectedness. Populations of learning agents are simulated and the equilibrium properties deduced. Range of key variables: Populations of agents are arranged in a regular ring lattice, with varying degrees of connectivity. Languages are not all equally related, as studied in the past, but rather some languages are more closely related than others. Conclusions: If a grammar has limited mutational transitions to other grammars, one expects three, rather than two, distinctive grammar distributions at equilibrium. In line with previous studies, our model exhibits a bifurcation from the symmetric state, where all grammars are in equal frequency, to an asymmetric state under dense grammar networks. However, different patterns of convergence, including a weak cohesion phase where the distribution of grammar frequencies is roughly Gaussian and centred on the most frequent grammar, emerge in more sparse grammar networks. Weak cohesion is of particular interest from an adaptation standpoint, since there is both linguistic coherence and standing heritable variation.
Comments on “Co-Evolution in the Successful Learning of Backgammon Strategy”

The results obtained by Pollack and Blair substantially underperform my 1992 TD Learning results. This is shown by directly benchmarking the 1992 TD nets against Pubeval. A plausible hypothesis for this underperformance is that, unlike TD learning, the hillclimbing algorithm fails to capture nonlinear structure inherent in the problem, and despite the presence of hidden units, only obtains a linear approximation to the optimal policy for backgammon. Two lines of evidence supporting this hypothesis are discussed, the first coming from the structure of the Pubeval benchmark program, and the second coming from experiments replicating the Pollack and Blair results.
Barriers and Supports to Substance Abuse Service Use Among Homeless Adults

Although there is a great need for substance abuse services among the homeless, many homeless individuals do not use those services. This study examined barriers and supports related to service use. Participants recognized a need for treatment and significant barriers to accessing care.
Chapter 5 - Λ P-sets in Analysis: Results, Problems and Related Aspects

This chapter discusses the analysis of Λ P, mainly the results, problems, and related aspects. One of the major papers on thin sets in harmonic analysis, particularly on the Λ P -sets, is that of W. Rudin. It raises, in particular, the natural question on the existence of Λ P -sets that are not Λ q for any q > p . Probabilistic methods turn out to play an important role here. There have been also some byproducts of the methods developed for the purpose of this research, leading for instance to the progress on Kolmogorov's rearrangement problem. The statement for finite sequences implies the same statement for infinite sequences, and hence an affirmative answer to Kolmogorov's problem. Strichartz’ inequalities for Schrodinger and wave equations are an essential ingredient in the solution of the initial value problems of nonlinear equations.
Enrichment of Auxotrophic Mutants in Streptomyces griseus.

A method for the isolation and enrichment of tryptophan auxotrophic mutants of the indolmycin-producing strain Streptomyces griseus ATCC 12648 was developed, using penicillin selection. With UV irradiation of 2.2 × 104 μW cm−2, a mutation rate to tryptophan auxotrophy of 5.6 × 10−4 was achieved. With 300 μg ml−1 of penicillin G, an enrichment of tryptophan auxotrophs of about 1,000-fold was attained. Approximately 40% of all survivors were tryptophan auxotrophs.
Generational Analyses of Suicide: Baby Boomers and 13ers

"Generational analysis" is proposed that would consider actual cohort or generational suicide risk. Personality characteristics of different generations are discussed as they may affect suicide, its prevention, and intervention. In addition, annual suicide data for 1968-1991 are presented for the "Boom" generation (born 1943-1960) and for the young group of Americans called 13ers (the 13th generation of Americans; born 1961-1981). Results indicate that Boomers are presently 1 of every 3 suicides and 1 of every 4 Americans, while 13ers are 1 of 4 suicides and 1 of 3 in the population. Consistent with previous cohort analysis studies, these two cohorts are at greater risk than earlier generations at the same chronological age, with 13ers higher than Boomers for the ages they have thus far attained. It is recommended that researchers, theorists, and mental health professionals consider generational issues, and that suicidology expand its attention to the life cycles of generations.
Nanogram determination of indium using epithermal neutrons and its application in potential source contribution function of airborne particulate matter in the arctic aerosol

This paper reports that to test the recent advances in receptor modeling for the identification of long-range transport of regional source signatures of airborne particulate matter, an epithermal irradiation facility to determine indium has been specifically constructed. Analysis of filter samples collected weekly over a 5-yr period has indicated that indium in the arctic atmosphere is strongly dependent on season. Typical detection limits were 0.1 ng per one-eighth of a 20.3 {times} 25.4-cm Whatman filter. The airborne concentrations of indium are extremely elevated in the winter and spring months, and they almost disappear in the summer months. The application of the potential source contribution function has indicated that the indium originates from several areas in Eurasia as well as from known hot spots in North America.
A wearable physiological hydration monitoring wristband through multi-path non-contact dielectric spectroscopy in the microwave range

Maintaining good physiological hydration is critical and can have marked effects on health and performance. Yet no reliable, simple, and widely-accepted method for hydration assessment exists. Even in clinical settings current methods are based on a series of empirical symptomatic observations, and though various candidate quantitative methods have been trialed, none has proven reliable or simple enough to become widely-accepted for either medical or lifestyle applications. A new type of wearable wristband device is detailed, simulated, and tested. This new monitoring mechanism tracks minute changes in the hydration of the wrist, which is used as a representative peripheral anatomical volume for tracking changes in hydration status. Measurement is made through a multi-path non-contact dielectric spectroscopy approach in the 2–6 GHz range. Numerical measurement methods based on multi-path broad spectral attenuation averaging, and principal component analysis are explored. A prototype of the design is constructed and programmed, and preliminary measurements from this device are shown to achieve a good correlation to cross section of the forearm, while being insensitive to alignment variations that are typical of a wearable wristband.
Analysis of the Thermal Roll-Over of Quantum Cascade Lasers

A description of thermal roll-over in room temperature continuous-wave operating quantum cascade lasers is presented. Models predicting maximum operating temperature and the power-current characteristics in their entirety are in excellent agreement with experimental results.
Reactivity of a lipophilic ingredient solubilized in anionic or cationic surfactant micelles

Abstract The aim of this work was to investigate the location and reactivity of a lipophilic spin probe, 4-phenyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-imidazoline-1-oxyl nitroxide (PTMIO) in anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) or cationic (dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide, DTAB) surfactant micelles. The analysis of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of PTMIO in micellar systems showed that probe molecules partitioned between two populations: a more mobile fraction in the aqueous phase and a less mobile fraction in the micelle. The fraction of PTMIO incorporated in surfactant micelles increased with surfactant concentration. The rate of the reduction of the nitroxide group of PTMIO by the negatively charged, water-soluble ascorbate decreased when the probe was solubilized in anionic SDS micelles and increased when it was solubilized in cationic DTAB micelles. Thus, both the surface charge as well as the solubilization capacity of the micelles controlled the reactivity of the lipophilic molecule.
Beware the nones of March: suicide at the beginning of the month.

MacMahon (1983) found that from 1972-1978 suicides peaked on the fifth of the month and were less frequent at the end of the month on the 29th. The purpose of the present study was to see if these results could be replicated and whether they were found for a11 age groups. Data were from the detailed mortality tapes for 1980 available from the National Center for Health Statistics. The number of suicides occurring on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of each month were compared to the number of suicides on the same days of the week one week earlier (a three-day period usually including the 29th and two other days). For the total sample of 26,918 suicides in 1980, there were 137 more suicides on the 4th to 6th of the month than on the comparable periods at the end of the month (t9 = 2.50, one-tailed p < .03). This was true for those aged 35 yr.+, for whom there was an excess of 117 deaths on the 4th to the Gth ( t o = 2.85, p < .01), but not for those aged 15-34 yr. ( t g = 0.50). In an analysis by sex this effect was significant also for the men ( t9 = 2.97, p < .01) in the predicted direction but significant in the opposite direction for women (to = 1.9S, p < .05). On the 4th, 5th, and 6th days of the months for the 11 months there were 1911 male suicides and 524 female suicides. This analysis has confirmed MacMahon's finding and, like Lester and Frank (1987) who found the monthly variation in suicide rates only for those aged 35 yr. and older, the present study shows this phenomenon held for those 35 yr. and older. It is not easy to propose an explanation of this phenomenon at the present time.
Breast MRI for cancer detection and characterization: a review of evidence-based clinical applications

Rationale and Objectives Breast MRI is an important new tool in the imaging armamentarium for the detection and characterization of breast carcinoma. Understanding the evidence-supported benefits and potential harms of breast MRI is important to ensure the appropriate utilization of this medical resource. Materials and Methods This article reviews the clinical settings in which MRI for breast cancer assessment has been shown to be advantageous. The evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of MRI and the impact of this imaging tool on clinical outcomes are described. Novel breast MRI techniques which may lead to future improvements in performance are discussed. Results Breast MRI has been shown in multiple studies to be advantageous for screening patients at high risk, evaluating patients with a new breast cancer diagnosis, monitoring treatment response in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and evaluating patients with metastatic axillary adenocarcinoma and unknown primary site. Among the limitations of MRI are its high cost and modest specificity resulting in false positive examinations. Conclusions When used in evidence-supported clinical settings, the high sensitivity of MRI results in earlier cancer detection or greater accuracy of detection compared to existing tests for breast carcinoma. Further scientific endeavors are crucial to optimize the future performance and application of breast MRI.
How Humor Heals: An Anatomical Perspective

The notion that humor is something that heals is now generally well recognized. Norman Cousins’ book, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient spread the news of humor’s healing powers to the general public. But well before Cousins came along, many others had been doing research and writing about the healing power of humor.
Haplothrips clarisetis in Southern California (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae)

A species of Phlaeothripidae tentatively identified as Haplothrips clarisetis Priesner, has recently been collected in southern California. Previous distribution records for this species include Africa, Palestine, and Jordan (Priesner 1930, 1936, 1937, 1950; Jacot-Guillarmod 1937; Faure 1955).
Probing material properties with sharp indenters: a retrospective

A retrospective on the use of sharp, fixed-profile indenters as materials probes is presented. Indentation is proposed as a simple but powerful methodology for evaluating basic mechanical properties—elastic modulus, hardness, toughness—in all classes of materials. Indentation also provides unique insight into fundamental deformation and fracture processes. Of particular interest is the existence of intrinsic size effects as characteristic contact dimensions pass from macro- to micro- to nano-scale dimensions. The utility of indentations as ‘controlled flaws’ in the context of strength of materials is outlined. The roles of two other important material factors—rate effects and microstructure—are considered. Examples of technological and biological applications are presented as illustrations of the widespread power of the technique. Strengths and limitations of the methodology as a routine testing protocol are discussed.
Properties of ionic hydrogen clusters: a quantum Monte Carlo study

Abstract A diffusion quantum Monte Carlo simulation scheme has been developed to study the electronic structures of ionic hydrogen clusters H + 2 n +1 with n = 1, 2, 3, 4. The molecular energies calculated for H + 5 , H + 7 , and H + 9 are the best theoretical calculations to date. The equilibrium geometric structures of H + 3 and H + 5 are determined by optimizing their molecular energies and good agreement is found with the best previous configuration interaction calculations. The electronic structure of the H + 2 n +1 clusters is analyzed based on the bonding formation in the systems. An estimate of the dissociation energy for each cluster is made and compared with experimental measurements.
Self-reported lifetime marijuana use and interleukin-6 levels in middle-aged African Americans

Abstract Background Research examining the relationship between marijuana and cytokine function has been well developed in the biochemical literature. However, scant literature exists regarding this relationship between inflammatory markers and marijuana use in public health or behavioral studies and is virtually nonexistent in non-neurologically compromised African American samples. Methods The current study examined the differences in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory cytokine, between non-drug users (n = 78), marijuana only users (n = 46) and marijuana plus other drugs users (n = 45) in a community-based sample of middle aged African Americans. Participants included 169 African American adults (50.30% female), with a mean age of 45.68 years (SD = 11.72 years) from the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Serum was drawn upon entry into the study and the participants completed a demographic questionnaire, which included questions regarding drug use history. Results After adjusting for demographic and physiological covariates, analysis of covariance revealed a significant difference between the three groups, F(2, 158) = 3.08, p = 0.04). Post hoc analyses revealed lifetime marijuana only users had significantly lower IL-6 levels (M = 2.20 pg/mL, SD = 1.93) than their lifetime nonuser counterparts (M = 3.73 pg/mL, SD = 6.28). No other comparisons among the groups were statistically significantly different. Conclusion The current findings extend previous cellular and biochemical literature, which identifies an inverse association between IL-6 and marijuana use. Examining this relationship in the psychological and behavioral literature could be informative to the development of clinical interventions for inflammatory diseases.
Correcting erroneous crash locations in transportation safety analysis

Errors and inconsistencies in crash location records are realistic problems that often compromise accuracy of safety model outcomes. This paper proposes a new safety analysis framework where an optimal network design module that estimates the most-probable site for each crash is combined with the standard regression analysis. An effective solution algorithm based on Lagrangian relaxation is developed for the network design model, and an iterative computation approach is proposed for location estimation and statistical regression. The proposed models are implemented with empirical data and numerical results are presented.
STATE REGULATORY REFORM AND FEDERAL REGULATION

In the current political climate, it seems likely that a “New Regulatory Federalism” will push for deregulation at the federal level, with more regulatory responsibilities for the states. During the 1930s, economic regulatory responsibilities were assumed by the federal government. Protective regulation moved to the federal level in the 1960s. Dissatisfaction with centralized regulation has led to attempts at regulatory reform and decentralization. It is expected that these reforms will lead to greater flexibility, and responsiveness to regional differences.
An Autopsy Study of Leg Vein Thrombosis

An autopsy study of leg veins in unselected patients was performed in which postmortem venography, complete gross dissection, and microscopic examination were utilized in order to assess the incidence, location, origin, and mode of propagation of venous thrombi in the leg. The incidence of leg vein thrombosis is high; 13 of 27 patients studied (48%) had antemortem thrombi. Thrombosis in the veins of the thigh occurred often (eight patients), but thrombosis in the veins of the calf was even more frequent (12 patients). Thrombi large enough to cause significant pulmonary embolism were found in seven patients. Leg vein thrombi were found in five of the six patients in this study who had pulmonary embolism at autopsy. Initiation of thrombosis was noted in the veins of both the thighs and the calves. The valve pockets were a frequent site of origin of thrombi. Inflammation of the wall of the vein (phlebitis) secondary to thrombosis was found in one patient. Postmortem venography is a useful and simple adjunct ...
Superiority of Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography Over Calcium Scoring to Accurately Evaluate Atherosclerotic Disease in a 35-Year-Old Man

A 35-year-old man with juvenile onset diabetes mellitus presented with exertion-associated chest pain. His risk factors also included smoking, hyperlipidemia, and strong family history. As part of a research protocol, he received a calcium score as well as multislice (computed tomography [CT]) coronary angiography using a new, 16-slice scanner (Lightspeed 16, GE Systems). There was no detectable epicardial coronary calcium (Figure 1). However, his noninvasive coronary angiogram demonstrated a high-grade stenosis in his mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD) (Figure 2 and Figure 3⇓). Additionally, there was a significant amount of plaque burden noted in the proximal LAD …
XVI. On the forms of sulphuret of nickel and other substances

(1835). XVI. On the forms of sulphuret of nickel and other substances. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 6, No. 32, pp. 104-107.
Race effects in performance evaluations: Controlling for ability, education, and experience.

This study examined the effects of ratee and rater race (Black or White) on performance evaluations of 21547 individuals employed in 10 occupational categories. Hierarchical regression analyses produced a significant main effect attributable to ratee race, although the magnitude of this effect varied across occupational types. There was no evidence of a same-race (rater-ratee) interaction effect, and race of the rater and ratee accounted for little variance in performance evaluations after individual differences in ability and length of experience were controlled.
The heart-brain interaction in the fetus: Cerebrovascular blood flow in the developing human

Abstract Fetal blood flow is influenced by multiple factors, including the structure of the heart and the impedance of the distal vascular beds. Many babies with congenital heart disease have restricted intrauterine growth, neurologic abnormalities, and poor neurodevelopmental outcome, independent of surgical intervention. The circulatory alterations that accompany specific anatomic cardiac defects may lead to predictable blood flow disturbances that affect normal brain development. Doppler measurements of vascular resistance in the cerebral circulation and calculations of resistance ratios that quantitate fetal blood flow distribution are altered in growth retarded fetuses and are predictive of growth retardation and poor perinatal outcome in high risk pregnancies. Fetuses with normal hearts but compromised placental perfusion have a compensatory redistribution of blood flow that is believed to enhance cerebral perfusion. This phenomenon, termed “brain sparing”, is due to a decrease in cerebral vascular resistance, which is likely initiated and controlled by an autoregulatory mechanism. Failure of this mechanism to adequately compensate for cerebral hypoxemia in fetuses with congenital heart disease may result in the disproportionate intrauterine growth and neurodevelopmental abnormalities that occur in many of these infants. Investigators have only begun to study whether “brain sparing” occurs in fetuses with congenital heart disease and to determine if alterations in cerebral perfusion impact on fetal neurodevelopment and postnatal neurologic outcome for these high-risk infants.
Studies on the mechanism of protection by aurintricarboxylic acid in beryllium poisoning. V. Long-term distribution studies with C14-labeled ATA

Abstract 1. 1. The distribution of a single injection of C 14 -methyl-labeled aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) in tissues was determined over a period of 8 months in rats, and after 24 hr. in dogs. 2. 2. The levels of ATA retained in all rat tissues studied 24 hr. after administration were retained for as long as 1–3 months. The highest concentrations were found in kidney, spleen, and liver. There were measurable amounts in all tissues for as long as 8 months. 3. 3. ATA appeared to be uniformly distributed in soft tissues, presumably as a protein-ATA complex, and was not detected in inorganic bone.
Long term results of treatment of cancer of larynx

During the period 1944–1961, 125 patients with cancer of the larynx were registered in Northampton. The author reviews the outcome of the disease in the different subgroups and stages. The radiotherapeutic technique used is described and the attention to detail in treatment of this highly curable disease is stressed. Over 92% had radiotherapy as the primary method of treatment. The 5 year survival rate, uncorrected for age and for deaths from causes other than cancer of the larynx, of 111 cases treated with conventional deep x-rays was 50% (absolute rate 56%). In glottic cancer, Stage I (19 cases), the 5 year uncorrected survival rate was nearly 90%. These results achieved with conventional methods compare favourably with the best results published so far with teleradium and supervoltage therapy and should remain on record if advances attributable to supervoltage techniques are to be fairly assessed.
Distribution of gymnosomatous pteropods in western Antarctic Peninsula shelf waters: influences of Southern Ocean water masses

Distributions of gymnosomatous pteropods, Spongiobranchaea australis and Clione antarctica ,w ere determined at six sites along a latitudinal gradient in western Antarctica Peninsula shelf waters using vertically stratified trawls. Hydrographic data were collected at the same sites with conductivity-temperature-depth casts, and correlations of explanatory variables to gymnosome distributions were determined using statistical analyses performed in Matlab, a high level programming software to conduct numerical computation and visualisation. Explanatory variables included sampling site, latitude, longitude and depth, seawater temperature, salinity and density, Southern Ocean Antarctic Surface Water, Winter Water, Upper Circumpolar Deep Water and warm transitional waters, as well as oceanographic remote sensing data for coloured dissolved organic matter, chlorophyll a concentration, normalised fluorescence line height, nighttime sea surface temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, particulate inorganic carbon, particulate organic carbon, daytime sea surface temperature and daily sea ice concentration. Hydrographic data revealed that warmer water masses were prevalent along the western Antarctic Peninsula, and the distributions of both gymnosome species were primarily influenced by water masses, temperature, sampling site and latitude. As a consequence, distributional shifts of gymnosomes are predicted in response to the current warming trends.
Standards for atmospheric measurements

The following topics based on research performed in the Gas and particulate Science Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Gaithersburg, USA) are reviewed: 1. the process of the development, preparation, and certification of Gas Standard Reference Materials (SRM's); 2. pertinent SRM's currently available, with a listing of their components, concentrations, and specific uses; 3. the results of a recent laboratory intercomparison of measurements and standards; 4. a brief discussion of some of the measurements and SRM research currently in progress; and finally, 5. some ideas for new standards for the future.