cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of cannabinoid receptor (CB2 receptor) agonist in neuroprotection after hypoxic ischemic injury in rat pups

Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a complex disorder caused by perinatal asphyxia/hypoxia. The hypoxia leads to inflammatory cascade activation which contributes to neuronal injury. While therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the standard of care for neonatal HIE, greater than 40% of treated neonates develop adverse neurological outcomes. Cannabidiol has demonstrated reduction in excitatory, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in HIE animal models. These effects are mediated mainly by cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R). JWH 133 is a potent selective CB2R agonist which …
Emotional distractor images disrupt target processing in a graded manner.

The emotional attentional blink (EAB), also referred to as emotion-induced blindness, refers to a transient impairment in the ability to discriminate a single target when it is presented closely in time to an emotional distractor. Although the EAB has typically been characterized as representing a complete loss of target information due to attentional capture by the emotional distractors, it is unclear whether the impact of the emotional distractor is in fact discrete or graded. Here, we tested whether the emotional distractor of the EAB interfered with target processing in a continuous or all-or-none manner by measuring changes in both reaction time (RT) and target-vividness ratings in addition to target-discrimination accuracy. Rapid sequences of landscape images were presented centrally, and participants reported the orientation of a ± 90° rotated target as quickly and accurately as possible. Replicating the classic EAB phenomenon, we found a strong impairment in target discrimination when an emotional distractor shortly preceded the target, and we also found a moderate impairment when the target preceded an emotional distractor. This decrement in accuracy at short lags was accompanied by increases in RT to the target as well as lower ratings of subjective target vividness even when the target was detected, indicating that emotional distractors impacted target processing in a lag-dependent, graded manner. We argue that these results are consistent with an interactive race model of the competition between stimulus representations in the conflict between top-down and bottom-up attentional mechanisms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Rhetorical Appeals and Tactics in New York Times Comments About Vaccines: Qualitative Analysis.

Background: Improving persuasion in response to vaccine skepticism is a long-standing problem. Elective nonvaccination emerging from skepticism about vaccine safety and efficacy jeopardizes herd immunity, exposing those who are most vulnerable to the risk of serious diseases. Objective: This article analyzes vaccine sentiments in the New York Times as a way of improving understanding of why existing persuasive approaches may be ineffective and offers insight into how existing methods might be improved. We categorize pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine arguments, offering an in-depth analysis of pro-vaccine appeals and tactics in particular to enhance current understanding of arguments that support vaccines. Methods: Qualitative thematic analyses were used to analyze themes in rhetorical appeals across 808 vaccine-specific comments. Pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine comments were categorized to provide a broad analysis of the overall context of vaccine comments across viewpoints, with in-depth rhetorical analysis of pro-vaccine comments to address current gaps in understanding of pro-vaccine arguments in particular. Results: Appeals across 808 anti-vaccine and pro-vaccine comments were similar, though these appeals diverged in tactics and conclusions. Anti-vaccine arguments were more heterogeneous, deploying a wide range of arguments against vaccines. Additional analysis of pro-vaccine comments reveals that these comments use rhetorical strategies that could be counterproductive to producing persuasion. Pro-vaccine comments more frequently used tactics such as ad hominem arguments levied at those who refuse vaccines or used appeals to science to correct beliefs in vaccine skepticism, both of which can be ineffective when attempting to persuade a skeptical audience. Conclusions: Further study of pro-vaccine argumentation appeals and tactics could illuminate how persuasiveness could be improved in online forums.
An unbiased approach to defining bona fide cancer neoepitopes that elicit immune-mediated cancer rejection.

Identification of neoepitopes that are effective in cancer therapy is a major challenge in creating cancer vaccines. Here, using an entirely unbiased approach, we queried all possible neoepitopes in a mouse cancer model and asked which of those are effective in mediating tumor rejection, and independently, in eliciting a measurable CD8 response. This analysis uncovered a large trove of effective anticancer neoepitopes which have strikingly different properties from conventional epitopes and suggested an algorithm to predict them. It also revealed that our current methods of prediction discard the overwhelming majority of true anticancer neoepitopes. These results from a single mouse model were validated in another, antigenically distinct mouse cancer model, and are consistent with data reported in human studies. Structural modeling showed how the MHC I-presented neoepitopes have an altered conformation, higher stability, or increased exposure to T cell receptors as compared to the un-mutated counterparts. T cells elicited by the active neoepitopes identified here demonstrated a stem-like early dysfunctional phenotype associated with effective responses against viruses and tumors of transgenic mice. These abundant anticancer neoepitopes, which have not been tested in human studies thus far, can be exploited for the generation of personalized human cancer vaccines.
The Complexity of Different Types of Attitude in Initial and Continued ICT Use

In the information systems (IS) field, research interest in attitude has fluctuated over the past decades given the inconsistent and inconclusive findings on attitude’s effects on behavioral intention (BI) to use information and communication technology (ICT). This study addresses the conceptual, operational, and temporal dynamics of attitude thatmay have caused the inconsistent and inconclusive results. A longitudinal study was conducted to validate our hypotheses. The results show that: (a) The attitude that significantly influences BI needs to be at a particular specificity with BI on two aspects, the same evaluation target and the same evaluation time, where the time specificity can supersede the target specificity; (b) the relationships among attitudes and intention remain the same if they are measured at the same time, regardless of use stages; (c) the two types of attitudes show different long-lasting effects over time; (d) omitting important mediating factors in a research model may generate misleading messages; and (e) attitudes alone can explain a large amount of variances in BI. The results can help explain the reasons behind inconsistent findings in the literature, inspire additional research efforts, and suggest bringing attitudes back to information systems research due to their theoretical and practical importance.
Physician Compliance to Choosing Wisely® Initiative in Radiographic Imaging of Low Risk Prostate Cancer in an Integrated Health Care System

AbstractIntroduction:We evaluated the adherence of urologists within an integrated health care system to Choosing Wisely®, an initiative aimed at avoiding unnecessary medical tests. In urology, 2 o...
Analgesic medication administration in COVID-19 positive ARDS patients undergoing tracheostomy

Rationale: Observational studies describe high sedative and analgesic medication (SA) requirements in patients with COVID-19 ARDS. High levels of SA have been shown to increase ICU length-of-stay, incidence of delirium, and mortality;all of which increase health system utilization. The aim of this study is to evaluate SA parameters in patients with COVID-19 ARDS undergoing tracheostomy. Methods: We enrolled 55 COVID-19 positive adult patients undergoing tracheostomy between 4/16/20 and 8/26/20. Cumulative dosage and sedation parameters, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) scores, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) were collected in the 48-hour periods pre-and post-tracheostomy via chart review. Data analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel Analysis ToolPak. Results: Baseline characteristics include a mean age of 60.2, mean BMI of 30.2 kg/m2, 28 (51%) were male, and 39 (70.9%) of the tracheostomies were placed percutaneously. Fentanyl was used in 38 (69.1%), dexmedetomidine in 28 (50.9%), midazolam in 13 (23.6%), hydromorphone in 13 (23.6%), and propofol in 12 (21.8%) patients. •Total fentanyl dose (6940.3 mcg to 5382.2 mcg p=0.02) and total propofol dose (67066 mcg/kg to 24098 mcg/kg, p=0.02) were significantly lower post-tracheostomy compared to pre-tracheostomy (Figure 1). •There was a trend toward lower dexmedetomidine (27.7 mcg/kg to 27.4 mcg/kg, p=0.91), midazolam (183.4 mg to 133.8 mg, p=0.27), and hydromorphone (216.0 mg to 206.2 mg, p=0.72) total doses in the post-tracheostomy period. •Mean ordered RASS goals were similar in both groups (-1.1 to-0.9, p=0.12). Mean RASS deviations from goal were also similar in both groups (-0.3 vs-0.2, p=0.64). •Mean GCS values (8.4 to 9.1, p=0.007) were significantly higher in the post-tracheostomy group. Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort of COVID-19 ARDS patients undergoing tracheostomy, SA requirements were decreased in the post-tracheostomy period. Both fentanyl (22.4% reduction) and propofol (64.1% reduction) total doses were significantly lower post-tracheostomy. All other recorded SA trended toward reduction in the post-tracheostomy period but without statistical significance (Figure 1). Assessment of sedation scores showed that reduction in SA use were not associated with changes in ordered RASS goals or worse adherence to RASS goals, as these were similar in both groups. These findings suggest that the same RASS goal, and an increased GCS, may be equally obtained with less sedation in the post-tracheostomy period. We recognize the limitations of a retrospective, single-enter, cohort study. Early tracheostomy should be considered in appropriate patients to reduce SA administration and reduce health care utilization, particularly with ICU beds at a premium.
Associations between perceived discrimination and contraceptive method use: why we need better measures of discrimination in reproductive healthcare

Discrimination has historically contributed to coercive contraceptive in the United States. We investigated associations between perceived discrimination, or the perception of unequal treatment in ...
Policy Analysis As a Profession in Government: Who Does What and How

Good quality policy analysis is a precondition for sound government decisions. Yet, policy analysis has been a neglected discipline in many countries. This paper provides a general overview of what policy analysis is, who conducts it, and why. It also provides guidelines for conducting policy analysis with a focus on key steps, along with tips for research and writing. This paper can be useful for policy analysts in government and for anyone who wish to influence public policy.
Graph Embedding with Hierarchical Attentive Membership.

The exploitation of graph structures is the key to effectively learning representations of nodes that preserve useful information in graphs. A remarkable property of graph is that a latent hierarchical grouping of nodes exists in a global perspective, where each node manifests its membership to a specific group based on the context composed by its neighboring nodes. Most prior works ignore such latent groups and nodes' membership to different groups, not to mention the hierarchy, when modeling the neighborhood structure. Thus, they fall short of delivering a comprehensive understanding of the nodes under different contexts in a graph. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical attentive membership model for graph embedding, where the latent memberships for each node are dynamically discovered based on its neighboring context. Both group-level and individual-level attentions are performed when aggregating neighboring states to generate node embeddings. We introduce structural constraints to explicitly regularize the inferred memberships of each node, such that a well-defined hierarchical grouping structure is captured. The proposed model outperformed a set of state-of-the-art graph embedding solutions on node classification and link prediction tasks in a variety of graphs including citation networks and social networks. Qualitative evaluations visualize the learned node embeddings along with the inferred memberships, which proved the concept of membership hierarchy and enables explainable embedding learning in graphs.
Relative Strenuousness of Selected Sports as Performed by Women

Abstract Women participants in archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, golf, hockey, Softball, tennis, and volleyball were tested to determine the relative strenuousness of these sports. The subjects' heart beats were telemetered during participation in each sport, and estimates of their ventilation and oxygen uptake for each activity were determined from data collected in the laboratory. Mean heart rates, oxygen uptake and VO2 per kilogram of body weight were calculated for each subject in each sport. Comparisons were made to determine which activities demanded the greatest energy expenditure. Heart rates ranging from a mean of 85 beats/min. in bowling to a mean of 185 beats/min. for the roving player in basketball were recorded. The energy expenditure of the roving player in basketball was similar to that of the center halfback in hockey; these two positions required a significantly greater O2 uptake than the positions tested in all other sports. Play in these positions was classified as heavy activity...
Trajectories and phenotypes with estrogen exposures across the lifespan: What does Goldilocks have to do with it?

Abstract This article is part of a Special Issue “Estradiol and cognition”. Estrogens impact the organization and activation of the mammalian brain in both sexes, with sex-specific critical windows. Throughout the female lifespan estrogens activate brain substrates previously organized by estrogens, and estrogens can induce non-transient brain and behavior changes into adulthood. Therefore, from early life through the transition to reproductive senescence and beyond, estrogens are potent modulators of the brain and behavior. Organizational, reorganizational, and activational hormone events likely impact the trajectory of brain profiles during aging. A “brain profile,” or quantitative brain measurement for research purposes, is typically a snapshot in time, but in life a brain profile is anything but static — it is in flux, variable, and dynamic. Akin to this, the only thing continuous and consistent about hormone exposures across a female's lifespan is that they are noncontinuous and inconsistent, building and rebuilding on past exposures to create a present brain and behavioral landscape. Thus, hormone variation is especially rich in females, and is likely the destiny for maximal responsiveness in the female brain. The magnitude and direction of estrogenic effects on the brain and its functions depend on a myriad of factors; a “Goldilocks” phenomenon exists for estrogens, whereby if the timing, dose, and regimen for an individual are just right, markedly efficacious effects present. Data indicate that exogenously-administered estrogens can bestow beneficial cognitive effects in some circumstances, especially when initiated in a window of opportunity such as the menopause transition. Could it be that the age-related reduction in efficacy of estrogens reflects the closure of a late-in-life critical window occurring around the menopause transition? Information from classic and contemporary works studying organizational/activational estrogen actions, in combination with acknowledging the tendency for maximal responsiveness to cyclicity, will elucidate ways to extend sensitivity and efficacy into post-menopause.
A Profile of OxyContin Addiction

OxyContin is a controlled-released form of oxycodone indicated for the management of moderate to severe pain. OxyContin diversion and abuse has become a major problem in certain areas of the United States, particularly rural areas and Appalachia. This study undertakes an 18-month retrospective chart review at a private freestanding psychiatric facility to develop a profile of OxyContin addicts seeking treatment. There were 579 admissions to the Addictive Disease Unit of this facility from October 2000 to March 2002, with 298 of these admissions being for the treatment of opioid abuse or dependence. One hundred and eighty seven of these individuals were dependent on OxyContin, using an average dose of 184 milligrams of OxyContin per day. The OxyContin dependent individuals tended to show a progression from p.o. use to either snorting or i.v. use. The author concludes that a sociocultural understanding is needed to better treat these addicts as is improved communication between the pain treatment community and the addiction treatment community.
Microwave Cavity Searches

This chapter will cover the search for dark matter axions based on microwave cavity experiments proposed by Pierre Sikivie. We will start with a brief overview of halo dark matter and the axion as a candidate. The principle of resonant conversion of axions in an external magnetic field will be described as well as practical considerations in optimizing the experiment as a signal-to-noise problem. A major focus of this chapter will be the two complementary strategies for ultra-low noise detection of the microwave photons – the “photon-as-wave” approach (i.e., conventional heterojunction amplifiers and soon to be quantum-limited SQUID devices), and the “photon-as-particle” approach (i.e.,Rydberg-atom single-quantum detection). Experimental results will be presented; these experiments have already reached well into the range of sensitivity to exclude plausible axion models, for limited ranges of mass. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of future plans and challenges for the microwave cavity experiment.
Editorial—A Survey of Research Questions for Intelligent Information Systems in Education

Education is an application domain in which many research questions from Intelligent Information Systems may prove their worth. We discuss three themes in this editorial: distributed education and learner modeling, semantic analysis of text, and intelligent information management.
Turbidimetric Estimation of Serum Colloids in Extrahepatic Disease

In a previous communication, Snell and we have presented our studies of serum colloid changes in hepatobiliary disease, as measured by the turbidimetric procedures of Kunkel. The present paper extends these studies to patients whose diseases are not directly related to the liver or biliary tract. On the basis of our findings in 236 blood bank donors, we have established our upper limits of normal for gamma globulin turbidity (16 units), for thymol turbidity (3.5 units), and for total serum lipids (880 mg. per 100 cc. of serum). An evaluation of normality should be carried out in each laboratory using these tests, because of possible variation inherent in the barium sulfate suspensions employed as turbidity standards. Carter and Maclagan have reported a similar investigation of "liver function" tests in extrahepatic disease, based principally on the thymol turbidity and colloidal gold tests. These workers have found a high incidence of positive values in malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure, glandular fever and subacute bacterial endocarditis. The higher degree of positivity noted with the colloidal gold reaction is ascribed to the narrower dependence of this test on gamma globulin. The data of these workers are in accord with the results obtained by Kunkel with the thymol turbidity reaction. In agreement with Carter and Maclagan, we have found elevated values for gamma globulin and for thymol turbidity in several disease entities not directly related to the hepatobiliary system. It has not been shown that these reactions are specifically indicative of liver damage. Elevated values may reflect liver damage secondary to systemic toxemia, increased antibody production or variable combinations of these possibly with other factors as yet unknown. We cannot as yet describe the basic mechanisms underlying these serum colloid changes. The clinical interpretation of these tests should nevertheless consider those conditions other than hepatobiliary disease in which elevated values may be expected. With caution, the tests may be of aid in the evaluation of liver changes secondary to those conditions.
Field Schools and Research Stations in a Global Context: La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua) in a Wider Perspective

The tropics cover a large area of land and sea . However, very little is still known scientifically about “the tropics,” and very few sites are studied well, with good quality data and published in globally accessible, internationally peer-reviewed journals. Worldwide, there might perhaps be less than a dozen of locations where high-level research, long term and with advanced questions, is carried out. A few shining examples are mentioned in Table 7.1. Other sites exist and are often underappreciated. For some people, these places might present their closely watched research fiefdoms. For others, they are seen like a modern form of research pilgrimage sites allowing them to understand the world and humans better, and to boost their own experience as well as a student CV. Entire nations and their environmental histories can be shaped by such training efforts and sites, though (see Evans 1999, Allen 2003 and Chornok and Guindon 2008 for Costa Rica).
Development of a COTS mass storage unit for the space readiness coherent lidar experiment

The technology to develop a Mass Storage Unit (MSU) using commercial-off-theshelf (COTS) hard drives is an on-going challenge to meet the Space Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) program requirements. A conceptual view of SPARCLE's laser collecting atmospheric data from the shuttle is shown. The determination to develop this technology required several in depth studies before an actual COTS hard drive was selected to continue this effort. It is suggested that continuing the development of the MSU can, and will, serve future NASA programs that require larger data storage and more on-board processing. This effort will provide a greater means to other programs that have limited downlink capabilities within their payload telemetry streams.
Relativistic heavy ions at bnl—ongoing projects and plans for the future

The AGS at Brookhaven National Laboratory is now being prepared to accelerate heavy ions up to mass 32 to energies of approx. 15 GeV/A. Negative ions are to be made in a sputter ion source, accelerated in the BNL tandems to energies of approx. 7 MeV/A, stripped of all electrons, and transported the 2100' to the AGS. Some considerations for the injection and acceleration of Tandem beams directly into the AGS are described as are future plans for the acceleration of heavier mass ions in the AGS and ultimately the acceleration of ions in a two ring collider (RHIC) to 100 GeV/A. The physics programs for which these accelerators are designed are briefly discussed. 19 references, 4 figures, 3 tables.
Continuous strategic alignment: Exploiting information technology capabilities for competitive success

Abstract There is widespread acceptance that information technology (IT) and information systems (IS) have evolved from a traditional administrative, back-office support orientation towards a more strategic, central role within organizations. In this paper, N. Venkatraman, John Henderson and Scott Oldach discuss analytical and administrative approaches for conceptualizing and managing the emerging nexus between strategic management and information technology. They discuss the analytical approach through their Strategic Alignment Model — defined in terms of four basic domains of strategic choice: business strategy, information technology strategy; organization infrastructure and processes, and information technology infrastructure and processes. Subsequently, the administrative approach for achieving strategic alignment is discussed in terms of a set of alignment mechanisms: governance process, technology capabilities, human resource capabilities and value management. The power of this two-pronged model is highlighted through illustrations from the authors' research and professional experience.
Jean Epstein. Corporeal Cinema and Film Philosophy

Jean Epstein came to cinema via early detours into other fields of endeavour, including medicine and poetry. One might say that a detour would in fact serve as a decent emblem for the nature of his...
Does Seed-Caching Experience Affect Spatial Memory Performance by Pinyon Jays?

Food-storing birds use spatial memory to find previously cached food items. Throughout winter, pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) rely heavily on cached pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) seeds. Because of a recent severe drought, pinyon pine trees had not produced a significant seed crop for several years. Therefore, 1- and 2-yr-old birds never had the opportunity to cache and recover seeds and birds 4 or more years of age had not recovered seeds in 3 yr. This study examined whether natural but extreme variability in experience might result in differences in abstract spatial memory ability during a non-cache recovery test of spatial memory. Three groups of jays were tested for spatial memory ability in an open room analog of the radial arm maze. Two of the groups were 8 mo old: young/minimally experienced birds which had 2 mo of experience in the wild, while young/experienced birds had 5 mo of experience in their natural habitat. The third group, adult, consisted of birds more than 3 yr old, with at least 3 yr of experience in their natural habitat. This was the only group with experience caching pine seeds. All three groups performed equally and well above chance. This suggests that spatial memory is fully developed by 8 mo of age and is not affected by extensive experience in the wild.
The chemical structure of DNA sequence signals for RNA transcription

The proposed recognition sites for RNA transcription for E. coli NRA polymerase, bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase, and eukaryotic RNA polymerase Pol II are evaluated in the light of the requirements for efficient recognition. It is shown that although there is good experimental evidence that specific nucleic acid sequence patterns are involved in transcriptional regulation in bacteria and bacterial viruses, among the sequences now available, only in the case of the promoters recognized by bacteriophage T7 polymerase does it seem likely that the pattern is sufficient. It is concluded that the eukaryotic pattern that is investigated is not restrictive enough to serve as a recognition site.
Maraviroc, a CCR5 Coreceptor Antagonist That Blocks Entry of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Inhibition of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coreceptor is an encouraging new approach to pharmacotherapy against HIV. The HIV-1 strain makes use of either the CCR5 or the CXCR4 coreceptor to gain access into host CD4+ cells. Maraviroc, the first HIV-1 CCR5 coreceptor antagonist, blocks entry of HIV-1. This recently approved drug has demonstrated clinically significant decreases in plasma concentrations of HIV-1 RNA and increases in CD4+ cell counts; however, it is indicated only for use as salvage therapy. Drug resistance is a concern, as is selective pressure on viral coreceptor use, because viral coreceptor targets may switch as disease progresses. In addition, before maraviroc therapy can be started, costly assays are required to determine the host's viral coreceptor tropism. Emerging therapies targeting CXCR4, the other HIV coreceptor, have shown promise in decreasing plasma concentrations of HIV-1 RNA. Long-term studies with both targets are required to explore the critical issues of efficacy and immunologic safety, as the function of these coreceptors is linked to host chemokine pathways.
Oxytocin labor stimulation of twin gestations: Effective and efficient

Objective: To test the hypothesis that oxytocin labor stimulation of twin gestations is similar to that of singletons regarding dosage, time, complications, and ability to achieve vaginal delivery. Methods: This retrospective investigation included 124 gravidas receiving oxytocin for augmentation or induction of labor. Sixty-two women with twin gestations were matched by parity, cervical dilation at initiation of oxytocin, gestational age, oxytocin dosage regimen, and indications for oxytocin to controls with singleton pregnancies. Outcome variables included maximum dosage of oxytocin, incidence of hyperstimulation and fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities, time from oxytocin to delivery, cesarean deliveries, and maternal and neonatal outcomes. Statistical analysis was done using McNemar test, paired t test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples. Results: Women with twin pregnancies and those with singletons responded similarly regarding maximum oxytocin dosage (21 ± 1.5 and 18 ± 2.4 mU/minute, respectively, P = .1), time from oxytocin to delivery (7.0 ± 0.8 and 6.7 ± 0.6 hours, respectively, P = .88), and successful vaginal delivery (90% and 90%, respectively). Oxytocin stimulation of twins resulted in fewer interruptions of the infusion for FHR abnormalities (5% compared with 26%, odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16, 0.47) and hyperstimulation (6% compared with 18%, OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.36, 0.99). Conclusion: Twin gestation has no adverse impact on the effectiveness or efficiency of oxytocin labor stimulation. Twin pregnancy seems to be associated with fewer side effects.
Impact of telephone reinforcement of risk reduction education on patient compliance

Abstract Smoking and hyperlipidemia are key risk factors resulting in peripheral arterial disease. These risk factors can be reduced when appropriate lifestyle changes are made, especially for patients less than 60 years of age. Therefore patient education regarding smoking cessation and healthy diet changes may positively impact the course of disease. The ability to make a lifestyle change is affected by (1) an individual's belief that his or her behavior affects the condition and (2) the social support received from family, especially a primary caregiver. This pilot study compared two randomized groups of patients with peripheral arterial disease for a 1-year period. The control group received the standardized teaching plan regarding smoking cessation and diet at the postoperative clinic visit. The experimental group received the standardized teaching plan in addition to quarterly telephone calls to reinforce smoking cessation and diet information. At the end of 1 year, both groups received follow-up telephone calls at the conclusion of the study for endpoint data collection. Specifically, this project investigated the following research statements: (1) Patients who receive periodic telephone follow-up will have greater compliance with the recommendations regarding smoking and diet than those who do not receive follow-up. (2) Patients whose caregivers are compliant with the recommendations regarding smoking cessation and diet will have significantly higher compliance themselves. The data were analyzed by using cross tabulation, sign test, and McNemar's test for nonparametric data to measure mobility, overall perception of health, knowledge of risk reduction information, and compliance with the smoking cessation and low fat/cholesterol diet plan. The results of this pilot study revealed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups. Telephone reinforcement was not sufficient in this study to influence lifestyle change. However, standardized teaching improved diet scores in both groups. Differences were found between smokers and nonsmokers.
Frequency and safety of switching antithrombin therapy at a regional PCI center.

The impact of switching antithrombin therapy in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and undergoing percutaneous intervention (PCI) has varied in clinical trials. We sought to assess the incidence and safety of switching antithrombin therapy in ACS patients undergoing PCI at a regional medical center. All patients with ACS undergoing PCI (n = 728) during a specified time period in 2005 and 2007 were identified. Patients who were switched to the antithrombin bivalirudin were defined as the ''switch'' group (n = 323) and all others were defined as the ''consistent'' therapy group (n = 405). Primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac event (MACE) (death, MI or urgent revascularization), major bleeding and net adverse clinical event (NACE) (MACE or major bleeding). Multivariate analysis was performed to determine if switching antithrombotic therapy predicted primary outcomes. Among 728 patients under- going PCI for ACS, 44% were switched to bivalirudin. Switch patient were more likely to be transfers from out- side hospitals, older, female, and diabetic. Angiographic characteristics were similar in the two groups. Switch patients had a similar incidence of MACE (7 vs. 8%, P = 0.72), major bleeding (2 vs. 2%) and NACE (9 vs. 10%, P = 0.51) when compared to those who received consistent therapy. On multivariate analysis, switching did not predict MACE (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.53-1.67, P = 0.84) or NACE (OR = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.48-1.41, P = 0.47). In a regional clinical practice of patients pre- senting with ACS and undergoing PCI, switching of anti- thrombin therapy to bivalirudin is a common practice and patient who are switched have similar outcomes compared to patients who receive consistent therapy.
Comparative analysis of physiologic responses to three different maximal graded exercise test protocols in healthy women

The purpose of this study was to compare the three most commonly used maximal graded exercise test (GXT) protocols in healthy women. Submaximal and maximal metabolic and hemodynamic responses were determined from two treadmill protocols, Bruce and Balke, and a bicycle protocol, in 49 women. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) was significantly different among protocols (Bruce=40.3, Balke=38.4, and Bike=36.6 ml/kg . min -1). Maximum heart rate (HR max) was significantly lower during Bike (178 beats/min) than during Bruce (182) and Balke (183) protocols. No differences in rate of increase in HR or systolic blood pressure (BP) per increase in multiples of the rest metabolic (METs) were found between Bruce and Balke protocols. The rate of recovery of HR and systolic BP was not different among tests. Comparisons of active and sedentary groups showed differences in VO2 max and submaximal HR and recovery HR at common minutes; however, the rate of increase in HR and systolic BP during exercise and the rate of decrease during recovery were not significantly different. Prediction of VO2 max with Bruce and Balke protocols from treadmill time was r=0.91 (SEE +/- 2.7 ml/kg . min -1) and r=0.94 (SEE 2.2 ml/kg . min -1), respectively. These data suggest a difference between men and women in increased HR and systolic BP per METs increase in exertion.
A botnet detection game

Botnets continue to constitute a major security threat to users of the internet. We examine a novel security game between a bot master and the legitimate users of the compromised network. The more a bot master utilizes his botnet, the more likely it is he will be detected by the legitimate users of the network. Thus he must balance stealth and aggression in his strategic utilization of the botnet. The legitimate users of the network must decide how vigilant they will be in trying to detect the presence of the botnet infection. We establish the existence of a unique, pure, symmetric Nash equilibrium in a game with homogeneous agents. Network effects are numerically explored in relation to the infectivity of the network.
Impact of increasing market access on a tropical small-scale fishery

Small-scale ! sheries have historically been marginalized in management and policy investments, and they often remain under-reported in national economic and ! sheries statistics. Even so, small-scale ! sheries are not entirely buffered from the impacts of globalization, such as the introduction and expansion of markets. This study measures the long-term impact of market-access on a coastal ! shery on Nicaragua's remote Atlantic Coast from approximately the time when ! shermen had access to stable and predictable local markets until the present, when the region has been transformed by road connection. In the last four years, ! sheries trade has expanded as road connection has facilitated export to distant markets. Fishery-independent surveys were used to measure changes in indicators of ! sh- community status such as length-frequency, mean trophic level, and relative biomass. Species-level changes in relative biomass of common snook Centropomus undecimalis and gafftopsail cat! sh Bagre marinus were also evaluated since these species are the most economically valuable and likely account for the most ! sh biomass in the system. Using historical records, reports, current observations and interviews, changes in indicators of ! shing intensity and market access over the past 17 years were assessed. From 1994 to 2011, community and species-speci! c metrics of the lagoon ! shery declined signi! cantly across all indicators examined. The potential social and economic outcomes of the decline in the ! shery are far-reaching for the region, because this tropical ! shery comprises the main source of protein and income for residents of twelve indigenous and Afro-descendent communities.
Creation by stellar ablation of the low-mass companion to pulsar 1829 - 10

It is argued that the low-mass companion of PSR1829 - 10 began its life as a star and has been ablated down to its present mass by absorbing a portion of the pulsar's spindown energy. Similar phenomena have already been seen in two other binary pulsars, PSR1957 + 20 and PSR1744 + 24A. The final mass of the remnant is determined by the interplay between decreasing spindown luminosity, recession of the companion from the pulsar as a result of its mass loss, and most important, shrinkage of the companion due to convective cooling of its interior.
Bidirectional effects of parenting and youth substance use during the transition to middle and high school

The current study assessed bidirectional relationships between supportive parenting behaviors (i.e., involvement, positive parenting), parental control strategies (i.e., parental monitoring, effective discipline), and youth substance use in a sample of aggressive youth during the transitions to middle and high school. Participants were drawn from the control group of a larger longitudinal study and were followed from 4th through 9th grade. Cross-lagged developmental models were evaluated using structural equation modeling. Youth substance use at 6th, 7th, and 8th grade influenced positive parenting at 7th, 8th, and 9th grade, but did not influence parental involvement or monitoring at any grade. Parental involvement, monitoring, and positive parenting at earlier grades did not influence youth substance use at later grades. Reciprocal relationships were observed between effective discipline and youth substance use at all grades. RESULTS are consistent with models of bidirectionality that suggest that parents and children adjust their behavior based on the response of the other. FINDINGS may impact our understanding of the development of youth substance use across time and improve interventions designed to reduce this behavior during periods of transition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Investigation of ultra-low-load nanoindentation for the patterning of nanostructures

In this study, nanoindents are characterized for the patterning of nanostructures. Nanoindentation is performed on Sidoped (n-type)Vertical Gradient Freeze (VGF) GaAs (100) and epitaxial GaAs (100) using a diamond Cube Corner indenter. Nanoindentation of GaAs has been studied in the past, but not at extremely low loads. Previous research has been done on high load (50-200 mN) and low load (0.2-8 mN) nanoindentation. The size of nanostructures range from 10-100 nm, requiring a nanoindentation width in the same size range. The loads required to produce such small indentations are in a lower regime of <0.2 mN, which to the authors’ knowledge is an area that has not been previously studied using a Cube Corner indenter. Ultra-low-load (<0.2 mN) nanoindentations are characterized in order to study the selective growth of nanostructures on the indentation sites. Indentations of less than 200 nm in width are produced, and mechanical properties of the two materials including hardness and elastic modulus are calculated and compared. The geometry of the indents is characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Bundle pullout—a failure mechanism limiting the tensile strength of continuous fiber reinforced brittle matrix composites— and its implications for strength dependence on volume and type of loading

Abstract T he mechanics of tensile failure of brittle matrix composites, uniaxially reinforced with continuous strong fibers, are investigated. A representative volume element description is used to establish a statistical theory for the strength of such composites. The load carrying capacity of such composite components is limited by a phenomenon called “bundle pullout”; a concentration of fiber failures in a small volume element enables whole clusters of fibers and matrix to be pulled out of the surrounding material due to its relatively low shear strength. The probability of initiating failure by this mechanism is governed by the stochastic distribution of flaws and fiber breaks. A certain number of failures have to occur in one (any) small volume element, the size of which is dependent on the global strain applied. This mechanism explains the dependence of the strength of components on both size and shape as well as on the type of loading. The theory presented is used to calculate the strength of a certain material in tension and in both 3-point and 4-point bending of two different cross-sections. The results agree very well in both level and range with reported experiments.
Diffusion of arsenic along dislocations in epitaxial silicon films

Abstract 76 As isotope has been diffused along stair rod dislocations associated with stacking faults in Si epitaxial layers. Diffusions were performed in a two-temperature zone furnace using neutron-activated elemental As as the diffusion source. Uniform densities of dislocations (>10 6 /cm 2 ), with axes intercepting the diffusion surface, were obtained following the growth of epitaxial layers on Si substrates whose surfaces were damaged by ion implantation to high dosages. Sections were taken by an anodizing and stripping technique and their activity was determined by liquid scintillation methods. The resulting profiles revealed a composite shape indicative of normal lattice diffusion near the surface together with a deeply penetrating portion which can be unambiguously associated with rapid diffusion along dislocations. For temperatures in the range 950°–1050°C, the intrinsic diffusivity of As in the lattice is given by D i =(0.51 +0.19 −0.14 cm 2 / sec ) exp (3.53±0.03 eV / kT ) and for the dislocations KδD d =((9.4±1.6) x 10 −8 cm 3 / sec ) exp (2.56±0.02 eV /kT)
Modeling tool wear progression by using mixed effects modeling technique when end-milling AISI 4340 steel

Semi-dry and dry machining is being adopted by the metal cutting industry worldwide to reduce the harmful effects of traditional metal cutting fluids and the cost associated with procurement, use, and disposal of these fluids. This research focuses on end-milling of AISI 4340 steel with multi-layer physical vapor deposition (PVD) coated carbide inserts under semi-dry and dry cutting conditions and proposes a mixed effects model for the analysis of the longitudinal data obtained from a designed experiment. This modeling approach considers unobserved heterogeneity during machining and proposes a tool wear progression model that has a higher power of detecting effects of significant factors than traditional regression models. One such source of variation is work piece hardness that was observed within and across test blocks. From the wear progression model developed, the lowest initial flank wear values are obtained at a cutting speed of 183 m/min, a feed rate of 0.10 mm/rev under semi-dry cutting conditions. A higher rate of wear progression and lower tool life was observed at the higher cutting speed level of 229 m/min. Cutting speed has the most significant effect on flank wear progression in this study. Depth of cut on the other hand did not show any significant effect on tool wear when compared to cutting speed, feed and cutting conditions. The wear mechanism of the insert was analyzed using electron dispersive X-ray (EDX) and environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) images. From this analysis, diffusion wear was confirmed under both semi-dry and dry machining conditions. It is expected that the proposed model can reduce the number of repetitions in tool wear modeling experiment for tool manufacturers leading to substantial cost savings.
Kinetics of [3H]choline uptake in abdominal ganglia of Limulus polyphemus.

Abstract The uptake of [3H]choline by isolated ganglia of the ventral nerve cord of Limulus potyphemus was studied. The uptake process was linear for 90 min and was concentration dependent. Kinetic analysis suggested the existence of a high affinity uptake process (Kt 14μM and Vmax 0.19 pmole/mg/min) and a low affinity uptake process (Kt 14μM and Vmax 0.89 pmole/mg/min). The high affinity uptake system showed a greater dependence on sodium ions and was more sensitive to inhibition by hemicholinium-3. Neither uptake system was greatly influenced by the absence of calcium or potassium. It is suggested that this system may be important in supplying choline for the biosynthesis of acetylcholine in cholinergic neurons.
Absolute transition probabilities in Ni I

Abstract The lifetimes of eight levels in Ni I have been measured by the beam-foil method with the aim of redetermining the solar abundance of nickel. Branching ratio measurements are in progress and absolute transition probabilities will be reported for 50 transitions from six levels in Ni I. Comparison with other recent measurements indicates (1) a gross discrepancy with the values of Corliss that increases with increasing excitation energy, similar to the discrepancy observed earlier for Fe I; (2) a 30% discrepancy with precise measurements by Marek that suggests cascading in our measurements of low levels; (3) support for the higher photospheric Ni abundance reported by the Kiel and Liege groups.
Autobiographical Stories from Preservice Elementary Mathematics and Science Students: Implications for K-16 Teaching.

Autobiographies are an effective tool for assessing students' predispositions toward science and mathematics content and identifying any changes in attitude over time. The purpose of this study was to analyze autobiographies of students enrolled in elementary education methods classes to determine the kinds of K-12 and college content course experiences affecting their perceptions of mathematics or science. Special attention was given to recollections of events that had positive or negative effects on students' interest in and attitudes toward science or mathematics, their confidence in these areas, and transitions in attitude throughout their experiences. Ninety-eight autobiographies were collected and analyzed, revealing attitudes that were generally more positive than expected, five major emergent themes, and important information about when and why transitions in attitudes occurred.