cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Attachment: Parenting, Child Care, and Emotional Development

Is maternal instinct fact or fiction? What special challenges do adoptive parents face? What kind of daycare is better, one with many caregivers or one with few? When is separation anxiety normal in a child? Do the experiences of early childhood always influence our ability to build and maintain social relationships as adults? Understanding Attachment helps to answer these questions and many others. This book is perfect for the reader who wants or needs a thorough understanding of attachment, but does not have time to indulge in lengthy study. Parents, child care providers, teachers, nurses, social workers, attorneys, therapists, students, and counselors will all appreciate this work. Is maternal instinct fact or a myth? What special challenges do adoptive parents face? What kind of daycare is better, one with many caregivers or one with few? When is separation anxiety normal in a child, and when is it a sign of a developmental problem? Do the experiences of early childhood always influence our ability to build and maintain social relationships as adults? Understanding Attachment helps to answer these questions and many others. This book is perfect for the reader who wants or needs a thorough understanding of attachment, but does not have the time to indulge in lengthy study. Parents, child care providers, teachers, nurses, social workers, attorneys, therapists, students, and counselors will all appreciate this work. Mercer defines attachment and related terms, discusses the history of the idea, and describes ways in which this aspect of emotional life can be measured. She explains developmental change and the way attachment continues to alter from infancy to adulthood. The importance of social experiences with parents and other caregivers is emphasized. Outcomes of good and poor attachment experiences are discussed, and there is material on attachment disorders. The book concludes with a description of recent work that gives a new perspective on attachment.
Language policy, ethnic conflict, and conflict resolution: Albanian in the former Yugoslavia

The 1990s disintegration of Yugoslavia was marked by vicious ethnic conflict in several parts of the region. In this paper, I consider the role of policy towards the Albanian language in promoting and perpetuating conflict. I take three case studies from the former Yugoslavia in which conflict between ethnic Albanians and the dominant group emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s—Serbia’s Presevo Valley, Kosovo, and Macedonia—and examine language policies in these regions toward ethnic Albanians from the time of the Ottoman Empire to the present. Framing discriminatory language policies as structural violence (Galtung in J Peace Res 6(3):167–191, 1969), I show that conflict remains intractable in Kosovo, where discriminatory language policies have been applied first to Albanians and then to Serbs. By contrast, policies that improve linguistic rights for Albanians in Macedonia and Serbia without discriminating against Macedonians or Serbs in turn have played a role in resolving the conflicts there. Furthermore, integration of Albanians in Serbia has resulted in fewer incidents in recent years than in Macedonia. I argue that while assimilationist language policies serve as both indicator/cause of conflict, policies that promote positive language rights (Wright in Lang Policy 6:203–224, 2007) and emphasize balanced bilingualism may be seen as a potential tool for conflict resolution.
LEAD ISOTOPES AS MONITORS OF ANTHROPOGENIC AND NATURAL SOURCES AFFECTING THE SURFICIAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract Arsenical pesticides and herbicides were used extensively in New England (USA) during the first half of the twentieth century. The pesticides were used on apple, blueberry, and potato crops. The arsenical pesticides (lead arsenate, calcium arsenate, and sodium arsenate) have similar Pb-isotopic compositions: 208 Pb/ 207 Pb = 2.3839–2.4722 and 206 Pb/ 207 Pb = 1.1035–1.2010. Other arsenical pesticides such as copper acetoarsenite (Paris green), as well as arsanilic acid, are widely variable in isotope composition. Common organoarsenical pesticides and herbicides such as monosodium methyl arsonate (MSMA), methyl arsonic acid, and methane arsonic acid have Pb-isotopic signatures that overlap the historical arsenical pesticides, but extend to significantly less radiogenic ratios of 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 208 Pb/ 207 Pb. This Pb-isotopic difference is notable and suggests that these types of pesticides could be distinguished in Pb-bearing minerals formed in the near-surface environment. A full assessment of the environmental impact of the historical use of arsenical pesticides is not available, but initial studies indicate that arsenic and lead concentrations in stream sediments in New England (northeastern USA) are higher in agricultural areas that intensely used arsenical pesticides than in other areas. The possible lingering effects of arsenical pesticide use were tested in a detailed geochemical and isotopic study of soil profiles from a small watershed containing arsenic-enriched groundwater in coastal Maine. The Pb-isotopic compositions of acid-leach extractions represent lead adsorbed to mineral surfaces or held in soluble minerals (Fe- and Mn-oxyhydroxides, carbonate, and some micaceous minerals) in the soils, whereas residue compositions likely reflect bedrock compositions. Labile Pb-isotopic compositions (acid-leach) show a moderate range in 206 Pb/ 207 Pb (1.1870–1.2069) and 208 Pb/ 207 Pb (2.4519–2.4876). Isotope values vary as a function of depth: the lowest Pb-isotopic ratios (e.g., 208 Pb/ 206 Pb) representing labile lead are in the uppermost soil horizons (also containing highest Pb abundances). A multicomponent mixing scheme that includes predominantly lead from the local parent rock (Penobscot Formation) and lead derived from combustion of fossil fuels could account for the observed Pb-isotopic variations in the soil profiles. In general, however, our preliminary data also show that the extensive use of arsenical pesticides and herbicides in agricultural regions can be a notable anthropogenic source of arsenic and lead to stream sediments and soils.
Organ Preservation in Rectal Adenocarcinoma: a phase II randomized controlled trial evaluating 3-year disease-free survival in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with chemoradiation plus induction or consolidation chemotherapy, and total mesorectal excision or nonoperative management

Treatment of patients with non-metastatic, locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) includes pre-operative chemoradiation, total mesorectal excision (TME) and post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy. This trimodality treatment provides local tumor control in most patients; but almost one-third ultimately die from distant metastasis. Most survivors experience significant impairment in quality of life (QoL), due primarily to removal of the rectum. A current challenge lies in identifying patients who could safely undergo rectal preservation without sacrificing survival benefit and QoL. This multi-institutional, phase II study investigates the efficacy of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and selective non-operative management (NOM) in LARC. Patients with MRI-staged Stage II or III rectal cancer amenable to TME will be randomized to receive FOLFOX/CAPEOX: a) before induction neoadjuvant chemotherapy (INCT); or b) after consolidation neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CNCT), with 5-FU or capecitabine-based chemoradiation. Patients in both arms will be re-staged after completing all neoadjuvant therapy. Those with residual tumor at the primary site will undergo TME. Patients with clinical complete response (cCR) will receive non-operative management (NOM). NOM patients will be followed every 3 months for 2 years, and every 6 months thereafter. TME patients will be followed according to NCCN guidelines. All will be followed for at least 5 years from the date of surgery or—in patients treated with NOM—the last day of treatment. The studies published thus far on the safety of NOM in LARC have compared survival between select groups of patients with a cCR after NOM, to patients with a pathologic complete response (pCR) after TME. The current study compares 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) in an entire population of patients with LARC, including those with cCR and those with pCR. We will compare the two arms of the study with respect to organ preservation at 3 years, treatment compliance, adverse events and surgical complications. We will measure QoL in both groups. We will analyze molecular indications that may lead to more individually tailored treatments in the future. This will be the first NOM trial utilizing a regression schema for response assessment in a prospective fashion. NCT02008656
Sexual Behavior in the Human Female

"Sexual Behavior in the Human Female" was originally published in 1953, five years after the male volume. The material presented in this book was derived from personal interviews with nearly 6,000 women; from studies in sexual Anatomy, Physiology, Psychology, and Endocrinology. The book presents data on the incidence and frequency with which women participate in various types of sexual activity. The authors show how such factors as age, decade of birth, and religious adherence are reflected in patterns of sexual behavior. Some measure of the social significance of the various types of sexual behavior is provided. The authors make comparisons of female and male sexual activities, and investigate the factors which account for the similarities and differences between female and male patterns of behavior.
Kinetics of Silicon Nitride Chemical Vapor Deposition from Silicon Tetrafluoride and Ammonia

Rate laws for the chemical vapor deposition of Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] from SiF[sub 4] and NH[sub 3] are obtained by fitting the results of parametric reactor experiments with a one-dimensional steady-state model for the reactor. The model includes axial mass transport by both convection and multicomponent diffusion, and allowance is made for the use of an experimentally determined temperature profile. Global kinetic expressions with adjustable constants are used to account for deposition on both crystalline and amorphous surfaces, as well as the heterogeneous decomposition of NH[sub 3]. In addition, there are mechanisms that determine the actual degree of surface crystallinity at any location. Optimum values for the rate constants are found by searching for the best overall fit to the experimental deposition rate and crystallinity data. It is shown that the model, with simple second-order expressions for the deposition rates, is quite successful in reproducing the experimentally observed effects of temperature, flow rate, reactant mole ratio, and axial position.
The use of dental characteristics in the identification of human remains. A preliminary study.

Abstract Dental characteristics often provide valuable information in establishing postmortem individual identification of unknown human remains, especially when conventional soft-tissue criteria cannot be used. This report proposes that routine antemortem dental records can be used for information storage and retrieval so as to assist in establishing individual postmortem identity. Such a system would be of particular use for personnel in the high-risk professions. In a limited pilot study conducted on 100 adults, information obtained on panoramic radiographs was successfully used to establish probable individual identity from simulated postmortem fragments.
Rapamycin : immunosuppression, hyporesponsiveness, and side effects in a porcine renal allograft model

Rapamycin prolongs allograft survival and induces donor-specific tolerance in some small animal transplant models. Large animal studies, however, are limited. We studied rapamycin in a porcine renal allograft model. Donor-recipient combinations were chosen based on high response in pretransplant MLCs. Allografts were anastomosed to the aorta and vena cava and the native kidneys removed. There were 5 treatment groups: (a) no immunosuppression; (b) triple therapy (CsA, 1 mg/kg/day; AZA, 2-3 mg/kg/day; and PRED, 3-4 mg/kg/day); (c) rapamycin (0.75 mg/kg/day i.m.) in carboxymethylcellulose (CMC); (d) rapamycin (0.25 mg/kg/day i.m. in CMC); and (e) a vehicle (CMC) control. Serum creatinine levels were determined every other day. Most allografts were biopsied once a week. Immunosuppression was stopped after 30 days. Mean graft survival in nonimmunosuppressed recipients was 6.8 +/- 3.6 days. Mean graft survival in triple therapy recipients (n = 10) was 45.7 +/- 36 days vs. 59.6 +/- 11.4 days in rapamycin (0.25 mg/kg/day) recipients (n = 7) (P = 0.51). Both triple therapy and rapamycin improved renal allograft survival versus nonimmunosuppressed controls (P = 0.0025 and 0.001, respectively). Serum creatinine levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in rapamycin versus triple therapy recipients. We conclude that rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressant in a porcine renal allograft model and may avoid the elevated serum creatinine levels associated with CsA.
Behavior Of Broadband Fiber Sources In A Fiber Gyroscope

Two fiber laser sources, a resonant fiber laser (RFL) and a superfluorescent fiber laser (SFL), have been given initial tests as gyro sources using a medium quality gyro test bed. The RFL reacted strongly to optical feedback from the gyro circuit resulting in very large unstable errors in the gyro output. These were suppressed substantially by an optical isolator which reduced feedback from the gyro, or by a phase modulator within the laser cavity. The SFL was found to be free of errors of this type when operated at output power levels below a threshold level (about 0.5 mw) for self oscillation due to external optical circuit reflections.
Estimation of Recruitment Forgone Resulting from Larval Fish Entrainment

Abstract The effect of larvae entrainment on fish populations is difficult to determine because larvae abundance, mortality, and growth are difficult to estimate. The concept of production forgone (lost) was developed recently to avoid estimation of abundance, but estimates of mortality and growth rates for larvae, young-of-year, and juveniles are still necessary, and these too are difficult to estimate. For sportfish, production forgone is less important than recruitment, and recruitment forgone, or lost, as a result of larvae and egg entrainment could be useful for assessment of sportfish larvae and egg entrainment. A method is developed for estimation of recruitment forgone; it only requires estimates of population parameters for the mature population; it requires no estimates of abundance. The method is applied to assess yellow perch larvae entrainment at the Monroe Power Plant, Monroe, Michigan, located on the western basin of Lake Erie. The number of yellow perch larvae entrained was 1.28 x 10 8 , which is an enormous number, but larvae mortality is high and the recruitment forgone was 8,933 fish.
Correlations between certain biochemical properties of breast cancer and response to therapy: A preliminary report

Biochemical analyses were carried out on tissues from 130 women with mammary carcinoma and 104 patients with benign breast lesions. The tissues were assayed for specific estrogen-binding proteins (EBP) and for several enzymes involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Normal breast, fibrocystic disease, and fibroadenomas usually exhibited lower enzyme levels than malignant tissues, and rarely contained specific EBP. Intraductal carcinoma appears to contain certain biochemical characteristics unique to this tissue when compared with benign proliferative breast diseases; these differences may be of value in prediction of response to various types of therapy.
A new kinematic evolutionary model for the growth of a duplex — an example from the Rangit duplex, Sikkim Himalaya, India

Abstract The Lesser Himalayan duplex (LHD) is a prominent structure through much of the Lesser Himalayan fold–thrust belt. In the Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya a component of the LHD is exposed in the Rangit window as the Rangit duplex (RD). The RD consists of ten horses of the upper Lesser Himalayan Sequence (Gondwana, Buxa, Upper Daling). The duplex varies from hinterland-dipping in the north, through an antiformal stack in the middle to foreland-dipping in the south. The Ramgarh thrust (RT) is the roof thrust and, based on a balanced cross-section, the Main Himalayan Sole thrust is the floor thrust at a depth of ~ 10 km and with a dip of ~ 3.5° N. Retrodeformation suggests that the RD initiated as a foreland-dipping duplex with the Early Ramgarh thrust as the roof thrust and the RT as the floor thrust. The RT became the roof thrust during continued duplexing by a combination of footwall imbrication and concurrent RT reactivation. This kinematic history best explains the large translation of the overlying MCT sheets. The restoration suggests that RD shortening is ~ 125 km, and the original Gondwana basin extended ~ 142 km northward of its present northernmost exposures within the window.
RECENT CHANGES IN THE CA II H AND K EMISSION LINES IN THE SPECTRUM OF ZET AND.

Significant changes in the profiles of the Ca II H and K lines of the RS CVn-like binary ζ And have been noted over the past three years, with emission increasing over this time period at both lines.
Joseph Beete Jukes, the ‘Cambridge Connection’, and the Theory of Reef Development in Australia in the Nineteenth Century

Joseph Beete Jukes studied geology at Cambridge University under Adam Sedgwick at a time when Lyell's Principles of Geology (1830-1833) revitalized the subject and when Darwin was engaged in the voyage of the Beagle (1831-1836). He owed his first professional position in Newfoundland to the patronage of Sedgwick, Lyell, Darwin and others both in Cambridge and in London, and his appointment as naturalist on H.M.S. Fly (1842-1846), to survey the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to these same supporters. Darwin published his coral reef theory in 1838, and this provided the intellectual basis for Jukes's work. In New South Wales Jukes was met by another of Sedgwick's pupils, W. B. Clarke, the leading earth scientist in the colony. Clarke himself had recently met J. D. Dana, the reef geologist on the Wilkes Expedition, who was also enthusiastic for Darwin's theory. Jukes's reef work was characterised both by Darwin's theoretical insights, which he supported but did not extend, and Sedgwick's pragmatic commitmen...
CNS Gene Encoding Astrotactin, Which Supports Neuronal Migration Along Glial Fibers

Vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) histogenesis depends on glia-guided migration of postmitotic neurons to form neuronal laminae. Previous studies have established that the neuronal protein astrotactin functions in murine cerebellar granule cell migration in vitro. The gene encoding astrotactin predicts a protein with three epidermal growth factor repeats and two fibronectin type III repeats. Astrotactin messenger RNA is expressed in postmitotic neuronal precursors in the cerebellum, hippocampus, cerebrum, and olfactory bulb, where migration establishes laminar structures. Fab fragments of antibodies to a recombinant astrotactin peptide blocked migration of cerebellar granule neurons in vitro along astroglial fibers. Transfection of astrotactin complementary DNA into 3T3 cells indicated that astrotactin acts as a ligand for neuron-glia binding during neuronal migration.
Berber language ideologies, maintenance, and contraction: Gendered variation in the indigenous margins of Morocco

Language contraction is shaped by the unequal distribution of power and resources, both between the language community and the dominant society, and within the contracting language community itself. Gender is connected to other social divisions and inequalities, rendering it central to processes of maintenance and loss. For indigenous groups struggling for recognition and rights, public acknowledgement of intra-group fractures may be political suicide, but for scholars it is crucial, albeit absent from the outpouring of attention to endangered languages. Linguistic ideologies about place, gender, and social change naturalize, reinforce, and mediate subjectivities, ethnolinguistic repertoires, national identities, and collective moralities. Two groups of Tashelhit Berber speakers of southwestern Morocco – Anti-Atlas mountain dwellers and Sous Valley plains dwellers – contrast in regard to their patterns of language maintenance and contraction, but in both, women are central in ways that engage their dissimilar relationships to Arabic speakers and to their own conceptions of rurality.
Synthesis of novel peptidyl adenosine antibiotic analogs

A small library of peptidyl adenosine antibiotic analogs was synthesized, under the Pilot Scale Library Program of the NIH Roadmap initiative, from 2',3'-O-isoproylideneadenosine-5'-carboxylic acid 2 in excellent yield. The coupling of the amino terminus of L-2-aminophenylbutyric methyl ester to a free 5'-carboxylic acid moiety of 2 followed by sodium hydroxide treatment led to carboxylic acid analog 4. Hydrolysis of this latter gave unprotected nucleoside analog 5. Intermediate 4 served as the precursor for the preparation of novel peptidyl adenosine analogs 6-18 in good yields and high purity through peptide coupling reactions to diverse amine derivatives. No marked anticancer and antimalaria activity was noted on preliminary cellular testing; however these analogs should be useful candidates for other types of biological activity.
Dynamic Programming Methodology for Prioritizing Sewerage Projects

A simple yet effective approach is developed on the basis of dynamic programming (DP) as a means of objectively selecting and prioritizing sewerage projects within available funds and system capacity. The methodology consists of two DP models: a collection system model with an embedded benefit assessment technique to identify areas for wastewater collection; and a transportation system model to select routes of wastewater conveyance. Unlike conventional benefit analysis, benefits in this approach are defined as changes in adverse environmental, public health, and other noneconomic consequences as a result of sewerage provisions. The approach is a useful decision tool for planning sewerage system expansion. The models are used to identify “best” sewerage expansion plans for Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Sixteen potential areas for sewerage expansion and three existing plants with additional wastewater treatment capacity are considered.
Triggering of phase slip in superconducting microbridges by impact of low-energy atoms

Abstract Voltage pulses have been observed across a long superconducting microbridge biased below its critical current when ions or atoms of argon or helium with energies from 150 to 800 eV are incident on the bridge. These pulses are attributed to the triggering of phase slip at spatially discrete localized centers along the superconducting film by the impact of single incident particles.
Short-term exposure to 0. 3 ppm nitrogen dioxide does not potentiate airway responsiveness to sulfur dioxide in asthmatic subjects

Whether short-term exposure to low levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) enhances airway responsiveness in asthmatic subjects is controversial. Because it is well established that asthma is associated with increased airway responsiveness to another common air pollutant, sulfur dioxide (SO2), we examined whether short-term exposure of asthmatic subjects to 0.3 ppm NO2 potentiates airway responsiveness to inhaled SO2. We exposed nine subjects with clinically stable asthma to 0.3 ppm NO2 or filtered air in an environmental room for 30 min on 2 separate days at least 1 wk apart in a double-blind, randomized fashion. A questionnaire about common symptoms related to inhaled irritants was completed before and immediately after each exposure. Each subject exercised (60 to 80 W) on a cycloergometer during the first 20 min of each exposure. We measured specific airway resistance (SRaw) and FEV1/FVC before, 5 min after, and 1 h after completion of the air or NO2 exposure. The single-breath nitrogen test (SBN2) was also performed before and 1 h after completion of the air or NO2 exposures and closing volume was determined; subsequently, SO2 dose-response curves (0.25 to 4.0 ppm) were performed via a mouthpiece. Each dose of SO2 was inhaled at a minute ventilation of 20 L/min for 4 min and was doubled until SRaw increased by at least 8 U above baseline. The dose of SO2 required to provoke an increase in SRaw of 8 U above baseline was determined by linear interpolation from the dose-response curve (PD8Uso2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A role for lymphotoxin in the acquisition of Ly49 receptors during NK cell development

NK cells lyse tumor, virus-infected and allogeneic cells through a recognition system involving inhibitory and activating receptors, among which are the Ly49 molecules that recognize MHC class I proteins. To date, little is known about the regulation of Ly49 expression during NK cell development. In this study we report that the acquisition of Ly49 receptors by NK cells is significantly reduced in lymphotoxin (LT) α-deficient mice, whereas it is increased in LTα transgenic mice. Treating normal mice with LTβR-Ig fusion protein reduced Ly49 expression, indicating that regulation of Ly49 receptor expression occurs through the engagement of membrane LT to LTβR, and not soluble LT to TNFR. In addition, when LTα–/– mice were treated exogenously with recombinant IL-15, NK cell numbers as well as Ly49 acquisition were restored to wild-type levels. Finally, using real-time PCR analyses of bone marrow cells obtained from LT-deficient or transgenic mice, we show a direct correlation between LTβR activation and increased IL-15 transcription. These data suggest that LTβR-mediated signals regulate Ly49 expression at least in part through the activation of IL-15.
Delayed surgical resection reduces intraoperative blood loss for embolized meningiomas.

OBJECTIVE: Embolization before surgical resection of tumors has been demonstrated to reduce intraoperative blood loss, but the optimal time that should elapse between embolization and tumor resection has not been established. We evaluated whether immediate surgical resection (≤24 h) after embolization or delayed surgical resection (>24 h) was more effective in minimizing intraoperative blood loss. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records for 50 patients with meningiomas who underwent preoperative embolization between 1993 and 1999. We divided the patients into two groups, i.e., those who underwent surgical resection of their meningiomas ≤24 hours after embolization and those who underwent surgery more than 24 hours after embolization. The extent of embolization, intraoperative blood loss, duration of surgery, and length of the hospital stay were compared for the two groups. Postoperative pathological specimens were examined for assessment of the extent of vascularity and necrosis caused by embolization. RESULTS: Intraoperative blood loss was greater for the immediate group than for the delayed group (29% with blood loss of >1000 ml [median, 475 ml] versus 0% with blood loss of >700 ml [median, 337.5 ml]; P = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with respect to tumor volume, extent of embolization, degree of devascularization, necrosis, duration of surgery, or length of the hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Contrary to previous studies that emphasized a need for tumor removal immediately after embolization, to prevent revascularization, surgical resection of meningiomas should be delayed more than 24 hours after embolization, because there is less intraoperative blood loss.
JContextExplorer: a tree-based approach to facilitate cross-species genomic context comparison

Background Cross-species comparisons of gene neighborhoods (also called genomic contexts) in microbes may provide insight into determining functionally related or co-regulated sets of genes, suggest annotations of previously un-annotated genes, and help to identify horizontal gene transfer events across microbial species. Existing tools to investigate genomic contexts, however, lack features for dynamically comparing and exploring genomic regions from multiple species. As DNA sequencing technologies improve and the number of whole sequenced microbial genomes increases, a user-friendly genome context comparison platform designed for use by a broad range of users promises to satisfy a growing need in the biological community.
Lactobacillus Species as a Cause of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in a Critically Ill Trauma Patient

Lactobacillus species are ubiquitous inhabitants of the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts and rarely cause infections. Pneumonia caused by Lactobacillus has been reported only in immunocompromised patients and in one patient with structural lung disease. A 39-year-old, immunocompetent, critically ill woman developed ventilator-associated pneumonia, which was found to be caused by Lactobacillus. To our knowledge, this is the first such report. The infection was treated successfully with 14 days of intravenous vancomycin. Based on this case, Lactobacillus should be considered a possible cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia in immunocompetent, critically ill patients.
Physical Rehabilitation Alters Body Composition in Chronically Obese Cat

Successful weight loss in obese dogs and cats is difficult, and even more so in pets who don't exercise regularly or are inactive. Over the past 10 years, physical rehabilitation (or physio-therapy) as a treatment or wellness modality has been gaining popularity in small animal veterinary practice. This case report describes the use of physical rehabilitation to achieve weight loss and a decreased body condition score in a chronically obese cat. A 7-year old, female-spayed domestic, short-haired cat, weighing 15 lbs, was evaluated by the Nutrition Support Service at Michigan State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital for a weight management consultation. The cat had a history of chronic obesity and the owner reported feeding a variety of reduced or restricted-calorie foods, both canned and dry versions, over the previous 5 years. The home environment included three other cats, none of which were overweight. All cats were fed once daily in the evening; separate food bowls were provided for each cat, but multiple water bowls and litter boxes were shared. A course of 8 weeks of physio-therapy was recommended, with a target weight of 12 lbs identified, to which the owner agreed. Body weight, body condition score and circumference measures of axillary, rib and flank areas were taken at the initial visit, and at 3 weeks and 8 weeks. At the beginning of the 8th week, the cat's body weight had dropped from 15 lbs to 14.2 lbs, and the body condition score shifted down from 9 to 8 out of 9. More dramatically, however, were changes measured in body circumference: from 43 cm to 38.6 cm in the axilla (11% decrease); 50.3 cm to 42.5 cm in the ribs (15.5% decrease); 46 cm to 41 cm in the flank (11% decrease). To the author's knowledge, this is the first report confirming weight loss, reduced body condition score, and altered body composition in a cat as a direct result of physical rehabilitation.
Future of Strained Si/Semiconductors in Nanoscale MOSFETs

The maximum electron and hole mobility enhancement for uniaxial process-induced strained silicon is modeled and experimentally measured using a flexure based 4-point wafer bending jig. The highest known uniaxial stress to date is introduced into the channel of MOSFETs (applied mechanical stress of ~1.0GPa on samples with initial process stress of 1GPa for a total channel stress of ~2Pa). The maximum mobility enhancement from uniaxial stress is found to be greater than ~4.0 and ~1.7 times for holes and electrons, respectively. The physics behind the strain enhanced mobility is explained and future cases of technological importance to the industry are investigated.
Cooling Neutral Atoms in a Magnetic Trap for Precision Spectroscopy

A configuration of magnetic fields is exhibited which can harmonically trap paramagnetic particles in a shallow field minimum, superposed on a nearly uniform field which simplifies spectroscopic interactions with the particles. The potential energy of a trapped neutral particle depends on the particle's internal quantum number, as well as its position in the trap, permitting a combined rf-laser optical pumping cycle which can cool particles by a factor of 2 per cycle. Application of these ideas to the trapping of Na atoms is discussed.
Growth characteristics and allometry of Robinia pseudoacacia as a silvopastoral system component

Demand for goat (Capra hircus) meat in the southeastern USA is steadily increasing as a result of preferences exhibited by ethnic communities. Feeding systems that include fodder trees can be developed to take advantage of the natural preference of goats for browse. Data were collected for 2 years on a 5-year old stand of Robinia pseudoacacia L. to evaluate growth characteristics for goat browse and to develop allometric relationships in a randomized complete block design (intra-row spacing 0.5 or 1 m and coppice height 0.25 or 0.50 m) replicated six times. Allometric equations were derived from destructive harvests of 68 trees. Main branch size was not affected by intra-row spacing when trees were coppiced at 0.25 m; however, when coppiced at 0.5 m, trees spaced at 1 m had more and larger branches (P < 0.05) than trees spaced at 0.5 m. Intra-row spacing did not influence tree herbage biomass when trees were spaced at 0.5 m whereas trees coppiced at 0.25 m and spaced at 1 m produced less woody and herbaceous biomass than trees spaced at 0.5 m (P < 0.05). A strong relationship (P < 0.0001) was found between tree herbage biomass and the number of main branches greater than 0.01 m (r2 = 0.80). The results, based on growth characteristics and tree herbage biomass production, suggest that Robinia pseudoacacia L. would be an excellent candidate as a silvopastoral component in the southeastern USA.
Size-dependent Allometry of Tree Height, Diameter and Trunk-taper

Abstract The allometry of tree height with respect to trunk diameter and the allometry of trunk diameter with respect to distance from the top of the tree (i.e. trunk taper) were determined for 27 Robinia pseudoacacia trees differing in age and size growing in an open field. The allometric (scaling) exponent for height was > 1 for small and young trees and decreased to 2/3 and then 1/2 as tree size and age increased. Similarly, the exponent for taper was > 1 near the tips of young and old trunks and converged onto values of 2/3 and 1/2 toward the base of mature tree trunks. These observations indicate that a single 'optimal mechanical design principle' (i.e. elastic, stress or geometric self-similarity) neither holds true throughout the lifetime of R. pseudoacacia trees, nor does a single design principle govern the taper of a trunk throughout its entire length. Rather, over the course of growth and development, the allometry of R. pseudoacacia tree height and trunk taper progressively changes, complying with geometric self-similarity for young plants (and young portions of old plants) and subsequently giving the appearance of elastic or stress self-similarity as plants (or portions of plants) get older and therefore larger. Analyses of published (and new) data suggest that the conclusions drawn for R. pseudoacacia trees are likely to hold true for other tree species because stem growth in diameter is 'indeterminate' whereas growth in overall tree height is asymptotic and therefore essentially 'determinate'.
Structural organization of the human tyrosinase gene and sequence analysis and characterization of its promoter region.

Abstract Tyrosinase is the principal enzyme in the biosynthesis of melanin. The expression of tyrosinase is tissue-specific and appears to be regulated by various hormonal and environmental factors. Elucidation of the genomic structure and molecular basis of control of tyrosinase gene expression will greatly enhance our understanding of the regulation of human pigmentation. To this end, we have isolated and performed restriction mapping of recombinant cosmid and lambda phage clones containing the human tyrosinase gene, sequenced a 2.2-kilobase (kb) region of its promoter, and determined the potential regions regulating the tyrosinase gene expression in transient-expression system. The human tyrosinase gene is comprised of five exons and four introns. Based on our restriction mapping studies, the gene spans a distance of over 65-kb on chromosome 11 (q14 → q21). We constructed a series of plasmids (pHTY-CAT) that contain 5′ sequential deletions of the human tyrosinase 5′ flanking sequence fused to the reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyl-transferase (CAT). The plasmids were used to locate promoter regions that are potential regulators of tyrosinase gene expression in a transient expression system using melanoma cell lines. In human melanoma cells, the plasmid construct with a -2020 base pair (bp) promoter yielded the highest CAT activity. When the deletions reached -1739 bp, the CAT activity was dramatically reduced, indicating that important enhancer elements for transcription control are present between -1739 and -2020 bp. Further deletions up to -550 bp also resulted in dramatic decreases of CAT activity. However, when the deletion included -550 bp of the 5′ flanking sequence, there was 26 percent of the CAT activity compared to that of the -2020 bp promoter. Deletions beyond -550 bp also showed markedly decreased CAT activity. Based on our data, we suggest that human tyrosinase gene expression is governed by both tissue-specific and multiple regulatory elements.
A model for predicting the site of paraxial retinal lesions secondary to "coaxial" operating microscope illumination systems.

We measured a 15 ± 2-mm displacement of the illuminating element of the coaxial operating microscope from the true optical center of the microscope. We further calculated the displacement of the image of the illuminating element of the operating microscope on the retina of the simplified schematic eye and found that the "coaxial" operating microscope would focus the light between 1.3 and 1.8 mm superior to the fovea of the eye, depending on the theoretical refractive status of the simplified eye. Actual measurements on a simulated retina (35-mm camera) confirmed the calculated displacements. The deviation varied with eye tilt and microscope position. We also found that the maneuvers commonly used by anterior segment surgeons of tilting the microscope and rotating the eye downward tended to displace the image of the illuminating element closer to the fovea, increasing the chance for symptomatic retinal damage. A combination of such maneuvers may reduce the potential for clinically significant retinal photo-toxicity by displacing the light further inferior to the fovea.
Assessment of Anthropometric, Nutritional and Immunologic Status in Children Born to Women Infected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: Infection with HIV was associated with significant decrements in growth, weight gain and CD4+ T-lymphocyte count Poor growth, weight loss, low energy intake and depletion of CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell counts are prominent findings in infants and children with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV). The purpose of this study was to analyze on a cross-sectional basis the relationship between growth, body weight, nutrient intake, CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell counts and HIV status in infants and children perinatally exposed to HIV infection. The children (n=48 HIV-infected, n=35 uninfected, age 0-12y) attended a pediatric infectious disease clinic in New York City. Anthropometric measurements and CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts were obtained from medical records and food intake was assessed from multiple 24-hour dietary recall records for 34 HIV-exposed children. Statistical analysis (T-tests, chi square tests) showed that infants and children infected with HIV weighed less (NCHS-weight for age z-score - .57 vs .01, p=.04) and were shorter in stature (length for age z-score - .90 vs - .42, p=.04) than uninfected children. The mean CD4+ T-lymphocyte count of infected children was significantly lower (743 vs 2316, p=.000) than that of uninfected children. Infected children, whose CD4+ levels
Measuring the sources and content of relational uncertainty

Uncertainty reduction theory suggests that the self, the partner, and the relationship constitute three sources of uncertainty within interpersonal relationships; however, existing operationaliza‐tions of uncertainty focus predominately on partner issues. More recent extensions of the uncertainty construct to developed relationships call for a measure that both captures the range of uncertainty as originally conceptualized and attends to the uncertainty issues relevant in ongoing associations. We conducted a study of individuals in dating relationships to develop a measure that assesses the sources and content of relational uncertainty. Results identified three content issues for uncertainty focused on either the self or the partner: desire for the relationship, evaluation of the relationship, and goals for the relationship. Uncertainty about the relationship encompassed four content issues: behavioral norms for the relationship, mutuality of feelings between the partners, current definition of the relati...
A Social Cognitive Analysis of the Effects of Parental Divorce on Premarital Couples' Communication Skills

Abstract Based on predictions from social cognitive theory, this study examined the role of efficacy beliefs in the association between observation of parental divorce and relational communication skills in a sample of 111 premarital couples. Couples participated in a laboratory problem- solving interaction from which communication skills were assessed, in addition to trait skills measures. Hypothesized structural equation models indicated no consistent associations between parental divorce and either lower communication skills or relational self-efficacy. However, parental divorce was predictive of lower appraisals of partner relational efficacy for men and diminished beliefs in the feasibility of lifelong marriage for men and women. In addition, couples with a history of parental divorce appeared more accurate in appraising each other's relational efficacy in comparison with couples without a history of parental divorce.
Specific changes in β2-adrenoceptor trafficking kinetics and intracellular sorting during downregulation

Agonist-activated beta2-adrenoceptors rapidly internalize and then recycle to the cell surface, however chronic agonist eventually causes receptor downregulation. To characterize beta2-adrenoceptor trafficking kinetics and intracellular sorting during downregulation, human embryonic kidney cells expressing epitope-tagged receptors were examined by radioligand binding with (+/-)-[3H]4-(3-tertiarybutylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy)-benzimidazole- 2-on hydrochloride ([3H]CGP12177) and immunofluorescence microscopy. The first-order receptor recycling rate constant declined after 18 h of agonist compared with 15 min (0.05 min(-1) vs. 0.12 min(-1)), thus increasing the intracellular transit time (20.0 min vs. 8.3 min). There was also a reduction in the rate of receptor endocytosis and a decline in the total number of receptors. Although the intracellular receptor fraction did not increase between 15 min and 18 h of agonist, some receptors moved irreversibly into a protease-containing compartment while retaining radioligand binding activity. Our results indicate that beta2-adrenoceptor downregulation is associated principally with an increased intracellular transit time during recycling. This could promote the diversion of receptors into protease-containing compartments, where there is an irreversible commitment to downregulation prior to loss of radioligand binding activity.
Addressing the burden of post-conflict surgical disease – Strategies from the North Caucasus

The 2004 terror attack on a school in Beslan, North Caucasus, with more than 1300 children and their families taken hostage and 334 people killed, ended after extreme violence. Following the disaster, many survivors with blast ear injuries developed complications because no microsurgery services were available in the region. Here, we present our strategies in North Ossetia to strengthen subspecialty surgical care in a region of instable security conditions. Disaster modifies disease burden in an environment of conflict-related health-care limitations. We built on available secondary care and partnered international with local stakeholders to reach and treat victims of a humanitarian disaster. A strategy of mutual commitment resulted in treatment of all consenting Beslan victims with blast trauma sequelae and of non disaster-related patients. Credible, sustained partnerships and needs assessments beyond the immediate phases after a disaster are essential to facilitate a meaningful transition from humanitarian aid to capacity building exceeding existing insufficient standards. Psychosocial impacts of disaster might constitute a barrier to care and need to be assessed when responding to the burden of surgical disease in conflict or post-conflict settings. Involving local citizen groups in the planning process can be useful to identify and access vulnerable populations. Integration of our strategy into broader efforts might strengthen the local health system through management and leadership.
Measuring Media Exposure to Contradictory Health Information: A Comparative Analysis of Four Potential Measures

There is increasing concern that the news media present conflicting health information on topics including cancer screening and nutrition, yet little is known about whether people notice such content. This study proposes four potential measures of media exposure to contradictory health information, using nutrition as an example (Measures I-IV). The measures varied on two dimensions: (1) content specificity, or whether specific nutrition topics and health consequences were mentioned in the question scripting, and (2) obtrusiveness, or whether "contradictory or conflicting information" was mentioned. Using data from the Annenberg National Health Communication Survey (ANHCS), we evaluated the performance of each measure against a set of validity criteria including nomological, convergent, and face validity. Overall, measure IV, which was moderately content-specific and obtrusive, performed consistently well and may prove most useful to researchers studying media effects of contradictory health information. Future directions and applications are discussed.