cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
U.S. Healthcare Personnel and Influenza Vaccination During the 2004–2005 Vaccine Shortage

Background Healthcare personnel with direct patient contact were prioritized for influenza vaccination during the 2004–2005 vaccine shortage. Data about vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel during vaccine shortages are limited. Methods Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2005 data were analyzed in 2007 for a sample of healthcare facility workers (HCFW) aged 18–64 with ( n =3456) and without ( n =1153) direct patient contact and non-HCFWs ( n =39,405). Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with influenza vaccination among HCFWs and to compare HCFWs with non-HCFWs with regard to the main reason for nonvaccination during the shortage. Results Vaccination coverage was 37% (SE ± 3.1) among HCFWs with direct patient contact and 25% (SE ± 5.7) among those without. In multivariate analysis, coverage was higher among HCFWs who were older, more educated, and with higher incomes and better access to health care. The reason most commonly reported by HCFWs and non-HCFWs for nonvaccination was the belief that they did not need vaccination (35% versus 40%, respectively; p Conclusions Even in a time of influenza-vaccine shortage, when most healthcare personnel were targeted for vaccination, their uptake of the vaccine remained suboptimal. Continued efforts are needed to develop effective interventions to improve the use of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers.
Effect of Symmetry of Molecular Weight Distribution in Block Copolymers on Formation of ``Metastable'' Morphologies

Polystyrene-b-poly(methyl acrylate) (PS−PMA) copolymers were synthesized using activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Polydispersity of the PMA block was varied by adjusting the amount of copper catalyst in ARGET ATRP, and the resulting molecular weight distributions were found to be approximately symmetric. At a composition of 35 vol % of PMA, the formation of a hexagonally perforated lamellar (HPL) morphology was observed for a polydisperse PS−PMA copolymer for short- and long-term solvent-casting conditions. No order−order transitions were observed at elevated temperatures or after prolonged thermal annealing. The observed stabilization of the HPL morphology—that is considered to be metastable in narrow-disperse diblock copolymers as well as diblock copolymers with selective block polydispersity given by a Schulz−Zimm distribution—suggests that the skewness of the distribution of block molecular weights is an important parameter for the stru...
On the role of the RBV in marketing

This short note contains some reflections on the relationship between the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) and marketing. I focus on the main proposition of the RBV—that a firm should focus on what it can do better than others—and argue that it has implications for almost all marketing activities and that much thinking in the field already is consistent with it.
“Behavioral experiments” in economics

Behavioral economics has grown significantly in importance and prevalence within the economics profession over the last couple of decades. Most economics departments now include researchers conducting behavioral research, and most economics journals regularly publish behavioral work. Behavioral economics is generally defined as using evidence and constructs from neighboring social sciences, especially about limits on computation, willpower, and self-interest, to inform economic analysis (e.g., Camerer and Loewenstein, 2003). While many of these constructs come from psychology, other social sciences have much to contribute as well (see Weber and Dawes, 2005). For instance, anthropological research has provided important insights into the understanding of how social institutions and interactions shape strategic behavior (see Henrich et al., 2001). Behavioral economics can often be defined by goals and methods. Behavioral research usually seeks to develop theory that is consistent with realistic aspects of human judgment and decision making, such as bounded rationality and non-egoistic motives. As a result, most behavioral research is based on the careful comparison between theoretical predictions and the actual behavior of individuals and the outcomes observed in economic environments. Put differently, behavioral economics seeks to inform economics and economic theory by how people and economic institutions actually behave. Importantly, most behavioral economists have the goal, not of developing an alternative to economic theory and methods, but instead to incorporate new assumptions and methods into mainstream economics research. Thus, the goal of behavioral economists is not to develop a “behavioral economic theory” but instead to improve economic theory so that it is also “behavioral.” Before proceeding to a discussion of the important methodological relationship between behavioral and experimental economics, it is worth noting one important likely consequence of the growth of behavioral research within the economic profession. Historically, behavioral economics has often been defined in practice as adding variables to a rational-choice model or weakening rationality (including self-interest) in a systematicway. As this approach becomes a more widespread practice, using a single term “behavioral economics” to describe all the contributions is likely to become unwieldy and the term will likely evaporate (replaced by specific names of models as they become familiar).
A simplified method to predict occurrence of complete heart block during acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Data were analyzed from 698 patients with proved acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to develop a method to predict the occurrence of complete heart block (CHB). The presence of electrocardiographic abnormalities of atrioventricular or intraventricular conduction during hospitalization was determined for each patient. The electrocardiographs risk factors considered were: first-degree atrioventricular block, Mobitz type I atrioventricular block, Mobitz type II atrioventricuiar block, left anterior hemiblock, left posterior hemiblock, right bundle branch block and left bundle branch block. A CHB risk score was developed that consisted of the sum of each patient's individual risk factors. CHB risk scores of 0, 1, 2 or 3 or more were associated with incidences of CHB of 1.2, 7.8, 25.0 and 36.4%, respectively. When applied to an independent AMI data base, as well as to the summed results of 6 previously reported series that identified predictors of CHB during AMI, a similar incremental risk of CHB as predicted by the risk score method was demonstrated.
Responses of slanted chiral sculptured thin films to plane waves and finite sources

A theoretical investigation of the electromagnetic responses of a slanted chiral sculptured thin film (STF) to both plane waves and finite sources (such as optical beams and dipolar sources) was carried out. First, a rigorous coupled--wave analysis was implemented with algorithmic stability to obtain the planewave response; second, the angular--spectrum decomposition of the incident field was exploited to represent the reflected and the transmitted fields. The most prominent feature of the planewave responses is the circular Bragg phenomenon which is partially specular and angularly asymmetric for slanted, but nor for unslanted, chiral STFs. Correspondingly, the far--field radiation pattern of a Beltrami source configuration is spatially asymmetric in the presence of a slanted chiral STF. Also, optical beams are laterally shifted on reflection by chiral STFs. Two types of lateral shifts of Gaussian beams were studied: one is related to the Bragg reflection of co-handed beams, and the other is the Goos-Hanchen shift on total reflection.
Facial bacterial infections: Folliculitis

Facial bacterial infections are most commonly caused by infections of the hair follicles. Wherever pilosebaceous units are found folliculitis can occur, with the most frequent bacterial culprit being Staphylococcus aureus. We review different origins of facial folliculitis, distinguishing bacterial forms from other infectious and non-infectious mimickers. We distinguish folliculitis from pseudofolliculitis and perifolliculitis. Clinical features, etiology, pathology, and management options are also discussed.
Comparison of Measured and Computer-Modeled Objective Parameters for an Existing Coupled Volume Concert Hall

This paper details the comparison of a built coupled volume concert hall and a computer-generated model of the hall. Coupled volume spaces typically have an auxiliary volume connected to the main volume through an acoustically transparent aperture. In this type of space, architectural parameters such as volume size and surface absorption can be designed to produce a non-linear reverberant decay, known as double-slope decay. Objective reverberation and clarity parameters were calculated for the sound fields measured in the built hall and predicted in the computer modeled hall. These objective parameters were compared between the two modalities for several configurations of the hall to determine the accuracy of the computer modeling prediction scheme for coupled volume spaces. The results showed a high level of computer model accuracy in the high frequency range, with differences in reverberation parameters being less than 1 just noticeable difference (jnd). Lower frequencies proved computer modeling to be ...
Androgen Control of Vocal Control Region Volumes in a Wild Migratory Songbird (Junco hyemalis) Is Region and Possibly Age Dependent

Previous laboratory studies have shown that photoperiodic adult songbirds experience seasonal variations in singing frequency that correlate with plasma androgen levels, as well as changes in the brain regions that control singing (vocal control regions). The present study investigates naturally occurring seasonal changes in the sizes of these regions in a wild migratory species (dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis), with samples from adolescence to post-breeding fall migration. In adult males, the volumes of the vocal control regions area X and the higher vocal center (HVC) were large during the breeding season when birds were singing and androgen levels were high, and decreased in size after the breeding season when singing had stopped and androgen levels were low. HVC volume in adolescent males caught in the fall (no singing), when plasma androgen levels were low, was smaller than in breeding adults, thereby following the seasonal pattern of change in plasma androgen levels. In adolescent males, however, area X volume was the same as in breeding adults. Thus, area X size in adolescent male juncos may be testosterone independent. The seasonal pattern of robust nucleus of the archistriatum volume was similar to that of the HVC. The volumes of neither the magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum nor the nucleus rotundus, a control region, differed seasonally. Castration of breeding adult males caused both area X and HVC volumes to decrease compared to castrated controls with testosterone replacement, indicating that maintenance of these two region volumes is testosterone dependent in adults. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 32: 391–402, 1997.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Acquisition among Women Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Recent evidence suggests that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) enhance the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1. In 143 HIV-infected women enrolled in a university-based longitudinal HIV clinic over 16 months (mean), the STD point prevalence was examined at enrollment and the cumulative prevalence was calculated at follow-up. At enrollment, 35 women (25%) had > or = 1 STD. These included trichomoniasis in 16 women (11%); syphilis, 9 (6%); genital herpes, 8 (6%); gonorrhea, 5 (4%); chlamydia, 5 (4%); genital warts, 2 (1%); and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), 1 (1%). STDs were found in 55 (42%) of the 125 patients who returned for at least one follow-up visit: trichomoniasis in 23 (18%); genital herpes, 20 (12%); gonorrhea, 9 (7%); syphilis, 7 (6%); genital warts, 7 (6%); chlamydia, 5 (4%); and PID, 4 (3%). Despite counseling at both enrollment and follow-up, these women had a very high cumulative prevalence of STDs, indicating persistent high-risk sexual behavior.
The value of women and children

THE HISTORY of how a nation treats its mothers and children is a fascinating revelation of its public policy and the social values that motivate its actions. Recently, historians, particularly feminist historians, have focused on the development of programs to aid women and children and in doing so they have brought to the fore the origins of public policy and the vital role women played as volunteers, activists, and professionals in creating welfare-state structures. Several excellent recent histories of maternal and infant health movements of the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and France have illuminated both the political power of women to shape welfare policy and the changing nature of the economic value nations place on their children (Klaus, 1993; Meckel, 1990). A declining birth rate, economic competition, and frequent wars in Western Europe in the late 19th century forced governments to reassess the value of children's lives to their nations. Concern for the number and health of future mothers, soldiers, and workers transcended political divisions and led to powerful coalitions that moved governments to initiate public supported maternal and child welfare programs. In no country was this more true than in France, where declining birthrates, viewed as a potential national catastrophe led to innovative health programs and financial support for mothers and children. American political leaders and reformers of the late 19th century also came to view women and children as a national resource but for different reasons. The massive influx of immigrants, with their unknown physical and moral attributes, frightened many citizens. Reformers, citing increases in crime, mental illness, alcoholism, and prostitution, sought ways to increase the birthrate among the native-born white middle class, in the hope that this would counteract the harmful eugenic effects of immigration. Women, not yet legally enfranchised, had assumed expertise and dominion over motherhood and children and as such, they were natural leaders in the maternal-child health movement. Political coalitions of women's national organizations, church groups, and social reformers convinced Congress that the establishment of the Federal Children's Bureau, in 1912, was necessary to protect America's children. In addition, the availability of women nurses, social workers, and physicians to staff the new bureau and its innovative child activities assured adherence to its congres
The effects of chronic exercise training status on motor unit activation and deactivation control strategies

AbstractThis study examined the mechanomyographic (MMGRMS) amplitude–force relationships for 5 (age = 19.20 ± 0.45 years) aerobically trained (AT), 5 (age = 25 ± 4.53 years) resistance-trained (RT) and 5 (age = 21.20 ± 2.17 years) sedentary (SED) individuals. Participants performed an isometric trapezoidal muscle action at 60% maximal voluntary contraction of the leg extensors that included linearly increasing, steady force, and linearly decreasing muscle actions. MMG and skinfold thickness were recorded from the vastus lateralis. b and a terms were calculated from the natural log-transformed MMGRMS–force relationships (linearly increasing and decreasing segments) for each participant. An average of MMGRMS was calculated for the entire steady force segment. The b terms for the RT (0.727 ± 0.334) and SED (0.622 ± 0.281) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than the AT (0.159 ± 0.223) and were greater during the linearly increasing (0.622 ± 0.426) than decreasing (0.383 ± 0.269) segments when collapsed acr...
Quality of life in youth with Tourette's syndrome and chronic tic disorder.

This study sought to examine quality of life (QoL) in clinic-referred children and adolescents (n = 59, M age = 11.4±2.6 years) with a chronic tic disorder. The QoL scores for tic patients were lower than for healthy controls but higher than for the psychiatric sample on the majority of domains. Children's self-reported QoL scores and a measure of tic severity were moderately and inversely correlated. Parent reports of their child's QoL were weakly related to tic severity. Correlations between parent and child ratings of QoL for children ages 8 to 11 years were generally higher than those for youth ages 12 to 17 years. Finally, externalizing behavior moderated the relations between tic severity and parent-rated QoL, such that tic severity was significantly associated with parent-rated QoL for children with below average externalizing symptoms but not for children 3with above average externalizing symptoms.
FLEXBUS: a high-performance system-on-chip communication architecture with a dynamically configurable topology

In this paper, we describe FLEXBUS, a flexible, high-performance on-chip communication architecture featuring a dynamically configurable topology. FLEXBUS is designed to detect run-time variations in communication traffic characteristics, and efficiently adapt the topology of the communication architecture, both at the system-level, through dynamic bridge by-pass, as well as at the component-level, using component re-mapping. We describe the FLEXBUS architecture in detail and present techniques for its run-time configuration based on the characteristics of the on-chip communication traffic. The techniques underlying FLEXBUS can be used in the context of a variety of on-chip communication architectures. In particular, we demonstrate its application to AMBA AHB, a popular commercial on-chip bus. Detailed experiments conducted on the FLEXBUS architecture using a commercial design flow, and its application to an IEEE 802.11 MAC processor design, demonstrate that it can provide significant performance gains as compared to conventional architectures (up to 31.5% in our experiments), with negligible hardware overhead.
Bacteriophage: An Essay on Virus Reproduction

In this article, Luria provided an overview of the state of knowledge of viruses and how they replicate. Though he accepted Oswald Avery's proof that DNA was the "transforming principle" in bacteria, here he suggested that the protein component of viruses, rather than DNA, might have the primary role in replication. Luria later explained to historian Horace Judson that this oversight was primarily due to his "not thinking biochemically," adding that "I don't think we attached great importance to whether the gene was protein or nucleic acid." Luria noted that James Watson and Francis Crick's work on the structure of DNA in the early 1950s permanently settled the question.
An eportfolio design theory supporting ownership, social learning, and ease of use

The goal of this project is to improve portfolio software design. Using learning and portfolio literature, I created a design model that predicts user adoption using the constructs of ownership, social learning, and ease of use. Based on these constructs, I programmed a new portfolio system as a plug-in to an existing opensource social networking system. The tool was designed to support users' feelings of ownership. It also encouraged them to learn from their peers through the use of tag-based page pop-ups shown in the editing screen. Ease of use was improved over traditional portfolio tools by using a simpler tree-based organization. Students in the School of Information Systems and Technology at Claremont Graduate University used the tool to submit a portfolio for their Fall 2008 courses. Students enrolled in an MBA "Management of IT" course at Woodbury University also used the tool to submit weekly pages for their assignments. All students found the resulting system easy to use, and extensively used the social learning features. Students reported that being able to see peer work was a new experience that helped them learn the material. Survey results supported the design model, showing that ease of use, social learning, and ownership are critical variables in predicting user satisfaction. Students learned alternate ways to approach their work by seeing peer content. Future work shows promise in promoting higher standards by showcasing top content, as well as in helping students become intellectually engaged with their peers.
A study of odd graphs as fault-tolerant interconnection networks

Odd graphs are analyzed to determine their suitable in designing interconnection networks. These networks are shown to possess many features that make them competitive with other architectures, such as ring, star, mesh, the binary n-cube and its generalized form, the chordal ring, and flip-trees. Among the features are small internode distances, a lighter density, simplicity in implementing various self-routing algorithms (both for faulty and nonfaulty networks), capability of maximal fault tolerance, strong resilience, and good persistence. The routing algorithms (both for the faulty and fault-free networks) do not require any table lookup mechanism, and intermediate nodes do not need to modify the message. These graphs are shown to have a partitioning property that is based on Hadamard matrices and can be effectively used for a system's expansion and self-diagnostics. >
DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION OF REGA-1, A REGIONALLY EXPRESSED GLIAL ANTIGEN IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF GRASSHOPPER EMBRYOS

Glial cells are a large component of the developing nervous system, appearing before the onset of axon outgrowth in a variety of developing systems. Their time of appearance and their location in conjunction with developing axon pathways may allow them to define the position of axon pathways. Specific glial cells may be utilized as guideposts by growing axons, allowing them to recognize the appropriate pathway, or conversely, glial cells may inhibit axons from growing along an inappropriate pathway. The 7F7 monoclonal antibody labels a subset of glial cells in grasshopper embryos that may play a role in defining the location of selected axonal pathways. This antibody recognizes the REGA- 1 molecule, a cell-surface antigen with a molecular weight of 60 kDa, which is regionally expressed on developing glial cells. REGA-1 is expressed around the edges of clusters of glial cells and on lamellae extending from glial cells to line the edges of some axonal pathways. REGA-1 expression is first seen in the neuroblast sheet, surrounding neuroblast 4–1. Slightly later in development, 2 glial cells extend processes that express REGA-1 and demarcate the caudal edge of the anterior commissure. As the animal matures, cell processes expressing REGA-1 line the edges of the longitudinal connective, then expand to surround the central neuropil of the segmental ganglia. REGA-1 expression is also seen in conjunction with axons leaving the segmental ganglia via the segmental nerves and the intersegmental connectives. REGA-1 expression is limited to a subset of glial cells; some known glial cells such as the segment boundary cell do not express REGA-1. Glial cell processes expressing REGA-1 are seen only in association with axons, which suggests that these processes may act as borders or guard rails confining axons to the appropriate regions of the developing CNS. Axons navigating a path through the CNS may be prohibited from growing into inappropriate regions based on their inability to cross the boundaries established by glial cells expressing REGA-1.
Large-Scale Deep Belief Nets With MapReduce

Deep belief nets (DBNs) with restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs) as the building block have recently attracted wide attention due to their great performance in various applications. The learning of a DBN starts with pretraining a series of the RBMs followed by fine-tuning the whole net using backpropagation. Generally, the sequential implementation of both RBMs and backpropagation algorithm takes significant amount of computational time to process massive data sets. The emerging big data learning requires distributed computing for the DBNs. In this paper, we present a distributed learning paradigm for the RBMs and the backpropagation algorithm using MapReduce, a popular parallel programming model. Thus, the DBNs can be trained in a distributed way by stacking a series of distributed RBMs for pretraining and a distributed backpropagation for fine-tuning. Through validation on the benchmark data sets of various practical problems, the experimental results demonstrate that the distributed RBMs and DBNs are amenable to large-scale data with a good performance in terms of accuracy and efficiency.
Diagenetic Modification of Recent Sediments Associated with a Limestone Island: ABSTRACT

Recent carbonate sediments on Ambergris Cay, British Honduras, occur as a thin veneer of supratidal and intra-island lagoonal deposits, incompletely mantling an irregular Pleistocene limestone surface. Both sediments and rock exhibit different degrees of diagenetic modification. The supratidal mud flats usually adjoin very shallow hypersaline ponds, where sediments are subjected to extremes of chemical and physical environmental conditions; the raised rims of the mud flats prevent rapid drainage after periods of heavy rainfall or sea-water flooding. Etching by rainwater and boring by algae tend to destroy or comminute sediment particles on the mud flats. Furthermore, extensive blue-green algal mats commonly are associated with a near-surface crust of dolomitized sediment. Degree of induration of this crust is related to the degree of dolomitization. Low pinnacles of Pleistocene limestone, where exposed near the dolomite crust, also have been partly dolomitized. Recent sediment particles commonly are recrystallized to cryptocrystalline carbonate, without mineralogic change, prior to burial. End_Page 611------------------------------ Storm-tossed sand and cobbles on windward beach ridges show other diagenetic effects, including disintegration caused by decay of organic matrices and by solution of particles below the fresh-water table. Conversely, cementation and pore filling in some beach-ridge sands represent incipient lithification. The extensive outcrops of Pleistocene limestone afford a study of post-lithification diagenesis affecting lithofacies which are analogous with nearby Recent sedimentary facies. Replacement of most of the component grains of this rock by low-magnesium calcite, a change not seen in Recent sediments, tends to obliterate boundaries of recognizable grains. Boring by various organisms, leaching by percolating water, and filling of pores further modify the rock's texture; however, its primary fabric remains readily recognizable. End_of_Article - Last_Page 612------------
On the use of dynamic bayesian networks in reconstructing functional neuronal networks from spike train ensembles

Coordination among cortical neurons is believed to be a key element in mediating many high-level cortical processes such as perception, attention, learning, and memory formation. Inferring the structure of the neural circuitry underlying this coordination is important to characterize the highly nonlinear, time-varying interactions between cortical neurons in the presence of complex stimuli. In this work, we investigate the applicability of dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs) in inferring the effective connectivity between spiking cortical neurons from their observed spike trains. We demonstrate that DBNs can infer the underlying nonlinear and time-varying causal interactions between these neurons and can discriminate between mono-and polysynaptic links between them under certain constraints governing their putative connectivity. We analyzed conditionally Poisson spike train data mimicking spiking activity of cortical networks of small and moderately large size. The performance was assessed and compared to other methods under systematic variations of the network structure to mimic a wide range of responses typically observed in the cortex. Results demonstrate the utility of DBN in inferring the effective connectivity in cortical networks.
Getting it ‘better’: the importance of improving background questionnaires in international large‐scale assessment

In addition to collecting achievement data, international large‐scale assessment programmes gather auxiliary information from students and schools regarding the context of teaching and learning. In an effort to clarify some of the opacity surrounding international large‐scale assessment programmes and the potential problems associated with less than optimal background questionnaires, this paper outlines how auxiliary student background data influence the black box of achievement score construction. This discussion is supplemented with a number of empirical examples that point to possible threats to accurate achievement estimation, including missing data treatment, poor scale reliability, and questionnaire respondents’ misunderstanding or inaccurate answers to the questions.
The Effect of Traditional Bridging or Suspension-Exercise Bridging on Lateral Abdominal Thickness in Individuals With Low Back Pain

Context: Individuals with low back pain (LBP) are thought to benefit from interventions that improve motor control of the lumbopelvic region. It is unknown if therapeutic exercise can acutely facilitate activation of lateral abdominal musculature. Objective: To investigate the ability of 2 types of bridging-exercise progressions to facilitate lateral abdominal muscles during an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) in individuals with LBP. Design: Randomized control trial. Setting: University research laboratory. Participants: 51 adults (mean ± SD age 23.1 ± 6.0 y, height 173.6 ± 10.5 cm, mass 74.7 ± 14.5 kg, and 64.7% female) with LBP. All participants met 3 of 4 criteria for stabilization-classification LBP or at least 6 best-fit criteria for stabilization classification. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to either traditional-bridge progression or suspension-exercise-bridge progression, each with 4 levels of progressive difficulty. They performed 5 repetitions at each level and were pro...
Abnormal villous morphology associated with triple trisomy of paternal origin.

The vast majority of trisomies in spontaneous abortions (SAB) are single and of maternal origin, most frequently due to meiosis I errors. Triple trisomies are exceedingly rare (∼0.05% of spontaneous abortions), most often of maternal origin, and associated with increased maternal age. Some trisomic SAB specimens can exhibit abnormal villous morphology simulating a partial hydatidiform mole, a distinct form of hydatidiform mole characterized by diandric triploidy. A SAB specimen from a 27-year-old woman, G1P0 at 8 weeks gestational age, was reviewed in consultation to address the finding of morphological features suggestive of a partial hydatidiform mole but DNA ploidy analysis yielding a diploid result. The villi were irregularly shaped and hydropic but lacked trophoblastic hyperplasia; p57 expression was retained. Since fully developed features of a partial hydatidiform mole were lacking, additional analysis was performed. Molecular genotyping and single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis demonstrated biparental diploidy with trisomy of chromosomes 7, 13, and 20, all of paternal origin. The three trisomies may have originated from paternal meiosis II errors, or from mitotic nondisjunction. We believe this to be the first report of triple trisomy in a SAB confirmed to be of paternal origin.
Tepa—A Marker for use in Evaluating Fertilizing Ability of Rabbit Spermatozoa in Competitive Fertilization

Rabbit spermatozoa were exposed to the alkylating agent tris-(1-aziridinyl)-phosphine oxide (TEPA) prior to insemination into females. Eggs fertilized with TEPA treated spermatozoa did not develop beyond the 2-3-cell stage whereas eggs fertilized with control spermatozoa developed normally. TEPA treated spermatozoa successfully competed for fertilization of ova with control spermatozoa. Thus rabbit spermatozoa can be marked with TEPA for studies involving fertility BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 14, 398-400 (1976)
Effects of soil temperature on growth, biomass allocation and resource acquisition of Andropogon gerardii Vitman

summary The effects of root temperature on growth and resource acquisition (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) were examined in Andropogon gerardii, a dominant C4 grass of tallgrass prairies of the midcontinental USA. Soil temperature (5.9 to 35.5 °C) was manipulated independently from air temperature (c. 25/20 °C day/night) in a greenhouse. Total biomass at the end of the experiment and relative growth rate (RGR) were maximum at 25 °C soil temperature (Tsoil) and decreased at higher and lower temperatures. Tsoil had no effect on leaf area ratio (the ratio of leaf area to total biomass); thus the effect of Tsoil on RGR was primarily through its influence on net assimilation rate (NAR). Different mechanisms may have contributed to decreases in NAR at sub- and supra-optimal Tsoil. Soil temperatures below 20 °C caused significant reductions in foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration. High concentrations of these nutrients in roots suggest that nutrient transport was more strongly inhibited than uptake, and low foliar N and P may have contributed to reduced photosynthetic rates observed at 5 and 10 °C Tsoil. Net photosynthesis was 20 °mol m−2 s−1 at 15–40 °C. Changes in net photosynthesis did not therefore contribute to the reduction in NAR at supra-optimal Tsoil. The strong growth dependence of A. gerardii on Tsoil indicates that this abiotic factor may significantly limit productivity in tallgrass prairie, particularly early in the growing season.
The first report of luminescent liver tissue in fishes: evolution and structure of bioluminescent organs in the deep-sea naked barracudinas (Aulopiformes: Lestidiidae).

Bioluminescent organs that provide ventral camouflage are common among fishes in the meso-bathypelagic zones of the deep sea. However, the anatomical structures that have been modified to produce light vary substantially among different groups of fishes. Although the anatomical structure and evolutionary derivation of some of these organs have been well studied, the light organs of the naked barracudinas have received little scientific attention. This study describes the anatomy and evolution of bioluminescent organs in the Lestidiidae (naked barracudinas) in the context of a new phylogeny of barracudinas and closely related alepisauroid fishes. Gross and histological examination of bioluminescent organs or homologous structures from preserved museum specimens indicate that the ventral light organ is derived from hepatopancreatic tissue and that the antorbital spot in Lestrolepis is, in fact, a second dermal light organ. In the context of the phylogeny generated from DNA-sequence data from eight gene fragments (7 nuclear and 1 mitochondrial), a complex liver with a narrow ventral strand running along the ventral midline evolves first in the Lestidiidae. The ventral hepatopancreatic tissue later evolves into a ventral bioluminescent organ in the ancestor of Lestidium and Lestrolepis with the lineage leading to the genus Lestrolepis evolving a dermal antorbital bioluminescent organ, likely for light-intensity matching. This is the first described hepatopancreatic bioluminescent organ in fishes. J. Morphol. 276:310–318, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Induction of delayed hypersensitivity to protein antigens in mice without Freund adjuvants.

Abstract Three ways for inducing tuberculin-type delayed hypersensitivity (DH) in mice to purified protein antigens without Freund adjuvant are described. Four strains of mice compared for susceptibility to sensitization with several antigens ranked SJL > CF-1 > CAF 1 = C57B1. Females were more easily sensitized than males. The first way of sensitizing without Freund adjuvant was simply to inject antigen intradermally in saline, but it could be used only with the potent antigen methylated human serum albumin (HSA). Six-mercaptopurine injections during the first 5 days of sensitization enhanced such sensitization in CF-1 but inhibited it in CAF 1 mice. The second way sensitized with a weaker antigen, chicken conalbumin (CA), and thus is more versatile. It consisted of injecting a saline solution of antigen into a 24-hr strong DH dermal reaction to an unrelated antigen (dextran). The third way was simplest and best: Freund adjuvant was replaced with aqueous Evans blue dye. Thus, distilled water solutions of antigen (CA or chicken ovalbumin) and dye injected subcutaneously induced DH indistinguishable from that induced with the same antigens in Freund adjuvant. Neither antigen in distilled water alone sensitized. The dye also intensified Arthus sensitization. This diazo dye therefore may be a practical, harmless water-soluble substitute for Freund adjuvant for inducing DH or cell-mediated immunity and for intensifying Arthus sensitization.
Multispectral visible and infrared imaging for face recognition

Multispectral imaging in the visible and near infrared spectra helps reduce color variations in the face due to changes in illumination source types and directions. Thermal infrared imaging provides useful signatures of the face that is insensitive to ambient lighting through the measurement of heat energy radiated from the object. This paper introduces the use of multispectral imaging and thermal infrared imaging as alternative means to conventional broadband monochrome or color imaging sensors in order to enhance the performance of face recognition in uncontrolled illumination conditions.
"Politics of Defiance": Uncovering the Causes and Consequences of Lynching and Communal Violence

When acts of lynching were first seared into the consciousness of the nation, Ida B. Wells-Barnett recognized them as attacks not only against individuals but also against the “peoplehood” of African Americans. The dehumanizing nature of mob violence enabled white majorities to rationalize laws and norms that effectively denied blacks the full rights of citizenship. Ironically, for much of the twentieth century scholars attempted to comprehend lynching through the actions of perpetrators rather than through the perspective of victims. Historians attributed lynching to lax attitudes toward law, the cult of southern honor, the need to reaffirm traditional hierarchical power relationships, and white-black psychosexual tensions channeled into ritualized killings that helped preserve the economic and social preeminence of southern white males. A discernible shift in focus, however, was evident at Emory University’s 2002 conference, “Lynching and Racial Violence in America: Histories and Legacies,” which featured the insights of over ninety scholars and was held in conjunction with an explicit photographic exhibit that literally put the horrific effects of lynching at the center of academic consciousness. Michael J. Pfeifer’s superlative survey of recent scholarship on lynching suggests that a synthesis may now be emerging that could reconcile earlier work focused on the motivations of white perpetrators with newer insights that consider the perspective of minority victims and the impact that lynching had on communities.1 By broadening the spatial and temporal dimensions of lynching research, scholars have been able to move beyond seemingly intractable debates about the causes of communal violence. The highly contested relationship between the nature of southern law enforcement and lynching, for instance, has been resolved through Pfeifer’s consideration of lynching in a larger national context. In Rough Justice he contends that lynching resulted from a cultural war pitting rural and working-class advocates of “rough justice” against middle-class supporters of “due process.” Hence, lynching resulted not so much from ineffectual systems of law enforcement as from many rural whites’ deeply ambivalent feelings about the law and its ability to constrain the social aspirations of blacks. This conflict
The effect of maternal bearing-down efforts on arterial umbilical cord pH and length of the second stage of labor

This study was conducted to compare two types of maternal bearing-down techniques as they relate to the fetal and maternal outcomes of arterial umbilical cord blood pH and length of the second stage of labor. A convenience sample was drawn from the laboring women at a 305-bed medical center who met specific inclusion criteria. Women self-selected to one of two bearing-down groups: spontaneous or Valsalva. Subjects were given specific instructions for the chosen method. The Valsalva group was comprised of 14 subjects, and the spontaneous group was comprised of 16 subjects. The groups were found to be comparable after analysis of several variables. Results of statistical analysis using t-test indicated that, in this small sample, there is no relationship between the second stage bearing-down method and arterial umbilical cord blood pH or length of the second stage of labor. These findings support the conclusions of several studies: using the spontaneous bearing-down method does not have a deleterious effect upon the mother or the fetus. Several recommendations are made for future research based on methodological issues raised during this study.
New Fast Optimal White-Noise Estimators for Deconvolution

We present a brief qualitative discussion of Kalman filtering as contrasted with Wiener filtering, since the Kalman filter is an integral element in our new fast optimal white-noise estimators. Additionally, we present two fast algorithms, one of which is shown to be very efficient for calculating fixed-interval estimates of the reflection coefficient sequence, the other of which is shown to be very efficient for calculating either fixed-point or fixed-lag estimates of that sequence. Detailed operation counts are given which support these claims. Flow charts are also given for the Kalman filter and the two new fast smoothing algorithms.
A lattice-based framework for the classification and design of asynchronous pipelines

This paper presents a unifying framework for the modeling of asynchronous pipeline circuits. A pipeline protocol is captured in a graph-based model which defines the partial ordering of both its control and data events. The relationship between an entire space of different protocols is then captured in a semi-lattice, which has well-defined top and bottom elements, corresponding to the most concurrent and least concurrent protocol variants, respectively. This framework also provides a set of correct-by-construction transformation rules which allows for the systematic exploration of the entire design space by their successive application. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first formal framework for asynchronous pipelines which can capture protocols from a variety of logic style families, including both dynamic and static. It is also the first to provide a formal foundation for the design-space exploration of asynchronous pipelines.
Terminal Velocity Adjustment for Cloud and Precipitation Drops Aloft

Abstract The velocities of cloud and precipitation drops aloft are obtained from the sea level velocity by multiplication with an adjustment factor. For cloud drops (1–40 µm diameter) the adjustment factor is found from the Stokes-Cunningham equation, and depends upon the Knudsen number and dynamic viscosity. For larger drops (40 µm–6 mm diameter) the adjustment factor is obtained from a semi-empirical fit to the data of Beard (1976) and depends upon the drop diameter, air density and dynamic viscosity. The adjustment factor for each size range is reduced to a simple function of drop size, air temperature and pressure. The velocities aloft using the adjustment method are found to be within 1% of the more precise values of Beard (1976) for reasonable atmospheric conditions. Polynomial formulas are included for calculating the sea level velocities.
Effect of substrate temperature on sputtered molybdenum film as a back contact for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells

Molybdenum (Mo) coated soda lime glass (SLG) is a commonly used substrate for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells as it also acts as the sodium (Na) source, which improves the efficiency of these devices. In this study, Mo thin films were deposited on SLG substrates using direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering to observe the influence of substrate temperature on Na diffusion and films smoothness. The working gas (Ar) was maintained at 10 mTorr while substrate temperature was varied from room temperature (RT) to 200° C. In this study, Mo films were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Real time in-situ and ex-situ measurements by spectroscopic ellipsometry were also performed, allowing for the analysis of the growth processes as a function of temperature. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis was carried out to obtain the Na depth profile in the Mo films. In addition, a grain boundary diffusion model was developed to reveal the Na diffusion mechanism in Mo films at various substrate temperatures.
SYSTEMIC RETINOIDS What's New?

Despite major advances in the molecular biology and pharmacology of retinoids, no new compound has been developed for systemic use. This article addresses some questions related to the indications of oral retinoids already on the market, e.g. isotretinoin, acitretin, as well as tretinoin, reviews some recently reported undesirable effects, and discusses the recent concepts generated by basic research that may lead to new drugs to be used in pharmacology.
The Psychosocial Impact of Tic Disorders: Nature and Intervention

Tic disorders (TDs) are neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by repetitive movements and vocalizations. Although significant research has been devoted to causes and treatments, comparatively little attention has been devoted to the psychosocial experience associated with TDs. Indeed, TDs significantly impact a variety of psychosocial domains and are often associated with co-occurring behavioral and cognitive problems. Persons with TDs are also viewed negatively by others, which results in peer victimization and other social problems. In order to alleviate negative psychosocial outcomes associated with TDs, psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic efforts have been developed. However, more research is required in order to maximize the effectiveness of such interventions. This paper reviews research related to the psychosocial impact of TDs and intervention efforts designed to ameliorate this impact. Limitations in the current literature and future directions are discussed.
1,3-Bis(2,6-diisopropyl­phen­yl)imidazolidinium tetra­phenyl­borate dichloro­methane disolvate

The title compound, C27H39N2+·C24H20B−·2CH2Cl2, is the first reported imidazolidinium cation with the sterically demanding 2,6-diisopropyl­phenyl groups in the 1,3-positions. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak inter­molecular C—H⋯π(arene) inter­actions. Due to the bulky nature of both the flanking 2,6-diisopropyl­phenyl substituents and the tetra­phenyl­borate counter-ion, anion inter­actions with the imidazolidinium H atom in the 2-position are not observed, also a first for this class of ortho-alkyl-substituted Arduengo-type carbene precursors.