cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Buffering Effects of Racial Discrimination on School Engagement: The Role of Culturally Responsive Teachers and Caring School Police.

BACKGROUND Urban black adolescents' wellbeing in the early high school years can be negatively impacted by exposure to racial discrimination. These impacts may be buffered by supportive relationships with adults at school. We considered both the protective and promotive effects of culturally responsive teachers and caring school police on school engagement for students exposed to racial discrimination across settings. METHOD This study leveraged baseline student report from a sample of urban, predominantly black high school students with elevated teacher-rated levels of aggressive behavior (N = 397 9th graders; 91.2% black; 50.4% male; J = 10 schools). Using a path model with full-information maximum likelihood estimation, we examined the associations of racial discrimination, teacher cultural responsiveness, and school police caring in relation to school engagement and school disconnection, adjusting for covariates, including family racial socialization. RESULTS Frequency of racial discrimination was significantly associated with lower school engagement and greater school disconnection. Teacher cultural responsiveness was significantly, favorably associated with all outcomes. Police caring had no significant direct associations; however, there were moderation effects. When police caring was below average, increased racial discrimination was associated with significantly poorer attitudes toward school. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggested that students' perceptions of school police caring may buffer links between racial discrimination experiences and school disconnection. Moreover, students who perceive that their teachers are culturally responsive may feel more engaged at school. Interventions to promote teachers' and school police officers' cultural responsiveness and caring may improve engagement among at-risk urban youth who experience racial discrimination.
Risk-Averse Planning via CVaR Barrier Functions: Application to Bipedal Robot Locomotion

Enforcing safety in the presence of stochastic uncertainty is a challenging problem. Traditionally, researchers have proposed safety in the statistical mean as a safety measure in this case. However, ensuring safety in the statistical mean is only reasonable if system's safe behavior in the large number of runs is of interest, which precludes the use of mean safety in practical scenarios. In this paper, we propose a risk sensitive notion of safety called conditional-value-at-risk (CVaR) safety, which is concerned with safe performance in the worst case realizations. We introduce CVaR barrier functions as a tool to enforce CVaR-safety and propose conditions for their Boolean compositions. Given a legacy controller, we show that we can design a minimally interfering CVaR-safe controller via solving difference convex programs. We elucidate the proposed method by applying it to a bipedal robot locomotion case study.
MIRROR-TCM: Multisite replication of a randomized controlled trial - Transitional care model.

In the U.S., older adults hospitalized with acute episodes of chronic conditions often are rehospitalized within 30â¯days of discharge. Numerous studies reveal that poor management of the complex needs of this population remains the norm. METHODS: This prospective, intent-to-treat, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will assess the effects of replicating the rigorously studied Transitional Care Model (TCM) in four U.S. healthcare systems. The TCM is an advanced practice registered nurse led, team-based, care management intervention that supports older adults throughout vulnerable care episodes that span hospital to home. This RCT will compare health and economic outcomes demonstrated by at-risk older adults hospitalized with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pneumonia randomized to receive usual discharge planning (control group, Nâ¯=â¯800) to those observed by a similar group of older adults randomized to receive the TCM protocol (Nâ¯=â¯800). The primary outcome is number of rehospitalizations at 12â¯months post-discharge, with secondary resource use outcomes measured at multiple intervals. Patient experience with care, health and quality of life outcomes will be assessed at 90â¯days post-discharge. DISCUSSION: Based on health and economic benefits demonstrated in multiple NIH funded RCTs, the study team hypothesizes that the intervention group, both within and across participating health systems, will have decreased acute care resource use and costs at 12â¯months and better ratings of the care experience and health and quality of life through 90â¯days post-discharge compared to the control group. The impact of COVID-19 on implementation of this study also is discussed.
Characterization of endogenous BRMS1, and splice variants, in the MCF10 breast cancer progression model

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 484 Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 ( BRMS1 ) suppresses metastasis without blocking tumorigenesis in multiple human and murine cancer cells of diverse origins. The molecular mechanisms of BRMS1 are not well understood and thus far, mechanistic studies of BRMS1 have been limited to systems in which BRMS1 was re-expressed in metastatic cell lines that normally have no detectable levels of BRMS1 protein. The purpose of this study was to determine the functional role of endogenous BRMS1 in the progression of breast cancer using the isogenic MCF10 cell lines. These genetically related cell lines represent normal breast epithelial cells (MCF10A), pre-malignant breast disease (MCF10AT and MCF10DCIS.com), and metastatic carcinoma (MCF10CA a.1 and MCF10CA d.1α). Real-time RT-PCR showed higher levels of BRMS1 mRNA in the metastatic cell lines, although BRMS1 protein expression and nuclear localization were not significantly different. Alternatively spliced variants were detected by RT-PCR and found to be differentially expressed; specifically, BRMS1.v2 and BRMS1.v4 were only detected in the pre-malignant MCF10A and AT cell lines, while BRMS1 and BRMS1.v3 were detected in all lines. However, translated protein for these splice variants was not detected. Since BRMS1 protein, but not splice variants, was expressed in both the metastatic and non-metastatic cell lines, BRMS1 exons were sequenced and scanned for possible mutations. All sequences were found to be wild-type with the exception of a synonymous T/C transition in exon 7. Together, these results demonstrate that BRMS1 expression alone is not sufficient to prevent metastasis and further suggests that the expression and/or activation of BRMS1 protein interactors are necessary for metastasis suppression. Support: CA87728, F32CA113037, and National Foundation for Cancer Research
Severity of infectious mononucleosis (IM) correlates with the frequency of crossreactive influenza A virus (IAV)-M1 and Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-BMLF-1-specific CD8 T cells (HUM8P.345)

During EBV-associated IM IAV-specific crossreactive memory T cells are activated and play a role in disease severity. In HLA-A2+ IM patients, influenza M1-58 (IAV-M1)-specific CD8 memory T cell responses crossreacted with two different EBV lytic epitopes, BMLF1-280 (17/29) and BRLF1-109 (19/20). Furthermore, 11/22 IM patients demonstrated some intra-viral crossreactivity between EBV-BRLF1 and -BMLF1 responses. Disease severity of IM directly correlated with significantly increased frequencies of crossreactive IAV-M1/EBV-BMLF1, IAV-M1, and EBV-BMLF1 specific CD8 cells, and with mean viral load over the first 5 weeks of infection. Disease severity did not correlate with BRLF1 or M1/BRLF1 crossreactive responses. When severity of IM was scored and patients were assigned to either mild or severe groups, disease severity correlated with specific TCR Vb usage in IAV-M1 population suggesting that TcR selection is driving disease outcome. Consistent with IAV-M1 and EBV-BMLF1 responses driving increased immunopathology was the observation that patients with severe disease had significantly more IAV-M1 and EBV-BMLF1 cells producing IFNg/MIP1-b in response to antigen as compared to patients with mild disease. These results suggest that T cell crossreactivity impacts T cell selection and function and ultimately disease outcome. Insights on these issues are important for the intelligent design of vaccines and to develop therapeutic interventions for virally induced disease.
The pitch angle detector: PADE

The PADE analyzer can measure the pitch angle of electrons or ions with respect to the magnetic field in a magnetized plasma. This novel device is formed by two directional energy analyzers, mutually perpendicular to one another and each 4 mm in diameter. The analyzers are very close to each other, allowing properties such as average kinetic energy perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field to be measured at the same point in the plasma region. From these data, the pitch angle can be determined. The PADE was designed, built, and tested in the M4X, a machine that can operate like a mirror as well as a cusp. >
Analyzing the Technical Efficiency of Russian Firms: 1992-1995

When Russia’s transition to a market-oriented economy began in 1992, detailed information about firm-level performance was not available, but there was widespread expectation that firm efficiency had to improve for the transition to succeed. Where were efficiency gains likely? Where were they needed? Did the Soviet development strategy of according high priority to firms in heavy industry give these firms an advantage during the first stage of Russia’s transition to a market-oriented economy? That is, were firms in heavy industry more likely to exhibit industry best-practice production methods? Using firm-level data collected in 1992 and 1995 from Goskomstat, the state statistical agency, we estimate a stochastic frontier production function for eleven industries with inefficiency effects related to ownership, export experience, and location in Moscow. We find that in 1992 firms in priority sectors exhibited higher inefficiency than firms in non-priority sectors; by 1995, differences diminish. Our results generally support the proposition that non-state ownership improves efficiency, but the ownership effect varies by industry and over time. We reject the hypothesis that export experience increases efficiency during the initial stage of Russia’s transition, and this result is especially strong in 1995. Location in Moscow proved to be an extremely positive factor, and the benefit grew over time.
Abstract T P268: Restarting Antihypertensive Medications in Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) with Pre-Existing Diagnosis of Hypertension: What is the Current Practice and Trends?

Background/Issue: Practitioners do not have clear guidelines on when to restart antihypertensive medications in an AIS patient with pre-existing diagnosis hypertension. The current guidelines by the American Heart Association states to restart antihypertensive medications within 24 hours of AIS is relatively safe especially in patients with pre-existing hypertension and who are neurologically stable(Class IIa; Level B). Currently there are no set guidelines for providers to follow for blood pressure control or what point during the admission the blood pressure should be treated. Purpose: The purpose of study was to review the current practice for providers caring for AIS patients and when antihypertensive medications were restarted. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 240 charts was reviewed from a five hospital campuses during the months of May and June 2013. Inclusion criteria included for the study consisted of discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke, pre-existing diagnosis of hypertension, and the...
Early Closure of Gastroschisis After Silo Placement Correlates with Earlier Enteral Feeding.

Objectives: Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly affecting 2.3-4.4/10,000 births. Previous studies show initiation of early enteral feeds predicts improved outcomes. We hypothesize that earlier definitive closure after silo placement; can lead to earlier enteral feed initiation. Design/ Setting/ Duration: Retrospective review of patients with gastroschisis from 2005 and 2014 at a single institution. Material and Methods: The data, including ethnicity, gestational age, birth weight, time to definitive closure, and time of first and full feeds, were analyzed using both Spearman’s rho and the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test where appropriate; a p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Forty-three patients (24 males, 19 females) born with gastroschisis were identified. Overall survival rate was 88% (38/43). Forty of the 43 patients had a silo placed prior to definitive closure. Median days to closure were 6 (0 to 85) days. First feeds on average began on day of life (DOL) 17, and full feeds on DOL 25. Earlier closure of gastroschisis correlated with early initiation of feeds (p=0.0001) and shorter time to full feeds (p=0.018), closure by DOL4 showed a trend toward earlier feeding (p=0.13). Conclusion: Earlier closure of gastroschisis after silo placement was associated with earlier feed initiation and shorter time to full feeds.
Surgical site infection rates after minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Object Postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs) have been reported after 2–6% of spinal surgeries in most large series. The incidence of SSI can be 10% after instrumented fusions. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that there is a lower rate of SSI when minimally invasive techniques are used. Methods A retrospective review of prospectively collected databases of consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive spinal surgery was performed. Minimally invasive spinal surgery was defined as any spinal procedure performed through a tubular retractor system. All surgeries were performed under standard sterile conditions with preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis. The databases were reviewed for any infectious complications. Cases of SSI were identified and reviewed for clinically relevant details. The incidence of postoperative SSIs was then calculated for the entire cohort as well as for subgroups based on the type of procedure performed, and then compared with ...
Inner-City Rural: The Transmission of Problematic Black Male Identities from Urban to Black Rural Communities in the United States.

This paper introduces the term inner-city rural to describe a conceptual framework that seeks to explain the transmission of urban and street-based alternative constructions of black manhood identities to majority black rural counties in the United States. The central theoretical argument advanced in this paper is that exposure to urban street culture as it is represented in some versions of gangsta rap and hip hop music, videos and culture is a major mechanism by which marginalized African American males residing in rural communities come to internalize and enact problematic urban male street-based masculine identities.
A closed‐form equation for effective stress in unsaturated soil

[1] We propose that the recently conceptualized suction stress characteristic curve represents the effective stress for the shear strength behavior of unsaturated soil. Mechanically, suction stress is the interparticle stress called tensile stress. The working hypothesis is that the change in the energy of soil water from its free water state is mostly consumed in suction stress. We demonstrate that the suction stress lies well within the framework of continuum mechanics where free energy is the basis for any thermodynamic formulation. Available experimental data on soil water characteristic curves and suction stress characteristic curves are used to test the hypothesis, thus validating a closed-form equation for effective stress in unsaturated soil. The proposed closed-form equation is intrinsically related to the soil water characteristic curve by two pore parameters: the air entry pressure and pore size spectrum number. Both semiquantitative and quantitative validations show that the proposed closed-form equation well represents effective stress for a variety of earth materials ranging from sands to clays. Of important practical implications are (1) the elimination of the need for any new shear strength criterion for unsaturated soil, (2) the elimination of the need for determining the Bishop's effective stress parameter χ because the new form of effective stress is solely a function of soil suction, and (3) the ready extension of all classical soil mechanics work on limit equilibrium analysis to unsaturated soil conditions.
Attention and driving skills in aging and Alzheimer's disease

The number of older drivers with dementia is rising with the aging of the adult population. A public health issue is growing because of concerns about the motor vehicle accident risk posed by drivers with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) and other progressive, degenerative dementias. However, little is known about the specific perceptual/cognitive deficits contributing to impaired driving in DAT. The present paper proposes, on both theoretical and empirical grounds, that attentional skills in relation to driving should be examined in older adults with and without DAT. Such investigations should focus on normal older adults and those in the mild, early stages of dementia because the latter are the most likely among the dementia population to be still driving. Evidence is presented indicating (1) that motor vehicle accident rates are related to performance on information-processing measures of different components of attention; (2) that this relationship is greatest for measures of the switching of selective attention and less for that of divided and sustained attention (vigilance); and (3) that many of these same attentional functions, and particularly the switching of visual selective attention, are impaired in the early stages of DAT and thus may contribute to increased accident risk. Further studies of cognitive and driving performance in older drivers are necessary to establish that the attentional impairments found in mild DAT contribute to increased accident risk. Implications of these findings for driver assessment, education, and training are discussed.
Guidelines for Design of Honeycomb FRP Sandwich Panels

Honeycomb Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (HFRP) sandwich panels with sinusoidal core geometry have shown to be successful both for new construction and rehabilitation of existing bridge decks. The development of standards and guidelines is needed in order to promote wider acceptance of composite sandwich products in construction. Much effort has been devoted to the modeling, optimization, and strength evaluation of the HFRP panel at West Virginia University, in terms of both experimental investigations and analytical solutions. This paper first summarizes all the findings, including out-of-plane compression failure and buckling, shear buckling, shear failure, and delamination at interface due to shear-tension coupling of out-of-plane shear; and progressive failure of laminated facesheet. And then, using the analytical models obtained, parametric studies are carried out and equations are provided to describe the influence of such parameters as interface bonding layer numbers, core wall thicknesses, and facesheet configurations. Next, through correlations with existing experimental results, design guidelines are proposed considering various failure modes. Finally, the proposed guidelines are used to evaluate the strength of HFRP sandwich panels and verify their applicability in practice. All methods presented in this paper can be extended to study other types of sandwich panels.
Murine and human T-lymphocyte GATA-3 factors mediate transcription through a cis-regulatory element within the human T-cell receptor delta gene enhancer.

Abstract A family of transcriptional activators has recently been identified in chickens; these transcriptional activators recognize a common consensus motif (WGATAR) through a conserved C4 zinc finger DNA-binding domain. One of the members of this multigene family, cGATA-3, is most abundantly expressed in the T-lymphocyte cell lineage. Analysis of human and murine GATA-3 factors shows a striking degree of amino acid sequence identity and similar patterns of tissue specificity of expression in these three organisms. The murine and human factors are abundantly expressed in a variety of human and murine T-cell lines and can activate transcription through a tissue-specific GATA-binding site identified within the human T-cell receptor delta gene enhancer. We infer that the murine and human GATA-3 proteins play a central and highly conserved role in vertebrate T-cell-specific transcriptional regulation.
Development and psychometric evaluation of a measure of intuitive eating.

Intuitive eating is characterized by eating based on physiological hunger and satiety cues rather than situational and emotional cues and is associated with psychological well-being. This study reports on the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Intuitive Eating Scale (IBS) with data collected in 4 studies from 1,260 college women. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered 3 factors: unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, and reliance on internal hunger/ satiety cues; confirmatory factor analysis suggested that this 3-factor model adequately fit the data after 4 items with factor loadings below .45 were deleted. IES scores were internally consistent and stable over a 3-week period. Supporting its construct validity, IES scores were (a) negatively related to eating disorder symptomatology, body dissatisfaction, poor interoceptive awareness, pressure for thinness, internalization of the thin ideal, and body mass; (b) positively related to several indexes of well-being; and (c) unrelated to impression management.
A high-speed analog-to-digital converter using Josephson self-gating-AND comparators

A Josephson Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter which employs Self-Gating-AND (SGA) circuits as comparators has been designed and experimentally investigated. A functional description of the SGA is presented and the design of a four-bit A/D converter is described. High-speed measurements demonstrate four-bit quantization of 280 MHz sinusiodal inputs, and three-bit quantization of 499 MHz inputs at a 1.0 GHz conversion rate.
A Study of Growth Effects Induced in Cultures of Claviceps litoralis Kawatani

The comparative growth of Claviceps litoralis on two artificial media is described. Sclerotium-like tissue which developed under these conditions possesses pigmentation and microscopic arrangement similar to the C. purpurea ergot stage but no significant alkaloid formation could be detected. Based on this study and a comparative examination of pigmented and nonpigmented zones of official ergot the authors suggest that no direct correlation exists between pigmentation in Claviceps and alkaloid production by this fungus.
Work in progress: Student outcomes of design projects across the curriculum

This addresses the question, "To what degree can design projects integrated into the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) curriculum affect student confidence in their design skills and perceptions of ChBE as a whole?" To answer this question, students were evaluated on their confidence with engineering design and their satisfaction with ChBE as a discipline before and after the design projects, as well as their perceived learning outcomes after completing the design projects.
Bedrock Depth Estimates from Ground Magnetometer Profiles

Bedrock depths can be calculated readily from ground magnetic profiles using either Werner deconvolution or Fourier spectral analysis. For crystalline basement rocks of New England and eastern Canada, a vertical dike is a useful magnetic source model. Formulae for these methods are presented along with some practical guidelines for implementing them. Six field examples from metamorphic and igneous areas in New Hampshire show that bedrock depths from spectral analysis agree well with estimates from seismic refraction, from wells and from outcrops. The Werner estimates are much more variable but commonly bracket the others. At several of these sites, measurements by other geophysical methods would be impractical, more expensive, or restricted to certain times of the year.
Static next sub-bank prediction for drowsy instruction cache

As feature sizes shrink, leakage energy reduction has become increasingly important, especially for cache memories. Recent research in drowsy instruction cache shows that the leakage energy of the instruction cache can be significantly reduced with little performance degradation by exploiting the instruction spatial locality at the cache sub-bank level[5]. The performance penalty due to the sub-bank wake-up latency is dramatically reduced by using a prediction buffer to pre-activate the next sub-bank at runtime. However, consulting the prediction buffer at every cache access consumes non-trivial dynamical energy, which can compromise the overall energy savings substantially. This paper proposes a static approach to capture the sub-bank transition behavior at link time and to pre-activate the instruction cache sub-bank at runtime according to the compiler-directed hints. We also propose a hybrid approach to exploit both the static and dynamic information for reducing the performance penalty further with little dynamic energy overhead. Our experiments reveal that the static approach is very successful in capturing the sub-bank transition behavior for reducing the performance penalty and it also reduces 38.2% more leakage energy than the hardware-based approach, taking the dynamic energy overhead into account. Moreover, our results show that the hybrid approach is the best strategy for the drowsy instruction cache to balance leakage energy reduction and performance.
Psychosocial supportive care for children receiving stem cell transplantation: practice patterns across centers

Although pediatric stem cell transplantation is associated with elevated risks for quality-of-life (QOL) deficits, morbidity, and late effects, little is known about how supportive care needs are addressed across different pediatric centers. This study examined practice patterns among centers enrolled in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium. In all, 65 centers (response rate=82.2%) were surveyed regarding QOL screening, psychosocial intervention services, and long-term follow-up care. Approximately 80% of centers provided routine screening for psychological difficulties and pain. A smaller number screened for fatigue (69.2%), cognitive deficits (52.3%), sleep difficulties (60.0%) or spiritual concerns (38.5%). Screening was conducted predominantly via interview; little use was made of standardized measures. Community-based centers screened some deficits more frequently than did academic ones (all P's</=0.09). In all, 60% of centers provided support groups and 49.2% offered arts-in-medicine programs. Most centers provided extended follow-up care. In some, follow-up continued until age 21 (45.4%), while in others it was sustained indefinitely (40.6%). Findings suggest that QOL screening would be enhanced by greater attention to domains that currently receive limited scrutiny, and by increased use of validated measures to supplement interview information. The proportion of centers that provide extended follow-up is encouraging, and offers opportunities to study long-term outcomes.
Hyperbolic metamaterials: new physics behind a classical problem

Hyperbolic materials enable numerous surprising applications that include far-field subwavelength imaging, nanolithography, and emission engineering. The wavevector of a plane wave in these media follows the surface of a hyperboloid in contrast to an ellipsoid for conventional anisotropic dielectric. The consequences of hyperbolic dispersion were first studied in the 50’s pertaining to the problems of electromagnetic wave propagation in the Earth’s ionosphere and in the stratified artificial materials of transmission lines. Recent years have brought explosive growth in optics and photonics of hyperbolic media based on metamaterials across the optical spectrum. Here we summarize earlier theories in the Clemmow’s prescription for transformation of the electromagnetic field in hyperbolic media and provide a review of recent developments in this active research area.
Review: Exercise reduces mortality compared with drugs in stroke but not in CHD, HF, or prediabetes

Source Citation Naci H, Ioannidis JP. Comparative effectiveness of exercise and drug interventions on mortality outcomes: metaepidemiological study. BMJ. 2013;347:f5577. 24473061
Statistical and causal concepts in Einstein's early thought

Summary Albert Einstein's attitude towards quantum mechanics—and statistical physics in general—was a puzzle to many of his contemporaries, and has remained a puzzle to the present. Though he made many significant contributions to statistical physics, he continually refused to regard that branch of science as fundamental. The present essay demonstrates that his attitude towards statistical physics was formed during his earliest investigations—between 1901 and 1903. In particular, it is shown that in Einstein's view, statistical laws are based upon non-statistical (causal) assumptions. This view influenced much of his later thinking. A few illustrations are offered, concluding with a discussion of his opposition to quantum mechanics.
Fluorescence lifetime for on-the-fly multiplex detection of DNA restriction fragments in capillary electrophoresis.

This paper describes the first use of frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime for multiplex detection of DNA restriction fragments in capillary electrophoresis (CE). The fragments were labeled with monomeric intercalating dyes that can be excited by either the 488- or 514-nm line of an argon ion laser and have lifetimes in the range of 0.5−2.5 ns. We were able to achieve multiplex lifetime detection in the CE separation of a restriction fragment digest and a DNA size ladder in the same run, for fragments shorter than 700 bp. Different gel buffer systems, including a modified polyacrylamide gel and several tris−borate−EDTA/hydroxyethylcellulose (TBE/HEC) gels, were investigated for separation and detection of the dye-labeled DNA fragments. Best results for both electrophoretic resolution and lifetime detection were obtained using a gel containing 1% high molecular weight (90 000−105 000) HEC and 0.3% low molecular weight (24 000−27 000) HEC in TBE buffer.
Linking Hydrogeomorphology and Food Webs in Intertidal Creeks

Intertidal creeks are shallow, photic ecosystems that potentially serve as sources of prey for many predators within estuaries. In a previous study, the link between nekton community structure and hydrogeomorphological variables for eight intertidal creeks was assessed for North Inlet estu- ary, South Carolina. Herein, we advance their findings through ecological network analysis of foodweb structure within two creeks and infer nekton trophic relationships to geomorphology and potential influences of hydrological condition and change. A summer network of a shallow, wide creek demonstrated greater carbon recycling, trophic effi- ciency and flow through consumers than that of a deep, narrow creek representing the same period. We infer greater export of nekton carbon from the former creek. These results were supported by analyses of nekton effective trophic levels and guilds across the eight creeks. Shallow, wide intertidal creeks appear to provide both physical and foodweb attri- butes that promote good nekton habitat relative to deeper and narrower creeks. Human alterations to flow regimes and sea- level rise have the ability to affect geomorphology of indi- vidual creeks and the landscape as a whole. These changes in turn have the potential to alter food webs of intertidal creeks and their ability to serve as sources of food for the larger estuary.
Dating hydrologic and geomorphic change using dendrochronology in Tully Valley, central New York: a summary.

Abstract This report summarizes the results of three case studies where dendrochronology was used to evaluate hydrologic and geomorphic change in parts of Tully Valley, in central New York, over the past 150 years. The case studies evaluate 1) the changes in water quantity and quality in a wetland area several miles north of an area of former solution-brine mining, 2) the development of recent bedrock fractures above former solution brine-mining areas, and 3) the development and timing of landslide movement. The advantage of contemporary dendrochronology is that tree-ring analysis can provide a background of hydrologic and geomorphic change when no direct documentation or data are available.
Two new uses of indicator variables in meta-analysis

Indicator variables, better known by the unfortunate name 'dummy variables', are a standard tool in meta-analysis. A dichotomous characteristic, such as sex, is represented in a regression equation by a variable which either takes on the value one or zero. The estimated regression coefficient on this variable is then an estimate of the difference between males and females in effect size (ES) units, if the dependent variable is in ES units.
Survival and prognosis for cancer of the submandibular gland

Purpose We sought to determine survival and factors affecting survival for patients with cancer of the submandibular gland. Methods All cases of surgically treated cancer of the submandibular gland were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database for the time period 1988 to 1998. After tabulation of demographic, tumor-specific, and survival data, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted according to histopathologic results. Cox regression analysis stratified for histopathology was conducted to determine factors that influenced survival. Results A total of 370 cases of submandibular gland cancer were analyzed. Adenoid cystic carcinoma accounted for 42.2% of cases followed by mucoepidermoid carcinoma (22.2%). Overall mean, median, and 5-year survival times and rate were 82 months, 97 months, and 59.7% for the entire cohort, respectively. Adenoid cystic carcinoma exhibited the best mean survival (99 months), whereas squamous cell carcinoma exhibited the poorest mean survival (52 months). Younger age, decreased tumor grade, and radiation therapy were found to improve survival (P < .001, .005, and .015, respectively). Gender, tumor size, extraglandular extension, and nodal positivity did not statistically influence survival. Conclusions Significantly different survival can be expected depending on individual tumor histopathology in submandibular gland cancer. Tumor grade and radiation therapy have important effects on prognosis.
A shock tube determination of the electronic transition moment of the C2 (Swan), bands

Abstract Measurements of the electronic transition moment for the C 2 (Swan) A 3 Π g - X 3 Π u bands have been made in emission behind incident shock waves in CO 2 -Argon gas mixtures. The value obtained at the (0, 0) head for the square of the dimensionless transition moment is 3·5 6 ±0·5 0 , corresponding to an absorption electronic ƒ-number of 0·035±0·005. The electronic transition moment' variation with internuclear separation is also discussed.
Catalyst-free chemo-/regio-/stereo-selective amination of alk-3-ynones. Synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines and 3-amino-2-alkenones

Reaction of alk-3-yn-1-ones with o-phenylenediamines provides an effective method with high atom economy for the synthesis of diversely substituted benzodiazepines and conjugated enaminones. This microwave-accelerated reaction proceeds in ethanol in the absence of a catalyst and leads to benzyl-substituted 1,5-benzodiazepines with good yields (70–92%). A room temperature protocol with the same set of reagents (stabilized with triethylamine) leads to enaminones (3-amino-2-alkenones, 70–99%). The tautomer formed and the regio- and stereochemistry of the process are confirmed by the X-ray crystallographic structure determination of 2-(4-methylbenzyl)-4-phenyl-3H-benzo[b][1,5]diazepine and (Z)-3-[(2-amino-4,5-dimethylphenyl)amino]-4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)but-2-en-1-one.
Denture base pressure tests

Abstract Clear acrylic resin bases were made from impressions made under different amounts of pressure. Occlusal tables were fitted to them so that an arch-form air bag attached to a sphygmomanometer gauge could be used to control the pressures. The effect of the different pressures on the basal seat tissue was recorded. The incorporation of a vascular preservation concept will aid in providing physiological rather than pathogenic denture service.
Assignment of the p60 Subunit of Chromatin Assembly Factor I to Chromosome 21q22.2

This report describes the assignment of the p60 subunit of chromatin assembly factor I to human chromosome 21q22.2 using Southern blot hybridization. 6 refs., 1 fig.
Causal mediation analysis with survival data.

Causal mediation analysis is considered for time-to-event outcomes and survival analysis models. Different possible effect decompositions are discussed for the survival function, hazard, mean survival time and median survival scales. Approaches to mediation analysis in the social sciences are related to counterfactual approaches using additive hazard, proportional hazard and accelerated failure time models. The product-coefficient method from the social sciences gives mediated effects on the hazard difference scale for additive hazard models, on the log mean survival time difference scale for accelerated failure time models, and on the log hazard scale for the proportional hazards model but only if the outcome is rare. With the proportional hazards model and a common outcome, the product-coefficient method can provide a valid test for the presence of a mediator effect but does not provide a measure. When additive hazard, accelerated failure time, or the rare-outcome proportional hazards models are employed and combined with the counterfactual approach, exposure-mediator interactions can be accommodated in a relatively straightforward manner.
STAR-studded circuitry.

A recent study reports the RNA sequences that bind to the translational repressor protein GLD-1. The data suggest that a network of developmental genes may be regulated by GLD-1 or related STAR proteins through silencing or alternative splicing.
Chirped photonic crystal mode converters for broad-band coupling with highly dispersive photonic crystal microring resonators

We demonstrate evanescent coupling between a photonic crystal (PhC) waveguide and a PhC embedded microring resonator on the silicon-on-insulator platform. The mode converter comprises 6 linearly chirped air holes that adiabatically couple the light between the silicon waveguide mode and the PhC mode. Three-dimensional finitedifference time-domain simulations reveal a coupling bandwidth of >100nm. From our experiment, the optical spectra show a photonic bandgap located below ~1590nm. At the resonances in the slow-light regime, a loaded quality factor as high as ~2500 was measured and a group index of ~16 in the PhC embedded microring resonator was estimated from the non-uniform free spectral ranges.
The properties of proton-proton interactions between 100 and 1000 GeV from a cosmic-ray experiment

Abstract Proton-proton interactions above 100 GeV have been studied in an experiment using cosmic-ray protons interacting in a liquid hydrogen target. From several hundred hydrogen interactions, it has been learned that: (a) the total inelastic pp cross section is not changing significantly with energy above 30 GeV; (b) the multiplicity distributions of charged prongs agree with a Poisson distribution in charged-particle pairs; (c) the average charged prong multiplicity increases as 1 n s ; (d) the angular distribution of charged particles agrees with a c.m. momentum distribution of charged particles that varies as exp exp [−8 p T 2 −8 x 2 ] d 3 p / E (where x = p L / p o ) and a nucleon distribution that varies as 10 x exp [−3 p T 2 ] d 3 p / E for 0.05
A preliminary report on crime and addiction within a community-wide population of narcotic addicts

This paper discusses the criminal behavior of narcotic addicts and is based on a sample of males identified as narcotic abusers by a large urban Police Department in the United States over a twenty-year period (1952-1971). The records of 252 subjects (representing a 92% interview response rate) were analyzed to determine whether there were differences between blacks and whites with regard to criminality before first use and after first regular use of narcotics. The findings generally support previous ones in regard to the increase of criminal activity after the onset of narcotic addiction. In addition, this community-wide population of narcotic addicts revealed that black addicts tend to commit more crimes, and more serious crimes, than white addicts before first use of narcotics and after the onset of addiction. Further, weighted crime index scores of both the "before" and "after" segments appear higher for blacks who became addicted in the most recent years, while this appears to be true for the whites only after the onset of their addiction.
The Mukherjee-Islam failure model

Abstract This paper provides an extensive discussion on the model given by Mukherjee and Islam [ Nav. Res. Log. Quart. 30, 487–491 (1983)]. In the first section, a discussion is given on the usefulness of the model as an inventory model, and also the property of forgetfulness is discussed. In the next section, we discuss the range of this distribution, giving some useful suggestions.
Regulation of liver microsomal inorganic pyrophosphate-glucose phosphotransferase, glucose-6-phosphatase and inorganic pyrophosphatase.

Abstract Levels of liver inorganic pyrophosphate-glucose phosphotransferase, acid inorganic pyrophosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.9) have been assayed in normal, alloxan-diabetic, adrenalectomized and cortisone-treated adrenalectomized rats. Assays were carried out in the absence of added detergent, and with homogenates which had been supplemented with sodium deoxycholate or Triton X-100 to final concentrations of 0.004%, 0.012%, 0.04%, 0.20%, and 0.40%, w/v (deoxycholate) or v/v (Triton). Increases in levels of all activities were observed in the absence of detergent in cortisone-treated adrenalectomized rats compared with untreated adrenalectomized animals, and in diabetic compared with normal rats. Both detergents activated all three activities in all groups of animals. However, basic differences in the modes of response of these activities to cortisone administration as contrasted with insulin deprivation were apparent when assays were conducted with detergent-supplemented homogenates. As detergent concentration was increased, a progressive diminution was noted in the ratios of activity in cortisone-treated compared with untreated adrenalectomized animals. Statistically significant differences in activity level values for the two groups of animals disappeared when deoxycholate concentrations were 0.20% or 0.40%; Triton X-100 also effected a marked diminution in activity level ratios under these conditions. In contrast, differences between comparable activity level values for diabetic compared with normal animals were progressively magnified with increasing concentration of both detergents. These observations indicate that the detergent effects involved are general in nature, and point up the complexity of mechanisms involved in responses of activities of this enzyme to hormonal manipulations. They also raise a question as to the conditions which properly should be employed to assess also raise a question as to the conditions which properly should be employed to assess alterations in functional levels, in vivo, of these activities in future horm and nutritional studies.
Why and How We Study Human Learning on Basic Auditory Tasks

Human listeners can often improve their ability to discriminate sounds with practice. We have been using behavioral techniques to examine the patterns of learning and generalization on basic auditory tasks, such as the discrimination of the time interval between two sounds. Here we briefly state our motivations for examining learning on these basic tasks, describe our experimental paradigm, and provide an example of our results.
On the error probability of signals in additive white Gaussian noise

A new upper bound to the probability of error in detecting one of M equally probable signals in additive white Gaussian noise is presented. This bound is easy to calculate, can be applied to any signal set. It is always better than the union and minimum distance bounds. Examples demonstrate the use of the bound. >
Prolonged survival of heart allografts transduced with AAV-CTLA4Ig.

Organ grafts transduced with gene-encoding immunosuppressive molecules are a less toxic approach to preventing graft rejection. Adenovirus vectors have been widely tested with unsatisfactory results, while adeno-associated virus (AAV) is smaller and elicits a low host humoral response. We constructed an AAV vector containing the mouse CTLA4Ig gene. B10 (H2 b ) cardiac grafts were transduced with AAV-CTLA4Ig by coronary infusion. AAV-LacZ vectors were used as reporters and controls, and the expression of β-gal was determined by X-gal staining. Thirty percent to 40% of myocytes displayed strongly positive X-gal staining after infusion with AAV-LacZ. Additional infusion with vascular dilator reagents did not improve the transduction rate. Survival of B10 heart allografts transduced with AAV-CTLA4-lg was significantly prolonged in C3H (H2 k ) recipients. These data demonstrate that AAV vectors can efficiently be transduced into the mouse myocardium by coronary infusion. Graft transduction with AAV-CTLA4Ig may be a novel approach to preventing allograft rejection.
Consumers’ perceptions of organic food attributes and cognitive and affective attitudes as determinants of their purchase intentions toward organic food

The current study investigates how consumers perceive organic food attributes, which in turn influence their utilitarian and hedonic attitudes and intentions to purchase organic food. Specifically, consumers’ perceptions of nutritional content, ecological welfare, and price attributes of organic food have strong effects on utilitarian attitudes as well as hedonic attitudes toward buying organic food, while perceptions of the sensory appeal attribute have a strong effect on hedonic attitudes. Interestingly, consumers’ perceptions of the natural content attribute of organic food are not a significant determinant of the two dimensions of attitude. Lastly, utilitarian and hedonic attitudes play an important and influential role in determining behavioral intentions to purchase organic food. This study raises questions about the lack of a theoretical framework in previous organic food studies. Therefore, a modified S–O–R model is applied to provide theoretical support for organic food research. In addition, this study employs a bi-dimensional approach to attitudes (i.e., utilitarian and hedonic attitudes), contributing to a better understanding of consumers’ expectations and perceptions in their behaviors regarding organic food.
Stratospheric and Mesospheric Kelvin Waves Simulated by the GFDL “SKYHI” General Circulation Model

Abstract A space-time spectral analysis is made of large-scale equatorial disturbances simulated by the 40-level, 5° latitude GFDL “SKYHI” general circulation model with annual mean conditions. Three kinds of eastward moving waves with wavenumbers 1–2 are found in the lower and upper stratosphere and mesosphere. These waves are characterized by small meridional winds and an eastward tilt with height and are identifiable with observed Kelvin waves. A time-height section reveals their vertical group propagation. The lower stratospheric Kelvin wave is associated with periods of 10–30 days (eastward phase speed 15–46 m s−1) for wavenumber 1 and a vertical wavelength of ∼10 km, corresponding to that observed in 1968 by Wallace and Kousky. The upper stratospheric Kelvin wave is associated with periods of 5–7 days (66–92 m s−1) for wavenumber 1 and a vertical wavelength of ∼20 km, corresponding to that observed by Hirota. The mesospheric Kelvin wave is associated with periods of 3–4 days (115–154 m s−1) for wave...