cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measures of precision for estimated welfare effects for producers from generic advertising

Using a multi-market equilibrium displacement model ~EDM! framework, the precision of market parameters ~elasticities! measured using econometric methods, can be combined with prior beliefs from economic theory, to calculate how precisely changes in producer welfare from generic advertising are estimated+ This EDM approach enables the benefits and costs of simulated small changes in the checkoffs and advertising on producer welfare to be measured+ To calculate the associated precision for changes in producer welfare measures, Monte Carlo integration is used, in a Bayesian approach, imposing inequality restrictions from theory, to generate empirical posterior distributions of the changes in producer welfare measures+ These empirical distributions can be used to place confidence intervals around the posterior means and to test whether estimates are statistically significantly different from zero+ Alternatively, the probability that a welfare measure change is greater than zero can be calculated, which may serve to even be more informative+ @EconLit citations: C130; C110; C150#+ © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc+
Localization of prolactin binding sites in ring dove brain by quantitative autoradiography

Abstract Specific binding sites for prolactin have been previously detected and characterized in ring dove brain membranes. In order to map the distribution of these sites, specific binding of 125 I-ovine prolactin was examined in slide-mounted sections of 6 male and 6 female ring dove brains by in vitro film autoradiography and densitometry. Analysis of 34 brain regions revealed a sex-specific pattern in specific binding activity. Although no significant sex differences were observed in any individual brain region, a trend in this direction was observed in the preoptic area. Specific binding levels in which the lower limit of the 99% confidence interval was greater than zero were detected in choroid plexus, medial habenula, lateral mesencephalic nucleus, hippocampus, parahippocampal area, preoptic area and 4 hypothalamic sites: paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, and tuberal region. Autoradiographic analysis of specific binding in cerebellum, ventromedial hypothalamus, and hippocampus/parahippocampus yielded relative differences that closely approximated those obtained in binding studies on tissue homogenates from these regions. These results suggest possible sites of prolactin action in altering behavioral state and neuroendocrine function in this species.
The cardiovascular state of the union: Confronting healthcare disparities

As we reach the midpoint of the first decade of the twenty-first century, we are also at the midpoint in the timeline of the American Heart Association (AHA) strategic plan to reduce coronary heart disease, stroke, and risk by 25% by the year 2010.1,2 Encouraging evidence demonstrates important gains toward that goal, with decreases in coronary heart disease and stroke mortality, as well as reductions in certain risk factors such as cigarette consumption and untreated hypercholesterolemia. Still, troubling evidence indicates that other ominous risk factors—physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, diabetes, and hypertension—are on the rise,3 especially among adolescents and young adults, and these may contribute to the next wave of the cardiovascular epidemic. And there is undeniable evidence that not all Americans have shared equally in the improved cardiovascular outcomes. Individuals in specific subgroups defined by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography have a disproportionate burden of myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and other cardiovascular events. These individuals also have a worse outcome after these events, including higher mortality rates, and a higher prevalence of unrecognized and untreated risk factors places them at greater likelihood of experiencing these events. Differences such as these arise not only from disparities in access to care and quality of care but also from disparities in awareness and access to knowledge. Disparities in cardiovascular prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes have been documented in a number of publications from the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS),4–6 the Institute of Medicine,7 and the Kaiser Family Foundation,8 and reports of continuing racial and ethnic disparities appear regularly in cardiovascular scientific journals.9,10 If this unacceptable situation fails to be rectified, it is unlikely that the AHA’s 2010 goals or the DHHS Healthy People 2010 goals can be achieved. In the autumn …
Transition from linear- to nonlinear-focusing regime in filamentation

Laser filamentation in gases is often carried out in the laboratory with focusing optics to better stabilize the filament, whereas real-world applications of filaments frequently involve collimated or near-collimated beams. It is well documented that geometrical focusing can alter the properties of laser filaments and, consequently, a transition between a collimated and a strongly focused filament is expected. Nevertheless, this transition point has not been identified. Here, we propose an analytical method to determine the transition and show that it corresponds to an actual shift in the balance of physical mechanisms governing filamentation. In high-NA conditions, filamentation is primarily governed by geometrical focusing and plasma effects, while the Kerr nonlinearity plays a more significant role as NA decreases. We find the transition between the two regimes to be relatively insensitive to the intrinsic laser parameters and our analysis agrees well with a wide range of parameters found in published literature.
Reduced endoplasmic reticulum luminal calcium links saturated fatty acid-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and cell death in liver cells

Chronic exposure to elevated free fatty acids, in particular long chain saturated fatty acids, provokes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell death in a number of cell types. The perturbations to the ER that instigate ER stress and activation of the unfolded protein in response to fatty acids in hepatocytes have not been identified. The present study employed H4IIE liver cells and primary rat hepatocytes to examine the hypothesis that saturated fatty acids induce ER stress via effects on ER luminal calcium stores. Exposure of H4IIE liver cells and primary hepatocytes to palmitate and stearate reduced thapsigargin-sensitive calcium stores and increased biochemical markers of ER stress over similar time courses (6 h). These changes preceded cell death, which was only observed at later time points (16 h). Co-incubation with oleate prevented the reduction in calcium stores, induction of ER stress markers and cell death observed in response to palmitate. Inclusion of calcium chelators, BAPTA-AM or EGTA, reduced palmitate- and stearate-mediated enrichment of cytochrome c in post-mitochondrial supernatant fractions and cell death. These data suggest that redistribution of ER luminal calcium contributes to long chain saturated fatty acid-mediated ER stress and cell death.
Plastic deformation of CVD textured tungsten—II. Characterization

Abstract Deformation and failure modes of CVD textured tungsten in 〈001〉, 〈011〉 and random orientations subjected to various loading rates under uniaxial compression are characterized using optical and electron microscopy. It is found that 〈001〉 orientation undergoes large homogeneous deformation in the range of strain rates investigated (10 −3 –10 4 /s). Evolution of dislocation substructure in 〈001〉 tungsten is characterized by TEM studies. Under quasi-static loading rates, elongated dislocation cell formation is observed. At high strain rates, the dislocation density initially increases with respect to strain and then saturates when the temperature rise due to adiabatic heating becomes significant. At true strains beyond 2 the dislocations form well defined cells, with the cell walls containing very high dislocation densities. The deformation in 〈011〉 orientation is relatively less homogeneous under quasi-static loading, but under high strain rate loading the deformation is characterized by slip lines, extensive twinning and grain boundary cracking. Fine grain polycrystalline specimens fail in a typical brittle manner.
The Dominion of Voice: Riot, Reason, and Romance in Antebellum Politics

In this work of historically informed political theory, Kimberly Smith sets out to understand how nineteenth-century Americans answered the question of how the people should participate in politics. Did rational public debate, the ideal that most democratic theorists now venerate, transcend all other forms of political expression? How and why did passion disappear from the ideology (if not the practice) of American democracy? To answer these questions, she focuses on the political culture of the urban North during the turbulent Jacksonian Age, roughly 1830-50, when the shape and character of the democratic public were still fluid. Smith's method is to interpret, in light of such popular discourse as newspapers and novels, several key texts in nineteenth-century American political thought: Frederick Douglass's Fourth of July speech and Narrative, Angelina Grimke's debate with Catharine Beecher, Frances Wright's lectures, and Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Such texts, Smith finds, highlight many of the then-current ideas about the extremes of political expression. Her readings support the conclusions that the value of rational argument itself was contested, that the emergent Enlightenment rationalism may have helped to sterilize political debate, and that storytelling or testimony posed an important challenge to the norm of political rationality. Smith explores facets of the political culture in ways that make sense of traditions from Whiggish resistance to Protestant narrative testimony. She helps us to understand such puzzles as the point of mob action and other ritualistic disruptions of the political process, our simultaneous attraction to and suspicion of political debates, and the appeal of stories by and about victims of injustice. Also found in her book are keen analyses of the antebellum press and the importance of oratory and public speaking. Smith shows that alternatives to reasoned deliberation like protest, resistance, and storytelling have a place in politics. Such alternatives underscore the positive role that interest, passion, compassion, and even violence might play in the political life of America. Her book, therefore, is a cautionary analysis of how rationality came to dominate our thinking about politics and why its hegemony should concern us. Ultimately Smith reminds the reader that democracy and reasoned public debate are not synonymous and that the linkage is not necessarily a good thing."
Interleukin-1 -and corticotropin releasing factor-induced release of β-endorphin from immune cells and inhibition of inflammatory pain

Abstract Local analgesic effects of exogenous opioid agonists are particularly prominent in painful inflammatory conditions and are mediated by opioid receptors on peripheral sensory nerves (1–3). The endogenous ligands of these receptors, opioid peptides, have been demonstrated in resident immune cells within inflamed tissue of animals and humans (4–6). This study demonstrates in vitro that interleukin-1 (IL-1) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) produce acute release of immunoreactive β-endorphin in cell suspensions freshly prepared from inflamed lymph nodes (7). This effect was reversible by IL-1 receptor antagonist or α-helical CRF, respectivly. In in vivo experiments local, but not systemic application of IL-1 and CRF resulted in potent analgesia in inflamed paws. This effect was reversed by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 ra) or α-helical CRF, respectively, and by cyclosporine A. In vivo administration of antibodies against opioid peptides indicates that the effects of IL-1 and CRF are mediated by β-endorphin and, in addition, by dynorphin A and [Met]enkephalin, respectively. Correspondingly, IL-1 effects are inhibited by μ-, ∂- and κ- opioid antagonists, whereas CRF effects are attenuated by all except a κ- antagonist (7). In conclusion, both IL-1 and CRF activate their receptors on immune cells to release opioids (predominantly β-endorphin) that subsequently occupy their corresponding receptors on sensory nerves and result in antinociception.
Effects of predation risk across a latitudinal temperature gradient

The nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) of predators on prey behavior and physiology can influence the structure and function of ecological communities. However, the strength of NCEs should depend on the physiological and environmental contexts in which prey must choose between food and safety. For ectotherms, temperature effects on metabolism and foraging rates may shape these choices, thereby altering NCE strength. We examined NCEs in a rocky intertidal food chain across a latitudinal sea surface temperature gradient within the Gulf of Maine. The NCEs of green crabs (Carcinus maenas) on the foraging, growth, and growth efficiency of prey snails (Nucella lapillus) were consistent across a broad (~8.5 °C) temperature range, even though snails that were transplanted south consumed twice as many mussels (Mytilus edulis) and grew twice as much as snails that were transplanted north. The positive effects of warmer temperatures in the south allowed snails under high risk to perform similarly to or better than snails under low risk at cooler temperatures. Our results suggest that for prey populations residing at temperatures below their thermal optimum, the positive effects of future warming may offset the negative effects of predation risk. Such effects may be favorable to prey populations facing increased predation rates due to warmer temperatures associated with climate change. Attention to the direct and indirect effects of temperature on species interactions should improve our ability to predict the effects of climate change on ecological communities.
Isolation of Active Nematocysts of Metridium senile and their Chemical Composition

During the past half-century, there has been recurrent interest in the chemical nature of the stinging capsules of cœlenterates. Mainly two lines of investigation have been pursued. Toxic extracts of the tentacles or whole animal have been examined1, and histochemical studies have been made. Both these approaches have yielded interesting information for speculation, but as Hyman2 has pointed out, “On the whole it must be concluded that the nature of the nematocyst toxin is unknown, since the extracts mentioned above include tissues as well as nematocysts …”, and one cannot expect the histochemical approach to yield the definitive answers.
ASAS centennial paper: net energy systems for beef cattle--concepts, application, and future models.

Development of nutritional energetics can be traced to the 1400s. Lavoisier established re- lationships among O2 use, CO2 production and heat production in the late 1700s, and the laws of thermo- dynamics and law of Hess were discovered during the 1840s. Those discoveries established the fundamental bases for nutritional energetics and enabled the funda- mental entity ME = retained energy + heat energy to be established. Objectives became: 1) to establish re- lationships between gas exchange and heat energy, 2) to devise bases for evaluation of foods that could be re- lated to energy expenditures, and 3) to establish causes of energy expenditures. From these endeavors, the basic concepts of energy partitioning by animals were developed, ultimately resulting in the development of feeding systems based on NE concepts. The California Net Energy System, developed for finishing beef cattle, was the first to be based on retained energy as deter- mined by comparative slaughter and the first to use 2 NE values (NEm and NEg) to describe feed and animal requirements. The system has been broadened concep- tually to encompass life cycle energy requirements of beef cattle and modified by the inclusion of numerous adjustments to address factors known to affect energy requirements and value of feed to meet those needs. The current NE system remains useful but is empiri- cal and static in nature and thus fails to capture the dynamics of energy utilization by diverse animals as they respond to changing environmental conditions. Consequently, efforts were initiated to develop dy- namic simulation models that captured the underlying biology and thus were sensitive to variable genetic and environmental conditions. Development of a series of models has been described to show examples of the con- ceptual evolution of dynamic, mechanistic models and their applications. Generally with each new system, advances in prediction accuracy came about by adding new terms to conceptually validated models. However, complexity of input requirements often limits general use of these larger models. Expert systems may be uti- lized to provide many of the additional inputs needed for application of the more complex models. Additional information available from these systems is expected to result in an ever-increasing range of application. These systems are expected to have increased generality and the capability to be integrated with other models to allow economic evaluation. This will eventually allow users to compute solutions that allow development of optimal production strategies.
Relation of Student Residence to Academic Performance in College.

AbstractThe pupose of this investigation was to explore the relation of student residence to academic achievement in five colleges of an upper Midwest university. Students were matched on the basis of ACT composite standard scores and class standing. The results showed that the combined group of students residing in residence halls had higher mean grade point averages (GPA’S) than did students residing at home or off-campus. When the data were analyzed by individual college, however, non-significant differences were found, although some trends were noted. Significant differences were found in GPA and ACT scores among the total groups of students enrolled in the five colleges.
A Quarter of a Century of Academia--Industry Interfacing: The Alabama Productivity Center

Academic outreach and interactions with industry can take on many faces and delivery modes. Some of these efforts focus mainly on student learning, others on supporting faculty research interests, whereas others are primarily university service in nature. This paper reports the experiences of a 24-year initiative that has been successful in touching all three of these bases. We report on the model we have followed, on what has worked for us, and on what has not; we also discuss the lessons we learned that may benefit other universities with initiatives designed to provide a win-win outreach outcome.
On the relation between roll and pitch

Studies have found that rolling the visual environment affects observers' perception of gravitational vertical and horizontal and that pitching the environment affects observers' perception of pitch. However, the relationship between these two perceptions is not fully understood. In the present work, observers performed three tasks while in a visual surround whose pitch and roll was manipulated. In the first task, observers adjusted a rod in the frontal-parallel plane to the horizontal (roll). In a second task, they adjusted a rod along a plane parallel to straight-ahead to the vertical (pitch). In the final task (“in-between”), they adjusted a rod midway between the first two conditions. The typical pitch and roll effects were found, as well as a contribution of both pitch and roll to the in-between task. No interaction between pitch and roll effects was found, indicating independent cognitive representations.
Postoperative Chondrolysis of the Knee 3 Case Reports and a Review of the Literature

*Address correspondence to Lt Col Eric W. Fester, USAF, MC, FS, 4881 Sugar Maple Dr, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 (e-mail: cfleckenstein@csmref.org).The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.No potential conflict of interest declared.The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 37, No. 9DOI: 10.1177/0363546509334999© 2009 The Author(s)
Characterization and properties of polyethylene blends I. Linear low-density polyethylene with high-density polyethylene

Etude par DSC, diffraction RX aux grands angles, diffusion RX aux petits angles, spectroscopie Raman en mode acoustique longitudinal et diffusion de la lumiere
A general green function method for calculating electronic structure and vibrational modes at surfaces

Abstract We extend the (single-particle) Green function method for treating surface problems by (1) giving a simple analytical expression for the bulk Green function G0+(ω) which is completely general, and (2) giving a new procedure for achieving self-consistency in electronic problems.
Metabolic characteristics of African descendants: a comparative study of African-Americans and Ghanaian immigrants using minimal model analysis.

We have previously demonstrated that glucose-tolerant American blacks manifest significantly higher insulin concentrations and a lower insulin sensitivity than native African blacks who reside in their respective countries. It is, however, unknown whether the serum glucose, beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity are different in native Africans and African-Americans who reside in the same environments. We have studied 68 healthy American blacks and age- and weight-matched 30 African blacks recently immigrated from Ghana residing in Franklin County, Ohio, USA. Each subject underwent a standard oral glucose tolerance test to determine glucose tolerance status. Insulin sensitivity index (Si) and glucose effectiveness (Sg) were measured by the insulin-modified, frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. The body composition variables were measured by the bioelectrical impedance analyser and body fat distribution pattern by the waist-hip ratio. The clinical characteristics were identical in the African-American and the African blacks; the mean fasting serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide levels were not different. Following the oral and intravenous glucose administration, the mean peak and incremental areas of serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide were not different in the two groups. The mean Si (3.1±0.7 vs 2.4±0.3×10−4·(min/ΜU·l−1)−1 and Sg (2.5±0.3 vs 2.7±0.2×10−2·min−1) were not significantly different in the American and African blacks, respectively. In summary, the metabolic parameters measured in the American blacks and recent African immigrants were identical. We speculate that, in contrast to the indigenous Africans who reside in their native countries, migration to the western world results in rapid “adaptation” in glucoregulation, beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity, similar to those of American blacks.
Circulating Antibody to Prostate Antigen in Patients with Prostatic Cancer

A reverse enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modified from a prostate antigen (PA) assay previously reported has been developed to measure circulating PA-binding globulin (PABG). Serum specimens taken from normal males, normal females, male patients with nonprostatic cancers, patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, and patients with various stages of prostate cancer were analyzed for PABG. Results revealed that only patients with an advanced stage of prostatic cancer exhibited an elevated level of PABG. PABG was then isolated from prostatic cancer patients' serum by PA affinity chromatography. Upon immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis, this PABG preparation reacted with purified PA, anti-PA xenoantibodies and anti-human IgG. By the immunoperoxidase technique, PABG stained positively in prostatic ductal epithelial cells and negatively in all other tissues examined. An additional PABG preparation, which reacted with anti-PA and anti-human IgG and not with purified PA, was also isolated by an anti-PA affinity chromatography. These PABG preparations were separately subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography for further purification. Three major protein peaks at Mr of greater than 240K, 150K, and 34K were obtained. These results demonstrated that circulating IgG antibody reactive with PA was present in patients with metastatic cancer of the prostate, and this in part was in complexed form with PA and was specifically reactive with ductal epithelial elements of the prostate.
Intensity offset and correction of solid spectral library samples measured behind glass

Accurate and calibrated diffuse reflectance spectra libraries of solids are becoming more important for hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing exploitation. Many solids are in the form of powders or granules and in order to measure their diffuse reflectance spectra in the laboratory, it is often necessary to place the samples behind a transparent medium such as glass or quartz for the ultraviolet (UV), visible or near-infrared spectral regions to prevent their unwanted dispersal into the instrument or laboratory environment. Using both experimental and theoretical methods we have found that for the case of fused quartz this leads to an intensity offset in the reflectance values. Although expected dispersive effects were observed for the fused quartz window in the UV, the measured hemispherical reflectance values are predominantly vertically shifted by the reflectance from the air-quartz and sample-quartz interfaces with intensity dependent offsets leading to measured values up to ∼6% too high for a 2% reflectance surface, ∼3.8% too high for 10% reflecting materials, approximately correct (to within experimental error) for 40% to 60% diffuse reflecting surfaces, and ∼2% too low for 99% reflecting Spectralon surfaces. For the diffuse reflectance case, the measured values are uniformly too low due to the glass, with differences nearly 6% too high for reflectance values approaching 99%. The deviations arise from the added reflections from the quartz surfaces as verified by theory, modeling and experiment. Empirical correction factors were implemented into post-processing software to redress the artifact for hemispherical and diffuse reflectance data across the 300 nm to 2300 nm range.
Exploring Parent-Adolescent Communication About Gender: Results from Adolescent and Emerging Adult Samples.

Although parents are assumed to be children’s primary models of socialization when it comes to gender, little is known about direct communication of gendered values in the family. Accordingly, this study assessed the amount and content of recalled parental gender socialization messages using data from 291 U.S. college undergraduates attending a large Midwestern university and 259 U.S. adolescents enrolled in public high schools in the Midwest. The study examined the amount and content of parental communications of five gendered discourses and then tested for connections to current gender beliefs. Findings indicate that gender socialization may be quite similar for sons and daughters, with some evidence of gender typing in patterns of communication. No significant age differences emerged in the patterns of socialization, although high school students reported receiving greater amounts of communication than college students on two of the five discourses. In general, receiving messages promoting traditional gender roles was associated with more traditional gender beliefs (and vice versa), although interpretation of some messages appeared to vary by gender.
Visualizing protein partnerships in living cells and organisms.

In recent years, scientists have expanded their focus from cataloging genes to characterizing the multiple states of their translated products. One anticipated result is a dynamic map of the protein association networks and activities that occur within the cellular environment. While in vitro-derived network maps can illustrate which of a multitude of possible protein–protein associations could exist, they supply a falsely static picture lacking the subtleties of subcellular location (where) or cellular state (when). Generating protein association network maps that are informed by both subcellular location and cell state requires novel approaches that accurately characterize the state of protein associations in living cells and provide precise spatiotemporal resolution. In this review, we highlight recent advances in visualizing protein associations and networks under increasingly native conditions. These advances include second generation protein complementation assays (PCAs), chemical and photo-crosslinking techniques, and proximity-induced ligation approaches. The advances described focus on background reduction, signal optimization, rapid and reversible reporter assembly, decreased cytotoxicity, and minimal functional perturbation. Key breakthroughs have addressed many challenges and should expand the repertoire of tools useful for generating maps of protein interactions resolved in both time and space.
Galalpha(1,3)Gal epitope in porcine small intestinal submucosa.

Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a naturally occurring, acellular biomaterial derived from porcine jejunum, which promotes constructive tissue remodeling when applied as a xenogeneic graft mater...
Renal handling of carnitine in experimental vitamin C deficiency

Abstract Experimental vitamin C deficiency is associated with low carnitine concentrations in blood and some tissues, but is not due to a decreased ability of scorbutic animals to synthesize carnitine. The effect of experimental vitamin C deficiency on urinary carnitine excretion in vivo and carnitine transport into renal cortical brush-border membrane vesicles in vitro was investigated in guinea pigs fed normal and vitamin C-deficient diets for 24 days. Excretion of free and total carnitine was approximately fourfold greater in scorbutic animals as compared with normal guinea pigs during the last 6 days of the experimental regiment. The rate of carnitine transport into renal cortical brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from scorbutic animals was approximately 36% lower than the corresponding rate for vesicles prepared from normal animals. However, this effect was not specific, since rates of sodium gradient-dependent transport of glucose, lysine, and taurine (but not alanine) were also lower vesicles prepared from scorbutic animals, although the magnitude of the decrease was less than for carnitine. results are consistent with the hypothesis that carnitine depletion in vitamin C deficiency is due to decreased efficiency of carnitine reabsorption.
Fuzzy databases in the new era

The last five years have been witness to a revolution in the database research community. The dominant data models have changed and the consensus on what constitutes worthwhile research is in flux. Also, at this time, it is possible to gain a perspective on what has been accomplished in the area of fuzzy databases. Therefore, now is an opportune time to take stock of the past and establish a framework. A framework should assist in evaluating future research through a better understanding of the different aspects of imprecision that a database can model. Additionally, a framework can indicate which past efforts a specific instance of present research can be related.
Interactive image-space techniques for approximating caustics

Interactive applications require simplifications to lighting, geometry, and material properties that preclude many effects encountered in the physical world. Until recently only the most simplistic reflections and refractions could be performed interactively, but state-of-the-art research has lifted some restrictions on such materials. This paper builds upon this work, but examines reflection and refraction from the light's viewpoint to achieve interactive caustics from point sources. Our technique emits photons from the light and stores the results in image-space, similar to a shadow map. We then examine various techniques for gathering these photons, comparing their advantages and disadvantages for rendering caustics. These approaches run interactively on modern GPUs, work in conjunction with existing techniques for rendering specular materials, and produce images competitive with offline renderings using comparable numbers of photons.
One extra month of depression: the effects of caregiving on depression outcomes in the IMPACT trial.

Background Depression occurs in 5–10% of older adults and there are nearly 6 million informal caregivers aged 65 or older. Prior research has focused on vulnerability to psychological distress in caregivers. Research has not addressed the caregiving burden of depressed elderly patients or how that burden affects depression treatment outcomes. Aims To describe the self-reported caregiving burden in a large, representative cohort of depressed elderly patients and compare depression treatment outcomes between caregivers and non-caregivers. Methods Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed comparing 24-month depression outcomes (measured as depression free days) in those providing care at any time over the 24-month trial to those who never reported a caregiving burden. Results At 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, nearly 10% of cohabitating elderly depressed patients provided care for basic activities such as bathing or dressing while nearly 20% reported providing care for other activities such as making phone calls or taking medication. Over 24 months, after adjusting for marital status, intervention status, and number of medical comorbidities, those reporting any caregiving burden had over 30 more days with depression compared to those with no caregiving burden. The IMPACT collaborative care model did not modify the effect of caregiving on depression outcomes. Conclusion Caregiving is common in depressed older adults and appears to affect response to depression treatment. In the future, interventions for depressed older adults should consider and specifically address caregiving activities in addition to specific depression treatment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of larval exposure to salinity and cadmium stress on juvenile performance of two marine invertebrates (Capitella sp. I and Crepidula fornicata)

Delayed metamorphosis and short-term food limitation reduce juvenile or adult fitness in a number of marine invertebrate species. In this study, we tested the ability of pollutant and salinity stress to bring about similar effects on juvenile or adult performance. Larvae of the polychaete Capitella sp. I were exposed to sublethal cadmium stress (up to 2000 μg l−1) or salinity stress (down to 10‰) for 24 and 48 h at 23 °C. Following exposure, we induced surviving larvae to metamorphose and monitored the subsequent survival, growth, and reproductive output of juveniles reared under control conditions (no added cadmium, 32‰ salinity). Similarly, larvae of the gastropod Crepidula fornicata were exposed for 24 and 48 h to cadmium in seawater (up to a nominal concentration of 20,000 μg l−1). Surviving larvae were reared to metamorphic competence in the absence of cadmium, induced to metamorphose, and maintained under control conditions for an additional 5 days to monitor juvenile growth rates and survival. Exposing larvae of Capitella sp. I to low salinity (10–12‰) for 48 h generally did not affect adult fecundity, but stressing the larvae for as little as 24 h significantly reduced post-settlement survival and juvenile growth rates (P<0.05). In contrast, exposing larvae of this species to cadmium for even 48 h had no significant effects on post-settlement survival or fecundity, and no consistent effect on mean juvenile growth rate. Similarly, cadmium exposure did not significantly affect mean juvenile growth rates for C. fornicata, even when larvae were severely stressed (i.e., when larval mortality exceeded 50% during exposures). We suggest that heavy metal stressors do not act through the same mechanism as the stresses of inadequate food supply, reduced salinity, and delayed metamorphosis.
1H NMR spectroscopic imaging of the mouse brain at 9.4 T.

Purpose To assess the feasibility of 1H spectroscopic imaging (SI) in the mouse brain at 9.4 T, and investigate regional variations in brain metabolites. Materials and Methods A total of 21 SI studies were performed in CD-1 mice to evaluate the basal ganglia (N = 5), hippocampus and thalamus (N = 11), and cerebellum (N = 5). We adjusted the B0 homogeneity for each slice using a fully automated shim calculation method based on the B0 map, which we measured using a multislice gradient-echo sequence with multiple phase evolution delays. The SI employed a modified localization by adiabatic selective refocusing (LASER) sequence with TE/TR of 50/2000 msec, 24 × 24 encodes over a field of view (FOV) of 24 mm × 24 mm, 1 μL voxel resolution, and two averages, for a total acquisition time of 38 minutes. Results Sufficient shimming was achieved and high-quality spectra were consistently obtained in each slice. N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratios in the basal ganglia and thalamus (0.86 ± 0.07, and 0.87 ± 0.07, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the hippocampus and cerebellum (0.76 ± 0.03 and 0.67 ± 0.07), which were also significantly different from each other. Conclusion 1H SI of the mouse brain is highly reproducible and allows differences in regional metabolite ratios to be easily visualized. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A comparison of self-recording and self-recording plus consequences for on-task and assignment completion

Abstract The purpose of the present experiment was to compare the effects of providing backup reinforcers for accurate self-recording on both attending and academic output. Twelve behaviorally disordered special education students were randomly placed in one of three groups: self-recording ( N = 4); self-recording + backups ( N = 4), and a control group ( N = 4). The outcomes revealed significantly different performance for on-task behavior and assignment completion. On-task and academic responding was significantly higher for both the self-recording and self-recording + backups groups when compared to a control group. Additional comparisons indicated that the performance of the two groups who self-monitored were not statistically different for either measure. Maintenance of treatment effects was higher for two groups (self-recording and self-recording + backups) than for the control group. These differential outcomes were discussed in terms of (a) accuracy of self-recording, (b) nature of the dependent variables employed, (c) ceiling effects, and (d) possible vicarious effects. The advantages of using self-recording with and without consequences were noted.
Technology Characterization Models and Their Use in Systems Design

Prior research suggests that set-based design representations can be useful for facilitating collaboration among engineers in a design project. However, existing set-based methods are limited in terms of how the sets are constructed and in their representational capability. The focus of this article is on the problem of modeling the capabilities of a component technology in a way that can be communicated and used in support of system-level decision making. The context is the system definition phases of a systems engineering project, when engineers still are considering various technical concepts. The approach under investigation requires engineers familiar with the component- or subsystem-level technologies to generate a set-based model of their achievable technical attributes, called a technology characterization model (TCM). Systems engineers then use these models to explore system-level alternatives and choose the combination of technologies that are best suited to the design problem. Previously, this approach was shown to be theoretically sound from a decision making perspective under idealized circumstances. This article is an investigation into the practical effectiveness of different TCM representational methods under realistic conditions such as having limited data. A power plant systems engineering problem is used as an example, with TCMs generated for different technical concepts for the condenser component. Samples of valid condenser realizations are used as inputs to the TCM representation methods. Two TCM representation methods are compared based on their solution accuracy and computational effort required: a Kriging-based interpolation and a machine learning technique called support vector domain description (SVDD). The results from this example hold that the SVDD-based method provides the better combination of accuracy and efficiency.
Epidemiology of Tension-type Headache

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent type of headache across all age groups worldwide. TTH is common, disabling, and associated with medical and psychiatric comorbidities. This review will focus on the epidemiologies of episodic and chronic TTH in various age groups, factors associated with progression and remission, comorbidities, and the burden of TTH.
Similarity of clinical and laboratory results obtained with microporous teflon membrane oxygenator and bubble-film hybrid oxygenator.

Abstract For 80 elective clinical cardiopulmonary bypasses we alternately used either a commercial microporous Teflon membrane oxygenator or a commercial hybrid bubble-film oxygenator. Setup time was a little longer with the membrane unit (20 minutes), but priming volume (2,250 ml) was the same. No problems were encountered with the hybrid oxygenator. However, despite our monitoring of additional variables, including shim and inlet pressure and recirculation flow, gas exchange abnormalities were encountered in 5 patients on whom the membrane oxygenator was used; in 4 of these cases the abnormalities were encountered prior to our recognition of the potential for occasional internal shunting with this device. There were no hospital deaths. When the two groups, matched except for oxygenator selection, were compared, there were no significant differences clinically or hematologically. For cardiopulmonary bypass of 2 hours or less, both oxygenators studied are definite improvements over previous silicone membrane and high-gas-flow bubble oxygenators. However, lower cost and reduced complexity favor the hybrid oxygenator.
Intracranial microcapsule drug delivery device for the treatment of an experimental gliosarcoma model.

Controlled-release drug delivery systems are capable of treating debilitating diseases, including cancer. Brain cancer, in particular glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is an extremely invasive cancer with a dismal prognosis. The use of drugs capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier has shown modest prolongation in patient survival, but not without unsatisfactory systemic, dose-limiting toxicity. Among the reasons for this improvement include a better understanding of the challenges of delivery of effective agents directly to the brain tumor site. The combination of carmustine delivered by biodegradable polyanhydride wafers (Gliadel(®)), with the systemic alkylating agent, temozolomide, allows much higher effective doses of the drug while minimizing the systemic toxicity. We have previously shown that locally delivering these two drugs leads to further improvement in survival in experimental models. We postulated that microcapsule devices capable of releasing temozolomide would increase the therapeutic capability of this approach. A biocompatible drug delivery microcapsule device for the intracranial delivery of temozolomide is described. Drug release profiles from these microcapsules can be modulated based on the physical chemistry of the drug and the dimensions of the release orifices in these devices. The drug released from the microcapsules in these experiments was the clinically utilized chemotherapeutic agent, temozolomide. In vitro studies were performed in order to test the function, reliability, and drug release kinetics of the devices. The efficacy of the temozolomide-filled microcapsules was tested in an intracranial experimental rodent gliosarcoma model. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue for evidence of DNA strand breaks via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed. The experimental release curves showed mass flow rates of 36 μg/h for single-orifice devices and an 88 μg/h mass flow rate for multiple-orifice devices loaded with temozolomide. In vivo efficacy results showed that localized intracranial delivery of temozolomide from microcapsule devices was capable of prolonging animal survival and may offer a novel form of treatment for brain tumors.
Use of a subcutaneous injection port to improve glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes

Objective: To determine if use of an injection port, the Insuflon™, would help to improve glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (TID) who were in suboptimal glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c >8.0%). Study design: A three-arm randomized protocol was used to study the effects of the Insuflon (a subcutaneous injection port) vs. an alarmable blood glucose meter vs. a control group on glycemic control in 66 youth with T1D. All participants used insulin glargine™ as their basal insulin and the NovoPen® Junior with insulin aspart™ as their rapid-acting insulin. Participants were randomized into control, alarm, or Insuflon groups. HbA1c levels were the primary outcome with values at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Results: Initial parameters were similar in the three groups. HbA1c values were significantly lower for youth who used the Insuflon than for the control group at 3 and 6 months (p = 0.025). The HbA1c values (in %) for youth using the Insuflon decreased significantly from 9.4 at screening to 8.7 at 3 months (p < 0.001) and 8.5 at 6 months (p < 0.001). There were no significant reductions (p ≥ 0.05) in the HbA1c values within the other two groups. Conclusion: The Insuflon injection port helps some youth with T1D to improve glycemic control.
Spatial reuse in multi-hop linear wireless cooperative networks

Spatial reuse has been shown to be critical for efficient wireless networks. It is also well known that cooperative communication has the potential to significantly improve the network performance. How does cooperation affect the spatial reuse design in wireless networks? To answer this question, we investigate the impact of reuse on the throughput of multi-hop linear cooperative networks. The reuse that maximizes the network throughput is then derived. Simulation results are provided to illustrate the importance of choosing an appropriate reuse factor.
Bi-phase locking — a tool for probing non-linear interaction in the human brain

Abstract We present a novel method for detecting frequency–frequency coupling between the electrical output of cortical areas as measured by electrocorticography (ECoG), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), the biphase-locking value (bPLV). Our method is an extension of the well known phase-locking value (PLV) and is specifically sensitive to non-linear interactions, i.e. quadratic phase coupling across frequencies. Due to its sensitivity to non-linear interactions, it is robust to spurious synchronization arising from linear crosstalk, which is an especially useful property when analyzing data recorded by EEG/MEG. We discuss the statistical properties of the bPLV, specifically the distribution of the bPLV under assumption of random phases between the signals of interest. We also compare the bPLV to the PLV for cortical interactions that are computed for simulated EEG/MEG data. These data were mapped to the cortex using an inverse solution. We demonstrate our method for event related ECoG data recorded from the motor cortex of an epileptic patient, who performed a cued finger movement task. We find highly significant, movement related increase of the bPLV between the α (12 Hz) and high γ (77 Hz) band in a pre-motor area, coupling to high γ at 89 Hz in the motor cortex.
Dialogue Between Political Trauma and Personal Defenses

With the war in their home country waging on, the authors found themselves together in the expressive therapies PhD program at Lesley University—an Israeli Jewish woman and a Palestinian Moslem man...