cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REEXAMINATION OF CHIRPED PULSE CONTROL OF WAVE PACKET MOTION IN NAI

Recent experimental and theoretical studies of femtosecond pump−probe pulse excitation of NaI have led to information concerning bound-state wave packet motion, the control of wave packet localization, and the control of the branching between photodissociation products. This paper reports calculations that (i) resolve the discrepancy between the experiments that employ 50−60 fs pulses and those that employ 150−175 fs pulses; the former experiments show that the wave packet motion changes from simple periodic to multiple periodic and back to simple periodic in a time span of 40 ps, while the latter experiments do not show this change in wave packet dynamics; (ii) examine the relationship between pulse width and photodissociation yield; and (iii) determine the optimal nonlinear chirped pump pulse that best localizes the excited-state wave packet with prescribed position and momentum chosen to enhance the photodissociation yield.
Productivity Growth: A New Era?

On November 2, 2001, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Review of Economic Dynamics organized a conference on productivity growth aiming to better understand what has occured over the past five to ten years in the area of technological progress, and what is likely to transpire in the decade to come. (Copyright: Elsevier)
Parental competence among African American adolescent mothers and grandmothers

Abstract This study describes the influence of grandmothers on parental competence among urban African American adolescent mothers, using a model adapted from Belsky's (1984) Determinants of Parenting Process Model. The sample included 53 pairs of urban African American mothers (age 16.4 ± 1.2 years) and their mothers (age 39.2 ± 4.3 years). All adolescents were enrolled in school, co-resided with mothers, and had infants ages 4 to 8 months. Survey instruments measured personal resources, perception of infant temperament, and contextual sources of support and stress. The outcome measure for adolescent mothers was perceived parental competence. Multiple regression analyses indicated adolescent mothers' self-esteem and mastery explained 41% of the variance and grandmothers' self-esteem explained 42% of the variance in adolescent mothers' parental competence. A combined regression equation demonstrated that adolescent mothers' mastery and grandmothers' self-esteem accounted for 65% of the variance in adolescent mothers' parental competence. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Numerical model for flow past a slot in a rectangular conduit

The three-dimensional two-equation k–ω turbulence model is applied to obtain the characteristics of flow past a rectangular floor slot located in a rectangular closed conduit. The predictions of the numerical simulation are validated using existing experimental data. The model faithfully reproduces the flow behavior including flow separation in the expanding flow region downstream of the slot. In particular, the model predictions agree well with the experimental data related to pressure and velocity fields. As such, following proper model validation, the numerical model can yield design data pertaining to flow characteristics for different discharge ratios and slot width ratios for many other slot flow situations encountered in engineering practice.
On the controversy over the effect of tidal friction upon the history of the Earth-Moon system a reply to comments by H. Gerstenkorn

Abstract In a recent paper Gerstenkorn claims that discrepancies between the results of his integrations and those of Goldreich are due to an error in the latter's calculations. We show, contrary to this claim, that the source of these discrepancies is a fundamental error in Gerstenkorn's technique of averaging his equations over a processional period of the Earth-Moon system. As a result, Gerstenkorn's calculations are not quantitatively correct. However, the qualitative conclusions of his pioneering work on the past history of the Earth-Moon system are not affected by the error.
Verbal Time Production as a Secondary Task: Which Metrics and Target Intervals are Most Sensitive to Workload for Fine Motor Laparoscopic Training Tasks?

Although time production is frequently used as a secondary task, research has not thoroughly investigated whether the length of the to-be-produced interval or the metric used to summarize productions affects sensitivity to mental workload. Fourteen participants produced four target intervals (6, 11, 16, or 21 s) while performing a surgical training task that required putting small beads into a cup (easy) or onto a peg (difficult). Intervals were summarized into two metrics of central tendency and four metrics of dispersion previously used in the literature. Results indicate that metrics of central tendency and shorter target intervals are more sensitive to mental workload.
Injury location and screening questionnaires as markers for intimate partner violence.

Purpose We sought to evaluate the performance of 2 different screening questionnaires for intimate partner violence (IPV), in conjunction with injury location, as markers for IPV-related injuries. Methods We implemented a cross-sectional study and enrolled a sample of women presenting to the emergency department for evaluation and management of nonverifiable injuries. Study subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 IPV screening questionnaires: the Partner Violence Screen (PVS) or the short-Woman Abuse Screening Tool (short-WAST). We evaluated a combination of 2 markers of IPV-related injury: (1) injury location, classified as head/neck/facial (HNF) or other and (2) responses to the IPV questionnaires: positive or negative. Our predictor variable was the probability of self-report of IPV-related injury defined as (1) high probability (HNF injuries were present and there was a positive response to the IPV questionnaire) or (2) low probability (all other combinations of injury location and responses to the questionnaires). The outcome variable was self-reported injury etiology, IPV or other. Demographic variables were also recorded for our study sample. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were computed for the sample. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values and odds ratios were calculated ( P Results The sample was composed of 200 women. The sensitivities/specificities for the PVS-injury location and short-WAST-injury location combinations were 0.75/0.70 and 0.77/0.61, respectively. The odds ratios for IPV-related injury etiology were 10.2 (3 P = .01) for the PVS-injury location combination and 3.7 (0.90 P = .07) for the short-WAST-injury location combination. Conclusions A set of markers composed of injury location and the PVS was statistically associated with the likelihood of reporting IPV-related injuries. The short-WAST did not perform as well as the PVS in the study’s clinical setting.
The Emerging Field of Adolescent Romantic Relationships

Romantic relationships are central in adolescents’ lives. They have the potential to affect development positively, but also place adolescents at risk for problems. Romantic experiences change substantially over the course of adolescence; the peer context plays a critical role as heterosexual adolescents initially interact with the other sex in a group context, then begin group dating, and finally have dyadic romantic relationships. Adolescents’ expectations and experiences in romantic relationships are related to their relationships with their peers as well as their parents. Although research on adolescents’ romantic relationships has blossomed in the past decade, further work is needed to identify the causes and consequences of romantic experiences, examine the diversity of romantic experiences, and integrate the field with work on sexuality and adult romantic relationships.
Assessment of mechanisms of action of immunosuppressive drugs using novel whole blood assays.

WHOLE BLOOD ASSAYS are preferred because they better approximate the complex in vivo relationships among drug concentration, the binding of drug to plasma constituents and cellular targets, and the interaction among immune cells and their products. Additionally, the whole blood technique is more rapid and requires smaller sample volumes than methods that rely on purified lymphocytes. We assessed lymphocyte proliferation by measuring [H]-TdR incorporation and also assessed the expression of the T-lymphocyte surface antigens CD11a, CD25, CD54, and CD71 with flow cytometry analysis. We stimulated whole blood with concanavalin A (Con A) and phorbol 13-myristate 12-acetate (PMA) plus anti-CD28 (CD28) and determined the relative potencies of different immunosuppressive drugs on inhibition of lymphocyte function.
Fast volume segmentation with simultaneous visualization using programmable graphics hardware

Segmentation of structures from measured volume data, such as anatomy in medical imaging, is a challenging data-dependent task. In this paper, we present a segmentation method that leverages the parallel processing capabilities of modern programmable graphics hardware in order to run significantly faster than previous methods. In addition, collocating the algorithm computation with the visualization on the graphics hardware circumvents the need to transfer data across the system bus, allowing for faster visualization and interaction. This algorithm is unique in that it utilizes sophisticated graphics hardware functionality (i.e., floating point precision, render to texture, computational masking, and fragment programs) to enable fast segmentation and interactive visualization.
Load information distribution via active interconnection networks

Existing multicomputers typically use passive, dedicated network interfaces. By comparison, an active interconnect network can manipulate the data in messages transitting through a node; these might use existing systolic processors as the network interface. Active interconnects will become increasingly common in distributed memory multicomputers because they can be used to implement a variety of routing algorithms, reduction operators and efficient memory-fetch operations. The authors measures the effectiveness of distributing load information using active interconnection networks. He does not expect the benefits of distributing load information to solely justify the existence of active interconnection networks; rather, he foresees that active networks will shortly be commonplace, and seeks to measure their benefit for tightly coupled distributed operating systems. >
Simulated crop production under saline high water table conditions

Many irrigated lands in semi-arid regions of the world are underlain with saline high water tables. Water management is critical to maintain crop productivity under these conditions. A multi-seasonal, transient state model was used to simulate cotton and alfalfa production under various irrigation management regimes. The variables included in-season water application of 1.0 or 0.6 potential evapotranspiration (PET), and 18 or 33 cm pre-irrigation amounts for cotton. The water table was initially at a 1.5m depth and a 9 dS/m salinity. A impermeable lower boundary at 2.5 m depth was imposed. Irrigation water salinity was 0.4 dS/m. Climatic conditions typical to the San Joaquin Valley of California were used for PET and precipitation values. The simulations were for no-lateral flow and also lateral flow whereby the water table was raised to its initial level prior to each irrigation event. Uniform application of 1.0 PET provided for relative cotton lint yields and alfalfa yields of 95% or more for at least 4 years. In-season irrigation of cotton with 0.6 PET had higher yields when associated with a 33 cm rather than an 18 cm pre-irrigation. Lateral flow provided for higher cotton lint yields production than the no-lateral flow case for each pre-irrigation treatment. The beneficial effects of lateral flow diminished with time because of the additional salt which accumulated and became detrimental to crop production. Substantial alfalfa yield reductions occurred after the first year when irrigation was set at 0.6 PET regardless of other conditions. Evaporation losses from the soil during the cotton fallow season were higher when the soil water content entering the fallow season were higher.
A Modified JPDA

This paper presents a coupled, joint probabilistic data association (JPDA) algorithm for multi-target tracking using a modified version of the standard measurement-to-track assignment model. The mutually exclusive nature of standard JPDA association events precludes any measurement being associated with more than one target in a given event. This constraint is relaxed here to allow a measurement to be assigned to multiple targets. All other JPDA assumptions are retained (i.e., no measurement can be simultaneously associated with target and clutter, and each track can claim at most one measurement). The computational requirements of the resulting algorithm grow linearly with the number of tracks. The recursive estimators for the coupled track means and covariance are derived and presented.
Using goal setting as a strategy for dietary behavior change

Recent reviews have noted that behavioral theory-based nutrition education programs are more successful at achieving food behavior change than knowledge-based programs and that a clear understanding of the mechanisms of behavior change procedures enable dietetics professionals to more effectively promote change. Successful dietary behavior change programs target 1 or more of the personal, behavioral, or environmental factors that influence the behavior of interest and apply theory-based strategies to influence or change those factors. Goal setting is a strategy that is frequently used to help people change. A 4-step goal-setting process has been identified: recognizing a need for change; establishing a goal; adopting a goal-directed activity and self-monitoring it; and self-rewarding goal attainment. The applications of goal setting in dietary interventions for adults and children are reviewed here. Because interventions using goal setting appear to promote dietary change, dietitians should consider incorporating the goal-setting strategies to enhance the behavior change process in nutrition education programs.
Metamorphic experiments on solid-fluid reactions

Many metamorphic rocks crystallize or recrystallize under conditions which generate an essentially volatile-free mineral assemblage. As examples, one might consider rocks of the granulite facies which typically produce orthopyroxene—clinopyroxene—plagioclase ± garnet ± quartz assemblages in mafic compositions and quartz—plagioclase—alkali feldspar—sillimanite —garnet ± cordierite assemblages in pelitic compositions. Of even wider distribution than granulites are the recrystallized rocks of the upper mantle which are found as xenoliths in mantle-derived volcanics. Peridotites and eclogites are the commonest of such volatile-free xenoliths.
Adolescent Rape: The Role Of Nursing

Rape is a crime—viewed as a physical, social, and psychological attack on the victim. The majority of its victims are between the ages of 15 and 22 years. Although the effects of rape on women in general have been studied, little has been written about the effects of rape on adolescents. Adolescent rape victims represent a group of victims with unique needs. An understanding of the biopsychosocial effects of rape on adolescents as well as an awareness of one's reaction to the victim can best assist a nurse in working with adolescent rape victims in a variety of settings.
Graphene and Lateral Heterostructure for THz Imaging

We report millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz detection using graphene FETs up to 220 GHz at zero-bias to reduce $1/f $ noise. Detection leveraged the nonlinearity of the channel resistance through resistive field-effect transistor mixing for high-dynamic range. At a 50- $\Omega$ load, measured detection responsivity was 70 V/W at 2 GHz to 33 V/W at 110 GHz. The measured noise power of the graphene FETs was ${\sim}{\hbox{7.5}} \times {\hbox{10}}^{-18}$ V $^{2}$ /Hz at zero-bias. Noise equivalent power at 110 GHz was estimated to be $\sim {\hbox{80}}$ pW/Hz $^{0.5}$ . A linear dynamic range of ${>} {\hbox{40}}$ dB was measured, providing 15–20 dB greater linear dynamic range compared to conventional CMOS detectors at the transistor level. The emerging graphene heterostructure diodes offer the RC limited cutoff frequency $(f_{\rm c})$ of 2.9 THz with the noise equivalent power of ${\sim} {\hbox{8}}$ pW/Hz $^{0.5}$ at 200 GHz due to its small junction- capacitance and diode nonlinearity.
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Photodiode Technology for Advanced CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Imagers

Amorphous silicon photodiode technology is a very attractive option for image array integrated circuits because it enables large die-size reduction and higher light collection efficiency than c-Si arrays. We have developed a photodiode array technology that is fully compatible with a 0.35µm CMOS process to produce image sensors arrays with 10-bit dynamic range that are 30% smaller than comparable c-Si photodiode arrays. The VGA (640x480), array demonstrated here uses common intrinsic and p-type contact layers, and makes reliable contact to those layers by use of a monolithic transparent conductor strap tied to vias in the interconnect. The work presented here will discuss performance issues and solutions that lend themselves to cost-effective high-volume manufacturing. The various methods of interconnection of the diode to the array and their advantages will be presented. The photodiode dark leakage current density is about 80 pA/cm 2 , and its absolute quantum efficiency peaks about 85% at 550 nm. The effect of doped layer thickness and concentration on quantum efficiency, and the effect of a-Si:H defect concentration on diode performance will be discussed.
The Pharmacogenetics of Antiretroviral Therapy: A Review of Studies to Date

Although the ever-expanding armamentarium of antiretroviral drugs has significantly decreased the morbidity and mortality due to human immunodeficiency virus infection, patients and clinicians are increasingly faced with the problems of inadequate or toxic response to therapy that may be genetically mediated. Significant evidence now exists that interindividual differences, such as efficacy of therapy, hypersensitivity reactions, and metabolic complications as a result of antiretroviral therapy, are in part genetically determined. This article reviews the significant studies published to date in the area of the pharmacogenetics of antiretroviral therapy and summarizes current trends, as well as areas where further research is needed.
Whisker-reinforced Heat-cured Dental Resin Composites: Effects of Filler Level and Heat-cure Temperature and Time

Currently available dental resin composites are inadequate for use in large stress-bearing crown and multiple-unit restorations. The aim of this study was to reinforce heat-cured composites with ceramic whiskers. It was hypothesized that whiskers substantially strengthen heat-cured composites. It was further hypothesized that whisker filler level and heat-cure temperature and time significantly influence composite properties. Silica particles were fused onto the whiskers to facilitate silanization and to roughen the whiskers for improved retention in the matrix. The whisker filler mass fraction was varied from 0% to 79%, the heat-cure temperature from 80°C to 180°C, and cure time from 10 min to 24 hrs. Flexural strength, work-of-fracture, and fracture toughness of the composites were measured, and specimen fracture surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy. Filler level had a significant effect on composite properties. The whisker composite with 70% filler level had a flexural strength in M...
Which venous leg ulcers will heal with limb compression bandages

Abstract PURPOSE: To develop a simple prediction rule to identify patients in whom a venous leg ulcer will heal using a limb compression bandage (eg, Unna's boot). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with venous leg ulcers who received a limb compression bandage applied weekly. Prognostic factors were assessed from the patient's history before the start of treatment. The outcome of interest was a healed wound within 24 weeks of treatment. The final model was validated in another data set. RESULTS: Several accurate prognostic models were developed. The simplest model summed the size and duration of the wound before treatment, with 1 point given for a wound with an area >5 cm 2 and another if the wound was >6 months old. In the development data set, ulcers healed in 93% (110 of 118) of patients with a score of 0, but in only 13% (9 of 67) of those with a score of 2. In the validation data set, ulcers healed in 95% (19 of 20) of patients with a score of 0, and 37% (44 of 120) of those with a score of 2. CONCLUSIONS: This simple prognostic model can be used to discriminate between patients with a venous leg ulcer that will or will not heal within 24 weeks of care with a limb compression bandage. The model may be useful in determining which patients to treat with a limb compression, and which patients should be referred or considered for alternative treatments.
Effectiveness and Safety of an Haemophilus influenzae Type b Conjugate Vaccine (PRP-T) in Young Infants

OBJECTIVE To study the safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of the Haemophilus influenzae capsular polysaccharide tetanus conjugate vaccine (PRP-T). DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. SETTING Southern California Kaiser-Permanente Health Plan. PARTICIPANTS 10,317 infants 6 to 15 weeks of age, with no known immune dysfunction, exposure to hepatitis B, or contraindication to diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination were enrolled between August 1989 and September 1990. INTERVENTION Infants were randomized to receive either PRP-T or a recombinant hepatitis B control vaccine (in addition to DTP) at approximately 2, 4, and 6 months of age. OUTCOME MEASURES Adverse reactions occurring during the first 72 hours and between doses (including hospitalizations and outpatient visits) were measured using parental reporting/interviews and review of records. Invasive disease caused by H influenzae was ascertained from the time of enrollment until December 31, 1990. RESULTS In October 1990, the study was prematurely terminated because of licensure of other H influenzae vaccines recommended for routine infant use. The rates of systemic and local reactions occurring within 72 hours of each vaccine dose were generally similar for infants given PRP-T and hepatitis B, but some reaction rates (local reactions, fever > or = 102 degrees F, irritability, crying) were significantly higher in the PRP-T group. In the month following receipt of vaccine, PRP-T-vaccinated infants experienced five definite seizures compared with three in the hepatitis B control group. Within 48 hours of vaccination, three seizures (two definite and one possible), which were thought to be related to vaccination, occurred in the PRP-T group, compared with none in the control group (P < .13). Overall morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization rates were similar in the two vaccine groups. Three cases of invasive disease caused by H influenzae occurred in the control group; none occurred in the PRP-T group. CONCLUSIONS The PRP-T vaccine is safe and appears to be effective in preventing invasive disease caused by H influenzae type b.
Economic Impacts of New and Expanding Firms in the Upper Great Plains

The purpose of this study was to identify new or growing basic sector businesses in Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota and to determine their contribution to the state economy, as measured by their employment creation and their expenditures to suppliers within the state. Data from 314 firms were used in the analysis. The average firm reported annual expenditures within the state of $3.8 million or 55 percent of its total outlays, but the percentages of nonlabor expenditures made within the state were quite variable. Expansion of existing firms accounted for 45 percent of all new jobs created by the group, while relocating firms were responsible for 33 percent and new firms were credited with almost 23 percent.
Supervised Neural Network Modeling: An Empirical Investigation Into Learning From Imbalanced Data With Labeling Errors

Neural network algorithms such as multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) and radial basis function networks (RBFNets) have been used to construct learners which exhibit strong predictive performance. Two data related issues that can have a detrimental impact on supervised learning initiatives are class imbalance and labeling errors (or class noise). Imbalanced data can make it more difficult for the neural network learning algorithms to distinguish between examples of the various classes, and class noise can lead to the formulation of incorrect hypotheses. Both class imbalance and labeling errors are pervasive problems encountered in a wide variety of application domains. Many studies have been performed to investigate these problems in isolation, but few have focused on their combined effects. This study presents a comprehensive empirical investigation using neural network algorithms to learn from imbalanced data with labeling errors. In particular, the first component of our study investigates the impact of class noise and class imbalance on two common neural network learning algorithms, while the second component considers the ability of data sampling (which is commonly used to address the issue of class imbalance) to improve their performances. Our results, for which over two million models were trained and evaluated, show that conclusions drawn using the more commonly studied C4.5 classifier may not apply when using neural networks.
Intraoperative Endoscopy: A Requisite Tool for Laparoscopic Resection of Unusual Gastrointestinal Lesions-A Case Series

Background Laparoscopy is increasingly becoming a preferred approach to surgery of the gastrointestinal tract. Proper localization of small benign tumors is essential for precise non-anatomical excisions and remains difficult with the laparoscopic approach due to the greatly diminished tactile feedback. Methods Between July 2006 and June 2007, 4 patients underwent resection of benign small gastrointestinal lesions. All resections were performed laparoscopically, with intraoperative endoscopy, using picture-in-picture display of both views on a single monitor. Results All 4 cases were completed laparoscopically. Three involved gastric lesions and 1 involved a cecal lesion. Adequacy of resection was confirmed grossly by real-time intraoperative endoscopy and microscopically by histology. Gastric lesions included pancreatic heterotopia, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and a Dieulafoy's lesion. The cecal lesion was a granular cell tumor. Operative times ranged from 57 min to 110 min (mean 91 min), and the average postoperative length of hospital stay was 3.5 d. Conclusion Real-time intraoperative endoscopy with picture-in-picture viewing is a powerful surgical tool allowing for simultaneous intra- and extra-luminal views. Thus, endoscopic guidance allows for even the most subtle lesions to be identified and precisely excised. In addition, the adequacy of the laparoscopic procedure can be evaluated in real time, allowing for immediate adjustments or revisions to be made when needed. The endoscopic view allows for hemostasis to be ensured, and for precise anatomical excisions to be performed, especially in cases requiring the preservation of the pylorus or ileocecal valve. Larger series are needed to further establish the efficacy of this surgical approach.
Quantitative Redox Biology: An Approach to Understand the Role of Reactive Species in Defining the Cellular Redox Environment

Systems biology is now recognized as a needed approach to understand the dynamics of inter- and intra-cellular processes. Redox processes are at the foundation of nearly all aspects of biology. Free radicals, related oxidants, and antioxidants are central to the basic functioning of cells and tissues. They set the cellular redox environment and, therefore, are the key to regulation of biochemical pathways and networks, thereby influencing organism health. To understand how short-lived, quasi-stable species, such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric oxide, connect to the metabolome, proteome, lipidome, and genome we need absolute quantitative information on all redox active compounds as well as thermodynamic and kinetic information on their reactions, i.e., knowledge of the complete redoxome. Central to the state of the redoxome are the interactive details of the superoxide/peroxide formation and removal systems. Quantitative information is essential to establish the dynamic mathematical models needed to reveal the temporal evolution of biochemical pathways and networks. This new field of Quantitative Redox Biology will allow researchers to identify new targets for intervention to advance our efforts to achieve optimal human health.
pH-responsive polymer–antigen vaccine bioconjugates

Protein-based vaccines play an important role in controlling infectious disease but their full clinical impact has been limited by their inability to generate a coordinated cellular CD4+ and CD8+ immune response. Vaccines that better deliver antigens to the cytosolic MHC1 display system could in principle provide a better coordinated response. Here, controlled radical polymerization was employed to prepare a diblock copolymer containing an endosomal releasing segment based on poly(propylacrylic acid) (poly(PAA)) and a hydrophilic segment containing thiol-reactive disulfide moieties for antigen conjugation. Propylacrylic acid (PAA) was polymerized in the presence of a trithiocarbonate based RAFT chain transfer agent (CTA). The resultant poly(PAA) was then employed as a macroCTA in the copolymerization of pyridyl disulfide methacrylamide (PDSMA) (thiol-reactive monomer) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) as a hydrophilic comonomer. Copolymer compositions and molecular weights were determined via1H NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) showed a complete disappearance of the bands corresponding to free thiolated ovalbumin after conjugation to the polymer at pyridyl disulfide to thiol ratios as low as 2.5. The ability of the poly[(PAA)-b-(DMA)co(PDSMA)]–ovalbumin conjugates to activate CTLs was evaluated in vivo, tumor protection using the EG7 tumor protection model. Tumors were visible in the PBS and free ovalbumin immunized mice by day 7 but were not visible in the polyPAA–ovalbumin conjugate immunized mice until day 18. The mice immunized with the polyPAA–ovalbumin conjugate had a survival rate at day 21 of 100% versus 20% for PBS and 40% for ovalbumin immunized mice.
Optimal Pulse Widths for Effective Use of the Electrode Surface Area

The strength-duration curve defines the relation between pulse amplitude and pulse width for threshold pulses in neural stimulation. Both Blair's and Lapicque's equations predict the minimum charge to occur at the shortest pulse widths. On the other hand, the maximum injectable charge through a practical neural electrode increases with the pulse width, as suggested by some reports. Therefore, it is conceivable that there may be an optimum pulse width where the goal function of charge injection capacity of the electrode/the activation threshold for neural stimulation is maximized. In this paper, the strength-duration relation for mammalian nerves was simulated using a local nerve model and the charge injection capacity of titanium nitride electrodes was measured experimentally. The goal function was maximum for the smallest pulse width tested with the rectangular pulses. However, the optimal point occurred at larger pulse widths for the linearly decreasing pulse waveforms. These optimized pulse parameters may be preferable in applications where current requirements are demanding in order to keep the electrode contact areas small.
Differences in genetic signaling, and not mechanical properties of the wall, are linked to ascending aortic aneurysms in fibulin-4 knockout mice

Fibulin-4 is an extracellular matrix protein that is essential for proper assembly of arterial elastic fibers. Mutations in fibulin-4 cause cutis laxa with thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs). Sixty p...
Evaluating Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a Population Source for the Wood Thrush

The prevailing fragmentation paradigm predicts that large, intact forests are acting as population sources for Neotropical migrant landbirds. We used the Wood Thrush ( Hylocichla mustelina ) as a model for evaluating the role Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the largest national park in the eastern United States) may play in maintaining regional songbird populations. We estimated the annual productivity of Wood Thrushes in the park by combining observations on the birds' distribution, abundance, and productiv- ity with estimates of habitat availability. We estimated a breeding population of approximately 10,000 nest- ing pairs using habitat models developed from over 2500 point-count censuses conducted across the park. Data from 426 nests monitored from 1992 to 1997 produced a daily nest survival rate of 0.96. We estimated an annual fecundity of 2.76 fledglings per breeding pair, based on a model that incorporated the re-nesting behavior of Wood Thrushes. Results indicate that the park is producing approximately 3000 surplus female young each year. Daily nest survival rates were below those reported in other studies of Wood Thrushes in large forest tracts. The relatively high productivity of 3.31 nestlings per successful nest suggests that, in the ab- sence of predation, the park provides high-quality nesting habitat for Wood Thrushes, but that it may also support a more diverse and abundant predator community than more disturbed or less contiguous sites. The difficulties of estimating the size of continental breeding bird populations make assessing the significance of the park within a regional landscape context problematic, but our estimates suggest that, although the park is functioning as a substantial population source on a local scale, its potential to sustain regional or conti- nental Wood Thrush populations is limited. Our findings suggest that species such as the Wood Thrush are ca- pable of moderate levels of surplus productivity in high-quality habitat, but that extensive areas of suitable habitat outside protected areas and other public lands will be required to sustain continental breeding popu- lations.
Perceived career incentives and intent to leave

Turnover is a major concern of human resource (HR) managers working with information systems (IS) personnel. Aspects of career incentives, as perceived by the IS employees, are important in their decisions to leave or stay with the organization. We utilize a framework of various job anchors to examine how a sample of IS personnel regard incentives provided by employers and the importance of these in assessing the employee's intent to leave. Job security and a service incentive are most important in reducing this intent. Organizations must address their ability to provide such incentives in order to retain their IS employees.
Transitional practice: Teachers and children in-between classrooms in one early childhood centre

Transitions from one classroom to the next as children reach a certain age or achieve certain milestones seem inevitable; however, this taken-for-granted practice in early childhood centers has not...
Writing good computer documentation

A new approach to writing computer documentation is needed-one that recognizes the fact that a computer program cannot achieve its purpose if its meaning is not accessible to the user. Making information accessible to the user involves certain principles that have long been recognized by writers and editors: early definition of terms, simple, parallel construction of ideas; consistency of formal and word usage; conciseness and a minimum of redundancy. One of the most important functions that writers or editors can serve with respect to software development is to ensure that the resulting documentation actually reflects what the user sees on the computer screen. All too often, the documentation is written by developers on the basis of what they remember after the software has essentially been developed. Writers or editors can also edit screens and help files for clarity and review the work of the different programmers to ensure that online terminology, punctuation, and format are consistent. From the point of view of the writer or editor, it is important to identify projects early and, if possible, to become involved in the process of developing software, as well as the documentation. >
Vaccine regimen for prevention of sexually transmitted infections with human papillomavirus type 16

Protection to sexually transmitted infections with oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) such as type 16 is thought to be provided by neutralizing antibodies directed to the major outer capsid protein, the L1 protein. A DNA vaccine and an E1-deleted adenoviral recombinant human strain 5, both expressing the L1 protein of HPV-16, were developed and shown to express L1 protein able to assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs). The vaccines used in a prime-boost regimen, with the DNA given intramuscularly (i.m.) for priming, followed by an intranasal (i.n.) booster immunization with the viral recombinant, induced antibodies to L1 in sera and in vaginal secretions.
A comparison of the fish bioconcentration factors for brominated flame retardants with their nonbrominated analogues

Flame retardants (FR) play a significant role in reducing the flammability of many consumer products. On a volume basis, approximately 25% of the FRs in use today utilize bromine as the active flame-retarding moiety. Their applications are those requiring high FR performance or in resins needing an FR that is active during the gas phase. Laboratory fish bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for 11 brominated FRs (BFRs) or their components were compared with those for their nonbrominated analogues. Bioconcentration, defined here as a BCF of greater than 1,000, was not observed in those brominated molecules examined with molecular weights of 700 or greater. These included the decabromodiphenyl oxide and octabromodiphenyl oxide commercial products, ethane 1,2-bis(pentabromophenyl), ethylene bis-tetrabromophthalimide, and decabromobiphenyl. Tetrabromobisphenol A, with a molecular weight of less than 700, also did not bioconcentrate. This likely relates to the ease with which it is metabolized and eliminated. Within the BFR class of polybrominated diphenyl oxides/ethers, the BCFs for those congeners with molecular weights of between approximately 450 and 700 varied with the number and position of the bromine atoms. The BCF of hexabromocyclododecane appeared to be related to its cyclododecane substructure, not to its bromine content. Bioconcentration was not a characteristic feature of the BFRs examined here.
How early is early laparoscopic treatment of acute cholecystitis

Background: Despite the well-accepted success of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elective treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis, the efficacy and timing of this technique has been subject to some debate in the setting of acute cholecystitis. This study was undertaken to evaluate our institution’s experience with early cholecystectomy as a safe, effective treatment of acute cholecystitis. Methods: Charts of all patients who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on the length of time from onset of symptoms to surgical intervention: less than 48 hours in the early group (n = 14) and more than 48 hours in the late group (n = 31). Results: Comparing the two groups, the conversion rate to an open procedure was significantly less (0 versus 29%, P <0.04) in the early treated patients. Furthermore, the operative time (73 versus 96 minutes, P <0.004), postoperative hospitalization (1.2 versus 3.9 days, P <0.001), and total hospital stay (2.1 versus 5.4 days, P <0.004) were significantly reduced in patients undergoing early laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed by experienced surgeons is a safe, effective technique for treatment of acute cholecystitis. Patients treated within 48 hours of onset of symptoms experience a lower conversion rate to an open procedure, shorter operative time and reduced hospitalization.
Next generation data centres: How will optics be employed?

Data centres are driving the development of next-generation optics with higher performance at lower cost. Worldwide research encompasses multi and single-mode links, all-photonic switching and routing technologies, and hybrid networks combining electrical and optical switching.
Hi Superman, I'm a Lawyer: A Guide to Attorneys (& Other Legal Professionals) Portrayed in American Comic Books: 1910-2007

Since comic books were first introduced in the 1930s, they have provided entertainment for children and adults alike. Most American males (and a significant portion of American females) have read comic books at some point in their lives, most when they were in grade school. In addition to providing young adults with their first glimpse of costumed heroes, comic books have also provided these same young adults with their first look at the legal profession. From the earliest days of comic books and strips through the present, attorneys have been prominently featured in American comic books. The article begins with a discussion of the history of illustrated artwork and how that artwork evolved first into newspaper comic strips then into comic books. Next, comic strip and comic book attorneys from the early part of the 20th Century are identified and discussed. The introduction of Superman touched off the Golden Age of comic books. Part four discusses attorney characters which appeared during this Golden Age (1938-1946) and provides some background information on many of these characters. Part five discusses the decline of the reputation of comic books during the 1940s and 1950s and socio/legal attacks on comic books during the period. By the middle of the 1950s, comic book publishers switched back to superheroes from the horror and suspense books. The switch back to superheroes brought with it a new crop of attorneys. Part six of the article identifies all of the recurring attorneys who appeared during this resurgence of interest in comic books, known as the Silver Age (1956-1969). Part seven provides discusses all of the attorney characters who appeared from 1970 through 1985. Part eight finishes the history of attorneys in comic books by identifying all of the attorneys who have had recurring roles in comic books since 1985.
Characterizing urban landscapes using fuzzy sets

Abstract Characterizing urban landscapes is important given the present and future projections of global population that favor urban growth. The definition of “urban” on a thematic map has proven to be problematic since urban areas are heterogeneous in terms of land use and land cover. Further, certain urban classes are inherently imprecise due to the difficulty in integrating various social and environmental inputs into a precise definition. Social components often include demographic patterns, transportation, building type and density while ecological components include soils, elevation, hydrology, climate, vegetation and tree cover. In this paper, we adopt a coupled human and natural system (CHANS) integrated scientific framework for characterizing urban landscapes. We implement the framework by adopting a fuzzy sets concept of “urban characterization” since fuzzy sets relate to classes of object with imprecise boundaries in which membership is a matter of degree. For dynamic mapping applications, user-defined classification schemes involving rules combining different social and ecological inputs can lead to a degree of quantification in class labeling varying from “highly urban” to “least urban”. A socio-economic perspective of urban may include threshold values for population and road network density while a more ecological perspective of urban may utilize the ratio of natural versus built area and percent forest cover. Threshold values are defined to derive the fuzzy rules of membership, in each case, and various combinations of rules offer a greater flexibility to characterize the many facets of the urban landscape. We illustrate the flexibility and utility of this fuzzy inference approach called the Fuzzy Urban Index for the Boston Metro region with five inputs and eighteen rules. The resulting classification map shows levels of fuzzy membership ranging from highly urban to least urban or rural in the Boston study region. We validate our approach using two experts assessing accuracy of the resulting fuzzy urban map. We discuss how our approach can be applied in other urban contexts with newly emerging descriptors of urban sustainability, urban ecology and urban metabolism.
Grid Quality and Resolution Effects on the Aerodynamic Modeling of Parachute Canopies

This work provides an overview of the grid quality and resolution effects on the aerodynamic modeling of ram-air parachute canopies. The CFD simulations were performed using the Cobalt flow solver on two dimensional canopy sections with open and closed inlets. Previous simulation results of these geometries showed that grid independence is achieved for the closed and open airfoils with grids containing around half a million and two million cells, respectively. Previous grids were either hybrid with prismatic layers near the walls or multi-block structured using algebraic grid generators. The results presented in this work show that grid independence of both geometries can be achieved with much coarser grids. These grids, however, were generated with good smoothness, wall orthogonality, and skewness qualities. The results show that the grid quality value is mainly related to the grid smoothness and does not depend on the mesh skewness or the wall orthogonality. Although a smooth grid improves the quality value and therefore the solution convergence, it does not always lead to an accurate solution. For example, the unstructured meshes with anisotropic cells near the wall have very good grid quality, however they have the worst accuracy among all meshes considered because of the poor skewness at the walls. The results also showed that in comparison to the closed inlets, the open geometry solutions are less sensitive to the initial grid spacing and number of constant spacing layers at the outside airfoil walls. Finally, the open inlet solutions do not change with the inside airfoil mesh resolution and type.
Effects of Educational Transitions on Students' Academic Trajectory: A Life Course Perspective

In our increasingly mobile society, transitions are often made in search of opportunity, yet to the detriment of social ties to others. This study draws upon a life course perspective, focusing specifically on the timing and context of transitions, to explore how educational transitions affect students' academic trajectory with national longitudinal data. Findings suggest that students who transition to high school alone are resilient when they are more popular or involved in extracurricular activities. For students who transfer during high school, higher achieving students have lower academic outcomes than classmates who stay with the collective, while low-achieving transfer students benefit academically by changing schools. Findings provide insight into ways that resilience can occur in the midst of life transitions, and for whom, which may help alleviate risk and prevent the accumulation of disadvantage.