cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 963-year reconstruction of summer (JJA) stream flow in the White River, Arkansas, USA, from tree-rings

An average of three baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) ring-width chronologies was used to recon- struct total summer (JJA) mean daily flow of the White River at Clarendon, Arkansas, for years 1023-1985. A quadratic transformation of the tree-ring data accounted for 68% (R 2 adjusted for degrees of freedom lost) when regressed against total summer flow 1931-1985. The distribution of the quadratic reconstruction matched the gauged distribution much better than a simple linear model which only accounted for 62% of the variance. The model was validated by comparing regression estimates against independent data. Years with summer flow below the 25th percentile occur nonrandomly, i.e., they tend to cluster, in both the reconstructed and gauged data. Hydrologic regimes have apparently varied considerably in the past on annual to century time- scales, with extended dry and wet periods that exceeded anything in the modern record. The frequency of both wet and dry extremes has varied considerably over the last millennium. The eleventh through thirteenth cen- turies were not analysed due to reduced replication, but the well-replicated fourteenth and twentieth centuries both have large numbers of extremes. The twentieth century appears to have more extreme low flows than the previous centuries and also to have a large number of high flows. The practical consequences for society of variation in extremes and persistence of low flows may be considerable. Climatic change or anthropogenic changes to the watershed (e.g., widespread upland clearing for agriculture and logging of bottomland forests) may be responsible for the change in hydrologic regime during the twentieth century.
Aromatization mediates aggressive behavior in quail.

Although testosterone (T) stimulates aggressive and reproductive behaviors in males of many vertebrate species, it is now known that the full expression of T action in the brain requires aromatization to estradiol (E2) and subsequent interaction of locally formed E2 with nuclear estrogen receptors. In experiments reported here, we used a behavioral test which quantifies the response of an individual male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) to the visual stimulus of a conspecific. We have called this behavior aggression because it shares many features in common with traditional measures of aggression, e.g., predicting dominance and subordinance. Nevertheless, the behavior probably also combines a complex steroid-sensitive masculine behavior. The advantage of this test is that it allows the discrimination of individual differences in masculine behavior but avoids fighting and sexual encounters per se, thereby reducing effects of learning, a problem with previous tests of avian aggression. In addition, this test has been applied usefully to identify neuroendocrine correlates to male behavior. Using this test, the arousal of reproductively inactive males (hereafter referred to as aggression) is activated by administration of T or estradiol benzoate (EB), but not by 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). T-induced aggression was blocked by the aromatase inhibitor 4-hydroxyandrostenedione (OHA), an effect partially reversed by treatment with EB. In addition, OHA or the estrogen receptor blocker CI-628 reduced aggressiveness of reproductively active males whereas the androgen receptor blocker flutamide had no effect. Results with the 5α-reductase inhibitor N,N-diethyl-4-methyl-3-oxo-4-aza-5α-androstane-17α-carboxyamide (4-MA) were equivocal. Additionally, treatment of reproductively inactive quail with T or E2 but not DHT increased aromatase activity in the hypothalamus-preoptic area (HPOA). We conclude, therefore, that T to E2 conversion is essential for the activation of aggressiveness in this species. Although locally formed estrogen exerts its effects on aggression in part by increasing activity of aromatase per se, analysis of the time course of behavioral induction or suppression by the various treatments suggests that the response has multiple components, including both short latency, receptor-independent and long latency, receptor-dependent events.
Self-punitive behavior in the rat: A free-operant demonstration

In an attempt to generalize alleyway findings to another stimulus situation, this experiment was designed to produce self-punitive behavior in an operant conditioning chamber using procedures which were, as nearly as possible, analogous to the alleyway problem. Rats were trained to press a lever on a fixed ratio (FR) schedule to terminate foot shock. After the pressing response had been conditioned to FR 12, Ss were randomly divided into experimental and control groups and an extinction test was given. Control Ss received no shock during extinction trials; experimental Ss received no shock unless they pressed the bar four times, at which time shock came on and continued until S pressed eight more times. Two measures, total number of responses during extinction, and total latencies for the first four responses, reflected the facilitative effect of punishment on responding. It was concluded that self-punitive behavior can be produced in the rat using a lever-pressing procedure.
Abstract 1844: Reduced expression of miR-342-3p in prostate cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Patients with bone metastasis of the prostate have a 5-year survival rate of less than 30%. Due to inconsistencies in the presentation, prognosis, and treatment options of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), biomarkers are urgently needed for personalized treatment of this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding, single-stranded endogenous RNAs that regulate the expression of multiple messenger RNA targets. Studies have demonstrated that these non-coding RNAs are significantly expressed in lung, breast and prostate cancer tumors. We hypothesize that miRNAs are differentially expressed between non-cancerous and aggressive tumor phenotypes in PCa, e.g. bone-specific metastasis. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated 384 miRNAs in the serum of stage-matched patients with stage I (n = 5), stage III (n = 5), stage IV (n = 5) PCa compared to non-cancerous age and stage-matched controls (n = 5). Total RNA was isolated from 500 μl of serum (Bioserve Biotechnologies, Ltd). The expression profiles of miRNAs were measured using TLDA cards and statistical analyses were performed using Expression Suite Software version 1.0. MiRNAs (miR-106b/17, -302b, -342-3p) were differentially expressed in the serum of PCa patients with (stage I, III, IV) when compared to controls. Mir-342-3p was significantly reduced in expression (P = 0.018-0.028) in all PCa patients relative to non-cancerous controls, after adjusting multiple hypothesis testing. However, other serum miRNAs were differentially expressed for only stage III PCa (P=0.001-0.018). Validation of these differentially expressed miRNAs in large sample sizes will lead to the identification of pre- and metastatic biomarkers. Ultimately, the investigation of these biomarkers will improve personalized treatment of PCa patients. Citation Format: Dominique Jones, Divine Anene, April Aloway, Praise Anene, Diana Avila, Leila Gobejishvili, Shirish Barve, Lacey McNally, LaCreis Kidd. Reduced expression of miR-342-3p in prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1844. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1844
THE EFFECT OF RESERPINE PRETREATMENT ON THE HYPOTENSIVE ACTION OF THIOPENTAL.

It has been observed that severe hypotension (a drop of 50 mm Hg from preanesthetic mean arterial pressure) occurs at a much lower dose of thiopental in dogs pretreated with reserpine 0.1 mg/kg/day for 2 days or 0.01 mg/kg/day for 10 days than in control dogs. Reserpine 0.003 mg/kg/day for 10 days did not effect the responsiveness to hypotension induced by thiopental. Atropine did not afford any protection against hypotension in the reserpinized animals but ouabain significantly increased the dose of thiopental required to produce hypotension in both reserpinized dogs and controls. It appears that thiopental causes hypotension primarily through myocardial depression and that the myocardium is rendered more susceptible to this depression when its store of catecholamines is depleted.
Large format HgCdTe focal plane arrays for dual-band long-wavelength infrared detection

Raytheon Visions Systems (RVS) is furthering its capability to deliver state-of-the-art high performance large format HgCdTe focal plane arrays (FPAs) for dual-band long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detection. Missile seekers are designed to acquire targets of interest at long ranges and discriminate targets from clutter. The use of dual-band long wavelength infrared detector technology provides the ability for these seekers to combine these operations into the same package with enhanced performance. Increasing the format size of dual-band long-wavelength FPAs and tailoring the detector design for specific long-wavelength bands enables seekers to be designed for increased field-of-view, longer target acquisition ranges, and improved accuracy. This paper will review in further detail the aspects of detector design, MBE wafer growth, wafer fabrication, and detector characterization that are contributing to development and demonstration of high performance large format dual-band LWIR FPAs at RVS. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
VHE gamma-ray observation of the crab nebula with pulse shape discrimination to reduce the cosmic-ray background

Abstract The twin 11 m solar collectors at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico were used to study the atmospheric Cherenkov light from VHE gamma rays emitted by the Crab Nebula. During the Fall of 1987 data were taken over a period of four weeks. Of these three nights of usable data were obtained from the Crab Nebula consisting of 100 minutes of on-source data and 190 minutes off-source. Pulse shapes of the Cherenkov light images were recorded. During analysis, pulse shape discrimination involving rejection of all of the Cherenkov light images displaying kinks or long tails was applied. A signal of 4.3 sigma from the direction of the Crab Nebula gave an integral flux of (6.3±1.5) × 10 −11 photons/cm 2 sec with a threshold energy of 400 −167 +200 GeV.
Identification and expression of the mammalian homologue of Bicaudal-C

Translational activation and repression play an important role in the spatial-temporal regulation of gene expression in embryonic development. Bicaudal-C is an RNA-binding molecule believed to function at this post-transcriptional level. Loss-of-function mutants in Drosophila affect anterior-posterior patterning because of ectopic and premature translation of the posterior determinant oskar. The Xenopus homologue of Bicaudal-C is one of the few molecules that, when microinjected ectopically, results in endoderm formation in the absence of mesoderm induction. Here we report the sequence and expression pattern of the murine and human homologues of Bicaudal-C. The human gene is located on chromosome 10q21.2. Expression analysis in mouse using in situ hybridization detects expression of Bicaudal-C not only in domains detected in Xenopus, but also in previously unreported regions. As in Xenopus, mouse Bicaudal-C mRNA is found in the growing oocyte, Hensen's node, and the developing kidney. Additionally, at later stages it is strongly expressed in the developing gut endoderm, in areas of cartilage formation, in pleuro-peritoneal membrane derivatives, in lung mesenchyme, and in the stroma of the ovary. We conclude that mouse Bicaudal-C is a maternally provided gene product that is tightly regulated during mammalian cell differentiation.
Solving large-scale requirements planning problems with component substitution options

This paper presents an approach for solving large-scale requirements planning problems with substitution options. The requirements planning with substitutions (RPS) problem, developed by Balakrishnan, A., & Geunes, J (2000) is defined as follows: consider a set of made-to-order products, each requiring at least one component for production. Every product has a preferred component for use in production, but can draw from a set of substitute components at a (per unit) substitution cost. Given the product demands over a finite horizon, determine the component production and substitution quantities in every period that minimize total component production, substitution, and holding costs. We show that under fixed plus linear (variable) production costs, this problem can be posed as an uncapacitated facility location problem, and extremely effective solution methods for this problem class can be employed to quickly solve RPS problems. Comparison of this (heuristic) approach with the (optimal) shortest path algorithm proposed by Balakrishnan, A.,& Geunes, J (2000) using a consistent test problem set shows that the facility location reformulation approach produced an optimal solution for every instance tested in a fraction of the time. We further demonstrate that the proposed approach has the potential to handle much larger problem instances than the shortest path algorithm.
Growth and optical properties of a-plane AlN and Al rich AlN/AlxGa1-xN quantum wells grown on r-plane sapphire substrates

A-plane AlN epilayers and AlN/Al0.65Ga0.35N quantum wells (QWs) have been grown on r-plane sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The growth surface and high crystalline quality were confirmed by x-ray diffraction. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to probe the optical quality of the grown templates and QWs. The PL emission intensity of a-plane AlN has been compared with that of c-plane AlN. It was shown that the surface emission intensity of a-plane AlN epilayers is compara- ble to that of c-plane AlN. The PL emission properties of a- and c-plane AlN/Al0.65Ga0.35N QWs were studied and compared. It was found that the low temperature PL characteristics of a -plane QWs are primarily governed by the quantum size effect, whereas those of c -plane QWs are significantly affected by the polarization fields. The PL decay time was found to be only weakly dependent on the well width, Lw, for a -plane QWs, whereas a strong dependence of the PL decay time on Lw was observed for c -plane QWs. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Rank as an inherent incentive: Evidence from a field experiment ☆

Abstract Money is the prime incentive considered in economic models. However, recent evidence indicates that people are also greatly concerned about their social rankings. Is this solely because rank brings tangible benefits, or because in addition people have an inherent preference for high rank? This paper deployed a field experiment that provides evidence for an inherent preference. In the experiment, Vietnamese students enrolled in an English course performed significantly better on the official standardized international final test when they were told their rankings on practice tests than when they were not. This result held even when this ranking information could not be reliably communicated, thus severely attenuating the potential to bring tangible or status benefits.
Turbulent Convection in a Spectral Model

New laboratory and numerical simulation data on turbulent convection have become available. We generalize a recent spectral model of turbulence, which was previously tested on a variety of homogeneous flows, to treat inhomogeneous flows so as to study thermal convection. The model has no adjustable constants. We recover the available data (for large aspect ratios). We further derive an analytic expression for the Nusselt number versus Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers (in the limit of negligible diffusion).
Neural networks for processing data from multiple redundant sensors for mine systems management, operation, maintenance, and control

We have developed a neural-network approach to classifying signals by fusing information from multiple sensors. During the past three years, we have developed concepts and algorithms for an intelligent decision support system (IDSS) for mine managers. The goal of the IDSS is to detect the activities of machines in an underground coal mine and to produce management reports similar to traditional industrial engineering time studies. The data we operate on is power usage of the various machines taken every 50 milliseconds. Currently we are working with data from three machines which interact with each other: a continuous miner and two shuttle cars. Detection of events was first done using numerical techniques to arrive at locally best guesses and rule-based techniques to fuse the information from the different machines. Our current research involves dynamic recurrent neural networks (a variation of recurrent cascade correlation) which replace the numerical and rule-based techniques. Our current neural networks can accurately label approximately 90% of the machine events in the training set and approximately 70% in new data sets. Neural network techniques are able to adjust to the dynamic mine environment much better than the previous algorithms, consequently, the neural network approach is more acceptable in the applications environment.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Composition of cerumen lipids

Lipids were extracted from "wet" cerumen and analyzed by quantitative thin-layer chromatography to determine their composition. The lipid fraction comprised 52% of the dry weight of cerumen and consisted of squalene (6.4%), cholesterol esters (9.6%), wax esters (9.3%), triacylglycerols (3.0%), fatty acids (22.7%), cholesterol (20.9%), ceramides (18.6%), cholesterol sulfate (2.0%), and several unidentified polar components (7.5%). In addition to the extractable lipids, the residue contained an additional 0.9% lipid that could be released only after saponification. This covalently bound lipid consisted of two unusual ceramides (63.4%), ω-hydroxyacids (27.7%) and nonhydroxy fatty acids (8.8%). The composition of this bound lipid resembled that recently found in human stratum corneum, which is thought to comprise a lipid envelope on the outer surface of the corneocytes. The free and covalently bound lipids may be significant determinants of the properties of cerumen. Desquamation of corneocytes and their associated lipids from the epidermal lining of the ear canal may make a major contribution to cerumen.
Calculations of two new dose metrics proposed by AAPM Task Group 111 using the measurements with standard CT dosimetry phantoms

Purpose: AAPM Task Group 111 proposed to measure the equilibrium dose-pitch product D eq for scan modes involving table translation and the midpoint dose D L (0) for stationary-table modes on the central and peripheral axes of sufficiently long (e.g., at least 40 cm) phantoms. This paper presents an alternative approach to calculate both metrics using the measurements of scanning the standard computed tomographic (CT) dosimetry phantoms on CT scanners. Methods: D eq was calculated from CTDI 100 and e(CTDI100) (CTDI 100 efficiency), and D L (0) was calculated from D eq and the approach to equilibrium function H(L) = D L (0)/D eq, where D eq was the equilibrium dose. CTDI 100 may be directly obtained from several sources (such as medical physicist's CT scanner performance evaluation or the IMPACT CT patient dosimetry calculator), or be derived from CTDI Vol using the central to peripheral CTDI 100 ratio (R 100). The authors have provided the required e(CTDI100) and H(L) data in two previous papers [X. Li, D. Zhang, and B. Liu, Med. Phys.39, 901–905 (Year: 2012)10.1118/1.3678990; X. Li, D. Zhang, and B. Liu, Med. Phys.40, 031903 (10pp.) (Year: 2013)10.1118/1.4790470]. R 100 was assessed for a series of GE, Siemens, Philips, and Toshiba CT scanners with multiple settings of scan field of view, tube voltage, and bowtie filter. Results: The calculatedD L (0) and D L (0)/D eq in PMMA and water cylinders were consistent with the measurements on two GE CT scanners (LightSpeed 16 and VCT) by Dixon and Ballard [Med. Phys.34, 3399–3413 (Year: 2007)10.1118/1.2757084], the measurements on a Siemens CT scanner (SOMATOM Spirit Power) by Descamps et al. [J. Appl. Clin. Med. Phys.13, 293–302 (Year: 2012)10.1120/jacmp.v13i6.3934], and the Monte Carlo simulations by Boone [Med. Phys.36, 4547–4554 (Year: 2009)10.1118/1.3223634]. Conclusions: D eq and D L (0) can be calculated using the alternative approach. The authors have provided the required e(CTDI100) and H(L) data in two previous papers. R 100 is presented for a majority of multidetector CT scanners currently on the market, and can be easily assessed for other CT scanners or operating conditions not covered in this study. The central to peripheral D eq ratio is about 1.50 and 1.12 times of R 100 for the 32- and 16-cm diameter PMMA phantom, respectively.
Application of cationic-sensitive glass electrodes to the study of alkali metal complexes—I: The sodium-malate system

Abstract Cationic-sensitive glass electrodes are used to study the weak complex formed by sodium ion and malic acid in aqueous media. The best value of 1.1 ± 0.3 for the calculated formation constant agrees well with literature values. Methods of measurements and calculation are described and evaluated.
Afferent connections of the anterior thalamus in rabbits

This study was designed to determine whether axons of cholinergic dorsal tegmental neurons terminate on cells in the anterior thalamus in rabbits as in other species, and to localize projecting tegmental cells for future studies of their contributions to anterior thalamic learning-relevant neuronal activity. The distribution of retrogradely labeled neurons was examined following injections of wheat germ agglutinin horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) centered in the anterior ventral (AV) thalamic nucleus. The results confirm past findings in rabbits indicating projections to anterior thalamus from the mammillary nuclei, the posterior cingulate cortex, presubiculum and postsubiculum. Demonstrated for the first time in rabbits were projections from the lateral dorsal and the pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei, locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, Gudden's dorsal tegmental nucleus, pretectum and reticular thalamic nucleus.
Training decreases muscle glycogen turnover during exercise

The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of endurance training on glycogen kinetics during exercise. A new model describing glycogen kinetics was applied to quantitate the rates of synthesis and degradation of glycogen. Trained and untrained rats were infused with a 25% glucose solution with 6-3H-glucose and U-14C-lactate at 1.5 and 0.5 microCi x min(-1) (where 1 Ci=3.7 x 10(10) Bq), respectively, during rest (30 min) and exercise (60 min). Blood samples were taken at 10-min intervals starting just prior to isotopic infusion, until the cessation of exercise. Tissues harvested after the cessation of exercise were muscle (soleus, deep, and superficial vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius), liver, and heart. Tissue glycogen was quantitated and analyzed for incorporation of 3H and 14C via liquid scintillation counting. There were no net decreases in muscle glycogen concentration from trained rats, whereas muscle glycogen concentration decreased to as much as 64% (P < 0.05) in soleus in muscles from untrained rats after exercise. Liver glycogen decreased in both trained (30%) and untrained (40%) rats. Glycogen specific activity increased in all tissues after exercise indicating isotope incorporation and, thus, glycogen synthesis during exercise. There were no differences in muscle glycogen synthesis rates between trained and untrained rats after exercise. However, training decreased muscle glycogen degradation rates in total muscle (i.e., the sum of the degradation rates of all of the muscles sampled) tenfold (P < 0.05). We have applied a model to describe glycogen kinetics in relation to glucose and lactate metabolism during exercise in trained and untrained rats. Training significantly decreases muscle glycogen degradation rates during exercise.
Modeling of porosity during spray forming

The effects of processing parameters on porosity in spray formed materials are investigated in the present paper using a recently developed porosity model. The calculated results showed that processing parameters such as melt superheat, deposition distance, atomization pressure and melt flow rate all have significant influence on the level of porosity. The variations of porosity with these parameters consistently exhibit distinctive V-shapes. When the low porosity is considered the main criterion to characterize the quality of a deposited material, corresponding optimal processing parameters can be determined based on the calculated results. Such processing parameter combinations are not unique, however, the other constraints, such as economical and microstructural issues, should be taken into consideration as well.
Ascending projections of the primary cochlear nuclei and nucleus laminaris in the pigeon

Auditory projections were studied, by the Nauta method, from medullary to mesencephalic levels following lesions in nuclei magnocellularis, angularis and laminaris and transection of the dorsal cochlear decussation and trapezoid body in the midline of the medulla. Fragmented axons project bilaterally to nucleus laminaris from the medial part of nucleus magnocellularis. Degenerated fibers from the lateral part of nucleus magnocellularis, medial part of nucleus angularis. and nucleus laminaris projects to the homolateral superior olivary nucleus. cross the raphe in the trapezoid body, ascend in the contralateral lateral lemniscus, distribute to the ventral and lateroventral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and, at least third order axons from nucleus laminaris. terminate in nucleus mesencephali lateralis pars dorsalis. No ascending auditory neurons project, even following midventral section of the trapezoid body, to nucleus isthmi, nucleus semilunaris nor. with certainty, to the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. This study supports the homology of the avian nucleus mesencephali lateralis pars dorsalis and nucleus laminaris with the mammalian central nucleus of the inferior colliculus and medial superior olivary nucleus respectively. Furthermore, on the basis of fiber projections and cellular organization. nucleus magnocellularis of the pigeon appears to correspond to the anterior ventral cochlear of higher mammals and the medial parts of nucleus angularis to the posterior ventral cochlear nucleus.
Yearbook of International Co-Operation on Environment and Development 2003/2004

The review copy of this book came with a very sad note attached to it. This will be the last edition of the yearbook to appear in print, because of a lack of core funding. The Fridtjof Nansen Insti...
A global optimization approach for generating efficient points for multiobjective concave fractional programs

In this article, we present a global optimization approach for generating efficient points for multiobjective concave fractional programming problems. The main work of the approach involves solving an instance of a concave multiplicative fractional program (W). Problem (W) is a global optimization problem for which no known algorithms are available. Therefore, to render the approach practical, we develop and validate a branch and bound algorithm for globally solving problem (W). To illustrate the performance of the global optimization approach, we use it to generate efficient points for a sample multiobjective concave fractional program. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Space policy challenges facing the Barack Obama administration

Abstract President Barack Obama faces space policy challenges in security, commercial and civil areas in an era in which the use of space assets for these ends is irreversible. The very future of space is linked to addressing the challenges within the first term of the Obama administration. This paper draws on, but does not attempt to summarize, discussions at the National Space Forum 2008 organized by the Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies at the United States Air Force Academy and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. The goal of the forum was to examine the key decisions that will need to be made in regard to space policy by facilitating debate among the security, commercial and civil space sectors, and the broader national policy community. The paper focuses on choices which, for budgetary or other reasons, cannot be delayed. A brief discussion of the issues surrounding each choice is presented, followed by the implications of pursuing different choices. One key assumption underlies everything: resources available for activities in space will not grow significantly in real terms over the course of the Obama administration.
Diffraction-free nature of schlieren sound-field images in isotropic media

We demonstrate that schlieren images of sound fields do not spread by diffraction when propagating; they form generalized, diffraction-free beams. Our experimental results are shown to be in good agreement with theory and computer simulation.
International transformer standards and applications

This review discusses the more important differences between various national standards and the International Electrotechnical Commission specifications. There is a decided need for unified international standards or “conversion factors” to equate existing standards.
Dimensions of quality of life expressed by men treated for metastatic prostate cancer

Men who pursue active treatment for metastatic prostate cancer face a choice between medical or surgical castration. While both alternatives have documented side-effects (e.g. loss of libido, breast enlargement and tenderness, hot flashes, and nausea), their psychosocial impacts are not well understood. As part of a study of patients' treatment decision making, we have sought to construct a patient-based measure of the salient disease and treatment-related qualities of life experienced by these men subsequent to treatment. Focus groups (15 with patients, two with wives) were used to develop candidate Likert scale questionnaire items representing quality of life issues that patients said were important. These items were combined with assessments of symptoms, comorbidity, and generic measures of functional status and well-being in a mail survey of patients treated at the Houston VAMC and two other Houston hospitals (n = 201, response rate = 63%). Psychometric analyses (principal components and multitrait scaling) were used to identify distinct dimensions of life quality; correlations with generic measures, and symptom reports were used in validation analyses. Qualitative analyses of focus group data identified three major domains of life quality: self-perceptions, anxiety about the effects of treatment, and concern with the process of decision making and treatment. Psychometric analyses identified nine reliable and valid indicators of prostate cancer-related quality of life: body image, sexual problems, spouse affection, spouse worry, masculinity, cancer-related self-image, cancer distress, cancer acceptance, and regret of treatment decision. Internal consistency (alpha) ranged from 0.71 to 0.90. Correlations with reference scales (e.g. MOS Mental Health Index, Profile of Mood States) and symptom status supported concurrent validity. Prostate cancer patients perceive a number of important psychosocial consequences of their treatment. These consequences are represented by nine scales comprising a brief (35 items) disease and treatment sensitive health-related quality of life instrument, which we will use in monitoring the outcomes of patients' treatment choices.
Statistical methods of classifying major event days in distribution systems

This paper describes three methods under consideration for classifying major event days in electric power distribution systems, the three sigma, three beta and bootstrap methods. An example using data from three anonymous utilities compares the three methods. The three beta is judged somewhat better than the other two.
Fast Bound Pool Fraction Imaging of the In Vivo Rat Brain: Association with Myelin Content and Validation in the C6 Glioma Model

Cross-relaxation imaging (CRI) is a quantitative magnetic resonance technique that measures the kinetic parameters of magnetization transfer between protons bound to water and protons bound to macromolecules. In this study, in vivo, four-parameter CRI of normal rat brains (N = 5) at 3.0 T was first directly compared to histology. The bound pool fraction, f, was strongly associated with myelin density (Pearson's r = 0.99, p < 0.001). The correlation persisted in separate analyses of gray matter (GM; r = 0.89, p = 0.046) and white matter (WM; r = 0.97, p = 0.029). Subsequently, a new time-efficient approach for solely capturing the whole-brain parametric map of f was proposed, validated with histology, and used to estimate myelin density. Since the described approach for the rapid acquisition of f applied constraints to other CRI parameters, a theoretical analysis of error was performed. Estimates of f in normal and pathologic tissue were expected to have < 10% error. A comparison of values for f obtained from the traditional four-parameter fit of CRI data versus the proposed rapid acquisition of f was within this expected margin for in vivo rat brain gliomas (N = 4; mean ± SE; 3.9 ± 0.2% vs. 4.0 ± 0.2%, respectively). In both whole-brain f maps and myelin density maps, replacement of normal GM and WM by proliferating and invading tumor cells could be readily identified. The rapid, whole-brain acquisition of the bound pool fraction may provide a reliable method for detection of glioma invasion in both GM and WM during animal and human imaging.
Patterns of alcohol and other drug use in an Iowa community.

: From a baseline survey of high school students in two school systems, information was obtained to describe patterns of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and adverse consequences of use, compare indices of AOD use and consequences for grade level and gender differences, and examine relationships of indices to selected individual, family-related, and social competence/adjustment-related risk factors. Though use of illicit drugs was reported at low levels, prevalence of drinking and incidence of binge drinking were relatively high. Increases in AOD use and adverse consequences with age and grade level were found, but gender differences were not found. Relationships of AOD use and adverse consequences to selected individual, family, and social risk factors were consistent with a substantial body of prior work but exceptions were found. Strongest correlations to both indices were found for risk taking, sense of mastery, family management/cohesion, peer pressure, and social/school adjustment.
Serotonin integrates the feeding behavior of the medicinal leech

1. We have investigated functional roles of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the feeding behavior of the medicinal leech,Hirudo medicinalis. Bathing intact leeches in serotonin (3×10−5 mol/l, 20 min) significantly alters three components of their feeding behavior. Leeches exposed to serotonin initiate swimming toward a vibrating point with a shorter latency, bite a warm surface more frequently, and ingest more blood than control animals. 2. Thermal stimulation of the prostomium evokes pharyngeal peristalsis, jaw movements and an obvious salivation by semidissected preparations. The application of serotonin (10−8 to 10−6 mol/l) directly activates and increases the rates of pharyngeal peristalsis and salivary secretion in these preparations. Serotonin also produces jaw movements and a constriction of the crop when centrally applied. 3. Vibrational stimuli, which evoke the swimming phase of feeding behavior, synaptically excite Retzius cells within segmental ganglia. Thermal stimuli, which evoke the biting phase, synaptically excite 5-HT-containing neurons within the subesophageal ganglia. Intracellular stimulation of identified 5-HT-containing neurons produces pharyngeal peristalsis reliably and enhances salivation. 4. Pharmacological lesions of particular 5-HT neurons abolishes feeding behavior. However, a brief exposure to exogenous 5-HT restores biting behavior. Well-fed leeches do not normally bite, but a brief bath in 5-HT will evoke biting behavior by them as well. 5. Serotonin is localized to a limited population of identifiable neurons in the C.N.S., and plays a pivotal and mandatory role in organizing the feeding behavior of the medicinal leech.
Re-examining the contamination effect of Japan's mixed electoral system using the treatment-effects model

Abstract Empirical studies on mixed electoral systems have shown that parties obtain additional PR votes by nominating many SMD candidates (contamination effect). I argue that the existing studies suffer from a methodological problem that stems from the nature of candidate nomination. That is, parties tend to nominate SMD candidates in areas where they are strong, which makes the impact of running candidates look larger than it actually is. This study employs the treatment-effects model that corrects the endogeneity bias and analyzes the results of recent general elections in Japan. Contrary to the accepted view, no statistical evidence is found that supports the existence of the contamination effect, implying that Japan's party system may converge to a two-party competition.
A mathematical approach to designing central vs. local ordering in retail

Abstract To gain efficiencies in the supply chain, retailers are (re) organizing their ordering processes either “centrally,” “locally,” or some combination of the two. Conventional wisdom is that centralized ordering leverages scale and improves efficiency. On the other hand, “decentralized” ordering increases the responsiveness to the customer by letting local stores merchandise and order based on local preferences. Based on our experience with a mid-size retailer in the USA, this paper presents an optimization model that allocates buyers between a “central” buying organization and “local” retail outlets.
TIME, PHYSICS AND FREEDOM

L'A. montre que savoir si l'indeterminisme physique est une condition necessaire a l'existence d'actes humains libres et autonomes, releve en fait d'une interrogation sur la nature du temps telle que la pose la physique moderne
Relationship between family religious behaviors and child well-being among third-grade children

While there is growing empirical evidence that religion can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of adults and adolescents, less is known about its influence on the welfare of children. The current paper examined the relative importance of family religiosity and religious behaviors on multiple measures of children's well-being (general health, academic achievement, social skills, and behavior problems) and sought to identify whether religious variables contribute above and beyond non-religious measures of family caregiving. Parent use of religious coping and family religious behaviors, the latter defined as attendance at religious or spiritual programs, predicted several aspects of child well-being above and beyond parenting styles. Parental religious coping significantly predicted child social skills and externalizing behaviors above and beyond parenting styles. Family religious service attendance significantly predicted child health and social skills, and inversely predicted internalizing...
Determination of selenium at trace levels in geologic materials by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract Low levels of selenium (0.1–500 ppm) in both organic and inorganic geologic materials can be semiquantitatively measured by isolating Se as a thin film for presentation to an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Suitably pulverized samples are first digested by fusing with a mixture of Na 2 CO 3 and Na 2 O 2 . The fusion cake is dissolved in distilled water, buffered with NH 4 Cl, and filtered to remove Si and the R 2 O 3 group. A carrier solution of Na 2 TeO 4 , plus solid KI, hydrazine sulfate and Na 2 SO 3 , is added to the filtrate. The solution is then vacuum-filtered through a 0.45-μm pore-size filter disc. The filter, with the thin film of precipitate, is supported between two sheets of Mylar® film for analysis. Good agreement is shown between data reported in this study and literature values reported by epithermal neutron-activation analysis and spectrofluorimetry. The method can be made quantitative by utilizing a secondary precipitation to assure complete recovery of the Se. The X-ray method offers fast turn-around time and a reasonably high production rate.
α-Synuclein Tertiary Contact Dynamics

Tertiary contact formation rates in α-synuclein, an intrinsically disordered polypeptide implicated in Parkinson's disease, have been determined from measurements of diffusion-limited electron-transfer kinetics between triplet-excited tryptophan:3-nitrotyrosine pairs separated by 10, 12, 55, and 90 residues. Calculations based on a Markovian lattice model developed to describe intrachain diffusion dynamics for a disordered polypeptide give contact quenching rates for various loop sizes ranging from 6 to 48 that are in reasonable agreement with experimentally determined values for small loops (10−20 residues). Contrary to expectations, measured contact rates in α-synuclein do not continue to decrease as the loop size increases (≥35 residues), and substantial deviations from calculated rates are found for the pairs W4−Y94, Y39−W94, and W4−Y136. The contact rates for these large loops indicate much shorter average donor−acceptor separations than expected for a random polymer.
Obstetric variables predicting survival of the immature newborn (⩽1000 gm) : A five-year experience at a single perinatal center

The immature neonate constitutes less than 3% of total births and yet accounts for almost 50% of all perinatal deaths. In a 5-year period, 476 consecutive live and inborn neonates weighing less than or equal to 1000 gm were studied. The purpose of this study was to describe our experience with these pregnancies and determine the obstetric predictors of survival. Statistical methods of univariate and multivariate analysis were used. Survival was defined as the discharge home of an alive infant. The overall survival rate without exclusions was 40.3%. The following variables were most significant and accurately predicted survivors in 76.2% and nonsurvivors in 69.2% of cases: a combination of birth weight, 5-minute Apgar score, gestational age, cervical dilatation on admission, sex, a more recent study time interval, and race. Of the factors studied, the following were directly related to advancing gestational age and birth weight: higher Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, increased operative delivery rate, and increased frequency of tocolysis and glucocorticoid usage; of these factors, only the 5-minute Apgar score remained statistically significant, when controlling for gestational age and birth weight by multivariate analysis.
Access to antiretrovirals: where South Africa, China, and Brazil meet.

Sir—Adele Baleta’s News item addresses the South African government’s stated plan to distribute antiretrovirals to all who need them. This resolution is cause for praise. China also recently announced an initiative to distribute antiretrovirals. An editorial in The New York Times recognised both measures but accurately cautioned that the existence of local networks that struggle for access to treatment—such as are relatively well developed in South Africa and include prominent activists such as Zackie Achmat and his colleagues—could be crucial for the success of such initiatives. China has yet to allow the space within which civil society can mobilise effectively against the epidemic. The experience of a third country Brazil could have special relevance. (excerpt)
Management of penetrating neck injuries: a new paradigm for civilian trauma.

Purpose Improvements in imaging technology, particularly computed tomographic angiography (CTA), have altered the management of patients with penetrating neck injuries. Although some centers still advocate routine exploration for all zone 2 neck injuries penetrating the platysma, many civilian centers in the United States have adopted a policy of selective exploration based on clinical and radiographic examination. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate our 5-year experience with the management of penetrating neck injuries, to further elucidate the role of CTA in clinical decision-making, and to assess treatment outcome. Patients and Methods One hunderd thirty-four consecutive patients were identified from the Legacy Emanuel Trauma Registry as having sustained penetrating neck injuries from 2000 to 2005. Using data collected from the Trauma Registry, as well as individual chart notes and electronic records, variables were collected and evaluated including age, gender, mechanism of injury, number of associated injuries, and the Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale on admission, initial hematocrit, airway management techniques, diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, missed injuries, length of hospital stay, disposition, and outcome. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographics, treatment, and outcome. Results One hundred twenty patients met the inclusion criteria, 55 of which had only superficial injuries that did not penetrate the platysma. The primary study group consisted of 65 patients who sustained more significant injuries that violated the platysma including deep, complex, and/or avulsive wounds, vascular injuries, injuries to the aerodigestive tract, musculoskeletal system, cranial nerves, or thyroid gland. The overall mortality rate for the 65 patients with injuries penetrating the platysma was 3.0% (n = 2). Complications occurred in 7 of the surviving 63 patients (10.7%): 2 patients with zone 3 internal carotid artery injuries developed hemispheric ischemic infarcts and hemiplagia; as well as other complications including: infection (n = 2); deep venous thrombosis (n = 1); aspiration pneumonia (n = 1); and hematoma (n = 1). All surviving patients except the 2 stroke patients eventually healed uneventfully without significant functional deficit. The use of CTA as a guide to clinical decision-making led to a significant decrease in the number of neck explorations performed and a virtual elimination of negative neck explorations. Conclusion The management of stable patients with neck injuries that penetrate the platysma has evolved at our institution into selective surgical intervention based on clinical examination and CTA and has resulted in minimal morbidity and mortality.
Self-reported asthma and health-related quality of life: findings from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system.

Study objectives Few population-based data regarding the impact of asthma on health-related quality of life in the US adult population are available. Design Cross-sectional study of participants in 50 states in the United States. Setting Using data from 163,773 adult respondents in the 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we examined how self-reported asthma is associated with general self-reported health and four health-related quality-of-life measures. Results Participants with self-reported current asthma reported significantly more age-adjusted physically unhealthy days (6.5 days vs 2.9 days, p Conclusions These results provide additional measures to evaluate and monitor the impact of asthma on the health of the US adult population.