cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HINDCAST ESTIMATES OF EXTREME WAVE CONDITIONS IN THE GULF OF MAINE

The Gulf of Maine is a region lacking in wave data that can be used for engineering and research purposes. Extreme wave statistics for this area are therefore computed in this paper by numerical hindcasting. A representative sample of twenty-two strong extratropical northeast storms from the period 1942–1976 was selected, and wave heights were computed with a hybrid parametric wave model. The highest wave height at each point in the Gulf of Maine model grid for each storm was used to calculate 50 and 100-year return period wave heights. It is concluded that as a first-order estimate, any major engineering effort in the Gulf of Maine will have to reckon with significant wave heights as high as 13 metres for a 1% chance of occurrence. These results agree extremely well with other estimates based on shipboard observations.
School physical activity interventions: do not forget about obesity bias.

Summary Obesity bias is the tendency to negatively judge an overweight or obese individual based on assumed and/or false character traits, such as being physically unattractive, incompetent, lazy and lacking self-discipline. Obesity biases, such as teasing or weight criticism during physical activity (PA), can be psychologically or emotionally damaging for overweight children and adolescents. Ultimately, the effects students experience over time may create a psychological barrier and students can become resistant to schools' health and PA interventions that promote lifestyle changes. Fortunately, the psychological effects of obesity bias are mediated by social buffers and coping mechanisms. Several PA-related researchers have proposed strategic intervention components, but no studies have been completed in PA settings. The purpose of this review was to discuss the nature and different types of obesity bias in PA settings. Major theoretical frameworks of the aetiology and change mechanisms of obesity biases from the psychological literature were reviewed and direct applications for strategic component interventions were made for PA settings. Because of the pervasiveness and entrenchment of obesity bias, it is obvious that multiple theoretical frameworks need to be considered and even combined to create safe and caring school PA environments for students.
Anatomic Popliteal Entrapment Syndrome is Often a Difficult Diagnosis

Anatomic popliteal artery entrapment can be challenging to diagnose. Four cases are described in which initial diagnosis and treatment failed to identify and correct the anatomic defect responsible...
Price sensitive prescribers

Abstract When prescribers are not price sensitive, prescriptions segment the duopoly market and the unique dominant strategy equilibrium has both firms setting the monopoly price. When some prescribers are price sensitive, manufacturers use mixed strategies but still earn positive expected profit.
Systematic classification and analysis of themes in protein-DNA recognition.

Protein−DNA recognition plays a central role in the regulation of gene expression. With the rapidly increasing number of protein−DNA complex structures available at atomic resolution in recent year...
A morphological study of Timema cristinae vickery with implications for the phylogenetics of phasmida

The results of an investigation of the exosketetal and visceral morphology of Timema cristinae are presented, with a literature summary, and discussion of phylogenetically important characters. Further evidence is presented against the claim that Timema exhibit neoteny; the proposed similarities of Timema with nymphal Grylloblattodea are shown to be based on an error. The left genital process and vomer are tentatively proposed to be homologous. Possible autapomorphies of Phasmida include a swollen lateral region of the frons, prothoracic defense glands, pyriform filament bearing processes on the mesenteron, numerous short and parallel lateral dorso-ventral muscles of the abdomen and the movable sclerotized process in the region of male sternum X (left genital process and vomer). The monophyly of Timema may be supported by the presence of three fused basal tarsomeres, the mesal lobe of the right cercus of the male, and the egg-coating behavior of the female. The assumed condition of an undivided sternum IX of the male is contradicted by observations of T. cristinae. Timema cristinae possesses a suite of character states apparently plesiomorphic for Phasmida. The hypothesis that Timema is the sister-group of all other extant Phasmida receives tentative support.
The renal nerves in the newborn rat

Immunocytochemical methods were used to investigate the distribution of afferent [calcitonin gene-related peptide-(CGRP) immunoreactive and substance P-immunoreactive] nerves and efferent (neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive and dopamine β-hydroxylase-immunoreactive) nerves in the kidneys of rats within the 1st day of life. The newborn rat kidney possesses an afferent and efferent innervation. Both afferent and efferent nerves reach the kidney in the same bundles. The afferent sensory fibers predominate overwhelmingly in the renal pelvis and ureter while the efferent fibers clearly predominate in the vasculature. The corticomedullary connective tissue contains both types of innervation with a more prominent afferent innervation (CGRP immunoreactive). Only afferent arterioles of perihilar nephrons were innervated by efferent sympathetic fibers. The distribution and extent of afferent and efferent innervation is consistent with the renal nerves playing a significant role in the transition from fetal to newborn life. The close proximity between afferent and efferent fibers suggests a possible interaction between the two systems.
Preschool Children's Attitudes toward Health Risk Behaviors

The development of attitudes toward health and the practice of health-related behaviors begins at an early age. This includes positive atutudes, such as seeing the need for safety belts when riding in a car, as well as negative attitudes such as the preference for junk food over more nutritious choices. Since changing negative health attitudes and behaviors is more o!ifficult than establ~shing positive attitudes and behaviors, the importance of beginning health promotion programs during the preschool years has been emphasized (2). McCormick (3) stated, "Many of the habits a child develops are already formed by the time he or she enters first grade. In order to best insure the creating of 'healthful habits,' health education during the preschool years is essential." This is especially important when trying to prevent a habit such as smoking, since the earlier one starts smoking, the greater the chance of adverse health effects such as cancer and heart disease (1). Threeto 5-yr.-old children (N = 113) enrolled in a preschool or a day-care center in a s m d , midwest city were interviewed. The children were presented pair-wise comparisons of four health-related behaviors: smoking, not wearing safety belts, eating junk food, and not washing hands. They were asked to name which of the pairs of behaviors was more dangerous to health. Nor wearing safety belts was seen as the most dangerous behavior, with 91.1% or 103 children rating it more dangerous than eating junk food, 68.8% or 78 children rating it more dangerous than no hand washing, and 57.1% or 65 children rating it more dangerous than smoking. Smoking was rated more dangerous than no hand washing by 66.1% or 75 children. Eating junk food was rated more dangerous than no hand washing by 69.6% or 79 children and was rated more dangerous than smoking by 65.2% or 74 children. When behaviors were put into an equal interval scale according to the Thurstone method (4), not washing one's hands was judged to be the least dangerous behavior and was given a scale value of zero. Not wearing a safety belt was judged to be the most dangerous behavior and had a scale value of 3.43. Smoking and eating junk food received scale values of 1.26 and .96, respectively. These preschool children believed that certain health behaviors are much more dangerous to their health than others. They may be more interested in learning positive habits related to behaviors seen as dangerous. Those behaviors whlch ranked lower on the scale should still be included in activities and programs for very young children because these affect health; but, children may need a stronger motivational component to be convinced of their importance.
Synaptic signaling between neurons and glia

Rapid signaling between vertebrate neurons occurs primarily at synapses, intercellular junctions where quantal release of neurotransmitter triggers rapid changes in membrane conductance through activation of ionotropic receptors. Glial cells express many of these same ionotropic receptors, yet little is known about how receptors in glial cells become activated in situ. Because synapses were thought to be the sole provenance of neurons, it has been assumed that these receptors must be activated following diffusion of transmitter out of the synaptic cleft, or through nonsynaptic mechanisms such as transporter reversal. Two recent reports show that a ubiquitous class of progenitors that express the proteoglycan NG2 (NG2 cells) engage in rapid signaling with glutamatergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons through direct neuron-glia synapses. Quantal release of transmitter from neurons at these sites triggers rapid activation of aminomethylisoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) or GABA(A) receptors in NG2 cells. These currents exhibit properties consistent with direct rather than spillover-mediated transmission, and electron micrographic analyses indicate that nerve terminals containing clusters of synaptic vesicles form discrete junctions with NG2 cell processes. Although activation of AMPA or GABA(A) receptors depolarize NG2 cells, these receptors are more likely to serve as routes for ion flux rather than as current sources for depolarization, because the amplitudes of the synaptic transients are small and the resting membrane potential of NG2 cells is highly negative. The ability of both glutamate and GABA to influence the morphology, physiology, and development of NG2 cells in vitro suggests that this rapid form of signaling may play important roles in adapting the behavior of these cells to the needs of surrounding neurons in vivo.
Parental Attachment Styles of Late Adolescents: Qualities of Attachment Relationships and Consequences for Adjustment

Lack of a self-report measure of late adolescent parental attachment style has threatened to hinder expansion of the empirical basis of attachment theory. Two studies were undertaken that provided evidence of validity for a new classification of parental attachment style from patterns of scores on the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (G. C. Armsden & M. T. Greenberg, 1987). Discriminant function analyses differentiated among secure, ambivalent, and avoidant attachment with 2 empirically derived dimensions, which paralleled the essential attachment functions theorized by M. D. S. Ainsworth (1989). Overall, insecurely attached late adolescents reported greater depression, anxiety, and worry than their securely attached counterparts. For women but not for men, insecure attachment was associated with diminished college adjustment and lower intimacy development. These results portend the promise of investigations of parental attachment style to elucidate contributions of parental attachment to late adolescent development and adjustment. John Bowlby's (1969, 1973) attachment theory has provided a theoretical paradigm from which to investigate the complexities of development throughout life. The necessity of secure parental ties for successful late adolescent development is a fundamental extension of Bowlby's (1969) original formulations, in which the infant's ability to explore the world is predicated on use of the parent as a "secure base" (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). Recent research has affirmed the importance of secure parental attachment for successful late adolescent development, as manifest in such challenges as adjusting to the demands of college life (Larose & Boivin, 1998; Rice, FitzGerald, Whaley, & Gibbs, 1995), becoming assertive in interpersonal relationships (Kenny, 1987,1990), and committing to career goals (Blustein, Walbridge, Friedlander, & Palladino, 1991). Realization of the potential of attachment theory that these studies portend requires expansion of existing assessment techniques (Kenny & Rice, 1995). This article presents two studies that provide evidence for the validity of a new means to classify parental attachment style from self-report data, thereby addressing a recognized lacuna in counseling measurement and facilitating expansion of the empirical basis of late adolescent attachment theory.
The choice to cash out pension rights at job change or retirement

Abstract Most pension plans allow a lump sum distribution upon job separation, enabling a subsequent cash-out. In the 1992–2000 HRS, 13% of entitlements were cashed-out, representing 5.3% of entitlement dollars. Among plans with a lump sum option, 20% were cashed out. Cash-outs can be rational and we broadly confirm hypotheses for cash-out determinants, but not that individuals with short expected longevity should wish to disproportionately cash out. Fears of adverse selection into the pool of pensioners with annuity income thus appear unfounded. While we find only limited leakage, it is concentrated among individuals vulnerable to poverty in old age.
Measures of venous function: technical issues and novelty of findings.

To the Editor: The recent study by Alomari et al. ([1][1]) set forth two primary goals: 1 ) to ascertain the influence of fitness on venous function and 2 ) to investigate methods used to study venous function in humans. It was unfortunate that the authors did not recognize significant prior
An Analysis of Leadership Teams' Perceptions of Positive Behavior Support and the Outcomes of Typically Developing and At-Risk Students in Their Schools:

Positive behavioral supports (PBS) have been receiving increased visibility and use in schools nationally. In the state of Washington, schoolwide and individualized positive behavioral supports wer...
Wavelet signal demodulation for wireless communications

Abstract An efficient method of demodulation of a received signal is proposed. A computationally efficient wavelet demodulation receiver is described for use in a handset cell phone. It will be demonstrated that the wavelet demodulation receiver has improved performance over a matched filter. Using this simple method extends the battery lifetime of a cellular handset and improves the receiver's bit error rate (BER).
Composite toe (phalanx and epiphysis) transfers in the reconstruction of the aphalangic hand

Twenty children with ectrodactyly have had 36 digits reconstructed with toe phalanges inserted into the existing soft tissue finger pouches or pouches constructed with local tissue. Care is taken to preserve the periosteum, epiphyseal plate, and collateral ligaments of the transfers. No surgical microvascular anastomoses are performed, and the entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes. Epiphyseal patency rates in children with a mean follow-up of 3.4 years and a median of 4 years are 90% for those operated on at 6 months to 1 1/2 years of age, 67% in those operated on at 1 1/2 to 5 years, and 50% in children operated on at 5 to 13 years of age. Radiographic growth measurements show average growths greater than 90% of the expected growth based on measurements of the contralateral donor phalanx for all transfers with open epiphyses. These reconstructed digits provide fingers that are sensate, capable of pinch and grasp, and able to tolerate heavy use.
The physician and psychological appraisal.

SUMMARY Because a child with a physical handicap is likely to develop behavioral and emotional problems, it is necessary for the physician to have a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of psychology, and an appreciation of the work of the psychologist in treating the handicapped child. This will enable the child to be treated as a ‘whole’ child and not merely as one with a physical handicap. Assessment of a handicapped child involves the testing of intelligence, perception, achievement and personality. A review of the more commonly used tests isgiven. The autho stresses the need for co-operation between psychologist and physician in the care and education of handicapped children. RESUME Le medecin et l'evaluation psychologique Parce qu'un enfant handicape physique a de fortes chances de presenter des problemes de comportement et d'affectivite, il est necessaire que le medecin ait une connaissance et une comprehension des fondements de la psychologie ainsi qu'une appreciation du travail du psychologue traitant l'enfant handicape. Ceci permettra a l'enfant d'etre traite comme un enfant ‘complet’ et non comme un cas avec handicap physique. L'appreciation d'un enfant handicape inclue la mesure de l'intelligence, des capacites perceptives, de la maturation et de la personnalite. L'auteur etablit une revue des tests psychologiques les plus communement utilises. L'auteur insiste sur le besoin de cooperation entre psychologue et medecin dans le soin et l'education de l'enfant handicape. ZUSAMMENFASSUN Arzt und Psychologie Da ein Kind mit einer korperlichen Behinderung zu Verhaltens - und Gefuhls - problemen neigt, ist es fur den Arzt wichtig, die Grundlagen der Psychologie zu kennen und zu verstehen und die Arbeit des Psychologen bei der Behandlung des behinderten Kindes richtig einzuschatzen. Dadurch wird es moglich, das das Kind als ‘ganzes’ und nicht nur als korperlich behindertes behandelt wird. Zur Beurteilung eines behinderten Kindes gehoren: Intelligenz-, Wahrnehmungs-, Leistungs- und Personlichkeitstests. Die gebrauchlichsten psychologischen Tests werden vorgestellt. Der Autor unterstreicht die Notwendigkeit der Kooperation von Psychologe und Arzt bei der Behandlung und Erziehung behinderter Kinder. RESUMEN El medico y la valoracion psicologica Dado que un nino con una minusvalia fisica es facil que desarrolle problemas de comportamiento y emotivos, es necesario para el medico tener un conocimiento y comprension de los fundamentos de la psicologia y una apreciacion de la labor del psicologo en el tratamiento del nino minusvalido. Esto facilitara que el nino sea tratado como un nino ‘completo’ y no solamente como un nino con una minusvalia. La valoracion de un nino minusvalido incluye tests de inteligencia, percepcion, realization y personalidad. Se hace una revision de los tests psicologicos mas corrientemente usados. El autor insiste en la necesidad de cooperacion entre el psicologo y el medico en los cuidados y educacion de ninos minusvalidos.
A radar unattended ground sensor with micro-Doppler capabilities for false alarm reduction

Unattended ground sensors (UGS) provide the capability to inexpensively secure remote borders and other areas of interest. However, the presence of normal animal activity can often trigger a false alarm. Accurately detecting humans and distinguishing them from natural fauna is an important issue in security applications to reduce false alarm rates and improve the probability of detection. In particular, it is important to detect and classify people who are moving in remote locations and transmit back detections and analysis over extended periods at a low cost and with minimal maintenance. We developed and demonstrate a compact radar technology that is scalable to a variety of ultra-lightweight and low-power platforms for wide area persistent surveillance as an unattended, unmanned, and man-portable ground sensor. The radar uses micro-Doppler processing to characterize the tracks of moving targets and to then eliminate unimportant detections due to animals as well as characterize the activity of human detections. False alarms from sensors are a major liability that hinders widespread use. Incorporating rudimentary intelligence into sensors can reduce false alarms but can also result in a reduced probability of detection. Allowing an initial classification that can be updated with new observations and tracked over time provides a more robust framework for false alarm reduction at the cost of additional sensor observations. This paper explores these tradeoffs with a small radar sensor for border security. Multiple measurements were done to try to characterize the micro-Doppler of human versus animal and vehicular motion across a range of activities. Measurements were taken at the multiple sites with realistic but low levels of clutter. Animals move with a quadrupedal motion, which can be distinguished from the bipedal human motion. The micro-Doppler of a vehicle with rotating parts is also shown, along with ground truth images. Comparisons show large variations for different types of motion by the same type of animal. This paper presents the system and data on humans, vehicles, and animals at multiple angles and directions of motion, demonstrates the signal processing approach that makes the targets visually recognizable, verifies that the UGS radar has enough micro-Doppler capability to distinguish between humans, vehicles, and animals, and analyzes the probability of correct classification.
Clustering the science citation index using co-citations. II. Mapping science

Previous attempts to map science using the co-citation clustering methodology are reviewed, and their shortcomings analyzed. Two enhancements of the methodology presented in Part I of the paper-fractional citation counting and variable level clustering—are briefly described and a third enhancement, the iterative clustering of clusters, is introduced. When combined, these three techniques improve our ability to generate comprehensive and representative mappings of science across the multidisciplinaryScience Citation Index (SCI) data base. Results of a four step analysis of the 1979SCI are presented, and the resulting map at the fourth iteration is described in detail. The map shows a tightly integrated network of approximate disciplinary regions, unique in that for the first time links between mathematics and biomedical science have brought about a closure of the previously linear arrangement of disciplines. Disciplinary balance between biomedical and physical science has improved, and the appearance of less cited subject areas, such as mathematics and applied science, makes this map the most comprehensive one yet produced by the co-citation methodology. Remaining problems and goals for future work are discussed.
Gallium scanning in children with fever of unknown origin

Scintigraphy with Gallium 67 is frequently used in the evaluation of children with fever of unknown origin (FUO). Its usefulness in this setting, however, has not been definitely established. We reviewed the clinical records and imaging studies of 30 children with FUO who had Gallium scans. We defined FUO as a febrile illness of greater than two weeks duration which remained undiagnosed after initial clinical, laboratory and radiographic evaluation. 4 of 30 children had positive Gallium scans. Of 25 children with only systemic signs and symptoms in addition to fever, 1 had a positive scan. Of 5 children with more focal complaints, 3 had positive studies: all had localized infections which had remained occult despite imaging with other modalities. We conclude that in most children with FUO, who have only systemic complaints, Gallium scanning is rarely useful. It may be very helpful, however, when there is a suspicion of localized infection, even if other imaging studies are negative.
Tabu search based solution to the electric vehicle energy efficient routing problem

Electric vehicles are slowly gaining popularity as a viable substitute for fossil fuel powered automobiles. Environmental concerns, energy dependency, and volatile fuel prices have triggered governments and private entities to search for an alternative strategy for the current combustion engine vehicle design. These strategies have led to a marginal market share increase of electric vehicles. Currently vehicle routing algorithms are designed and suited for fossil fueled vehicles. Energy-efficient routing for electric vehicles, on the other hand, requires novel algorithmic solutions. Negative paths costs, battery power and energy limits, and vehicle parameters that are only available at query time, make the task of electric vehicle energy-efficient routing a challenging problem. In this paper, we present a Tabu Search-based optimization solution to the energy-efficient routing problem for electric vehicle. Simulation results show the improvements in the energy consumption of the electric vehicle when applied to a start-to-destination routing problem.
Recognition of a high-affinity phosphotyrosyl peptide by the Src homology-2 domain of p56lck

The Src homology-2 (SH2) domains are modules of about 100 amino-acid residues that are found in many intracellular signal-transduction proteins. They bind phosphotyrosine-containing sequences with high affinity and specificity, recognizing phosphotyrosine in the context of the immediately adjacent polypeptide sequence. The protein p56lck (Lck) is a Src-like, lymphocyte-specific tyrosine kinase. A phosphopeptide library screen has recently been used to deduce an 'optimal' binding sequence for the Lck SH2 domain. There is selectivity for the residues Glu, Glu and Ile in the three positions C-terminal to the phosphotyrosine. An 11-residue phosphopeptide derived from the hamster polyoma middle-T antigen, EPQpYEEIPIYL, binds with an approximately 1 nM dissociation constant to the Lck SH2 (ref. 17), an affinity equivalent to that of the tightest known SH2-phosphopeptide complex. We report here the high-resolution crystallographic analysis of the Lck SH2 domain in complex with this phosphopeptide. Recent crystallographically derived structures of the Src SH2 domain in complex with low-affinity peptides, which do not contain the EEI consensus, and NMR-derived structures of unliganded Abl (ref. 19) and p85 (ref. 20) SH2 domains have revealed the conserved fold of the SH2 domain and the properties of a phosphotyrosine binding pocket. Our high-affinity complex shows the presence of a second pocket for the residue (pY + 3) three positions C-terminal to the phosphotyrosine (pY). The peptide is anchored by insertion of the pY and pY + 3 side chains into their pockets and by a network of hydrogen bonds to the peptide main chain. In the low-affinity phosphopeptide/Src complexes, the pY + 3 residues do not insert into the homologous binding pocket and the peptide main chain remains displaced from the surface of the domain.
Implications of Dynamic Touch for Human Factors/Ergonomics: Contributions from Ecological Psychology

The goal of this symposium is to illustrate how research findings from dynamic touch research (i.e., hefting and wielding of objects) within the framework of ecological psychology can have direct and valuable contributions to the field of HF/E. Ecological psychology, as developed by James J. Gibson, shares with HF/E a critical focus on the mutual relationship between person and environment, embodied in Gibson's concept of affordance (i.e., opportunity for behavior). Research in dynamic touch has shown that perceived affordances of hand-held objects are constrained by variables relevant to the task-specific control of the hand-plus-object system. Work on perception of limb position and properties of hand-held objects as well as perception by means of hand-held objects has potential applications in areas such as the design of prosthetics and hand-held tools, remote-controlled or virtual tool use, navigational/perceptual aids for the visually or somatosensory impaired, materials handling, and the design of i...
Interface Electronic And Magnetic Structures Of Layered Fe In Contact With MgO

A model based on the state-of-the-art, first-principles layer Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (LKKR) method has proven to be very effective in describing the electronic and magnetic structure of metal/ceramic interfaces. We have performed self-consistent field computations incorporating spin polarization both for Fe/MgO superlattice (bulk technique) and for MgO/Fe/MgO sandwich (layer technique) systems. Muffin-tin potentials were employed for both materials in our computations. Iron layer was embedded in MgO, the host material, to have a [110](100)Fe / [100](100)MgO contact configuration. A large enhancement of magnetic moments has been found at the interface.
Formation of a bilayer lipid membrane on rigid supports: an approach to BLM-based biosensors.

Abstract Sensory transduction in living cells is thought to involve a change of electrical parameters at the receptor membrane following specific binding events at the membrane surface. Because of the complexity of the biomembrane structure and the environmental factors associated with it, experimental bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) have been employed for elucidation of processes at the membrane level. This is because the BLM system can be easily probed by a host of powerful and sensitive electrochemical methods. Further, recent advances in microelectronics and biotechnology suggest that the development of a BLM-based electrochemical biosensor may be possible. This paper describes the use of bilayer lipid membranes on solid substrates for analysis of sensor development problems, with relevance to a possible novel type of biomolecular device. Some electrical parameters of the new structure were measured and compared to usual BLM results. The advantages of the self- assembled structure, together with the measuring system, are discussed in terms of stability and sensitivity.
Inequities in access to medical care in five countries: findings from the 2001 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey.

Abstract Objective: To examine across five countries inequities in access to health care and quality of care experiences associated with income, and to determine whether these inequities persist after controlling for the effect of insurance coverage, minority and immigration status, health and other important co-factors. Design: Multivariate analysis of a cross-sectional 2001 random survey of 1400 adults in five countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States. Main outcome measures: Access difficulties and waiting times, cost-related access problems, and ratings of physicians and quality of care. Results: The study finds wide and significant disparities in access and care experience between US adults with above and below-average incomes that persist after controlling for insurance coverage, race/ethnicity, immigration status, and other important factors. In contrast, differences in UK by income were rare. There were also few significant access differences by income in Australia; yet, compared to UK, Australians were more likely to report out of pocket costs. New Zealand and Canada results fell in the mid-range of the five nations, with income gaps most pronounced on services less well covered by national systems. In the four countries with universal coverage, adults with above-average income were more likely to have private supplemental insurance. Having private insurance in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand protects adults from cost-related access problems. In contrast, in UK having supplemental coverage makes little significant difference for access measures. Being uninsured in US has significant negative consequences for access and quality ratings. Conclusions: For policy leaders, the five-nation survey demonstrates that some health systems are better able to minimize among low income adults financial barriers to access and quality care. However, the reliance on private coverage to supplement public coverage in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can result in access inequities even within health systems that provide basic health coverage for all. If private insurance can circumvent queues or waiting times, low income adults may also be at higher risks for non-financial barriers since they are less likely to have supplemental coverage. Furthermore, greater inequality in care experiences by income is associated with more divided public views of the need for system reform. This finding was particularly striking in Canada where an increased incidence of disparities by income in 2001 compared to a 1998 survey was associated with diverging views in 2001.
Nicotinic agonist and antagonist effects on memory

Nicotine has been found by a variety of investigators to improve memory in rats, monkeys, and humans. Recent studies have helped to determine the behavioral and pharmacological nature of critical nicotine effects on memory function. Other nicotinic agonists, including ABT-418, GTS-21, or lobeline, can also significantly improve memory performance. Conversely, nicotinic antagonists, such as mecamylamine, can impair memory. Nicotine can reverse memory impairments caused by aging or by lesions to hippocampal connections. The observation that nicotine improves memory performance when it is administered by chronic infusion is potentially important for the development of treatments of cognitive impairment. Nicotinic agonists show promise for the development of novel treatments for cognitive disorders. Some characteristics of nicotine, nicotinic receptors, and the nature of the disorders to be treated, however, present challenges to the development of nicotinic-based treatments.
La représentation sociale de l’Afrique dans le discours missionnaire canadien-français (1900-1968)

Par leurs recits, les missionnaires catholiques canadiens-francais envoyes en Afrique ont transmis une representation sociale de l’Afrique des le tournant du xxe siecle. Si cette representation etait initialement basee sur une interpretation culturelle occidentale des croyances et des rites africains, elle a progressivement evolue jusque dans les annees 1960. En parallele aux conflits mondiaux et au developpement d’une sphere internationale, les tensions liees a la colonisation et a la decolonisation ont joue un role important dans l’evolution du discours missionnaire sur l’Afrique. Les mouvements nationalistes africains et quebecois ont transforme les fondements de la vocation missionnaire et du rapport a l’autre. D’une representation basee sur l’exotisme et l’inconnu avant la Revolution tranquille, l’imaginaire collectif quebecois sur l’Afrique est graduellement passe a une representation caracterisee par la pauvrete, la souffrance et la misere.
Land, property rights and privatization in Brazil

The settlement of the Amazon has attracted considerable attention due to its environmental and economic consequences. It is, however, not an entirely new phenomena, but the last stage of a long process of frontier settlement which started in other regions almost 500 years ago. The section on privatization of land describes the historical process through which land was occupied in Brazil and identifies a pattern which has been repeated in each new frontier region involving the interrelationships between land prices, property rights and agricultural investment. This pattern has recurred in the Amazon frontier, whose settlement ever since the sixties has been directly influenced by governmental policy. Land policy in the Amazon examines governmental policy and some of its consequences with emphasis on the supply of property rights in land. As has been the case throughout Brazilian history, land policy in the Amazon has rarely achieved its objectives. This has occurred not only because of the difficulties in enforcing and monitoring policy, but also to a lack of understanding of the role of property rights and other forces which shape incentives for the use and disposal of land. Property Rights in the Amazon shows how the lack of secure property rights in land has been connected to many of the problems which have arisen throughout the settlement of the Amazon.
Uncertainty quantification for data assimilation in a steady incompressible Navier-Stokes problem

The reliable and effective assimilation of measurements and numerical simulations in engineering applications involving computational fluid dynamics is an emerging problem as soon as new devices provide more data. In this paper we are mainly driven by hemodynamics applications, a field where the progressive increment of measures and numerical tools makes this problem particularly up-to-date. We adopt a Bayesian approach to the inclusion of noisy data in the incompressible steady Navier-Stokes equations (NSE). The purpose is the quantification of uncertainty affecting velocity and flow related variables of interest, all treated as random variables. The method consists in the solution of an optimization problem where the misfit between data and velocity - in a convenient norm - is minimized under the constraint of the NSE. We derive classical point estimators, namely the maximum a posteriori – MAP – and the maximum likelihood – ML – ones. In addition, we obtain confidence regions for velocity and wall shear stress, a flow related variable of medical relevance. Numerical simulations in 2-dimensional and axisymmetric 3-dimensional domains show the gain yielded by the introduction of a complete statistical knowledge in the assimilation process.
Do U.S. family planning clinics encourage parent-child communication? Findings from an exploratory survey.

CONTEXT: Clinics that receive Title X funding have a mandate to encourage parent-child communication for minors seeking family planning services. Little is known about the programs and practices that clinics have adopted to achieve this goal, or whether clinics not receiving Title X funds encourage family participation. METHODS: As part of a larger project examining parental engagement among adolescents using family planning clinics, 81 clinics that served 200 or more adolescent contraceptive clients in 2001 completed a questionnaire containing closed- and open-ended items. Topic areas included clinic counseling and policies regarding clients younger than 18, activities to improve parent-child communication and community relations. Frequency distributions were calculated for the prevalence of activities, and cross-tabulations were used to compare prevalence by clinic characteristics. RESULTS: Every clinic engaged in at least one activity to promote parent-child communication, and nine in 10 offered multiple activities. Most of the clinics used counseling sessions to talk to adolescent clients about the importance of discussing sexual health issues with parents (73‐94%, depending on the reason for the visit). More than eight in 10 clinics (84%) distributed pamphlets on how to talk about these issues. A substantial minority (43%) offered or referred interested individuals to educational programs designed to improve communication. Some of these exploratory findings reflect the prevalence of activities among all U.S. family planning clinics that serve adolescent clients.
Characterization of a model system for the study of Nostoc punctiforme akinetes.

Nostoc punctiforme is a filamentous cyanobacterium that is capable of dark heterotrophy and cellular differentiation into nitrogen-fixing heterocysts, motile hormogonia, or spore-like akinetes. The study of akinete differentiation at the molecular level has been limited by the asynchronous development and limited number of akinetes formed within a filament. A system in which to study the development and genetic regulation of akinetes was investigated using a zwf mutant lacking glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the initial enzyme of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. Upon dark incubation in the presence of fructose, the zwf− strain ceased growth and differentiated into akinete-like cells, whereas the wild-type strain exhibited heterotrophic growth. Dark-induced zwf akinetes exhibited periodic acid–Schiff staining characteristics identical to that observed for wild-type akinetes, and synchronous induction of akinetes occurred in treated cultures. Dark-induced zwf akinetes exhibited increased resistance to the environmental stresses of desiccation, cold, or treatment with lysozyme relative to vegetative cells of both strains. Transcription of the avaK akinete marker gene was strongly induced in developing zwf akinetes as shown by Northern blotting and green fluorescent protein transcriptional reporter fusions. ATP levels did not vary significantly between dark incubated strains, indicating that a signal other than energy level may trigger akinete formation. This phenotypic and genetic evidence showing near-synchronous induction of dark-induced zwf akinetes indicates that this system will provide a valuable tool for the molecular genetic study of akinete development in N. punctiforme.
Stress Intensity Factor Distributions and Crack Growth in Pressure Vessel Problems by the Frozen Stress Method

This paper describes the application of a laboratory based experimental method [1] to three dimensional cracked body problems in pressure vessels in order to determine the crack shape and stress intensity factor (SIF) distribution along the crack front when the crack shape is not known a-priori. Results for specific problems are presented and conditions and limitation of the method are described.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A computer-based approach to material and process selection using sustainability and ecological criteria

Decision on selecting a material or process for a particular product is a common task in product engineering and facility planning. Such decision may have a significant impact on entire product life cycle including raw material acquisition, product manufacture, use, disposal, and environment. Traditional factors for decision making are economical, functional and aesthetical properties of the product. However, the issues of sustainability and environmental impact of materials and manufacturing processes have gained a growing attention in recent decade by general population as well as academicians and industrial practitioners. The objective of this study is to explore a software tool for material selection with focus on sustainability and ecological issues. To achieve this objective, first a number of sustainability/ecological attributes of materials will be reviewed. Second, a methodology for evaluating materials sustainability using an emerging software tool known as Cambridge Engineering Selector will be introduced. Finally a case study will be presented to exemplify the sustainability/ecological aspects of material/process selection.
Spherical-wave model for short-range MIMO

The plane-wave assumption has been used extensively in array signal processing, parameter estimation, and wireless channel modeling to simplify analysis. It is suitable for single-input single-output and single-input multiple-output systems, because the rank of the channel matrix is one. However, for short-range multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels with a line-of-sight (LOS) component, the plane-wave assumption affects the rank and singular value distribution of the MIMO channel matrix, and results in the underestimation of the channel capacity, especially for element spacings exceeding half a wavelength. The short-range geometry could apply to many indoor wireless local area network applications. To avoid this underestimation problem, the received signal phases must depend precisely on the distances between transmit and receive antenna elements. With this correction, the capacity of short-range LOS MIMO channels grows steadily as the element spacing exceeds half a wavelength, as confirmed by measurements at 5.8 GHz. In contrast, the capacity growth with element spacing diminishes significantly under the plane-wave assumption. Using empirical fitting, we provide a threshold distance below which the spherical-wave model is required for accurate performance estimation in ray tracing.
Stochastic growth with correlated production shocks

Abstract This paper extends the stochastic growth model of Brock and Mirman [J. Econ. Theory 4 (1972), 497–513] to allow the production shocks to be correlated over time. The resultant optimal savings and consumption policies depend not only upon the current level of output but also upon the most recent realization of the random shock. The properties of these policy functions are studied and it is shown that the Markov process on output, capital stock and consumption resulting from the application of these policies converges to a stationary distribution.
An adaptive receiver with an antenna array for channels with correlated non-Gaussian interference and noise using the SAGE algorithm

An adaptive receiver that uses multiple antennas to provide diversity against fading is developed for operation in an impulsive noise environment. The noise components at each sensor are assumed to be correlated. A mixture of multivariate Gaussian distributions is used to model the noise. Using a training sequence, model parameters are estimated by iterative procedures derived from the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. These estimated parameters are then used in a likelihood ratio test to recover the transmitted signals. Simulations show that the proposed adaptive receiver is robust, and near-optimum performance can be achieved when sufficient training data is available.
SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION

A nationwide survey indicates that the American public views the electronic computer and its significance in terms of two independent belief-attitude dimensions. The first views the computer as an instrument of man's purposes-helpful in science, industry, space exploration, etc. The second portrays the machine as a relatively autonomous entity that can perform the functions of human thinking. People tend to react with awe and a sense of inferiority to this latter conception. Individual variations in the strength of these reactions to the computer are related to certain personality factors and life orientations that are highly pervasive in character. The author is a social psychologist at IBM, where, for the past few years, he has been doing research in the area of educational technology. Before this, he was in charge of communication research at IBM Corporate Headquarters.
Contribution of Bone Marrow–Derived Cells to Skin: Collagen Deposition and Wound Repair

The bone marrow provides inflammatory cells and endothelial progenitor cells to healing cutaneous wounds. To further explore the bone marrow contribution to skin and healing wounds, we used a chimeric mouse model in which the bone marrow from enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic mice is transplanted into normal C57BL mice. We found that normal skin is a target organ for bone marrow–derived cells from both the hematopoietic and the mesenchymal stem cell pool. We present evidence that the bone marrow contribution to normal skin and the healing cutaneous wound is substantially greater than the previously recognized CD45 + sub-population, where 15%– 20% of the spindle-shaped dermal fibroblasts were bone marrow–derived (EGFP + ). Furthermore, the bone marrow–derived cells were able to contract a collagen matrix and transcribe both collagen types I and III, whereas the skin-resident cells transcribed only collagen type I. Whereas endothelial progenitor cells were found early during the wound repair process, bone marrow–derived endothelial cells were not seen after epithelialization was complete. Our data show that wound healing involves local cutaneous cells for reconstituting the epidermis but distant bone marrow–derived cells and the adjacent uninjured dermal mesenchymal cells for reconstituting the dermal fibroblast population.