cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of dental pain and dental caries among children and adolescents.

Objective The aim was to critically evaluate published epidemiological studies of dental pain among children and adolescents, primarily to answer the question 'Does the probability of dental pain increase as the population level of dental caries increases?'. Method The MEDLINE database was searched electronically for epidemiological studies of dental pain and caries, and supplemented with hand searching of bibliographies. Ecological associations were evaluated visually, by plotting published caries levels and dental pain prevalence, and quantitatively, by computing correlation coefficients between community-level caries experience (dmft and DMFT) and prevalence of toothache in those communities. Results Most studies enumerated dental pain by asking parents whether their child had ever experienced toothache, with reported prevalence ranging from 5 to 33% among countries. Lifetime prevalence was greater among older children and among children from lower socio-economic groups. Ecological analysis of published data revealed moderate to strong correlations (Spearman's coefficient 0.53 to 0.83) between caries experience and prevalence of toothache. Correlations were stronger (0.86 to 0.95) among lower social classes, consistent with a 5 to 6% increase in probability of toothache for each additional deciduous tooth with caries experience. The direction and magnitude of these ecological associations was similar to person-level correlations. Conclusion Dental pain is highly prevalent among children, even in contemporary populations with historically low levels of caries experience. Dental pain is consistently associated with population levels of caries experience, the association being most apparent in lower socioeconomic groups with reduced access to care.
Change Management And Post-Merger Organizational Outcomes: Four Organizations Merge Into One

Most merger and acquisition literature looks at financial and marketing strategies, while dismissing or ignoring the people-issues. This study examines post-merger employee organizational identification and attitudes about organizational communication relationships.
Circular Polarization Measurements in Eu 154

The circular polarization of the 1.28-MeV gamma ray following the beta decay in ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{154}$ was measured by means of the transmission method. The anisotropy coefficient $A$ was found to be $A=\ensuremath{-}0.21\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.07$ which gives the $M2$ to $E1$ multipolarity admixture as $\ensuremath{\delta}=\ensuremath{-}0.07\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.08$ (standard deviations). This together with other information implies the $K$ value for the 1.4-MeV level in ${\mathrm{Gd}}^{154}$ is $K=1$.
Albedo maps of comets P/Halley and P/Giacobini-Zinner

Near-simultaneous infrared and visual images of P/Halley are combined to create a map of the spatial variation of average albedo (which is generally a factor of four larger than the geometric albedo defined by Hanner et al., 1981). The map is compared with a similar map of P/Giacobini-Zinner (P/G-Z) obtained previously. P/G-Z showed a minimum in albedo of 0.07 with an increase by a factor of 2 over an angular distance of 30″. The lowest albedos in P/G-Z were offset from the nucleus in the anti-sunward direction, coincident with a dust tail observed in the infrared. The P/Halley albedos are higher than those found for P/G-Z, ranging from 0.2–0.4, but both comets have relatively low albedo in the anti-sunward direction (along the tail). We attribute the albedo distribution to large, dark, fluffy grains confined to the orbital plane close to the nucleus. The high albedo values in P/Halley may be due to enhanced flux in the visual image because of the comet’s very small phase angle.
Altered frontal and transverse plane tibiofemoral kinematics and patellofemoral malalignments during downhill gait in patients with mixed knee osteoarthritis

Patients with knee osteoarthritis often present with signs of mixed tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint disease. It has been suggested that altered frontal and transverse plane knee joint mechanics play a key role in compartment-specific patterns of knee osteoarthritis, but in-vivo evidence in support of this premise remains limited. Using Dynamic Stereo X-ray techniques, the aim of this study was to compare the frontal and transverse plane tibiofemoral kinematics and patellofemoral malalignments during the loading response phase of downhill gait in three groups of older adults: patients with medial tibiofemoral compartment and coexisting patellofemoral osteoarthritis (n=11); patients with lateral tibiofemoral compartment and coexisting patellofemoral osteoarthritis (n=10); and an osteoarthritis-free control group (n=22). Patients with lateral compartment osteoarthritis walked with greater and increasing degrees of tibiofemoral abduction compared to the medial compartment osteoarthritis and the control groups who walked with increasing degrees of tibiofemoral adduction. Additionally, the medial and lateral compartment osteoarthritis groups demonstrated reduced degrees of tibiofemoral internal rotation compared to the control group. Both medial and lateral compartment osteoarthritis groups also walked with increasing degrees of lateral patella tilt and medial patella translation during the loading response phase of downhill gait. Our findings suggest that despite the differences in frontal and transverse plane tibiofemoral kinematics between patients with medial and lateral compartment osteoarthritis, the malalignments of their arthritic patellofemoral joint appears to be similar. Further research is needed to determine if these kinematic variations are relevant targets for interventions to reduce pain and disease progression in patients with mixed disease.
Empirical Analysis of a Large-Scale Hierarchical Storage System

To prepare for future peta- or exa-scale computing, it is important to gain a good understanding on what impacts a hierarchical storage system would have on the performance of data-intensive applications, and accordingly, how to leverage its strengths and mitigate possible risks. To this aim, this paper adopts a user-level perspective to empirically reveal the implications of storage organization to parallel programs running on Jaguar at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We first describe the hierarchical configuration of Jaguar's storage system. Then we evaluate the performance of individual storage components. In addition, we examine the scalability of metadata- and data-intensive benchmarks over Jaguar. We have discovered that the file distribution pattern can impact the aggregated I/O bandwidth. Based on our analysis, we have demonstrated that it is possible to improve the scalability of a representative application S3D by as much as 15%.
The Effects of Information-Processing Demands and Social-Situational Factors on the Social Decision Making of Children.

Abstract Previous research has consistently demonstrated age differences in cooperative, competitive, and individualistic social decision making. The present studies were designed to demonstrate that these age differences may result from the development of the requisite information-processing capabilities and social/situational factors. It was hypothesized that the limited information-processing systems of young children place constraints upon the social decisions available, but making a specific social decision was dependent upon sociocultural factors which influence the salience of aspects of the social situation or the expected contingencies of each social decision. Study 1 assessed the social decision making of 3- to 11-year-olds in two forms of a decision-making task (designed to manipulate the information processing demands of key social decisions) under two instructional sets (designed to manipulate the expected reward contingencies of key social decisions). Study 2 assessed the social decision making of 3- to 12-year-olds toward close friends or acquaintances (designed to manipulate the expected social contingencies) in the same two forms of the decision-making task. Age, the task form manipulation, and the social/situational manipulation influenced social decision making in each study in a manner consistent with the theoretical perspective A cognitive social learning interpretation, and the implications for the cognitive developmental influence upon social behavior, are discussed.
Two problems with GGP generalized geometric programming algorithm

The generalized geometric programming algorithm GGP has been found to be one of the better algorithms for optimizing algebraic functions subject to algebraic constraints. The paper discusses two problems with the GGP algorithm presented by Avriel et al. (1980). The first problem is that, because of the way that constraint tolerances are checked, the checks may pass even when a constraint is violated beyond the acceptable tolerance. This problem can affect an acceleration technique suggested for the algorithm. This paper presents two possible solutions to this problem. The second problem is the algorithm's weakness in handling equality constraints. This problem seems to especially affect the ‘Phase I’ part of the algorithm, which finds a feasible solution from a random starting point. While extensions have been made to get around this limitation, no discussion on why the original algorithm has problems with equality constraints has been made. This paper discusses why the problems exist.
Go with the flow: Optical flow-based transport operators for image manifolds

Image articulation manifolds (IAMs) play a central conceptual role in a host of computer vision and image understanding problems. The core premise is that we can view a collection of images, each of which is indexed by a small number of degrees of freedom (3D camera pose, motion/deformation, etc.), as a low-dimensional nonlinear manifold. In order to perform parameter estimation and navigation on an IAM, we require a transport operator that traverses the manifold from image to image. The two current approaches to manifold transport suffer from major shortcomings that have limited the practical impact of manifold methods. First, algebraic methods require that the IAM possess an unrealistic algebraic structure. Second, locally linear methods based on a tangent plane approximation cannot cope with the non-differentiability of IAMs containing images with sharp edges. In this paper, we demonstrate that the optical flow between pairs of images on an IAM is a valid transport operator with a number of attractive properties. In particular, we establish that the optical flow forms a low-dimensional smooth manifold. Several experiments involving novel-view synthesis, geometric clustering, and manifold charting validate that the optical flow manifold approach both offers performance significantly superior to current approaches and is practical for real-world applications.
Current prophylactic HPV vaccines and gynecologic premalignancies.

Purpose of review Studies of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, Cervarix and Gardasil provide strong evidence for the recommendation that HPV vaccines may minimize the incidence of cervical cancer over time. Recent findings Both Cervarix and Gardasil provided more than 90% efficacy in preventing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2+ (CIN 2+) disease caused by HPV 16 and 18 in women 16-26 years who were seronegative and PCR-negative for HPV 16 and 18 at baseline. Cervarix provides more than 75% efficacy in independent cross-protection against persistent HPV 31 and 45, and 47% efficacy against HPV 33; whereas Gardasil offers 50% efficacy only against persistent HPV 31. A reduction in excisional therapies for CIN 2+ is nearly 70% for Cervarix, and 40% for Gardasil. Cervarix efficacy is documented to 6.4 years; Gardasil's to 5 years. Immunologically, Cervarix induces three to nine-fold higher peak-neutralizing antibody titers to HPV 16/18 than Gardasil, has significantly higher cervicovaginal mucus-neutralizing antibody presence than Gardasil, and significantly higher B memory cell response than Gardasil. Safety reports indicate injection site reactions for both Cervarix and Gardasil. Rare serious adverse events have been reported. Summary The benefits and risks of vaccination must be weighed with the benefits and risks of screening to reduce cervical cancer in a cost-effective manner.
Distributed algorithms for biobjective assignment problems

In this paper, we study the biobjective assignment problem, a NP-hard version of the classical assignment problem. We employ an effective two-phase method with certain enhancements: in Phase I, we use a distributed auction algorithm to solve the single objective assignment problems to obtain the so-called supported Pareto optimal solutions; we apply a ranking approach with tight upper/lower bounds in Phase II to obtain the non-supported Pareto optimal solutions. Moreover, a randomized algorithm for Phase II is proposed that supports finding the approximation on a polynomial time basis. Extensive experiments are conducted using SGI Altix 3700 and computational results are reported based on a large set of randomly generated problem instances. Also, some experimental results of the distributed auction algorithm on large data-size assignment problems are provided.
Differential Expression of Human Topoisomerase IIIα during the Cell Cycle Progression in HL-60 Leukemia Cells and Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Abstract Human topoisomerase IIIα (huTop IIIα) has been demonstrated to belong to type IA subfamily. In this study, we found that huTop IIIα expressed constitutively and remained at high levels throughout the cell cycle in HL-60 cells when compared to the cell-cycle-dependent expression of huTop IIIα in phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes. During the cell cycle progression, this protein remained accentuated in the nucleolus without significant translocation from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm. In addition, during the course of granulocytic maturation in DMSO-treated HL-60 cells, huTop IIIα levels decreased when cells stopped proliferation and nucleoli diminished in size. However, its level remained unchanged during the course of monocytic maturation of vitamin D 3 -treated HL-60 cells which still retained its proliferative capacity and did not change the size of the nucleolus. The data suggested that huTop IIIα is involved in rDNA metabolism, such as rDNA transcription. Its cellular level appeared to be under control during the cell cycle progression of normal lymphocytes, but was found to be deregulated in HL-60 cells which may be associated with the tumor transformed cell phenotypes.
Self-propagating high temperature synthesis to produce CoCrMoC from elemental powders

The use of self-propagating high temperature combustion synthesis to produce CoCrMoC that meets ASTM F-75 standards is evaluated. Two reactant compositions representing the standard’s weight percent limits of chromium were used to determine if self propagating high temperature combustion synthesis is viable using elemental constituents. Products were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. Characterization indicated an unstable wave front resulting in products that were not fully converted. Moreover, the products contained a number of unwanted oxides that can be controlled through better powder handling and sourcing. With further optimization of processing parameters, SHS can be a viable method to produce ASTM F-75 powders.
Tax Exemption and Resource Allocation: Implications for Prices, Production, and Factor Choice

The exemption of coupon payments by state and local governments from federal income taxes in the United States is examined from the vantage point of its effects on resource allocation—that is, its impact on the consumer's choice between goods produced privately and goods produced by the local government sector, on the choice between capital and labor in each sector, and on the relative prices of both goods and factors of production. The results raise questions about the value of tax exemption as a method of subsidizing local government provision of services.
Review: Coverage and connectivity issues in wireless sensor networks: A survey

Sensing coverage and network connectivity are two of the most fundamental problems in wireless sensor networks. Finding an optimal node deployment strategy that would minimize cost, reduce computation and communication overhead, be resilient to node failures, and provide a high degree of coverage with network connectivity is extremely challenging. Coverage and connectivity together can be treated as a measure of quality of service in a sensor network; it tells us how well each point in the region is covered and how accurate is the information gathered by the nodes. Therefore, maximizing coverage as well as maintaining network connectivity using the resource constrained nodes is a non-trivial problem. In this survey article, we present and compare several state-of-the-art algorithms and techniques that aim to address this coverage-connectivity issue.
Infant methemoglobinemia: causative factors.

That individually and environmentally mediated cofactors function in the development of infant methemoglobinemia (iMHG) is not a new finding. Studies cited by Fewtrell (2004) note these cofactors. In my work on iMHG, using a nested case–control study that was not cited by Fewtrell (2004), I confirmed that cofactors (feeding practices, individual and infant physiology, etc.) played a role in the disease status of populations under study (Zeman 2000; Zeman et al. 2002a).
Malaria prevention during pregnancy-is there a next step forward?

Richard Steketee discusses the two studies by Clara Menendez and colleagues that describe using mefloquine for the intermittent preventative therapy of malaria in both HIV positive and HIV negative pregnant women and outlines the next steps. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
The same but different: autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with lymphoma and HIV infection.

In an earlier era, high-dose therapies were thought to be contraindicated in HIV-infected patients. Patients with HIV fared somewhat better with reduced-dose lymphoma therapies and salvage of relapsed patients was rarely possible. With more than a decade of effective antiretroviral therapy, full-dose lymphoma therapies have become standard, and high-dose therapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue for those who fail frontline therapy or who are judged to have very high risk disease has been pursued with very encouraging results. Transplant-related mortality is less than 5%. With prophylaxis for pneumocystis and herpesvirus infections, deaths due to opportunistic infections are distinctly unusual. Most deaths have been associated with veno-occlusive disease or lymphoma progression. There is no need for quarantine of patients or special isolation procedures. Most patients with responsive lymphoma remain lymphoma free several years after high-dose therapy. CD4+ cell count and HIV load seem not to be adversely affected in the long term. Much like diabetes, HIV infection should be regarded as a problem that requires special attention during high-dose therapy rather than a contraindication to high-dose therapy in patients with lymphoma who would otherwise be judged transplant candidates.
Background and Pickup Ion Velocity Distribution Dynamics in Titan's Plasma Environment: 3D Hybrid Simulation and Comparison with CAPS T9 Observations

In this report we discuss the ion velocity distribution dynamics from the 3D hybrid simulation. In our model the background, pickup, and ionospheric ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid. Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are included in our model. We also take into account the collisions between the ions and neutrals. The current simulation shows that mass loading by pickup ions H(+); H2(+), CH4(+) and N2(+) is stronger than in the previous simulations when O+ ions are introduced into the background plasma. In our hybrid simulations we use Chamberlain profiles for the atmospheric components. We also include a simple ionosphere model with average mass M = 28 amu ions that were generated inside the ionosphere. The moon is considered as a weakly conducting body. Special attention will be paid to comparing the simulated pickup ion velocity distribution with CAPS T9 observations. Our simulation shows an asymmetry of the ion density distribution and the magnetic field, including the formation of the Alfve n wing-like structures. The simulation also shows that the ring-like velocity distribution for pickup ions relaxes to a Maxwellian core and a shell-like halo.
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite–Wood Pile Interface Characterization by Push-Out Tests

Structural restoration of spliced or damaged wood piles with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite shells requires that shear forces be transferred between the wood core and encasing composite shells. When a repaired wood pile is loaded, shear stresses develop between the wood pile and the FRP composite shell through the grouting material. Alternatively, shear force transfer can be developed through mechanical connectors. The aim of this study was to characterize the interfaces in wood piles repaired with FRP composite shells and grout materials. Two interfaces were studied: wood pile/grout material and a grout material/innermost FRP composite shell. Design parameters controlling the response of both interfaces were identified: 1) extent of reduction of cross section of wood pile due to deterioration (necking); 2) type of grout material (cement-based or polyurethane); 3) use of mechanical connectors; and 4) addition of frictional coating on the innermost shell. Push-out tests by compression loading were performed to characterize the interfaces and discriminate the effect of the design parameters. The outcome of the push-out tests was evaluation of the shear stress and force vs. slip response and characterization of the failure mechanism. A set of repair systems that represent different combinations of the design parameters was fabricated and the interfaces evaluated. It was found that the combination of cement-based grout and polymer concrete overlay on the innermost shell provided the most efficient shear force-slip response. A simplified piecewise linear model of shear stress vs. slip at the wood/grout and grout/FRP composite interfaces with and without mechanical connectors is proposed to synthesize the experimental response.
What Are the Consequences of Waiting for Health Care in the Veteran Population

National health reform is expected to increase how long individuals have to wait between requests for appointments and when their appointment is scheduled. The increase in demand for care due to more widespread insurance will result in longer waits if there is not also a concomitant increase in supply of healthcare services. Long waits for healthcare are hypothesized to compromise health because less frequent outpatient visits result in delays in diagnosis and treatment. Research testing this hypothesis is scarce due to a paucity of data on how long individuals wait for healthcare in the United States. The main exception is the Veterans Health Administration (VA) that has been routinely collecting data on how long veterans wait for outpatient care for over a decade. This narrative review summarizes the results of studies using VA wait time data to answer two main questions: 1) How much do longer wait times decrease healthcare utilization and 2) Do longer wait times cause poorer health outcomes? Longer VA wait times lead to small, yet statistically significant decreases in utilization and are related to poorer health in elderly and vulnerable veteran populations. Both long-term outcomes (e.g. mortality, preventable hospitalizations) and intermediate outcomes such as hemoglobin A1C levels are worse for veterans who seek care at facilities with longer waits compared to veterans who visit facilities with shorter waits. Further research is needed on the mechanisms connecting longer wait times and poorer outcomes including identifying patient sub-populations whose risks are most sensitive to delayed access to care. If wait times increase for the general patient population with the implementation of national reform as expected, U.S. healthcare policymakers and clinicians will need to consider policies and interventions that minimize potential harms for all patients.
Media and Ritual: Death, Community and Everyday Life, by Johanna Sumiala, Routledge: London and New York, 2013, vii + 138 pp. ISBN 978-0-415-68432-3, US$115.00 (hardback); ISBN 978-0-415-68433-0, US$34.95 (paperback)

In the prologue of Media and Ritual: Death, Community and Everyday Life, Johanna Sumiala poses some of the most eternal questions in scholarship, and perhaps life, today: how is our common world, o...
GSSHA: Model To Simulate Diverse Stream Flow Producing Processes

The need to simulate surface water flows in watersheds with diverse runoff production mechanisms has prompted the Department of Defense to invest in the development of a new, physically based hydrologic model, called the Gridded Surface/Subsurface Hydrologic Analysis (GSSHA) model. GSSHA is a reformulation and enhancement of the two-dimensional, physically based model CASC2D. The GSSHA model simulates stream flow generated by both infiltration-excess and saturation-excess mechanisms, as well as exfiltration, and groundwater discharge to streams. The model employs mass-conserving solutions of partial differential equations and closely links the hydrologic components to assure an overall mass balance. Testing of the model on a watershed with diverse runoff mechanisms indicates that the model is useful for investigating the important streamflow producing processes at the watershed scale and determining the contributions of surface water, saturated groundwater, and unsaturated groundwater to the overall water...
Unusual Presentation of Left Hepatic Vein in Deceased Donor: Case Report

An anomaly of the left hepatic vein was discovered in a deceased donor for whole liver transplantation. This vein was attached by a thin bridge of tissue to the suprahepatic inferior vena cava cuff, which received the right and middle hepatic vein in a common trunk. The left hepatic vein and the common trunk drained together into the right atrium. The thin bridge of tissue connecting the 2 independent vessels was severed, and ex situ reduction of the left lateral segments was using a harmonic scalpel. Although a graft with reduced size is not ideal, ex situ reduction should be considered a valuable option when viability of the left lateral segments is uncertain in the donor or at the back table.
Coal dust exposure and mortality from ischemic heart disease among a cohort of U.S. coal miners

Background Particulate exposure from air pollution increases the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality. Although coal miners are highly exposed to coal dust particulate, studies of IHD mortality risk among coal miners have had inconsistent results. Previous studies may have been biased by the healthy worker effect. Methods We examined the dose–response relationship between cumulative coal dust exposure, coal rank, and IHD mortality among a cohort of underground coal miners who participated in the National Study of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis. Results After adjusting for age, smoking, and body mass index, risk of IHD mortality increased at higher levels of coal dust exposure. Mortality risk was also associated with coal rank region. Conclusion There was an increased risk of mortality from IHD associated with cumulative exposure to coal dust, and with coal rank. The effect of coal rank may be due differences in the composition of coal mine dust particulate. The association of risk of IHD mortality with cumulative particulate exposure is consistent with air pollution studies. Am. J. Ind. Med. 54:727–733, 2011. 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hirudin and Hirulog: Advances in antithrombotic therapy

Over the past two decades, advances in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, e.g., coronary angioplasty and coronary thrombolysis, have been coupled with the need for improved antithrombotic therapy to prevent acute, life-threatening thrombotic complications. Concurrently, studies on the pathophysiologic mechanisms for the arterial thrombotic process have demonstrated a central, mediating role for thrombin. Brought forward from its identification in the late 19th century, the leech protein hirudin emerged as a model for recombinant DNA engineering and ‘protein-mimetic’ drug design. Recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin) and Hirulog are the resulting drug candidates which, as direct thrombin inhibitors, offer several potential advances in the management of acute thrombotic disorders. Clinical trials of these drug candidates have already provided evidence for clinical activity and tolerability in thromboembolic disease. Definitive evidence for efficacy is currently sought in large, controlled studies in the settings of coronary angioplasty, coronary thrombolysis and unstable angina.
EXPLORING THE ADIABATIC CONNECTION BETWEEN WEAK- AND STRONG-INTERACTION LIMITS IN DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY

If the electron-electron repulsion in an atom or molecule were very weak, it could be treated by orbital-based perturbation theory. If this repulsion were very strong, it could be treated in a model of strict correlation. A simple interaction strength interpolation between these two limits, at fixed electron density, can describe the reality that lies between the extremes. By working entirely within a sophisticated density functional approximation, the meta-generalized gradient approximation, we find that the interpolation error is only about 0.1% for the exchange-correlation energy and about 4 kcal/mole = 0.17 eV for the atomization energy. We also find that real systems probably lie close to the radius of convergence of density functional perturbation theory.
Rotational and angular distributions from photodissociations. III. Effects of dynamic axis switching in linear triatomic molecules

An analysis is presented of the effects of dynamic axis switching on the three‐dimensional quantum mechanical theory of photodissociations of linear triatomic molecules. The dynamic axis switching phenomenon arises from the fact that there are small deviations of the orientation of the diatomic fragment axis from that of the equilibrium triatomic molecule axis in the initially bound state of the molecule. While these deviations vanish on the average, the dynamic axis switching is shown under certain circumstances to alter significantly the calculated rotational, orbital angular momentum and angular distributions from the results of the previous work in which these small deviations are ignored. The dynamic axis switching is demonstrated to be important for determining the proper partitioning of the triatomic initial state rotational angular momentum (J) into nascent diatomic rotational angular momentum and orbital angular momentum of the atom about the diatom. Thus, the dynamic axis switching effect vanish...
Two new taxa of Lobelia (Campanulaceae) from the Chihuahuan desert region of Mexico

Two taxa of Lobelia from north–central Mexico are described as new, both being in sect. Lobelia subsect. Leiospermae E. Wimmer, viz. L. henricksonii (in “grex”Rosulatae E. Wimmer) and L. anatina E. Wimmer var. riskindii (in “grex”Sub–spicatae E. Wimmer). These two taxa are confined to the Mexican state of Coahuila in areally restricted mesic habitats above 1400 m alt.
Foreign manga reader: learn grammar and pronunciation while reading comics

Foreign-language comics are potentially an enjoyable way to learn foreign languages. However, the difficulty of reading authentic material makes them inaccessible to novice learners. We present the Foreign Manga Reader, a system that helps readers comprehend foreign-language written materials and learn multiple aspects of the language. Specifically, it generates a sentence-structure visualization to help learners understand the grammar, pronounces dialogs to improve listening comprehension and pronunciation, and translates dialogs, phrases, and words to teach vocabulary. Learners can use the system to match their experience level, giving novices access to dialog-level translations and pronunciations, and more advanced learners with access to information at the level of phrases and individual words. The annotations are automatically generated, and can be used with arbitrary written materials in several languages. A preliminary study suggests that learners find our system useful for understanding and learning from authentic foreign-language material.
Elite quarterbacks do not laugh when they are losing: Exploring fan responses to athletes' emotional displays

Athletes experience a multitude of emotions during sport competition. How they manage and regulate emotions is, to some degree, influenced by social expectations. This research explored how fans framed emotional expressions by National Football League quarterback Derek Anderson during and after a Monday Night Football game. A thematic analysis of 304 postings in an ESPN.com discussion forum was conducted. Results revealed that fans viewed Anderson's emotional expressions as: (a) appropriate behaviour; (b) lack of professionalism; and (c) a character flaw. The results suggest that fans hold inconsistent expectations about athletes’ emotional displays and that these shifting preferences place athletes in complex positions as they attempt to manage and regulate their emotions before, during, and after sporting events.
Enabling customization of non-viral gene delivery systems for individual cell types by surface-induced mineralization

Delivering genes to mediate functions of cells is a crucial technology for both basic science and clinical applications. Though numerous non-viral gene delivery systems have been developed, the diversity of mammalian cells poses a great challenge to the material design. Here, we demonstrate that surface-induced mineralization represents a promising approach to systematically customize DNA delivery with respect to the characteristics of cells. We initially examined gene transfer in nine cell types derived from different tissues and organisms by surface-induced DNA-doped calcium carbonate nanocomposites derived from a library of mineral solutions. Subsequently, we correlated gene transfer efficiency with cellular uptake, pH responsiveness of nanocomposites, and phagosomal pH of individual cell types. Based on the correlation, we were able to optimize the DNA delivery to the cell types of interest. Surface-induced mineralization possesses great potential for customizing gene transfer in realizing gene- and cell-based therapy and probing functions of genes.
Development and evaluation of a laparoscopic common bile duct exploration simulator and procedural rating scale.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is an effective, single-stage treatment for choledocholithiasis. However, LCBDE requires specific cognitive and technical skills, is infrequently performed by residents, and currently lacks suitable training and assessment modalities outside of the operating room. To address this gap in training, a simulator model for transcystic and transcholedochal LCBDE was developed and evaluated. A procedure algorithm incorporating essential cognitive and technical steps of LCBDE was developed, along with a physical model to allow performance of a simulated procedure. Modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) rating scales were developed to assess performance on the model. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the performance of novices (residents and surgeons without LCBDE experience) versus experienced subjects (surgeons with previous LCBDE experience). Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing scores from the LCBDE scales to those from the standard OSATS scale. Internal consistency and interrater reliability were assessed by comparing performance scores assigned by three independent raters. Sixteen novices and five experienced subjects performed simulated procedures, with novices scoring lower than experienced subjects on both transcystic (20 ± 3 vs. 33 ± 2 [possible score range, 0–45], p < 0.001) and transcholedochal (25 ± 8 vs. 42 ± 3 [possible score range, 0–53], p < 0.001) rating scales. Scores on the rating scales correlated significantly with scores from the standard OSATS scale. Internal consistency and interrater reliability of the LCBDE rating scales were favorable. The LCBDE simulator is a low-cost yet realistic physical model that allows performance and evaluation of technical skills required for LCBDE. The LCBDE rating scales show evidence of construct validity, concurrent validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability. Use of the LCBDE model and associated rating scales allows procedure-specific feedback for trainees and could be used to improve current training.
Interfacial properties of sapphire/epoxy composites: Comparison of fluorescence spectroscopy and fiber push-in techniques

Abstract Experiments and analyses leading to the assessment of interfacial sliding friction and residual stresses in sapphire filament reinforced epoxy matrix composite by two different techniques are described in this paper. The first technique was based on measurements of stresses in filaments bridging a steady-state matrix crack using a laser microprobe to stimulate fluorescence from the sapphire filaments. The measured stress variation was consistent with un-bonded, frictionally constrained filaments with a constant friction stress along the sliding zone length. The second technique involved measurements of load–displacement records in filament push-in tests using a mechanical microprobe. The sliding friction stress and the residual stress in the filaments assessed by the two techniques were essentially identical. Analyses of the experimental results with different theoretical models indicated that the assessed values of the sliding friction stress and the residual stresses were not affected significantly by accounting for the mismatch in the Poisson’s ratios of the filaments and the matrix and taking into account the elastic anisotropy of the filaments.
Omeprazole Ameliorates Aspirin-Induced Gastroduodenal Injury

Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) damage the gastroduodenal epithelium by two mechanisms: direct toxic effects and effects related to the depletion of endogenous prostaglandins. The prostaglandin-depleted mucosa has increased suceptibility to luminal aggressive factors, yet the role of acid in the pathogenesis of the NSAID ulcer is controversial. In humans, standard doses of H2-receptor antagonists prevent only duodenal injury and provide no protection for the gastric mucosa. It is not known whether more potent suppression of acid can prevent NSAID damage. Twenty healthy volunteers were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to determine if omeprazole, 40 mg/day prevents gastroduodenal injury due to two weeks of aspirin administration (650 mg four times a day). The severity of mucosal injury was quantitated by endoscopy and stratified by a scale from 0 (normal) to 4 (ulcer). Fourteen of the 20 subjects had less gastric injury during cotherapy with omeprazole. All six with no difference received aspirin plus omeprazole in the first treatment period. Omeprazole significantly decreased aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury (P<0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Omeprazole protected 85% of subjects from extensive gastric erosions (often associated with evidence of intraluminal bleeding) or ulceration, whereas 70% of the subjects developed aspirin-induced grades 3 and 4 gastric injury on placebo (P<0.01 by X2). No subject taking omeprazole developed duodenal injury of any grade, while 50% taking placebo developed erosions and 15% had ulcer (P<0.001). Medication side effects were mild in the majority of subjects. Heartburn occurred in seven subjects on aspirin and placebo vs one on aspirin and omeprazole (P<0.01). Salicylate levels were 7.39±4.72 mg/dl (535±340 µmol/liter) in the placebo group and 6.95±4.3 mg/dl (503±311 µmol/liter) in the omeprazole group. We conclude that omeprazole, 40 mg/day eliminates duodenal injury and markedly ameliorates gastric injury due to administration of aspirin 2600 mg/day. Omeprazole prophylaxis of NSAID injury deserves further study.
Reliability and Separation of Factors on the Assertiveness-Responsiveness Measure:

Assertiveness and responsiveness of 102 men and 122 women in college were internally reliable (.88 and .93) and uncorrelated (−.027) factors of self-reported personality style.
Short-term memory for haptic cues in monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Short-term memory (STM) for haptic information was examined in a delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) task. Three rhesus monkeys were tested in DMTS with all possible combinations of different-size spheres and cubes as the sample and comparison stimuli. The results showed that the decrease in percentage correct as a function of the retention intervals was relatively independent of the size and shape of the sample and comparison stimuli. In general, at each retention interval, percentage correct was higher when the (1) comparison stimuli differed in both size and shape than when the comparison stimuli differed in only size or shape, (2) size differences between the comparison stimuli increased, and (3) samples were spheres rather than cubes. This pattern of results suggests that dimensions of the haptic stimuli influenced discrimination but had little effect on the animals’ STM. In Experiment 2, the same three monkeys responded to the sample and comparison stimuli with the same hand or responded to the sample with one hand and the comparison stimuli with the opposite hand. The decrease in percentage correct across retention intervals was comparable for all possible hand combinations. These results suggest that the loss of information from STM is comparable when the sample and comparison stimuli are both felt with the same hand or with opposite hands.
Hypercalcemia and overexpression of CYP27B1 in a patient with nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: clinical vignette and literature review.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a disease of thickened, hard, hyperpigmented skin lesions with or without systemic fibrosis occurring in patients with renal insufficiency and associated with the administration of gadolinium-containing contrast. The pathogenesis of this disease is unclear, and there is no definitive treatment. We describe a 71-yr-old patient with stable chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and NSF who presented with hypercalcemia in 2006. Before onset of renal insufficiency in 2002, serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH levels were normal. In 2004, the patient began hemodialysis, and he was diagnosed with NSF in 2005, shortly after undergoing an MRI with gadolinium contrast administration. Over the next 6 mo, albumin-corrected serum total calcium levels rose from 9.9 to 13.1 mg/dl (normal range, 8.5–10.5 mg/dl) with normal serum phosphorus levels. On admission in September 2006, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] levels were elevated at 130.7 pg/ml (normal range, 25.1–66.1 pg/ml). Biopsy of an NSF lesion showed increased 25-hydroxyvitamin D3–1-α hydroxylase (CYP27B1) immunostaining compared with the biopsy from a normal control. This is the first reported association of NSF with hypercalcemia caused by elevated 1,25(OH)2D levels. This metabolic disturbance should be sought in future cases to determine a connection between NSF, 1,25(OH)2D metabolism, and CYP27B1 activation in the skin, which may shed light on the pathogenesis of this unusual local and systemic fibrosing disorder.
A comparison of FAC and PCG methods for solving composite grid problems

The fast adaptive composite grid method is a multi level adaptive method. This paper compares the speed of solution of the resulting discrete equations by the FAC algorithm and a preconditioned conjugate gradient scheme
Depression, Stress, and Intimate Partner Violence Among Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in Rural Southeastern North Carolina

The purpose of the study is to identify the predictors of depression and intimate partner violence (IPV) among Latinos in rural Southeastern North Carolina. A sample of 291 migrant and seasonal farmworkers was interviewed to complete the demographic questionnaire, HITS (intimate violence tendency), Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (depression), and CAGE/4M (alcohol abuse). OLS regression and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypothesized relations between predictors of IPV and depression. The findings indicated that respondents reporting higher levels of stress also reported higher levels of IPV and depression. The goodness-of-fit statistics for the overall model again indicated a moderate fit of the model to the data (χ2 = 5,612, p < .001; root mean square error for approximation = 0.09; adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.44; comparative fit index = 0.52). Although the findings were not robust to estimation in the structural equation models, the OLS regression models indicated direct associations between IPV and depression.
The influence of career stage on the work attitudes of male and female accounting professionals

Summary The present study compared work commitments, overall job satisfaction, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards satisfactions, and organizational and professional turnover intentions of 718 male and female accounting professionals at different career stages. Career stage was measured by professional tenure. The results indicate that there are some differences in work attitudes across career stages for male accounting professionals. Job involvement, organizational commitment, and intrinsic and extrinsic rewards satisfaction are positively related to professional tenure. Organizational turnover intentions are negatively related to professional tenure for male accounting professionals. There are no significant differences in work attitudes across career stages for female accounting professionals. An examination of reasons for differences in work attitude patterns between male and female accountants suggests the need for research to determine whether later career stages (advancement and maintenance) differ for men and women. The results also suggest that future research should consider defining career stage in terms of the overlap between stages defined using alternate career stage measures.
CRYOGENIC PROBE FOR SMALL SUBCORTICAL LESIONS.

Abstract A cryogenic probe was developed of a small enough diameter to produce well defined lesions in subcortical areas of rabbit, cat and monkey.
Mechatronics and Control of a Precision Motion Stage for Nano-Manufacturing

High precision motion is critical in the semiconductor industry and as feature size continues to decrease, the need for higher precision increases. This paper presents the control system design and integration of a novel multi-degree of freedom precision stage for nano-manufacturing. It is composed of a 6 DOF wafer holder and a 3 DOF module holder. The modules can be chosen for a desired task, such as a nano-imprint lithography module. Capacitance gauges, interferometers, and photo detectors provide position feedback of the stage. Piezo-electric actuators and linear motors, that produce two orthogonal forces each, produce the desired output. Modeling of the coordinate transformation among the spaces of sensors, stage position, and actuators along with dynamic modeling of the stage is presented. Controller design, hardware, and software is described and results comparing simulation and implementation show a closed-loop positioning of less than 1 nm error in x and y and 0.01 arc seconds in θ z with a sensor noise level of less than 0.2 nm.Copyright © 2009 by ASME