cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Chlorhexidine Bathing on Hospital-Acquired Infections among General Medical Patients

Background. A paucity of data exists regarding the effectiveness of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing in non–intensive care unit (ICU) settings.Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of daily CHG bathing in a non-ICU setting to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enteroccocus (VRE) hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), compared with daily bathing with soap and water.Design. Quasi-experimental study design; the primary outcome was the composite incidence of MRSA and VRE HAIs. Clostridium difficile HAI incidence was measured as a nonequivalent dependent variable with which to assess potential confounders.Setting. Four general medicine units, with a total of 94 beds, at a 719-bed academic tertiary-care facility in Providence, Rhode Island.Patients. A total of 7,102 and 7,699 adult patients were admitted to the medical service in the control and intervention groups, respectively. Patients admitted from January 1 through December 31, 2008, were bathed d...
Cancellation of Second-Order Distortion in an Analog Link by a Fiber Optical Parametric Amplifier

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that gain saturation in a fiber optical parametric amplifier (OPA) can be used to efficiently cancel the second-order distortion generated in an analog fiber link by SPM and GVD. We demonstrated reduction of CSO distortion by 12 dB
Mutations That Stimulate flhDC Expression in Escherichia coli K-12

ABSTRACT Motility is a beneficial attribute that enables cells to access and explore new environments and to escape detrimental ones. The organelle of motility in Escherichia coli is the flagellum, and its production is initiated by the activating transcription factors FlhD and FlhC. The expression of these factors by the flhDC operon is highly regulated and influenced by environmental conditions. The flhDC promoter is recognized by σ 70 and is dependent on the transcriptional activator cyclic AMP (cAMP)-cAMP receptor protein complex (cAMP-CRP). A number of K-12 strains exhibit limited motility due to low expression levels of flhDC . We report here a large number of mutations that stimulate flhDC expression in such strains. They include single nucleotide changes in the −10 element of the promoter, in the promoter spacer, and in the cAMP-CRP binding region. In addition, we show that insertion sequence (IS) elements or a kanamycin gene located hundreds of base pairs upstream of the promoter can effectively enhance transcription, suggesting that the topology of a large upstream region plays a significant role in the regulation of flhDC expression. None of the mutations eliminated the requirement for cAMP-CRP for activation. However, several mutations allowed expression in the absence of the nucleoid organizing protein, H-NS, which is normally required for flhDC expression. IMPORTANCE The flhDC operon of Escherichia coli encodes transcription factors that initiate flagellar synthesis, an energetically costly process that is highly regulated. Few deregulating mutations have been reported thus far. This paper describes new single nucleotide mutations that stimulate flhDC expression, including a number that map to the promoter spacer region. In addition, this work shows that insertion sequence elements or a kanamycin gene located far upstream from the promoter or repressor binding sites also stimulate transcription, indicating a role of regional topology in the regulation of flhDC expression.
Cognitive Controls, Cognitive Styles, and Divergent Production in Gifted Preadolescents

The concept of cognitive style is discussed as a means of shedding light on the nature of giftedness and explaining differences in performance among individuals equally high in measured intellectual ability. Particular attention is given to the cognitive-style theory derived from ego psychology that focuses on what is known as the “cognitive control,” a cognitive structure that mediates the expression of drives in light of conditions that obtain in the external world. A study is described in which six cognitive controls were isolated through factor analysis in a sample of 59 intermediate-grade gifted children. Three cognitive styles, each representing a cluster of cognitive controls, were defined by cluster analysis. The cognitive style labeled “strict percept-strict concept” was associated with greater facility in divergent thinking on two of three dependent variables. The findings are interpreted as lending support to attempts to explain giftedness through the use of qualitative or style constructs.
Glidewire-assisted Foley catheter placement: a simple and safe technique for difficult male catheterization.

Difficulty in Foley catheter placement is a frequently encountered problem. We describe a simple and safe technique for this condition. Rather than using force, which may lead to the formation of a false passage, one should place a glidewire into the bladder through the area of resistance, followed by the placement of a Foley catheter over the glidewire. This is a very easy procedure and can be taught to nurses and nurse practitioners to avoid an unnecessary call for a urologist in the emergency department.
Novel QCA methodologies and angiographic scores

Coronary angiography remains the gold-standard method for evaluating coronary artery disease and interventional treatments. As percutaneous coronary interventions have advanced, quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) techniques have also evolved in order to provide more accurate assessments of these therapies. Improvements have been made at each step of the QCA process from image acquisition to vessel analysis. In addition, multiple scoring systems have been developed in order to utilize QCA data, both alone and in conjunction with clinical factors, to better stratify patient risk. This article will review the recent advancements in QCA techniques and outcome prediction models.
Cerebellar Activity, Apneustic Breathing, and the Neural Control of Respiration

APNEUSTIC breathing, characterized by deep, sustained inspiratory activity, has figured prominently in theories on the neural control of respiratory rhythmicity1. This intriguing respiratory phenomenon has been described in the vagotomized, midpontile decerebrate animal2–4. In this preparation, the Hering–Breuer afferent system in the vagi and the pneumotaxic area in the rostral pons have been eliminated. Both the Hering–Breuer and the pneumotaxic influences appear to be predominantly inhibitory to the inspiratory mechanisms of the lower brain stem4. However, the apneustic area in the lower pons is not destroyed by midpontile decerebration and continues to provide a powerful facilitatory influence on the inspiratory neurones of the medulla2–4. In the presence of apneustic facilitation and the absence of Hering–Breuer and pneumotaxic inhibition, the medullary inspiratory neurones are excessively stimulated. The resultant excessive activity of the inspiratory neurones produces apneustic breathing1–4.
Recovery Time of Cats Following High Luminance Stimulation

Three male cats were trained to depress a foot pedal as a conditioned response to the presence of an illuminated target. The animals were then exposed to a flash with a visual angle of 20° and peak luminance of 5.0×106 lm. The total energy at the corneal surface was 0.26 J/cm2. The visually dependent conditioned responses to each of five target conditions (4.15, 0.359, 0.029, and 0.0029 mL for the dark-adapted cat eyes and 4.15 mL for the light-adapted eyes) were then taken as their recovery times. The results showed that when the energy of the adapting flash remained constant, a decrease of the luminance of the target resulted in an increase of the recovery times of the cat.
Trigeminally-mediated alteration of cardiorespiratory rhythms during nasal application of carbon dioxide in the rat

Stimulation of the upper respiratory tract with air-borne irritants can result in dramatic alterations of cardiorespiratory rhythms that include apnea, bradycardia and selective peripheral vasoconstriction. Since carbon dioxide can stimulate receptors in the nasal passages, we wanted to determine if this odorless gas can induce the same autonomic changes as air-borne irritants. Passing 100% carbon dioxide through the nasal passages of rats anesthetized with chloralose-urethane produced apnea, a vagally-mediated bradycardia and a sympathetically-mediated increase in mean arterial blood pressure. Application of atropine blocked the bradycardia without affecting respiratory or blood pressure changes, while injection of prazosin eliminated blood pressure responses but did not affect heart rate or apnea. There were no significant autonomic responses to nasal application of 10, 25 or 50% carbon dioxide. The responses were mediated through the trigeminal innervation of the nasal mucosa since they could be blocked when the anesthetic procaine was applied to the nasal cavity. We conclude that these cardiorespiratory responses are due to stimulation of trigeminal nociceptors located within the nasal mucosa.
Accelerated age-related browning of human collagen in diabetes mellitus

The nonenzymatic glycosylation reaction that is accelerated in diabetes is the first step of the Maillard or nonenzymatic browning reaction that occurs in stored food. The glucose-protein adduct rearranges and dehydrates to form brown and fluorescent pigments, which can act as crosslinks, resulting in decreased protein solubility and altered mechanical properties. Evidence suggesting that this process occurs in vivo has been found in lens crystallins. The observation that nonenzymatic glycosylation and insolubility increases in collagen with age and diabetes led us to investigate the possible browning of human collagen. Insoluble human dura mater collagen was digested with collagenase. Absorbance at 350 nm and fluorescence at 440 nm (excitation at 370 nm) of the solubilized material was measured. A linear increase in the amounts of yellow and fluorescent material was observed with age. Samples obtained at autopsy from three type I diabetics and a young type II diabetic showed increased fluorescence and had absorbance values that corresponded to the amount of chromophore found in nondiabetics twice their age (P less than 0.025). The collagen adducts from aged and diabetic individuals had absorption and fluorescence spectra identical to those of collagen samples that underwent nonenzymatic browning with glucose in vitro. The structure of these collagen adducts is unknown. However, their likely occurrence throughout the body could explain the correlation between arterial stiffening, decreased joint mobility, and the severity of microvascular complications in type I diabetics.
Recognition by the glycoprotein hormone-specific N-acetylgalactosaminetransferase is independent of hormone native conformation.

Abstract Some members of the glycoprotein hormone family [luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free alpha subunit] bear unique asparagine-linked oligosaccharides with the terminal sequence SO4-Gal-NAc beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,2Man alpha, whereas other members [human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)] bear predominantly oligosaccharides terminating in the sequence sialic acid alpha-Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,2Man alpha. We previously identified an N-acetylgalactosaminetransferase (GalNAc-transferase) in bovine pituitary membranes that specifically recognizes the alpha subunit peptide and adds GalNAc to the synthetic intermediate GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2. In the current study we demonstrate that bLH, hCG, hCG beta, hCG alpha, and FSH alpha are recognized by the pituitary GalNAc-transferase in vitro, whereas oFSH, hFSH, and hFSH beta are not (b-, h-, and o-indicate bovine, human, and ovine). The apparent Km values for addition of GalNAc to oligosaccharides on hCG alpha and hCG beta, 13.0 and 6.2 microM, respectively, are not altered by reduction and alkylation. Thus, recognition of the peptide determinant does not require maintenance of native tertiary structural features. In the presence of the recognition determinant the Km for addition of GalNAc to the intermediate GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2 is reduced from 1.2-2.6 mM to less than 13 microM. hFSH is not efficiently recognized by the GalNAc-transferase due to the absence of the recognition marker on hFSH beta and some degree of masking of the recognition marker on the alpha subunit when combined with FSH beta. Since recognition is directed at primary and possibly secondary structural features, it should be possible to determine which regions of the alpha and beta subunits are responsible for the specificity of the GalNAc-transferase.
Macromitrium crumianum (musci: orthotrichaceae), a new species from guatemala

Northwest of Lake Izabal, Guatemala, G. C. Jones and L. Facey collected in 1966 abundant material of what we have calledMacromitrium crumianum Steere & Buck. This new species is characterized by linear-lanceolate leaves which are long acuminate, with leaf cells which are smooth and linear throughout, a smooth seta and capsule, and a naked calyptra. It is most closely related toM. dubium Schimp. of the West Indies and perhaps also toM. leprieurii Mont. (M. dussii Broth.) of the West Indies, French Guiana and Suriname.
Evaluating cyclical projects

Abstract A cyclical price environment introduces risks, but also opportunities, that require careful managerial attention and planning. A primary tool in dealing with the economic implications of metal price cyclicality is proper project valuation. Conventional approaches to project valuation are well known and include various derivatives of the discounted cash flow (DCF) method. These methods break down, however, when applied to actively managed investments. The flexibility of managerial response to external developments, including price fluctuations, is not considered in the DCF methodology. The capital asset pricing model and the arbitrage pricing theory have been developed to address the valuation of investments subject to various forms of business risk; but they suffer from limitations herein discussed. A new approach based on option pricing theory is being developed which offers promise. However, the approach is not as yet sufficiently developed to provide a practical substitute for the DCF methods.
A computerized data management and decision support system for gypsy moth management in suburban parks

Abstract The GYpsy Moth Management Decision support SYStem (GYMSYS) was developed to address specific data management and decision support needs for gypsy moth management in urban parks and other wooded public lands. These needs include a map-based user interface, simple and reliable data entry, a means to customize the system to a variety of separate and heterogeneous management units and programs, and the use of readily available and inexpensive hardware and software systems. These needs were addressed by incorporating a map image, selected by the user, into the background of the user interface, making it possible for the user to configure the system separately for each individual management unit, and utilizing Apple Macintosh computers and Hypercard software. A knowledge base for making treatment decisions based on egg mass density and size, host tree susceptibility, and defoliation history was encoded into a production rule base.
Protein geranylgeranylation controls collagenase expression in osteoarthritic cartilage

Summary Objective Statins possess anti-inflammatory properties. This study was undertaken to characterize the mechanism of action of statin drugs on collagenase expression in primary human osteoarthritic cartilage tissue. Method Human articular chondrocytes and cartilage explants from osteoarthritic donors were exposed to simvastatin in the presence or absence of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). Collagenase expression was determined by quantifying levels of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13) and MMP-1 mRNA and MMP-13 protein. The mechanism of statin action was tested by addition of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) or by using inhibitors of farnesyl transferase (FT) and geranylgeranyl transferase (GGT-1). Results Treatment of osteoarthritic chondrocytes with simvastatin decreased mRNA levels of MMP-13 and MMP-1 whether under basal conditions or during stimulation with IL-1β. MMP-13 protein secreted into the culture media was also decreased. Genes involved in cartilage synthesis (type II collagen and aggrecan) were not down-regulated by simvastatin. Exogenous addition of GGPP completely reversed the statin-mediated decrease in MMP-13 mRNA and protein levels whereas FPP partially reversed the statin-mediated effect. An inhibitor of GGT-1 mimicked the simvastatin-mediated reduction in MMP-13 expression by chondrocytes. Finally, consistent with impacts on MMP-13 and MMP-1 expression, simvastatin as well as the GGT-1 inhibitor both blocked type II collagen degradation in primary human articular cartilage explants. Conclusion These results suggest that statins modulate chondrocyte metabolism by reducing prenylation of key signaling molecules that control the expression of collagen-degrading enzymes. Our results strongly support the hypothesis that protein prenyltransferases including geranylgeranyl transferase regulate chondrocyte collagenase expression in osteoarthritis.
AIDS Drug Assistance Programs: Managers Confront Uncertainty And Need To Adapt As The Affordable Care Act Kicks In

With the Affordable Care Act set to expand insurance coverage to millions more Americans next year, existing discretionary health programs that receive federal support might find themselves competing for funds as the health reform law is fully implemented. To assess the implications the Affordable Care Act might have for discretionary health programs, we focused on state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, which provide free medications to low-income HIV patients. We conducted semistructured interviews with program managers from twenty-two states. Many of the managers predicted that their programs will change focus to provide “wrap-around services,” such as helping newly insured clients finance out-of-pocket expenses, including copayments, deductibles, and premiums. Although program managers acknowledged that they must adapt to a changing environment, many said that they were overwhelmed by the complexity of the Affordable Care Act, and some expressed fear that state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs would be elim...
Development of an environmentally friendly protective coating for the depleted uranium-0.75 wt.% titanium alloy. Part I. Surface morphology and electrochemistry

Abstract The surface of the depleted uranium (DU)-0.75 wt.% titanium alloy has been studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The samples were examined after mechanical polishing and again after nitric acid cleaning. The acicular martensitic microstructure is revealed after chemical etching. Several of the impurities have been identified and their prevalence has been found to change depending on the surface treatments. The impurities have also been found to vary from sample to sample and within the same sample. The electrochemistry and corrosion characteristics of the alloy were studied using open circuit potential measurements and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. This study has been directed towards developing environmentally friendly protective coatings for this alloy. In this paper, we discuss our efforts in finding suitable chemical species to act as inhibitors and activators during coating formation. The effect of various oxyanions, MoO42−, PO43−, VO43−, MnO4−, SiO44− and WO42−, on the electrochemical behavior of the depleted uranium alloy in quiescent nitric acid has been explored including their ability to inhibit corrosion. Results indicate that chemical or electrochemical activation of the DU alloy in 0.1 M HNO3 + 0.025 M MoO42− can lead to the formation of a rudimentary coating. The effect of several fluorine compounds was also examined and their electrochemical response indicates that several of them may have a potential use as a surface activator.
Hypoxia induces vascular endothelial growth factor gene transcription in human osteoblast-like cells through the hypoxia-inducible factor-2α

VEGF is produced by osteoblasts and has been postulated to function as an angiogenic stimulus during normal skeletal development and in fracture repair. In this study, we characterized the molecular mechanisms by which experimental hypoxia increases VEGF mRNA in human MG63 osteoblast-like cells. Exposure of MG63 cells to 1% O(2) for 24 h resulted in a four-fold increase in VEGF mRNA. Immunoblotting of nuclear extracts demonstrated a time-dependent increase in the level of the Hif-2alpha protein, which preceded the rise in VEGF mRNA. To determine the effect of hypoxia on VEGF gene transcription, MG63 cells were transiently transfected with a segment of the VEGF promoter construct fused to luciferase and then exposed to 1% O(2). Hypoxia induced VEGF promoter activity five-fold by 24 h. Forced expression of Hif-2alpha, but not Hif-1alpha, increased both basal and hypoxia induced VEGF promoter activity. By contrast, the ability of the VEGF reporter to respond to hypoxia or recombinant Hif-2alpha was abolished in cells transfected with a VEGF promoter construct containing a mutation in the hypoxia response element. In summary, exposure of osteoblast-like cells to hypoxia induces VEGF expression via induction of Hif-2alpha and transcriptional activation of the VEGF promoter.
"What Do I Think about Title IX?" Voices from a University Community.

Despite the apparent benefits of Title IX, the implementation of the law remains controversial, and there are divergent beliefs regarding its impact on collegiate sport. The purpose of this study was to examine how members of a university community, whose intercollegiate sport programs have changed, perceive and make sense of Title IX and the changes it incurred. Using a gendered lens (Birrell, 2000) and qualitative interviews with 13 individuals connected to the university community, insight was gained into their perceptions of Title IX and women's and men's athletic opportunities. The theme of opportunity gained and lost was central to how these individuals perceive Title IX and resonates with the liberal (feminist) concerns out of which Title IX was born.
JOI to manage drilling program

The Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. (JOI), has been awarded a 5-year, $141 million contract by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to manage and operate the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). The international scientific program follows the 15-year Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and is expected to last a decade. JOI, founded in 1976 to manage scientific services and planning functions for DSDP, is based in Washington, D.C., and consists of 10 major oceanographicinstitutions. Drilling operations are expected to begin in October at the start of fiscal 1985. Negotiations are under way to lease a commercial drill ship for the program (Eos, May 5, 1983, p. 174; February 22, 1983, p. 73). According to D. James Baker, Jr., JOI president, and Sandra D. Toye, ODP program director, a decision on the choice of the research ship is likely to be made in February; overhaul of the commercial ship to make it suitable for scientific drilling is scheduled to be done by October. The Glomar Challenger had been leased for 15 years as DSDP's drill ship.
Observations on the regulation of chemical intake in chronic carcinogenesis studies.

Summary Consumption studies of chemicals given ad lib, in the drinking water were conducted systematically with various compounds in several species. The thrice-weekly measurement of chemical intake throughout the lifespan of the animals revealed that the actual amount ingested depends on the type and concentration of the chemical and also on the strain of animal used. It is concluded that it is advisable in each case to measure the chemical intake rather than to compute it routinely from the physiological water-consumption figures.
Cellular consequences of sleep deprivation in the brain

Several recent studies have used transcriptomics approaches to characterize the molecular correlates of sleep, waking, and sleep deprivation. This analysis may help in understanding the benefits that sleep brings to the brain at the cellular level. The studies are still limited in number and focus on a few brain regions, but some consistent findings are emerging. Sleep, spontaneous wakefulness, short-term, and long-term sleep deprivation are each associated with the upregulation of hundreds of genes in the cerebral cortex and other brain areas. In fruit flies as well as in mammals, three categories of genes are consistently upregulated during waking and short-term sleep deprivation relative to sleep. They include genes involved in energy metabolism, synaptic potentiation, and the response to cellular stress. In the rat cerebral cortex, transcriptional changes associated with prolonged sleep loss differ significantly from those observed during short-term sleep deprivation. However, it is too early to draw firm conclusions relative to the molecular consequences of sleep deprivation, and more extensive studies using DNA and protein arrays are needed in different species and in different brain regions.
Ultraviolet-absorbing pseudophakos: An efficacy study

The use of intraocular lenses (IOLs) to replace cataractous lenses has raised the question of possible retinal damage due to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Three groups of cynomolgus monkeys underwent cataract operations and either received normal UV-transparent IOLs or UV-opaque IOLs, or were left aphakic. All eyes were later exposed to UV light for varying periods of time. Exposure to UV light produced severe retinal lesions. In aphakic eyes and those with normal IOLs lengthy exposure to low levels of UV light produced lesions similar to those seen after brief, very intense UV radiation. Eyes with UV-opaque IOLs displayed no such lesions. Our results indicate that clinicians should consider the use of UV-opaque IOLs.
Towards a theoretical clarification of the ‘spillover’ and ‘compensatory’ work/leisure hypotheses

Abstract Two thorny problems have attracted the interest of work/leisure researchers in recent years: (1) the failure of previous research to clearly isolate the relationship between work and non-work from the effects of other confounding variables, and (2) a widespread failure to distinguish between the meanings that people attribute to work (and non-work) and the forms of work (and non-work) people perform. The argument for phenomenological research is made; in this way, empirically-grounded ‘common sense’ definitions of work and leisure could be created and these definitions could be used as a solid research base to test ‘spillover’ and ‘compensatory’ theories of the work/leisure relationship. The author then demonstrates, through the development of an analytic framework for viewing the work/leisure relationship, the fact that ‘compensatory’ and ‘spillover’ hypotheses are potential alternative modes of explanation. Unless the conditions under which each might apply can be specified, one or the other hypothesis can explain a given empirical relationship between the two variables. This further supports the need for solid phenomenological research.
Failure mechanisms of 2-D and 3-D woven fiber reinforced polymer composites

A simple lab-scale weaving method was used to produce multidirectional fiber preforms to improve the delamination resistance and damage tolerance of composites. Mechanical properties measured in this study included short-beam shear strength and damage tolerance of 2-D and 3-D woven composites. The constituents of fiber and matrix in these composites are Kevlar-29 (Du Pont) and Epon 828 (Shell Chemical Co.) epoxy. Attention was directed to the differentiation of deformation and failure mechanisms in these composites as a function of material parameters and loading conditions. The sequence of failure mechanisms differ between 2-D and 3-D composites. Results indicated that 3-D woven composites exhibited higher shear strength than 2-D woven composites. Also, 3-D composites absorbed more impact energy than 2-D composites. Failure mechanisms of composites subjected to repeated impacts were observed intermittently by using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The failure of 2-D composites was due to a combination of shear and tensile mode, but in 3-D composites the failure was dominated by tensile mode.
Auditory consequences of early mild hearing loss associated with otitis media.

Two groups of children received periodic documentation of their middle ear status by pneumatic otoscopy in the first year of life and had hearing sensitivity estimated by multiple auditory brainstem response (ABR) assessments during the same period. One group was considered otitis media (OM)-positive, with repeated bilateral epsiodes of OM and mild conductive hearing loss. the second group was considered OM-free with normal middle ear function bilaterally and normal hearing sensitivity in the first year of life. Children's higher-order auditory abilities were examined at 4, 6 and 9 years of age. Various measures such as speech recognition-in-competition, visual-auditory learning, sound blending, auditory memory, and masking level difference estimates were utilized to probe the children's auditory abilities. Results show that children with a first-year history of otitis media demonstrate deficits in the longer term in some aspects of higher-order auditory processing. Performance appears to be associated wi...
Approximate confidence intervals for the parameters of a stationary binary Markov chain

The power-divergence family of test statistics introduced by Cressie and Read (1984) is used to obtain approximate confidence intervals for the parameters of a stationary first-order binary Markov chain. Intervals based on inverting the likelihood ratio, Pearson, and Freeman-Tukey statistics are included in this family. Small-sample comparisons are used to select the best intervals for the different parameters. The results show that the best power-divergence intervals for the probability of success, and in particular the likelihood ratio interval, have error rates closer to nominal levels than the sample-proportion-based intervals suggested by Crow (1979). The properties of power-divergence joint-confidence regions for the transition probabilities are also explored.
Fracture characterization of pristine/post-consumer HDPE blends using the essential work of fracture (EWF) concept and extended finite element method (XFEM)

Abstract The effect of recycled HDPE on plane-strain fracture properties of pristine HDPE was studied using the essential work of fracture concept. The plane-strain specific EWF decreased linearly as recycled content increased while the plane-strain specific non-EWF exponentially decreased. The specific non-EWF was investigated using the extended finite element method. The nonlinearity of specific non-EWF was influenced by the shape factor ( β D ) and the specific non-essential fracture work per unit volume ( w p , D ), both of which were non-linearly related to recycled content. Blending brittle recycled material to ductile pristine HDPE decreased the fracture toughness and the crack growth resistance.
Teaching Science as a Language: A "Content-First" Approach to Science Teaching

Our research project was guided by the assumption that students who learn to understand phenomena in everyday terms prior to being taught scientific language will develop improved understanding of new concepts. We used web-based software to teach students using a “content-first” approach that allowed students to transition from everyday understanding of phenomena to the use of scientific language. This study involved 49 minority students who were randomly assigned into two groups for analysis: a treatment group (taught with everyday language prior to using scientific language) and a control group (taught with scientific language). Using a pre–post-test control group design, we assessed students' conceptual and linguistic understanding of photosynthesis. The results of this study indicated that students taught with the “content-first” approach developed significantly improved understanding when compared to students taught in traditional ways. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 529–553, 2008
CONTEXTUAL AND MOTIVATIONAL CUE EFFECTS ON THE COMPREHENSION AND RECALL OF PROSE

6 groups of 20 subjects were each presented different introductory material (appropriate context picture; partial context picture; no picture; character-motivation story; no story) in a 3 × 2 design to assess effects on the comprehension and recall of a prose passage. Both the pictures and the story increased the ratings of comprehension, but only the pictures increased performance at recall. It was concluded that for a difficult prose passage, only a contextual schema would provide additional cues for retrieval and that two different schemata have no advantage over a single one.
Crystal and molecular structure of 1-phenyl-6-(phenylthio)-3H-2,1,3-benzoxathiazolium-3-olate

The crystal structure of 1-phenyl-6-(phenylthio)-3H-2,1,3-benzoxathiazolium-3-olate, C18H13NO2S2, has been determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The crystals are monoclinic, space groupP21,Z = 2, witha = 8.757(2),b = 8.428(2),c = 11.332(3) A, and β = 101.34(2) °. All intensity measurements were made at room temperature on an Enraf-Nonius CAD-4 automatic diffractometer using monochromatized, MoKα radiation. The final agreement factorR was 0.029 for 1465 contributing reflections. The nitrophenyl moiety is essentially planar, and the two phenylthio rings are canted at 74 ° and 87 ° to it. There is a possible nonbonded attraction between the nitro group and theortho-sulfur.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACTION GRANTS REVISITED

The Urban Development Block Grant (UDAG) program evolved from preceding programs in aid of distressed communities, including permitting local officials and private businesses wide berth in making deals for UDAG utilization and actively recruiting small cities to participate. This case study examines the impact these evolutionary departures had in two small cities—Follansbee, WV, and Farrell, PA—which received multi-million dollar UDAGs for steel projects in 1984 and 1988, respectively. Although the two cities had much in common economically, their use of UDAG funds was quite dissimilar. Outcomes were vastly disparate, raising questions about the ability of small communities, particulary those dominated by one declining company, to make appropriate decisions regarding program participation, as well as larger issues of federal intervention.
The antiviral agents, MAP30 and GAP31, are not toxic to human spermatozoa and may be useful in preventing the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Abstract Objective: To investigate the effects of two virucidal compounds, MAP30 (Momordica anti–human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] protein; molecular weight, 30 kd) and GAP31 (Gelonium anti-HIV protein; molecular weight, 31 kd), obtained from Momordica charantia and Gelonium multiflorum , respectively, on the motility and vitality of human spermatocytes. Design: Prospective, controlled study. Setting: New York University School of Medicine. Patient(s): Ten healthy men undergoing evaluation for infertility provided 10 semen specimens. Intervention(s): Human sperm were treated with the anti-HIV agents, MAP30 and GAP31. Nonoxynol-9, a commonly used spermicide, and phosphate-buffered saline were used as the positive and negative controls, respectively. Main Outcome Measure(s): The motility and vitality of human spermatocytes treated with MAP30 and GAP31 at doses that inhibit HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus. Result(s): MAP30 and GAP31 did not inhibit the motility or vitality of human sperm cells over a dose range of 100–0.1 μg/mL, whereas nonoxynol-9 demonstrated spermicidal action on all 10 samples over the same dose range. Conclusion(s): The antiviral agents, MAP30 and GAP31, were not toxic to human sperm cells at the doses at which they inhibit HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus. They had no effect on the motility of spermatozoa, even at a dose of 1,000 times the maximum effective concentration. These results indicate that MAP30 and GAP31 may be useful as nonspermicidal protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Extinction of non-premixed methane-and propane-air counterflow flames inhibited with CF4, CF3H and CF3Br

The extinction condition was studied for non-premixed counterflow flames of methane and propane impinging against an air stream with added amounts of CF4, CF3H, or CF3Br. Strain rates near extinction using laser Doppler velocimetry were determined for counterflow methane-air flames, with CF4 and CF3H added to the air stream. The value obtained for the case of methane impinging against an air stream with no agent added, 400±25 s−1, agrees with the experimental value reported in the literature. For both methane-and propane-air flames, increasing amounts of CF4, CF3H, or CF3Br in the air stream decrease the extinction oxidizer stream mass flow rate (or strain rate) monotonically until, at a given amount of agent, the extinction strain rate rapidly drops. If the molar percentage of agent in the air stream exceeds 2.5% for CF3Br and 11% for CF4 or CF3H, non-premixed counterflow methane-air flames cannot be maintained. Counterflow propane-air flames cannot be maintained if agent concentrations in the air stream are greater than 2.7% for CF3Br, 11% for CF3H, and >14% for CF4. For a given amount of agent added to the air stream that does not exceed the limiting agent concentration, the extinction strain rate is comparable for CF3H or CF4 addition in methane-air flames. CF3H is more effective than CF4 in propane-air flames, similar to the reported extinction behavior in heptane-air cup burner studies. CF3Br is significantly more effective than CF4 or CF3H in extinguishing methane-or propane-air flames. The net chemical effect of CF3H in the inhibition of non-premixed counterflow flames is more pronounced for propane-air flames than for methane-air flames. Explanations for this behavior are discussed briefly.
THz diffuse reflectance spectra of selected explosives and related compounds

Diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS) technique is extensively used in UV/visible and middle/near infrared for characterizing/analyzing powders and samples with rough surface. In this paper, we report on the DRS investigation of explosives & related compounds in the THz region, which is more difficult because of the limitations of far infrared sources, beam splitters and detectors. We also discussed the penetration depth and the sensitivity for this technique in the THz range. THz diffuse reflectance spectra (50-680 cm -1 ) were taken on a Bruker 66V/S FTIR spectrometer with a Specac diffuse reflectance accessory. A number of explosive and related compounds were investigated in both transmission and diffuse reflectance modes, and a good agreement between transmission and diffuse reflection spectra was demonstrated. Our experimental results show that DRS technique has advantages over transmission spectrum technique, such as better sensitivity and easier sample preparation. Therefore, the THz DRS has the potential for the standoff detection of explosives and related compounds in the real world applications.
Lead Sorption on Ruthenium Oxide: A Macroscopic and Spectroscopic Study

The sorption and desorption of Pb on RuO2·xH2O were examined kinetically and thermodynamically via spectroscopic and macroscopic investigations. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was employed to determine the sorption mechanism with regard to identity and interaction of nearest atomic neighbors, bond distances (R), and coordination numbers (N). The kinetics of the Pb−Ru−oxide sorption reaction are rapid with the equilibrium loading of Pb on the surface achieving approximately 1:1 wt/wt (129 μmol m-2). XAS data indicate that Pb adsorbed as bidentate innersphere complexes with first shell Pb−O parameters of RPb-O = 2.27 A and NPb-O = 2.1−2.5. Pb−Ru interatomic associations suggest two distinct bidentate surface coordinations of Pb to edges (RPb-RuI ∼3.38 A, NPb-RuI ∼1.0) and shared corners (RPb-RuII ∼4.19 A, NPb-RuII ∼0.8) on RuO2 octahedra (cassiterite-like structure), and an additional second neighbor backscattering of Pb indicates the formation of Pb−Pb dimers (RPb-Pb ∼3.89 A, NPb-Pb ∼0.9). Desorption ...
C4 Photosynthesis: Convergence upon Convergence upon…

C 4 photosynthesis has evolved independently numerous times in plants. New work suggests that these multiple origins are the result of recurring selection on a few amino acid positions in the key enzyme phospho enol pyruvate carboxylase.
Cardiac Tamponade and Hydrothorax as Complications of Central Venous Parenteral Nutrition in Infants

The recent use of soft catheters made of silastic polymeric silicone or polyurethane has decreased the incidence of perforation of great veins or right-sided heart chambers but has not eliminated it as had been hoped. Two premature infants who presented with cardiac tamponade more than 24 hr after the insertion of a 23-gauge silastic catheter for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) administration are described. In one infant, bilateral hydrothorax preceded the occurrence of cardiac tamponade. Osmotic injury to great vessels and/or myocardium seems to be the common mechanism but which these complications of intraluminal catheters are produced. Review of the pediatric literature revealed a proportion of low birth weight infants among the reported cases. Despite a prohibitively high mortality rate, early recognition can prevent a fatal outcome. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 15:110-113,1991)
Parasites of sentinel bivalves in the NOAA status and trends program: Distribution and relationship to contaminant body burden

The National Status and Trends Mussel Watch data for 1997 were used to compare the distribution of parasites between sentinel bivalves of the East, West, Gulf and Great Lakes coasts of the USA and to assess the relationship of parasitism to contaminant body burden. Overall, five patterns dominated the geographic distribution of the parasite fauna. (1) Certain parasites, such as Nematopsis, were principally associated with oysters from the southeast and Gulf coasts. (2) Discounting Nematopsis, oysters and mussels did not differ significantly in total parasite infection intensity. (3) West coast mussel populations were always lower in infection intensity than East coast mussels and rarely showed anything but a sporadic pattern of infection. (4) East coast mussels typically had a focus of infection in the Boston Harbor region. (5) With the exception of Nematopsis, mussels on the West coast, Mytilus edulis and Mytilus californianus, did not differ significantly in their parasite fauna. The geographic distributions of most parasites and disease-causing organisms varied independently. Any two parasites rarely co-occurred predictably over wide areas and never on more than one coast. Certain contaminants were correlated with certain parasites on one coast but not the other or in one bivalve type but not another. Statistics that emphasized infection intensity found significant relationships between parasitism and contaminant body burden most often in East and Gulf coast oysters and West coast mussels and, in most cases, higher body burdens were associated with lower infection intensities. Statistics that emphasized prevalence also identified significant relationships most often in East and Gulf coast oysters and West coast mussels. In contrast to infection intensity, most significant results occurred because parasites were observed more often in locales characterized by higher contaminant body burdens. In no case was a parasite/ contaminant pair significant for both infection intensity and prevalence.
Characterization and thermal stability of polymorphic forms of synthesized tristearin

: The polymorphic characteristics and thermal stability of α, β′, and β forms of synthesized tristearin were studied using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Polymorphic forms of α, β′, and β were induced from tristearin melts with increasing temperatures and times. Solid-solid and melt-mediated polymorphic transitions of tristearin occurred predominantly during slow heating rates and rapid heating rates in the DSC, respectively. The stability of α and β forms of tristearin were dependent on storage temperatures. As storage temperatures increased, the rate of polymorphic transitions from α to β and β′ to β forms of tristearin increased.
Auroral observations by the constant local time flight

Abstract The concept of the auroral substorm was tested and confirmed by observing auroras from a jet plane flying twice westward from Churchill, Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska. For each flight the plane remained approximately in the late evening and midnight sectors for more than 5 hr. Two auroral and polar magnetic substorms were observed during the first flight and one during the second flight. Both auroral and magnetic conditions before and after the substorms were quiet.
DIFFERENTIATION OF NEOPLASTIC FROM NON‐NEOPLASTIC LESIONS IN DOG BRAIN USING QUANTITATIVE CT

The uptake and washout of iodinated contrast medium in neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions in the dog brin was quantified using computed tomography. The magnitude of tissue contrast enhancement was measured during and up to 15 minutes following an intravenous infusion of contrast medium. Compartmental analysis was used to obtain rate contants for contrast medium movement into and out of brain lesions. In non-glioma tumors, contrast enhancement was maximum during the infusion and the rate of contrast washout was comparable to that measured in the normal brain. Mixed gliomas also showed maximum enhancement during infusion, but there was no washout of contrast. Contrast enhancement in radiation-induced brain damage and cystic encephalomalacia secondary to tumor compression continued to increase for 5–15 minutes after infusion; rate constants in these non-tumor lesions were different from all tumors studied. Hyperthermia-induced lesions had comparable rate constants for contrast washin and washout. These results indicate that kinetic CT studies provide a non-invasive measure of permeability differences between lesions, may be useful in differentiating certain types of intracranial lesions, and may provide an effective method for patient follow-up after treatment.
Theory of CP Nonconservation

A new current \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} current weak interaction is constructed from the neutral vector and axial-vector currents which preserves the hypothesis of conserved vector current, universality, lepton conservation, and $\mathrm{CPT}$ invariance, but violates $\mathrm{CP}$ conservation. The complete weak interaction Hamiltonian is shown to be in agreement with present experiments.
No pain, no gain? A resource-based model of work-to-family enrichment and conflict ☆

Work–family scholars tend to work in two largely disconnected research streams, focusing on either work–family enrichment—the positive side of the work–family interface—or work–family conflict—the negative side of this interface. The purpose of this study is to suggest a reconciliation of the two research streams by proposing and testing a resource-based model of work-to-family enrichment and conflict. Specifically, we propose that an individual's work role engagement has two independent outcomes, work role resource gain and loss, and they separately mediate the relationships between work role engagement and work-to-family enrichment and conflict. We further propose that two dimensions of regulatory focus, promotion focus and prevention focus, moderate the relationships between work role engagement and work role resource gain and loss respectively. Structural equation modeling results based on data from 1052 employees of Chinese firms offer general support for these notions.