cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self‐Funding of Health‐Care Plans by Small Firms: Risks and Reforms

Small employers that offer health insurance have usually offered fully insured products through traditional health plans. Recently, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has created new requirements for fully insured products that will entice more small firms to fund their own health-care benefits. However, self-funding poses significant risks to these small firms, their employees, and state exchanges. To mitigate some of these risks within current political realities, we recommend advance disclosures—to small firms of material changes in their stop-loss policies, and to their employees that premium subsidies are available only on ACA exchanges. We also suggest strengthening Small Business Health Options Program exchanges by broadening the availability of subsidies and building partnerships with brokers. Finally, we recommend an expanded role for brokers and third-party administrators in helping small firms improve their choice of health-care insurance.
Reading between the lines: the case for qualitative research in intensive family preservation services☆

Abstract This article focuses on knowledge of families' involvement in intensive family preservation services, the intensive crisis oriented services designed to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of children. On the basis of our assessment of the intensive family preservation literature, we identify gaps in knowledge that might be filled appropriately by exploration with qualitative methodologies. Gaps identified pertain to the context of service delivery, the theory of family preservation practice, the process of service delivery, and the conceptualization and meaning of service outcomes.
Effect of electrolytes on foaming of nonionic surfactant solutions

The effect of electrolytes and other additives on the foaming of solutions of the nonionic surfactant octoxynol 9 (Triton X-100) was investigated and correlated with their effect on the cloud point. Foams were generated by pouring solutions as a thin stream into a vertical tube. The height of the generally fast-draining foam columns was measured as a function of time, and their stability was rated according to the damage sustained within 13 min. The surfactant concentrations used, 0.050, 0.100 and 2.00%, were above the critical micelle concentration. Increasing concentrations increased foam height but not foam stability. The electrolytes NaCl and Na2SO4 salted the surfactant out. They reduced its cloud point in proportion to their concentration. They also reduced the foam height, albeit to a lesser extent than the cloud point, but hardly reduced the foam stability below the cloud point. Electrolytes which salted the surfactant in, raising its cloud point by complexation of their cations with the ether oxygens of the surfactant, namely HCl, H2SO4 and Mg(NO3)2, produced no major changes in either foam height or foam stability. The exception was Al(NO3)3, which reduced the foam height by increasing the viscosity of the solutions. Urea and NaSCN, which raised the cloud point by breaking the structure of water, and to a lesser extent citric acid, reduced the foam stability but produced no major changes in foam height. Heating the solutions below their cloud point reduced the stability of all foams, especially of those which were the least stable at the lower temperatures. When the cloud point was exceeded by 5 C through a combination of added NaCl and heating, foam height and foam stability decreased significantly. At 10 C above the cloud point, the foam height was reduced to 1/6 of that at 12 C below the cloud point, but the former foam was slow draining and rather stable.
What drives punitive beliefs?: Demographic characteristics and justifications for sentencing

Punitive attitudes of the general public were the focus of a considerable amount of research. Much of the work focused on the demographic correlates of punitive attitudes and only a limited amount of research focused on how punitive attitudes were justified. That is, what does the public want to get out of punishing criminal offenders? In this research, how a sample of Virginia residents recommended sanctioning five different offenses was examined. Multivariate models were used to assess the relationships between demographic and ideological orientations, punishment justifications, and punitive attitudes. Finally, separate models were estimated for males and females, and African Americans and Whites to explore whether these factors operated differently across groups. The results suggested that in comparison to demographic factors, justifications were relatively strongly linked to punitive attitudes. These effects were similar across subgroups, but there was an interaction suggesting that the relationship between general deterrence and punitive attitudes varied across gender and race. Implications of the study are discussed.
Spectral Patterns of Isomerizing Systems

Spectral patterns are investigated in a model of an isomerizing coupled stretch-and-bend system that is intended to have some of the features of a realistic model of the acetylene−vinylidene isomerization. There are patterns of a dip or minimum in the spacing of neighboring energy levels, which is characteristic of the barrier, the multiple minima, and above-barrier motion. The patterns are obtained by classifying sequences in terms of approximate effective quantum numbers, which are determined using a diabatic correlation diagram technique. The patterns have anomalies that carry dynamical information that is associated with nonlinear resonance-type couplings, similar to anharmonic Fermi resonances, between the stretch and the bend. There is conventional Fermi resonance below the barrier, and a new type of “cross-barrier” resonance is observed.
Rapid detection of H5 avian influenza virus by TaqMan‐MGB real‐time RT‐PCR

Aims: Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay based on a TaqMan-minor groove binder (MGB) probe was developed for the rapid detection of avian influenza virus subtype H5. Methods and Results: Conserved regions in the haemagglutinin genes of avian influenza viruses subtype H5 served as targets for the primers and TaqMan-MGB probe design. Concentrations of primers and probe were optimized to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the reactions. A plasmid containing the haemagglutinin gene was constructed and in vitro transcribed for a quantitative assay of copy numbers of the target gene. The results revealed that the optimal concentration of primers and probe was 640 and 480 nmol l−1, respectively. The threshold of 100 copies of target molecules could be detected. The linear range for detection was determined as 102 to 108 molecules in reaction. Conclusions: It took less than 3 h to complete the detection from viral RNA extraction, with good sensitivity and repeatability. Significance and Impact of the Study: Real-time RT-PCR assay with MGB probe was an effective means for quick and quantitative laboratory detection and monitoring of H5 avian influenza viruses.
A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Low-carbohydrate diets remain popular despite a paucity of scientific evidence on their effectiveness. Objective: To compare the effects of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet program with those of a low-fat, low-cholesterol, reduced-calorie diet. Design: Randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient research clinic. Participants: 120 overweight, hyperlipidemic volunteers from the community. Intervention: Low-carbohydrate diet (initially, <20 g of carbohydrate daily) plus nutritional supplementation, exercise recommendation, and group meetings, or low-fat diet (<30% energy from fat, <300 mg of cholesterol daily, and deficit of 500 to 1000 kcal/d) plus exercise recommendation and group meetings. Measurements: Body weight, body composition, fasting serum lipid levels, and tolerability. Results: A greater proportion of the low-carbohydrate diet group than the low-fat diet group completed the study (76% vs. 57%; P= 0.02). At 24 weeks, weight loss was greater in the low-carbohydrate diet group than in the low-fat diet group (mean change, -12.9% vs. -6.7%; P < 0.001). Patients in both groups lost substantially more fat mass (change, -9.4 kg with the low-carbohydrate diet vs. -4.8 kg with the low-fat diet) than fat-free mass (change, -3.3 kg vs. -2.4 kg, respectively). Compared with recipients of the low-fat diet, recipients of the low-carbohydrate diet had greater decreases in serum triglyceride levels (change, -0.84 mmol/L vs. -0.31 mmol/L [-74.2 mg/dL vs. -27.9 mg/ dL]; P = 0.004) and greater increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (0.14 mmol/L vs. -0.04 mmol/L [5.5 mg/dL vs. -1.6 mg/dL]; P< 0.001). Changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level did not differ statistically (0.04 mmol/L [1.6 mg/dL] with the low-carbohydrate diet and -0.19 mmol/L [-7.4 mg/dL] with the low-fat diet; P = 0.2). Minor adverse effects were more frequent in the low-carbohydrate diet group. Limitations: We could not definitively distinguish effects of the low-carbohydrate diet and those of the nutritional supplements provided only to that group. In addition, participants were healthy and were followed for only 24 weeks. These factors limit the generalizability of the study results. Conclusions: Compared with a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate diet program had better participant retention and greater weight loss. During active weight loss, serum triglyceride levels decreased more and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased more with the low-carbohydrate diet than with the low-fat diet.
On extracting the bulk properties from results of small cluster calculations

Abstract Results of ab initio calculations on the -(-C≡C-) N - polymer are presented. Using them as an example, we test different extrapolation techniques for calculation of the total energy per unit cell at the bulk limit. We show that the Pade approximants work particularly well for small clusters, but their accuracy quickly deteriorates for larger systems. The dependence of computed properties on the terminal groups can be used for judging the accuracy of calculations.
Pollination of Cyphomandra endopogon var. endopogon (Solanaceae) by Eufriesea spp. (Euglossini) in French Guiana

The pollination systems of two closely related genera.Cyphomandra andSolanum, differ in rewards offered and pollinator activity. I suggest that the anther differences which define these two genera have evolved in response to the different pollination systems. Male euglossine bees of the genusEufriesea were observed to pollinate the flowers ofCyphomandra endopogon var.endopogon while gathering aromatic compounds from the anther connectives. Samples of the compound collected from the flowers and the bees were tentatively identified as ocimene, a terpene.
The quantitative and functional relation between insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF) and IGF-binding proteins during human osteoarthritis.

A previous hypothesis stated that during osteoarthritis (OA) increased insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) sequester IGFs and limit their access to the cell. The objective of this article was to test this by: (1) quantifying IGF and IGFBP-3 as well as their ratios in human OA cartilages, and (2) measuring the metabolic responses of diseased cartilage to IGF-I and its IGFBP-insensitive analogs. Knee or hip OA cartilages were staged for OA by histology. Cartilage slices were either extracted for assays of IGF proteins, or maintained intact as organ cultures. Proteoglycan (PG) metabolism ± IGFs was measured by use of the 35S-sulfate precursor. IGFBP-3 (ng/mg protein) was weakly correlated with OA score by regression analysis (R2 = 0.122; p = 0.040; n = 35). IGF-I (ng/mg protein) was constant across all OA groups (ANOVA; p = .428, n = 18) and the IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratios were > 1 in most samples. All OA cartilages responded to hrIGF-I by increasing PG synthesis [average 2.29-fold ± 0.55 (±SD) at saturation, n = 12] irrespective of OA score. The des (1–3) IGF-I analog (which lacks the three N-terminal amino acids) had similar maximal effects (average 2.23-fold stimulation ± 0.71, n = 10), but it was more effective in two out of three samples at suboptimal doses. The effect of hrIGF-I, des (1–3) IGF-I, or the B-chain analog on degradation was minimal. In summary, catabolism was insensitive to IGF-I, and this was probably not due to IGFBPs. By contrast, IGF-I exerted a robust stimulation of anabolism at sufficiently high doses, even though IGFBPs could tone down the ligand effect at low doses. © 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:465–474, 2008
MyD88 and Trif signaling play distinct roles in cardiac dysfunction and mortality during endotoxin shock and polymicrobial sepsis.

Background Toll-like receptors (TLRs) such as TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 contribute to the pathogenesis of polymicrobial sepsis. These TLRs signal via the common myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-dependent pathways. TLR4 also signals through MyD88-independent but TIR domain-containing adaptor inducing IFNβ-mediated transcription factor (Trif)-dependent pathway. The role of the two signaling pathways in cardiac dysfunction during polymicrobial sepsis and endotoxin shock is unknown.
A One-Man Technique for Collecting Cock Semen

Abstract The most widely used technique of collecting semen from cocks is the so-called “massage” method which requires two operators (Burrows and Quinn, 1935, 1937). One operator holds the cock and the second operator collects the semen. This technique is efficient and easily mastered. Unfortunately it is often inconvenient for a second person to assist in making collections. There is need therefore for a rapid, and widely adaptable method which can be performed by an unassisted operator and which can be mastered easily. A mechanical device to which the cock can be strapped thus permitting the use of a one-man technique has been described by Burrows and Quinn (1937). This method has the obvious shortcoming of not being convenient for field operations since it is necessary to carry the device from one point of collection to another, and the trussing of the cock to the apparatus is time consuming and tedious. . . .
Beta-endorphin and components of depression as powerful discriminators between joggers and sedentary middle-aged men.

Abstract This study identifies the relative importance of resting plasma beta-endorphin, used as a marker of perceived stress, and components of non-clinical depression that discriminate between physically active joggers and sedentary men. The profiles of joggers ( n = 10) and sedentary ( n = 10) middle-aged men (40–60 yr) were compared. The jogger had been running about 20 miles per week for at least 3 yr. Results: as expected, the joggers exhibited greater physical fitness, but lower circulating beta-endorphin (measured with the subjects at rest). The joggers also exhibited greater emotional stability (Eysenck scores), and lower depression (MMPI Scale 2 scores). In addition, the joggers had lower scores on MMPI subscales of depression: subjective depression, physical malfunctioning, mental dullness, and brooding. Multivariate discriminant function analyses showed that subjective depression, beta-endorphin, and physical malfunctioning were powerful discriminators between the jogger and sedentary groups. In conclusion: (1) subjective depression appeared to be the MMPI component of depression that most powerfully discriminated between joggers and sedentary middle-aged men in this study. (2) Lower beta-endorphin may be an adaptation to exercise training and was related to greater emotional stability and lower depression, especially lower subjective depression. (3) The lower beta-endorphin in the jogger group may be related to lower perceived stress in the joggers, relative to the sedentary group.
Use of the artificial urinary sphincter in men and women

There are numerous therapeutic options for treating incontinence. Implantation of an artificial genitourinary sphincter is an excellent choice in cases of incontinence due to sphincteric dysfunction. In this article we report the Mayo Clinic data from several large series and compare these data to other recent reviews. In addition, we review current recommendations regarding patient selection and evaluation. There were 458 patients who underwent implantation of an artificial sphincter, including 417 men and 41 women. The overall continence rate was 88.2%, the reoperation rate was 23.1%, and the mechanical reliability was 88%. Satisfaction rates were greater than 90%. We conclude that artificial sphincter implantation is safe, reliable and very effective in treating incontinence due to sphincteric dysfunction in properly selected patients.
Angle-Resolved Secondary-Electron—Emission Spectra from Si(111)7×7 Surface States

In angle-resolved secondary-electron---emission spectra from a silicon (111)7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7 surface there are two series of peaks which are not in the spectra of the unreconstructed (111)1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 surface. These peaks are interpreted by a two-step model; electrons are excited into surface-state resonances lying above the vacuum level, from which states they emerge into the vacuum. The dispersion curves of these states are presented and discussed.
Development of a brief instrument for assessing healthcare employee satisfaction in a low-income setting.

Background Ethiopia is one of 57 countries identified by the World Health Report 2006 as having a severely limited number of health care professionals. In recognition of this shortage, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, through the Ethiopian Hospital Management Initiative, prioritized the need to improve retention of health care workers. Accordingly, we sought to develop the Satisfaction of Employees in Health Care (SEHC) survey for use in hospitals and health centers throughout Ethiopia. Methods Literature reviews and cognitive interviews were used to generate a staff satisfaction survey for use in the Ethiopian healthcare setting. We pretested the survey in each of the six hospitals and four health centers across Ethiopia (98% response rate). We assessed content validity and convergent validity using factor analysis and examined reliability using the Cronbach alpha coefficients to assess internal consistency. The final survey was comprised of 18 questions about specific aspects of an individual's work and two overall staff satisfaction questions. Results We found support for content validity, as data from the 18 responses factored into three factors, which we characterized as 1) relationship with management and supervisors, 2) job content, and 3) relationships with coworkers. Summary scores for two factors (relationship with management and supervisors and job content) were significantly associated (P-value, 0.70) for the items in the three summary scores. Conclusions The introduction of consistent and reliable measures of staff satisfaction is crucial to understand and improve employee retention rates, which threaten the successful achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in low-income countries. The use of the SEHC survey in Ethiopian healthcare facilities has ample leadership support, which is essential for addressing problems that reduce staff satisfaction and exacerbate excessive workforce shortages.
Huntington's disease: seeing the pathogenic process through a genetic lens

Thirteen years ago, the culmination of genetic rather than biochemical strategies resulted in the identification of the root cause of Huntington's disease: an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat that leads to an elongated polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. Since then, biochemical and cell biological attempts to elucidate pathogenesis have largely focused on N-terminal polyglutamine-containing huntingtin fragments. However, continued application of genetic strategies has suggested that the disease process is, in fact, triggered by the presence of expanded polyglutamine in intact huntingtin. An increased emphasis on the earliest presymptomatic stages of the disease, facilitated by incorporating genetic lessons from human patients into the search for biochemical targets, could provide a route to a rational treatment to prevent or slow the onset of this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.
Are gas-phase reactions of five-coordinate divalent metal ion complexes affected by coordination geometry?

Five-coordinate metal complex ions of the type [ML]2+ [where M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and L= 1,9-bis(2-pyridyl)-2,5,8-triazanonane (DIEN-(pyr)2) and 1,9-bis(2-imidazolyl)-2,5,8-triazanonane (DIEN-(imi)2] have been reacted with acetonitrile in the gas phase using a modified quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The kinetics and thermodynamics of these reactions show that the reactivity of these complexes is affected by metal electronic structure and falls into three groups: Mn(II) and Ni(II) complexes are the most reactive, Fe(II) and Co(II) complexes exhibit intermediate reactivity, and Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes are the least reactive. To help explain the experimental trends in reactivity, theoretical calculations have been used. Due to the relatively large size of the metal complexes involved, we have utilized a two-layered ONIOM method to perform geometry optimizations and single point energy calculations for the [ML]2+ and [ML + CH3CN]2+ systems. The calculations show that...
Regulating the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway via cAMP-signaling: neuroprotective potential

The cAMP-signaling pathway has been under intensive investigation for decades. It is a wonder that such a small simple molecule like cAMP can modulate a vast number of diverse processes in different types of cells. The ubiquitous involvement of cAMP-signaling in a variety of cellular events requires tight spatial and temporal control of its generation, propagation, compartmentalization, and elimination. Among the various steps of the cAMP-signaling pathway, G-protein-coupled receptors, adenylate cyclases, phosphodiesterases, the two major cAMP targets, i.e., protein kinase A and exchange protein activated by cAMP, as well as the A-kinase anchoring proteins, are potential targets for drug development. Herein we review the recent progress on the regulation and manipulation of different steps of the cAMP-signaling pathway. We end by focusing on the emerging role of cAMP-signaling in modulating protein degradation via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. New discoveries on the regulation of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway by cAMP-signaling support the development of new therapeutic approaches to prevent proteotoxicity in chronic neurodegenerative disorders and other human disease conditions associated with impaired protein turnover by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway and the accumulation of ubiquitin-protein aggregates.
Accuracy of CT in estimating extent of pancreatic necrosis

The objective of this study was to determine whether nonenhancing pancreatic lesions are accurate in estimating pancreatic necrosis. Twenty-six consecutive abdominal computed tomography (CT) examinations performed over a 3-year period that met the CT criteria for pancreatic necrosis were reviewed. Follow-up CTs in three of 26 patients demonstrated pancreatic enhancement, indicating viable parenchyma, within the previously nonenhancing regions. All three patients had undergone surgical debridement in that area. Twenty-three cases demonstrated either no change or enlargement of the nonenhancing pancreatic lesions. Follow-up ranged from 1 week to 26 months. While CT is accurate in diagnosing pancreatic necrosis, lack of enhancement in CT may occasionally overestimate the extent of necrosis. Nonenhancing, viable but at-risk tissue may be present adjacent to frankly necrotic tissue. Surgical debridement may facilitate recovery of this viable tissue, which may enhance normally on follow-up CT.
Saturable interferometer theory of optical bistability

The phenomenon of purely absorptive bistability is examined using a self-consistent multibeam interference method. A state equation is derived and shown to be identical to that derived from mean-field theory (MFT) in the limit of small absorption length products and high saturation. Using the theory given, we are able to examine the time evolution of the system analytically. The results show a critical slowing behavior near the bistable points of the system and are used to examine switching times. In addition, we give a different condition for bistability which results in a larger range of admissible C values.
Calculating the energy of explosion using thermodynamic availability

Abstract Thermodynamic availability represents the maximum mechanical energy extractable from a material as it reversibly moves into equilibrium with the environment. Since blast overpressure is a form of mechanical energy, thermodynamic availability provides a new and completely general technique for determining the energy of explosion. This paper presents the fundamental basis and shows how thermodynamic availability is used to determine the energy of explosion. It is shown that the method is applicable for any process conditions, including systems at elevated temperatures and pressures and systems composed of many materials, and for reactive explosion and explosions of inert compressed gases. The calculations are quite simple, even for the most complex cases. A table of thermodynamic data and a number of worked examples are provided.
Pim-1 Kinase Phosphorylates and Stabilizes 130 kDa FLT3 and Promotes Aberrant STAT5 Signaling in Acute Myeloid Leukemia with FLT3 Internal Tandem Duplication

The type III receptor tyrosine kinase fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is expressed on both normal hematopoietic stem cells and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and regulates their proliferation. Internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation of FLT3 is present in a third of AML cases, results in constitutive activation and aberrant signaling of FLT3, and is associated with adverse treatment outcomes. While wild-type (WT) FLT3 is predominantly a 150 kDa complex glycosylated cell surface protein, FLT3-ITD is partially retained in the endoplasmic reticulum as a 130 kDa underglycosylated species associated with the chaperones calnexin and heat shock protein (HSP) 90, and mediates aberrant STAT5 signaling, which upregulates the oncogenic serine/threonine kinase Pim-1. FLT3 contains a Pim-1 substrate consensus serine phosphorylation site, and we hypothesized that it might be a Pim-1 substrate. Pim-1 was indeed found to directly interact with and serine-phosphorylate FLT3. Pim-1 inhibition decreased the expression and half-life of 130 kDa FLT3, with partial abrogation by proteasome inhibition, in association with decreased FLT3 binding to calnexin and HSP90, and increased 150 kDa FLT3 expression and half-life, with abrogation by inhibition of glycosylation. These findings were consistent with Pim-1 stabilizing FLT3-ITD as a 130 kDa species associated with calnexin and HSP90 and inhibiting its glycosylation to form the 150 kDa species. Pim-1 knockdown effects were similar. Pim-1 inhibition also decreased phosphorylation of FLT3 at tyrosine 591 and of STAT5, and expression of Pim-1 itself, consistent with inhibition of the FLT3-ITD-STAT5 signaling pathway. Finally, Pim-1 inhibition synergized with FLT3 inhibition in inducing apoptosis of FLT3-ITD cells. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of a role of Pim-1 in a positive feedback loop promoting aberrant signaling in malignant cells.
Kant on Newton, genius, and scientific discovery

In the Critique of the Power of Judgment (hereafter referred to as the Critique of Judgment), Kant defines genius by distinguishing it from science. At the heart of Kant's distinction is the idea t...
Problem-based learning and argumentation: testing a scaffolding framework to support middle school students’ creation of evidence-based arguments

Students engaged in problem-based learning (PBL) units solve ill-structured problems in small groups, and then present arguments in support of their solution. However, middle school students often struggle developing evidence-based arguments (Krajcik et al., J Learn Sci 7:313–350, 1998). Using a mixed method design, the researchers examined the use of computer-based argumentation scaffolds, called the Connection Log, to help middle school students build evidence-based arguments. Specifically we investigated (a) the impact of computer-based argumentation scaffolds on middle school students’ construction of evidence-based arguments during a PBL unit, and (b) scaffold use among members of two small groups purposefully chosen for case studies. Data sources included a test of argument evaluation ability, persuasive presentation rating scores, informal observations, videotaped class sessions, and retrospective interviews. Findings included a significant simple main effect on argument evaluation ability among lower-achieving students, and use of the scaffolds by the small groups to communicate and keep organized.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Cells

The scanning electron energy-analyzing microscope uses characteristic energy losses to provide picture contrast. At different levels of energy loss particular structures are distinguished with high contrast in an unstained section of a cell.
NEURONAL INOSITOL 1,4,5-TRISPHOSPHATE RECEPTOR LOCALIZED TO THE PLASMA MEMBRANE OF OLFACTORY CILIA

Abstract Both the cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate and the phosphoinositide second messenger systems are involved in olfactory signal transduction. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is one of the principal intracellular calcium channels responsible for mobilizing stored calcium. The precise location of the 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (endoplasmic reticulum vs surface) and its role in the events of olfactory signal transduction need to be defined. By light microscopic and confocal immunohistochemistry we show expression of the olfactory-enriched G-protein, G olf , associated with cyclic AMP responses, and of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor in the dendritic projections and cilia of essentially all olfactory receptor neurons, indicating that individual neurons express components of both second messenger systems. By immunoelectron microscopy, we demonstrate that the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor is localized to the surface membrane of rat olfactory cilia. This is the first morphological demonstration of the surface membrane localization of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor in olfactory cilia. Our findings, taken in conjunction with electrophysiological data from other workers, are supportive of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor playing a novel role in regulating calcium flux at the ciliary surface membrane.
Sink the Mousterian? Named stone tool industries (NASTIES) as obstacles to investigating hominin evolutionary relationships in the Later Middle Paleolithic Levant

The Later Middle Paleolithic lithic archaeological record for the East Mediterranean Levant has been invoked to support competing and contradictory models for the evolutionary relationships between Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. The lithic evidence has not helped paleoanthropology achieve a conclusive resolution about this issue because archaeologists continue to structure inter-assemblage lithic variability in terms of stone tool industries such as the “Mousterian”. This paper explores the problems that named stone tool industries (or “NASTIES”) cause for Paleolithic archaeology, and it explores alternatives to them.
A high-speed dynamic domino circuit implemented with GaAs MESFETs

The dynamic domino and gates composed of GaAs depletion-mode (D-mode) MESFETs are described in this work. This circuit allows very complex input combinational functions which can provide very high gate equivalences. Test circuits were designed which consisted of chains of 15 dynamic AND gates with static off-chip drivers. The circuits were fabricated by a foundry and tested at the wafer level. The measured propagation delay per gate is 180 ps for a two-input AND gate and 220 ps for a four-input AND gate, with a power consumption of 0.55 mW/gate. The minimum frequency of operation is found to be as low as 100 kHz. A 4-b carry generator was designed and simulated. A delay of 400 ps was predicted for this circuit.
The Development of Trust in Parents of Hospitalized Children

ISSUES AND PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of trust in parents of hospitalized children. METHODS Using grounded theory, semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 parents of children previously hospitalized, focusing on parents' experiences during their child's hospitalization. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative process. Themes and the core variable were identified and a model of trust developed. RESULTS The core variable related to the development of trust in healthcare providers was whether parents' expectations for care were met. Thematic areas that influenced whether expectations for care were met included preexisting trust; evaluation of care, including evaluation of technical skills and the meeting of parental and child needs; and behaviors of nurses and other healthcare providers that inhibited and fostered trust. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Strategies to enhance trust are discussed.
Pars's acceleration paradox

Abstract Pars argued that for particle mechanics, the idea of allowing forces to be functions of accelerations is foreign to Newtonian mechanics. It is inconsistent with one of the fundamental postulates of Newtonian mechanics. This was attested by a set of (thought) experiments. We show that Pars's argument was in fact based on a major assumption which is unnecessary. As this assumption is removed, acceleration dependent forces do not appear to violate the fundamental postulate.
Postmortem/last offices nursing care effectiveness as perceived by US licensed funeral directors

Background: The provision of appropriate physical postmortem nursing care, or last offices, is important for all deceased people, particularly if further preparation is required by the funeral director for the purpose of open-casket viewing. However, the effectiveness of nursing practices in this regard has been the subject of minimal empirical research. Purpose and objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore postmortem/last offices nursing care effectiveness from the perspective of the licensed funeral director. The objectives were to describe the phenomenon of postmortem/last offices nursing care effectiveness, explore perceptions concerning how care procedures may aid or hinder the process of producing a desired cosmetic result with further preparation and gain insight into recommendations concerning care. Methods: A survey adopting qualitative methodology with open-ended questions was used for this study. A convenience sample of 20 licensed funeral directors from a single mid-western state in the US completed a web-based questionnaire. Data analysis involved reading each of the responses several times, initial coding, reviewing for similarities, clustering themes based on similarity, review, and final theme labelling. Results: The funeral directors provided observations, opinions and recommendations concerning effectiveness in relation to: body positioning; the use of ligatures and ties to secure extremities: removal or leaving in place of intravenous catheters and lines and surgical tubes and drains; removal or retention in the mouth of dentures and partial plates; cleansing of the body; and identification and shrouding of the body. Conclusions: The findings suggest that postmortem/last offices nursing care practices need to be considered carefully and be based on individual assessment. The participants’ general consensus regarding physical aspects of postmortem/last offices nursing care were largely in agreement with the nursing care practices that they typically observe. However, there were discrepancies that require further investigation. Conflicts of interest: none Acknowledgements: The author wishes to acknowledge the Indiana Funeral Directors Association for its invaluable assistance with contacting study participants
Complex angular momentum and domain of holomorphy

It is proved that an analyticity domain of the scattering amplitudeA(l, s), which can be obtained by the use of the Mandelstam representation, is the domain of holomorphy, under certain conditions, of an analytic function of the complex angular momentum and of the complex energy variables. The boundary of the analyticity domain is characterized by a sub-harmonic function of s.
New England Indic restaurants business and culture: an exploratory empirical study

Indian cuisine is gaining increasing popularity all over the world because of the unique delicious taste of the food as well as a healthy diet it represents. Indian food is well known for the excellent use of spices and a wonderful combination of vegetables and pulses. In the present exploratory study, we surveyed 104 Indian restaurants in New England region in the USA and examined the model that identifies the variables that have a profound influence on performance of restaurants. The hierarchical regression results revealed that vegetarian food served in Indian restaurants has a positive effect on performance in terms of sales revenue. Results also reveal that the non-vegetarian food served (beef, chicken, pork, lamb and seafood) in Indian restaurants is not significantly related to sales revenue. Further, traditional method of serving food in Indian restaurants is positively related to sales revenue. Quite surprisingly, the price of food in Indian restaurants is not a significant factor and is not related to sales revenue. The implications of the findings from the study, and recommendations are discussed.
Child care subsidies post TANF: Child care subsidy use by African American, White and Hispanic TANF-leavers

Abstract With welfare reform, appropriations for child care subsidies have increased with the goal of increasing the employability of welfare leavers while promoting children's access to quality, affordable child care. Yet, not all low-income eligible families use child care subsidies. Understanding which low-income families use child care subsidies and which do not will provide initial insights into the nature and effectiveness of the child care subsidy system. Does the child care subsidy program equally serve families from diverse cultural backgrounds? What family and demographic factors are associated with child care subsidy use? We compared child care subsidy experiences of equal numbers of African American, White, and Hispanic TANF-leavers in five counties in and around Philadelphia. Fifty-five percent of African American TANF-leavers, 43% of White TANF users, and 45% of Hispanic TANF users were not eligible for subsidies because they were not employed upon leaving welfare. Of those families eligible for child care subsidies, 78% of the eligible African American TANF-leavers, but only 49% of the White, and 45% of the Hispanic TANF users used subsidies. Similarly, 85% of the subsidy-eligible African American families used child care, but only 70% of the white and 67% of the Hispanic subsidy-eligible families used child care. Thus, African American families were more likely than other families to be eligible for subsidies, to use them when eligible, and to use child care when eligible. While race/ethnicity was the primary predictor of subsidy usage, an additional predictor for all families of not using subsidies was having economic support from relatives and friends. For African Americans, prior use of public subsidies and for Whites, the absence of mental health problems also predicted subsidy usage.
Development of an applied cognition scale to measure rehabilitation outcomes.

Abstract Coster WJ, Haley SM, Ludlow LH, Andres PL, Ni PS. Development of an applied cognition scale to measure rehabilitation outcomes. Objective To examine the structure and content coverage of an item pool of new items based on the Activity categories from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and items from existing instruments to measure the applied cognition dimension of function. Design Prospective study. Setting Four postacute care rehabilitation settings (inpatient, transitional care, home care, outpatient) in an urban-suburban area of northeast United States. Participants Convenience sample of 477 patients (mean age, 62.7y) receiving rehabilitation services for neurologic, orthopedic, or complex medical conditions. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Participants were administered applied cognition items from the new Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care, the Medical Outcomes Study 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and an additional setting-specific measure: the FIM instrument (inpatient rehabilitation); the Minimum Data Set (skilled nursing facility); the Minimum Data Set–Post Acute Care (postacute settings); or the Outcome Assessment and Information Set (home care). Rasch (partial-credit model) analyses were conducted to examine item fit, item coverage, scale unidimensionality, and category difficulty estimates. Results The majority of items (46/59) could be located along a single continuum. Relatively few people were performing at the lower end of the difficulty scale, and about 25% were at ceiling. Conclusions The proposed definition of applied cognition dimension provides a useful guide for item development to measure this dimension. Further work is needed to determine how best to measure function in this domain for people at the upper and lower ends of the continuum.
Partial trisomy 21.

This report presents an 18½-year-old patient with clinical features of Down syndrome and severe mental retardation due to partial trisomy 21. Cytogenetic studies using Giemsa banding chromosomes revealed translocation of the 21q21 qter segment onto the short arms of chromosome #8 (46,XY,−8, +t(8qter 8p23::21q21 21 qter)). It is recommended that patients with features of Down syndrome whose chromosome analysis was done prior to introduction of banding studies undergo repeat karyotyping.
Creep fatigue interactions in power plant components

AbstractThe increasing need for flexible electricity generation means that most components must perform under cyclic operating conditions. The multiplicity of generating options also means that defining a ‘typical’ cycle is difficult. Thus, in addition to the traditional hot and cold starts and stops, there are requirements for rapid load changes on many occasions followed by operation at generation levels of 30% of rated capacity. These transients and operation at low loads result in complex changes in local pressure, temperature and flow at different parts of a boiler system. Indeed, these differences, in combination with the use of metallurgically complex steels, are such that the range of potential damage mechanisms has increased. Understanding these mechanisms is not straightforward as less post service investigations and root cause analyses are being carried out. EPRI seeks to facilitate expert evaluation of service experience and collaborates on establishing lessons learned to establish best practi...
The Effects of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Training on the Reading Performance and Student Reading Analysis Strategies of Third Grade Bilingual Students

Abstract Studies conducted over the last decade provide evidence that linguistically diverse children continue to lag behind monolingual English-speaking children in reading performance (Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs, 1989–90). At the same time, additional research provides evidence that bilingual Spanish dominant students use fewer cognitive strategies than children who communicate through the use of only one communication system (Padron, 1985). The bilingual Spanish dominant students in this experimental study were taught to use metacognitive reading strategies while reading in Spanish. Primary findings indicated that, following training in metacognitive Spanish reading strategies, Spanish dominant bilingual children improved in the area of reading performance on the La Prueba Spanish reading test and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills English reading test. Post interview results of the Burke Reading Interview, translated into Spanish, showed increases in the frequency of Spanis...
Statistical methods used for code-to-code comparisons in the OECD/NRC PWR MSLB benchmark

Abstract The ongoing pressurized water reactor (PWR) main steam line break (MSLB) benchmark problem, sponsored by the Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), and the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) consists of three exercises, whose combined purpose is to verify the capability of system codes to analyze complex transients with coupled core/plant interactions; to test fully the 3D neutronics/thermal-hydraulic coupling; and to evaluate discrepancies between the predictions of coupled codes in best-estimate transient simulations. Exercise two is intended to test core response to imposed system thermal-hydraulic conditions. For this exercise, the participants are provided with transient boundary conditions and two cross-section libraries. Results are submitted for six steady-state cases and two transient scenarios. The boundary conditions, the details for each case, and the output requested are described in the final specifications for the benchmark problem. To fully analyze the data for comparison in the final report, a suite of statistical methods has been developed, to serve as a reference in the absence of experimental data. A corrected arithmetical mean and standard deviation are calculated for all data types: single-value parameters, 1D axial distributions, 2D radial distributions, and time histories. Each participant's deviation from the mean and a corresponding figure-of-merit are reported for the purposes of comparison and discussion. Selected mean values and standard deviations are presented in this paper for several parameters at specific points of interest: for the initial steady-state 2, at hot-full power, radial and axial power distributions are presented, along with effective multiplication factor, power peaking factors, and axial offset. For the snapshot taken at the time of highest return-to-power in transient Scenario 2, parameters presented include axial and radial power distributions, total and fission power levels, power peaking factors, and axial offset. Additionally, some features of the time histories for total power and fission power in Scenario 2 are presented and discussed.
Equity or Marginalization?: The High School Course-Taking of Students Labeled With a Learning Disability

Placement of some students into the courses needed only for high school graduation, and others into those that prepare them for college constitutes academic stratification. This study uses data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 to investigate whether students labeled with learning disabilities complete fewer academic courses by the end of high school compared to their peers who are not labeled. Results indicate large disparities in completion of college preparatory coursework, especially in math, science, and foreign language, even net of students' academic preparation for high school, and their cognitive and noncognitive skills. The evidence supports the possibility that school processes contribute to the poorer course-taking outcomes of students labeled with learning disabilities.