cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost Effectiveness of Intraoperative Pathology Examination during Diagnostic Hemithyroidectomy for Unilateral Follicular Thyroid Neoplasms

Background The use of intraoperative pathology examination (IPE) during diagnostic hemithyroidectomy for a follicular neoplasm is controversial. Although this service rarely alters intraoperative decision making, it does provide patients with the possibility of avoiding reoperation for completion thyroidectomy if malignancy is detected. We hypothesized diagnostic hemithyroidectomy with IPE for a unilateral follicular thyroid neoplasm diagnosed on fine-needle aspiration is not cost effective compared with diagnostic hemithyroidectomy alone. Study Design Cost-effectiveness analysis with a Markov decision model was performed comparing diagnostic hemithyroidectomy without IPE, diagnostic hemithyroidectomy with IPE, and total thyroidectomy. Treatment outcomes and their probabilities were identified based on literature review. Costs were estimated using data from Medicare, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Sensitivity analysis and a 1,000-iteration Monte Carlo simulation were used to examine the uncertainty of cost, probability, and utility estimates in the model. Results Diagnostic hemithyroidectomy without IPE had an expected cost of US$7,665 and an effectiveness of 23.95 quality-adjusted life years and dominated both the IPE and total thyroidectomy strategies. Intraoperative pathology examination became cost effective during one-way sensitivity analysis if the sensitivity of IPE increased from 14.3% to 34.4%, the specificity increased from 98.6% to 99.8%, or the pretest probability of malignancy increased from 25% to 43%. Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated that the intraoperative pathology strategy was not cost effective in 92.7% of iterations. Conclusions Intraoperative pathology examination is not cost effective in the diagnosis of follicular thyroid neoplasms during diagnostic hemithyroidectomy. Improvements in both the sensitivity and specificity of this service would be needed to justify its use.
Performance excellence: a QFD approach

Boeing Airlift and Tanker Programs (A&T) uses the criteria for performance excellence as its road‐map to business excellence. This study employs a house of quality to facilitate a detailed, quantitative analysis of how well the various strategic thrusts and initiatives at A&T address the individual items within the criteria. This unique application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) will demonstrate applicability to the design and development of a large organization.
Novel flexible reflective color media with electronic inks

A novel architecture and proprietary electronic inks were developed to provide disruptive digital-media solutions based on an electrokinetic technology platform. The flexible reflective electronic media (eMedia) was fabricated by imprinting three-dimensional microscale structures with a roll-to-roll manufacturing platform. The HP technologies enable the required attributes for eMedia, such as low power, transparency, print-quality color, continuous levels of gray, and low-cost scalability. Pixelation was also demonstrated by integrating with the prototype oxide thin-film transistor backplane, and the system architecture was further developed by stacking primary-colorant layers for color reflective-display application. The innovations described in this paper are currently being developed further for the eSkins, eSignage, and ePaper applications.
Quasivarieties of Modules Over Path Algebras of Quivers

Let FΛ be a finite dimensional path algebra of a quiver Λ over a field F. Let L and R denote the varieties of all left and right FΛ-modules respectively. We prove the equivalence of the following statements. The subvariety lattice of L is a sublattice of the subquasivariety lattice of L. The subquasivariety lattice of R is distributive. Λ is an ordered forest.
Comparison of Macroinvertebrate Diversity and Community Structure among Perennial and Non-Perennial Headwater Streams

Abstract The relationships between stream flow regime and macroinvertebrate diversity, community structure, and functional feeding groups (FFG) were examined to determine if the biodiversity and macroinvertebrate fauna of non-perennial streams are significantly different from those of perennial streams. The study was conducted in northeastern Massachusetts at headwater stream sites of varying flow permanence (perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral). ANOVA confirmed no significant difference in Shannon-Wiener diversity (H′) between stream types, demonstrating that non-perennial streams maintain diverse and even macroinvertebrate communities. Whereas taxa richness was equal among intermittent and perennial sites, ephemeral richness was lower due to their significantly lower riffle richness. Qualitatively, two non-perennial sites were higher in grand total H′ diversity and taxa richness than perennial sites. Community structure was also related to flow regime, as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) based on ...
The growth of the jaws and the eruption of the teeth

Abstract No Abstract Available. * Through the courtesy and with the permission of the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association this paper is reprinted from Volume 8, November, 1942 of that journal
A 50 to 400 Mbit/Sec Single Chip Fiber Optic Receiver Circuit

A high speed fiber optic receiver is described which uses a single chip to perform all of the electronic functions. These functions include low noise preamplification, amplification to a logic compatible signal level, and automatic level restoration which maintains the correct receiver decision point over a large range of optical input power. The receiver has operated at bit rates from 50 to 400 Mbit/sec with sensitivities as high as -33 dbm.
Home Hospital program: A pilot study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the basic safety and feasibility of hospital care at home (Home Hospital (HH)) for treating acutely ill older persons requiring hospitalization. DESIGN: Prospective case series SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older requiring acute hospital admission for community-acquired pneumonia, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive airways disease, or cellulitis. RESULTS: Seventeen subjects were treated in HH. One hundred twenty-two could not be enrolled because they presented for admission at times when HH was not operational. Six patients refused to enroll in HH. Subjects treated in HH had comparable clinical outcomes to those treated in the acute hospital and were highly satisfied with HH. Charges for HH care were 60% of those for the acute hospital care. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, HH was safe, feasible, highly satisfactory, and cost-effective for certain acutely ill older persons who required acute hospitalization. J Am Geriatr Soc 47:697–702, 1999.
Renal Outcome in Patients With Cloaca

Purpose: Cloaca is a complex malformation in which the rectum, vagina and urinary tract open into a single common channel. Functional results after reconstructive surgery have been documented but the renal outcome is less clearly understood.Materials and Methods: The records of all patients with cloacal malformation treated at our institution from 1980 to 2000 were retrospectively reviewed to determine the renal outcome. All patients underwent serial ultrasound of the urinary tract, voiding cystography, nuclear renography, lumbosacral radiography, and measurement of serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate when appropriate.Results: We identified 64 patients 0.5 to 19 years old (mean age 11.2) at the time of the study. Of the 64 patients 53 (83%) were born with a structural abnormality of the urinary tract, including renal dysplasia in 17 (27%), ectopic kidney in 9 (14%), solitary kidney in 8 (13%), duplex kidneys in 6 (9%) and ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 3 (5%). Vesicoureteral reflux was ...
Neurogeometry and potential synaptic connectivity

The advent of high-quality 3D reconstructions of neuronal arbors has revived the hope of inferring synaptic connectivity from the geometric shapes of axons and dendrites, or 'neurogeometry'. A quantitative description of connectivity must be built on a sound theoretical framework. Here, we review recent developments in neurogeometry that can provide such a framework. We base the geometric description of connectivity on the concept of a 'potential synapse' - the close apposition between axons and dendrites necessary to form an actual synapse. In addition to describing potential synaptic connectivity in neuronal circuits, neurogeometry provides insight into basic features of functional connectivity, such as specificity and plasticity.
Trim-coil construction for the Berkeley 88-inch cyclotron†

A detailed description of the mechanical construction of the trim coils is presented. It includes selection, optimization and application of a suitable electrical conductor for use under severe radiation conditions, brazing considerations for a very large furnace brazing job, and a discussion of some of the problems encountered during the fabrication procedures.
The effects of Mif-I on in vitro c-GMP production by a particulate rat brain fraction.

Abstract Preliminary experiments with rough mitochondrial or synaptosomal rat brain preparations indicate that a statistically significant increase of from 50–70% in c-GMP production was obtained in the presence of melanocyte stimulating hormone release inhibiting factor (MIF-I) at concentrations of 10−5 and 10−6 M. Ca++ addition to the system was not necessary.
Laser driver for soft-x-ray projection lithography

A design of a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser for use as the driver for a soft-x-ray projection lithography system is described. This laser will output up to 1 J per pulse with a 2- to 5-ns pulse duration and a 400-Hz pulse repetition rate. The design employs microchannel-cooled diode laser arrays, zigzag slab energy storage, a regenerative amplifier cavity that uses phase conjugator beam correction for near-diffraction-limited beam quality, and stimulated Brillouin scattering pulse compression to achieve the required pulse length.
Cloud-Based, User-Centric Mobile Application Optimization

The abundance of compute and storage resources available in the cloud makes it well-suited to addressing the limitations of mobile devices. We explore the use of cloud infrastructure to optimize content-centric mobile applications, which can have high communication and storage requirements, based on the analysis of user activity. We present two specific optimizations, precaching and prefetching, as well as the design and implementation of a middleware framework that allows mobile application developers to easily utilize these techniques. Our framework is fully generalizable to any content-centric mobile application, a large and growing class of Internet applications. A news aggregation application is used as a case study to evaluate our implementation. We make use of a cosine similarity scheme to identify users with similar interests, which in turn is used to determine what content to prefetch. Various cache algorithms, implemented for our framework, are also considered. A workload trace and simulation are used to measure the performance of the application and framework. We observe a dramatic improvement in application performance due to use of our framework with a reasonable amount of overhead. Our system also significantly outperforms a baseline implementation that performs the same optimizations without taking user activity into account.
RACIAL INCLUSION OR ACCOMMODATION? Expanding Community Boundaries among Asian American Organizations

In this paper, we examine how community-based organizations (CBOs) and their leaders negotiate and expand the boundaries of the communities they serve and represent. Drawing upon interviews with organizational leaders and documentary data from Asian American CBOs in the San Francisco BayArea, we find that nearly all of the organizations in our sample engaged in cross-racial work, incorporating other racial groups into their programs, campaigns, and partnerships. However, leaders varied in how they understood this work as tied to maintaining or expanding their community of focus. The majority of the leaders in our sample discussed cross-racial work as a way to accommodate other racial groups while maintaining a focus on Asian Americans or Asian-ethnics. Other leaders included other racial groups, mainly Latinos and African Americans, in expanded missions and goals, broadening not only resources and collective action efforts, but also community boundaries through racial inclusion. We argue that pressures and incentives related to funding, shared interests, and organizational survival may encourage CBOs to engage in cross-racial work, but these factors do not necessarily sustain racial inclusion over time. Instead, how leaders identify and construct a sense of expanded group boundaries for the community that they serve and represent helps an organization to commit to racial inclusion.
High-Power MWIR Cascaded InAs–GaSb Superlattice LEDs

Midwave IR LEDs operating at 3.8 mum with output powers approaching 25 mW at 77 K are reported. Devices based on the InAs-GaSb superlattice material system grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy are demonstrated in a cascaded active region configuration as high-power IR emitters. Optical and electronic characteristics of 16-stage devices with variable mesa size were examined to assess the performance dependence on device size and injection current. The results are suggestive that output power saturation was due to thermal management limitations and carrier leakage out of the active region. Reported output power measurements were taken without the use of an immersion lens or other collection optics, thus representing the upper hemisphere output. Devices were also demonstrated to generate an upper hemisphere power exceeding 1.4 mW at 220 K under quasi-DC excitation conditions.
Progressive volume rendering of unstructured grids on modern GPUs

We have developed a new progressive technique that allows real-time volume rendering of large tetrahedral meshes. Our approach incrementally streams portions of the mesh to a hardware-assisted volume renderer and displays approximations that increase in quality until a full-quality rendering is achieved. The results of previous steps are stored as image data and re-used in each subsequent refinement, thus leading to an efficient rendering. Our interactive representation of the dataset is efficient, light-weight, and high quality. The result is a level-of-detail framework for interactive exploration of tetahedral datasets too large to render using conventional approaches.
Reflections on the application of group methods to the use of dreams in stress reduction

Dr. Sarlin has written a fascinating report on the application of group dream work to the problems of medical students. Although the method was designed specifically for relief of stress, the author states also that, in the presence of a supportive group atmosphere, unconscious beliefs and conflicts can be uncovered, explored, and in some cases alleviated and resolved. Certainly the description of the stresses of medical school is an accurate one: information overload leading to anxiety, depression, or both; hypochondriasis in the clinical years; fearful, unconscious transference feelings developing with the onset of hands-on examination and patient care; development of professional identity and oedipal battles with teachers and attendings; separation from dependency and assumption of responsibility with fears of both success and failure. Coupled with these unique stresses, and aggravated by them, are the age-specific conflicts and anxieties over family relationships, sexual involvements, financial concerns what the author terms the "near universal feelings and conflicts inherent in our society." As a psychoanalyst, I have developed ways of using dreams in treatment; as a biologist and evolutionist, I have speculated on the meaning and function of dreams on various levels of biological organization. I believe that considerations relating to both the therapeutic use of dreams and the biological function of dreaming are pertinent to understanding and evaluating the goals and achievements of Sarlin's work with medical student groups. In his paper, Sarlin describes in detail the method of the dream workshops. As I went through the material on two students in the group, I was led to consider the specific contributions of the group method to the therapeutic use of dreams. First, in individual treatment, the therapist knows more about the patient than the group knows about the dreamer and so can associate to the place the dream has in the patient's psychic economy; in the dream group, the length of the discussion allows for detailed examination of the dream determinants and may be equivalent to many weeks or months of individual work. Second, dreams in individual therapy typically include transference feelings toward the therapist; in the group, there is certainly a transference
Experimental study of Fractue of Glass: II, Experimental Data

Original studies and experiments that support the concept of the close association between fracture origin and flaws in glass are presented. The effect of temporary overstresses, fracture velocities during the later development of the process, and evaluation of the critical stress are discussed. Data are presented which show that temporary overstresses may weaken glass permanently and that this effect results from the slow propagation of fracture flaws. The study of fracture surfaces reveals that the velocity of the fracture crack across the section is not necessarily uniform and that the velocity characteristics of each individual fracture are determined by factors such as degree of load relaxation occurring during the dynamic phase of the process. The critical stress is estimated to be between 2.5 and 5 million lb. per sq. in., and, for any particular glass, this stress is independent of test conditions.
Spillage behavior and thiamin deficiency in the rat.

Abstract Food spillage, food intake and body weight of four groups of adult rats were monitored daily as they were fed varying sequences of deficient, marginal, or high thiamin (B 1 ) diet. Food spillage was a more sensitive index of the level of dietary B 1 than either food intake or body weight change. Animals fed the deficient B 1 diet exhibited the greatest levels of food spillage followed by the animals fed the marginal B 1 diet. Hypophagia and weight loss occurred only among animals fed the marginal B 1 diet. Feeding the high B 1 diet to animals previously given the deficient and marginal B 1 diets completely eliminated the excessive food spillage, and food intake and body weight returned to control levels. These data support the use of spillage behavior as a useful screening tool for detecting behavioral effects of inadequate nutrient intake or chemical intoxication.
Sources of Superstitious Beliefs

(1933). Sources of Superstitious Beliefs. The Journal of Educational Research: Vol. 26, No. 5, pp. 321-343.
Developmental toxicity of mixtures: the water disinfection by-products dichloro-, dibromo- and bromochloro acetic acid in rat embryo culture

The chlorination of drinking water results in production of numerous disinfection by-products (DBPs). One of the important classes of DBPs is the haloacetic acids. We have previously shown that the haloacetic acids (HAs), dichloro (DCA), dibromo (DBA) and bromochloro (BCA) acetic acid are developmentally toxic in mouse whole embryo culture. Human exposure to these contaminants in drinking water would involve simultaneous exposure to all three HAs. This study explores the question of developmental toxicity interactions between these compounds. Gestational day (GD) 9.5 rat embryos were exposed to various concentrations of the three HAs (singly or in combination) for 48 h and then evaluated for dysmorphology. The embryonic effects from exposure to the single compounds and mixtures were evaluated using developmental score (DEVSC) as the parameter of comparison. Concentrations of individual compounds and mixtures were chosen (based on a dose-additivity model) which were predicted to produce scores 10 or 20% lower than control levels. Evaluations were performed on all possible combinations of the three HAs. The HAs were dysmorphogenic and resulted in primarily rotation and heart defects and to a lesser extent prosencephalic, visceral arch, and eye defects. The percent anomalies in the rat were comparable to those previously published for the mouse at comparable toxicant concentration. There was a low incidence of neural tube defects in the rat following exposure to the HAs. The rat neural tube appeared less sensitive to the HAs than did the mouse resulting in a higher rate of neural tube dysmorphology in the mouse. Following exposures to BCA and DBA, alone and in combination, there was a significant incidence of delayed embryonic caudal development with apparent normal development anterior to the second visceral arch. The developmental scores for embryos exposed to combinations of the three compounds, when compared to scores for embryos exposed to the single compounds, indicated that the dose-additivity model adequately predicted the observed toxicity and that the developmental toxicity of these water disinfection by-products appears to be additive in whole embryo culture (WEC).
Accuracy of digital Holter monitoring of extent and duration of ischemic episodes compared to analog recording

Analog amplitude-modulated Holter devices are in widespread use for arrhythmia detection, but their reliability remains questioned for ST-segment analysis. In contrast, recently developed digital Holter devices immediately digitize and analyze the electrocardiogram (ECG) on-line and may therefore be more reliable for ST-segment analysis. To test this hypothesis, the results of digital, on-line, 2-channel ST-segment analysis were directly compared to those of analog amplitude-modulated recordings in identical leads (CM5 and CM3), using a stripchart recorder meeting the American Heart Association specifications as the standard. Thirty-five patients (25 with coronary artery disease and 10 control subjects) underwent graded treadmill exercise testing. The reference ECG mean value for ST-segment depression in CM5 was -1.4 +/- 1.2 mm and in CM3 -0.5 +/- 1.2 mm. For digital analysis, the mean values and correlation coefficients for CM5 were -1.5 +/- 1.1 mm (r = 0.97) and for CM3 -0.8 +/- 1.3 mm (r = 0.93). For analog recording, the results for CM5 were -2.1 +/- 1.7 mm (r = 0.88) and for CM3 -1.3 +/- 1.9 mm (r = 0.85). The mean duration of ST-segment depression with the reference ECG was 7.1 +/- 4.1 minutes. Digital Holter showed a significantly better agreement (7.4 +/- 4.4 min, r = 0.97) than analog Holter (9.6 +/- 5.6 min, r = 0.84). Because analog amplitude-modulated Holter recordings overestimated the degree and duration of ischemic episode, digital, on-line and full disclosure devices should be preferred to assess myocardial ischemia.
LABORATORY REARING OF THE ATLANTIC REEF OCTOPUS, Octopus briareus Robson, AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR MARICULTURE1

Octopus briareus Robson is a common octopod in the tropical W. Atlantic weighing up to 1500 g and measuring 1 m. It can be easily reared on a small scale for research purposes in open and closed systems, and these methods may be applicable for mariculture on a larger scale. The large eggs hatch in about 65 days at 23°C. There is no larval stage and the large hatchlings immediately take up a benthic existence and feed on live or dead food. Growth was fast on a limited diet of small, live fiddler crabs (Uca spp.), with animals weighing up to 450 g at 250 days. Estimated gross food conversion efficiency ranged from 45 to 68%. Factors favoring mariculture of this species include large egg size, direct development, high food conversion efficiency, large adult size, fast growth, early maturity and value as a nutritious and marketable food source. Problems to be overcome are cannibalism, containment, dependence upon live food and the death of gravid females before laying second generation eggs in the laboratory.
Ecological Changes in Massive Fresh-Water Clay Sequence: ABSTRACT

Cored borings of Recent swamp deposits in the Atchafalaya basin presented a difficult problem in deciphering ecological changes. The fauna was either absent or badly leached; grade-size parameters remained nearly constant from top to bottom; and the 100 ft.-cored section consisted of "massive-appearing" clays. X-ray radiographs of core slabs, however, revealed a varied assemblage of primary, secondary, and post-depositional sedimentary structures and epigenetic and syngenetic inclusions. Five environmentally controlled facies were recognized in the borings; poorly drained (stagnant) swamp; well-drained swamp; fresh-water-lacustrine; lacustrine delta fill; and channel fill. Overlying a cross-bedded sand and gravel substratum (braided channel-fill deposits) is a 10-ft. layer of swamp clay. Large carbonate and iron concretions, finely disseminated iron cement, and replacement of organic fragments by iron oxides attest to high-oxidizing conditions. Near the top of the layer, there is a gradual change to more reducing conditions and stable water levels. As the rate of sedimentation decreased, 22 ft. of highly organic clays was deposited in a poorly drained swamp environment. High pyrite and vivianite content, siderite concretions, high organic layers, and intensive root bu rowing characterize this unit. As sedimentation rates increased, conditions gradually changed to allow better drainage; the accumulated clays are similar to the lowermost clay unit. During accumulation of this 12-ft. sequence, water levels apparently fluctuated considerably, because intensive leaching is apparent. A sharp reduction in sediment supply and compaction of previously deposited clays resulted in the formation of a large lake. Thirteen ft. of "massive" lucustrine clays was then deposited. Radiographs revealed that the lower part is highly burrowed, and few remnants of primary stratification remain. The upper section, however, consists of alternating laminations (0.1-2 mm. thick) of differing X-ray absorption caused from alternating layers of well-oriented clay particles (floccu ated settling), as well as local concentrations of colloidal organics and carbonates. Sedimentation rates gradually increased, and normal lacustrine sedimentation was interrupted by an advancing lacustrine delta. Twelve ft. of alternating silt, silty clay, and clay forms this facies. A fresh-water shell layer marks the final fill of the lake. Poorly drained swamp conditions were established again and apparently continued uninterruptedly, until the present. Subsequent diagenic changes include growth of concretions, gradual change in concretion composition with depth, and enrichment of certain layers in carbonate. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2321------------
Human FABP1 T94A variant enhances cholesterol uptake

Although expression of the human liver fatty acid binding protein (FABP1) T94A variant alters serum lipoprotein cholesterol levels in human subjects, nothing is known whereby the variant elicits these effects. This issue was addressed by in vitro cholesterol binding assays using purified recombinant wild-type (WT) FABP1 T94T and T94A variant proteins and in cultured primary human hepatocytes expressing the FABP1 T94T (genotyped as TT) or T94A (genotyped as CC) proteins. The human FABP1 T94A variant protein had 3-fold higher cholesterol-binding affinity than the WT FABP1 T94T as shown by NBD-cholesterol fluorescence binding assays and by cholesterol isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC) binding assays. CC variant hepatocytes also exhibited 30% higher total FABP1 protein. HDL- and LDL-mediated NBD-cholesterol uptake was faster in CC variant than TT WT human hepatocytes. VLDL-mediated uptake of NBD-cholesterol did not differ between CC and TT human hepatocytes. The increased HDL- and LDL-mediated NBD-cholesterol uptake was not associated with any significant change in mRNA levels of SCARB1, LDLR, CETP, and LCAT encoding the key proteins in lipoprotein cholesterol uptake. Thus, the increased HDL- and LDL-mediated NBD-cholesterol uptake by CC hepatocytes may be associated with higher affinity of T94A protein for cholesterol and/or increased total T94A protein level.
Rounding algorithms for covering problems

In the last 25 years approximation algorithms for discrete optimization problems have been in the center of research in the fields of mathematical programming and computer science. Recent results from computer science have identified barriers to the degree of approximability of discrete optimization problems unless P = NP. As a result, as far as negative results are concerned a unifying picture is emerging. On the other hand, as far as particular approximation algorithms for different problems are concerned, the picture is not very clear. Different algorithms work for different problems and the insights gained from a successful analysis of a particular problem rarely transfer to another. Our goal in this paper is to present a framework for the approximation of a class of integer programming problems (covering problems) through generic heuristics all based on rounding (deterministic using primal and dual information or randomized but with nonlinear rounding functions) of the optimal solution of a linear programming (LP) relaxation. We apply these generic heuristics to obtain in a systematic way many known as well as new results for the set covering, facility location, general covering, network design and cut covering problems. © 1998 The Mathematical Programming Society, Inc. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
An infeasible-interior-point predictor-corrector algorithm for the P * -geometric LCP

AP *-geometric linear complementarity problem (P *GP) as a generalization of the monotone geometric linear complementarity problem is introduced. In particular, it contains the monotone standard linear complementarity problem and the horizontal linear complementarity problem. Linear and quadratic programming problems can be expressed in a “natural” way (i.e., without any change of variables) asP *GP. It is shown that the algorithm of Mizunoet al. [6] can be extended to solve theP *GP. The extended algorithm is globally convergent and its computational complexity depends on the quality of the starting points. The algorithm is quadratically convergent for problems having a strictly complementary solution.
Activities and Accomplishments in Various Domains: Relationships With Creative Personality and Creative Motivation in Adolescence

This study examined relationships between five personal traits and adolescents’ creative activities and accomplishments in five domains—music, visual arts, creative writing, science, and technology. Participants were 439 tenth graders (220 males and 219 females) in China. The relationships were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Openness to experience was related to activities in music, visual arts, and creative writing but not to science and technology. Creative self-efficacy was related to all but technology-related activities. Intrinsic motivation was related to visual arts and science creative activities. Conscientiousness and perceived intellectual ability were not associated with creative activities in any domain. Finally, none of the personality or motivational attributes were related to creative activities in the technology domain. Personal traits appear to introduce some variability in the developmental trajectory of potential talents in various domains.
ATP IN OXIDANT-INDUCED TISSUE INJURY: 35

Oxidants, induce injury and death of neighboring cells. We have studied early changes following exposure of the cells to oxidants. Exposure of P388D1 cells to H2O2 (0.1 to 2.5 mM) induced a rapid (3-5 min) fall in ATP, turnover of components of the glutathione cycle, a slower (>15 min) rise in intracellular Ca++ and Na+ and, after 4-5 hrs, cell lysis. Exposure to H2O2 produced a slight elevation of ADP at a time when ATP levels were low, and a stoichiometric increase in IMP and inosine. In determining the cause for the fall in ATP, we observed that P388D1 cells exposed to 0.04 to 2.5 mM H2O2 lost NAD at an initial rate of 0.26 nmoles/106 cells/min, leading to an 80 percent depletion of NAD within 20 min. This fall in NAD is coupled with inhibition of glycolysis. Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, the nuclear enzyme catalyzing conversion of NAD to nicotinamide and protein-bound ADP-ribose, was activated by exposure of the cells to H2O2. Inhibition of this enzyme by 2.5 mM 3-amionobenzamide prevented the oxidant induced fall in NAD. This also prevented the sustained fall in ATP, and the other events (above) except for glutathione cycle activity. H2O2 induced DNA strand breaks in target cells, potentially responsible for activation of the polymerase. These cells indicate that oxidant induced stimulation of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase causes a fall in NAD leading to a sustained depletion of ATP, leading to cell death.
Imagining mathematics teaching practice: prospective teachers generate representations of a class discussion

Prospective teachers work with a variety of representations of mathematics teaching (i.e., narrative cases, transcripts, video clips) in teacher preparation courses. Generally, they are considered the audience, not producers, of those artifacts. In this article, however, we focus on representations produced by prospective teachers when they were asked to generate a hypothetical classroom dialogue for the equality task: “What goes in the box: 8+4=[ ]+5?” We discuss the nature and quality of the representations produced by four different cohorts of teacher preparation students—prior to admission, at the beginning, middle, and end of their program. Prospective teachers within and across all cohorts produced an unexpected diversity of representations of class discussions. Of special interest to us were their hybrid representations, those that combined multiple images of mathematics teaching practices. These representations not only provide a lens into prospective teachers’ development as mathematics teachers but could also become tools to support novices as they learn more complex forms of mathematics teaching.
Automatically mining program build information via signature matching

Program build information, such as compilers and libraries used, is vitally important in an auditing and benchmarking framework for HPC systems. We have developed a tool to automatically extract this information using signature-based detection, a common strategy employed by anti-virus software to search for known patterns of data within the program binaries. We formulate the patterns from various "features" embedded in the program binaries, and the experiment shows that our tool can successfully identify many different compilers, libraries, and their versions.
Preservice and Inservice Secondary Teachers' Orientations Toward Content Area Reading

Abstract This study examined preservice and inservice secondary teachers' orientations toward content area reading and instruction. Instruments included two sets of belief statements and three sets of lesson plans; for comparison, each instrument incorporated three explanations of the reading process. Based on their selection of statements and plans, preservice teachers favored an interactive model of reading but a reader-based instructional approach, whereas in-service teachers held reader-based beliefs in both areas. In addition, both groups selected primarily reader-based vocabulary and comprehension lessons but varied in their choices of decoding lessons. Further, only teachers holding reader-based beliefs consistently chose corresponding vocabulary and comprehension plans.
Catalyst performance of MoS2 and WS2 for the CO2-reforming of CH4 Suppression of carbon deposition

Abstract The catalyst performance of MoS 2 and WS 2 was verified for the CO 2 -reforming of CH 4 through the comparison with that of Ni SiO 2 . No catalyst deactivation was observed on the disulfides, although the rate was much smaller than that on Ni. It was found that the disulfides exhibited a poor ability for the direct decomposition of CH 4 . The poor ability did not lead to carbon deposition during reforming reaction, which assured a stable activity. It was also observed that the rate equation was completely different between disulfide catalysts and Ni catalyst. The reaction order was positive with respect to the CH 4 partial pressure and negative with respect to the CO 2 partial pressure on the former catalysts, while negative with respect to CH 4 partial pressure and positive with respect to the CO 2 partial pressure on the latter. The observed reaction kinetics suggested that the surface of the disulfide catalyst was abundant in adsorbed CO 2 , while the surface of Ni catalyst was abundant in adsorbed CH 4 . The abundance in adsorbed CO 2 was considered an unfavorable condition for the direct decomposition of CH 4 and as a result, carbon deposition was suppressed during CO 2 -reforming on disulfide catalyst. Sulfur tolerance was found to be an additional performance of the disulfide catalyst.
Extrasynaptic Membrane Trafficking Regulated by GluR1 Serine 845 Phosphorylation Primes AMPA Receptors for Long-term Potentiation

Enhancement of synaptic transmission, as occurs in long-term potentiation (LTP), can result from several mechanisms that are regulated by phosphorylation of the AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR). Using a quantitative assay of net serine 845 (Ser-845) phosphorylation in the GluR1 subunit of AMPARs, we investigated the relationship between phospho-Ser-845, GluR1 surface expression, and synaptic strength in hippocampal neurons. About 15% of surface AMPARs in cultured neurons were phosphorylated at Ser-845 basally, whereas chemical potentiation (forskolin/rolipram treatment) persistently increased this to 60% and chemical depression (N-methyl-D-aspartate treatment) decreased it to 10%. These changes in Ser-845 phosphorylation were paralleled by corresponding changes in the surface expression of AMPARs in both cultured neurons and hippocampal slices. For every 1% increase in net phospho-Ser-845, there was 0.75% increase in the surface fraction of GluR1. Phosphorylation of Ser-845 correlated with a selective delivery of AMPARs to extrasynaptic sites, and their synaptic localization required coincident synaptic activity. Furthermore, increasing the extrasynaptic pool of AMPA receptors resulted in stronger theta burst LTP. Our results support a two-step model for delivery of GluR1-containing AMPARs to synapses during activity-dependent LTP, where Ser-845 phosphorylation can traffic AMPARs to extrasynaptic sites for subsequent delivery to synapses during LTP.
Gas-phase ion-mobility characterization of SAM-functionalized Au nanoparticles.

We present results of a systematic examination of functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) by electrospray-differential mobility analysis (ES-DMA). Commercially available, citrate-stabilized Au colloid solutions (10–60 nm) were sized using ES-DMA, from which changes in particle size of less than 0.3 nm were readily discerned. It was found that the formation of salt particles and the coating of Au-NPs by salt during the electrospray process can interfere with the mobility analysis, which required the development of sample preparation and data correction protocols to extract correct values for the Au-NP size. Formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiol molecules on the Au-NP surface was detected from a change in particle mobility, which could be modeled to extract the surface packing density of SAMs. A gas-phase temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) kinetic study of SAMs on Au-NPs found the data to be consistent with a second-order Arrhenius-based rate law, yielding an Arrhenius factor ...
Influence of degree of substitution of cyclodextrins on their colligative properties in solution

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the total degree of substitution (TDS) on the colligative properties of substituted cyclodextrins (CDs; i.e., beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins substituted with sulfobutylether or hydroxypropyl groups) in solution. The osmotic pressure (OP) of aqueous CD solutions was determined over the concentration range 100-350 mmol/kg using vapor pressure osmometry. A chloride ion-selective electrode was used to help determine the possible mechanism for any CD-water interactions that might occur by measuring the chloride-ion activity of a sodium chloride solution containing various CDs. Titration microcalorimetry was used to verify that sodium chloride did not interact with the CDs, thereby permitting the chloride ion activity to be utilized as an indicator of any possible CD-water interaction. The results indicate that CDs with different total degrees of substitution (TDS) exhibit different colligative properties in solution. It was observed that increases in the degree of substitution of the CD produced an increased OP. All substituted CDs exhibited an OP above their theoretical values, whereas the OP of the unsubstituted gamma-CD was below its expected value, likely due to self-association. The results obtained with the chloride-ion selective electrode did not exhibit a consistent trend; however, it was observed that changes in the TDS caused significant changes in the activity of chloride ions in solution. These findings are of interest in using CDs to formulate parenteral and ophthalmic solutions where the OP of the solutions must be considered.
A data management extension architecture

A database management system architecture is described that facilitates the implementation of data management extensions for relational database systems. The architecture defines two classes of data management extensions alternative ways of storing relations called relation “storage methods”, and access paths, integrity constraints, or triggers which are “attachments” to relations. Generic sets of operations are defined for storage methods and attachments, and these operations must be provided in order to add a new storage method or attachment type to the system. The data management extension architecture also provides common services for coordination of storage method and attachment execution. This article describes the data management extension architecture along with some implementation issues and techniques.
A retrospective study of career development. I, Relationship among first aspirations, parental occupations, and current occupations

Brief interviews were conducted with 620 full-time employed adults between the ages of 40 and 55 years to identify their first realistic career aspirations and the ages at which they were made. A majority (59%) indicated a first career aspiration before the age of 13. Exact matches with current occupations were rare but increased in frequency with higher age of first aspiration. Aspirations and occupations were classified according to Holland's (1985) six occupational categories. Forty-one percent of the childhood aspirations and 46% of the adolescent aspirations matched current occupations. Those reporting early aspirations within the same category as their fathers' occupations were more likely to remain within the same category at middle age than those whose early career aspirations did not match their fathers' occupations.
Bleeding from cavernous angiomatosis of the rectum in Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome: report of three cases and literature review

Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a congenital vascular anomaly characterized by limb hypertrophy, cutaneous hemangiomas, and varicosities. GI hemorrhage is a potentially serious complication secondary to diffuse hemangiomatous involvement of the gut. We report on three patients with KTS who presented with transfusion-dependent anemia and life-threatening bleeding due to extensive cavernous hemangiomas involving the rectum. Two patients were treated by proctocolectomy and coloanal anastomosis, which preserved anal function while controlling bleeding. The third patient required an abdominoperineal resection because of extensive rectal, perianal, and perineal angiomatosis. The literature on the evaluation and management of GI hemorrhage in KTS, particularly of colorectal origin, is reviewed.
Prediction of monthly-seasonal precipitation using coupled SVD patterns between soil moisture and subsequent precipitation

[1] It was suggested in a recent statistical correlation analysis that predictability of monthly-seasonal precipitation could be improved by using coupled singular value decomposition (SVD) patterns between soil moisture and precipitation instead of their values at individual locations. This study provides predictive evidence for this suggestion by comparing skills of two statistical prediction models based on the coupled SVD patterns and local relationships. The data used for model development and validation are obtained from a simulation over East Asia with a regional climate model. The results show a much improved skill with the prediction model using the coupled SVD patterns. The seasonal prediction skill is higher than the monthly one. The most remarkable contribution of soil moisture to the prediction skill is found in warm seasons, opposite to that of sea surface temperature.
The engrailed locus of drosophila: In situ localization of transcripts reveals compartment-specific expression

The engrailed locus plays a unique and critical role in organizing the segmented body plan of Drosophila. Embryos lacking engrailed function die with fused, abnormal segments. Adult mosaics with patches of engrailed cells similarly suffer defects in all of their segments, but only with mutant cells that are in the posterior developmental compartment of each segment. The non-uniform requirement for engrailed function reflects the position-dependent expression of the engrailed locus and we demonstrate it here unambiguously by directly visualizing engrailed transcripts in frozen sections of embryos and larvae and in whole imaginal discs. These results demonstrate that developmental compartments subdivide the embryonic insect segments. In these and in the compartments of the later developmental stages the engrailed locus is expressed in the posterior but not the anterior compartments. With its role in controlling the developmental pathway of the posterior compartment cells, the engrailed locus may be an example of a binary developmental switch.
Coefficients of Condition for Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Redear Sunfish in Hydrilla-Infested Lakes

Abstract Coefficients of condition were calculated seasonally for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) for three years from two hydrilla-infested Florida lakes, Baldwin and Wales. Hydrilla coverage was altered with aquatic herbicides and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) during the study period in both lakes. Bluegill and redear sunfish condition was not adversely affected until hydrilla occupied the majority of the water column. The reduction in condition which occurred with near total occupation of the water column by hydrilla was probably due to the elimination of a foraging gradient between the submersed macrophytes and open water. Harvestable (creelable) largemouth bass had low condition values once hydrilla coverage was above 30%; however, smaller largemouth bass were not as adversely affected until percent coverage exceeded 50%.
Volatiles and the Harvest Maturity of Peaches and Nectarinesa

SUMMARY Volatiles emanating from ripening fruit harvested at different stages of maturity were analyzed with direct sampling techniques and a flame-ionization-equipped gas chromatograph. All fruits within the selected maturity range ripened into commercially salable products. Although firmness, soluble solids, and carbon dioxide production indicated a nearly equivalent ripening of the different maturity categories the presence of detectable volatiles was markedly dependent upon the maturity at harvest. Additional volatile fractions were detected when the fruit was cut prior to sampling. Possible use of these techniques in fruit maturity evaluations is discussed.