cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perspectives on newborn abandonment.

Objectives The goals of this study were to identify the socioeconomic influences that may lead to newborn abandonment and the attributes common to individuals who abandon their infants, to develop an understanding of the legislative issues affecting the abandonment of newborns by state, and to describe an emergency care program designed to preserve newborn life. Methods A retrospective review of case files, publications, and headline news was undertaken to identify commonalties among individuals who abandon their infants. Accurate statistical data about this issue are nonexistent; however, extrapolations can be made from documented cases. Predictors of abandonment assist healthcare workers in identifying and preventing the needless deaths of newborn infants through early education and prevention programs. If these children survive, they often become the challenges of emergency care staff. Results There are now at least 46 states that have proposed or enacted legislation related to infant abandonment. The laws are designed to promote the safe surrender of newborns to designated child protective agencies, including emergency departments. These legislative controls now regulate safe havens to accept newborns that would otherwise be abandoned. Conclusions There is still much to learn about infant abandonment. A national database to compile statistics about the incidence of abandonment is currently not available. Research is necessary to validate the findings collected in retrospective reviews. The choices parents make between the options of abandoning versus surrendering the infant to a safe haven require further study. Preventative programs and education of the public and particularly of the high-risk groups require a greater emphasis on improving child protection procedures. Programs in emergency departments must be developed to expedite care and to support and protect life.
Theory of Multicavity Gyrolystron Amplifier Based on a Green's Function Approach

The paper presents an application of a self-consistent field theory for gyrotrons to a multicavity gyroklystron configuration. The coupled RF field equation and the Lorentz equations are solved in the slow-time-scale formulation using a Green's function technique to satisfy appropriate boundary conditions. An analytical expression for the small-signal gain is obtained by the method of successive approximation. The theory has been developed for cylindrical TE°mnl mode as well as rectangular TE·101 mode. The theory is applied to calculate the small-signal performance characteristics of a three-cavity configuration operating with rectangular TE101 mode.
Inferring categories to accelerate the learning of new classes

On-the-fly learning systems are necessary for the deployment of general purpose robots. New training examples for such systems are often supplied by mentor interactions. Due to the cost of acquiring such examples, it is desirable to reduce the number of necessary interactions. Transfer learning has been shown to improve classification results for classes with small numbers of training examples by pooling knowledge from related classes. Standard practice in these works is to assume that the relationship between the transfer target and related classes is already known. In this work, we explore how previously learned categories, or related groupings of classes, can be used to transfer knowledge to novel classes without explicitly known relationships to them. We demonstrate an algorithm for determining the category membership of a novel class, focusing on the difficult case when few training examples are available. We show that classifiers trained via this method outperform classifiers optimized to learn the novel class individually when evaluated on both synthetic and real-world datasets.
Hierarchical patterns of covariance between morphological and behavioural traits.

When correlations among a set of traits within a species strongly resemble the correlations among these same traits across species, it is tempting to explain the origin of the interspecific pattern by the same mechanisms that are observed to maintain the intraspecific pattern (Travis 1994a). In this note we suggest that it is necessary to consider a variety of hierarchical levels of covariation among traits before drawing that parallel. While other workers have made similar points about how phylogenetic information can help refine hypotheses for the evolution of broad interspecific associations among traits (Carothers 1984; Maddison 1990 cited in Sillen-Tullberg 1988; Cooper 1995; McPeek 1995), we ask whether micro-evolutionary maintenance processes can be used to infer the origin of macro-evolutionary patterns within a group. The question is an appropriate one for many classes of characters, but we feel it particularly important when behavioural traits are involved because of the interest in the way in which behavioural variation
Comparison of greenhouse experimental methods on apple seedling growth and nutrition

Abstract Apple seedling (Malus domestica Borkh.) growth and nutrition were compared over a range of nutrient level treatments using A different experimental nutritional methods: nutrient‐film, soil, sand, and solution culture. A 2‐ to 10‐fold difference in nutrient level caused significant differences between experimental methods on seedling growth. Higher nutrient levels resulted in reduced growth in the nutrient‐film and soil cultures, increased growth in sand cultures and little effect on growth in solution cultures. Tissue Ca, of the nutrients studied, was significantly different depending upon the experimental method. Alternating the nutrient level either by elevating K or reducing Ca/Mg resulted in significant interactions on tissue Ca depending upon the experimental method used. The results showed that under similar environmental and treatment conditions, data on growth and nutrition of apple seedlings can vary significantly depending on the type of experimental method employed.
School Involvement of Parents of Linguistic and Racial Minorities and Their Children's Mathematics Performance.

The goal of the study was to provide empirical findings on the effects of different types of parents’ school involvement (PSI) on their children's mathematics performance. For PSI, we explored parent participation in parent–teacher conferences, voluntary parental involvement in school activities, parent informal contact with school or teachers, and parental phone contact with school or teachers. In addition, we paid focused attention to families of linguistic and racial minority groups who may have different dynamics of PSI for children's schooling and academic achievement. We conducted comprehensive descriptive statistics and multilevel longitudinal modelling using a nationally representative database, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), to establish study conclusions with high validity and generalizability. The results showed that four different types of PSI had differential effects for different linguistic and racial groups. The study findings have practical suggestions and implications fo...
The determination of glycine in biological fluids.

Abstract A colorimetric-fluorometric method for the determination of glycine in biological fluids is described. In brief, this procedure involves the degradation of glycine, in protein-free filtrates, to formaldehyde by chloramine T. The formaldehyde is then converted to 3,5-diacetyl- i ,4-dihydrolutidine by Hantzsch reaction in which acetyl acetone and ammonia are the reactants. This reaction product in low ranges (concentration of glycine from 0.1 to 3 μg), is measured fluorometrically, while in higher ranges colorimetric analysis is used. Recovery studies of glycine added to blood and urine samples have been satisfactory. Blood samples obtained from normal human subjects are found to have glycine in the range 4–16 μg/ml. From the standpoint of sensitivity, simplicity, and time required, this technique is believed to be an improvement over previously described procedures for glycine determination.
Role of ornithine decarboxylase in regulation of estrogen receptor alpha expression and growth in human breast cancer cells

Our previous studies demonstrated that specific polyamine analogues, oligoamines, down-regulated the activity of a key polyamine biosynthesis enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and suppressed expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in human breast cancer cells. However, the mechanism underlying the potential regulation of ERα expression by polyamine metabolism has not been explored. Here, we demonstrated that RNAi-mediated knockdown of ODC (ODC KD) down-regulated the polyamine pool, and hindered growth in ERα-positive MCF7 and T47D and ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. ODC KD significantly induced the expression and activity of the key polyamine catabolism enzymes, spermine oxidase (SMO) and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT). However, ODC KD-induced growth inhibition could not be reversed by exogenous spermidine or overexpression of antizyme inhibitor (AZI), suggesting that regulation of ODC on cell proliferation may involve the signaling pathways independent of polyamine metabolism. In MCF7 and T47D cells, ODC KD, but not DFMO treatment, diminished the mRNA and protein expression of ERα. Overexpression of antizyme (AZ), an ODC inhibitory protein, suppressed ERα expression, suggesting that ODC plays an important role in regulation of ERα expression. Decrease of ERα expression by ODC siRNA altered the mRNA expression of a subset of ERα response genes. Our previous analysis showed that oligoamines disrupt the binding of Sp1 family members to an ERα minimal promoter element containing GC/CA-rich boxes. By using DNA affinity precipitation and mass spectrometry analysis, we identified ZBTB7A, MeCP2, PARP-1, AP2, and MAZ as co-factors of Sp1 family members that are associated with the ERα minimal promoter element. Taken together, these data provide insight into a novel antiestrogenic mechanism for polyamine biosynthesis enzymes in breast cancer.
Effects of rapid, high-dose, elevated temperature ion implantation on the microstructure and tribology of ferrous surfaces

Abstract High-current, broad-beam ion implantation at 60 keV using a relatively simple system produces elevated target temperatures and results in remarkable enhancements in the wear resistance of ferrous materials compared to lower implantation temperatures. Effects of N, C and O implantation into AISI 304 stainless steel at 200 and 400°C on the microstructure and tribology are evaluated by conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and a specially designed pin-on-disc tribotester. C and N implantation at 400°C yields unusually thick layers of austenite containing high concentrations of C and N in interstitial solid solution thereby accounting for the enhanced mechanical properties. O implantation at 400°C results in Fe 2 O 3 -like oxide rather than O in solid solution so a dispersion strengthening of the surface layer is suggested.
Referential coherence and text structure in story comprehension

Reading times were gathered for target sentences within stories. The targets either were or were not coreferential with a precursor sentence. In the former case, both the structural importance of the precursor and its distance from the target were varied. The stories were read under tasks differentially emphasizing micro- and macroprocesses. The task influenced the effects of the textual variables on reading time. Greater distances and lack of coreference elevated reading times but only when microprocesses were emphasized. Reading times were faster when the precursor was structurally important but only when macroprocesses were emphasized. Recall data supported the hypotheses about task emphasis. The results were discussed in terms of current accounts of text processing.
Photochemistry and photophysics of 1,4-dewarnaphthalene

Abstract Photoexcited 1,4-dewarnaphthalene (1) rearranges in high efficiency to excited naphthalene in both the singlet and the triplet manifold. Assuming the relative efficiencies of fluorescence to intersystem crossing of 1 are similar to those of substituted benzenes, the rearrangement of triplet 1 to triplet naphthalene may be adiabatic. The relative efficiencies of fluorescence to rearrangement to singlet excited naphthalene from singlet excited 1 at 77 K depends on the wavelength of exciting light, the shorter the wavelength, the more efficient the rearrangement.
Modulation of the behavioral effects of amphetamine in rats by clonidine

Clonidine (0.01, 0.05, 0.5 mg/kg) dramatically reduced the locomotor response to amphetamine (2 mg/kg) in a dose related fashion. In contrast, the same doses of clonidine had no effect on locomotions produced by a higher dose of amphetamine (6 mg/kg). Clonidine also had no effect on stereotyped head movements or the duration of the behavioral response to amphetamine. The lower dose of clonidine reduced amphetamine induced licking/biting while the two higher doses potentiated amphetamine induced licking/biting. Thus the behavioral effects of clonidine vary depending upon the dose of amphetamine and the particular behavior selected for study. The known neurochemical effects of clonidine do not account for this phenomenon.
Explaining the effects of transformational leadership: an investigation of the effects of higher-order motives in multilevel marketing organizations

Multilevel marketing organizations (MLMs) are a rapidly growing organizational type enlisting nearly 10 million members and producing over 20 billion dollars in sales annually. Despite their remarkable recent growth, few studies have examined these unusual organizations, and none of these have addressed issues of transformational leadership. In MLMs, the key leadership relationships are those between individual member distributors and the members who recruited them into the organization (i.e., their ‘sponsors’). Although sponsors are expected to provide leadership to the members they recruit, they possess no direct supervisory resulting—authority in an uncertain ‘quasi-leadership’ role. Using a sample of 736 female MLM members, the present study empirically tests an important explanatory component of transformational leadership theory: that belief in the higher purpose of one's work is a mechanism through which transformational leadership achieves its positive outcomes on cohesion, satisfaction, effort, and performance. The results offer support to the notion that transformational leadership indeed ‘transforms’ followers by encouraging them to see the higher purposes in their work. Additionally, the results show positive relationships between belief in a higher purpose of one's work and job satisfaction, unit cohesion, and effort. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nature and the Unnatural in Marie de France’s Chevrefoil

This study proposes that Marie de France’s Chevrefoil characterizes Tristan and Isolde as living unnatural lives. The poem’s central symbol of a honeysuckle and a hazel unable to survive being separated is suggested to highlight the lovers’ acting contrary to nature. Drawing on the medieval tradition of appealing to nature as a norm for human behavior, the study explores the ethical implications of the comparison of the lovers to these plants. Marie’s version of the legend shows Tristan and Isolde to act against the fundamental inclinations of human life in pursuing their relationship. Their unnatural desire is indicated to be the cause of their lost self-determination, failure to find happiness, and untimely death.
Lack of myocardial necrosis despite clinical and electrocardiographic criteria of acute transmural infarction

Abstract The development of "pathologic" Q waves with ST segment elevation is considered diagnostic of transmural myocardial infarction. Previous reports have suggested that myocardial ischemia without infarction can result in electrocardiographic abnormalities simulating those of acute infarction. However, lack of infarction has been poorly documented in these reports. If real, this phenomenon could have an impact on the management of patients with apparent acute infarction. This study describes a patient with documented severe myocardial ischemia and electrocardiographic evidence of acute transmural myocardial infarction, in whom significant myocardial necrosis has been excluded definitively.
Cation self-diffusion in barium oxide (BaO)*

Abstract Cation self-diffusion studies were carried out in BaO crystals in the temperature range 900°C≤ T ≤1400°C and at oxygen partial pressures of one atm and 2×10 −5 atm. 133 Ba isotope was used as tracer and Gruzin's residual activity method was employed. The bulk diffusion coefficient could be represented by the following equations: D ( 1200 − 1400 ° C ) = ( 1 ⋅ 35 − 1 ⋅ 06 + 4 ⋅ 97 ) × 10 4 exp ⁡ [ − ( 4 ⋅ 00 ± 0 ⋅ 067 ) e V / k T ] c m 2 / sec ⁡ . D ( 950 − 1100 ° C ) = ( 1 ⋅ 20 − 1 ⋅ 01 + 6 ⋅ 52 ) exp ⁡ [ − ( 2 ⋅ 81 ± 0 ⋅ 21 ) e V / k T ] c m 2 / sec ⁡ . The diffusion coefficients were found to be independent of changes in the oxygen partial pressure of the annealing atmosphere. The data are interpreted in terms of various possible defect models.
DOSE-EFFECT RELATION OF CHOLESTYRAMINE IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLÆMIA

Twenty children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia (F.H.), on a diet low in cholesterol and high in polyunsaturated fats, were treated with cholestyramine in a metabolic unit to determine the decrease in plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (L.D.L.) cholesterol in relation to drug dosage, pretreatment concentrations of cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol, and body-weight. When the dose of cholestyramine was increased in thirteen patients by 1 g/day up to 16 g/day, given twice daily, cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol fell within the normal range in eleven subjects (average dose, 7 g/day), and the response was directly proportional (P less than less than 0-001) to the pretreatment concentrations of cholesterol (r = 0-89) and L.D.L. cholesterol (r = 0-93) but did not correlate with body-weight. Plasma total cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol continued to fall and concentrations reached a plateau after which additional cholestyramine had no further effect (average dose, 11 g/day). The L.D.L. cholesterol regression line successfully predicted the dose required to reduce L.D.L. cholesterol concentrations in seven other patients. There was a significant decrease in mean serum-folate in female patients. It was concluded that the minimum effective dose of cholestyramine in young patients with F.H. can be predicted from the pretreatment plasma total and L.D.L. cholesterol and may be given twice daily.
Job prospects for college graduates

During the recent recessionary slump, employers in the private sector, responding to a national survey conducted by the College Placement Council, continued to report increased employment opportunities for engineering graduates. While business disciplines and the science, math, and other technical categories experienced some fluctuation during this period, overall, employers continued to report increased hiring. What is unique about this early forecast for 1981–82 is that for the first time in the past several years an anticipated increase in hiring was reported for the other nontechnical categories. Five hundred fifty-one employing organizations in the private sector anticipated an increase in hiring for each of the four curricular areas surveyed.
Solid-state switching for aircraft electric systems

An aircraft electric system designed around a solid-state approach offers many potential advantages over an electromechanical counterpart. These include higher reliability, longer life, more ruggedness, more versatility, and better compatibility. To achieve these advantages, however, it is not merely sufficient to replace electromechanical components with their solid-state equivalents. Here is one approach that has been tested in the laboratory and in aircraft during the past ten years?with success. Included is a report on an advanced system undergoing evaluation.
Adverse respiratory reactions to aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is an adultonset condition that manifests as asthma, rhinosinusitis/nasal polyps, and sensitivity to aspirin and other cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)-inhibitor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). There is no cross-sensitivity to highly selective COX-2 inhibitors. AERD is chronic and does not improve with avoidance of COX-1 inhibitors. The diagnosis of AERD is made through provocative challenge testing. Following a positive aspirin challenge, patients can be desensitized to aspirin and NSAIDs. The desensitized state can be maintained indefinitely with continued daily administration. After desensitization, there is an approximately 48-hour refractory period to adverse effects from aspirin. The pathogenesis of AERD remains unknown, but these patients have been shown to have multiple abnormalities in arachidonic acid metabolism and in cysteinyl leukotriene 1 receptors. AERD patients can take up to 650 mg of acetaminophen for analgesic or antipyretic relief. Patients can also use weak COX-1 inhibitors, such as sodium salicylate or choline magnesium trisalicylate. Treatment of AERD patients with antileukotriene medications has been helpful but not preferential when compared with non-AERD patients. An alternative treatment for many AERD patients is aspirin desensitization. This is particularly effective in reducing upper-airway mucosal congestion, nasal polyp formation, and systemic steroids.
Silica-based branched hollow microfibers as a biomimetic extracellular matrix for promoting tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the three-dimensional (3D) environment in which cells grow in vivo. For cancer research, cancer cells, grown in the 3D ECM-like scaffolds in a way as in real tumor in vivo, can serve as tumor models to study important problems in cancer treatment, such as multi-drug resistance (MDR) to anti-cancer therapeutics, without using animals.[1–3] Thus the development of 3D scaffolds that can mimic ECM in tumor is important to generate in vitro tumor models. The scaffolds should allow the cancer cells to grow in 3D environment because the 2D cultured cancer cells have exhibited significantly less malignant phenotype in comparison to cells growing in vivo.[4,5] In addition, many aspects of cell behaviors, such as morphogenesis, adhesion, migration and level of gene expression, are changed when cells are cultured on the 2D substrates.[6–8]
Set partitioning based heuristics for interactive routing

The set partitioning model is used as the basis for an interactive approach for solving a broad class of routing problems. A pricing mechanism is developed which can be used with a variety of methods in generating improving solutions. A version of the approach for delivery problems has been implemented via a colorgraphics display. The human aided optimization procedure was tested on the standard 50-point, 75-point, and 100-point test problems of Eilon, Watson-Gandy, and Christofides [6]. In the case of the first two test problems, the procedure was able to generate the best known solutions. In the 100-point problem, a better solution was generated than the current best known solution.
The art and science of computer graphics: a very depth-first approach to the non-majors course

This paper describes a course in computer graphics which is designed for students with little or no background in computer science. The course is centered around custom software which was designed with the pedagogical goals in mind. The goals of the course, the software, and some experiences at two institutions are discussed.
Transplacental transfer of vancomycin and telavancin

Objective We sought to determine the bidirectional transfer and distribution of vancomycin and telavancin across the dually perfused term human placental lobule. Study Design The technique of dually perfused placental lobule was used in its recirculating mode to determine the maternal to fetal (M→F) (n = 20) and fetal to maternal (n = 18) transfer of each antibiotic, which were coperfused with their radioactive isotopes. The concentrations of drugs were determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Results In the M→F direction, the transfer of vancomycin (9.6 ± 4%) and telavancin (6.5 ± 2%) were low; however, telavancin retention by the perfused lobule was greater than that of vancomycin ( P P Conclusion The ex vivo perfusion experiments revealed low transfer of vancomycin and telavancin to the fetal circuit.
Quasielastic scattering by dilute polymer solutions

The scattering law S(k,w) for dilute polymer solutions is obtained from Kirkwood's diffusion equation via the projection operator technique. The width Ω(k) of S(k,w) is obtained for all k without replacing the Oseen tensor by its average (as is done in the Rouse–Zimm model) using the “spring-bead” model ignoring memory effects. For small (ka ≪ 1) and large (ka ≫ 1) values of k we find Ω = 0.195 k2/β α η0 and Ω = k2/βξ, respectively, indicating that the width is governed mainly by the viscosity η0 for small k values and by the friction coefficient ξ for large k values. For intermediate k values which are of importance in neutron scattering we find that in the Rouse limit Ω = k4a2/12βξ. When the hydrodynamic effects are included, Ω(k) becomes 0.055 k3/βη0. Using the Rouse–Zimm model, it is seen that the effect of pre-averaging the Oseen tensor is to underestimate the half-width Ω(k). The implications of the theoretical predictions for scattering experiments are discussed.
Generalizations of a Theorem of Datko and Pazy

This note gives necessary and sufficient conditions for exponential stability of semigroups of linear operators in Banach spaces. Generalizations of a well-known result due to Datko, Pazy and Neerven are obtained for the case of semigroups of operators that are not strongly continuous.
Homoepitaxial growth and characterization of ZnO(0001) thin films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor epitaxy

We study the properties of Zn-face ZnO(00.1) layers grown on the Zn-face of high quality ZnO(00.1) single crystal wafers by metalorganic chemical vapour epitaxy. The layers are grown directly on the ZnO substrates without any treatment of the substrate before starting the growth. The growth temperature is varied between 600–1050 °C while the reactor pressure is kept at 50 Torr. Atomic force microscopy reveals monolayer steps with a step length of 170 nm. The root-mean-square roughness is 0.1 nm over a 20×20 μm2 area. A two-dimensional step morphology is only seen for growth temperatures above 950 °C. Layers grown below 950 °C exhibit very rough three dimensional surface morphologies. The full width at half maximum for x-ray rocking curves is 22 arcsec and 36 arcsec across the (00.2) and the (20.1) reflections, respectively. This is comparable to the rocking curve widths of the as-received substrates. The peaks of the ZnO epitaxial thin film and the substrate are indistinguishable in reciprocal space maps. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A unique way to treat Goodpasture's disease.

A 21-year-old man with no medical history presented to the emergency department with fatigue, oliguria and lower extremity oedema. Initial laboratory tests showed that the patient was in acute renal failure with a creatinine of 12.8 mg/dL (normal 0.51–1.18 mg/dL). Further work up showed crescentic glomerulonephritis on renal biopsy, and serology was positive for antiglomerular basement antibody (titre 191 U/mL, normal 0–0.7 U/mL). Shortly after diagnosis he developed haemoptysis and chest imaging was consistent with pulmonary haemorrhage. The standard immunotherapy for Goodpasture9s disease is cyclophosphamide, but due to known reproductive toxicities associated with cyclophosphamide and the patient9s age, it was decided to use alternate but less studied therapies for treatment. At discharge, the patient had undergone five plasmapheresis treatments, had received two doses of Rituximab with a steroid taper, and his antiglomerular basement membrane level had decreased significantly.
The Tbx-files: the truth is out there.

T-box factors are critical regulators of embryonic development and have been implicated in several human diseases. This primer describes the basics of how T-box factors work and features a discussion of the state of T-box gene research with three experts in the field. Developmental Dynamics 231:232–236, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ventricular arrhythmias: why is it so difficult to find a pharmacologic cure?

The purpose of this review is to examine the relation between therapeutic goals and the available means of therapy within the framework of accumulated knowledge about the epidemiology, mechanisms and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias
Best practices for teachers new to distance education

Distance education is an essential teaching strategy in nursing education, and the inclusion of distance accessible education in nursing programs requires that nursing faculty new to this area become knowledgeable of this teaching strategy. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe teaching strategies for teachers new to distance education including technology available to support courses, preparation for those courses, early student contact, and socialization into the course. Further, student assignments, evaluation, including peer evaluation, and timely feedback in regard to communication and evaluation are covered.
Relations of cell size to body size in fat body and epidermis of cecropia silkmoth pupae

Abstract Among pupae of Hyalophora cecropia in diapause, the size of fat body cells (measured from the fresh tissue) is correlated with the body weight, suggesting that there may be an approximately constant number of fat body cells per individual. The size of epidermal cells (measured from the cuticular plaques on an abdominal segment), on the other hand, is independent of body weight, so that there is an approximately constant number of cells per unit area.
Discord, discordance, and concurrency: comparing individual and partnership-level analyses of new partnerships of young adults at risk of sexually transmitted infections.

Background and Objectives: Partnerships that are discordant by demographic and behavioral characteristics or are concurrent may facilitate transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by bridging sexual networks. Goal: The goal of this study was to examine if STI risk within partnerships is associated with discordance and concurrency using the partnership as the unit of analysis. Study: One hundred ninety-two individuals, in 96 new partnerships, recruited from sexually transmitted disease and family planning clinics, underwent a computer-assisted interview; were tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas; and their medical records were reviewed. Partnership variables for discordance by ethnicity, education level, number of lifetime partners, and relationship commitment, as well as concurrency and consistent condom use were tested for associations with partnership STI by chi-squared analysis and logistic regression. Associations between individual level STI, individual characteristics, relationship commitment, and concurrency were tested in bivariate and multivariate models. Results: STI was detected in 22% of partnerships; discordance for demographics or relationship commitment was reported in 40% to 50%; and partner concurrency in 26%. Few partnerships (18%) reported consistent condom use in the prior month. In multivariate analyses, partnership-level STI was associated with discordance by ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 3.4; P 0.04), commitment (OR, 4.2; P 0.02), number of lifetime partners (OR, 4.9; P 0.01), and concurrency (OR, 3.8; P 0.03). Individual-level STI was associated with the individual’s concurrency and Hispanic ethnicity. Conclusions: Discordance and concurrency are associated with STI at the partnership level and may reflect bridging between highand low-risk STI networks. Partnership factors allowed additional assessment of STI risk over individual factors, suggesting that data on partnerships may identify individuals linked to risky networks.
The Precision of Electrophysiological Mapping: Localizing Depolarization Wave Fronts from Digitized Extracellular Eleetrograms and the Role of Data Sampling Rate

The Precision of Electrophysiological Mapping: Localizing Depolarization Wave Fronts from Digitized Extracellular Electrograms and the Role of Data Sampling Rate. Electrophysiological mapping uses extracellular electrograms to estimate the timing of local cellular depolarization. To measure the precision of localizing propagating wave fronts with this technique and determine its dependence on data sampling rate, extracellular electrograms were recorded with a laboratory computer from 61 bipolar epicardial and endocardial electrodes during 10 morphologically distinct episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 10 chronically infarcted dogs. Four investigators assigned local activation times to 610 computer displayed local electrograms (61 from each of 10 VTs) sampled at 1,000 Hz (trial 1). With the investigators blinded to the result of the first trial, activation mapping was again repeated in serial independent trials using identical eleetrograms displayed at the data acquisition rate (1,000 Hz), in addition to sampling rates of 500 Hz, 250 Hz, and 125 Hz. The temporal precision of activation mapping (± 10 msec, 95% confidence) was derived from the reproducibility of measuring local activation time from maximally sampled (1,000 Hz) extracellular electrograms. Multivariate analysis revealed decreased precision at epicardial (P <0,02) and infarcted sites, which was attributed to fractionated eleetrograms observed in these regions. Nonetheless, map guided localization of the anatomic breakthrough site of each tachycardia varied by only 1.0 ± 1.2 cm between trials. This value was consistent with the spatial resolution (± 0.5 to + 1.0 cm) that was predicted from the measured temporal precision. Extracellular electrograms contained minimal frequency content above 150 Hz resulting in negligible distortion of waveform morphology at sampling rates as low as 250 Hz. Moreover, the accuracy of activation mapping was not significantly impaired until sampling rate was slowed to 125 Hz.
Use of reflectance spectrophotometry in the human corticosteroid skin blanching assay

A reflectance spectrophotometric method for evaluation of the skin blanching response to topical corticosteroids was evaluated. This blanching response is used, for drug development and regulatory purposes, to assess potency and bioequivalence of topical corticosteroid products. The common method involves the use of a human rater to measure blanching response in the skin. This study evaluated an instrumental alternative to the human rater and used this method to measure the differences between a number of brand name and generic topical corticosteroid products (six creams and six ointments). Products were applied to the forearms of normal volunteers and the blanching responses were assessed after 6 and 16 hours in both occluded and non-occluded skin sites. Only the fluocinolone acetonide generic and brand name preparations were different from each other. The spectrophotometric method proved to be equivalent but not superior to the standard human observer method.
Total Quality Management (TQM) — Putting structure behind the philosophy

Abstract This paper takes a modern day fad, Total Quality Management (TQM), and puts structure behind all the philosophy to make it usable and implementable. TQM is a methodology for change that is badly needed in modern industrial processes, but the understanding of it is often too fuzzy to be directly implementable. This article offers step by step implementable procedures.
13C-{1H,11B} triple-resonance experiments. Sign determination of 1J(11B-11B), J(13C-11B), and 2J(1H-11B) in some organoboron compounds

Abstract The first sign determination for a 11 B- 11 B spin-spin coupling constant is reported. Using 13 C-{ 1 H, 11 B} triple-resonance and various double-resonance techniques a positive sign has been determined for 1 J 11 B a - 11 B b (= +18.9 Hz) in 1- 13 C-methylpentaborane-9. Furthermore, a negative sign is obtained for 2 J 1 H- 11 B a (= −6.8 Hz) and a positive sign for 1 J 13 C- 11 B a (= +73.1 Hz) in this molecule. The signs and magnitudes for some of the 13 C- 11 B and 1 H- 11 B coupling constants in the tetramethylborate (1−) and tetraphenylborate (1−) anions are also determined. The results are in accordance with both qualitative and quantitative theories for coupling constants involving boron.
Yields of upland and lowland taro at varying plant densities

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effects of plant density on the yields and yield components of taro under upland and lowland culture in Hawaii. In both systems, total yields decreased as plant density decreased. Corm weight, cormel weight, and number of cormels per hill were inversely related to the number of plants per hectare. Regression analysis revealed that the yields and yield components of both upland and lowland taro follow an asymptotic relationship with plant density, which is typical of yields derived from vegetative part of the plant. Lowland taro had higher yields than upland taro, and the main factors that contributed to the higher yields of lowland taro were the higher number and greater weight of cormels produced at all plant densities. Lowland taro corm yields were higher than upland taro except in the lowest plant density where upland taro corm yield was higher both on a per hill basis and on total weight per hectare. There were no significant effects of plant density on the total yields of cormels in the upland although the number and weight of cormels per hill were significantly affected by plant density. There is a negative relationship between plant density and the number and weight of cormels per hill. Maximum yields of both upland and lowland taro were obtained at 10.9 plants per sq. m. This population density resulted from a plant spacing of approximately 30 cm × 30 cm.
The excise tax effects of the property tax

Abstract This paper constructs a theory of how differences across regions in property tax rates affect product prices and factor prices. For a model where labor and capital are perfectly mobile between regions, it is shown that consumers residing in different regions face the same nontraded good prices, even when property tax rates differ across regions.
Polysilanes: Photochemistry and deep UV lithography

The photochemistry of poly(cyclohexylmethylsilane) (PCHMS) has been studied, and PCHMS homopolymer has been shown to be useful for high resolution, deep UV pattern generation either by using a commercial 1:1 projection printer operating in the deep UV or by an excimer laser stepper at 248 nm. In the case of the excimer laser stepper, images 0.5 μm and smaller have been printed, which represents an improvement over the 0.8 μm limit previously reported for polysilane copolymers.
Competition for Infants' Attention: The Interactive Influence of Attentional State and Stimulus Characteristics.

The interactive effects of stimulus characteristics and attentional state on infants' distraction latency were studied. As 7-month-old infants explored initial stimuli that were composed of either a single nonmoving component or multiple moving components, one of several types of distractors was presented in the periphery. Infants' distraction latencies (the amount of time they took to turn from the initial stimulus to the distractor) varied as a function of the interaction between the infants' attentional state at distractor onset and the characteristics of the stimuli. Variations in the visual characteristics of the distractor stimulus (solid rectangle vs. checkerboard) had a larger effect on distraction latency when infants were in a focused attentional state than when they were in a casual attentional state. Similarly, variations in the auditory characteristic of the distractor stimulus (1 intermittent tone vs. 2 alternating tones) had a larger effect when infants were engaged in a focused attentional state toward the multicomponent toys. Thus, infants' distractibility in this context reflects an interaction between the infants' attentional state and the competition between external stimuli for their attentional focus.
Peer Evaluation in the Classroom: A Check for Sex and Race/Ethnicity Effects

Abstract Using a sample of 221 undergraduate students enrolled in human resource management courses taught in a business school, this study checked for sex and race/ethnicity effects in peer ratings of classroom presentations. Student age and student presenter frequency of participation in the classroom were the control variables. Our primary goal was to find out whether peer ratings were susceptible to the same-group preference bias. Results showed no consistent tendency by students to favor student presenters from their own groups. Frequency of participation by presenters in classroom discussions turned out to be a better predictor of student ratings of presentations by peers than any of the other factors studied.
Importance of “casketing” for microwave sintering of materials

On montre l'importance d'un materiau isolant place au voisinage de l'echantillon a fritter et qui absorbe la chaleur en premier lors du frittage des ceramiques par micro-ondes. On presente des exemples de frittage de LiH et TiB 2 en presence de granules de magnesie ou d'oxyde d'yttrium
Isolation of acetyldigitoxin.

A method for the convenient isolation of acetyldigitoxin from Digitalis mertonensis and D. siberica is described. The former yielded acetyldigitoxin in approximately twice the amount of digitoxin that could be isolated from D. purpurea.
Analysis of End-Effector position and orientation for 2P-3R Planer Pneumatic Robotic Arm

In order to control a Robotic arm it involves study of kinematics and dynamics. In this paper we study forward kinematics of Planer Pneumatic Robotic Arm with two prismatic and three revolute (2P-3R) joints. Forward kinematics involves computing End Effector orientation and position provided with a set of joint angles. In this paper we used Denavit Hartenberg D-H to model links and joints of the Robotic arm. Because of simplicity of design and control, reliability and safety Pneumatic robotic arm is very commonly used in industries for part handling and pick and place purpose and it is also used in laboratory for training purposes.
Risk taking in young Hispanic children.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine risk taking and daring behavior in preschool-age Hispanic children. The study sought to describe aspects of children's personality, behavior, and culture that may inform us of their propensity to take risks that lead to injuries. METHOD: Forty-five children (4 to 5 years of age) and their parents, drawn from a primary care practice, participated in the study. Instruments completed by the families included the Acculturation Scale. Child Shyness Report, Injury Report, and the Injury Behavior Checklist. Children were interviewed about risk taking and daring behavior using a projective technique (Child Sensation Seeking Profile). RESULTS: These children, irrespective of gender and socioeconomic status, reported similar rates of daring and risk taking behavior. Injury behaviors were not predicted by personality profiles of shyness or the child's self-report of risk taking and daring behavior. Actual injuries increased with higher levels of acculturation, but children's injury behaviors reported by parents were low in comparison with other populations. Discrepancies were observed between parental perception and report of children's injury behavior and children's expressed preferences in some domains of daring and risky behavior. DISCUSSION: Primary care providers must consider ethnic differences in rates and causes of injury when developing interventions and injury prevention programs. PNPs can use these findings to better meet the health promotion goals of Healthy Children 2000. Language: en
Police officers as change agents in police reform

The organization of police departments along hierarchical, classic management lines makes it difficult for departmental leadership to tackle commonly-experienced internal problems, so as to improve performance and enhance morale. The main reason for this fact is that top-down reform invites resistances from rank-and-file officers who feel that their views have been disregarded. By contrast, interventions can gain considerable credibility if officers are enlisted as change agents, encouraging them to get involved in the design and implementation of change. This approach not only reduces opposition to innovation but results in congruent change by harnessing the experience of officers who are targets of reform. As a case in point, we review a pioneering effort to reduce the use of excessive force in a metropolitan police department which was successfully implemented by a group of patrol officers, prominently including problem officers.
Metabolic effects of implantable steroid contraceptives for women.

Abstract The metabolic impact of progestin-only contraceptives is less than that of combined oral contraceptives. Subdermal contraceptive implant systems that provide a sustained release of low levels of progestins are now becoming widely available. This review evaluates the metabolic effects of currently available products that release the progestins levonorgestrel (Norplant, Jadelle, and their Chinese equivalents); etonogestrel (Implanon); nomegestrol acetate (Uniplant); and Nestorone, formally called ST-1435 (Nestorone implant/Elcometrine). Data on liver, kidney, and renal function; carbohydrates and insulin release; hemostasis; blood pressure; and lipids are considered. The metabolic effects reported for these methods as a whole were minimal. Any changes were generally within the normal range for the populations studied and, therefore, are unlikely to be of clinical significance. However, all published studies have been conducted in healthy populations of women. To inform clinical practice, the field would be well served to have additional empiric data from well-designed, well-implemented, and well-reported trials in women who are deemed to be at elevated risk for certain diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
A versatile and sensitive tritium-based radioassay for measuring hydrogenase activity in aquatic sediments

We present a method for the measurement of hydrogenase (H2ase) activity in aquatic sediments. The assay is based on the H2ase-mediated isotopic exchange between dissolved molecular hydrogen (H2) and water. A slurry of sediment material is incubated with a tritiated hydrogen (HT) headspace in a glass syringe on a rotary shaker. The method includes a procedure for preparing HT from radiolabeled sodium borohydride, which is a useful alternative to purchasing HT directly. A method for measuring HT specific activity based on liquid scintillation counting is also presented. Validation tests were run using live and frozen cultures of Clostridium pasteurianum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris, and freshly collected marine sediments. Adherence to Michaelis-Menten kinetics was demonstrated. An interassay coefficient of variation of 15% was determined using frozen C. pasteurianum cultures as reference material. Serial dilutions of cultures and sediments showed that measured H2ase activity scales with cell concentration, and indicate that the method can detect C. pasteurianum cell concentrations of between 300 and 3000 cells/ ml. This technique allows measurement of H2ase activity in a variety of environmental samples, and will be particularly useful in the study of deep marine sediments with low microbial activity. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.