cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dilated Perivascular Spaces

A perivascular space (PVS) or a Virchow-Robin space is a typically narrow tract that is the drainage pathway for the cerebral parenchyma. As there is no lymphatic system within the cerebrum, the PVSs drain interstitial/extracellular fluid peripherally outward to the subarachnoid space (SAS) but are thought not to communicate directly with the SAS. PVSs are also termed Virchow-Robin spaces, which surround small perforating arteries in multiple locations. They have also been described as potential spaces created by leptomeninges that penetrate the cerebral parenchyma and surround blood vessels. The literature suggests that tiny, normal PVSs may be seen in up to 80 % of the pediatric population, while irregular or ectatic PVSs (status cribrosum) may be noted in 1–2 %. However, on standard imaging, slightly prominent PVSs are visible in 33 % of patients greater than or equal to 65 years of age.
ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND MULTIFUNCTIONALITY IN VILLAGES OF DALMATIAN ZAGORA IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST CENTURY

More and more keeps encouraging and developing the organic production, based on natural methods, whose products, as healthy safer, are increasingly demanded on the market. This production is simultaneously in compliance with environment preservation and contributes to affirmation of generally accepted concept of sustainable development. The model of agriculture multifunctionality, adequate for improvement of rural development, has been accepted in EU, as integral part of its agrarian policy. As such, it is supported by budget sources both in countries – candidates and future candidates for EU membership, including Serbia. Here forgets that the multifunctionality method, observed in frames of economic activities diversification, in villages in this region, has existed since ever, as well as total agricultural production in those areas, until few decades ago, had represented organic production. Tradition and experience in application of organic production method in agriculture and development of multifunctional activities in the villages have been represented in this paper according to the author's memory on '50s of past Century and practice of village Otisic's inhabitants, located in Dalmatian Zagora, and had been turned into ashes and practically vanished.
GLMs and GAMs

This chapter contains some extensions of the multiple linear regression model. See Definition 1.1 for the 1D regression model , sufficient predictor (SP = h(x)), estimated sufficient predictor (\(ESP =\hat{ h}(\mathbf{x})\)), generalized linear model (GLM), and the generalized additive model (GAM). When using a GAM to check a GLM, the notation ESP may be used for the GLM, and EAP (estimated additive predictor ) may be used for the ESP of the GAM. Definition 1.2 defines the response plot of ESP versus Y.
Self-Acceptance Group Therapy: A Transdiagnostic, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Shame

Abstract Shame has broad importance to psychological problems. However, few interventions specifically address shame, and most of these have been designed to target shame in the context of particular disorders. Self-Acceptance Group Therapy (SAGT) was developed as a transdiagnostic shame-focused treatment, based on a cognitive-behavioral framework. SAGT is an 8-week treatment that involves psychoeducation and training in the use of cognitive and behavioral shame regulation and support-building skills in order to promote self-acceptance. After describing SAGT, the study presented used an open trial design to examine the utility of SAGT for addressing shame, self-acceptance, quality of life, and relevant psychological problems (e.g., depression, social anxiety). Twenty-four outpatients with elevated shame were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up. By post-treatment, results revealed significant improvements in self-acceptance, shame, and borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms among treatment completers ( n = 18), with all of these improvements maintained at follow-up. Additionally, significant improvements in quality of life, emotion dysregulation, depression, loneliness, and stress were observed at follow-up. Results provide preliminary support for SAGT’s utility in the treatment of shame and related pathology among diverse outpatients.
An Automatic Measurement of Density of Polyethylene

Abstract The density, p, is a very important parameter for the characterization of polyethylenes (PE). Usually, p, is measured using a density gradient column, on a small piece taken from a plaque which is prepared according to ASTM standards. Here we present a new technique of measuring the density of PE, which is based on the propagation of ultrasonic waves in the standard (ASTM) plaques of PE. While the acoustic method has an accuracy equivalent to that of the standard method, it also possesses a number of advantages: it is easy to use, foolproof, reliable, repetitive and nondestructive. Above all, the measurement is automatic and rapid (30 sec.). The basic principle of the measurement will be described and results will be shown. The theoretical foundation will be discussed on the grounds of a model for the elastic moduli of multiphase media.
The Jeremiah Metzger Lecture. Humanities in medicine: treatment of a deficiency disorder.

Abstract Al Jonson pointed out that Sir William Osler provided one of the best rationales for Humanities in Medicine (21, 65). In 1919, in one of Sir William's last lectures given just a few months prior to his death, a lecture to the British Classical Society, he discussed how the sciences and the humanities can inform each other. He compared the humanities to thyroid hormone-thyroxine had just been discovered in 1914-"a hormone...," Sir William said, "...which lubricates the wheels of life...Deprive man of the lubricants ... and ... he sinks into dementia..." And so to the Classical Society, Sir William said, "You secrete materials which do for society at large what the thyroid gland does for the individual. The humanities are the hormones..." And Al Jonsen suggested that we in Medicine reaffirm Sir William's metaphor that the humanities are the hormones which will do for medicine what they do for society at large.
Effects of Annual Droughts on Fish Communities in Mississippi Sound Estuaries

The Mississippi coastal region has two major rivers and four smaller rivers influencing the estuaries that make up the Mississippi Sound. The islands off Mississippi create a barrier which allows the area to be a widespread, productive estuarine region. With such a dependence on discharge from the drainages, it is important to understand the effect of salinity regimes on fish communities. Drought conditions in other regions have been shown to dramatically change the fish community structure. We used the long running Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program database (2006–2014) within Mississippi state waters and compared yearly fish communities between drought and non-drought years. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS), Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM), and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) were used to compare drought and non-drought conditions in the Mississippi Sound. During 2006 and 2007, which were identified as drought years by the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), differences in fish community structure were identified and compared to non-drought years (2008–2009 and 2011–2014). The ISA identified a total of eight species that were significantly influenced by drought years. Of the eight species, the abundance of seven species significantly decreased while the abundance of one species significantly increased. With an increasing human population in central and south Mississippi, pressure on freshwater resources is likely to increase, resulting in possible changes in the fish community dynamics of the Mississippi Sound. Understanding the influence of decreased river discharges will assist managers in determining the impacts of freshwater withdrawals during base flow periods.
Muléykeh: A Sufi Parable

In Muleykeh, Browning extended his collaboration with the Arabist Sir Charles Lyall to include explicit Arabic themes, versification (especially his unique version of anapaestic meter akin to rajaz), and meanings of names, people, and places. By the time Browning wrote Muleykeh, he was fully conversant with ancient Arabian poetry and prosody largely due to his acquaintance with Lyall. A possible source of inspiration for Muleykeh is Rollo Springfield’s Arabian tale that forms Muleykeh’s backbone, albeit with significant variations. Browning also telescopes material from at least six pre-Islamic poems, sent to him by Lyall, into Muleykeh. In Muleykeh, Browning turns an ancient Arabian tale into a mystical, profoundly moral parable, a Sufi-type tale, by delving into an Arab’s relationship with his horse.
The Prostate Stem Cell Niche

Stem cells reside in a localized region called a niche where interactions with surrounding cells, especially stromal cells, maintain stem cell quiescence and multipotency and guide their transition to proliferation and differentiation. The mouse prostate stem cell niche has been localized to the proximal region of the gland, while the human niche is more diffuse. Stromal cells that may contribute signals to the niche include smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, Schwann cells, and adipocytes. Signaling molecules that the stromal cells and stem cells use to communicate with each other include members of the BMP/TGF-­s, Wnt/s-catenin, FGF, notch, hedgehog, and ephrin signaling pathways. Imbalances in signaling between the stroma and stem cells in the niche can lead to excessive proliferation of both epithelial and stromal components. Knowledge of the specific signals used and their source and targets may help decipher the complex interactions that keep prostate stem cells functioning normally and result in targeted therapies for treating benign and malignant prostatic proliferation.
Book Review: La Côte d’Ivoire, la France et leur Crise

Depuis la fin des anns 1980, lAfrique a connu des mouvements de docratisation que de nombreux observateurs et analystes ont attribuun certain vent venu de lEst, entretenant la fausse notion ou le mythe que les Africains, sous ernelle perfusion internationale, et souvent franise dans le cas de lAfrique francophone, ne peuvent ger par eux-mes leur an vers la libert une valeur fondamentale si universellement partag dont aucun peuple ne posse le monopole. La rliten est toute autre. Dans les pays africains secou par les mouvements docratiques, les syndicats de travailleurs, denseignants et douvriers, les udiants et es, les femmes, les partis politiques clandestins et officiels, et me larm se sont mobilis contre les pouvoirs arbitraires et corrompus. Ces derniers (Mobutu, Ahidjo et Biya, Bongo, Sassou Nguesso, etc.) ristaient avec succ lorsquils aient dendus et soutenus par des reaux europns et nord-amicains. Mais lorsquils aient anti-capitalistes et nationalistes, ils furent facilement balay par la bourrasque venue de louest, tant luilibre des forces ait davorable aux mouvements sociaux, luttant pour la docratie, la bonne gouvernance et la transparence.
Retroviruses of Birds

Avian retroviruses have been studied for 100 years. Avian leukosis viruses are simple retroviruses, which are endemic in flocks of domestic chickens. They cause B-cell lymphomas and other neoplastic diseases by insertional activation of host proto-oncogenes. Rous sarcoma virus has transduced a cellular src oncogene, which encodes a tyrosine kinase and causes sarcomas in vivo rapidly. Avian leukosis virus, subgroup J, caused myeloid leukosis and erythroblastosis in field isolates of meat chickens and was isolated in 1988. Chickens have substantially lower numbers of endogenous retroviruses in their germ lines than do mammals.
Effect of sexual debut on vaginal microbiota in a cohort of young women.

Background Bacterial vaginosis is uncommon in women who are virgins. We estimated effects of sexual debut on vaginal bacterial colonization.
Minimalist design for informal learning in community computing

We discuss the role and characteristics of informal learning in a community computing context. We argue that minimalist design can be adapted to the needs of community computing, and that its principles can be used to envision and develop community activities and technologies that promote active learning. We illustrate these ideas with several community computing projects that exemplify how to embed learning in meaningful activities, enable learners to make progress quickly, promote thinking and inference, evoke and leverage prior knowledge, and support error recognition and recovery. We conclude with a discussion of how minimalism might be used more broadly to guide the design of community computing systems and activities.
Definition and Methodologies

The study of the induction and regulation of cell differentiation may hold the key to many current health problems, including oncogenesis and neurological diseases. There are two aspects of neural differentiation: (1) induction mechanisms and (2) regulatory mechanisms. The differentiation of nerve cells from presumptive epidermis involves the induction of many differentiated functions unique to nerve cells. The process of induction involves extensive modification of gene expression, i.e., activation and deactiviation of certain genes, as well as precise patterns of growth and organization. Regulatory mechanisms may be important in maximizing the expression of all differentiated functions in the fully mature neuron, and may thereby facilitate the structural organization of the cell. The level of some or all differentiated cellular functions may be regulated by mechanisms distinct in part from those involved in induction. The understanding of both induction and regulatory mechanisms is important. Although there are several experimental models with which to study regulatory mechanisms, none exists for the study of induction mechanisms in mammalian systems. Various cell culture systems undoubtedly provide relatively simple experimental models with which to study certain aspects of neural differentiation that are preferable to the study of intact organisms. However, the cells that compose these systems are already differentiated; therefore, one can only increase or decrease the expression of various differentiated functions through the use of external agents. Using currently available model systems, it has been possible to identify many molecules important in regulating the level of individual differentiated functions in mammalian nerve cells. Using primarily amphibian gastrulas, it has been possible to identify certain molecules that may be involved in inducing neural tissue in ectoblasts. Although genetic control is necessary for the differentiation of nerve cells, other (epigenetic) factors are required for subsequent normal development of neurons. Among these factors, intercellular communications, cellular interactions, and maternal and fetal circulation are the most important during prenatal development of nerve cells. After birth, however, the infant’s own internal and external environments play a vital role in regulating the expression of final stages in nerve cell differentiation. For example, sensory deprivation has catastrophic effects on the development of nerve cells in newborn mammals. The problem of cell differentiation in general and nerve cell differentiation in particular has been discussed in a number of symposia and monographs.1–12
Impact of 1st surgeon recommendation against CPM on patient treatment experiences and satisfaction.

6570Background: Surgeons are increasingly aware of the need to address growing patient interest in contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) after diagnosis of breast cancer. But they may be conc...
Circulating levels of cardiac troponin T are associated with coronary noncalcified plaque burden in HIV-infected adults: a pilot study.

HIV infection and/or antiretroviral therapy may increase the risk of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. However, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those without IV access cannot und...
Substrate Bias Effect on E-Mode GaN-on-Si HEMT Cos s Losses

Previous work found large Coss losses in GaN-on-Si HEMTs used in soft-switched, MHz-frequency power converters. Here, we use a back-gate bias between the source and Si substrate to investigate the capacitance characteristics of commercially-available GaN HEMTs. The small-signal capacitance is reduced significantly - up to 2 × for a 650 V HEMT and 4× for a 100 V HEMT - indicating that the drain-substrate capacitance is a significant portion of the total output capacitance. This portion of the capacitance appears responsible for trapping-detrapping with time constants on the order of seconds. We verify this by testing the 100 V GaN HEMT in the Sawyer-Tower circuit with negative substrate bias, finding that Coss losses are reduced by up to 30 % compared to the shorted substrate condition. Taken together, our findings indicate that the buffer-substrate stack is likely an important driver of Coss losses in GaN-on-Si HEMTs, and its optimization must be considered to efficiently use GaN HEMTs at high-frequencies. Traditional Coss measurements with the DC bias swept in both directions may give an indication of the relative level of trapping in this stack.
Size and Shape of the Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament and the Impact of Sex and Skeletal Growth: A Systematic Review

Background:High rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and surgical reconstruction in both skeletally immature and mature populations have led to many studies investigating the size and shape of the healthy ligament. The purposes of the present study were to compile existing quantitative m
Communication, Context, and Well-Being Among Military Couples

AbstractThe present study’s aims were to compare reports provided by deployed military husbands and their at-home wives of their communication and well-being during deployment, and to determine whe...
Energy harvesting using exoelectrogenic Shewanella oneidensis bacteria

ABSTRACTIn this study, we presented the results of experiments designed to harvest energy from a bioreactor where exoelectrogenic Shewanella oneidensis bacteria were inoculated in the electrolyte s...
Using the Engaging Parents in Education for Discharge (ePED) iPad Application to Improve Parent Discharge Experience

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of the Engaging Parents in Education for Discharge (ePED) iPad application on parent experiences of hospital discharge teaching and care coordination. Hypotheses were: parents exposed to discharge teaching using ePED will have 1) higher quality of discharge teaching and 2) better care coordination than parents exposed to usual discharge teaching. The secondary purpose examined group differences in the discharge teaching, care coordination, and 30-day readmissions for parents of children with and without a chronic condition. Design/Methods Using a quasi-experimental design, ePED was implemented on one inpatient unit (n = 211) and comparison group (n = 184) from a separate unit at a pediatric academic medical center. Patient experience outcome measures collected on day of discharge included Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale-Delivery (QDTS-D) and care coordination measured by Care Transition Measure (CTM). Thirty-day readmission was abstracted from records. Results Parents taught using ePED reported higher QDTS-D scores than parents without ePED (p = .002). No differences in CTM were found between groups. Correlations between QDTS-D and CTM were small for ePED (r = 0.14, p 0.03) and non-ePED (r = 0.29, p Conclusion The use of ePED by the discharging nurse enhances parent-reported quality of discharge teaching. Practice implications The ePED app is a theory-based structured conversation guide to engage parents in discharge preparation. Nursing implementation of ePED contributes to optimizing the patient/family healthcare experience.
Urban Amphibians of the Texas Panhandle: Baseline Inventory and Habitat Associations in a Drought Year

Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation due to urbanization are implicated in amphibian declines worldwide. Conservation efforts require information on resident species and their habitat interactions, but amphibian ecology is largely unstudied in urban centers of the Southern High Plains. Here, we gathered baseline data on amphibian presence, species richness, and habitat preferences at site-specific and landscape scales during a severe drought year in the city of Lubbock, in northwestern Texas. Ephemeral playa wetlands are characteristic of this landscape. During urbanization, these have been extensively modifiied for stormwater drainage, agriculture, and construction of roads, buildings and neighborhoods. A semi-arid climate with frequent droughts, together with urbanization, could have an adverse effect on resident amphibians. In 2011, we sampled 23 urban lakes for amphibian presence, using a combination of audio, visual, and larval surveys. We detected five amphibian species at seven lakes; Texas Toads (Anaxyrus speciosus) and Spotted Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris clarkii) were the most frequently encountered species. We found significant negative effects of nearby road density on amphibian species presence and richness. We also detected significant negative effects of basic pH on amphibian species richness. These data can be used for prioritizing lakes for amphibian conservation strategies, to monitor ecosystem function in urban wetlands, and to guide future development and restoration efforts.
Effect of calcium sulfoaluminate cement prehydration on hydration and strength gain of calcium sulfoaluminate cement-ordinary portland cement mixtures

Abstract In this work, the negative impacts of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement prehydration on hydration and strength gain are investigated. CSA cement in three different states – virgin, prehydrated, and prehydrated and sieved were tested. Cement paste mixtures were made with three levels of ordinary portland cement (OPC) – 0%, 30%, and 70% (indicating the percentage of OPC in total cementitious material) at a water-to-cementitious materials ratio of 0.40. CSA cement prehydration causes an increase in the particle size measured by laser diffraction, the presence of elongated particles in the electron micrograph, and the detection of hydrated and carbonated phases using thermogravimetric analysis. Prehydration of CSA cement has detrimental effects on hydration and strength gain on CSA-OPC mixtures, with exact effects depending strongly on the OPC level in the cement paste. In mixtures with 70% OPC, the effect of prehydration is pronounced – heat release of the mixture with virgin CSA cement at seven days is 33% higher than in the mixture with prehydrated CSA cement and the corresponding strength at 28 days is 196% higher. Relationships between heat release, bound water, and compressive strength and the effect of prehydration on these relationships were also explored. Sieving the prehydrated CSA cement before use presents some limited benefits in the reducing the detrimental effects of prehydration.
The Age Profile of Life-satisfaction After Age 65 in the U.S.

Abstract Although income and wealth are frequently used as indicators of well-being, they are increasingly augmented with subjective measures such as life satisfaction to capture broader dimensions of the well-being of individuals. Based on large surveys of individuals, life satisfaction in cross-section often is found to increase with age beyond retirement into advanced old age. It may seem puzzling that average life satisfaction does not decline at older ages because older individuals are more likely to experience chronic or acute health conditions, or the loss of a spouse. Accordingly, this empirical pattern has been called the “paradox of well-being.” We examine the age profile of life satisfaction of the U.S. population age 65 or older in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and find that in cross-section it increases between age 65 and 71 and is flat thereafter; but based on the longitudinal dimension of the HRS, life satisfaction significantly declines with age and the rate of decline accelerates with age. We reconcile the cross-section and longitudinal measurements by showing that both differential mortality and differential non-response bias the cross-sectional age profile upward: individuals with higher life satisfaction and in better health tend to live longer, and, among survivors, individuals with higher life satisfaction are more likely to remain in the survey, masking the decline in life satisfaction experienced by individuals as they age. We conclude that the optimistic view about increasing life satisfaction at older ages based on cross-sectional data is not warranted.
Impact of casein- versus grain-based diets on rat renal sodium transporters' abundance and regulation.

Hypertension-related mortality is on the rise, and evidence ranks hypertension as the top global disease burden and thus, an important public health challenge (1). A component of the hypertension trend can be assigned to lifestyle trends including consumption of higher-sodium/lower-potassium diets, suggesting that reducing these trends could reduce the incidence of hypertension (1⇓⇓–4). For these reasons, definition of molecular mechanisms connecting dietary electrolyte consumption to BP is essential. Preclinical studies varying electrolyte intake in rodents utilize synthetic casein-based chows in which the composition ( e.g ., sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate) can be well defined. However, in studies not focused on diet, rodents are usually bred, maintained, and studied on grain-based chow. A few studies have noted an effect of chow composition on renal function. For example, maintaining and breeding Dahl salt-sensitive rats on grain chow blunts the offspring’s propensity to develop hypertension and renal injury when fed high-salt casein chow compared with offspring of Dahl rats bred and maintained on casein chow (5), and doubling dietary protein composition of high-salt casein chow exacerbates hypertension, renal damage, and immune infiltration (6). Recent experiments in our group revealed a significant effect of casein chow versus grain chow on the abundance of rat renal sodium transporters (transporters, channels, and claudins) along the nephron both at baseline and in response to the angiotensin II infusion model of hypertension (AngII-HTN). We previously reported that distal Na-Cl cotransporter (NCC) was stimulated during AngII-HTN in …
Regional variations in prevalence and severity of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in the United States.

To evaluate geographic variation in the prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in the US, including ADPKD at risk of rapid progression.Claims data from the IBM MarketSca...
Recent Advances in Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering for Building and Translation of Biological Systems

In January of 2020, the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)- Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) conference was held in Puerto Rico and themed "Vision 2020: Emerging Technologies to Elucidate the Rule of Life." The annual BME-CMBE conference gathered worldwide leaders and discussed successes and challenges in engineering biological systems and their translation. The goal of this report is to present the research frontiers in this field and provide perspectives on successful engineering and translation towards the clinic. We hope that this report serves as a constructive guide in shaping the future of research and translation of engineered biological systems.
NEH Panel: A Model for Philosophers

Cross-disciplinary research (CDR) is an increasingly important part of the contemporary research ‘landscape’. Despite its growing importance there remain a large number of barriers to successful CDR and many of these barriers are poorly understood. In particular there are challenges at the conceptual and communicative levels that have received relatively little attention. In this paper it is argued that these challenges are appropriate topics of analysis for philosophers. Appropriate methodologies for such an inquiry are considered and the case is made that agent based models (ABM’s) are an appropriate and under utilized resource. Current research using an ABM approach to philosophical issues in CDR is then described.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A PURIFIED HEAT-STABLE ALDOLASE

Thompson, P. J. (University of Nebraska, Lincoln) and T. L. Thompson. Some characteristics of a purified heat-stable aldolase. J. Bacteriol. 84:694-700. 1962-Aldolase from a thermophilic strain of bacteria was obtained in a state of high purity. Heat studies of purified aldolases from cells cultivated at 45 and 65 C showed them equally stable at 70 C for 1 hr. Metal-ion and chelate studies indicated that thermal aldolase is metal ion-independent. Carboxypeptidase did not alter activity or specificity. The enzyme was specific for fructose-1,6-diphosphate. Hydrazine was found inhibitory in the assay procedure. The inhibition was independent of pH over the range of H(+) concentrations tested and was reversed by dialysis against water.
Engine Of Innovation: Building the High Performance Catalog

Numerous studies have indicated the sophisticated web-based search engines have eclipsed the primary importance of the library catalog as the premier tool for researchers in Higher education. We submit that the catalog remains central to the research process. Through a series of strategic enhancements, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in partnership with the other members of the Triangle Research Libraries Network, has made the catalog a carrier of services in addition to bibliographic data, facilitating not simply discovery but also delivery of the information researchers seek.
What constitutes evidence of complex reasoning in science

The U. S. priority on testing and accountability challenges school administrators to adopt, adapt or develop assessment systems that provide concrete evidence in particular subject matter areas such as science. Curricular programs emphasizing constructivist learning approaches and complex reasoning such as scientific inquiry are often not well matched to the assessment instruments used to evaluate them, such as standardized or off-the-shelf tests. As a result, educational researchers are sometimes torn between supporting curricular activities that promote complex reasoning and supporting high-stakes tests designed to emphasize facts and conceptual knowledge development over higher-order reasoning. This paper presents results from the first year of a research program to develop and evaluate curricular/assessment systems emphasizing complex reasoning in science. Results provide information for new models of assessment systems that complement high-stakes tests as they address the question, what constitutes evidence of complex reasoning in science?
Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies Identifies Genetic Risk Factors for Stroke in African Americans

Background and Purpose— The majority of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of stroke have focused on European-ancestry populations; however, none has been conducted in African Americans, despite the disproportionately high burden of stroke in this population. The Consortium of Minority Population Genome-Wide Association Studies of Stroke (COMPASS) was established to identify stroke susceptibility loci in minority populations. Methods— Using METAL, we conducted meta-analyses of GWAS in 14 746 African Americans (1365 ischemic and 1592 total stroke cases) from COMPASS, and tested genetic variants with P −6 for validation in METASTROKE, a consortium of ischemic stroke genetic studies in European-ancestry populations. We also evaluated stroke loci previously identified in European-ancestry populations. Results— The 15q21.3 locus linked with lipid levels and hypertension was associated with total stroke (rs4471613; P =3.9×10 −8 ) in African Americans. Nominal associations ( P −6 ) for total or ischemic stroke were observed for 18 variants in or near genes implicated in cell cycle/mRNA presplicing ( PTPRG , CDC5L ), platelet function ( HPS4 ), blood–brain barrier permeability ( CLDN17 ), immune response ( ELTD1, WDFY4 , and IL1F10-IL1RN ), and histone modification ( HDAC9 ). Two of these loci achieved nominal significance in METASTROKE: 5q35.2 ( P =0.03), and 1p31.1 ( P =0.018). Four of 7 previously reported ischemic stroke loci ( PITX2, HDAC9, CDKN2A/CDKN2B , and ZFHX3 ) were nominally associated ( P Conclusions— We identified a novel genetic variant associated with total stroke in African Americans and found that ischemic stroke loci identified in European-ancestry populations may also be relevant for African Americans. Our findings support investigation of diverse populations to identify and characterize genetic risk factors, and the importance of shared genetic risk across populations.
Contact patterns in the trapeziometacarpal joint: The role of the palmar beak ligament

Twenty-three cadaver forearm specimens were mounted on a Plexiglas acrylic plastic base for study of the trapeziometacarpal joint. Extrinsic and intrinsic motors were loaded to simulate lateral pinch, and pressure-sensitive film was used to record joint contact patterns in various functional positions. The palmar compartment of the trapeziometacarpal joint was the primary contact area during flexion adduction of the thumb ray in lateral pinch. Simulation of dynamic pinch and release produced dorsal enlargement of the contact pattern, suggesting physiologic translation of the metacarpal on the trapezium. Detachment of the palmar beak ligament resulted in dorsal translation of the contact area, producing a pattern similar to that of cartilage degeneration seen in the osteoarthritic joint. End-stage osteoarthritic specimens had a nonfunctional beak ligament and demonstrated a pathologic total contact pattern of joint congruity that was unaffected by further manipulations of the beak ligament. This work defines the contact patterns in the normal and diseased trapeziometacarpal joint and establishes the important influence of the palmar beak ligament on those contact areas.
The loyalty construct: Hirschman and beyond

Six papers drawing on Hirschman's (1970) Exit, Voice, and Loyalty model are discussed with regard to two themes: (a) relationship to the original work (specifically focusing on variations in the definition and operationalization of the “loyalty” component), and (b) the development of the loyalty construct itself. A concerted effort is called for to pursue a better understanding of loyalty, including an improved appreciation of the depth and breadth of the construct, its antecedents and outcomes, and its operationalizations in organizational settings.
Comments on “Measuring Progress Towards Social Goals: Some Possibilities at National and Local Levels”

Comments on Terleckyj, N. E. 1970. Measuring progress towards social goals: some possibilities at national and local levels. Management Sci.1612, August B-765--B-778.
Equilibrium species concentrations in the aqueous HCl-NaCl-ZnCl2 and HCl-NaCl-CdCl2 systems: The effect of ionic strength

Abstract Using concentration equilibrium constant data for a variety of ionic strengths, equilibrium solution speciations were calculated for aqueous HCl-NaCl-ZnCl 2 and HCl-NaCl-CdCl 2 systems. The effect of choosing inappropriate equilibrium constant values was found to be most significant for minor species. With equilibrium constants determined for ionic strengths different than that of the actual system, it is still possible to compute the concentrations of the major species quite accurately. Except at high chloride concentrations, ZnCl 3 − and ZnCl 4 - were the important zinc species; with a large excess of ligand, ZnCl 4 - becomes dominant. CdCl 3 − and CdCl 4 - were both important under all conditions investigated. All other zinc and cadmium species were of lesser importance.
Heuristics for trie index minimization

A trie is a digital search tree in which leaves correspond to records in a file. Searching proceeds from the root to a leaf, where the edge taken at each node depends on the value of an attribute in the query. Trie implementations have the advantage of being fast, but the disadvantage of achieving that speed at great expense in storage space. Of primary concern in making a trie practical, therefore, is the problem of minimizing storage requirements. One method for reducing the space required is to reorder attribute testing. Unfortunately, the problem of finding an ordering which guarantees a minimum-size trie is NP-complete. In this paper we investigate several heuristics for reordering attributes, and derive bounds on the sizes of the worst tries produced by them in terms of the underlying file. Although the analysis is presented for a binary file, extensions to files of higher degree are shown. Another alternative for reducing the space required by a trie is an implementation, called an O-trie, in which the order of attribute testing is contained in the trie itself. We show that for most applications, O-tries are smaller than other implementations of tries, even when heuristics for improving storage requirements are employed.
Review of Protein Status and Body Composition After Gastric Bypass Surgery and Very-Low-Calorie Diet Therapy

Weight loss after gastric bypass surgery is induced by severe restriction of stomach capacity causing reduction in overall food intake and malabsorption of nutrients by bypassing the proximal intestine. Although relatively infrequent, protein malnutrition after gastric bypass has been reported in the literature. Definitive data are lacking on the optimal amount of dietary protein to minimize risk of protein malnutrition and to support optimal body composition changes during the rapid weight loss after surgery. This review explores the prevalence of protein malnutrition in gastric bypass patients and investigates if there is an optimal protein intake that could maximize preservation of lean body mass during rapid weight loss. The impact of diet composition on body composition changes during rapid weight loss are explored through a selected review of the literature on very low calorie diets.
Remote sensing for bridge health monitoring

This paper addresses the potential applications of commercial remote sensing (CRS) technologies for bridge monitoring. High resolution optical-photonic images can provide bridge damage information including through-deck collision damages, large permanent deformations, overload cracking and surface erosions, as well as surrounding environmental information. This paper summaries bridge issues that can be detected from high resolution remote sensing imageries based on visual interpretation as guidance for remote sensing imagery based bridge inspection, and the development of future automatic detection methods. A LiDAR based automatic bridge evaluation system LiBE (LiDAR Bridge Evaluation) is introduced in this paper with an application example of a test bridge maintained by the Los Angeles County (CA) Department of Public Works. Laser scanning techniques have also been used for bridge load testing in a new bridge near Charlotte, NC and maintained by the North Carolina DOT. The primary results of these preliminary tests are also presented. Remote sensing techniques are introduced as a supplement to the existing, required visual bridge inspections.
Telecommunications education: requirements and alternatives

Abstract Telecommunications is in a period of turmoil caused by rapid regulatory and technological change and business growth. This article examines the telecommunications professionals' responsibilities and the educational requirements of the industry, and discusses the educational alternatives. It presents Northeastern University's telecommunications program in detail.
A feedback system for steering and correcting the energy of the SLAC beam in the beam switchyard

Abstract This system provides closed loop feedback position and energy steering of the SLAC beam line ‘A’. The position monitoring and control mechanisms include four pairs of non-intercepting position monitors, four corresponding steering magnet pairs, and two non-intercepting charge monitors. The energy monitoring and control mechanism consists of a position monitor placed where the beam's horizontal displacement is proportional to its momentum, and a device for controlling the energy contribution to the beam of two of the accelerator klystrons. All of these are read and set by CAMAC modules accessible to an LSI-11 microcomputer which performs the feedback control.
Comparison of five assays for detection of Clostridium difficile toxin

Performance characteristics of five assays for detection of Clostridium difficile toxin were compared using fresh stool samples from patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). Assays were performed simultaneously and according to the manufacturers' instructions. Patients were included in the study if they exhibited clinical symptoms consistent with CDI. Nonmolecular assays included glutamate dehydrogenase antigen tests, with positive findings followed by the Premier Toxin A and B Enzyme Immunoassay (GDH/EIA), and the C. Diff Quik Chek Complete test. Molecular assays (PCR) included the BD GeneOhm Cdiff Assay, the Xpert C. difficile test, and the ProGastro Cd assay. Specimens were considered true positive if results were positive in two or more assays. For each method, the Youden index was calculated and cost-effectiveness was analyzed. Of 81 patients evaluated, 26 (32.1%) were positive for CDI. Sensitivity of the BD GeneOhm Cdiff assay, the Xpert C. difficile test, the ProGastro Cd assay, C. Diff Quik Chek Complete test, and two-step GDH/EIA was 96.2%, 96.2%, 88.5%, 61.5%, and 42.3%, respectively. Specificity of the Xpert C. difficile test was 96.4%, and for the other four assays was 100%. Compared with nonmolecular methods, molecular methods detected 34.7% more positive specimens. Assessment of performance characteristics and cost-effectiveness demonstrated that the BD GeneOhm Cdiff assay yielded the best results. While costly, the Xpert C. difficile test required limited processing and yielded rapid results. Because of discordant results, specimen processing, and extraction equipment requirements, the ProGastro Cd assay was the least favored molecular assay. The GDH/EIA method lacked sufficient sensitivity to be recommended.
Exploring the Relative Importance of Spatial and Environmental Variation on the Craniometrics of the Modern Portuguese

Previous research on the causes of craniometric variation within and among human populations has invoked both genetic and environmental explanations. Recent studies of modern populations in the United States and Portugal, among other populations, suggest that changes in environmental conditions have resulted in significant changes in cranial morphology. While similar changes in cranial morphology have been observed in genetically diverse populations, these populations do not appear to be converging on a common form. This study seeks to understand the role that population history and environmental variation play in explaining craniometric variation in the modern Portuguese. Using three-dimensional craniometric data collected from an identified skeletal collection from Lisbon, Portugal, this research examines the relationship between cranial morphology and place of birth. Two hypotheses are tested with regard to craniometric variation. The first asks whether phenotypic variation is related to geographic distance in the sample and therefore accurately represents genetic relationships. The second explores whether the significant secular changes observed in the sample obscure the population history reconstructed using craniometric data. The results demonstrate a significant relationship between geography and cranial morphology in the modern Portuguese sample. The clinal distribution to the craniometric variation is similar to what has been reported in some studies of molecular DNA from the Portuguese. The results show that cranial morphology reflects both the geography and genetic history of the sample and, furthermore, that secular changes in the population neither obscure nor erase this pattern. This study illustrates that even when secular changes have a significant impact on cranial morphology, they do not impede researchers' ability to reconstruct genetic relationships using craniometric data.
Technique for rapid, permanent documentation of intracerebral electrode sites.

Abstract Formalin fixed brains are blocked and frozen in 20% polyethylene glycol 6000. The blocks are oriented and 50 to 150 μ thick sections are cut to expose electrode tracts. An appropriate unstained section is mounted in glycerol-saline on a slide. The section is obliquely transilluminated from below and photographed on Polaroid film using a camera fitted with an extension bellows and macro lens. The total time required to obtain a permanent record of a selected section is less than five minutes. No darkroom facilities are required.
ACUTE ENCEPHALOPATHY WITH LIVER DYSFUNCTION, CHYLOUS ASCITES, AND CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION. A CASE REPORT

A patient with acute encephalopathy and liver dysfunction, followed by acute chylous ascites, is described. Titers of cytomegalovirus (CMV) increased from less than 1:2 to 1:32 during the illness, and CMV was Isolated from the urine by use of preparations of WI-38 tissue culture. The CMV infection probably was not a hospital-acquired infection because the titers were significantly increasing when the abdominal distentIon, due to the chylous ascites, was seen. This is the first recorded case possibly linking CMV with acute encephalopathy and liver dysfunction. Thus, CMV should be included in the growing list of viruses that can produce this disorder. A liver biopsy was not done. The clinical findings suggested the diagnosis of a variant of Reye-Johnson syndrome. Also, the enlargement of the patient's abdominal lymph nodes, as seen on lymphangiogram, could have resulted in severe obstruction to the abdominal lymphatic flow, producing a transudation of lymph into the peritoneal cavity. This is the first recorded case of acute chylous ascites associated with mesenteric lymphadenitis in which the causative virus may have been isolated.
Radiation damage effects in candidate titanates for Pu disposition: Pyrochlore

Abstract Laboratory experiments on titanate ceramics were performed to verify whether certain assumptions are valid regarding the swelling, chemical durability, and microcracking that might occur as 239Pu decays. Titanate ceramics are the material of choice for the immobilization of surplus weapons-grade Pu. The short-lived isotope 238Pu, was incorporated into the ceramic formulation to accelerate the effects of radiation-induced damage. We report on the effects of this damage on the density (volumetric swelling
Atmospheric oscillations on Mars

Les donnees barometriques recueillies par la sonde Viking lors de son atterrissage sur Mars revelent des oscillations quotidiennes liees a des variations saisonnieres deja etudiees
Corrosion of glasses and glass-ceramics

Abstract Recent work concerning the leaching behavior of nuclear waste forms is reviewed. Major emphasis is devoted to glass and glass-ceramics, and the five types of surfaces that determine the durability of these materials are discussed. An experimental approach is presented which enables one to predict the stability of glass and glass-ceramics waste forms exposed to a wide range of environments. The method is based upon a theoretical correlation of changes in thickness to leached layers and changes in solution pH with given changes in the ratio of surface area (SA) exposed to specific solution volumes (V). The validity of this method is tested by comparing results for a range of silicate glass compositions. The effects of glass homogeneity, crystallization, and contact with various geological materials on glass corrosion behavior are also examined.