cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial maturity and interpersonal attraction

Abstract Psychosocial maturity (PSM), assessed by scores on the Inventory of Psychosocial Development, was related to interpersonal behavior. In Experiment I PSM and proportion of attitude similarity was varied using Byrne's attraction paradigm in a between-subjects design. The personality variable failed to affect attraction. In Experiment II PSM and proportion of attitude similarity were manipulated in a within-subjects design. High PSM subjects rated the stranger significantly higher in attraction at high levels of similarity and significantly lower in attraction at low levels of similarity when compared to Low PSM individuals. The results were discussed in terms of design differences in personality research and potential mechanisms by which PSM affects attraction (self-esteem and/or competence).
A new hadrosaur (Reptilia, Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana

ABSTRACT The Family Hadrosauridae as commonly understood is here considered diphyletic on the basis of a cladistic analysis, and the two previously recognized subfamilies are raised to family status. The Hadrosauridae are more closely related to Iguanodon bernissartensis, whereas the Lambeosauridae are more closely related to Ouranosaurus nigeriensis. A new species of hadrosaurid, Brachylophosaurus goodwini, is named on the basis of a partial skull and skeleton collected from the Judith River Formation of north-central Montana. This species is characterized by frontal depressions and a depressed nasal arch. The posterolateral border of the nasal contributes to a portion of the anteromedial part of the orbit, a condition that may also exist in several other hadrosaur species. The specimen and the sediments from which it was collected support previous indications that the fauna and paleoenvironment of the Judith River Formation of Montana were considerably different from those of the Judith River Formation ...
Expanding the Postpartum Depression Construct Using a Social Work Paradigm

This paper describes and evaluates current definitions and models of postpartum depression. Research on prevalence, risk and resiliency factors is reviewed. A more comprehensive approach to postpartum mood disorders is proposed. The “Model Assessing Maternal Adjustment” (MAMA) is based on the biopsychosocial approach of social work and can be utilized for both client self-assessment and clinical assessments by professionals across various disciplines. The MAMA approach moves beyond sole focus on depressive symptoms to include anxiety symptoms and bipolar disorders and lengthens the time frame to include the pregnancy through the first year postpartum.
Crossreactivity of a human autoimmune TCR is dominated by a single TCR loop

Self-reactive CD4 T cells are thought to have a central role in the pathogenesis of many chronic inflammatory human diseases. Microbial peptides can activate self-reactive T cells, but the structural basis for such crossreactivity is not well understood. The Hy.1B11 T cell receptor (TCR) originates from a patient with multiple sclerosis and recognizes the self-antigen myelin basic protein. Here we report the structural mechanism of TCR crossreactivity with two distinct peptides from human pathogens. The structures show that a single TCR residue (CDR3α F95) makes the majority of contacts with the self-peptide and both microbial peptides (66.7-80.6%) due to a highly tilted TCR-binding topology on the peptide-MHC surface. Further, a neighbouring residue located on the same TCR loop (CDR3α E98) forms an energetically critical interaction with the MHC molecule. These data show how binding by a self-reactive TCR favors crossreactivity between self and microbial antigens.
Geometry-independent, phase-matched measurement of a vacuum-ultraviolet oscillator strength in xenon.

A new method for accurately measuring the oscillator strengths of gases is presented. The technique is based on determining the phase-matching conditions for four-wave mixing in a gas mixture. When high gas pressures are used, the measurement is independent of the detailed spatial-mode properties of the laser. By using the known refractive index of argon as a reference, the oscillator strength of the xenon ground-state-to-7s [3/2]1 transition at 117.04 nm was found to be 0.098 ± 0.012.
Neuronal survival in intact ciliary ganglia in vivo and in vitro: Ciliary neuronotrophic factor as a target surrogate☆

Abstract Ciliary neuronotrophic factor (CNTF) requirements for neuronal survival in the intact ciliary ganglion (CG) have been investigated in organ culture. Exogenous CNTF was not essential for neuronal survival until embryonic Day 8. Three-day cultures from 5-day ganglia were similar with or without CNTF, showing numerous neurons and extensive neuritic development. In 3-day cultures from 8-day-old ganglia, however, no neurons survived without CNTF, and the ganglia contained only nonneuronal cells and cell debris. Similar ganglia cultured with CNTF contained many neurons, surrounded by nonneuronal cells, and abundant neuritic processes. Morphologic maturation of the neurons was less advanced in CNTF-supported ganglia than in their in vivo counterparts.
Evaluation of valvular regurgitation severity using digital acquisition of echocardiographic images.

Abstract Background: Digital acquisition is a technique for storing echocardiographic data that offers advantages over conventional videotape (VT); however, limited information is available on its accuracy for the evaluation of valvular regurgitation. Methods: We evaluated 102 patients with at least 1 regurgitant lesion. Data were obtained on VT and in 1 cardiac cycle stored digitally (1C). To assess for incremental improvement with acquisition of multiple cycles, digital images were also acquired with 2 (2C) or 3 cardiac cycles (3C). Both digital and VT images were graded for regurgitant severity as absent, trivial, mild, moderate, or severe. Kappa statistics were used to assess agreement. Results: A total of 171 valvular regurgitant lesions (mild or greater) were evaluated. The overall agreement between 1C and VT images was κ = 0.61. With multiple cycle acquisition, there was no improvement in agreement (κ = 0.56 and 0.57 for 2C and 3C, respectively). When subgrouped, the level of agreement between 1C and VT was slightly lower for the aortic valve than for the mitral or tricuspid valves (κ = 0.49, 0.63, 0.64, respectively). Conclusion: The 1C technique has substantial agreement and correlation with standard VT for the evaluation of regurgitant lesions with the use of color flow Doppler. The acquisition of multiple cardiac cycles does not provide incremental improvement over single beat acquisition. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2002;15:241-6.)
Improving copper electrodeposition in the microelectronics industry

The sporadic voiding phenomenon in Cu3Sn intermetallic compound (IMC) formed during thermal aging, sometimes referred to as "Kirkendall voiding", has been found to lead to degradation of solder joint reliability in board level shock testing. It was suggested that the voiding phenomenon resulted from the incorporation of specific impurities in the copper during electroplating. In this study, Cu samples were electroplated from a generic suppressor-brightener additive system using a rotation disk electrode (RDE) apparatus. Overpotential during plating, surface morphology and the propensity for voiding of plated samples were investigated. Galvanostatic (constant current density) plating was conducted at 10 mA/cm2 sequentially up to 18 hours. The solution exhibited dependences of overpoential and voiding propensity on bath aging, due to the breakdown of the organic additives. Cu samples were also plated in the current density range of 0.8-40 mA/cm2. In the 10-20 mA/cm2, current density range, a fine-grain, smooth, deposit surface was observed, accompanied by an especially low voiding level of samples plated in that range.
A relational debugging engine for the graphics pipeline

We present a new, unified approach to debugging graphics software. We propose a representation of all graphics state over the course of program execution as a relational database, and produce a query-based framework for extracting, manipulating, and visualizing data from all stages of the graphics pipeline. Using an SQL-based query language, the programmer can establish functional relationships among all the data, linking OpenGL state to primitives to vertices to fragments to pixels. Based on the Chromium library, our approach requires no modification to or recompilation of the program to be debugged, and forms a superset of many existing techniques for debugging graphics software.
Protection of chicks against E. coli infection by dietary supplementation with vitamin E.

SummaryDietary supplementation of 150–300 mg vitamin E (dl-α-tocopheryl acetate)/kg gave increased protection against a relatively moderate (25–30% mortality) E. coli infection. A correlative 2-3-fold increase in log2 antibody titer against the E. coli indicates that increased chick survival was in part immunologic.We thank Hoffmann La Roche, Inc., for supplying the vitamin E and for the vitamin E assays of the diets.
Universal economic analysis methodology for IT transformations

Economic analysis on the financial benefits and risks is crucial for deciding whether an IT transformation should take place. While the financial analysis techniques for general investment is well known, and there have been case studies for many IT types of IT transformations, there is no good methodology that an IT professional can follow and readily conduct return on investment or total cost analysis. This paper aims to fill this void and proposes an economic analysis methodology that is applicable to all IT transformations.
Design of an integrated optical source of twin photons

The phase matching for the nonlinear process of frequency-degenerated spontaneous parametric downconversion in tunneling-coupled channel waveguides is analyzed. The use of type II nonlinear interaction with individual photons in each pair appearing in different output channels allows for constructing polarization entangled states for quantum information processing applications.
Somatosensory input to the ventrolateral thalamic region in the macaque monkey : A potential substrate for parkinsonian tremor

In the present study, we determined the anatomic relationships between somatosensory and motor pathways within ventrolateral (VL) thalamic nuclei of the motor thalamus of macaque monkeys. In labeling experiments, four macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta) received injections of biotinylated dextran amine and wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase into the cerebellar nuclei or internal segment of the globus pallidus and cervical segments of the spinal cord, respectively. Each tracer was visualized in brain sections by sequentially using a different chromogen. Labeled terminals were plotted and superimposed on adjacent brain sections processed for Nissl substance, acetylcholinesterase, and the antigens for calbindin and Cat-301 to reveal thalamic nuclei. The labeled cerebellar terminals were distributed throughout the posterior VL (VLp), whereas the labeled pallidothalamic terminals were concentrated in the anterior VL and the ventral anterior nucleus. The spinothalamic input was directed mostly to the ventral posterior complex and cells just caudal to it. In addition, the patches of spinothalamic terminations intermingled and partly overlapped with the cerebellothalamic, but not with the pallidothalamic terminations within VLp. The regions of overlap of somatosensory and cerebellar inputs within the VLp of the present study appear to correspond to the reported locations of the tremor-related cells in parkinsonian patients. Thus, the overlapping spinothalamic and cerebellar inputs may provide a substrate for the altered activity of motor thalamic neurons in such patients.
SU‐E‐T‐242: A Gateway for GPU Computations in Radiotherapy

Purpose: Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has become increasingly important in radiotherapy. However, it is still difficult for general clinical researchers to access GPU codes developed by other researchers with GPU expertise, and also for developers to benchmark their codes. It is quite often to see repeated efforts spent on developing GPU codes with low quality. The goal of this project is to establish an infrastructure for sharing GPU codes in the community. Methods: We deployed a GPU code sharing infrastructure on a GPU cluster. A number of codes developed in our group can be accessed via a web interface. To use the services, researchers first upload their test data or use the data provided by our system. Then they have to select the GPU device they are going to run the codes. Our system offers all mainstream GPU hardware for code benchmarking purpose. After the code running is complete, the system will automatically summarize and display the computing results. We will also release a SDK to allow the developers to build their own algorithm implementation and submit their binary codes to the system. The submitted code will be systematically benchmarked using a variety of GPU hardware and representative clinical data provided by our system. Results: This project provides a platform to the public to access a variety of GPU codes for radiotherapy research via a web interface. With the help of this platform, researchers are able to focus their efforts on clinical research. Developers will also benefit from this platform by benchmarking their codes on various GPU platforms and clinical data sets and comparing with other people's codes for the same application. Conclusion: The gateway for GPU code developers and clinical research users can greatly facilitate the adoption of GPU codes in radiotherapy.
CONVERSION OF DIGOXIN TO DIGOXIGENIN BY LIVER TISSUE IN VITRO.

Abstract An essentially quantitative extraction method for the recovery of microgram quantities of 3 H-digoxin from tissue has been used to study the conversion of digoxin to its genin by liver tissue in vitro . Contrary to a previous report of rapid genin conversion of digitoxin in vitro , only trace amount of genin was formed with digoxin as the parent glycoside. Similar results were obtained with both slices and homogenates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Investigating area-sensitivity in shrubland birds: Responses to patch size in a forested landscape

Abstract Population declines of shrubland birds in the eastern United States have been attributed to loss of early-successional habitat. Given that shrubland habitats are often ephemeral and patchily distributed, understanding the sensitivity of shrubland birds to patch characteristics is important for conservation. We tested the extent to which patch area was related to shrubland bird density, annual survival, and productivity by examining capture rates, apparent annual survival estimates, and juvenile-to-adult-female ratios for six focal species of shrubland birds in southeastern Ohio. Identical 3 × 3 mist-net grid arrays were set at each of 13 clearcut patches ranging in size from 4 to 16 ha and visited once per week between June and August of 2002–2006. Over the five seasons, 1428 juveniles and 2001 adults of six species were banded. Capture rates for all six species increased with patch area (mean of 44% higher in largest than smallest patch) but this relationship was only significant for the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens; F1,11 = 34.2, P
Reduced-order modeling of nonlinear singularly perturbed systems driven by wide-band noise

A class of nonlinear singularly perturbed systems driven by wide-band noise is considered. The asymptotic behavior of the slow variables is studied When the fast variables are sufficiently fast (represented by µ ? 0) and the wide-band noise is sufficiently wide (represented by ϵ /spl arrow/ 0). A reduced-order Markov model to represent the behavior of the slow variables is derived. It is shown that the slow variables converge weakly to the solution of this reduced-order model as ϵ and µ tend to zero. The coefficients of this reduced-order model depend, in general, on the ratio ϵ/µ. Special cases where the model is independent of ϵ/µ are explored.
Youth Suicide in New Mexico: A 26-Year Retrospective Review*

Although suicidal behavior in children and adolescents is a major public health problem, large-scale research on suicide in this population is uncommon. In this study, we reviewed autopsy and field reports for all pediatric suicide cases referred to the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator from 1979 to 2005. The age-adjusted suicide rate was 4.8 per 100,000. Psychologic stressors and parasuicidal behavior were identified in some cases. Seventy-six percent of suicides occurred in the victim's home or yard, and 25% left a suicide note. In 26% of cases, alcohol or other drugs were detected in postmortem. Gunshot wound was the most common method overall (58%), followed by hanging (30%). Although the age-adjusted suicide rate is higher in New Mexico than nationally, the trends in the population are similar. With a solid understanding of the circumstances, it may be possible to predict, and hopefully prevent, future cases of child and adolescent death.
Competency-Based Teacher Education Revisited A Conversation with Drs. Richard E. Shores and C. Michael Nelson

It has been 20 years since the concept of Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE) burst onto the teacher preparation scene (Balow, 1971). Disenchantment over failed attempts to isolate personal attributes of teachers that predicted student success prompted many teacher educators to seek new ways to prepare special education teachers. With the emergence of CBTE in the 1970s, attention focused on accountability, relevance, and training that emphasized skills that produced changes in pupil performance (e.g., Shores, Cegelka, & Nelson, 1973). Although not without its critics (cf. Heath & Neilson, 1974), the CBTE movement had a significant effect on training practices (e.g., Cullinar,, Epstein, & Schultz, 1986). Even so, it would appear that the fervor that once surrounded CBTE has somewhat diminished. In an effort to discover its current status, opinions were solicited from two teacher educators who were instrumental in advancing the CBTE movement. Drs. Richard E. Shores and C. Michael Nelson were singled o...
Feeding Ecology of the Sandbar Shark in South Carolina Estuaries Revealed through δ13C and δ15N Stable Isotope Analysis

AbstractStable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) from muscle samples were used to examine the feeding ecology of a heavily exploited shark species, the Sandbar Shark Carcharhinus plumbeus. Two hundred and sixty two Sandbar Sharks were sampled in five South Carolina estuaries. There were no significant differences in average δ13C or δ15N signatures between estuaries, between sampling years, or between male and female Sandbar Sharks, suggesting that these variables do not affect diet. A potential ontogenetic diet shift between young-of-year and juvenile Sandbar Sharks in South Carolina, similar to a shift previously described in Virginia and Hawaii populations, is suggested by significant differences in average δ13C and average δ15N signatures between these age-classes. Results confirm that Sandbar Sharks in South Carolina are generalist predators and that juvenile Sandbar Sharks have a wider diet breadth than young-of-year sharks, a pattern common in elasmobranchs. Sandbar Shark diet in...
Susceptibility of Forests in the Northeastern USA to Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition: Critical Load Exceedance and Forest Health

The objectives of this study were to assess susceptibility to acidification and nitrogen (N) saturation caused by atmospheric deposition to northeastern US forests, evaluate the benefits and shortcomings of making critical load assessments using regional data, and assess the relationship between expected risk (exceedance) and forest health. We calculated the critical loads of nutrient N and of sulfur (S) + N using the steady-state mass balance method at >4,000 regional and national vegetation and soil monitoring network plots in the northeastern USA. Regional calculations of critical loads necessitate use of soil maps which provide a range for each soil characteristic resulting in a broad range of critical load of S + N and exceedance values. For the scenario most representative of regional conditions, over 80 % of the critical loads fell into the range of 850–2050 eq ha−1 yr−1; at 45 % of the plots, deposition exceeded the critical load. In contrast, the critical load for nutrient N, 200–300 eq ha−1 yr−1, was lower. Site measurements, especially to estimate soil weathering, would increase the certainty of the critical load. We observed significant negative correlations between critical load exceedance and growth (17 species) and crown density (4 species); we observed significant positive correlations of exceedance with declining vigor (four species), with crown dieback (six species) and crown transparency (seven species). Among the species which demonstrate the most significant detrimental responses to atmospheric deposition are balsam fir, red spruce, quaking aspen, and paper birch. These results indicate that significant detrimental responses to atmospheric deposition are being observed across the northeastern USA.
Geoopp: Geocasting for opportunistic networks

Geocasting aims to deliver information to all nodes within a geographic area rather than an arbitrary group of nodes. Supporting geocasting in the context of opportunistic networks where nodes are not well-connected is still an open problem. We present a routing algorithm to provide geocasting service for opportunistic networks, termed Geoopp. Geoopp combines unicasting and flooding by first forwarding a message to the specified geographic region and then flooding the message to all nodes inside the region. To forward a message toward a region, Geoopp adapts geographic greedy routing for opportunistic networks. Nodes choose neighbors that can take the message closer to destination. A progress within radius metric (PWRM) is introduced to measure the geographic progress a node can make carrying the message toward its destination region given one of its future visited regions. To determine the future mobility, the regularity embedded in human movement is exploited, since human movements often exhibit a high degree of repetition including regular visits to certain places and regular contacts during daily activities. A node's mobility is characterized by inter-visiting time and contact availability per visiting to capture the regular visits and contacts in a specific region. Chebyshev's inequality is employed to compute the probabilities that a node visiting a region and having contact inside. Our simulation results show that Geoopp can attain 80% of the maximum achievable delivery rate at a cost of 20% of the maximum consumable relays.
Examining the role of transfer pricing as a strategy for multinational firms

Abstract In contrast to a purely tax-driven mechanism, international transfer pricing can be considered as a means to accomplish corporate objectives and thus create strategic consequences. This paper examines the results of a survey of executives of US-based multinational firms who describe the international transfer pricing objectives and strategies of their firms. Results indicate that executives are not solely focused on taxation issues as the primary objective of international transfer pricing. Multinationals employ transfer pricing to assist in achieving competitive advantage and other corporate objectives as well. This study investigates the influence of transfer pricing on corporate performance and the link involving the effectiveness of transfer pricing in accomplishing objectives. In general, executives perceive that transfer pricing does influence measures of corporate performance. This is supported by the finding that transfer pricing also contributes toward achieving objectives.
Helicity flip in the L = 1 transfer 40Ca(13C, 14N)39K (g.s.) reaction

Abstract Peripherality is invoked to obtain a parameterization of the reaction amplitude in an helicity representation. The resulting angular distribution suggests the L = 1 transfer reaction, 40 Ca( 13 C, 14 N) 39 K (g.s.), includes spin flip.
11B+ alpha reaction rates and primordial nucleosynthesis.

Total cross sections and resonance yields have been measured for the $^{11}\mathrm{B}$(\ensuremath{\alpha},n${)}^{14}$N reaction for ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$=350--2400 keV, and for the $^{14}\mathrm{C}$(p,n${)}^{14}$N reaction for ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{p}}$=1000--1550 keV, using 4\ensuremath{\pi} neutron detectors. Differential cross sections for the $^{11}\mathrm{B}$(\ensuremath{\alpha},p${)}^{14}$C reaction were measured for ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$=600--1820 keV. A strong and narrow (\ensuremath{\Gamma}=2.2 eV) new resonance was found at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$=606 keV, with ${\mathit{J}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}$=7/${2}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ established by (\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma}) and (\ensuremath{\alpha},p) angular distributions. This resonance dominates the thermonuclear (\ensuremath{\alpha},n) and (\ensuremath{\alpha},p) reaction rates for T\ensuremath{\sim}0.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{9}$ K. The $^{11}\mathrm{B}$(\ensuremath{\alpha},n), (\ensuremath{\alpha},p), and (\ensuremath{\alpha},\ensuremath{\gamma}) reaction rates versus temperature are presented and compared with $^{11}\mathrm{B}$(n,\ensuremath{\gamma}) rates.
An attempt to formulate an evidence-based strategy in the management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis: a review of the efficacy and safety of biologics and prebiologic options.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder affecting up to 2.5% of the world’s population. Despite the myriad treatment options available, there is no uniformly accepted therapeutic approach for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The objective of this review is to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of available therapeutic options and to formulate general recommendations for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. MEDLINE and Evidence Based Medicine (Cochrane) were used to perform a comprehensive search of the literature from 1986 to 2006. The most scientifically rigorous clinical trial published in the literature was selected for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) comparison. Only information from clinical trials, human subjects and English language journals are reported in this study. The percentage of PASI 75 reduction at ∼ 12 weeks obtained by the following treatment options were: Goeckerman and RePUVA, 100%; calcipotriene plus PUVA, 87%; ciclosporin, 78.2 – 80.3%; infliximab, 80%; adalimu...
Differential susceptibility to parenting among African American youths: Testing the DRD4 hypothesis.

To test the differential susceptibility to parenting hypothesis, a 4-wave, randomized prevention design was used to examine the impact of the Strong African American Families (SAAF) program on past-month substance use across 29 months as a function of DRD4 genotype. Youths (N = 337; M age = 11.65 years) were assigned randomly to treatment condition. Those carrying a 7-repeat allele showed greater differential response to intervention vs. control than those with two 4-repeat alleles. Control youths but not treatment youths with a 7-repeat allele reported increases in past-month substance use across the 29-month study period, but this pattern did not emerge for those with the 4-repeat allele. Supporting the differential susceptibility to parenting hypothesis, the results suggest a greater preventive effect for youths carrying a 7-repeat allele, a role for DRD4 in the escalation of substance use during adolescence, and potential for an enhanced understanding of early-onset substance use.
Comment on "On some statistical paradoxes and non-conglomerability" by Bruce Hill

Those who follow Harold Jeffreys in using improper priors together with likelihoods to determine posteriors have thought of the improper measures as probability measures of a deviant sort. This is a mistake. Probability measures are finite measures. Improper distributions generate s-finite measures
Moderating Role of Personal Characteristics in Forming Restaurant Customers' Behavioral Intentions: An Upscale Restaurant Setting

ABSTRACT This study attempted to investigate the relationships among overall service quality (OSQ), customer satisfaction (CS), and behavioral intentions (BI), such as repeat visit intention (RVI) and word-of-mouth intention (WOMI) by considering the moderating role of personal characteristics (gender and age) in an upscale restaurant setting. Structural equation analyses showed that OSQ was an antecedent of CS, and CS was a significant predictor of RVI and WOMI. In addition, metric invariance test revealed that the strength of the relationships among study constructs was, in general, strongly influenced by personal characteristics. Specifically, the CS-RVI link was stronger for women than for men, and the OSQ-CS-WOMI link was stronger for the high-age group than for the low-age group. However, the OSQ-CS-WOMI link was found to be equal across genders, and the influence of age on the CS-RVI link was identical across groups. The findings from this study will provide restaurant managers/marketers with a gui...
Electrochemical reduction of haloacetic acids and exploration of their removal by electrochemical treatment

The electrochemical reduction of chlorine- and bromine-containing haloacetic acids (HAAs) was quantified using copper and gold electrodes. All HAAs (except monochloroacetate) were shown to be electrochemically active. The rate of reduction increased with the number of halogen atoms in the organic molecule and was higher for copper. It was determined that the electrochemical treatment could lead to a virtually complete dehalogenation of brominated HAAs. However, the electrochemical treatment of chlorinated acetic acids was accompanied by the formation of monochloroacetate, whose direct reduction is difficult. Although the yield of the latter species decreases at increasingly cathodic potentials, the formation of monochloroacetic acid is likely to constitute a limitation for the total dehalogenation of chlorinated HAAs.
Expression pattern of apoptotic genes in vitrified-thawed bovine oocytes.

Contents This study describes a method for quantification of transcripts from low numbers of bovine oocytes using real time RT-PCR. The objective was to evaluate the expression pattern of apoptotic genes (Fas, FasL, Bax and Bcl-2) in vitrified-thawed oocytes. Oocytes were evaluated at germinal vesicle stage; at 15 h of maturation; after vitrification and warming at 15 h of maturation and at 9 h of additional maturation. All transcripts showed an increase in at least 1.2-fold change post-vitrification warming, but the levels tended to decrease at 9 h of maturation post-vitrification warming. Transcript abundance for Fas mRNA was 1.4-fold for oocytes after vitrification and warming. The level of Fas mRNA upon maturation was 0.8-fold. The increase in the abundance of FasL mRNA was 2.1, while it was 0.5-fold relative to control. Vitrification resulted in 1.5-fold change in Bax mRNA expression in oocytes. After 9 h of maturation post-vitrification warming, the level for Bax mRNA was 0.6-fold. The mRNA for Bcl-2 was nearly the same after vitrification and warming. The abundance of mRNA for Bcl-2 was 1.2-fold in vitrified oocytes and fell (p = 0.05) to 0.5 at 9 h of maturation post-vitrification and warming. The up-regulation of apoptotic genes in vitrified oocytes may be an early indicator of reduced developmental competence following vitrification. Yet, results from terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling and caspase assays did not support the evidence of apoptosis in embryos derived from large numbers of vitrified oocytes.
Hepatic pulsations in constrictive pericarditis

Abstract Hepatic pulsations associated with tricuspid regurgitation and tricuspid stenosis are frequently seen. The presence of hepatic pulsations in constrictive pericarditis has received little attention in cardiology textbooks and reviews. Similarly, previous publications, with few exceptions, provide little emphasis of this finding. 1 All 4 patients presenting to the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center in a 13-month period with constrictive pericarditis had a pulsatile liver.
Antiangiogenic therapy for high-grade gliomas.

Background: Gliomas and in particular high-grade gliomas (HGG) demonstrate when compared to other non-neural solid cancers amongst the highest levels of tumor angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature). Methods: Angiogenesis is a common theme in cancer biology and reflects the requirement of a vascular network to support continued uncontrolled cancer growth. Early recognition of this paradigm suggested a potential and novel cancer treatment target that led to the discovery and implementation of antiangiogenic therapies. Two basic strategies of cancer antiangiogenic therapy have emerged, one targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF (growth factor ligand-based antagonists) and the second targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, VEGFR (receptor-based antagonists, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors). Emerging literature suggests efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy for recurrent HGG. Results: Notwithstanding the limited literature regarding the treatment of recurrent HGG with antiangiogenic therapy (predominantly ligand-based and administered in conjunction with cytotoxic chemotherapy), this therapy has become the de facto standard of care for many. Response rates vary from 30-60% and 6-month progression free survival varies from 25-50%. Problematic however are new antiangiogenic class side effects (hypertension, fatigue, proteinuria, intratumoral hemorrhage, arterial thrombosis and wound dehiscence), timing in relationship to surgery, measurements of response, lack of established dose response relationships and pharmacoeconomics and a possible change in tumor biology. Conclusions: Ligand-based antiangiogenic therapy (in particular bevacizumab) is a compelling new targeted therapy for HGG and will continue to emerge as an important novel anti-glioma therapy. Further studies are required to define the population of patients with HGG in whom this therapy is of benefit, identify the optimal dose and schedule, better characterize the value of co-administered (cytotoxic and targeted) therapies and establish validated response measures.
Haemodynamics of the delayed skin flap: a total blood-flow study.

Summary Pedicle skin flaps in dogs were delayed and venous outflow measured at various times following a delay procedure. An initial small but significant decrease in blood flow was noted in the first 48 hours postoperatively in several flaps suggesting that a denervation supersensitivity-arteriovenous shunt mechanism may be active at this time. In all flaps after the second day, total flap blood flow markedly increased compared to the initial measurement. This suggests that the most significant haemodynamic event occurring during the delay period is the development of vascular collaterals.
Ophthalmologic correlates of disease severity in children and adolescents with Wolfram syndrome.

Purpose To describe an ophthalmic phenotype in children at relatively early stages of Wolfram syndrome. Methods Quantitative ophthalmic testing of visual acuity, color vision, automated visual field sensitivity, optic nerve pallor and cupping, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed in 18 subjects 5-25 years of age. Subjects were also examined for presence or absence of afferent pupillary defects, cataracts, nystagmus, and strabismus. Results Subnormal visual acuity was detected in 89% of subjects, color vision deficits in 94%, visual field defects in 100%, optic disk pallor in 94%, abnormally large optic nerve cup:disk ratio in 33%, thinned RNFL in 100%, afferent pupillary defects in 61%, cataracts in 22%, nystagmus in 39%, and strabismus in 39% of subjects. RNFL thinning ( P P = 0.01), strabismus ( P = 0.04), and nystagmus ( P = 0.04) were associated with more severe disease using the Wolfram United Rating Scale. Conclusions Children and adolescents with Wolfram syndrome have multiple ophthalmic markers that correlate with overall disease severity. RNFL thickness measured by OCT may be the most reliable early marker.
Mechanical properties of urethane and bis-acryl interim resin materials.

Statement of problem The fracture or dislodgement of an interim prosthesis may result in additional appointments and could negatively affect the outcome of a fixed prosthodontic procedure. Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (FM), work-of-fracture (WOF), and Weibull parameters of 4 bis-acryl (Protemp Plus, Integrity, Turbo Temp 2, Temphase Fast-set) and 2 urethane (NuForm and Tuff-Temp) interim resins after being stored in distilled water for 1 hour and 24 hours. Material and Methods Rectangular beam specimens (25 × 2 × 2 mm) of each resin (n=23) were prepared and stored in distilled water at 37°C. Then 3-point bending tests were performed on 1-hour and 24-hour (wet) and 24-hour (dry and wet) specimens in a universal testing machine at a cross-head speed of 1.0 mm/min. Stress/strain curves were generated and flexural strength, flexural modulus, and WOF values were calculated. Data were subjected to 3-way ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer pairwise comparison test (α=.05). FS data were also subjected to a 2-parameter Weibull analysis. Results The 24-hour (wet) mean flexural strength and flexural modulus values were significantly higher than 1-hour values. The urethane Tuff-Temp, chemically and dual-polymerized, showed significantly higher ( P Conclusions Postgelation polymerization plays an important role in the substantial increase in the flexural strength and flexural moduli of the interim resins between 1 and 24 hours. A wide variation in the mechanical properties of the interim resin materials was noted but was, for the most part, not category specific.
Linking Restoration and Landscape Ecology

Landscape ecology focuses on questions typically addressed over broad spatial scales. A landscape approach embraces spatial heterogeneity, consisting of a number of ecosystems and/or landscape structures of different types, as a central theme. Such studies may aid restoration efforts in a variety of ways, including (1) provision of better guidance for selecting reference sites and establishing project goals and (2) suggestions for appropriate spatial configurations of restored elements to facilitate recruitment of flora/ fauna. Likewise, restoration efforts may assist landscape-level studies, given that restored habitats, possessing various patch arrangements or being established among landscapes of varying diversity and conditions of human alteration, can provide extraordinary opportunities for experimentation over a large spatial scale. Restoration studies can facilitate the rate of information gathering for expected changes in natural landscapes for which introduction of landscape elements may be relatively slow. Moreover, data collected from restoration studies can assist in validation of dynamic models of current interest in landscape ecology. We suggest that restoration and landscape ecology have an unexplored mutualistic relationship that could enhance research and application of both disciplines.
Event Related Brain Electrical and Magnetic Activity: Toward Predicting on-job Performance

Personnel assessment has depended on paper and pencil tests. These tests are able to predict academic performance fairly well, but have been criticized for their ineffectiveness in predicting on-job performance. Research on brain function which emphasizes "process" rather than "content" variables, may be able to predict on-job performance better than traditional tests. Relationships have been found between event related brain potentials (ERPs) and performance in fighter aircraft and on a sonar simulator, as well as enlistees promotions and attrition. Research has suggested that ERP records are better able to discriminate and classify performance groups than paper-and-pencil test scores. Biomagnetic data are described from heart and brain. These data suggest increased sensitivity to individual differences, and may offer greater opportunity for improving prediction of on-job performance, than ERP records or paper-and-pencil tests.
Achieving 100% throughput in an input-queued switch

It is well known that head-of-line (HOL) blocking limits the throughput of an input-queued switch with FIFO queues. Under certain conditions, the throughput can be shown to be limited to approximately 58%. It is also known that if non-FIFO queueing policies are used, the throughput can be increased. However it has not been previously shown that if a suitable queueing policy and scheduling algorithm are used then it is possible to achieve 100% throughput for all independent arrival processes. In this paper we prove this to be the case using a simple linear programming argument and quadratic Lyapunov function. In particular we assume that each input maintains a separate FIFO queue for each output and that the switch is scheduled using a maximum weight bipartite matching algorithm.
Shot-noise reduction in multiple-quantum-well resonant tunneling diodes

This paper develops formalism for computing the shot noise in resonant-tunneling structures having an arbitrary number of quantum wells (QWs). It is based on the electrostatic feedback effect in QW structures and is the first known shot-noise formalism that treats the electrostatic and quantum effects in a self-consistent fashion. A significant drop in the shot-noise factor is predicted with increasing QW number in graded structures. The minimum room-temperature shot-noise factor predicted by this work is 0.24 in a triple-well structure.
Construction of Teacher Knowledge in Context: Preparing Elementary Teachers to Teach Mathematics and Science

The purpose of this study was to further the understanding of how preservice teachers construct teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of elementary mathematics and science in a school-based setting and the extent of knowledge construction. Evidence of knowledge construction (its acquisition, its dimensions, and the social context) was collected through the use of a qualitative methodology. The methods course was content-specific with instruction in elementary mathematics and science. Learning experiences were based on national standards with a constructivist instructional approach and immediate access to field experiences. Analysis and synthesis of data revealed an extensive acquisition of teacher knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Learning venues were discovered to be the conduits of learning in a situated learning context. As in this study, content-specific, school-based experiences may afford preservice teachers greater opportunities to focus on content and instructional strategies at deeper levels; to address anxieties typically associated with the teaching of elementary mathematics and science; and to become more confident and competent teachers. Gains in positive attitudes and confidence in teaching mathematics and science were identified as direct results of this experience.
A data-driven intermediate level feature extraction algorithm

An algorithm is presented that is based on the regression updating theory for fitting linearly parameterizable curves without prior classification of edge data. An initial estimate of a hypothesized curve is first obtained by a statistical windowing technique. A search region is determined and iteratively grown. Edge points in the search region are tested for their goodness-of-fit to the previous estimate. The estimate is iteratively updated with the edge points that have favorable goodness-of-fit measures. The edge points having poor goodness-of-fit measures are rejected as outliers. The algorithm drives the estimate to converge to a final solution. By repeatedly applying this procedure to the edge data excluded from the previous fitting, all the underlying curves are reconstructed. The major feature that distinguishes this approach from that of others is that classifying the edge data prior to fitting is not required. Advantages of this algorithm are: (1) the fitting procedure achieves higher robustness and accuracy by dynamically analyzing the data consistency; (2) the computational complexity increases only linearly with the number of edge data; (3) the algorithm readily extends to reconstruct surfaces from range data. Thus the algorithm provides a powerful technique enabling a data-driven intermediate-level vision module to extract parametric features needed for higher-level processing. >
Small hypoattenuating hepatic lesions at contrast-enhanced CT: prognostic importance in patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine the prognostic importance of small hypoattenuating hepatic lesions at contrast material–enhanced computed tomography (CT) in patients with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by the committee on human research. Written informed consent was not required. The authors retrospectively identified 153 patients with breast cancer who underwent serial abdominal CT and who did not have definite liver metastases present at initial CT. The mean age was 56 years (age range, 27–93 years). Two readers independently recorded the presence, size, and number of small (15 mm or less in diameter) hypoattenuating hepatic lesions at initial CT. Another reader independently recorded the presence or absence of definite hepatic metastases at final CT. The association between the presence, size, and number of small hypoattenuating hepatic lesions at initial CT and the subsequent development of metastases was analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESUL...
A general theoretical framework for interpreting patient-reported outcomes estimated from ordinally scaled item responses.

A simple theoretical framework explains patient responses to items in rating scale questionnaires. Fixed latent variables position each patient and each item on the same linear scale. Item response...
An International Environmental Agreement for space debris mitigation among asymmetric nations

Abstract We investigate how ideas from the International Environmental Agreement (IEA) literature can be applied to the problem of space debris mitigation. Space debris pollution is similar to other international environmental problems in that there is a potential for a “tragedy of the commons” effect: individual nations bear all the cost of their mitigation measures but share only a fraction of the benefit. As a consequence, nations have a tendency to underinvest in mitigation. Coalitions of nations, brought together by IEAs, have the potential to lessen the tragedy of the commons effect by pooling the costs and benefits of mitigation. This work brings together two recent modeling advances: (i) a game theoretic model for studying the potential gains from IEA cooperation between nations with asymmetric costs and benefits, (ii) an orbital debris model that gives the societal cost that specific actions, such as failing to deorbit an inactive spacecraft, have on the environment. We combine these two models with empirical launch-share data for a “proof of concept” of an IEA for a single mitigation measure—deorbiting spacecraft at the end of operational lifetime. Simulations of empirically derived and theoretical launch distributions among nations suggest the possibility that voluntary coalitions can provide significant deorbiting gains relative to nations acting in the absence of an IEA agreement.