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Wormlike micelles of phospholipids were recently electrospun into ultraporous, high surface area fibrous membranes. These biologically-derived materials offer many potential applications, such as cell growth scaffolds, purification membranes, and drug-delivery platforms. Future work in tailoring the electrospinning process and phospholipid properties is expected to create new durable, biofunctional materials. These initial efforts have introduced the concept of low molar mass amphiphiles as precursors of biocompatible fibers through solution electrospinning.

The increasingly large number of sensors and instruments in the oil and gas industry, along with novel means of communication in the enterprise has led to a corresponding increase in the volume of data that is recorded in various information repositories. The variety of information sources is also expanding: from traditional relational databases to time series data, social network communications, collections of unsorted text reports, and linked data available on the Web. Enabling end-to-end optimization considering these diverse types of information requires creating semantic links between them. Though integration of data across silo-ed databases has been recognized as a problem for a long time, it has proven to be difficult to accomplish due to the complexity of the data arrangement within databases, scarcity of metadata that describe the content, lack of a direct mapping between related entities across databases, and the several types of data represented within a database. In addition, there are large amounts of unstructured text data such as text entries in databases and document repositories. These contain valuable information on processes from the field but there is currently no method to convert this raw data to useable information. The Center for Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies (CiSoft) is a USC-Chevron Center of Excellence for Research and Academic Training on Smart Oilfield Technologies. We describe the Integrated Optimization project at CiSoft which has the goal of developing a framework for automated linking of heterogeneous data sources and analysis of the integrated data in the context of upstream applications.

Background Duty hour restrictions for resident physicians have led to radical changes in graduate medical education, including a shift to more night float rotations. These rotations have been viewed by residents as predominantly service focused with little opportunity for formalized education. Objective To develop and deliver a resident-driven, nocturnal curriculum to enhance the educational content and value of night float rotations. Methods The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is a 695-bed, tertiary care academic medical center. Upper-level internal medicine residents developed and peer-reviewed case-based scripts designed to be delivered in 15- to 20-minute teaching sessions. We evaluated the quality of teaching using anonymous, free-response surveys. Results Twenty-four scripts were developed that explored the differential diagnoses, diagnostic pitfalls, and management of clinical problems that interns frequently encounter on night float rotations. Of 83 eligible residents, 45 (54%) responded to the survey. Teaching occurred an average of 4 nights per week and was uniformly viewed as high yield and topical by night float interns. Conclusions A resident-driven, nocturnal curriculum was implemented through the use of case-based teaching scripts, allowing for delivery of a standardized curriculum that capitalizes on the teaching opportunities afforded by the night shift. This intervention may serve as a model for nocturnal education in other departments and institutions.

Although extant research documents the negative consequences of harsh and lax discipline for youth, little empirical attention has been devoted to understanding the impact when parents utilize both strategies. As such, the current study was designed to explore the interaction of harsh and lax discipline on youth internalizing and externalizing symptoms in three developmental periods (early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence). Participants were 615 parents (55 % female) and one of their 3-to-17 year old children (45 % female). Parents provided reports of their harsh and lax parenting tactics as well as offspring internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Multiple linear regression analyses were utilized to examine the relations between the interaction of harsh and lax parenting on youth symptoms. The interaction between harsh and lax discipline was significantly related to youth internalizing, but not externalizing, problems in the both the young and middle childhood samples and marginally significant in the adolescence sample: Seesaw discipline – a novel construct indicative of high levels of both harsh and lax discipline – was associated with the highest levels of youth internalizing problems. Parents who engage in seesaw parenting have children and adolescents who are more likely to evidence internalizing symptoms. Such findings may inform prevention and intervention efforts that target dysfunctional discipline.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women in the United States. NSCLC causes a variety of symptoms which result in significant distress and reduced quality of life for patients. Behavioral and other non-pharmacologic treatment interventions for NSCLC have resulted in improved quality of life, reduced emotional distress, and improved longevity. This study investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of biofeedback assisted stress management (BFSM) to reduce stress in patients with NSCLC. Because of patient dropout, this study was terminated prematurely. Despite this, evaluation of data revealed positive trends, with patients learning to reduce their stress, improve their respiration and heart rate variability, and improve coping. These trends suggest that patients with NSCLC can learn to self-regulate physiology and BFSM may be useful for them, although a less ill patient population may be desirable for future investigations.

The primary purpose of the current study was to test a model examining the process by which parent dispositional mindfulness relates to youth psychopathology through mindful parenting and parenting practices. The universality of the model across youth at three developmental stages was examined: young childhood (3 – 7 yrs.; n = 210), middle childhood (8 – 12 yrs.; n = 200), and adolescence (13 – 17 yrs.; n = 205). Overall, participants were 615 parents (55 % female) and one of their 3-to-17 year old children (45 % female). Parents reported on their dispositional mindfulness, mindful parenting, positive and negative parenting practices and their child's or adolescent's internalizing and externalizing problems. Consistent findings across all three developmental stages indicated that higher levels of parent dispositional mindfulness were indirectly related to lower levels of youth internalizing and externalizing problems through higher levels of mindful parenting and lower levels of negative parenting practices. Replication of these findings across families with children at different developmental stages lends support to the generalizability of the model.

Objective Few studies of temperament have tested goodness-of-fit theories of child behavior problems. In this study, we test the hypothesis that interactions between child and parent temperament dimensions predict levels of child psychopathology after controlling for the effects of these dimensions individually. Methods Temperament and psychopathology were assessed in a total of 175 children (97 boys, 78 girls; mean age, 10.99 years; SD, 3.66 years) using composite scores from multiple informants of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory and the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment. Parent temperament was assessed using the adult version of the Temperament and Character Inventory. Statistical analyses included multiple regression procedures to assess the contribution of child-parent temperament interactions after controlling for demographic variables, other types of child psychopathology, and the individual Temperament and Character Inventory and Junior Temperament and Character Inventory dimensions. Results Interactions between child and parent temperament dimensions predicted higher levels of externalizing, internalizing, and attention problems over and above the effects of these dimensions alone. Among others, the combination of high child novelty seeking with high maternal novelty was associated with child attention problems, whereas the combination of high child harm avoidance and high father harm avoidance was associated with increased child internalizing problems. Many child temperament dimensions also exerted significant effects independently. Conclusions The association between a child temperament trait and psychopathology can be dependent upon the temperament of parents. These data lend support to previous theories of the importance of goodness-of-fit.

Objective: Cancer of the cervix is one of the commonest cancers in South Africa. Accurate cytological diagnosis is one of the prerequisites for an effective cervical screening programme and requires the implementation of appropriate quality assurance modalities. This study was undertaken to determine if rapid review of reportedly negative cervical smears is a useful internal quality assurance modality in an unscreened population with very high rates of cervical carcinoma. Method: Approximately 26% of all cervical smears received at the study institution between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2003, and initially reported as negative or inadequate, underwent rapid review. Results: A total of 62 866 (26%) cervical smears out of 241 796 reportedly negative or inadequate cervical smears underwent rapid review. An amended report was sent out in 373 (0.59%) of these 62 866 cervical smears. This included 101 cases of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and high-grade atypical squamous cells (ASC-H), 143 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 54 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and 33 atypical glandular cells that were not reported initially. The false-negative proportion for HSIL and ASC-H (combined) in this study was 5.76%. No squamous cell carcinomas were diagnosed on rapid review but one patient with HSIL/ASC-H on review had squamous cell carcinoma on biopsy. Three cytotechnologists had a lower sensitivity of primary screening and required retraining. Conclusions: Rapid review is beneficial as an internal quality assurance modality in an unscreened high-risk population and increases the detection of women with significant cervical lesions requiring treatment. The relatively low cost of rapid review compared with other rescreening modalities makes this an attractive option in low resource settings.

The influence of polyelectrolyte rheological behavior on the electrospinning process was determined for a series of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate hydrochloride) (PDMAEMA·HCl) aqueous solutions in the presence of added NaCl. Solution rheological studies revealed that PDMAEMA·HCl in an 80/20 w/w water/methanol cosolvent displayed polyelectrolyte behavior based on the scaling relationship between specific viscosity (ηsp) and concentration in the semidilute unentangled and semidilute entangled regimes. The entanglement concentration (Ce) increased with NaCl concentration due to screening of the electrostatic repulsive forces along the PDMAEMA·HCl backbone, which enabled the PDMAEMA·HCl chains to adopt a flexible, coillike conformation. Moreover, the scaling behavior in the semidilute entangled regime shifted from polyelectrolyte (ηsp ∼ C1.5) to neutral polymer behavior (ηsp ∼ C3.75) in the high salt limit. The electrospinning performance of PDMAEMA·HCl solutions was also dependent on NaCl concentra...

A series of linear and randomly branched poly(alkyl methacrylate)s with pendant 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone (UPy) groups, which form quadruple hydrogen bonds, were synthesized, and the role of molecular topology on intermolecular hydrogen bonding was investigated. In solution rheological studies of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-UPy methacrylate) (PMMA-co-UPyMA) copolymers, a branched copolymer in the nonassociated state displayed a larger entanglement concentration (Ce) than a linear copolymer of equal molar mass. However, Ce of the branched copolymer approached the Ce of the linear analogue as the degree of hydrogen bond associations increased in solution, which suggested the reduced chain dimensions of the branched structure were overcome upon intermolecular association of the UPy groups. A series of linear and branched poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate-co-UPy methacrylate) (PEHMA-co-UPyMA) copolymers with 0−10 mol % UPy were utilized for melt rheological studies. A decrease in zero shear viscosity (η0) and re...

Electrospun fibrous mats were formed from linear and highly branched poly(urethane urea)s. The highly branched poly(urethane urea)s were synthesized using an A2+B3 methodology, where the A2 species is an oligomeric soft segment. Since the molecular weight of the A2 oligomer is above the entanglement molecular weight, the highly branched polymers formed electrospun fibers unlike typical hyperbranched polymers that do not entangle. Stress–strain experiments revealed superior elongation for the electrospun fibrous mats. In particular, the highly branched fiber mats did not fail at 1300% elongation, making the electrospun mats promising for potential applications where enhanced tear strength resistance is required.

The synthesis and characterization of copolymers containing 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and a quadruple-hydrogen-bonding site, 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone methacrylate (UPyMA), are described. An analogous dimeric hydrogen-bond-containing copolymer based on 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid (PEHMA-co-MAA) was also synthesized for comparative purposes. The glass-transition temperatures of the poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate-co-2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone methacrylate) (PEHMA-co-UPyMA) series increased linearly with increasing UPyMA content. Creep compliance measurements as a function of temperature indicated a decrease in the creep compliance with increasing UPyMA content over the range of 1–10 mol % UPyMA. Melt rheological analysis also showed an increase and lengthening of the plateau modulus as a function of frequency with increasing UPyMA content, as well as increasing complex viscosity as a function of temperature. The analogous PEHMA-co-MAA copolymer, which contained 11 mol % methacrylic acid, showed, in the melt rheological analysis, behavior similar to that of the PEHMA-co-UPyMA copolymer containing only 1 mol % UPyMA units. The multiple-hydrogen-bond-containing copolymers were successfully analyzed with time–temperature superposition for the construction of master curves. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4618–4631, 2005

A series of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s that contained either pendant carboxylic acid or self-complementary multiple hydrogen bonding (SCMHB) groups were synthesized to determine the influence of intermolecular associations on solution rheology and electrospinning performance. The cosolvent composition was varied in order to control the dielectric constant of the electrospinning solvent. By controlling the dielectric constant of the solvent, intermolecular interactions were systematically screened, and the influence of hydrogen bonding on electrospun fiber morphology was determined. While the diameter of the electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibers were in excellent agreement with previously developed predictions, the diameter of the electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PMMA-co-PMAA) fibers were smaller than predicted when electrospun from dimethyl formamide (DMF). The smaller PMMA-co-PMAA fibers were attributed to dissociation of the carboxylic acid group, which resulted in increased solution conductivity. The poly(methyl methacrylate-co-SCMHB methacrylate) (PMMA-co-SCMHB) displayed significant hydrogen bonding associations with decreasing solvent dielectric constant (D) which resulted in increased viscosity and lower entanglement concentration (Ce). Moreover, strong hydrogen bonding between the SCMHB groups in relatively nonpolar solvents increased the apparent molecular weight of the copolymers, and significantly larger electrospun fibers than predicted were obtained.

The implications of the entanglement concentration (Ce) on the electrospinning process for a series of linear and branched poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-ethylene isophthalate) (PET-co-PEI) copolymers with weight-average molecular weights (Mw) ranging from 11 700 to 106 000 g/mol and branching index values (g‘) from 1.0 to 0.43 were investigated. Analyzing the dependence of specific viscosity (ηsp) on concentration enabled the determination of the semidilute unentangled, semidilute entangled, and concentrated regimes for the PET-co-PEI solutions. Linear and branched copolymers were electrospun from semidilute unentangled, semidilute entangled, and concentrated solutions under identical conditions to determine the effects of concentration regime and molecular topology on electrospun fiber morphology. The dependence of the fiber diameter and morphology on the zero shear rate viscosity (η0) and normalized concentration (C/Ce) was determined. For copolyesters with molecular weights well above the entanglement...

The study identified social, educational, and demographic characteristics of deaf postsecondary students who demonstrated strong reading and writing skills. Questionnaire information, information from institutional databases, and in-depth personal interviews were used to identify factors and characteristics that positively influenced the attainment of strong academic literacy skills. Among the areas investigated were school experiences, reading and writing experiences, study habits and attitudes, communication preferences, personality traits, and home and family background. Results of the study generally support previous work conducted with talented hearing youth. Several primary themes emerged from the study: heavy parental involvement in early education and educational decisions, differing modes of communication but extensive family communication, early exposure to and intensive experiences with reading and writing, an enjoyment of reading, a relatively limited social life, high parental and secondary school expectations, the importance of television, and positive self-image.

Increasing instrumentation of the modem digital oilfield produces streams of data from sensors that monitor the functioning of different components in the field. This data should be converted to actionable information rapidly in order to respond to events as they happen or are predicted. The challenge is therefore to develop technologies that can process these large sensor datasets rapidly and with minimal manual supervision to ensure a data processing system that can scale with the increasing instrumentation. We consider as a use-case an oilfield with several Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESPs), each instrumented with sensors that continually measure electrical properties of the pump (the streams of sensor data), which are then relayed to a central location. In this paper, we demonstrate how a time-series analysis approach can be applied to failure detection and failure prediction from the streams of sensor data. The method involves identifying "shapelets" – short instances that are particularly distinct – in the streams of sensor data. The shapelets approach is particularly applicable to large oil and gas enterprise datasets because the algorithm does not need access to the entire historical data. This greatly reduces the amount of data that needs to be stored for data analysis. Moreover, unlike model-based approaches, shapelet-based analysis does not make any assumptions about the underlying nature of the data, making it practical for applications where a detailed physical model of the pump is not available. We validate our proposed method by analysis on a representative set of instrumented ESPs. We describe the preprocessing steps that were applied in our analysis. We report the results of experiments to study the effects of varying the data processing parameters on the accuracy of fault detection and prediction. These results indicate that shapelet-based approaches are promising for analysis of time-series data in the oil and gas industry.

The current study examined concurrent and prospective relations between observed parenting behaviors and children’s coping strategies in the context of a preventive intervention designed to change both parenting and children’s use of secondary control coping. Questionnaires and direct observations were obtained from parents with a history of depression (N = 180) and their children (ages 9–15 years) at baseline, 6-month (after completion of the intervention), and 18-month follow-up assessments. Cross-sectional analyses indicate that baseline observed parental responsiveness/warmth was significantly associated with composite parent/child reports of children’s baseline primary control, secondary control, and disengagement coping. Using a mixed effects model, prospective mediational analyses indicate that intervention-driven improvements in observed parental responsiveness/warmth from baseline to 6-months significantly accounted for increases in children’s use of secondary control coping strategies from baseline to the 18-month follow-up assessment. No significant mediation effects emerged for primary control coping or disengagement coping. The present findings suggest that it may be possible to improve children’s coping strategies not only through targeted interventions, but also indirectly by improving responsive and warm parenting behaviors. Limitations and strengths are noted and implications for future research are outlined.

This study utilized structural equation modeling to examine the associations among parental guilt induction (a form of psychological control), youth cognitive style, and youth internalizing symptoms, with parents and youth participating in a randomized controlled trial of a family-based group cognitive–behavioral preventive intervention targeting families with a history of caregiver depression. The authors present separate models utilizing parent report and youth report of internalizing symptoms. Findings suggest that families in the active condition (family-based group cognitive–behavioral group) relative to the comparison condition showed a significant decline in parent use of guilt induction at the conclusion of the intervention (6 months postbaseline). Furthermore, reductions in parental guilt induction at 6 months were associated with significantly lower levels of youth negative cognitive style at 12 months. Finally, reductions in parental use of guilt induction were associated with lower youth internalizing symptoms 1 year following the conclusion of the intervention (18 months postbaseline).

C-Print is a real-time speech-to-text transcription system used as a support service with deaf students in mainstreamed classes. Questionnaires were administered to 36 college students in 32 courses in which the C-Print system was used in addition to interpreting and note taking. Twenty-two of these students were also interviewed. Questionnaire items included student ratings of lecture comprehension. Student ratings indicated good comprehension with C-Print, and the mean rating was significantly higher than that for understanding of the interpreter. Students also rated the hard copy printout provided by C-Print as helpful, and they reported that they used these notes more frequently than the handwritten notes from a paid student note taker. Interview results were consistent with those for the questionnaire. Questionnaire and interview responses regarding use of C-Print as the only support service indicated that this arrangement would be acceptable to many students, but not to others. Communication characteristics were related to responses to the questionnaire. Students who were relatively proficient in reading and writing English, and in speech-reading, responded more favorably to C-Print.

Aims—To assess the relation between the grade and the status of follow up cytology, the completeness of loop excision biopsies with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and the findings at follow up cytology, as well as the differences between complete and incomplete exclusion, using the odds ratio. Treatment failure was assessed. Methods—1600 women with CIN (290 CIN1, 304 CIN2, 1006 CIN3) were followed for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 10 years. A database was created and comparisons performed. The mean age of the patients was 37 years. Results—Excision was complete in over 84% of loops. Residual disease and recurrence of high grade dyskaryosis was more common in women with CIN 3 than CIN 2 or 1. No high grade dyskaryosis was seen in the fifth follow up smear in patients with CIN 1 and CIN 2. Residual, recurrent, and persistent disease was most common in patients with incompletely excised CIN at ectocervical and endocervical margins and deep margins of resection than in patients with completely excised CIN. The odds ratios were significantly higher in the women who had incomplete excision of CIN at ectocervical, endocervical, both ecto- and endocervical, and deep margins of resection compared with those with apparent complete excision of CIN lesions. One patient developed invasive squamous cell carcinoma 44 months after loop excision which showed CIN 3 invading endocervical crypts and extending to both ectocervical and endocervical margins of resection. Conclusions—At long term follow up, patients with CIN who have residual disease are at increased risk of persistent disease and should therefore be followed up regularly with cytology and colposcopy. The findings support national policy of returning women with treated CIN of any grade to normal recall after five years except for cases of CIN3 where excision was incomplete or equivocal. In these cases follow up with annual smear for 10 years is recommended. Key Words: cervical cytology • cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Many attempts to upgrade polystyrene have been made in the past. One of the last and most popular examples is the upgrading of polystyrene by stereo-controlled polymerization of styrene monomer, yielding a syndiotactic material. But the property profile of polystyrene can also be improved by stiffening the polymer chain with bulky groups. 1,1-Diphenylethylene (DPE) was selected as a monomer with such a bulky group and was copolymerized anionically with styrene to give an amorphous copolymer with a statistical chain structure which was called 'super-polystyrene'. In this paper the conditions of the anionic polymerization and the properties of the resulting materials are described. Depending on the DPE content, the glass transition temperature can be varied from 104°C to 180°C. Up to a DPE content of 15%, these styrene-DPE copolymers are miscible with GPPS as well as with syndiotactic polystyrene. Toughening of the transparent polymers was achieved with glass fibers and grafted rubber particles. Block copol...

Heat shock protein (HSP)27: a further refinement in the diagnosis of suspicious fine needle aspirates of breast The technique of fine needle aspiration (FNA) is increasingly used in the investigation of breast abnormalities both palpable and impalpable. However, up to 20% of aspirates fall into two categories which require further investigation, because they either show cytological atypia or exhibit features which are suspicious of malignancy (reporting categories C3 and C4). The usefulness of the 27-kD heat shock protein (HSP27) expression in refining these categories of suspicion, and possibly in predicting malignancy, was investigated using an established immunocytochemical staining procedure. Positive HSP27 staining was shown by 73.1% of C4 and 33.3% of C3 FNAs. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the results obtained for the C3 and C4 FNAs. HSP27: un nouvel outil pour ameliorer le diagnostic des cytoponctions mammaires suspectes La technique de cytoponction est de plus en plus utilisee dans le bilan des anomalies mammaires palpables et non palpables. Toutefois, un contingent de cytoponctions pouvant atteindre 20% regroupe deux categories de diagnostic qui necessitent un bilan complementaire, soit parce qu'on note des atypies cytologiques (categorie diagnostique C3), soit qu'elles presentent des caracteristiques suspectes de malignite (categorie diagnostique C4). L'expression de la ≪heat shock protein≫ de 27 kDa (HSP 27) a eteetudiee par une technique immunocytochimique classique dans le but d'affiner ces 2 categories diagnostiques suspectes et pour predire la malignite. La positivite pour HSP27 est de 73,1% pour la categorie C4 et de 33,3% pour la categorie C3. L'analyse statistique a montre une difference significative de l'expression HSP27 entre les cytoponctions de categorie C3 et C4. HSP27: Eine weitere Verbesserung bei der Diagnostik verdachtiger FNP der Mamma Der Einsatz der FNP bei tastbaren und nichttastbaren Mammaveranderungen nimmt zu. Allerdings losen 20% der Ergebnisse weitere Untersuchungen aus, entweder infolge von Atypien (C3) oder Tumorverdacht (C4). Untersucht wurde der Einsatz des 27 kDa Hitzeschockproteins (HSP27) unter standardisierten Bedingungen. 73,1% der C4 und 33,3% der C3-Gruppe reagierten positiv. Statistisch ergab dies einen signifikanten Unterschied zwischen den beiden Gruppen.

A summary is presented of recent alpha-particle experiments on the tokamak fusion test reactor. Alpha particles are generally well confined in MHD-quiescent discharges, and alpha heating of electrons has been observed. The theoretically predicted toroidicity-induced Alfv?n eigenmode has been seen in discharges of of alpha power, but only in plasmas with weak magnetic shear.

Experiments in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have explored several novel regimes of improved tokamak confinement in deuterium-tritium (D-T) plasmas, including plasmas with reduced or reversed magnetic shear in the core and high-current plasmas with increased shear in the outer region (high-l{sub i}). New techniques have also been developed to enhance the confinement in these regimes by modifying the plasma-limiter interaction through in-situ deposition of lithium. In reversed-shear plasmas, transitions to enhanced confinement have been observed at plasma currents up to 2.2 MA (q{sub a} {approx} 4.3), accompanied by the formation of internal transport barriers, where large radial gradients develop in the temperature and density profiles. Experiments have been performed to elucidate the mechanism of the barrier formation and its relationship with the magnetic configuration and with the heating characteristics. The increased stability of high-current, high-l{sub i} plasmas produced by rapid expansion of the minor cross-section, coupled with improvement in the confinement by lithium deposition has enabled the achievement of high fusion power, up to 8.7 MW, with D-T neutral beam heating. The physics of fusion alpha-particle confinement has been investigated in these regimes, including the interactions of the alphas with endogenous plasma instabilities and externally applied waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies. In D-T plasmas with q{sub 0} > 1 and weak magnetic shear in the central region, a toroidal Alfven eigenmode instability driven purely by the alpha particles has been observed for the first time. The interactions of energetic ions with ion Bernstein waves produced by mode-conversion from fast waves in mixed-species plasmas have been studied as a possible mechanism for transferring the energy of the alphas to fuel ions.

Coping and negative cognitive style were studied in relation to depressive symptoms in children at risk for depression. In a sample of 165 children (ages 9–15) of depressed parents, the main and interaction effects of coping and negative cognitive style were examined in association with children’s depressive symptoms measured by parent and child report on questionnaires and diagnostic interviews. Negative cognitive style was related to three types of coping (primary control, secondary control, and disengagement). Furthermore, coping and negative cognitive style made independent contributions to depressive symptoms. Little support emerged for interactive effects on depressive symptoms. Implications for future research with this high-risk population of children are considered.

The delivery of instruction through the use of computers, television, and other technologies is growing as the cost of these technologies decreases and the cost of teachers increases. A research project was designed to determine characteristics of students who successfully completed coursework in American Sign Language via distance learning compared to those who were not students who successfully completed coursework in American Sign Language via distance learning compared to those who where not successful. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale, Learning Styles Inventory, Survey of Technology Use and Educational Technology Predisposition A

A set of 300 vaginal smears was interpreted by 13 cytologists from six European laboratories, who were requested to report inadequate and suboptimal smears. the set had been appropriately seeded to reach approximately 10% inadequate and 20% suboptimal smear frequency. According to the majority report, 230 smears were classified as adequate (76.7%), 43 as inadequate (14.3%), and 27 as suboptimal (9.0%). Agreement with the majority report ranged from 52% to 91% (average 78%). Kappa statistics for reporting inadequate smears showed a high level of agreement for five cytologists, and fair to good agreement for eight. In contrast, K statistics for reporting suboptimal smears showed fair to good agreement with the majority report only in five instances, whereas agreement was poor for eight cytologists. ‘Inadequate smear’rates may be used to compare the quality of smears received in different laboratories, as there is a high level of agreement among cytologists as to what constitutes an inadequate smear. However, this is not true for ‘suboptimal smear’ rates, and more precise reporting criteria must be defined and tested if an intermediate category is to be retained to report poor quality smears: more precise reporting criteria must be defined and tested if an intermediate category is to be retained to report poor quality smears. Une serie de 300 frottis cervico-vaginaux a ete examinee par 13 cytologistes appartenant a 6 laboratoires europeens auxquels il avait ete demande de signaler les frottis inadequats et sub-optimaux. Cette serie de frottis a ete constituee de facon a atteindre approximativement une frequence de 10% de frottis inadequats et de 20% de frottis sub-optimaux. Si I'on considere les reponses faites par la majorite des cytologistes, 230 frottis ont ete classes adequats (76,7%), 43 classes inadequats (14,3%), et 27 comme sub-optimaux (9,0%). La concordance avec les reponses de la majorite des cytologistes varie de 52%a 91% (moyenne 78%). Concernant le signalement des frottis inadequats, le test Kappa est excellent pour 5 cytologistes et moyen a bon pour les 8 autres. Au contraire, pour le signalement des frottis sub-optimaux, le test Kappa montre un accord moyen a bon avec les reponses de la majorite seulement dans 5 cas alors que I'agrement est mauvais pour 8 cytologistes. La frequence des frottis inadequats peut etre utilisee pour comparer la qualite de prelevement du frottis dans differents laboratoires, alors que les comparaisons de la frequence des frottis sub-optimaux sont discutables, du fait d'un biais de diagnostic evident. Des criteres plus precis pour le signalement des frottis sub-optimaux doivent etre definis et testes si cette categorie doit etre retenue pour rapporter les frottis de mauvaise qualite. 300 Abstriche wurden durch 13 Zytologen aus 6 europaischen Laboratorien hinsichtlich der Kriterien ‘unbrauchbar’und ‘suboptimal’beurteilt. Die Sammlung enthielt etwa 10% unbrauchbare und 20% suboptimale Praparate. Mehrheitlich wurden 230 Abstriche als auswertbar (76,7%), 43 als unbrauchbar (14,3%) und 27 als suboptimal (9,0%) bezeichnet. Die Statistik ergab hinsichtlich der unbrauchbaren Abstriche eine ausgezeichnete Ubereinstimmung fur 5 und eine gute Ubereinstim-mung fur 8 Zytologen. Demgegenuber zeigte sich hinsichtlich der Beurteilung suboptimal nur 5mal eine gute und 8mal eine schlechte Ubereinstimmung. Damit ist die Kategorie suboptimal ungeeignet zum Vergleich und bedarf einer genaueren Definition wenn sie fur die Qualitatskontrolle eingesetzt werden soll.

One hundred and twelve women with high and intermediate risk impalpable screen-detected microcalcification were referred for surgery following stereotactic fine needle aspiration cytology between June 1990 and June 1994. Histologically 89 were malignant and 23 benign. The cytology report and the presence or absence of calcium in the cytologic specimen were recorded. In a separate, more detailed, analysis for the first year of the study, the 69 screen-detected and stereotactically biopsied low risk microcalcifications which were not surgically biopsied were similarly analysed. There were significantly fewer acellular cytology results (C1; 4.5%) from cancers than from histologically benign lesions ( P

One hundred and ten cervical smears were circulated to five specialist consultant cytopathologists and five consultant histopathologists. Of these smears, 100 were randomized and re-circulated. The cytopathologists reported endocervical cells and wart virus infection more frequently than the histopathologists, although neither group showed good inter-observer agreement for either assessment. Apart from smear adequacy and the presence of endocervical cells, both groups showed good intra-observer agreement in all the parameters measured. This suggests that overall individuals were applying their own personal criteria with consistency over time, although a previous study had shown considerable lack of inter-observer agreement among the histopathologists on the grade of dyskaryosis and the management recommendation. The results indicate that specialist cytopathologists bring a different viewpoint to the reporting of cervical smears than histopathologists. They also show a lack of standardization in the reporting of smears despite the guidelines issued by the British Society for Clinical Cytology.

The linear acoustic equations for the bounded slab of fluid ocean and elastic seabed with cylinderical symmetry are reduced to a set of coupled boundary value problems using separation of variables. In order to have a computational technique capable of handling stratification effects in the seabed, invariant imbedding is used to replace the boundary value problem with an initial value problem. As an initial approximation, the case of an ocean with a reflective bottom is considered and the change in the solution, as the depth of the seabed increases, is calculated. The method of invariant imbedding is shown to be numerically stable and has the advantage of assessing the effects of including an interactive seabed on the solution to the underwater acoustics problem with a reflecting seabed.

The nonlinear dynamic equations introduced by Biot to model poroelastic media have not been implemented to describe nonlinear acoustic waves in such media. The equations of the semilinear Biot model are revised and a mathematical model depicting the physical nonlinearity is established. A perturbation technique is then applied to find solutions to the nonlinear Biot equations. The computational results are carried out in details for a one‐dimensional model in which the contributions of the fast and slow compressional waves into second harmonic wave are analyzed. The correlation between second and third‐order Biot coefficients and measurable nonlinear parameters is also presented along with a parameter analysis.

Experiments with plasmas having nearly equal concentrations of deuterium and tritium have been carried out on TFTR. To date (September 1995), the maximum fusion power has been 10.7 MW, using 39.5 MW of neutral beam heating, in a supershot discharge and 6.7 MW in a high beta P discharge following a current ramp-down. The fusion power density in the core of the plasma has reached 2.8 MW/m3, exceeding that expected in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The energy confinement time tau E is observed to increase in DT, relative to D plasmas, by 20% and the n1(0).T1(0). tau E product by 55%. The improvement in thermal confinement is caused primarily by a decrease in ion heat conductivity in both supershot and limiter H mode discharges. Extensive lithium pellet injection increased the confinement time to 0.27 s and enabled higher current operation in both supershot and high beta P discharges. First measurements of the confined alpha particles have been performed and found to be in good agreement with TRANSP simulations assuming classical confinement. Measurements of the alpha ash profile have been compared with simulations using particle transport coefficients from helium gas puffing experiments. The loss of energetic alpha particles to a detector at the bottom of the vessel is well described by the first-orbit loss mechanism. No loss due to alpha particle driven instabilities has yet been observed. ICRF heating of a DT plasma, using the second harmonic of tritium, has been demonstrated. DT experiments on TFTR will continue both to explore the physics underlying the ITER design and to examine some of the physics issues associated with an advanced tokamak reactor

The evolving health-care system in the United States increasingly rewards successful efforts to keep people healthier and more productive. This is exactly what applied psychophysiology and biofeedback have to offer. However, if we wait to be included in the system, we will wait forever. Inclusion can only come as a result of our efforts to educate decision-makers about the value of our research and services. That education won't take place unless we have an instructional plan and materials. Detailing that plan and producing those materials is the immediate challenge to this Association.

Routine tritium operation in TFTR has permitted investigations of alpha particle physics in parameter ranges resembling those of a reactor core. ICRF wave physics in a DT plasma and the influence of isotopic mass on supershot confinement have also been studied. Continued progress has been made in optimizing fusion power production in TFTR, using extended machine capability and Li wall conditioning. Performance is currently limited by MHD stability. A new reversed magnetic shear regime is being investigated with reduced core transport and a higher predicted stability limit.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) represents an efficient system for neuronal transduction. However, a potential drawback of AAV is its restricted packaging capacity of approximately 5 kb. To bypass this limitation, a number of dual- and triple-vector strategies divide the transgene(s) between two or three AAVs. The success of these approaches relies directly on efficient cotransduction of the component AAVs. Although proof of concept for these stratagems has been demonstrated, the underlying cotransduction rate has not been analyzed quantitatively. In this study, cotransduction efficiencies in both retina and hippocampus have been investigated, using two reporter AAVs expressing either a green (GFP) or red (DsR) fluorescent protein. Transduction efficiencies were monitored via microscopy, flow cytometry, and quantitative PCR. After viral transduction with 1.5×10(9) viral particles of each of the reporter AAVs, approximately one-third of the retinal cells expressed one or both transgenes at levels detectable by native fluorescence. Notably, the majority of the remaining retinal cells were also transduced and expressed the reporters at lower levels, which were detectable only by immunolabeling. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated cotransduction rates of up to 55% with the two reporter AAVs in retinal cells. Modifying the ratio of the two coadministered AAVs resulted in altered mRNA expression levels of the two reporter genes in cotransduced cell populations. The study suggests that codelivery of AAV is an efficient means of expanding the therapeutic application of AAV in neurons.

Biofeedback is a mind-body technique in which individuals learn how to modify their physiology for the purpose of improving physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Much like physical therapy, biofeedback training requires active participation on the part of patients and often regular practice between training sessions. Clinical biofeedback may be used to manage disease symptoms as well as to improve overall health and wellness through stress management training. Research has shown that biofeedback interventions are efficacious in treating a variety of medical conditions, and many Americans are turning to biofeedback and other less traditional therapies for their routine healthcare.Clinical biofeedback training is growing increasingly popular in the USA, as many people are seeking out relatively new approaches to healthcare. This article provides an overview of clinical biofeedback training, outlines two models of training, details research which has established how effective biofeedback is in patients with a given disease, and describes who should be referred for biofeedback training.

Where human populations exist, water and its proper management remain a critical and important issue across diverse regions of the world. This is particularly acute in semiarid regions. The proper allocation and management of limited water resources in locations that are vast in spatial extent necessitate important surface and meteorological information in order to accurately estimate evapotranspiration (ET) at relevant spatial and temporal resolutions. This chapter focuses on quantifying and understanding the surface energy balance (SEB) for an irrigated cotton field in a semiarid environment because of the unique case where irrigated (wet) surfaces are surrounded by vast dry surfaces. And thus represent an ideal condition to study the effects of advected warm dry air moving over a wet surface and imparting additional energy in the form of a saturation deficit that enhances ET in addition to the available energy fluxes.

To gain information on soil factors which may limit productivity of tobacco on Coastal Plain soils in Maryland, studies were conducted on Monmouth sandy loam soils in 1982 to 1984 and in 1988. The 1982–1984 study involved the application of dolomitic lime in 1982 at rates of 0, 3.6, 7.3, and 14.6 M ton/ha which achieved pH values of 4.4, 4.7, 5.0, and 5.3, respectively, in combination with annual applications of supplemental molybdenum (Mo) at rates equal to 0, 0.28, 0.55, and 1.1 kg/ha. The 1988 study involved lime application rates of 6.0, 17.0, and 25.0 M ton/ha to achieve pH values of 5.0, 5.6, and 6.0, respectively, in combination with Mo rates equal to 0, 0.5, and 1.0 k/gha. Studies were also conducted in 1988 involving the application of 0, 0.55, and 1.10 kg/ha supplemental Mo without lime additions to two sites having pH values of 5.0 and 5.5, respectively. Cured leaf yields, total nitrogen (N) and alkaloid levels were measured in all studies. Leaf Mo levels were monitored in the 1988 stu...

AIMS--To compare the assessment of dyskaryosis in cervical smears made by specialist consultant cytopathologists and consultant general histopathologists. METHODS--One hundred and ten cervical smears were circulated to 10 observers from five district general hospital histopathology departments and five major departments of cytopathology. Their responses were analysed by five consultant general histopathologists and five consultant specialist cytopathologists. In 54 of the 110 cases, the histology of a corresponding cervical biopsy specimen was compared with the smear assessments. RESULTS--Specialist cytopathologists were more consistent than non-specialists when diagnosing and grading dyskaryosis. They chose the higher grades of dyskaryosis more frequently than the non-specialists. The cytopathologists recommended referral for colposcopy more frequently, but if they asked for a repeat smear, they wanted it done within three months more frequently than the histopathologists. The specialists were more frequently in agreement with the biopsy grade of intra-epithelial neoplasia than the non-specialists, whose smear diagnoses tended to underestimate the severity of the histopathological abnormality. CONCLUSIONS--This study has shown major differences between specialist and non-specialist cytopathologists in the diagnosis and grading of cervical smears and in the recommended management of patients with abnormal smears. These differences may result in uneven clinical management of women with smear abnormalities. It is therefore important to explore possible strategies for standardising the reporting of cervical smears, such as centralisation of screening services, accreditation in cytopathology for non-specialist consultants, and the value of participation in external quality assessment schemes.

Biofeedback is a method of training subjects to regulate their own physiology using feedback from physiologic sensors connected to an output display. Biofeedback-assisted stress management (BFSM) incorporates the physiologic signals with instructions on stress management. The goal of BFSM training is to give subjects the tools to control their own mental and physiologic reactions, leading to improved health and wellness. In cardiovascular disease, overactivation of the sympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system and psychologic stress together negatively affect quality of life and clinical status. BFSM targets both areas. We hypothesize that this intervention can be used in cardiovascular disease to improve clinical status and quality of life, as well as interfere with disease progression. We are conducting trials of BFSM in heart failure and stable coronary artery disease. Preliminary data suggest that use of BFSM by heart failure patients may actually cause cellular and molecular remodeling of the failing heart in the direction of normal. We are comparing the effects of BFSM with usual care in patients with stable coronary artery disease, testing the hypothesis that the intervention will decrease both sympathetic hyperarousal and activation of the inflammatory cascade. Since heart rate variability is abnormal in both cardiovascular disease and depression, and since BFSM has been successfully used to change heart rate variability, we also expect this intervention to have a positive impact on the depression that often accompanies cardiovascular disease.

This study builds on prior research by Rakow et al. (2009) by examining the role of parental guilt induction in the association between parent depressive symptoms and child internalizing problems in a sample of parents with a history of major depressive disorder. One hundred and two families with 129 children (66 males; Mage = 11.42 years) were studied. The association of parental depressive symptoms with child internalizing problems was accounted for by parental guilt induction, which was assessed by behavioral observations and child report. Implications of the findings for parenting programs are discussed and future research directions are considered.

(1′R,2′S,3′R)-9-(2′,3′-Dihydroxycycloperrt-4′-en-1′-yl)-adenine (DHCeA) and -3-deazaadenine (3-deaza-DHCeA), which are potent inhibitors of S-adenosylho-mocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase, and ribavirin, which is an inhibitor of IMP-dehydrogenase, were found in this study to have synergistic effects on inhibiting vaccinia virus replication in murine L929 cells without creating a synergistic effect on cellular toxicity. Thus, the antiviral effectiveness of this drug combination was 5–10× higher than the antiviral effectiveness observed with the AdoHcy hydrolase inhibitors alone. Ribavirin does not alter the ability of DHCeA and 3-deaza-DHCeA to elevate the intracellular AdoHcy/S-adeno-sylmethionine (AdoMet) ratio. Increases in this ratio were shown earlier to correlate with the antiviral effects of these carbocyclic nucleosides. Ribavirin was also shown to significantly reduce the cellular level of GTP, which is consistent with its activity as an inhibitor of IMP-dehydrogenase and its proposed mechanism of antiviral action, inhibiting the formation of the ‘capped methylated structure’ at the 5′-end of viral mRNA.

For higher Pt content alloys of the Pd/Pt series of alloys, relationships at 25 °C between hydrogen content, n, and incremental changes of specific electrical resistance, Δρ, seem representable to a good approximation by a common curve, with a maximum of Δρ near n = 0.5 of similar form to ‘Nordheim’ types of relationship between resistivity and composition appropriate to substitutional alloys. An attempt has been made to assess whether phase-transition-related deviations from this symmetrical form of Δρ-n relationship in the cases of palladium itself and Pd/Pt alloys with lower Pt contents may provide useful guidance concerning the sequence of hydrogen occupation of interstitial sites in α and β(α′) phases (domains) of these systems.

This study employed a prospective design to examine the role of friend and partner relationship quality 1 year following substance use disorder treatment in the association between depressive symptoms at discharge from treatment and abstinence from substance use 2 years after treatment.The sample consisted of 1,453 male veterans who used alcohol and at least one other substance in the 3 months before treatment admission, who completed treatment, and who were abstinent from substances during the 2 weeks before discharge.Fewer depressive symptoms at treatment discharge predicted better relationship quality with friends and a partner at 1-year follow-up, as well as abstinence from substance use at 2-year follow-up. Furthermore, friend and partner relationship quality at 1 year predicted abstinence from substance use at 2 years. Friend relationship quality at 1 year mediated part of the association between fewer depressive symptoms at treatment discharge and abstinence at 2-year follow-up.A stronger focus in treatment on reducing depressive symptoms and enhancing the quality of patients' relationships with their friends and partner may increase the likelihood of long-term abstinence.

The present investigation examined the incremental predictive validity of mindfulness skills, as measured by the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS), in relation to multiple facets of emotional dysregulation, as indexed by the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), above and beyond variance explained by negative affectivity, anxiety sensitivity, and distress tolerance. Participants were a nonclinical community sample of 193 young adults (106 women, 87 men; M(age) = 23.91 years). The KIMS Accepting without Judgment subscale was incrementally negatively predictive of all facets of emotional dysregulation, as measured by the DERS. Furthermore, KIMS Acting with Awareness was incrementally negatively related to difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior. Additionally, both observing and describing mindfulness skills were incrementally negatively related to lack of emotional awareness, and describing skills also were incrementally negatively related to lack of emotional clarity. Findings are discussed in relation to advancing scientific understanding of emotional dysregulation from a mindfulness skills-based framework.