cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instructors’ conceptualization and implementation of scaffolding in online higher education courses

This multiple case study explores how instructors conceptualize and employ scaffolding in online courses. Participants included full time faculty (n = 4) who have designed and taught at least one online course within the past 12 months. Data sources included pre-interview surveys, semi-structured interviews, and online course observations. Data were analyzed by employing a general analytical strategy for developing a case description (Yin, 2018). The results showed that (a) instructors define scaffolding as a support to help students achieve course outcomes and (b) instructors implement different types of scaffolding (i.e., conceptual, metacognitive, procedural, strategic, and motivational) in hard and soft scaffolding forms. The results also showed that instructors' conceptualization and implementation of scaffolding differed based on their discipline and teaching philosophy, and the unique features of online courses. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Macroscopic Anatomy of the Reproductive Tract of the Reproductively Quiescent Female Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

Three reproductively quiescent female emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) were embalmed with 10% formalin solution. The reproductive tract was dissected and described. The reproductive tract consists of an ovary and oviduct situated on the left side of the abdominal cavity. The left ovary is dark brown to black in colour with follicles covering the ventral surface. The ovary is located medial to the spleen and closely associated with the ventral surface of the cranial and middle lobes of the left kidney. The oviduct is a relatively straight tube that extends from the level of the cranial extent of the left ilium to the caudal border of the left pubic bone. The oviduct is grossly divided into the infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus and vagina using variations in the mucosal fold pattern.
Biliary tract surgery

Abstract This paper reports on a series of surgical cases involving the biliary tract operated upon in the four general hospitals of Salt Lake City in 1940. There were a total of 411 operations of 401 patients carried out by seventy-seven different surgeons. The mortality rate for the group was rather high, being 7.2 per cent per patient and 7.05 per cent per operation. The common duct was explored in only 9.7 per cent of cases (excluding three cases of plastic operation of the duct). This is low according to present indications. The mortality rate for this group, however, was quite high (15 per cent).
Disability, gender, and employment relationships in Africa: The case of Ghana

The exploratory quantitative study sought to develop an understanding about the relationships among disability, gender and employment in Northern Ghana. A total of 110 individuals with disabilities (20–60 years) from various disability groups participated in the study. The results indicate that many persons with disabilities are unemployed, the majority being women. Discrimination is cited as the greatest barrier to the employment of persons with disabilities, particularly women. The majority of persons with disabilities, typically women, live in poverty; given that some are unemployed and those who are employed worked mostly in marginal, seasonal and menial jobs. Persons with disabilities also experience several challenges on the job, including negative perceptions about their capabilities, discrimination and exclusion, irrespective of the employment sector and disability type. Educational interventions such as workshops, documenting and showcasing success stories of persons with disabilities could be helpful to reduce negative perceptions about their capabilities as well as discrimination against them. Government intervention to support persons with disabilities with start-up capital and funding for formal education is also recommended as these two elements were identified respectively as barriers to self-employment and employment in the public/private sectors. Government interventions to create educational opportunities for persons with disabilities are essential given that lower educational attainment affect their employment.
Towards automatic learning of valid services for honeypots

Honeypots have emerged as an important tool in the field of Intrusion Detection Systems Honeypots are decoy machines whose sole purpose is to be compromised by network attackers, in order to gain information about the attack techniques The biggest challenge in deploying honeypots is their configuration and maintenance compounded with the fact that they either emulate a few services or provide the real services The emulated services, which are usually implemented using scripts, are restricted by the responses given to the attacker This limits the amount of information that can be gathered The scipts are also much easier to be detected by the attacker On the other hand, the drawback of providing real services is the greater risk associated with their use. In this paper, we describe service-mining, a machine learning approach to learn and emulate behavior of real-world services Given large enough traces of the real-service interactions and some basic information about the service, we propose a scheme whereby we can learn the semantics of its various commands and then effectively emulate the service This service may then be deployed on a honeypot to capture attack signatures without posing a threat to the complete network. Our initial experience in trying to emulate the popular FTP service is promising We are able to learn the FTP service and then intelligently and consistently respond to user queries with our emulated FTP service.
The Visual System's Internal Model of the World

The Bayesian paradigm has provided a useful conceptual theory for understanding perceptual computation in the brain. While the detailed neural mechanisms of Bayesian inference are not fully understood, recent computational and neurophysiological works have illuminated the underlying computational principles and representational architecture. The fundamental insights are that the visual system is organized as a modular hierarchy to encode an internal model of the world, and that perception is realized by statistical inference based on such internal model. In this paper, we will discuss and analyze the varieties of representational schemes of these internal models and how they might be used to perform learning and inference. We will argue for a unified theoretical framework for relating the internal models to the observed neural phenomena and mechanisms in the visual cortex.
Flood Basalts--Bigger and Badder

During episodes of flood volcanism, vast amounts of mass and energy are transferred from Earth's interior to the surface within relatively short periods of time. Episodes of major flood volcanism coincided with severe mass extinctions, and perhaps also with large meteor impacts. In his Perspective, [Renne][1] discusses recent studies into the causes of these events and the extent of the flood basalt provinces created by them. He highlights the report by [ Reichow et al .][2], who show that the Siberian Traps are much larger than previously thought, making it the largest (by volume) of all known flood provinces. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5574/1812 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/296/5574/1846
Intersphincteric Resection and Coloanal Anstomosis for Very Low Lying Rectal Cancer

Purpose: Ultralow anterior resection and coloanal anastomosis (hand-sewn) has commonly been used for preserving the anal sphincter in patients with low-lying distal rectal cancer. Preoperative chemoradiation therapy is a contributing factor to preserve the anal sphincter. Intersphincteric resection has been introduced and has begun to be applied to distal rectal cancer for anal sphincter preservation. The aim of this study was to report on patients who underwent intersphincteric resection and coloanal anastomosis for very low-lying rectal cancer. Methods: Intersphincteric resection was performed in 21 patients with very low-lying rectal cancer (within 4 cm from the anal verge) between December 2004 and May 2008. All patients received colonic J pouch anal anastomosis and loop ileostomy. The patients were selected prospectively and followed up for the function of bowel movement and recurrence. Results: Mean tumor distance from anal verge was 2.8 cm (range 2∼4 cm). No postoperative mortality was encountered. One patient developed ischemic colitis of colonic J-pouch after high doses of tomotherapy. Subsequently he received abdominoperineal resection and permanent colostomy. One patient underwent diverting colostomy for severe incontinence after ileostomy takedown. The other cases reported good anorectal function such as frequency of bowel movement and fecal incontinence. There were two local recurrences during a mean follow-up period of 11.6 months. Conclusion: Based on a single surgeon’s experiences, postoperative morbidity and anorectal function after intersphincteric resection with coloanal anastomosis seems acceptable.
Adaptive numerical control for dynamic data-driven applications

Dynamic data-driven applications aim to reconcile different sources of information for systems under scrutiny. Such problems ubiquitously arise in geosciences, for applications like numerical weather prediction, climate change and green energy harvesting. One of the main challenges in solving data-driven applications come from the associated large computational cost. This article presents an adaptive computational framework for fusing numerical model predictions with real observations, in order to generate discrete initial conditions which are optimal in a certain sense. The proposed framework incorporates four-dimensional variational data assimilation, observation impact via sensitivity analysis and adaptive measurement strategies.
Monaural separation of independent acoustical components

The problem of blindly separating signal mixtures with fewer mixture components than independent signal sources is mathematically ill-defined, and requires suitable prior information on the nature of the sources. Recently, it has been shown that sparse methods for function approximation using a Laplacian prior can be effective, but the method fails to separate a single mixture without further prior information. Other techniques track harmonics, but assume separability in the time-frequency domain. We show that a measure of temporal and spectral coherence provides an effective cue for separating independent acoustical or sonar sources, in the absence of spatial cues in the monaural case. The technique is shown to successfully separate single mixtures of sources with significant spectral overlap.
Gender-related differences in proliferative responses of vascular smooth muscle cells to endothelin-1.

Endothelin-1 is an endothelium-derived factor which alters tone and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle and has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Estrogen modulates production of and contractile responses to endothelin-1. Since atherosclerosis is less in estrogen-replete women compared to men, experiments were designed to determine whether or not there were gender-associated differences in proliferative responses to endothelin-1 and effect of estrogen status on those responses. Proliferation of smooth muscle cells derived from coronary arteries of sexually mature, gondally intact male and female and oophorect-omized female pigs was determined by thymidine incorporation in the absence and presence of endothelin-1 with and without 17β-estradiol. Endothelin-1 (10−9 M to 10−7 M) significantly inhibited proliferation only in coronary smooth muscle cells from intact female pigs. Addition of β-estradiol inhibited proliferation of cells from intact females but there was not a synergistic ...
Filipino Folk Spirituality and Immigration: From Mutual Aid to Religion

(1996). Filipino Folk Spirituality and Immigration: From Mutual Aid to Religion. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 1-30.
A computational investigation of the phase behavior and capillary sublimation of water confined between nanoscale hydrophobic plates

Thin films of water under nanoscopic confinement are prevalent in natural and manufactured materials. To investigate the equilibrium and dynamic behavior of water in such environments, we perform molecular dynamics simulations of water confined between atomistically detailed hydrophobic plates at T = 298 K for pressures (−0.1) ⩽ P ⩽ 1.0 GPa and plate separations of 0.40 ⩽ d ⩽ 0.80 nm. From these simulations, we construct an expanded P-d phase diagram for confined water, and identify and characterize a previously unreported confined monolayer ice morphology. We also study the decompression-induced sublimation of bilayer ice in a d = 0.6 nm slit, employing principal component analysis to synthesize low-dimensional embeddings of the drying trajectories and develop insight into the sublimation mechanism. Drying is observed to proceed by the nucleation of a bridging vapor cavity at one corner of the crystalline slab, followed by expansion of the cavity along two edges of the plates, and the subsequent recessio...
Interaction between technology and extraction scaling real options in natural gas production

This article is the outcome of a research engagement studying questions of technology utilization and production management with managers at EQT Corp., an integrated natural gas production and distribution company. The question of how to best leverage the use of technology is fundamental to almost any industry; this is especially true for those companies operating in the volatile field of commodities production, as does EQT Corp¨ This article considers the interaction between two types of real options that arise in natural gas production: The option to scale the production level, through enhanced extraction and communication technologies, and the option to scale the extraction rate, by pausing production. This interaction is studied by applying stochastic dynamic programming to actual operational and financial data. The analysis brings to light data-driven managerial principles pertaining to the valuation and deployment of these three scaling options, the effect of price uncertainty on the option values, ...
Indeterminate Responses to Attitudinal Questions About Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Rural Bangladesh

Using data from 165 participants in a survey experiment in six Bangladeshi villages, we explored the levels and correlates of women’s indeterminate responses to a five-part attitudinal question on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. Over 80 % had indeterminate responses to all five parts of the question. Indeterminate responses included silence or initial non-response (53–58 %), misunderstanding the question (30–37 %), and conditional opinions (7–13 %). The percentages of women who justified IPV were lower when indeterminate responses were permitted (7–12 %) than when they were not (37–57 %). Older women (≥26 years) with less schooling (≤2 grades) whose husbands were older (≥36 years), had less schooling (≤8 grades), and were at least 7 years older than the respondent often had higher odds of giving indeterminate responses. Husbands’ attributes and spousal age gaps were most consistently associated with women’s indeterminate responses. Latent power, or fears of expressing transgressive views, may underlie women’s indeterminate responses to attitudinal questions about IPV against women. Recommendations for further research are discussed.
Two-dimensional photonic crystals for sensitive microscale chemical and biochemical sensing

Photonic crystals - optical devices able to respond to changes in the refractive index of a small volume of space - are an emerging class of label-free chemical- and bio-sensors. This review focuses on one class of photonic crystal, in which light is confined to a patterned planar material layer of sub-wavelength thickness. These devices are small (on the order of tens to hundreds of microns square), suitable for incorporation into lab-on-a-chip systems, and in theory can provide exceptional sensitivity. We introduce the defining characteristics and basic operation of two-dimensional photonic crystal sensors, describe variations of their basic design geometry, and summarize reported detection results from chemical and biological sensing experiments.
Comparison of blastocyst transfer to day 3 transfer with assisted hatching in the older patient.

Abstract Objective To compare cycle outcomes in similar populations of women over 40 who underwent blastocyst transfer compared with women who had day 3 embryo transfer with assisted hatching (ET/AH). Design Retrospective study Setting University hospital–based program. Patient(s) Eighty-six IVF cycles in women ages 40 to 43 years who had more than three eight-cell embryos on day 3. Intervention(s) On day 3 of embryo culture, patients chose either to undergo blastocyst transfer or day 3 ET/AH. Main outcome measure(s) Pregnancy and cryopreservation rates were recorded. Result(s) In 48 cycles, blastocyst transfer was performed, and in 38 cycles day 3 ET/AH was performed. There was no statistically significant difference between the blastocyst transfer group and the day 3 ET/AH group with respect to age (41.1 ± 0.9 years vs. 41.6 ± 0.8 years), percentage of intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (29.2% vs. and 27.6%), number of oocytes (14.9 ± 5.6 vs. 12.8 ± 4.0), or number of eight-cell embryos (6.1 ± 2.2 vs. 5.4 ± 1.5). Significantly fewers embryos were transferred per cycle with blastocyst transfer (2.6 ± 1.0) compared with day 3 ET/AH (5.9 ± 2.0). The viable pregnancy rate was similar in the blastocyst transfer group (29.2%) and in the day 3 ET/AH group (26.3%). Embryos for cryopreservation were available in significantly more cycles in the blastocyst transfer group (52.1%) than in the day 3 ET/AH group (21.1%). Cleavage stage arrest occurred only in one cycle. Conclusion(s) Blastocyst transfer appears to be as effective as day 3 ET/AH in older patients with good embryos. Higher cryopreservation rate in the blastocyst transfer group may represent an advantage over day 3 ET/AH. Older women may also benefit from the information that extended culture provides them regarding their oocyte quality.
Survey of hydrothermally-generated petroleums from the Guaymas Basin spreading center

Abstract The Guaymas Basin spreading center and hydrothermal system are generating an assortment of petroleum-like bitumens by pyrolysis of organic matter in the overlying uncosolidated sediments. Samples collected by D.S.V. Alvin from hydrothermal fields in the Southern Trough exhibit large variations in the quantities and character of the solvent-soluble organic materials. Various pyrolytic regimes combined with fluctuating thermal gradients and migration velocities may impart a compositional fractionation, possibly by differential gaseous solubilization and hydrodynamic alteration of the multi-component fluids. The data suggest that differential condensation/solidification, biodegradation, and water-washing cause selective removal of components at the seabed. Many hydrothermal oils are unlike normal reservoir petroleums, because they contain significant concentrations of polar material, due to their rapid genesis and transport and probable solubilization or advection of polar, immature components. The biomarker distributions confirm high-temperature pyrolysis at depth with variable entrainment of less thermally-mature bitumens during transport. Data for shallow core samples from the Northern Trough indicate that those locations experienced variable influx (predominantly volatiles) of a low-temperature pyrolysate.
Mechanisms of lateral epitaxial overgrowth of gallium nitride by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract We investigate the effect of growth temperature (1015–1100°C), growth duration (3–90 min), and pattern geometry on the lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of GaN stripes using a SiO 2 -masked GaN/Al 2 O 3 seed. The mask openings (5 and 10 μm) are aligned in the 〈1 1 0 0〉 directions and the fill factor (ratio of opening width to pattern period) is varied between 0.01 and 0.5. Vertical {1 1 2 0} sidewalls are observed in conditions of high temperature or high fill factor, whereas inclined {1 1 2 n } facets ( n ≈1–2.5) are observed in conditions of low temperature or low fill factor. The set of exposed facets is roughly independent of growth duration between 3 and 90 min. We suggest that the observed morphologies result from the bonding structure of the various facets in conjunction with the local variations of the V/III ratio.
Local dominance in health risk perception

Local comparisons with a few people displace the influence of general comparisons with many people during self-evaluation of performance and ability. The current research examined whether this local dominance effect obtains in the domain of health risk perception, an outcome of critical importance given its direct relation to preventative health behaviours. Participants received manipulated feedback indicating that their risk of diabetes (Study 1) or a serious car accident (Study 2) ranked above average or below average relative to numerous peers. Additionally, some participants were told that their risk ranked highest or lowest relative to a few peers. Participants evaluated their risk as significantly higher when they only knew that it ranked above average than below average. However, this effect was eliminated among participants who received additional local comparison information. These findings highlight the potential biasing influence of local comparison on everyday health judgment and behaviour.
Dielectric relaxation as a probe of interphase structure

Abstract The electrical and thermal properties of two high-performance polymers, PEEK, poly(etheretherketone), and NEW-TPI semicrystalline thermoplastic polyimide, are reviewed and compared in this work. Dielectric relaxation was used as a probe of the crystal/amorphous interphase and is shown to be sensitive to the interphase structure in the temperature range above the glass transition. The dielectric relaxation intensity is related to the number density of dipoles that are relaxed at a given temperature. For NEW-TPI, the constrained amorphous phase is completely relaxed within thirty degrees above T g , while for PEEK the interphase relaxes more gradually. Thermal analysis shows that PEEK contains a much larger fraction of constrained amorphous chains and a much smaller fraction of mobile amorphous chains, compared to NEW-TPI. PEEK crystallizes more rapidly above the glass transition, and a large fraction of PEEK crystallinity is attributed to secondary crystallization processes. In NEW-TPI, as a result of the increased chain stiffness, cold crystallization is slow and little or no crystals develop by secondary crystallization. These differences in crystallization behaviour of the two materials may be related to the differences in the formation of a rigid amorphous interphase.
Copper(I) catalyzed 2π + 2π photocycloadditions of allyl alcohol

Norbornen (I) reagiert mit Cu-triflat (II) zu einem Komplex (III), der Allylalkohol (IV) zu den stereoisomeren Cyclobutyl-carbinolen (V) und (VI) addiert.
Carbon–Fluorine Bond Stretchings in Some Acyclic Organic Molecules

The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the existing discrepancy between qualitative and quantitative interpretations of certain carbon–fluorine stretching modes in fluorine substituted compounds.
Introduction to the Physical Geography of Medium-Sized Rivers, Focusing on the Southeastern and South-Central United States

(2011). Introduction to the Physical Geography of Medium-Sized Rivers, Focusing on the Southeastern and South-Central United States. Physical Geography: Vol. 32, The Physical Geography of Medium-Sized Rivers, Focusing on the Southeastern and South-Central United States, Part I, pp. 393-398.
Time study examining the effect of range, cage-free, and cage environments on man-hours committed to bird care in 3 brown egg layer strains

Abstract Growing consumer awareness concerning layer hen welfare has caused the egg industry to consider alternative environments for egg-laying hens. However, the time commitment for alternative care has not been researched in detail since the 1950s. In 2 experiments, we evaluated the man-hour commitment associated with 3 different environments, including range (R), cage-free (CF), and cage systems (C). Concurrently within the R and CF systems, 3 strains of birds, Hy-Line Silver Brown, Hy-Line Brown, and Barred Plymouth Rock, were examined to see if strain differences were associated with man-hours associated for care. All birds were raised within the environment they were going to be laying in at 17 wk of age, the time data collection started. The system study was a 3-factor randomized design that commenced at 17 wk, when the laying phase commenced with 8 R replicates, 24 CF replicates, and 4 C replicates. The strain study consisted of R and CF systems and 3 strains of Hy-Line Brown, Hy-Line Silver Brown, and Barred Plymouth Rock. All husbandry was provided as appropriate to the production system and in accordance with the approved animal care procedures. Time was recorded for all of the procedures done within the replicates (i.e., egg collection, feeding, and so on). The data were transformed first by man-hours per bird housed and second by man-hours per bird surviving. All time data were analyzed using PROC GLM in SAS. Man-hours per hen decreased from 17 to 37 wk in all production systems. The production environment C required only 0.334 h/hen housed, which is lower as compared with either the CF at 0.486 h/hen housed or R at 1.268 h/hen housed. Strain alone did not influence man-hours; however, the strain with the poorest livability had the greatest man-hour requirement for hens surviving. This study substantiates previous findings that moving from intensive to extensive production systems will increase man-hours per hen by 3 or 4 times.
The involvement of ring hydrogen atoms in the reaction C6H5NH2+. → C5H6+. + HNC

Abstract We report electron impact and 266 nm MPI data obtained using an aniline/aniline-2,3,4,5,6-d5 mixture which indicate that both the rapid and the metastable decomposition reactions C6H5NH2+. → C5H6+. + HNC in the aniline system have two components. The major component involves the loss of a hydrogen atom originally attached to the nitrogen atom in the aniline molecule whereas the minor component involves the loss of a hydrogen atom originally attached to the ring. The relative rate constants for the two metastable decomposition reactions in aniline-2, 3,4,5,6-d5 have been measured.
Probing membrane alterations associated with anthracycline resistance using fluorescent dyes.

Abstract Properties of membranes of intact P388 murine lymphoblastic leukemia and a sub-line selected for resistance to adriamycin (P388/ADR) were examined using two fluorescent probes: diphenyl-hexatriene (DPH) and trimethylammonium diphenylhexatriene (T-DPH). Time-dependent changes in dye accummulation, fluorescence anisotropy, and lifetimes were measured. Accumulation of DPH, which eventually labels all cellular lipids, increased with time. Uptake of T-DPH, a more membrane-specific probe, reached a maximum in less than 1 min. No alteration could be detected in fluorescence anisotropy or lifetime of either dye associated with anthracycline resistance or anthracycline treatment. The rate of uptake of the T-DPH was not different in P388 versus P388/ADR cell lines, suggesting no differences in membrane “traffic”. Calcium-channel antagonists could partially reverse anthracycline resistance in P388/ADR, but this was not accompanied by alterations in fluorescence parameters.
Evaluation of elastic moduli of composite materials by linear programming

Abstract A method of applying linear programming to evaluate the elastic moduli of unidirectionally fiber-reinforced composite materials is presented. Based on the theory of elasticity, the stresses and displacements of the fiber and of the resin are expressed in terms of harmonic series. The coefficients of the series are determined by the simplex algorithm to minimize the deviations which occur when the stresses and displacements are matched at the fiberresin interface and at the outer boundary of the representative element of the composite. By applying the energy principle, the Young's modulus in the fiber direction and the major Poisson's ratio of the E-glass/resin composite are found to be in good agreement with existing results, while the gap of the bounds for its bulk modulus is considerably narrowed in comparison to earlier results.
Esophageal acid clearance during sleep in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Sleep-related gastroesophageal reflux and esophageal acid clearance have been shown to be important components in the pathogenesis of reflux esophageal disease. Previous studies have suggested that patients with more severe esophagitis are distinguished by an accumulation of acid mucosal contact time during sleep. These data would suggest that patients with Barrett's esophagus should have particularly severe impairment of acid clearance, most notable during sleep. To address this issue, 16 asymptomatic healthy volunteers and 13 patients with Barrett's esophagus were studied. Acid clearance was assessed by timing the reestablishment of an esophageal pH of 4 following the infusion of 15 ml 0.1 N HCl. Sleep was poly graphically monitored in order to objectively determine sleep and waking. The results indicated that while patients with Barrett's esophagus had a marked increase in the frequency of spontaneous gastroesophageal reflux during sleep, they unexpectedly demonstrated faster acid clearance times during both waking and sleep. A greater percentage of arousal responses to acid infusion during sleep was noted in the Barrett's group. It is concluded from these results that patients with Barrett's esophagus can adequately clear acid from the distal esophagus but experience considerable acid mucosal contact through repeated episodes of spontaneous reflux during sleep.
Temperature-modulated calorimetry in the 21st century ☆

It is attempted to extrapolate to future developments in the field of thermal analysis, and, specifically, temperature-modulated calorimetry (TMC), the latter being a subject that developed to prominence in the last 10 years. The predictions are made on the basis of the present techniques and on the need for the characterization of materials. Key issues are the advancement of the practice of TMC to quantitative calorimetry. Special topics mentioned are the analysis of nonequilibrium states and the characterization of nanophases. In instrumentation, the extensions of modulation to higher frequencies and the introduction of new techniques for smaller sample masses are discussed. One of the biggest needs is, however, to increase the teaching effort in this field, since many of the quantitative methods already available are not applied to the fullest because of a lack of qualified thermal analysts.
The quantum diffusion of isotopic impurities in solid hydrogen

Abstract The diffusion of HD molecules, present as isotropic impurities in solid hydrogen, is calculated in the temperature range where the quantum tunneling of the impurities is hindered by scattering from vacancies. The vacancy-impurity scattering cross section is calculated using a classical approximation. The results are compared with recent NMR measurements of the impurity diffusion at low temperatures.
Deconstructing disengagement: analyzing learner subpopulations in massive open online courses

As MOOCs grow in popularity, the relatively low completion rates of learners has been a central criticism. This focus on completion rates, however, reflects a monolithic view of disengagement that does not allow MOOC designers to target interventions or develop adaptive course features for particular subpopulations of learners. To address this, we present a simple, scalable, and informative classification method that identifies a small number of longitudinal engagement trajectories in MOOCs. Learners are classified based on their patterns of interaction with video lectures and assessments, the primary features of most MOOCs to date.In an analysis of three computer science MOOCs, the classifier consistently identifies four prototypical trajectories of engagement. The most notable of these is the learners who stay engaged through the course without taking assessments. These trajectories are also a useful framework for the comparison of learner engagement between different course structures or instructional approaches. We compare learners in each trajectory and course across demographics, forum participation, video access, and reports of overall experience. These results inform a discussion of future interventions, research, and design directions for MOOCs. Potential improvements to the classification mechanism are also discussed, including the introduction of more fine-grained analytics.
Semi-automated determination of chromium in whole blood and serum by Zeeman electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Abstract Direct determination of normal and elevated levels of chromium in whole blood and serum can be achieved using Zeeman effect electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Whole blood and serum levels of chromium were determined for an apparently healthy population and whole blood chromium levels for renal dialysis patients. Blood and serum specimens were diluted with distilled deionized water and Triton X-100. The analyses were performed utilizing air as the alternate gas to facilitate ashing in one of the char steps. Within-run precision studies for whole blood chromium determinations gave relative sd values of 4.75 and 4.65% for 0.358 and 0.172 μg/l, respectively. Within-run precision studies for the serum chromium analysis yield relative sd values of 5.26 and 2.67% for 0.156 and 0.300 μg/l, respectively. Detection limits were 0.025 and 0.018 μg/l for whole blood and serum, respectively. The mean chromium level found in whole blood and serum specimens from apparently normal individuals were 0.371 μg/l (n = 37) and 0.130 μg/l (n = 19), with ranges of 0.120–0.673 and 0.058–0.388 μg/l, respectively.
A novel spectral imaging system for quantitative analysis of hypertrophic scar

Scarring can lead to significant cosmetic, psychosocial, and functional consequences in patients with hypertrophic scars from burn and trauma injuries. Therefore, quantitative assessment of scar is needed in clinical diagnosis and treatment. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), the accepted clinical scar assessment tool, was introduced in the nineties and relies only on the physician subjective evaluation of skin pliability, height, vascularity, and pigmentation. To date, no entirely objective method has been available for scar assessment. So, there is a continued need for better techniques to monitor patients with scars. We introduce a new spectral imaging system combining out-of-plane Stokes polarimetry, Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI), and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. The main idea behind this system is to estimate hemoglobin and melanin contents of scar using SFDI technique, roughness and directional anisotropy features with Stokes polarimetry, and height and general shape with 3D reconstruction. Our proposed tool has several advantages compared to current methodologies. First and foremost, it is non-contact and non-invasive and thus can be used at any stage in wound healing without causing harm to the patient. Secondarily, the height, pigmentation, and hemoglobin assessments are co-registered and are based on imaging and not point measurement, allowing for more meaningful interpretation of the data. Finally, the algorithms used in the data analysis are physics based which will be very beneficial in the standardization of the technique. A swine model has also been developed for hypertrophic scarring and an ongoing pre-clinical evaluation of the technique is being conducted.
Temporal Correlation Mapping Analysis of the Hemodynamic Penumbra in Mutant Mice Deficient in Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Expression

Background and Purpose Mice containing deletions in the genes encoding nitric oxide (NO) synthase have been useful to dissect the role of NO in cerebral ischemia. We recently reported that mice lacking expression of the endothelial isoform of NO synthase (eNOS) develop larger infarcts after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Because NO or a related product of NO synthase activity is important for relaxation of cerebral blood vessels, we examined for possible hemodynamic differences in the peri-ischemic zone of eNOS-deficient and wild-type mice after middle cerebral artery occlusion using functional CT scanning techniques. Methods Wild-type SV129 mice (n=10) and mice deficient in eNOS gene expression (n=10) were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion under halothane anesthesia. Thirty minutes after ischemia, functional CT scanning was performed with dynamic scanning protocols to measure the cerebral transit profiles of injected contrast agents. A temporal correlation mapping technique was used to ana...
Dynamic Homework Annotation

We present the first case study involving the use of dynamic homework annotation, where an instructor uses a pen input device and a microphone to record audio comments while marking up an electronic copy of a student's homework assignment. The student can then view the resulting animation using any web browser, for an experience similar to that of sitting beside an instructor who personally explains the strong and weak points of the student's work. As one might imagine, dynamic homework annotation requires more time and technical expertise on the part of the instructor, but holds the promise of giving much more useful feedback to students. In this paper, we discuss our assessment of both of these issues resulting from use of dynamic homework annotation in a semester-long graduate data structures course at Clemson University.
Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Fracture Dislocations: Stable and Unstable

Injuries to a competitive athlete's hand are common occurrences routinely treated by team training staff and physicians. These injuries are particularly prevalent in contact and ball catching sports. Although timely recognition and treatment of these injuries can avoid lifelong morbidity, the initial presentation may be deceptively benign. These injuries are classified according to the pattern of fracture and the resultant stability of the joint. Treating physicians must have an understanding of the biomechanics, injury patterns, assessment, and treatment guidelines in order to identify these injuries and provide for the earliest safe return to play with the best functional outcome for the athletes.
Early Carcinogenesis Involves the Establishment of Immune Privilege via Intrinsic and Extrinsic Regulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1: Translational Implications in Cancer Immunotherapy.

Although prolonged genetic pressure has been conjectured to be necessary for the eventual development of tumor immune evasion mechanisms, recent work is demonstrating that early genetic mutations are capable of moonlighting as both intrinsic and extrinsic modulators of the tumor immune microenvironment. The indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO) immunoregulatory enzyme is emerging as a key player in tumor-mediated immune tolerance. While loss of the tumor suppressor, BIN-1, and the over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) have been implicated in intrinsic regulation of IDO, recent findings have demonstrated the loss of TβRIII and the upregulation of Wnt5a by developing cancers to play a role in the extrinsic control of IDO activity by local dendritic cell populations residing within tumor and tumor-draining lymph node tissues. Together, these genetic changes are capable of modulating paracrine signaling pathways in the early stages of carcinogenesis to establish a site of immune privilege by promoting the differentiation and activation of local regulatory T cells. Additional investigation of these immune evasion pathways promises to provide opportunities for the development of novel strategies to synergistically enhance the efficacy of the evolving class of T cell-targeted ‘checkpoint’ inhibitors.
The α Subunit of the Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor Receptor Interacts with c-Kit and Inhibits c-Kit Signaling

The cytokine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) regulates hematopoiesis and the function of mature host defense cells through the GM-CSF receptor (GMR), which is composed of α (αGMR) and β (βGMR) subunits. Stem cell factor is another important hematopoietic cytokine that signals through c-Kit, a receptor tyrosine kinase, and regulates hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and erythroid development. Like other cytokine receptors, GMR and c-Kit are generally deemed as independent adaptor molecules capable of transducing cytokine-specific signals. We found that the αGMR directly interacts with c-Kit and that the interaction is mediated by the cytoplasmic domains. Furthermore, αGMR inhibited c-Kit auto-phosphorylation induced by the ligand stem cell factor. Consistent with the inhibitory effect, the expression of αGMR was suppressed in cells whose viability was dependent on c-Kit signaling. In contrast, the alternatively spliced α2 isoform of the αGMR could not inhibit c-Kit signaling, providing a rationale for the existence of the α2 isoform. Our results suggest that in addition to having the commonly appreciated roles in cytokine signal transduction, the receptors αGMR and c-Kit could interact to coordinate their signal initiation.
Advanced carcinoma of the nasopharynx. Treatment results.

(1981). Advanced Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx Treatment results. Acta Radiologica: Oncology: Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 245-251.
Microstructural characterization of firn

In this paper, we use a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with X-ray spectroscopy and electron back-scattered diffraction patterns to examine firn in cores retrieved by the United States International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition. From grain boundary grooves we were able to see where the previously existing snow crystals were joined, and can determine grain sizes. From the SEM images, the porosity and the surface area per unit volume of the pores were measured. Finally, we have shown that we can determine the microchemistry of impurities in firn and demonstrated that we can determine the orientations of the firn crystals. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cosmic rays at 30,000 feet

A discussion is given of the data obtained in a recent series of flights of a B-29 airplane at altitudes up to 40,000 ft., in which a cloud chamber, actuated by Geiger counters, was operated in a magnetic field of 7500 gauss. The frequency of occurrence of single particles and electron showers at elevations of 800 ft., 14,100 ft., and 30,000 ft. is compared. Examples of heavily ionizing particles and of nuclear disintegrations are discussed. Direct measurements of the energies of cosmic-ray particles at 30,000 ft. are compared with similar measurements made at sea level. These measurements indicate that up to one-third of the particles which occur singly in the chamber, in the momentum range up to 107 gauss-cm, may consist of protons and the remainder of mesotrons, in contrast to sea level observations which show that protons are there present in only negligible numbers.
Low-Frequency Intraseasonal Tropical-Extratropical Interactions

Abstract Low-frequency (20–70 day) variability is examined during Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter based on seven Years (1981–87) of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts initialized analyses. The dominant 200 mb zonal wind fluctuations in the Pacific sector, determined from an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, provide the baseline modes of atmospheric variability, which are related to fluctuations in other circulation parameters and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). The composite circulation associated with the extreme phases of the zonal wind modes are examined for differences in forcing, wave propagation characteristics and stability. The dominant upper level zonal wind fluctuation (EOF Z1) is associated with an expanded (contracted) region of easterlies in the tropical western Pacific and changes in the shape and intensity of the subtropical jets. The anomalous (difference between composites) eddy streamfunction at 200 mb shows an enhanced pair of anticyclones (cyclones) strad...
Actor and observer attributions in a multitrait-multimethod matrix

Abstract Jones and Nisbett (1971) state that actors attribute their behavior to situational circumstances, whereas observers attribute the same behavior to the actor's personal characteristics. Support for this statement was critically examined and a study was performed to test the generality and consistency of the self-other hypothesis across individuals and measures. Subjects reponded to four attribution measures for both self and best friend on two occasions. While analysis of variance results supported the hypothesis, the measures lacked convergent validity when tested from a multitrait-multimethod approach. Dividing the measures into those that required causal attributions to be made and those that merely required descriptions of behavior showed somewhat more support for the self-other hypothesis. Further results indicated that, while a substantial proportion of subjects behaved in accordance with the hypothesis, another large porportion behaved opposite to prediction. Such results suggest that individual differences may account for varied attribution styles.
Mosaicked echelle grating support for the Hectochelle fiber-fed spectrograph

This paper presents the design of an assembly to support the Hectochelle multi-object spectrograph grating. The grating consists of two mosaicked, 420 mm by 320 mm by 74 mm thick, 110 line/mm echelle grating segments, nominally operated at a 72 degree angle of incidence. The fact that the grating consists of 2 segments that must be co-aligned to within 0.27 arcsecs creates a challenging design problem. After much preliminary examination, two support deigns were studied, one utilizing Invar, and the other, selected for development, using a Zerodur support structure. The trade study to select the final design is discussed. The Zerodur design was selected because it maintained higher grating stability throughout the operating temperature range than the Invar design. The Zerodur design concept is discussed in detail, including the results of finite element modeling that shows system feasibility.
Analytical precision limits in slitless spectroscopy

We consider the problem of estimating emission line parameters from the measurements of a multi-order slitless spectrometer. This problem can be viewed as a multi-frame deblurring problem with shift variant Gaussian blur. By using Cramer-Rao lower bound theory, we derive analytical precision limits to this parameter estimation when the measurements are corrupted with Gaussian noise. The derivation involves an approximation to the Fisher information matrix in order to obtain closed-form expressions. An important feature of our treatment is to provide a framework for exploring the optimized instrument requirements, including various potential observing scenarios, spatial and spectral resolutions, and signal-to-noise ratio.