cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the Condition of Agricultural Lands in Five Mid-Atlantic States

Indicators of the condition and sustainability of agricultural lands in five Mid-Atlantic states were measured in 1994. Indicators were selected to reflect crop productivity and land stewardship on annually harvested herbaceous crop (AHHC) land, which covers almost 10% of the land area in this region. Overall, condition of agricultural lands in the region is good. Crops generally yielded more than those grown in the 1980s, with a mean observed/expected yield index greater than 1. The mean soil quality index was slightly better than a "moderate" rating for crop growth. Almost 2/3 of the AHHC land is covered by crop rotation plans, with the remaining land mostly in hay fields. Insecticides were applied to less than 20% of AHHC land, and less than 20% of the land where pesticides were applied has high to moderately high potential for pesticides leaching into groundwater. However, integrated pest management (IPM) is practiced on less than 20% of AHHC land. Hay showed more efficient use of nitrogen than seed crops, and non-tilled sites, which are mostly hay, had more microbial biomass (suggesting more nutrient cycling) than tilled sites. This information could provide a baseline for a long-term monitoring program for agroecosystems in the region.
The risk of cardiovascular complications with current obesity drugs

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Four medications are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management when...
The Effects of Level of Government and Use of Funds on Trust in Revenue Agencies

We experimentally investigate how the level of government (either federal or state) and whether funding is being allocated to enforcement or service efforts in a revenue agency affects trust in the agency, as well as support for the funding initiative. We find that the two independent variables interact, such that trust in the state agency is not affected by whether the proposed funding would be allocated to service or enforcement efforts. But, at the federal level (the Internal Revenue Service), trust in the agency is significantly higher when the proposed funding is to hire additional service employees as opposed to hiring additional enforcement employees. We also find that the level of government moderates the mediating effect of trust in the agency on the relation between the use of funds and support for the funding.
Confronting the Sacred and Unchangeable: The Obligation to Modify Cultural Patterns under the Women's Discrimination

Article 5(a) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (“CEDAW”) provides that states parties shall take all appropriate measures “[t]o modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women.” Fartherreaching and broader than any other treaty provision, its vague language provides little guidance to states parties as to the role and function of the article. Filling a gap in the scholarship on CEDAW, the Author employs an empirical approach, drawing conclusions from a review of the entirety of the jurisprudence of the CEDAW Committee. The Author finds that the article has both interpretive and substantive roles to play, allowing the Committee to take a pragmatic view toward cultural change and demand ever more robust measures of countries that have achieved legal equality and reduced more observable discriminatory patterns and practices.
Abstract WMP101: Prediction of Clinical Outcome in Supratentorial Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Application of Baseline Ct Scan Radiomics Feature Extraction and Machine Learning Classifiers

Aim: Radiomics refers to automatic extraction of numerous quantitative features from medical images to supplement visual assessment. Machine-learning algorithms provide a suitable statistical metho...
Understanding Irritability in Relation to Anger, Aggression, and Informant in a Pediatric Clinical Population.

Objective Despite its clinical relevance to pediatric mental health, the relationship of irritability with anger and aggression remains unclear. We aimed to quantify the relationships between well-validated, commonly used measurements of these constructs and informant effects in a clinically relevant population. Method A total of 195 children with primary diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, or no major disorder and their parents rate irritability, anger, and aggression on measures of each construct. Construct and informant relationships were mapped via multi-trait, multi-method factor analysis. Results Parent- and child-reported irritability and child-reported anger are highly associated (r = 0.89) but have some significant differences. Irritability overlaps with outward expression of anger but diverges from Anger in anger suppression and control. Aggression has weaker associations with both Irritability (r = 0.56) and Anger (r = 0.49). Across measures, informant source explains a substantial portion of response variance. Conclusion Irritability, albeit distinct from Aggression, is highly associated with Anger, with notable overlap in child-reported outward expression of anger, providing empirical support for formulations of clinical irritability as a proneness to express anger outwardly. Diagnostic and clinical intervention work on this facet of anger can likely translate to irritability. Further research on external validation of divergence of these constructs in anger suppression and control may guide future scale revisions. The proportion of response variance attributable to informant may be an under-recognized confound in clinical research and construct measurement.
Adaptations and Evolution during COVID-19 in a Pediatric Satellite Setting

Background Information The global Covid-19 pandemic has required the rapid development and implementation of processes that support safety and quality of care. Prior to this unprecedented challenge, our satellite pediatric ambulatory surgical center consisted of four units: a preoperative unit (Preop), six operating rooms, a Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and an Inpatient Short Stay unit. Although the Preop and PACU nurses were cross-trained to cover both areas, Inpatient nurses maintained a distinct skill set and were a standalone unit. In effort to support virus containment, including social distancing, a flexible staffing model required the integration of Preop, PACU, and Inpatient nurses into one cohesive team. Objectives of Project Development and implementation of changes to perioperative processes that support quality care and safety during Covid-19. Process of Implementation Inpatient areas were converted to support the preop care of patients/families and facilitate the adoption of COVID safety regulations. Inpatient nurses were oriented to the Preop nurse role, Preop Covid test screening, and Visitor/Employee lobby screening. This cross-training educational program included in-services on Preop documentation and procedures and one to one orientation with a Preop nurse. Presently, nurses may care for the same patient/families preoperatively and during their inpatient stay which promotes quality care and an improved surgical experience. Changes to staffing models were evaluated through staff survey, analysis of Press Ganey patient satisfaction feedback and surgical throughput data. Statement of Successful Practice A majority (83.3%) of nurses agreed or strongly agreed that the new flexible staffing model promoted team cohesion and ensured safety and quality throughout the surgical experience. Between May and September 2020, our integrated perianesthesia team cared for 1206 perioperative patients. Press Ganey scores were overwhelmingly positive. One family stated “Before surgery the nurse kept us calm, engaged, & informed. After surgery that nurse did the same thing & was also a great teacher regarding home care”. Implications for Advancing the Practice of Perianesthesia Nursing As ambulatory surgical centers, continue to adapt during the pandemic, it is imperative that perianesthesia nurses design and implement flexible staffing models that promote team cohesion and ensure safety and quality during surgery.
"My problems aren't their fault": Mexican American women managing diabetes while caring for grandchildren.

Diabetes affects many aspects of family life for the Mexican American (MA) population. Caregiving grandmothers, the traditional family nurturers, are often simultaneously managing their type 2 diab...
A spiral laser scanning routine for powder bed fusion inspired by natural predator-prey behavior

Additive manufacturing by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) offers material versatility, capability for complex geometries, and control of mechanical properties and microstructure. However, achieving high-quality output requires process parameters that consider both local and global thermal gradients. Here, we propose a new scan pattern for mitigating part quality issues caused by non-uniform heating and cooling. A nature-inspired design method is employed to derive a spiral pattern stemming from the predator-prey behavior, and a power optimization routine is applied to maintain constant melt pool depth. Comparing simulated thermal histories for the spiral pattern to well-established zig-zag and helix scan patterns, we propose that the spiral pattern significantly reduces the spatial variation of temperature across the scan area, while a larger area remains above a specified threshold temperature at the end of the scan. Consequently, the spiral pattern is promising for LPBF of crack-prone materials, and for future optimization of LPBF overall.
Collective Intelligence and Three Aspects of Planning in Organizations: A NASA Example

For many complex sociotechnical systems, planning seems to require explicit coordination; certainly, in executing a plan the activities of different actors must be tightly coupled. However, distributing the needed planning information can be very burdensome and error prone, because different groups need different collections of information, updated or kept current on different time cycles. Further, the information needed to form successful plans is often highly distributed, and while feedback about the success of prior plans may exist, it may not be available to those in a position of using this to improve plans or to detect and resolve other problems in the system (Weick, 1995). Tools to support various aspects of planning have been developed, and can provide a huge benefit to the individuals working on that aspect. To be tractable, most solutions address a quite bounded slice of work, isolating it from the larger context. Prospective planning takes place over multiple, nested cycles of decision making. This builds a plan that specifies activities of different granularity. "Subplans" may specify multiple parallel activities by different groups and individuals, as well as sequential, nested actions by a single actor. Planning produces valuable, sharable, external, representations: in addition to prospective use, plans support retrospective assessment and also action in the present. Viewing planning in a larger context - both temporal and organizational -- enables noticing what one does not know and generating more systemic and effective solutions. Viewing a problem as one of collective intelligence invites thinking about the larger organizational context. Many approaches to supporting collective intelligence do not support execution of highly contingent actions, distributed across many players, and hence provide incomplete support for planning. However, CI technology maybe helpful in managing the processes of gathering information for decision making in planning and of distributing plan information to various actors, needed on various time cycles.
The piriformis syndrome: a review.

Piriformis syndrome is a controversial cause of hip and low back pain whose etiology stems from anatomic irregularities of the piriformis muscle and surrounding structures of the posterior hip region. Although this syndrome has been described by many clinicians, the association of piriformis muscle dysfunction and pain in the hip region remains conjectural. The diagnosis is one of exclusion of other more common pain generators in the hip, pelvis, or low back.The authors of this article will review the anatomy of the region as it relates to piriformis muscle dysfunction and delineate the various clinical, radiological, and interventional procedures described in the literature to diagnose and treat this elusive syndrome.
An empirical analysis of EBL approaches for learning plan schemata

ABSTRACT One approach to the intractability of planning is to build a schema-based planner. When the planner is given a goal to achieve, it simply looks for a solution in its schema library. Once a schema is selected, several actions can be incorporated into a plan without the need for intervening search. This paper investigates the use of explanation-based learning (EBL) to acquire schemata for such a planner. An empirical comparison of two approaches for acquiring plan schemata is reported. The results demonstrate the advantages of learning by observing the intelligent behavior of external agents and illustrate the weaknesses of having a system learn from its own problem solving. The experiments also compare two styles of EBL algorithms and demonstrate the efficacy of EBL in general. Suggestions are made about the appropriate design of practical systems that learn plan schemata.
Growth of Staphylococcus and Salmonella on Frankfurters With and Without Sodium Nitrite

Conventional and nitrite-free frankfurters in loosely wrapped packages were compared as to their ability to support growth of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and their naturally occurring spoilage flora at 7 C (simulating refrigerated storage) and 20 C (simulating possible temperature abuse). At 7 C Salmonella did not grow in either type of frankfurter; Staphylococcus and the natural spoilage flora sometimes grew more rapidly in the absence of nitrite, but the difference was not significant. At 20 C growth of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and of the spoilage flora was, at most, only slightly faster on nitrite-free frankfurters. Salmonella was not suppressed in broth culture experiments at the pH and nitrite content found in frankfurters. Although either type of frankfurter can become hazardous due to growth of Salmonella or Staphylococcus, no unusual or additional hazard resulted from the omission of nitrite from frankfurters.
Characterization of psychrotrophic microorganisms producing beta-galactosidase activities.

Investigations of psychrotrophic microorganisms have been limited even though the dominant environment of the Earth is cold and enzymes with high activities at low temperatures could have commercial uses. We have isolated and characterized three psychrotrophic strains with beta-galactosidase activities. The isolates, B7, D2, and D5, were gram-positive, catalase-positive, obligate aerobes. Cells observed with a scanning electron microscope appeared as rods during the early stages of growth but became coccoid during the stationary phase. An analysis of the amino acid composition of the cell walls demonstrated the presence of lysine as the predominant diamino acid in all three isolates. The cell cycle morphology and cell wall composition suggest that the three isolates are members of the genus Arthrobacter. The beta-galactosidase activities in whole cells were labile when incubated at 40 degrees C and had temperature optima about 20 degrees C below that of the enzyme encoded by the lacZ gene of Escherichia coli. Electrophoresis of extracts from the isolates in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels detected at least two protein bands that hydrolyzed 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal), suggesting the presence of beta-galactosidase isozymes. Images
Alcohol Measuring Scales May Influence Conclusions about the Role of Alcohol in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Risk and Progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

In an effort to clarify the role of alcohol in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the author reviewed the method of measuring alcohol consumption across 10 studies published from 1986 through 1990. When the reports in which the association between alcohol and HIV has been evaluated in at-risk groups are compared, the role of alcohol remains unclear. Although there are fewer reports available for analysis, the role of alcohol in the progression of the disease to AIDS has been consistent in indicating that there is no effect of alcohol use. However, the research in both of these areas has utilized different methods to measure alcohol use. There are data relevant to the association between alcohol and HIV that indicate that the estimate of alcohol use is at least partially dependent on the type of measuring instrument used. The application of different measures of alcohol use may have led to different conclusions regarding the role of alcohol in HIV. With regard to the role of alcohol in the progression of the disease to AIDS, even in the consistent findings that alcohol does not lead to progression of the disease to AIDS, a more sensitive measure of alcohol use might yield different results.
Wavelength Calibration of Flat-Crystal and Convex Curved-Crystal X-Ray Spectrographs:

Fixed-crystal spectrographs must be calibrated in terms of wavelength vs position on the film or detector array. This can be done either from the measured positions of lines with known wavelengths or from the geometrical design of the instrument. It is more accurate, however, to combine both kinds of information in a least-squares fitting method. This paper presents techniques for several spectrograph geometries, including flat and convex-curved crystals in reflection mode, with both flat and cylindrical film. Also treated is a less common case where the diffracting planes are inclined to the crystal surface. Uses of the calibration equations in wavelength determinations, resolution studies, and intensity measurements are discussed.
COSMOLOGICAL PERTURBATIONS: MYTHS AND FACTS

We discuss (and debunk) ten common myths about cosmological perturbations in inflationary and ekpyrotic/cyclic models and their implications for future observations.
School problems following sports concussion. Which children are at greatest risk

Objective Identify risk for adverse outcomes in school performance and attendance following concussion. Design Correlational. Setting Outpatient clinic, teaching hospital. Participants 216 children ages 12–18 (mean (SD)=15.1 (1.6); 70% male) seen within 2 months of sport-related concussion (mean days since injury=21.2 (12.6)). Interventions Predictors: Pre-injury risk/post-concussion symptoms, injury characteristics. Main Outcome Measurements Reported drop in grades, days of school absence. Results Correlation and crosstabs revealed no association between a drop in grades and a personal or family history of developmental delays, pre-injury school performance, developmental disabilities, or previous concussions. Higher maternal education and retrospective pre-injury symptoms were significantly associated with lower grades. Total post-injury symptom burden (parent and child reported) and physical exertional symptoms were not related, although presence of amnesia/loss of consciousness and cognitive exertional effects (symptom exacerbation) were significantly associated with lower grades. No pre-injury risk factors were correlated with school absence, but symptom burden at time of injury and subsequent parent/child symptom report at time of evaluation were positively associated with number of days absent from school. Conclusions Varying post-concussion factors are related to school outcomes. Pre-injury risk factors (higher baseline symptoms, maternal education) and post-injury factors (LOC/amnesia, cognitive exertional effects) related to drop in grades. In contrast, symptom burden at injury and later severity was related to days absent from school. These findings provide the clinician with useful indicators of possible risk factors for adverse outcomes in school performance, an important issue in concussion management for children. Competing interests None.
Plantar Measurements to Determine Success of Surgical Correction of Stage IIb Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity

Adult acquired flatfoot deformity is a degenerative disease causing medial arch dysfunction. Surgical correction has typically involved tendon reconstruction with calcaneal osteotomy; however, the postoperative changes have not been fully characterized. The present study assessed the success of surgical correction of Stage IIb adult acquired flatfoot deformity through changes in plantar pressures and patient-generated outcome scores. With Institutional Review Board approval, 6 participants were evaluated before and after surgery using pedobarography, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form questionnaire. The plantar pressures were recorded using a TekScan HRMat during walking and in a 1- and 2-foot stance. The resulting contour maps were segmented into 9 regions, with the peak pressure, normalized force, and arch index calculated. Surgical effects were analyzed using paired t tests. Postoperatively, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score and Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form questionnaire scores increased significantly from 180 � 78 to 360 � 136 (p < .03) and 47 � 18 to 71 � 19 (p ¼ .06), respectively. During the 2-foot stance, the normalized force had increased significantly in the lateral midfoot (p < .03), although no significant differences were found in peak pressures. No significant differences were observed in the 1-foot stance. During walking, the normalized force increased significantly in the lateral midand forefoot (p < .05). The peak pressure increased significantly in the lateral forefoot (p < .01). The arch index values demonstrated no significant changes. The increased questionnaire scores indicated that surgical correction improved the self-perceived health of the participants. Lateral shifts in the peak pressure and normalized force suggest that forefoot and midfoot loading is altered postoperatively, consistent with the goal of offloading the dysfunctional arch. Thus, the present study has demonstrated that surgical treatment of adult acquired flatfoot deformity can be accurately assessed using patient-reported outcome measures and plantar pressures.
Apparent molar volumes of crown ether complexes in several solvents at 25°C. An estimation of ionic electrostriction

The apparent molar volumes of equimolar concentrations of 18-crown-6-ether (CE) or dibenzo-18-crown-6-ether (B2CE) and MCl (M=Na, K, or Cs) or MI in dilute solutions of anhydrous methanol, acetonitrile and dimethylsulfoxide have been calculated from density data measured at 25°C. After extrapolation to infinite dilution these results together with the apparent molar volumes of the crown ethers and the alkali metal halides were used to calculate the limiting partial molar volume change for the formation of the complexes. By noting that the charge of the complexed cation has been shown to be completely shielded from the solvent, the volume of complexation can be assumed to be a good estimation of the volume change due to electrostriction of the solvent by the cationic charge. The results are compared to the predictions of the Hepler equation.
Environmental cues to guide stem cell fate decision for tissue engineering applications

The human body contains a variety of stem cells capable of both repeated self-renewal and production of specialised, differentiated progeny. Critical to the implementation of these cells in tissue engineering strategies is a thorough understanding of which external signals in the stem cell microenvironment provide cues to control their fate decision in terms of proliferation or differentiation into a desired, specific phenotype. These signals must then be incorporated into tissue regeneration approaches for regulated exposure to stem cells. The precise spatial and temporal presentation of factors directing stem cell behaviour is extremely important during embryogenesis, development and natural healing events, and it is possible that this level of control will be vital to the success of many regenerative therapies. This review covers existing tissue engineering approaches to guide the differentiation of three disparate stem cell populations: mesenchymal, neural and endothelial. These progenitor cells will be of central importance in many future connective, neural and vascular tissue regeneration technologies.
Unveiling the Effects of Citizen Journalism Practice on College Students' Social Capital.

This study examined the effects of citizen journalism practices on social capital concerning nonprofit and voluntary organizations (i.e., satisfaction, trust, and engagement). Through a quasi-exper...
Acute Myocarditis Masquerading as Acute Myocardial Infarction

Figure 1. A 43-year-old woman presented with classic onset of acute myocardial infarction with severe cardiac failure, including pulmonary edema. The ECG (above) …
International collaboration: A Canadian perspective

The Canadian perspective on international collaboration is different from others, because the Canadian Fusion Program is different. The Canadian program is a support program. Its goal is not the development of a power reactor. Its goal is to make a recognized con t r ibu t ion to the mainl ine programs--those whose goal is the development of a power reactor--and, in return, to obtain an in-depth understanding of the status of the development of fusion energy. In the longer term, the Canadian program's objective is to make Canada a wellinformed buyer of reactors that would be designed elsewhere. To the extent that the program is successful, Canada would expect to manufacture some subsystems and components of these reactors. However, because of the more modest objective, the Canadian perspective on international collaboration is of necessity somewhat different from that of the world's major programs. International collaboration is essential to a support program like Canada's. Government funding approval was obtained explicitly on the basis that such collaboration would be implemented. Eighty million dollars has been invested over the last 5 years to prepare for significant international collaborative work. This is a sizable investment in comparison with other energy R&D. The changed energy outlook has led to recent major cutbacks in energy R&D in Canada. But fusion funding has been substained. From the Canadian point of view, the question is not whether there will be international collaboration. The question is how will it be structured. Canada's overriding concern is that the world's major fusion programs, in enhancing collaboration, take into account the useful contribution that can be made by support programs such as Canada's. With current annual
Reverse shearing of shear bands in polystyrene

Shear bands produced in polystyrene by compression can be reverse sheared by a second compression in a perpendicular direction. The net shear strain can be zero or negative. Like the forward shear, the reverse shear also produces a ridge on the surface. The height of the ridge seems to be proportional to the reverse shear strain. On the side surface the reverse shear produces a step whose height increases at an average rate of 1.17 mm sec−1 (at a crosshead speed of 1 mm sec−1), estimated by high-speed cinematography at 1000 frames sec−1. During the reverse shear the second compression experiences a yield drop whose size increases with the forward strain due to the first compression. The implications of these results are discussed.
On strong stability for linear integral equations

The notion of strong or adjoint stability for linear ordinary differential equations is generalized to the theory of Volterra integral equations. It is found that this generalization is not unique in that equivalent definitions for differential equations lead to different stabilities for integral equations in general. Three types of stabilities arising naturally are introduced: strong stability, adjoint stability, and uniform adjoint stability. Necessary and sufficient conditions relative to the fundamental matrix for these stabilities are proved. Some lemmas dealing with non-oscillation of solutions and a semi-group property of the fundamental matrix are also given.
The Linkage of REIT Income- and Price-Returns with Fundamental Economic Variables

This article examines the relation between changes in macroeconomic variables and returns of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Previous studies show that stock prices quickly absorb news from changes in macro-economic variables. This study examines the components of REIT total returns, income- and pricereturns, to gain a more detailed understanding of how macroeconomic variables affect the movement of these returns. Results using monthly data show that changes in macroeconomic variables have a significant impact on the volatility of the income portion of REIT returns and the news shocks from these variables impact income return volatility for more than one month in duration. These findings may assist REIT investors in their approaches to risk-management.
An experimental study of the mobility of edge dislocations in pure copper single crystals

The velocity of selectively-introduced edge dislocations in 99.999 percent pure copper crystals has been measured as a function of stress at temperatures from 66°K to 373°K by means of a torsion technique. The range of resolved shear stress was 0 to 15 megadynes/ cm^2 for seven temperatures (66°K, 74°K, 83°K, 123°K, 173°K, 296°K, 296°K, 373°K. Dislocation mobility is characterized by two distinct features; (a) relatively high velocity at low stress (maximum velocities of about 9000 em/sec were realized at low temperatures), and (b) increasing velocity with decreasing temperature at constant stress. The relation between dislocation velocity and resolved shear stress is: v = v_o(τ_r/τ_o)^n where v is the dislocation velocity at resolved shear stress τ_r, v_o is a constant velocity chosen equal to 2000 cm/ sec, τ_o is the resolved shear stress required to maintain velocity v_o, and n is the mobility coefficient. The experimental results indicate that τ_o decreases from 16.3 x 10^6 to 3.3 x 10^6 dynes/cm^2 and n increases from about 0.9 to 1.1 as the temperature is lowered from 296°K to 66°K. The experimental dislocation behavior is consistent with an interpretation on the basis of phonon drag. However, the complete temperature dependence of dislocation mobility could not be closely approximated by the predictions of one or a combination of mechanisms.
A logical theory of concurrent objects

A new theory of concurrent objects is presented. The theory has the important advantage of being based directly on a logic called rewriting logic in which concurrent object-oriented computation exactly corresponds to logical deduction. This deduction is performed by concurrent rewriting modulo structural axioms of associativity, commutativity and identity that capture abstractly the essential aspects of communication in a distributed object-oriented configuration made up of concurrent objects and messages. Thanks to this axiomatization, it becomes possible to study the behavior of concurrent objects by formal methods in a logic intrinsic to their computation. The relationship with Actors and with other models of concurrent computation is also discussed. A direct fruit of this theory is a new language, called Maude, to program concurrent object-oriented modules in an entirely declarative way using rewriting logic; modules written in this language are used to illustrate the main ideas with examples. Maude contains OBJ3 as a functional sublanguage and provides a simple and semantically rigorous integration of functional programming and concurrent object-oriented programming.
A simple procedure for the preparation of highly purified (sodium + potassium) adenosinetriphosphatase from the rectal salt gland of Squalus acanthias and the electric organ of Electrophorus electrieus

Abstract A simple purification procedure for the Na,K-ATPase from membranes of the rectal gland of Squalus acanthias or crude microsomal fractions from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus is presented here. The purification procedure consists of solubilization of the Na,K-ATPase with the nonionic detergent. Lubrol WX, chromatography of the diluted Lubrol extract on aminoethyl cellulose, and ammonium sulfate fractionation (1) of the concentrated eluate from the aminoethyl cellulose column. The yields of final purified enzyme are comparable to the earlier purification (1–4) involving the expensive and cumbersome zonal centrifugation stop. The purity of the final enzyme, as attested to by specific activity and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is as great or greater than that previously reported for the enzyme purified by the procedure involving zonal centrifugation. The simplicity of the present procedure, coupled with the ready commercial availability of electric eels which are quite hardy on shipment, makes purification of the Na,K-ATPase widely available to workers in the field.
Perirectal sinus tracks and fistulas caused by hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is an uncommon chronic suppurative inflammatory disease affecting the apocrine glands of the axillary and anogenital regions. Chronic recurrences of the disease can result in painful abscesses, sinus track and fistula formation, and disabling scarring in the affected areas. To our knowledge, hidradenitis suppurativa has not been reported previously in the radiology literature as a cause of perirectal disease. We therefore present a patient with hidradenitis suppurativa in whom a double-contrast barium enema examination revealed multiple perirectal sinus tracks and fistulas.
Enhancing Excel skills in teaching undergraduate Operations Management

This teaching innovation project aims to enhance Excel skills in teaching an undergraduate operations management course since feedbacks from the Continuous Improvement Assessment Committee (CIAC) of Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business (DSB) and from the DSB Advisory Board indicate that improving basic Excel skills is one of the key areas necessary to close the feedback loop. As a required undergraduate core business course, Operations Management (OM 101) is a good starting point to enhance basic Excel skills along with quantitative analysis and modeling skills in the subject area. In light of overwhelming topics to be covered in OM 101, we enhance basic Excel skills by means of homework assignments with problem-specific Excel instructions, instead of overburdening the students with Excel lectures or commercially available general-purpose Excel instructions.
Maintenance of neurotrophically regulated proteins in denervated skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Abstract Myosin from mammalian muscles possesses certain closely associated proteins (CAP) of low molecular weight that can readily be dissociated from the myosin molecule and characterized by gel electrophoresis. Not only are the CAP of mammalian slow and fast muscles qualitatively different, but they are neurally regulated since cross-reinnervation of slow and fast muscles causes them to acquire the type of myosin CAP that is characteristic of the foreign muscle. In the present investigation we studied the effects of denervation on cardiac and fast and slow skeletal muscles in the cat to determine whether innervation is needed to maintain the specific histochemical and electrophoretic properties of these muscles. The heart, gastrocnemius, plantaris, and soleus muscles were studied histochemically and electrophoretically 4 and 8 weeks after denervation. Morphologically, those fibers having low actomyosin ATPase activity atrophied more slowly than those having high ATPase activity. However, the intensity of the ATPase and succinic dehydrogenase reactions of these atrophying fibers was relatively unchanged, and there was no change in the electrophoretically demonstrable proteins of the denervated skeletal muscle. However, there were slight alterations in the CAP of denervated cardiac muscle. We conclude that the neurotrophic influence is necessary to initiate but not to maintain certain specific muscle proteins such as the myosin CAP. This conclusion is compatible with the hypothesis that the nerve influences gene expression in the muscle cell.
High-speed wet etching of through silicon vias (TSVs) in micro- and nanoscale

In this paper, a novel wet etching method, named metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE), is applied for through silicon vias (TSVs) fabrications. The influence of key experimental parameters in MaCE, including catalyst, etchant and dimension of TSVs are discussed. Especially, the type, geometry and morphology of catalyst are varied and the results are compared. A high etching rate over 10 μm/min and a high aspect ratio over 100 are observed in sub-micron scale TSV etching. The presented data demonstrates that MaCE is a promising candidate for TSVs etching with high speed, high aspect ratio capability, submicron capability and low cost.
Substrate specificity of flax hydroperoxide isomerase

Incubations of the 13- and 9-hydroperoxides of linolenic acid with a flax acetone powder extract containing hydroperoxide isomerase resulted in the formation of 13-hydroxy-12-oxo-cis-9,15-octadecadienoic acid and 9-hydroxy-10-oxo-cis-12,15-octadecadienoic acid, respectively. The rate of formation of product from 13-hydroperoxy linolenic acid was 36 times that from 9-hydroperoxy linolenic acid. Analogous results were obtained with the 13- and 9-hydroperoxides of linoleic acid. The results demonstrated the substrate specificity of flax hydroperoxide isomerase.
High-pressure liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of ϵ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine in proteins

Abstract A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for measuring the ϵ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine dipeptide which is formed postranslationally in many biological systems as a result of protein crosslinking by transglutaminases was developed. Precolumn derivatization with o -phthalaldehyde was carried out for 2 min in 0.4 m potassium borate, pH 10.4, which was diluted with methanol (1:1) and to which 2-mercaptoethanol was added to a concentration of 2% (v/v). Separation of the peptide product was achieved on a Zorbax C 8 reverse-phase column by a linear gradient of 20 to 95% (v/v) methanol in 0.02 m potassium acetate (pH 5.5), with 1% (v/v) tetrahydrofuran, at a flow rate of 2 ml/min. The peptide derivative was eluted at 11.2 min, between tyrosine (9.7 min) and methionine (12.5 min), and a linear response of fluorescence was obtained up to at least 1.6 nmol of the peptide. The general utility, rapidity, and sensitivity of the new chromatographic technique was tested by measuring ϵ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine crosslinks in the clotted seminal vesicle secretion protein of the guinea pig. Comparison was made with an ion-exchange chromatography method using an amino acid analyzer, which also provided an excellent, albeit much slower, separation of ϵ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine. The availability of two independent analytical procedures based on different chromatographic principles should greatly aid in studying the formation of ϵ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine crosslinks in biological systems.
Modular invariant Virasoro modules and elliptic curves

Given a rational number ζ, when does the tensor product of two modular invariant Virasoro modules have central charge ζ? I show that the resulting equations define elliptic curves over the rational numbers, and determine the torsion subgroups of these curves for the case in which both tensor factors have the same central charge. This gives an alternative parametrization of the curves with torsion subgroup ℤ/8ℤ x ℤ/2ℤ. Consideration of a larger class of curves (including some which do not correspond to tensor products of modules) gives a parametrization of all curves with a point of order 8. I conclude with some examples of curves which have 16 torsion points and positive rank.
Static compression of chondrodite: Implications for water in the upper mantle

We have determined the equation of state of chondrodite (2Mg2SiO4·Mg(OH,F)2), a possible water-bearing phase in the upper mantle, to 42.3 GPa at room temperature using x-ray diffraction through the diamond cell. The isothermal bulk modulus of chondrodite, determined using the Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, is 136.2 GPa with a pressure derivative of 3.7. Using our results, we have constructed density models for hydrous upper mantle compositions. These models indicate that up to 2 weight percent water could be present in a pyrolitic mantle, and be undetectable using seismically-determined density constraints. We have also investigated the stability of chondrodite under lower mantle pressure and temperature conditions using the laser-heated diamond cell. From in-situ x-ray diffraction at high pressure, and x-ray diffraction and infrared reflectance and absorption spectra of quenched run products, we conclude that chondrodite breaks down to MgSiO3 perovskite, MgO and a hydrated melt at lower mantle pressures and temperatures.
Features of the effect of vacuum arc discharge on a metal cathode surface in the presence of alkali-metal hydroxides and chlorides

The effect of KOH, NaOH, LiOH, Ba(OH)2, as well as KCl and NaCl deposited onto the surface of hot-rolled steel samples on the results of their processing by vacuum arc discharge is studied. The extreme dependence of the processing speed, processed-surface roughness, and the probability of discharge ignition on the surface concentration of the substances is found. When depositing KOH with a concentration corresponding to the extreme point, the processing speed increases by a factor of 1.8, and the roughness decreases by a factor of 2.5. The results are discussed from the viewpoint of the probabilistic mechanism of the formation of elementary cathode spots followed by the formation of group cathode spots.
Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science

(2008). Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 103, No. 482, pp. 881-882.
Design of an Atmospheric Model Based on a Generalized Vertical Coordinate

Abstract Although there are important advantages in the use of an isentropic vertical coordinate in atmospheric models, it requires overcoming computational difficulties associated with intersections of coordinate surfaces with the earth’s surface. In this paper, the authors present a model based on the generalized vertical coordinate, ζ = F(θ, p, pS), in which an isentropic coordinate can be combined with a terrain-following σ coordinate near the surface with a smooth transition between the two. One of the key issues in developing such a model is to satisfy consistency between the predictions of the pressure and the potential temperature. In the model presented in this paper, consistency is maintained by the use of an equation that determines the vertical mass flux. A procedure to properly choose ζ = F(θ, p, pS) is also presented, which guarantees that ζ is a monotonic function of height even when unstable stratification occurs. In the vertical discretization, the Charney–Phillips grid is used since, wit...
Integrating Katz and Chard's Project Approach with Multicultural Education in the University Classroom

It is difficult for teacher candidates (university preservice teachers) to accept and use an innovative teaching method or strategy if they do not have an opportunity to actually engage in using the method or see it modeled in an early childhood classroom. Teacher candidates used Project Approach to learn about multicultural education. Their own work demonstrated the value of using Project Approach and helped to deepen their belief in the importance of multicultural education and cultural perspectives. In addition, the candidates themselves became engaged learners. They took responsibility for their own learning and demonstrated that teaching and learning for themselves and for children can be meaningful when using constructivist theory.
Scattered waves and motions of marine vessels advancing in a seaway

Abstract The steady forward motion of a marine vessel modifies the incident and scattered waves as well as its dynamic characteristics in a seaway. Small amplitude assumptions of the surface waves and vessel dynamic responses lead to linearization of the potential flow problem and its solution in the frequency domain. The mathematical formulation adopts a translating coordinate system at the vessel forward speed. The free surface boundary condition accounts for the modification of the uniform current around the vessel and a new radiation condition takes into account the Doppler shift of the scattered waves. A boundary element model, based on the Rankine source distribution, describes the steady and oscillatory flows around the vessel. Stokes’ theorem allows evaluation of the surface integrals involving the so-called m -terms due to oscillation of the vessel in a current. Through a numerical experiment with a Wigley hull form, we establish the convergence of the numerical model, verify the radiation condition, and examine the scattered wave patterns for a full range of forward speeds. Previous laboratory data provides validation of the computed hydrodynamic coefficients and dynamic response as well as the potential flow model for general seakeeping applications.
Making Heteronormative Reconciliations The Story of Romantic Love, Sexuality, and Gender in Mixed-Orientation Marriages

As a central organizing institution in society, marriage presents an idealized package for sociosexual relations that reproduces and intertwines gender power dynamics and heterosexual desire. This package is sustained, in part, by the ideology of romantic love—a set of beliefs that constructs only a particular configuration of sexual and gender practices as natural, normal, and right. Drawing on interviews with 45 people, this study examines how people negotiate marital relationships that do not fit into this normative configuration— mixed-orientation (e.g., straight and gay) marriages. Participants' resolutions to these situations, whether they divorced or created asexual or sexual nonmonogamous marriages, were heavily shaped by their belief in the ideology of romantic love, illustrating how heteronormative relations can be held in place by normalizing ideologies.
Characterization of field emitter arrays for compact neutron sources utilizing field ionization

Summary form only given. Compact neutron generators with a low power consumption can be used in portable material analysis, active interrogation and oil-well logging application. Important parameters for these generators are size, energy use, neutron yield and lifetime. Today, plasma sources using either hot or cold cathode discharge are in use, many applications also rely on radioactive material for neutron production. We investigate the use of a field ionization source for these applications that can lead to a replacement of these sources.