cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A meta-look at meta-studies of the effectiveness of development assistance to education

What insights and generalisations can be drawn from looking across the work of multiple governmental and non-governmental organisations aimed at supporting basic education in low and medium income countries? To address this question, this study analysed findings of nine evaluation meta-studies completed by international assistance organisations, each of which was examining the effectiveness of their work in basic education over a multi-year period. The value of the underlying project activities reviewed in these evaluations represents $6–$8 billion. Studies analysed with respect to (a) the criteria each used to judge success of their underlying projects, (b) the extent to which these studies focused on outcomes and impacts, (c) the extent to which projects were judged sustainable, (d) the adequacy of the project-level evaluations being reviewed, (e) what the underlying projects accomplished, (f) weaknesses identified in underlying project designs and (g) cost. A major weakness identified in almost all of the meta-studies reviewed was the paucity of evidence regarding the impact of the project activities in promoting student learning outcomes.
Structural changes in intercellular junctions during keratinization of the stratum medium of the equine hoof wall

Cells of the intertubular horn of the stratum medium of the equine hoof wall are joined by three types of junctions. Desmosomes and gap junctions were present in all strata. Septate-like junctions and an intercellular line were seen in the distal stratum spinosum subsequent to extrusion of the contents of membrane-coating granules. At a later stage of keratinization, non-membrane-bound acid phosphatase reaction product appeared to leak into the intercellular space except into areas occupied by septate-like junctions and the intercellular line. It is proposed that the formation of septate-like junctions and the intercellular line prior to leakage of acid phosphatase into the intercellular space created stable areas of intercellular adhesion between fully keratinized cells.
Impact tolerant and healable aluminum millitube reinforced shape memory polymer composite sandwich core

Abstract In order to improve impact tolerance and energy absorption of sandwich panel under impact loading, a new aluminum hollow tube reinforced shape memory polymer (AHTR-SMP) composite sandwich core is designed and fabricated. Physical/mechanical properties were examined through a variety of tests, including axial compression, three-point bending, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and shape recovery tests. In order to characterize its dynamic performances, low velocity impact test was conducted. According to the tests results, this new AHTR-SMP core demonstrated considerable impact tolerance and damage healing functionality, and may be considered as a promising option for critical structural applications featured by tolerating repeated impacts.
Congenital cardiovascular malformations (CCVM) and structural chromosome abnormalities: a report of 9 cases and literature review.

Nine cases of congenital cardiovascular malformations (CCVM) with associated unbalanced structural chromosomal abnormalities were ascertained in a population-based study of heart defects, constituting 0.4% of the 2,103 cases of CCVM in the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study (BWIS). This represents a four-fold increase over the general population rate. In an effort to determine possible phenotype/karyotype correlations, the literature was searched for cases with similar karyotypic abnormalities. This comparison of 223 literature cases of karyotypic abnormalities with nine similar cases ascertained by heart malformation has provided the opportunity to review cardiac defects reported in cases of structural abnormalities of chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, and 18. The most common cardiac malformation present in the chromosomal cases was ventricular septal defect (VSD) (39%); similarly VSD is the most common CCVM among children with heart defects, although it is the primary defect in only 20% of the BWIS cases. Among all heart defects in the BWIS, atrial septal defect (ASD) represents 5.5% of all cases, but in cases of 8p duplication, ASD is present in 41%. In addition, 40% of cases of 9p duplication had an ASD. Similarly, 35% of cases of 11q duplication had an ASD. While the suggestion of specific karyotype/phenotype associations is premature, information on additional cases might clarify the possibility that genetic determinants related to septum formation may reside on chromosome 8, 9, and/or 11. The variety of chromosomal abnormalities in cases with ventricular septal defect indicates one type of genetic heterogeneity that may be involved in this very common heart defect.
Measurement of Net Ocean Surface Heat Flux, Solar Irradiance and Near-Surface Temperature using a Novel Surface Contact Lagrangian Buoy

Development of a 3rd generation light, wave-following surface contact multi-sensor float (SCMsF) is underway. This instrument is designed to simultaneously measure net ocean surface heat flux, solar irradiance, near-surface water temperature and sea state. Whereas the 2 nd generation SCMsF design is tethered to a WOCE-type Lagrangian drifter, the 3rd generation is designed to be autonomous. This paper reports preliminary results from a series of experiments performed at a wind-wave-current tank under a variety of meteorological and sea state conditions to assess SCMsF flux and temperature accuracy and operational limits. Comparisons suggest SCMsF net surface fluxes are in generally good agreement with values measured or derived using standard instruments and methods. These experiments also indicate the latest design has significantly improved wave-following characteristics, potentially allowing measurement of net ocean surface heat flux up to wind speeds of 10 m s-1. Infrared imagery of the SCMsF in the wind-wave-current tank and in a rooftop pool suggests the region containing the flux measuring thermopiles is typically 0.5 to 0.9degC cooler than the cool water skin surface. This SCMsF surface temperature offset is relatively insensitive to environmental conditions - even during strong insolation
Physical chemistry of cells and tissues

Physical chemistry of cells and tissues , Physical chemistry of cells and tissues , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی
Linezolid Therapy for Orthopedic Infections

OBJECTIVE To assess the clinical and bacteriological efficacy and the safety and tolerability profile of linezolid when used as the primary component of a combined surgical and antimicrobial treatment strategy for orthopedic infections. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed medical records to obtain clinical, bacteriological, and safety outcomes of 20 consecutive patients who took linezolid for the treatment of orthopedic infections between April 1, 2000, and November 30, 2002. RESULTS Twenty patients received linezolid therapy for microbiologically confirmed orthopedic infections due to gram-positive cocci during the 32-month study period. Fifteen patients (75%) had infections involving orthopedic hardware; in 10 of these patients, the hardware was removed. All 20 patients underwent surgical debridement. At a mean follow-up of 276 days, 11 patients (55%) achieved clinical cure, 7 (35%) had clinical improvement but received long-term antimicrobial suppressive therapy, 1 (5%) had clinical relapse after discontinuing linezolid treatment, and 1 (5%) died of a cause unrelated to linezolid treatment. Bacterial persistence was documented in 3 patients (15%), all of whom were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Eight patients (40%) developed reversible myelosuppression, 1 (5%) had irreversible peripheral neuropathy, and 2 (10%) discontinued linezolid treatment because of pancytopenia or urticaria. CONCLUSION Oral linezolid may be an effective alternative therapy for orthopedic infections due to linezolid-susceptible gram-positive bacteria in patients who are unable to take other antimicrobial drugs because of drug allergy or intolerance or antimicrobial resistance.
Nuclear Spin Diffusion Induced by Paramagnetic Impurities in Nonconducting Solids

It is shown that paramagnetic impurities can induce nuclear spin diffusion in nonconducting solids. The component of the impurity spin along the external magnetic field (assumed to be the $z$ axis), because of its interaction with the lattice, fluctuates. The resulting spectral intensity of the magnetic moment has components at all frequencies. The component at zero frequency creates a static magnetic field which is different at two neighboring nuclei, thereby splitting the levels $|\frac{1}{2},\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}〉$ and $|\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2}〉$, where the first and second quantum numbers refer, respectively, to the $z$ components of two neighboring spins. These are exact two-spin eigenfunctions if the interaction of the nuclear spins is neglected. When this is taken into account, the correct eigenfunctions to first order are ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{1}=|\frac{1}{2},\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}〉+\ensuremath{\epsilon}|\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2}〉$ and ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{2}=|\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2}〉\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\epsilon}|\frac{1}{2},\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}〉$, where $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ is a small number. The Fourier component of the impurity spin at the frequency corresponding to the energy difference of ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{2}$ causes transitions between these states. This is a spin-diffusion process because $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ is small. This means that Bloembergen's differential equation for nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in nonconducting solids must be generalized to include nuclear spin diffusion inside the critical radius.
Optical correlator that uses cesium vapor

We obtain the correlation pattern between two amplitude-modulated input images of 36 and 280 random black and white pixels, using the standard degenerate four-wave-mixing geometry of 852-nm optical beams in a 1-mm-thick cesium-vapor cell. The total optical input power is 3.2 mW to obtain 0.4 nW of power in the correlation pattern. We verified that the buildup time of the four-wave-mixing signal is ~30 ns. Using the random patterns, we analyze the performance of the cesium optical correlator in terms of the number of pixels that can be processed and the number of photons per pixel used. We show how to scale our experimental results for the efficiency of the cesium correlator to images containing a larger number of pixels.
Physiological and pathophysiological alterations in rat hepatic cytochrome P-450.

Cytochrome P-450 is a large family of related enzymes comprising a number of sub-families. The different cytochrome P-450 enzymes are present in just about every phylum examined for them. They are found in prokaryotes [1], unicellular eukaryotes [2], plants [3], fowl [4], insects [5], fish [6], invertebrates [7], and mammals [8]. While the prokaryotic enzyme, e.g., P-450CAM, is a soluble hemoprotein, that of higher organisms is membrane- bound. In mammals it is located in the mitochondrial inner membrane as well as in the endoplasmic reticulum membranes. In the mammal, different forms of cytochrome P-450 are involved in such diverse reactions as steroid hormone synthesis, at several steps, and the processing of compounds of exogenous origin as well as of endogenous origin for excretion from the body. The enzymes involved in the elimination of compounds are located in the endoplasmic reticulum of most organs and tissues in the body. The very large number of such forms found suggests roles for these other than just broad, overlapping spectra of chemical detoxication.
Realization of a 50-watt facility-class sodium guidestar pump laser

A CW Na guidestar excitation source has been constructed and installed on the 3.5-m telescope at the Starfire Optical Range. This device is comprised of injection-locked Nd:YAG ring lasers operating at 1064 nm and 1319 nm and a doubly resonant cavity where sum-frequency generation of these wavelengths in LBO produces a diffraction-limited linearly-polarized 589-nm beam. Up to 50 W of 589-nm light for mesospheric guide-star generation has been produced. The injection-locked Nd:YAG lasers are capable of operating at up to 100 watts at 1064 nm and 60 watts at 1319 nm.
Identification of the 10Li ground state

Abstract The proton-stripping reaction from a 11Be radioactive beam incident on a beryllium target demonstrates that only (7±3)% of the 9Li residues in the reaction are in coincidence with the 2.7 MeV γ-ray corresponding to the 9Li first excited state. This implies that the previously observed low-energy neutrons from the decay of the unbound nucleus 10Li represent a direct l=0 transition to the 9Li ground state. Consequently, neutron-unbound 10Li is proven to have the same parity inversion as occurs in the case of 11Be with a 1 s 1 2 intruder state below the natural parity 0 p 1 2 state.
Two new species of night monkeys, genus Aotus (Cebidae, platyrrhini): A preliminary report on Aotus taxonomy.

The nine allopatric species of Aotus recognized represent two natural groups distinguished by karyotype, color, and pelage patterns. Correlated with these group characters are reported differences in serum proteins and degrees of susceptibility or immunity to experimental infection with malarial parasites. The primitive gray-neck species group of Aotus contains A. brumbacki (new species), A. lemurinus (with subspecies lemurinus and griseimembra), A. trivirgatus, and A. vociferans. The derived red-neck group contains A. nancymai (new species), A. miconax. A. infulatus, and A. azarae (with subspecies azarae and boliviensis). Only the two new species are described but a key to the species and subspecies gives the diagnostic characters of each. The gray-neck group occurs almost entirely north of the Amazon, the red-neck group almost entirely south. The distributional exceptions are enclave populations resulting from river bend cutoffs. Formation of an enclave population of A. nancymai is discussed and available information on the biology of this species is reported.
The influence of dorsiflexion in the treatment of severe ankle sprains: an anatomical study.

Cadaver studies were performed to examine the applicability of ankle position to the treatment of ruptured fibulo-collateral ligaments. Nonembalmed cadaver specimens were studied with anterior drawer and talar tilt stresses before and after division of the ligaments to simulate the sprained ankle. Dorsiflexion completely reduced the anteriorly subluxed talus and apposed the ends of the anterior talofibular ligament in specimens with divided lateral collateral ligaments. The dorsiflexion angle required to reduce the unstable ankle varied from 5° to 15°. These studies suggest that positioning the ankle in dorsiflexion instead of neutral or plantar flexion may have advantages in promoting a stable ankle if immobilization is chosen for treating a grade III sprain.
Effects of the serotonin transporter polymorphism and history of major depression on overgeneral autobiographical memory.

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is a key memory deficit in major depressive disorder (MDD). Much research has examined cognitive mechanisms underlying OGM, but little work has investigated potential neurobiological influences. There is preliminary evidence that a genetic serotonergic vulnerability coupled with depressive symptoms may be associated with other memory impairments, and experimental research suggests a role for serotonin in OGM. We investigated whether a polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) was associated with OGM in interaction with a lifetime history of MDD in 370 young adults in a longitudinal study of risk for emotional disorders. There was a significant interaction between 5-HTTLPR genotype and lifetime history of MDD in predicting OGM. Among S allele homozygotes, MDD history was associated with greater OGM, whereas no significant relationship between MDD history and OGM emerged among L carriers. Furthermore, there was evidence that a ...
Lectin binding to distinguish cell types in fixed atherosclerotic arteries

In order to assess the possible utility of lectin binding to identify the cellular components of fixed arterial lesions we studied lectin binding in experimental rabbit and monkey vessels, as well as in human atherosclerotic arteries obtained at surgery. The avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique was used to localize the binding of the following biotinylated lectins: Concanavalin A (Con A), Dolicho biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin (PHA), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA). PHA demonstrated specific cytoplasmic staining of macrophages in rabbit, monkey, and human tissues and differentiated macrophages from other cell types in atherosclerotic lesions. When morphometric comparisons were made between lesion PHA staining and another macrophage marker, acid lipase, very similar results were obtained. Con A, RCA, and WGA stained macrophages intensely and differentiated them from other cell types in normal reticuloendothelial tissues and lesions, but also stained smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells when these cells developed lipid vacuoles. UEA stained the endothelium of vasa vasorum consistently in human arteries, but staining of artery lumen endothelium was variable. Endothelial cells of rabbit or monkey vessels did not stain with UEA. DBA, PNA, and SBA did not consistently stain any cellular structures in arteries. PHA was found to be an excellent marker to differentiate and quantify macrophages in glutaraldehyde or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded experimental and human atherosclerotic lesions. Con A, RCA and WGA merit further detailed study in conjunction with other histochemical tests as possible markers of functional changes in arterial cells during lesion development.
Isolation and characterization of two distinct forms of liver fatty acid binding protein from the rat.

Abstract Liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) appears to contain several different forms that may result from post-translational modification or bound ligand. To further assess this possibility, L-FABP was purified from rat liver homogenate and two putative isoforms separated using a sulfonyl column, a strong cation exchange resin. Fraction I eluted at 0.2 M NaCl, had a pI of 7.59, and following a final size exclusion step contained >98% L-FABP. Fraction II eluted at 1.0 M NaCl, had a pI of 7.59, and following a final size exclusion step contained >99% L-FABP. Both fractions contained approx. 0.15 moles of endogenous bound fatty acid per mole of protein, while L-FABP not subjected to the cation exchange step contained 0.75 moles of fatty acid per mole of protein. Fractions I and II had a greater proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids with a large reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to L-FABP not fractionated by cation exchange. Mass spectral analysis indicated the molecular mass of Fraction I was 14 315.02±0.35 Da and Fraction II was 14 315.86±0.34 Da. The peptide map for each fraction was determined by limited digestion of each fraction with either trypsin, Asp-N, or chymotrypsin to yield overlapping peptide fragments. Mass spectral analysis of these digests indicated the two proteins had identical amino acid fragments and that Cys69 was reduced and there were no Asn to Asp exchanges. Hence, these two forms of L-FABP were not isoforms and were not the result of differences in bound fatty acid. It is proposed that these two distinct forms of rat L-FABP were structural conformers based on two alternative folding pathways.
Testing a predicational model of cognition: Cueing predicate meanings in sentences and word triplets

Predication is a logical process in which meaning is extended from a broader context to a narrower, targeted referent independently of syntax and the passage of time. Since predicates lend meaning to their targets in cognitive processing, it follows that when unrecalled sentences are cued with their predicate-word meanings there should be greater retrieval than when these unrecalled sentences are cued with subject words. Three experiments (combinedN=164) tested this hypothesis and found data in its support (p — levels ranging from .05 to .001). A fourth experiment (N=48) removed syntax from consideration by employing triplets in which one word out of three sharing a common topic was the broadest in meaning, and hence was the expected predicate for cueing triplets when they were not initially recalled. As predicted, it was found that when the expected predicate of unrecalled triplets was used as a cue there were twice as many retrievals occurring as when the less broadly meaningful words were used as cues (p<.001). The findings are discussed in terms of logical learning theory's claim that ongoing cognition involves the continual “taking of a position” within a sea of opposite possibilities.
The neurofilament light chain gene (NEFL) mutation Pro22Ser can be associated with mixed axonal and demyelinating neuropathy.

Abstract We report the detailed clinical, electrophysiological and molecular analysis of a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. DNA sequencing of the coding sequences of the neurofilament light chain polypeptide (NEFL) gene revealed a c.64C > T heterozygous, missense mutation resulting in a Pro22Ser amino acid substitution. Clinical and electrophysiological studies revealed a mixed axonal and demyelinating neuropathy, with widespread demyelination involving both proximal and distal nerve segments. Mutations at this site in the NEFL gene have been previously linked to an axonal neuropathy or distal nerve demyelination. Our results emphasize the complexity of genotype–phenotype correlations in CMT and underline the possible importance of host factors and gene interactions in the development of clinical phenotypes.
Common Carp Distribution, Movements, and Habitat Use in a River Impounded by Multiple Low-Head Dams

Abstract The common carp Cyprinus carpio is an introduced species that is abundant in many impounded rivers. We assessed habitat conditions and common carp abundance in three flowing sites and three impounded sites of the Fox River, Illinois, to examine factors that influence the success of common carp in these systems. Radiotelemetry was used to determine long-term movement and habitat use patterns of common carp among flowing and impounded areas. Impounded areas were wider and deeper than flowing areas and had lower current velocities, smaller substrates, and lower abundances of cover. Common carp were found at all sites during summer, with catch rates being similar between flowing and impounded areas. The proportion of the fish assemblage consisting of common carp was similar between flowing and impounded areas during two of the study years but was higher in impounded areas than in flowing areas during the other two years. Radio-tagged common carp displayed a variety of movement patterns but used impou...
Labour flexibility and staffing levels in a dual-resource constrained job shop

In many manufacturing organizations, increasing process flexibility is becoming more important while the reliance on product cost to measure manufacturing performance is being lessened. As a result, companies are placing more emphasis on developing a cross-trained workforce in an effort to improve the flexibility of their operations. Having a cross-trained workforce allows managers to move workers around to adjust to temporary overloads in the shop. Another approach to increasing process flexibility is through the addition of labour to create a capacity buffer. Adding more labour improves flexibility since it reduces the average utilization in the shop thereby reducing the possibility of any overload occurring in the first place. This paper compares the benefits realized by the development of a multi-skilled workforce with the benefits realized by additional workforce staffing. Both strategies exhibit improvement in the simulation of a hypothetical dual resource constrained hybrid job-shop. Results sugges...
Assessing and planning home-based care for persons with AIDS.

Any AIDS program should strive to strengthen the capacity of the home and community to care for people with AIDS by building on traditional family structures which support all chronically ill people. A rapid assessment tool has been developed to resolve potential conflicts and to facilitate the design of an AIDS program tailored to local needs. It was designed with developing countries in mind. It uses an assessment matrix for systematic community evaluation of the problems and resources with current home care. The 3 levels are individual household and community. The key categories are HIV prevalence and awareness perceived needs community capability and health and social system. For example community capability and its operation are examined at the individual household and community level. Each country or program must come up with its own process and outcome indicators. They should choose indicators based on data that will always be available and permit measurement of progress towards selected goals/objectives (e.g. percentage of HIV seropositive TB patients). After completion and review of the matrix the strengths weaknesses and barriers (which will become apparent) are used to develop an action plan. There are general guidelines for data analysis and the development of the action plan. Every program should be area-specific and community-based. Neither donors nor implementers should misjudge the obstacles to care within the community. Incremental steps will result in improved capacity of the community to cope with people with AIDS. All people who are involved in home care (e.g. prostitutes) must be included in the team to evaluate home care. Outside help (e.g. donors) must not undermine community initiatives to care for members with AIDS. The information and conclusions should be presented to the community and key informants for verification before implementing any interventions.
A Bayesian method for calculating real-time quantitative PCR calibration curves using absolute plasmid DNA standards

In real-time quantitative PCR studies using absolute plasmid DNA standards, a calibration curve is developed to estimate an unknown DNA concentration. However, potential differences in the amplification performance of plasmid DNA compared to genomic DNA standards are often ignored in calibration calculations and in some cases impossible to characterize. A flexible statistical method that can account for uncertainty between plasmid and genomic DNA targets, replicate testing, and experiment-to-experiment variability is needed to estimate calibration curve parameters such as intercept and slope. Here we report the use of a Bayesian approach to generate calibration curves for the enumeration of target DNA from genomic DNA samples using absolute plasmid DNA standards. Instead of the two traditional methods (classical and inverse), a Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) estimation was used to generate single, master, and modified calibration curves. The mean and the percentiles of the posterior distribution were used as point and interval estimates of unknown parameters such as intercepts, slopes and DNA concentrations. The software WinBUGS was used to perform all simulations and to generate the posterior distributions of all the unknown parameters of interest. The Bayesian approach defined in this study allowed for the estimation of DNA concentrations from environmental samples using absolute standard curves generated by real-time qPCR. The approach accounted for uncertainty from multiple sources such as experiment-to-experiment variation, variability between replicate measurements, as well as uncertainty introduced when employing calibration curves generated from absolute plasmid DNA standards.
Fibrillin microfibrils: multipurpose extracellular networks in organismal physiology

Organismal physiology depends significantly on the proper assembly of extracellular matrix (ECM) macroaggregates that impart structural integrity to the connective tissue. Recent genetic studies in mice have unraveled unsuspected new functions of architectural matrix components in regulating signaling events that modulate patterning, morphogenesis, and growth of several organ systems. As a result, a new paradigm has emerged whereby tissue-specific organization of the ECM dictates not only the physical properties of the connective tissue, but also the ability of the matrix to direct a broad spectrum of cellular activities through the regulation of growth factor signaling. These observations pave the way to novel therapeutic approaches aimed at counteracting the deleterious consequences of perturbations of connective tissue homeostasis.
Conformity as a Determinant of Behavior in a Resource Dilemma

Abstract Messick et al. (1983) and Samuelson and Messick (1986) have proposed a conceptual model in which commons-dilemma behavior is governed by three conflicting motives: a desire to harvest as much as possible, a desire to use the resource responsibly, and a desire to conform to implicit group norms. Two experiments were conducted to examine more closely the influence of conformity on samples of American students. In Experiment 1 the mediating effects of punishment and a verbal warning on subject conformity were examined. Subjects were influenced by conformity regardless of the probability of punishment or the issuing of a verbal warning. In Experiment 2 conformity could be explained by the desire to seek social information regarding how to play the game rather than by competitive tendencies. Subjects conformed to the behavior of others even when it was against their best interest to do so.
Loss of Ca and NO3-N from terrestrial microcosms as an indicator of soil pollution

An experiment was conducted using As-treated soil cores to develop a screening tool for toxic contaminants. Aqueous efflux of Ca and NO3-N were tested as sensitive indicators of chemical stress on soil. Nutrient efflux from forest soil cores was increased at the highest As level (100 μg As cm−2), while population parameters (i.e., microbial biomass and enzyme concentrations) were unaffected. These results indicate that nutrient efflux is more sensitive to chemical stress than population parameters. Nutrient losses from soils may be used as an early-warning device for assessing contaminants potentially toxic to terrestrial ecosystems.
Who does what? A linguistic approach to analyzing teachers’ reactions to videos

This paper describes a technique for analyzing teachers’ reactions to videos. The technique uses Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics to identify teachers’ perceptions of the division of labor between teachers and students when working on a mathematical task. The author uses the technique to analyze data from focus group sessions where teachers reacted to a video episode. The author argues that the technique could be particularly useful for studying teachers’ perspectives about novel teaching activities, such as problem-based instruction in mathematics.
Fast neural network algorithm for solving classification tasks: Batch error back-propagation algorithm

Classification is one-out-of several applications in the neural network (NN) world. Multilayer perceptron (MLP) is the common neural network architecture which is used for classification tasks. It is known for its error back propagation (EBP) algorithm, which opened the new way for solving classification problems given a set of empirical data. In this paper, we performed experiments using three different NN structures in order to find the best performing MLP neural network for the nonlinear classification of multiclass data sets. The three different MLP structures for solving classification problems having K classes are: one model/K output layer neurons, K separate models/One output layer neuron, and K joint models/One output layer neuron. A developed learning algorithm used here is the batch EBP algorithm which uses all the data as a single batch while updating the NN weights. The batch EBP speeds significantly the training up. The use of a pseudo-inverse in calculating the output layer weights is also contributing to faster training. The extensive series of experiments performed within the research proved that the best structure for solving multiclass classification problems is a K joint models/One output layer neuron structure.
Winston Churchil and fraternal association: The history of a phrase

On March 5, 1946, in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill gave one of his most famous and controversial speeches. The ideas and themes of that speech had been used before and would be again, but never with similar explosive effect. The author attempts to analyze six speeches by Winston Churchill in America to discover the variables that combined to create the effect at Fulton.
On the mechanism of the selenolactonization reaction with selenenyl halides.

The mechanism of selenocyclization reactions of β,γ-unsaturated acids and their derivatives has been studied. The reactions of (E)-4-phenyl-3-butenoic acid 10 and its silyl and alkyl esters with benzeneselenenyl chloride (PhSeCl) and bromide (PhSeBr) have been examined by VT-NMR and in situ IR spectroscopic methods. Whereas the reactions of the acid 10 in the presence of a base were irreproducible and complicated, reactions of the silyl esters were clean and spontaneously and quantitatively afforded a chloroselenylation adduct at −70 °C as a single (Markovnikov) isomer. This adduct underwent three processes as the temperature was raised: (1) reversal to the starting materials, (2) isomerization to the anti-Markovnikov product, and (3) cyclization to the selenolactone 12. All of these processes are believed to proceed via a seleniranium ion the intermediacy of which was established by independent synthesis and spectroscopic identification. The reversible formation of chloro selenide adducts was unambiguou...
IADVS: On-demand performance for interactive applications

Increasingly power-hungry processors have reinforced the need for aggressive power management. Dynamic voltage scaling has become a common design consideration allowing for energy efficient CPUs by matching CPU performance with the computational demand of running processes. In this paper, we propose Interaction-Aware Dynamic Voltage Scaling (IADVS), a novel fine-grained approach to managing CPU power during interactive workloads, which account for the bulk of the processing demand on modern mobile or desktop systems. IADVS is built upon a transparent, fine-grained interaction capture system. Able to track CPU usage for each user interface event, the proposed system sets the CPU performance level to the one that best matches the predicted CPU demand. Compared to the state-of-the-art approach of user-interaction-based CPU energy management, we show that IADVS improves prediction accuracy by 37%, reduces processing delays by 17%, and reduces energy consumed of the CPU by as much as 4%. The proposed design is evaluated with both a detailed trace-based simulation as well as implementation on a real system, verifying the simulation findings.
The impact of scheduling appliances and rate structure on bill savings for net-zero energy communities: Application to West Village

Abstract This paper investigates the financial incentives of load shifting under a time-of-use rate and Net Energy Metering pertaining to the solar net-zero energy apartment community, West Village in Davis, California. By “smart-scheduling” the electricity and domestic hot water demand of the dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, sinks and showers solely to off-peak periods, the peak demand is reduced by 18%, the part-peak demand by 32% and the off-peak demand increased by 12%. With this shifted schedule customers accrue twice as many credits as they would receive under a non-shifted schedule with the same time-of-use rate, totaling to $2975 of “free” electricity per year for one 12 unit building. But, under current rates smart-scheduling is found to be worthwhile only during the months from May through October, when 96% of the credits are accumulated. If the rate schedule is altered to include peak-periods during the winter months, the credit savings will double again in value. These comparisons are prepared using two photovoltaic simulation programs (PolySun by Vela Solaris and System Advisory Model by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and for apartments using an electric heater and a heat pump for domestic hot water. By quantifying these savings, PV generating customers are informed that a time-of-use rate can benefit them significantly, especially if the surplus generation is maximized and sold to the grid during peak day time hours. With this information, housing developers can create effective incentives for residents, and utility companies, policy makers and designers of smart-scheduling household appliances can encourage a more reliable, clean and economical national grid.
Flow Cytometry: Principles and Applications. I

(1984). Flow Cytometry: Principles and Applications. I. Cancer Investigation: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 149-163.
What is Locke's Theory of Representation?

On a currently popular reading of Locke, an idea represents its cause, or what God intended to be its cause. Against Martha Bolton and my former self (among others), I argue that Locke cannot hold such a view, since it sins against his epistemology and theory of abstraction. I argue that Locke is committed to a resemblance theory of representation, with the result that ideas of secondary qualities are not representations.
Unsteady Continuous Adjoint Approach for Aerodynamic Design on Dynamic Meshes

This paper presents the development and application of a new unsteady continuous adjoint formulation for optimal shape design of aerodynamic surfaces in motion, such as rotating or pitching applications. The arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian form of the unsteady, compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a generic source term is considered, and from these governing flow equations, an adjoint formulation centered around finding surface sensitivities using shape calculus is derived. This surface formulation provides the gradient information necessary for performing gradient-based aerodynamic shape optimization at a computational cost equivalent to solving the flow equations and with minimal memory overhead. To verify the methodology, gradients provided by the continuous adjoint and finite-differencing approaches are compared. Optimal shape design is demonstrated in both two and three dimensions for pitching airfoil and wing test cases.
Evaluation of online disaster and emergency preparedness resources

INTRODUCTION: Increasingly, individuals are relying on the Internet as a major source of health information. When faced with sudden or pending disasters, people resort to the Internet in search of clear, current, and accurate instructions on how to prepare for and respond to such emergencies. Research about online health resources ascertained that information was written at the secondary education and college levels and extremely difficult for individuals with limited literacy to comprehend. This content analysis is the first to assess the reading difficulty level and format suitability of a large number of disaster and emergency preparedness Web pages intended for the general public. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to: (1) assess the readability and suitability of disaster and emergency preparedness information on the Web; and (2) determine whether the reading difficulty level and suitability of online resources differ by the type of disaster or emergency and/or Website domain. METHODS: Fifty Websites containing information on disaster and/or emergency preparedness were retrieved using the Google search engine. Readability testing was conducted on the first Web page, suggested by Google, addressing preparedness for the general public. The reading level was assessed using Flesch-Kincaid (F-K) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) measures. The Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) instrument was used to evaluate additional factors such as graphics, layout, and cultural appropriateness. RESULTS: The mean F-K readability score of the 50 Websites was Grade 10.74 (95% CI = 9.93, 11.55). The mean FRE score was 45.74 (95% CI = 41.38, 50.10), a score considered "difficult."A Web page with content about both risk and preparedness supplies was the most difficult to read according to F-K (Grade level = 12.1). Web pages with general disaster and emergency information and preparedness supplies were considered most difficult according to the FRE (38.58, 95% CI = 30.09, 47.08). The average SAM score was 48% or 0.48 (95% CI = 0.45, 0.51), implying below average suitability of these Websites. Websites on pandemics and bioterrorism were the most difficult to read (F-K: p = 0.012; FRE: p = 0.014) and least suitable (SAM: p = 0.035) compared with other disasters and emergencies. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the need for readily accessible preparedness resources on the Web that are easy-to-read and visually appropriate. Interdisciplinary collaborations between public health educators, risk communication specialists, and Web page creators and writers are recommended to ensure the development and dissemination of disaster and emergency resources that consider literacy abilities of the general public. Language: en
Work in progress - balancing prescribed and project-based experiences in microfabrication laboratories

Student education for microfabrication processes needs to integrate theoretical understanding with process understanding. Instructional challenges exist in designing effective laboratory experiences. The pedagogical issues include linking theoretical lecture concepts to cost-effective laboratories, tailoring the relative time between lectures and laboratories, and balancing the laboratory assignments between prescribed and project-based experiences. We describe the progressive implementations of microfabrication laboratory experiences in graduate courses. The first offering has no laboratory activity. The prescribed laboratory and project-based laboratory components were gradually incorporated. All laboratory experiences were team-based and utilized cost-effective facilities. The assessments indicate that students prefer significant laboratory experience and that learning of selected lecture concepts is enhanced through an interactive environment. Furthermore, observations are made concerning the effective balance of lecture and laboratories and of prescribed and project-based experiences.
Epidemiologic Data on the Relationships of Caloric Intake, Energy Balance, and Weight Gain Over the Life Span With Longevity and Morbidity

Animal experiments have shown that calorically restricted (CR) animals weigh less and live longer than their ad libitum-fed peers. Are these observations applicable to human beings? This is an important question because the prevalence of obesity in America has increased markedly over recent years. We examine whether there are physiologic effects that occur with CR in humans that could plausibly explain the observed longevity of laboratory animals associated with CR. We also review epidemiologic data from observational and interventional studies on the relationships of caloric intake, energy balance, and weight gain with age-related diseases and longevity. Additionally, data on whether long-term, sustained maintenance of weight loss is feasible, as well as the degree of CR achieved in clinical trials, are summarized. Finally, we provide recommendations regarding further epidemiologic research that will help clarify unanswered questions in these areas.
The Experienced Self and Other Scale: A technique for assaying the experience of one's self in relation to the other

The construct “self” appears in diverse forms in theories about what it is to be a person. As the sense of “self” is typically assessed through personal reports, differences in its description undoubtedly reflect significant differences in peoples’ apperception of self. This report describes the development, reliability, and factorial structure of the Experience of Sense of Self (E-SOS), an inventory designed to assess one’s perception of self in relation to the person’s perception of various potential “others.” It does so using Venn diagrams to depict and quantify the experienced overlap between the self and “others.” Participant responses to the instrument were studied through Exploratory Factor Analysis. This yielded a five-factor solution: 1) Experience of Positive Sensation; 2) Experience of Challenges; 3) Experience of Temptations; 4) Experience of Higher Power; and 5) Experience of Family. The items comprising each of these were found to produce reliable subscales. Further research with the E-SOS and suggestions for its use are offered.
Individual differences in susceptibility to memory illusions

Forty-two individuals studied sixteen word lists, each of which converged on a common list associate that was not studied. Ten measures of individual differences in cognition and personality were also administered. The tendency to intrude words in recall and to falsely recognize distractor words in a recognition memory test were significantly correlated with reports of dissociative experiences and vivid mental imagery. It is argued that the memory errors, as well as the reports of dissociative experiences, reflect difficulties in source monitoring, in particular, in the discrimination of events that originate externally from those that originate internally. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
MOVIE model for open systems based high performance distributed computing

MOVIE (multitasking object-oriented visual interactive environment) is the new software system for high performance distributed computing (HDPC), currently in the advanced design and implementation stage at Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC), Syracuse University. MOVIE System is structured as a multiserver network of interpreters of high-level object-oriented programming language MovieScript. MovieScript derives from PostScript and extends it in the C++ syntax based object-oriented interpreted style towards 3D graphics, high performance computing and general purpose high level communication protocol for distributed and MIMD-parallel computing. The authors describe the overall open systems based MOVIE design and itemize currently implemented, developed and planned components of the system. >
Methods for Spacecraft Avionics Protection Against Space Radiation in the Form of Single-Event Transients

This paper presents a design philosophy for protecting spacecraft avionics from the effects of single-event transients caused by high-energetic charged particles in the space environment. The design philosophy has resulted in a proven concept over the many years of actual implementation in real avionics in real space missions. Only an overview of this design philosophy is presented. The paper first addresses the science of the space environment as it relates to high-energy charged particles. It includes the derivations of important parameters in high-energy particle physics as it applies to interactions with semiconductor electronic in component integrated circuits. The paper then transitions to explore some general methodologies widely used in the industry to control the damaging effects of single-event transients caused by the space environment. The paper then shifts emphasis to the main subject of design methods and philosophies, with examples of how spacecraft avionics can be designed and built with a certain level of immunity against the possible catastrophic effects of single-event transients. These design principles are presented briefly, but with enough detail to provide a general overview.