cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Model of Threatening Academic Environments Predicts Women STEM Majors’ Self-Esteem and Engagement in STEM

The present study tested a model of threatening academic environments among a vulnerable population: women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Women in STEM are underrepresented and more likely to perceive their STEM educational environments as threatening than do men. U.S. Women majoring in STEM fields (n = 579) completed a questionnaire measuring each construct of a model of threatening academic environments proposed by Inzlicht et al. (2009). Supporting the model, greater gender stigma consciousness predicted greater gender-based rejection sensitivity. Gender rejection sensitivity predicted more negative perceptions of campus climate. More negative climate predicted more experiences of stereotype threat, which in turn predicted lower perceived control. Lower perceived control predicted greater disengagement from STEM domains, which predicted lower self-esteem. Differences also emerged between women in male- compared to female-dominated STEM subfields and between racial minority and majority women. This model describes how experiences of threatening environments may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in STEM. The model provides an overview for researchers, educators, and practitioners to better understand the relations among hostile STEM climates, experiences of identity threat, and academic disengagement. Interventions addressing environmental and individual factors in the model may improve retention and women’s experiences in STEM.
Strain-aware performance evaluation and correction for OTFT-based flexible displays

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) are widely used in flexible circuits, such as flexible displays, sensor arrays, and radio frequency identification cards (RFIDs), because these technologies offer features such as better flexibility, lower cost, and easy manufacturability using low-temperature fabrication process. This paper develops a procedure that evaluates the performance of flexible displays. Due to their very nature, flexible displays experience significant mechanical strain/stress in the field due to the deformation caused during daily use. These deformations can impact device and circuit performance, potentially causing a loss in functionality. This paper first models the effects of extrinsic strain due to two fundamental deformations modes, bending and twisting. Next, this strain is translated to variations in device mobility, after which analytical models for error analysis in the flexible display are derived based on the rendered image values in each pixel of the display. Finally, two error correction approaches for flexible displays are proposed, based on voltage compensation and flexible clocking.
Factors Affecting Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval: A Review.

Objective:Over the last 2 decades, there has been an exponential rise in placement of retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, while the retrieval rate has remained steadily low. Approaches to...
Interaction of ferrous oxide with alumina refractory under flash ironmaking conditions

Abstract A novel flash ironmaking technology (FIT) has been developed at the University of Utah based on the direct reduction of iron ore concentrate by a reducing gas such as hydrogen, natural gas, coal gas or a mixture thereof. In this work, the interaction of ferrous oxide (FeO) with alumina (Al2O3) refractory under flash ironmaking conditions has been studied. A thermodynamic basis for the interaction process has been developed by considering the Fe–Al–O system and a kinetic model based on solid-state diffusion is formulated to describe the growth of the hercynite (FeAl2O4) spinel formed as a result of the interaction between FeO and Al2O3. Experiments were conducted with FeO powders and pure Al2O3 refractory in the temperature range 1200–1400 °C under gas atmospheres relevant to FIT. The analyses of reacted samples using XRD, SEM-EDX and EPMA techniques confirmed the formation of the hercynite (FeAl2O4) spinel under FIT conditions and results showed that the proposed kinetic model appropriately describes the growth of the hercynite spinel layer, which obeyed the parabolic rate law at all the three temperatures. Furthermore, using the kinetic model, expressions for the parabolic rate-constants ( k 1 ) and the effective diffusivity ( D e f f ¯ ) were obtained and their respective values at the experimental temperatures were determined. The values of D e f f ¯ calculated in this study agreed closely with those obtained independently by the authors from experiments on Fe–Al2O3 interaction thereby corroborating the interaction mechanism and the associated reaction scheme. The solid-state diffusion was temperature-dependent, with an activation energy value of 268 kJ/mol.
Longitudinal Association Between Hearing Loss, Vision Loss, Dual Sensory Loss, and Cognitive Decline.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES To better understand the role of sensory loss as a potentially modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline, this study examined cognitive decline in relation to single modality hearing or vision loss and dual sensory loss. DESIGN Longitudinal secondary data analysis. SETTING The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and its supplement: The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS). PARTICIPANTS Individuals aged 73 and older (N = 295). MEASUREMENTS Hearing loss was defined by an inability to hear sounds of 25 dB at frequencies between 0.5 and 4.0 kHz in either ear. Vision loss was defined as having corrected binocular vision worse than 20/40. Dual sensory loss was defined as having both hearing and vision loss. We used one time point of hearing and vision data objectively measured in ADAMS Wave C (June 2006-May 2008) and five waves of cognitive function data measured by the HRS version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status in HRS (2006-2014). Multilevel mixed models were used. RESULTS Among the participants, 271 completed a hearing assessment and 120 had hearing loss; 292 completed a vision assessment and 115 had vision loss; 52 had dual sensory loss. Older adults with hearing loss had a significantly faster rate of cognitive decline as they aged compared to those with normal hearing (β = -0.16, P < .05). No significant association was found between vision loss and the rate of cognitive decline (β = -0.06, P = .41). Older adults who had dual sensory loss likewise had a significantly faster rate of cognitive decline as they age (β = -0.23, P < .05) compared to those with no sensory loss. CONCLUSION Older adults with hearing loss and dual sensory loss have faster rates of cognitive decline than those with normal sensory function.
Imaging of Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma

ABSTRACT With improvements in genetics and oncology, and increased cross-sectional imaging, there is rapid expansion in the existing knowledge regarding diagnosis and management of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL). According to the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors of Endocrine Organs, genetic cancer susceptibility is more frequent in endocrine cancers, especially PPGL cancers. Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and staging of disease, as well as part of surveillance in the heritable syndromes. In this chapter, we review the imaging characteristics of PPGL, under both anatomic and physiologic imaging modalities, supported with multiple clinical examples. We allude to the role of imaging in specific scenarios, such as genetic syndromes, and describe some of the relevant recent advances particularly as related to physiologic imaging.
Impact of the Assembly Method on the Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio and Electrochemical Oxidation Potential of Metal Nanospheres

Here we report that the peak oxidation potential (Ep,ox) of electrode-attached Au nanospheres (NSs) in anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) experiments depends on the electrochemically measured surfa...
Peeking at the Potty: Learning from Academic Library Bathrooms and Advocating Change

AbstractThe authors present the checklist which they created and used to examine twenty academic library bathrooms located in the New York City area. They focus on the most pressing themes they hav...
Daten als Treiber der digitalen Transformation

Die 4. industrielle Revolution, in der wir uns befinden, ist im Wesentlichen durch die Datenerfassung und deren Verarbeitung getrieben. Das Datenvolumen und die Geschwindigkeit, in der die Daten entstehen, steigen permanent in einem rasanten Tempo. Es gibt unzahlige Beispiele, die zeigen, welchen Nutzen und Einfluss die Datenverarbeitung auf die heutige Wirtschaft hat. Praktisch jede Entscheidung oder Diskussion basiert heute auf Daten. Fakten, die nicht auf einer belegten Informationsgrundlage basieren, werden infrage gestellt. In diesem Kapitel wird daher darauf eingegangen, warum diese neuen Technologien genutzt werden sollten, um Probleme zu losen, und wo sie genau eingesetzt werden konnten. Denn Fakt ist, Daten verandern das Businessmodell masgeblich. Sie sind zudem wesentlicher Treiber der digitalen Transformation. Trotzdem ist es so, dass der groste Teil der Daten nicht verwendet wird. Wie kann man dies als Unternehmen andern und durch Daten neue Businessideen finden? Hier gibt es verschiedene Wege, in diesem Kapitel wird auf die Walt-Disney-Methode eingegangen. Es ist wichtig, die ungeheuren Moglichkeiten durch die Datenerfassung und deren Verarbeitung zu verstehen und zu erkennen, aber auch die Risiken, Probleme und die Grenzen zu sehen. Hier liegt der Fokus dieses Kapitels.
Regional, racial, gender, and tumor biology disparities in breast cancer survival rates in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background The survival rates from breast cancer in Africa are poor and yet the incidence rates are on the rise. In this study, we hypothesized that, in Africa, a continent with great disparities in socio-economic status, race, tumor biology, and cultural characteristics, the survival rates from breast cancer vary greatly based on region, tumor biology (hormone receptor), gender, and race. We aimed to conduct the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on region, gender, tumor-biology and race-specific 5-year breast cancer survival rates in Africa and compared them to 20-year survival trends in the United States. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library to identify studies on breast cancer survival in African published before October 17, 2018. Pooled 5-year survival rates of breast cancer were estimated by random-effects models. We explored sources of heterogeneity through subgroup meta-analyses and meta-regression. Results were reported as absolute difference (AD) in percentages. We compared the survival rates of breast cancer in Africa and the United States. Findings There were 54 studies included, consisting of 18,970 breast cancer cases. There was substantial heterogeneity in the survival rates (mean 52.9%, range 7–91%, I2 = 99.1%; p for heterogeneity <0.0001). Meta-regression analyses suggested that age and gender-adjusted 5-year survival rates were lower in sub-Saharan Africa compared to north Africa (AD: –25.4%; 95% CI: –34.9 - –15.82%), and in predominantly black populations compared to predominantly non-black populations (AD: –25.9%; 95% CI: 35.40 - –16.43%). Survival rates were 10 percentage points higher in the female population compared to male, but the difference was not significant. Progesterone and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer subtypes were positively associated with survival (r = 0.39, p = 0.08 and r = 0.24, p = 0.29 respectively), but triple-negative breast cancer was negatively associated with survival. Survival rates are increasing over time more in non-black Africans (55% in 2000 versus 65% in 2018) compared to black Africans (33% in 2000 versus 40% in 2018); but, the survival rates for Africans are still significantly lower when compared to black (76% in 2015) and white (90% in 2015) populations in the United States. Conclusion Regional, sub-regional, gender, and racial disparities exist, influencing the survival rates of breast cancer in Africa. Therefore, region and race-specific public health interventions coupled with prospective genetic studies are urgently needed to improve breast cancer survival in this region.
Nuclear localization of calcium-activated BK channels in skate ampullary electroreceptors

Abstract Ampullae of Lorenzini are sensory organs capable of detecting microvolt gradients in seawater. Electroreception involves interplay between voltage-dependent calcium channels CaV1.3 and big conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in apical membranes of receptor cells. Expression of BK (kcnma1) and CaV1.3 (cacna1d) channels in skate (Leucoraja erinacea) ampullary electroreceptors was studied by in situ confocal microscopy. BK and CaV1.3 channels colocalize in plasma membranes, ribbon synapses and kinocilia. BK channels additionally colocalize with chromatin and nuclear lamins in electroreceptor cells. Bioinformatic sequence analysis identified an alternatively spliced bipartite nuclear localization sequence (NLS) in kcnma1 (at site of mammalian STREX exon). Skate kcnma1 wild type cDNA transfected into HEK293 cells localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and nucleus. Mutations in the NLS (KR→AA or SVLS→AVLA) independently attenuated nuclear translocation from endoplasmic reticulum. BK channel localization may be controlled by splicing or phosphorylation to tune electroreception and modulate gene expression.
Periodontal Disease and Birth Outcomes: Are We Missing Something?

Periodontal disease is a widespread inflammatory disorder influenced by microbial, genetic, and environmental factors. Dr. Robert J. Genco was a pioneer in recognizing the connection between periodontal disease and systemic diseases. His early work reported a “two-way street” with respect to diabetes mellitus such that those with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontal disease and the severity of diabetes increases in those with periodontal disease. Dr. Genco also proposed that periodontal disease could impact cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases as well as oral cancers. Here, we review the recent literature on the potential role of periodontal disease on another health concern, that of adverse birth outcomes including preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Risks associated with the development of periodontal disease and risks posed by periodontal disease are discussed, including that of adverse birth outcomes, with attention to potential confounding variables in different study populations and conflicting reports on the efficacy of intervention during pregnancy. Suggested mechanisms whereby periodontal disease contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes include infection and inflammation of the uterus, placenta, and fetus induced by bloodborne pathogenic microorganisms and/or bacterial products. The potential role of genetic and epigenetic factors influencing the response to infection and the potential for long-term sequelae in those born to mothers with periodontal disease are considered. To identify the specific effects of periodontal disease on birth outcomes, future studies should continue to parse out confounding variables including genetic, epigenetic, and environmental influences. Standardizing the definitions of periodontal disease is critical to establishing cause and effect. Understanding the role of the microbiome on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes, and further consideration of mechanisms contributing to poor birth outcomes should be explored with the expectation of developing interventions. Recognizing his fundamental insights into the importance of oral health on systemic health, we dedicate this narrative review to Dr. Genco, a visionary and an advocate for oral health.
Neural Representation of Articulable and Inarticulable Novel Sound Contrasts: The Role of the Dorsal Stream

The extent that articulatory information embedded in incoming speech contributes to the formation of new perceptual categories for speech sounds has been a matter of discourse for decades. It has b...
Teacher Views of Math E-learning Tools for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

Many students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) have difficulty learning math. To succeed in math, they need to receive personalized support from teachers. Recently, math e-learning tools that provide personalized math skills training have gained popularity. However, we know little about how well these tools help teachers personalize instruction for students with SLDs. To answer this question, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers who taught students with SLDs in grades five to eight. We found that participants used math e-learning tools that were not designed specifically for students with SLDs. Participants had difficulty using these tools because of text-intensive user interfaces, insufficient feedback about student performance, inability to adjust difficulty levels, and problems with setup and maintenance. Participants also needed assistive technology for their students, but they had challenges in getting and using it. From our findings, we distilled design implications to help shape the design of more inclusive and effective e-learning tools.
Pollen Exposure and Associated Healthcare Utilization: A Population-based Study Using Health Maintenance Organization Data in the Washington, DC, Area.

Rationale: Most studies of the healthcare utilization impact of pollen exposure have focused on emergency department visits or hospital admissions. However, other frequent but lower cost services—p...
Scrotal Circumference in Angus Beef Bulls

An experiment where significant correlation among the production and reproductive traits was observed.
A Curriculum for Enhancing Physician Teaching Skills: The Value of Physician-Educator Partnerships

Developing as a physician requires an enormous amount of complex training, and quality of instruction greatly affects training outcomes. But while physicians are expected to teach trainees within the clinic, they often do not receive formal training in effective instructional practices. Providing faculty development programs is one way that institutions can help physicians develop teaching skills, but these programs often are developed without the input of educational specialists and not based in educational theory. In this methodology paper, we describe a 5-module curriculum that was developed in a cross-disciplinary collaboration between instructional designers and physician faculty. By merging educational and medical expertise and using adult learning theory with the Charlotte-Danielson educational framework, an essentials for clinical teaching educational endorsement program (ECTEEP) was created as a feature of the institutional curriculum within a large, urban teaching hospital. Here we describe how the program was developed through a physician-educator partnership, outline the program's key content, and highlight essential aspects of successful implementation. The ECTEEP incorporates active learning approaches within an abbreviated format, distilling 5 critical aspects of effective teaching that are relevant to the clinical environment: cultural humility and safe learning environments, instruction practices for engaging learners, instruction and assessment strategies, receiving and giving feedback, and mentorship and coaching. A central feature of the program is that facilitators actively model the teaching behaviors they are conveying, which underscores the critical importance of facilitator preparation and skill. Our curriculum is offered here as a basic template for institutions that may want to establish a program for enhancing physician teaching skill.
Extracellular cues accelerate neurogenesis of induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons

Neurogenesis is a complex process encompassing neuronal progenitor cell expansion/proliferation and differentiation, followed by neuron maturation. In vivo models are most commonly used to study neurogenesis; however, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (iPSC) neurons are increasingly used to establish cellular models of human neurological processes. Unfortunately, the differentiation and maturation of iPSC-derived neurons varies in methodology, is asynchronous, and has restricted experimental utility because of extended differentiation/maturation times. To accelerate and standardize iPS neuronal maturation, we differentiated and matured feeder layer-free iPSC-derived neuronal cultures under physiological oxygen levels (5%), and modified the underlying extracellular matrix and medium composition. Our results demonstrate that calretinin gene expression occurred earlier under our optimized iPS conditions and the corresponding neurogenesis burst associated with proliferative expansion occurred more synchronously, reliably emerging two and three weeks after differentiation. As expected, the expression of mature neuronal markers (i.e., NeuN+/Calbindin+) started at 4-weeks post-differentiation. qPCR microarray, western blot and single cell analyses using high content imaging indicated that 4-week iPS neuronal cultures were non-cycling with decreased expression of cyclin D1 and Ki67. Our data demonstrate that extracellular cues influence the kinetics of neurogenesis models and that feeder layer-free iPSC-derived neurogenesis can be reproducibly miniaturized.
Exploring the Impacts of Zoning and Upzoning on Housing Development: A Quasi-experimental Analysis at the Parcel Level:

This study investigates the impacts of upzoning and higher density zoning on housing development at the parcel level in the city of Portland (Oregon) during the period from 2000 to 2017. The study ...
Viscosity Solutions to Optimal Carbon Policies under Regime-Switching Jump-Diffusion Levy processes

Regime-switching Levy processes integrate jump-diffusions and Markov regime-switchings. When they are coalesced with nonlinear partial differential equations of second order, the technique of viscosity solutions proves critical in the resolution process. However, applications to carbon policies are sparse. This paper frames the carbon policy problem as a non-cooperative differential game between a government entity and a commodity company. In a short lease setting, we structure the emission cap, and we derive the optimal carbon policy in which the main admissible controls are the taxation and extraction rates. Our first contribution is the proof of the existence of an emission cap bound Nash Equilibrium for nonlinear Hamilton Jacobi Isaacs (HJI) equations. In this new carbon framework, we subsequently prove that the value functions of the noncooperative game are unique viscosity solutions of the nonlinear HJI equations. Through a numerical application, we find that the optimal carbon policy must enforce a tax and a cap on the rate of extraction for a successful mitigation of CO2 emissions.
Curtain Call at Closing: The Multi-Dimensional Legacy of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

The mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to prosecute those most responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide is drawing to a close after nearly two decades. This Comment analyzes the substantive, structural, memorial, and symbolic inheritance that the ICTR bequeaths to international criminal law. This unique area of international law is not only judge-made, but also developed through the norms and conventions of states, alongside the rich participation of nongovernmental actors and international policy-making agencies that define what norms become law. Given this reality, the multidimensional legacy of the Tribunal is fundamentally important in determining the forward movement of an area of law where such extra-legal influences are indeterminately determinative. This Comment argues that, for all of the Tribunal’s flaws, and despite being originally set forth as a very specific type of criminal justice mechanism with a limited mandate and narrow jurisdiction, the ICTR has managed to further the field of international human rights through its perhaps unexpected contributions to memory, imagination, and hope at the heart of human rights.
Assessing the Practicality and Constitutionality of Alaska’s Split-Recovery Punitive Damages Statute

In 1997, Alaska responded to its “reputation[] for unusually high punitive awards” by amending its punitive damages statute. Under the new Alaska “split-recovery” statute, 50% of all punitive damages awarded to civil plaintiffs is to be “deposited into the general fund of the state.” Fear of tort liability has long plagued American businesses. In recent years, however, the perception has been that “punitive damages are skyrocketing” and are “run[ning] wild.” Regardless of whether this perception is accurate, there can be no doubt that fears
Defect-tolerant molecular electronics

The integrated circuit, manufactured by optical lithography, has driven the computer revolution for four decades. If we are to continue to build complex systems of ever-smaller components, we must find a new technology that will allow massively parallel construction of electronic circuits at the atomic scale. To do so we must develop both the molecular electronics building blocks and CAD algorithms for such a reconfigurable technology.
Treatment response with social interactions: Partial identification via monotone comparative statics

This paper studies (nonparametric) partial identification of treatment response with social interactions. It imposes conditions motivated by economic theory on the primitives of the model, that is, the structural equations, and shows that they imply shape restrictions on the distribution of potential outcomes via monotone comparative statics. The econometric framework is tractable and allows for counterfactual predictions in models with multiple equilibria. Under three sets of assumptions, we identify sharp distributional bounds on the potential outcomes given observable data. We illustrate our results by studying the effect of police per capita on crime rates in New York state.
Introduction and Preliminaries

In order to discuss the convective heat transfer in the context of its applications in multiphase systems with or without phase change and reaction, and in order to allow for the analysis of the convective heat transfer at the molecular, phase, and multiphase scales, this chapter reviews some of the preliminaries needed for the discussions in the following chapters. It begins with the spectrum of applications and length scales and after a short review of the historical contributions to the field, gives the scope of the monograph. The various molecular and continuum aspects of the thermophysical properties, phase transitions, and multiphase flows are discussed. The analysis of the convective heat transfer in multiphase systems is addressed beginning with the conservation equations for the most elementary, continuum volume and then moving to the volume averaging over phases. The extent of the rigor in the treatment of the multiphase flow and heat transfer, the applied approximations and simplifications, and the practical, semiempirical models, are addressed. The objective of this treatise, which is an examination of both the convective heat transfer within a medium and that across the interfaces of the various phases, as well as the influence of the heat transfer on the fluid motion, is discussed at the end of this chapter.
GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH PARENTS OF ILL CHILDREN

Group discussions with parents of diabetic children were started as part of the services offered in the Metabolic Clinic of the Children9s Hospital of the East Bay, followed later by similar groups of parents of children with cerebral palsy. This approach to some of the delicate problems confronting parents of children with chronic disease and the children themselves was utilized in an attempt to solve some of the aspects of care that cannot be dealt with entirely in a one-to-one approach in a clinic or doctor9s office. The technical aspects of such groups are presented and some of the significant points are discussed.
Origins of magnetospheric plasma

A review is given of recent (1987-1990) progress in understanding of the origins of plasmas in the earth's magnetosphere. In counterpoint to the early supposition that geomagnetic phenomena are produced by energetic plasmas of solar origin, 1987 saw the publication of a provocative argument that accelerated ionospheric plasma could supply all magnetospheric auroral and ring current particles. Significant new developments of existing data sets, as well as the establishment of entirely new data sets, have improved the ability to identify plasma source regions and to track plasma through the magnetospheric system of boundary layers and reservoirs. These developments suggest that the boundary between ionospheric and solar plasmas, once taken to lie at the plasmapause, actually lies much nearer to the magnetopause. Defining this boundary as the surface where solar wind and ionosphere contribute equally to the plasma, it is referred to herein as the 'geopause'. It is now well established that the infusion of ionospheric O(+) plays a major role in the storm-time distention of the magnetotail and inflation of the inner magnetosphere. After more than two decades of observation and debate, the question remains whether magnetosheric are protons of solar or terrestrial origin.
Aerospace applications of MEMS

MEMS offer ultra-low mass, low-power components which may integrated into a variety of aerospace systems. Aerospace-specific MEMS are limited by the relatively small size of the aerospace vehicle market compared to traditional MEMS markets such as automobiles and home computers. Nevertheless, significant applications such as inertial guidance, micro-vehicle propulsion, and active antennas will drive evolution of existing MEMS technologies to meet these needs. MEMS enable many near-term micro-vehicle concepts, and possible mid-to-far term applications such as aerodynamic skin flow control and active aerospace structures.
Geochronologic studies in central New England I: Evidence for pre-Acadian metamorphism in eastern Vermont

{sup 40}Ar/{sup 39}Ar geochronology on hornblendes from central New England reveals a Grenvillian cooling age (1026 {plus minus} 12 Ma) along the eastern margin of the Green Mountain massif, Acadian ages in east-central Vermont (350-397 Ma) and along the Bronson Hill anticlinorium in New Hampshire and Massachusetts (407-280 Ma), and Late Ordovician to Silurian ages (440-451 Ma) along a belt in eastern Vermont and central Massachusetts. These ages indicate a minimal Acadian overprint in eastern Vermont, the highest degree of Acadian overprint being located along the axis of the domes in the Connecticut Valley synclinorium. These data suggest that the formation of the domes occurred in the Acadian. Moreover, the Late Ordovician to Silurian cooling ages in eastern Vermont suggest that much of the metamorphic mineralogy and fabric observed in the Connecticut Valley synclinorium may be pre-Silurian in age.
Role of converting enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of heart failure

Abstract Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors has proved to be effective in felieving symptoms of congestive heart failure. With recognition of the high mortality rate that accompanies heart failure, the question has arisen whether angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors may also improve survival. Early trials of the vasodilator combination hydralazine plus nitrates (V-HeFT trial) showed a strong trend toward a reduction in mortality, and a subsequent trial of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril in a population of patients with endstage heart failure (CONSENSUS trial) showed a highly significant reduction in the mortality. The SOLVD trial was begun in 1986 to determine whether enalapril could reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with mild to moderate congestive failure (primarily New York Heart Association classes II and III), as well as in asymptomatic patients with a low ejection fraction. This report presents the results in patients with symptoms of congestive failure who were studied in the SOLVD treatment trial. A total of 2,569 patients were recruited into the trial, with an average follow-up period of 41.4 months. There was a 16% reduction in mortality in the enalapril-treated group compred with that of patients receiving placebo (p = 0.0036), as well as a 26% reduction in the combined end point of death plus hospital admission for congestive failure (p
Probiotics in the Intensive Care Unit

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, provide benefits to the host. The benefits include either a shortened duration of infections or decreased susceptibility to pathogens. Proposed mechanisms of beneficial effects include improving gastrointestinal barrier function, modification of the gut flora by inducing host cell antimicrobial peptides and/or local release of probiotic antimicrobial factors, competition for epithelial adherence, and immunomodulation. With increasing intensive care unit (ICU) antibacterial resistance rates and fewer new antibiotics in the research pipeline, focus has been shifted to non-antibiotic approaches for the prevention and treatment of nosocomial infections. Probiotics offer promise to ICU patients for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infections, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Our current understanding of probiotics is confounded by inconsistency in probiotic strains studied, optimal dosages, study durations, and suboptimal sample sizes. Although probiotics are generally safe in the critically ill, adverse event monitoring must be rigorous in these vulnerable patients. Delineation of clinical differences of various effective probiotic strains, their mechanisms of action, and optimal dosing regimens will better establish the role of probiotics in various disorders. However, probiotic research will likely be hindered in the future given a recent ruling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Umbral calculus and the theory of multispecies non-ideal gases

Abstract Relations in the cluster expansion theory of non-ideal gases are presented using the recently developed formalism of umbral calculus. This paper provides an overview of the mathematical theory and explicitly derives the virial expansion and relations between the partition function and reducible and irreducible cluster coefficients for single and multispecies non-ideal gases. It is shown that these results are obtained remarkably easily using the methods of umbral calculus.
Finite-frequency traveltime tomography of San Francisco Bay region crustal velocity structure

SUMMARY Seismic velocity structure of the San Francisco Bay region crust is derived using measurements of finite-frequency traveltimes. A total of 57 801 relative traveltimes are measured by cross-correlation over the frequency range 0.5–1.5 Hz. From these are derived 4862 ‘summary’ traveltimes, which are used to derive 3-D P-wave velocity structure over a 341 × 140 km2 area from the surface to 25 km depth. The seismic tomography is based on sensitivity kernels calculated on a spherically symmetric reference model. Robust elements of the derived P-wave velocity structure are: a pronounced velocity contrast across the San Andreas fault in the south Bay region (west side faster); a moderate velocity contrast across the Hayward fault (west side faster); moderately low velocity crust around the Quien Sabe volcanic field and the Sacramento River delta; very low velocity crust around Lake Berryessa. These features are generally explicable with surface rock types being extrapolated to depth ∼10 km in the upper crust. Generally high mid-lower crust velocity and high inferred Poisson's ratio suggest a mafic lower crust.
Uptake and release of hydrogen in palladium by weakly bound sites

Abstract Evidence is reviewed for the role played in uptake and release by weakly bound sites, especially when the normal strong chemisorption sites are saturated. These weak sites seem to be much more effective in release than in uptake. It is not clear in all cases whether the sites are distinct subsurface sites or alternate sites on the surface, or whether there is a strong reduction in binding at high coverage which weakens the normal sites.
Analysis of the quasi-Laguerre method

The quasi-Laguerre's iteration formula, using first order logarithmic derivatives at two points, is derived for finding roots of polynomials. Three different derivations are presented, each revealing some different properties of the method. For polynomials with only real roots, the method is shown to be optimal, and the global and monotone convergence, as well as the non-overshooting property, of the method is justified. Different ways of forming quasi-Laguerre's iteration sequence are addressed. Local convergence of the method is proved for general polynomials that may have complex roots and the order of convergence is \(1+\sqrt{2}\).
Positron annihilation lifetime study of PTFE/silica composites

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) was used to study the microstructure of PTFE/silica composites. The positron lifetimes (τ n ) and intensities (I n ) of PTFE and the composites (30-62% silica) were measured at room temperature as a function of specimen thickness. Four lifetime components were found in PTFE and the composites. The longer lifetime components, τ 3 = 1.4 ns and τ 4 = 4.4-4.1 ns, were interpreted to be due to the presence of two different sized free volume cavity distributions within the PTFE/silica composites. A strong silica concentration dependence was found in the bulk intensities (I 3b and I 4b ). The I 3b value increased from 13.0% in PTFE to 28.2% in the 62% composite, while the I 4b value decreased from 17.5% in PTFE to 4.5% in the 62% composite. The smaller-void size, free volume fraction (τ 3 I 3b ) values increased linearly between 0 and 100% silica concentration, while the larger void size, free volume fraction (τ 4 I 4b ) values decreased nonlinearly with silica concentration. Since silica has a long lifetime component (τ 3 = 1.6 ns), this behavior is ascribed to silica particles occupying the large free volume cavities (370 A 3 ) in the PTFE/silica composites.
Cryo-EM visualization of an exposed RGD epitope on adenovirus that escapes antibody neutralization

Interaction of the adenovirus penton base protein with alpha v integrins promotes virus entry into host cells. The location of the integrin binding sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) on human type 2 adenovirus (Ad2) was visualized by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and image reconstruction using a mAb (DAV-1) which recognizes a linear epitope, IRGDTFATR. The sites for DAV-1 binding corresponded to the weak density above each of the five 22 A protrusions on the adenovirus penton base protein. Modeling of a Fab fragment crystal structure into the adenovirus-Fab cryo-EM density indicated a large amplitude of motion for the Fab and the RGD epitope. An unexpected finding was that Fab fragments, but not IgG antibody molecules, inhibited adenovirus infection. Steric hindrance from the adenovirus fiber and a few bound IgG molecules, as well as epitope mobility, most likely prevent binding of IgG antibodies to all five RGD sites on the penton base protein within the intact virus. These studies indicate that the structure of the adenovirus particle facilitates interaction with cell integrins, whilst restricting binding of potentially neutralizing antibodies.
Mechanical environment, donor age, and presence of endothelium interact to modulate porcine artery viability ex vivo.

Though ex vivo culture of arteries is a widely used model of native arteries and is closely aligned with efforts to generate tissue-engineered arteries, the effects of culture conditions on artery viability are poorly characterized. To investigate factors regulating long-term viability of cultured arteries, carotid arteries from neonatal and adolescent pigs were perfused for up to 27 days with steady laminar flow ranging from ∼2% to ∼200% of physiological flow rates. Arteries from neonatal animals (2 weeks old, ∼5 kg) were susceptible to spontaneous progressive endothelial denudation followed by deterioration of the vessel wall that spread from luminal to abluminal regions. Subphysiological levels of flow and pressure abrogated this deterioration. Arteries harvested from adolescent (6 months old, ∼100 kg) animals maintained viability and retained structure for at least 9 days as assessed by normal histology, presence of intact endothelium, normal mitochondrial activity, and low levels of cell death and proliferation, unless the vessels were subjected to superphysiological levels of flow or the endothelium was intentionally denuded. Adolescent arteries perfused at subphysiological, but not physiological, flow rates maintained viability and normal structure for at least 27 days. These data indicate that under the appropriate conditions, arteries may be cultured long term but careful attention to the viability is merited. © 2002 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC2002: 8780Rb, 8719Tt, 8719Uv, 8768+z
Development and evaluation of a particle-bound reactive oxygen species generator

Abstract Identifying the most important sources and variability of source impact for particulate matter is essential to assessing their health impacts. A central hypothetical mechanism of how particles affect human health involves the generation of reactive oxygen radicals at target sites in situ. These could be generated via activation of cells by cell–particle interactions and by oxidative species present in particulate matter. However, prior studies have shown that there are reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with ambient respirable particles. In order to assess the health effects of particle-bound oxidative species, a generator was developed to produce ROS-bearing model particles and deliver known, reproducible, and stable exposures to these model particles that could be used in toxicological studies. The generator was found to be capable of providing a stable throughput of these particles with an average ROS generation capability of 6.5 nmol of equivalent H 2 O 2 / m 3 of ( aerosol + ozone ) flow sampled. The development, characterization, and evaluation of the ROS-bearing particle generator is described.
Predicting College Students’ Intergroup Friendships Across Race/Ethnicity, Religion, Sexual Orientation, and Social Class

This study seeks to expand the literature on predicting friendship diversity beyond race/ethnicity to include religion, social class, and sexual orientation. Survey packets elicited information regarding up to four close friendships developed during college. Additional measures assessed pre-college friendship diversity, participation in college activities and diversity education, intergroup attitudes, and interpersonal communication apprehension. A total of 588 friendships (213 intragroup and 375 intergroup) were reported by 151 college students. Pre-college friendship diversity was the primary predictor of college friendship diversity across each intergroup dimension. Implications for prejudice reduction are discussed.
Purple nutsedge tuber sprouting

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) tubers remain viable for several years and serve as its principal means of survival. The maintenance of high moisture content is essential to tuber survival. Apical dominance influences bud dormancy within a tuber and in a chain of tubers, and dormancy increases with tuber age. Several growth inhibitors were identified in tubers, but their role in tuber dormancy has not been established. Moisture levels in soil must increase to a critical level before sprouting occurs, but excess soil moisture deters sprouting. Oxygen may be a limiting factor for tuber sprouting in waterlogged soils. Although light is not a requirement for sprouting, it has promoted sprouting. Temperature regulates sprouting; no sprouting occured below 10°C and above 45°C. Optimum sprouting occurred between 25 and 35°C when provided with constant temperatures. However, daily alternating temperatures greatly stimulated sprouting. A daily short duration (0.5 h) of high temperature increased sprouting to nearly 100%, whereas less than 50% sprouting occurred without the daily high temperature pulse. Bud break occurred readily for most tubers at 20°C and in nearly 100% of the tubers with a single 0.5 h exposure to a high temperature (35°C) pulse. However, most buds did not elongate if the tuber remained at 20°C. Bud elongation occurred at higher temperatures, and daily alternating temperatures stimulated shoot elongation up to eightfold greater than at the respective mean constant temperatures. Daily soil temperature fluctuation may be a major signal for purple nutsedge emergence, such as when the plant canopy is removed, or when soils are solarized. Future research is needed to determine tuber sprouting for different ecotypes, and on the role of the rhizome chain. Systems to manipulate sprouting may provide new strategies for purple nutsedge management.
IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH OF DIFFERENTIAL POPULATION GROWTH IN AN ECONOMY WITH HIGH INEQUALITY

The economic growth of South Africa has been disappointing over the last quarter century. This note addresses a conceptual problem that arises because of composition effects. Two important features of the South African economy are, first, its extreme inequality (primarily between the white population and the African population). Additionally, the African population has been growing rapidly, while the white population has experienced a declining share. This note derives an explicit equation for the impact of inequality and population-growth differences on the growth of per capita GDP. It shows that the combination of divergent population growth and high inequality can lead to an apparent drag on measured economic growth even though the components, and a more adequate measure of economic welfare, are growing at a healthy rate.
Structure and activity of acetylcholine.

Conformational analysis of several agonists and antagonists can be used as a basis for the definition of structural parameters necessary for the range of activity of acetylcholine.
Effects of Fixed-Ratio Schedule Values on Concurrent Mands in Children with Autism.

Abstract Interventions with children with autism often involve more than one concurrent schedule or reinforcement. Manipulation of one schedule of reinforcement may affect responding on a second. We demonstrated the effect of manipulating the schedule of reinforcement for a single high-rate mand on alternative concurrently available mands with two children with autism. Teachers conducted sessions in the participant's usual teaching environment. When the schedule value for all mands was FR1, a single mand occurred at a high rate while all other mands occurred at low rates for both participants and response variability was low. When the schedule of reinforcement for the high-rate mand increased to FR10 for one participant and to FR25 for the second participant, and all other mands remained on FR1 schedules, the high-rate mand decreased while the combined rate of all other mands increased. There was also some evidence of increased response variability. We discuss the affects of schedule values during concurrent schedules and implications for increasing variability in manding.
Characterization of low-barrier hydrogen bonds 2. HF2−: a density functional and ab initio study

Abstract Hartree-Fock, Moller-Plesset, QCISD, CCSD, and DFT calculations have been carried out using the 6–31+G(d,p), 6–31+G(2d,p), 6–31+G(3d,2p), and 6–31+G(3df,2p) basis sets to study the interaction of a fluoride ion with hydrogen fluoride. In each case the resulting hydrogen bond is extremely strong, resulting in a single well potential, with no barrier for proton transfer. Density functional methods employing non-local gradient-corrected exchange and correlation functionals were found to perform very similarly to other correlated methods, including calculations at the MP2, QCISD, and CCSD levels of theory. DFT calculations using the local functional SVWN gave results in very poor agreement with the other methods. SVWN gave interaction energies about 10 kcal mol −1 too high when compared to recent gas phase experiments.