cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex differences and effects of cocaine on excitatory synapses in the nucleus accumbens

Human and animal studies indicate that drugs of abuse affect males and females differently, but the mechanism(s) underlying sex differences are unknown. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is central in the neural circuitry of addiction and medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the NAc show drug-induced changes in morphology and physiology including increased dendritic spine density. We previously showed in drug-naive rats that MSN dendritic spine density is higher in females than males. In this study, we investigated sex differences in the effects of cocaine on locomotor activity as well as MSN dendritic spine density and excitatory synaptic physiology in rats treated for 5 weeks followed by 17-21 days of abstinence. Females showed a greater locomotor response to cocaine and more robust behavioral sensitization than males. Spine density was also higher in females and, particularly in the core of the NAc, the magnitude of the cocaine-induced increase in spine density was greater in females. Interestingly, in cocaine-treated females but not males, cocaine-induced behavioral activation during treatment was correlated with spine density measured after treatment. Miniature EPSC (mEPSC) frequency in core MSNs also was higher in females, and increased with cocaine in both the core and shell of females more than males. We found no differences in mEPSC amplitude or paired-pulse ratio of evoked EPSCs, suggesting that sex differences and cocaine effects on mEPSC frequency reflect differences in excitatory synapse number per neuron rather than presynaptic release probability. These studies are the first to demonstrate structural and electrophysiological differences between males and females that may drive sex differences in addictive behavior.
Intralesional T-Lymphocyte Activation as a Mediator of Psoriatic Epidermal Hyperplasia

An early cellular event in the development of psoriatic lesions is infiltration of target tissue by macrophages and activated T lymphocytes. Lesional psoriatic skin contains activated memory T lymphocytes with production of mRNA for lymphokines such as interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α that is elevated relative to normal or uninvolved psoriatic skin. That the T-cell activation and cellular lymphokine production have a crucial role in the maintenance of epidermal hyperplasia in the psoriatic lesion is indicated by the beneficial effect of immunosuppressive agents in the treatment of psoriasis (cyclosporin A, FK506, anti-CD3, anti-CD4). A link between immune activation and psoriasis is also indicated by immunogenetic associations in this disease. Also, psoriatic keratinocytes appear to have been modulated by T-cell lymphokines in vivo , because they abnormally express molecules uniquely induced on keratinocytes by the T-cell product interferon-γ. Indeed, T cells producing interferon-γ have been cloned from psoriatic lesions, and they are able to induce keratinocyte class II major histocompatibility complex and intercellular adhesion molecule expression. These lesion-derived T-cell clones can induce growth of keratinocytes, and specifically lesional psoriatic T cells produce factors that induce increased keratinocyte colony formation, as well as increased cell cycle entry of the normally quiescent stem cell population. Interferon-γ, although a growth inhibitor on its own, acts cooperatively with other T-cell-produced growth factors to cause keratinocyte growth induction. Furthermore, relative to normal stem cells, keratinocyte stem cells (β1 integrin + K1/K10 - ) in psoriatic uninvolved epidermis are significantly hyperresponsive to the growth-stimulatory lymphokine milieu created by lesional T lymphocytes. Whether such abnormalities in responsiveness are associated with new genetic linkages reported in families of psoriasis patients is unknown. As the epidermis of lesional psoriatic skin can be demonstrated to produce elevated levels of factors that can further potentiate T-cell activation, a self-sustaining cycle can be constructed of T-cell recruitment, intralesional activation, release of factors that preferentially stimulate psoriatic epidermal stem cells to proliferate, and further epidermal potentiation of the T-cell-medi-ated lesions. J Invest Dermatol 105:89S–94S, 1995
Dietary Flaxseed Oil Protects against Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Rats

Bleomycin, a widely used antineoplastic agent, has been associated with severe pulmonary toxicity, primarily fibrosis. Previous work has shown a reduction in bleomycin-induced lung pathology by long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Treatment by short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, α-linolenic acid, found in dietary flaxseed oil may also reduce lung fibrosis, as previously evidenced in the kidney. To test this hypothesis, 72 rats were divided between diets receiving either 15% (w/w) flaxseed oil or 15% (w/w) corn oil (control). These groups were further divided to receive either bleomycin or vehicle (saline) via an oropharyngeal delivery, rather than the traditional intratracheal instillation. Lungs were harvested at 2, 7, and 21 days after bleomycin or saline treatment. Animals receiving flaxseed oil showed a delay in edema formation (P = 0.025) and a decrease in inflammatory cell infiltrate and vasculitis (P = 0.04 and 0.007, resp.). At days 7 and 21, bleomycin produced a reduction in pulmonary arterial lumen patency (P = 0.01), but not in rats that were treated with flaxseed oil. Bleomycin-treated rats receiving flaxseed oil had reduced pulmonary septal thickness (P = 0.01), signifying decreased fibrosis. Dietary flaxseed oil may prove beneficial against the side effects of this highly effective chemotherapeutic agent and its known toxic effects on the lung.
On the mechanics of vocal-fold vibration.

The human vocal fold is treated as a continuous, transversally isotropic, bounded medium. The theory of viscoelasticity is applied to formulate the stresses, strains, glottal tissue impedance, and propagation characteristics for sinusoidal oscillation within the vocal‐fold tissues. Incompressibility of the tissues leads to a biharmonic differential equation, the solution of which represents commonly observed modes of vibration. The energy dissipated in the tissues and the associated damping factors are calculated. Mode impedances of the tissues are calculated and lumped‐model approximations of the system evaluated. The usual mass‐spring models are shown to be inadequate in certain important cases, especially during vocal‐fold closure and for modes in which vertical phase differences occur.Subject Classification: [43]70.20.
Metabolic profiling of in vitro micropropagated and conventionally greenhouse grown ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger is an important medicinal and culinary herb, known worldwide for its health promoting properties. Because ginger does not reproduce by seed, but is clonally propagated via rhizome division and replanting, it is susceptible to accumulation and transmittance of pathogens from generation to generation. In addition, such propagation techniques lead to slow multiplication of particularly useful stocks. We have developed an in vitro propagation method to alleviate these problems. Metabolic profiling, using GC/MS and LC-ESI-MS, was used to determine if chemical differences existed between greenhouse grown or in vitro micropropagation derived plants. Three different ginger lines were analyzed. The constituent gingerols and gingerol-related compounds, other diarylheptanoids, and methyl ether derivatives of these compounds, as well as major mono- and sesquiterpenoids were identified. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis revealed chemical differences between lines (yellow ginger vs. white ginger and blue ring ginger) and tissues (rhizome, root, leaf and shoot). However, this analysis indicated that no significant differences existed between growth treatments (conventional greenhouse grown vs. in vitro propagation derived plants). Further statistical analyses (ANOVA) confirmed these results. These findings suggest that the biochemical mechanisms used to produce the large array of compounds found in ginger are not affected by in vitro propagation.
Frequency up-shifting of laser pulses by copropagating ionization fronts.

A method for up-shifting the frequency of a subpicosecond laser pulse that utilizes the interaction of the pulse with a co-propagating relativistic ionization front is examined. The induced frequency shift is found to initially scale linearly with the propagation time \ensuremath{\tau}. Asymptotically, the frequency scales as ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\tau}}}^{1/2}$. Phase-slippage limitations may be overcome by appropriately increasing the plasma density as a function of \ensuremath{\tau}, thus allowing for substantially higher-frequency shifts.
Fluorometric assay of malic acid and substituted derivatives.

Abstract A fluorometric assay is described for the determination of α- and β-substituted malic acids. The procedure involves production of a β-keto acid and subsequent condensation with resorcinol to yield fluorescent derivatives of 7-hydroxycoumarin. The assay was shown to be useful over a wide range of concentrations, and is sensitive enough to be used for less than microgram quantities of α-substituted malic acids.
Cognitive-behavioral treatment of high anger drivers

Relaxation and cognitive-relaxation interventions were compared to a no treatment control in the treatment of high anger drivers. The cognitive portion of the cognitive-relaxation condition adapted the style of Beck's cognitive therapy, particularly use of Socratic questions and behavioral experiments and tryouts, to driving anger reduction. Both interventions lowered indices of driving anger and hostile and aggressive forms of expressing driving anger and increased adaptive/constructive ways of expressing driving anger. The cognitive-relaxation intervention also lowered the frequency of risky behavior. Both interventions lowered trait anger as well. Limitations and implications for treatment and research were discussed.
Muscle mechanoreceptor sensitivity in heart failure

Prior work in animals suggests that muscle mechanoreceptor control of sympathetic activation (MSNA) during exercise in heart failure (HF) is heightened and that muscle mechanoreceptors are sensitiz...
Shallow-crustal magma chamber beneath the axial high of the Coaxial segment of Juan de Fuca Ridge at the source site of the 1993 eruption

Seismic imaging reveals a shallow-crustal magma chamber beneath the source site of the 1993 eruption on Coaxial segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge. The magma chamber is at least 6 km 3 in volume and contains at least 0.6 km 3 of melt, enough to supply at least several eruptions of a size equal to the one in 1993. No mid-crustal connection of this magma chamber with the magmatic plumbing of nearby Axial volcano (the current expression of the Cobb-Eickelberg hotspot) is evident, confirming previous geochemical and geological studies that argued against mixing between the two. The lack of connectivity implies that magma transport through the uppermost mantle and lower crust are very highly focused into narrow (<5-10 km) conduits.
Do you think I’m as kind as I do? The relation of adolescent narcissism with self- and peer-perceptions of prosocial and aggressive behavior

Abstract The association between narcissism and aggression has been empirically supported in adults and adolescents, but it is unclear whether narcissism might also be related to prosocial behavior. The present study investigated this issue using self- and peer-informants. Participants were 183 adolescents ages 16–19 (159 males, 24 females; 64.5% Caucasian). Of these participants, 126 (104 males, 22 females) also had peer-reported data available. Self-reported pathological narcissism was positively correlated with self-reports of both prosocial behavior and aggression, but it was not associated with peer nominations of either type of behavior. These findings indicate that adolescents with high levels of narcissism may attempt to bolster their social status by reporting engagement in both prosocial behavior and aggression. However, it appears that such individuals are ineffective at being perceived as prosocial by peers.
DNA-Protected Silver Clusters for Nanophotonics

DNA-protected silver clusters (AgN-DNA) possess unique fluorescence properties that depend on the specific DNA template that stabilizes the cluster. They exhibit peak emission wavelengths that range across the visible and near-IR spectrum. This wide color palette, combined with low toxicity, high fluorescence quantum yields of some clusters, low synthesis costs, small cluster sizes and compatibility with DNA are enabling many applications that employ AgN-DNA. Here we review what is known about the underlying composition and structure of AgN-DNA, and how these relate to the optical properties of these fascinating, hybrid biomolecule-metal cluster nanomaterials. We place AgN-DNA in the general context of ligand-stabilized metal clusters and compare their properties to those of other noble metal clusters stabilized by small molecule ligands. The methods used to isolate pure AgN-DNA for analysis of composition and for studies of solution and single-emitter optical properties are discussed. We give a brief overview of structurally sensitive chiroptical studies, both theoretical and experimental, and review experiments on bringing silver clusters of distinct size and color into nanoscale DNA assemblies. Progress towards using DNA scaffolds to assemble multi-cluster arrays is also reviewed.
Formation of bodies associated with virus-like particles in the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi

Morphological descriptions are presented of unique cytoplasmic and extra-cellular structures associated with virus-like particles in the EG strain of the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi. They presumably play a role in the dissemination and transmission of the viral agent. Cytoplasmic bodies develop de novo in the vicinity of virus-like particles which had originated in the nucleus. They become separated from the cytoplasm by the development of vesicular membranes. The extracellular, mature, bodies are spherical, measure 600–950 nm in diameter, contain numerous virus-like particles, and are covered with a fringe of microtubule-like units. Remnants of the bodies were found in food vacuoles of amoebae; others containing few virus-like particles were extracellular and degenerate.
Quantitative assessment of corneal biomechanical properties using optical coherence elastography and a modified Rayleigh Lamb-frequency model

This study reports the application of a modified Rayleigh-Lamb frequency equation (RLFE) to a noncontact optical coherence elastography (OCE) method for quantitative assessment of the biomechanical properties of a porcine cornea. A focused air-pulse induced an elastic wave in the cornea, which was imaged by a phasestabilized optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. From the displacement data acquired by the OCT system, phase velocities of the mechanical wave were extracted by spectral analysis using a fast Fourier transform. Experiments were conducted on 2% agar phantom samples, and the Young’s moduli were assessed by the Rayleigh-Lamb frequency equation, which was validated using uniaxial mechanical compression testing. The Rayleigh-Lamb frequency equation was then applied to OCE data from a normal porcine cornea, in which the fluid-solid effect was considered. The Young’s modulus of the porcine cornea was measured to be ~60 kPa and the shear viscosity was ~0.33 Pa·s. The combination of OCE and RLFE is a promising noninvasive method for the estimation of the biomechanical properties of the cornea in vivo.
A combined ultra-wideline solid-state NMR and DFT study of 137Ba electric field gradient tensors in barium compounds

Abstract Ultra-wideline 137Ba solid-state (SS) NMR spectra have been obtained from a series of five barium compounds (BaSO4, BaMoO4, Ba(CH3COO)2, Ba(OH)2·8H2O and α-Ba2P2O7), using the broadband WURST-QCPMG pulse sequence and magnetic field of 21.1 T. The signals from the two distinct crystallographic sites in α-Ba2P2O7 are resolved, with one of them demonstrating a CQ of 42.3 ± 0.3 MHz, the largest obtained for 137Ba in a powder. The quadrupolar parameters reported in this work are in excellent agreement with the DFT calculations and correlate well with those previously reported by Hamaed et al. (2010) [24] .
The Personnel Assistant In College Residence Halls by John R. Powell, Samuel A. Plyler, Barbara A. Dickson, and Stephen D. McClellan. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1969. 215 pp. $2.95 paper

(1970). The Personnel Assistant In College Residence Halls by John R. Powell, Samuel A. Plyler, Barbara A. Dickson, and Stephen D. McClellan. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1969. 215 pp. $2.95 paper. The Educational Forum: Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 268-269.
Aortic flow and other hemodynamic responses to the Valsalva maneuver in the dog

Abstract 1. 1. One hundred sixteen Valsalva maneuvers were performed on 13 anesthetized closed-chested dogs, and recordings were made of aortic flow with an electromagnetic flowmeter, and of aortic pressure with catheters threaded into the femoral or carotid arteries. 2. 2. Of 36 trials which showed no pressure overshoot during Phase IV, half showed a flow overshoot. In 47 per cent, loss of pressure overshoot was ascribed to peripheral vasodilatation. The other 53 per cent showed that a drop in flow rate (or flow rate and peripheral resistance) was the etiology of the loss of pressure overshoot. 3. 3. In 80 trials demonstrating a pressure overshoot during Phase IV of the Valsalva maneuver, 72 (90 per cent) showed a concomitant flow overshoot. Of the 80 pressure overshoots, 30 showed a decrease in peripheral resistance during the overshoot. 4. 4. This study supports the classic concept that there is a flow overshoot associated with the pressure overshoot of the Valsalva maneuver. It also indicates that the pressure overshoot can occur in the face of decreased peripheral resistance in dogs under the conditions of this experiment.
The ethics of donor human milk banking.

Background: This case study of donor human milk banking and the ethics that govern interested parties is the first time the ethics of donor milk banking has been explored. Methods and Results: Two different models of ethics and their direct impact on donor milk banking are examined: biomedical ethics and public health ethics. How these models and principles affect different aspects of donor human milk banking and the parties involved in the delivery of this service are elucidated. Interactions of parties with each other and how the quality and type of interaction affects the ethical delivery of donor milk banking services are described. Crystallization is at the heart of the qualitative methodology used. Writing as a method of inquiry, an integrative research review, and personal experience are the three methods involved in the crystallization process. Conclusion: Suggestions are made for improving access and knowledge of banked donor human milk, a valuable public health resource.
Biomimetic synthesis of the shimalactones.

A biomimetic synthesis of shimalactone A and B is described. Its key features are an unprecedented acid-catalyzed cyclization of a dienyl β-ketolactone and a Stille coupling/8π-6π electrocyclization cascade to create the oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane and bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene, respectively. The synthesis is convergent and void of protecting groups.
English Word Recognition and Word Integration Skills of Native Arabic- and Japanese-Speaking Learners of English as a Second Language.

This study investigated the effects of first language word-level reading skills on the development of English as a second language (ESL) word-level reading skills. A crosslinguistic analysis indicates that native Arabic and Japanese speakers are likely to encounter different types of ESL word-level reading difficulties. Specifically, native Arab speakers are likely to exhibit difficulties with prelexical ESL word recognition processes, whereas native Japanese speakers are likely to exhibit difficulties with on-line ESL word integration processes that integrate words into phrase/clause structures for comprehension. Results from a lexical decision task showed that a group of Japanese ESL learners had significantly faster and more accurate word recognition skills compared to a proficiency-matched Arab ESL group. In contrast, both groups read words within sentences in a sentence reading task at the same speed, though the Arab ESL group was significantly more accurate in integrating words into larger phrase and clause units and comprehending them than the Japanese ESL group. These results indicate that Arab and Japanese ESL students have different word-level reading difficulties, implicating different learning needs and pedagogical interventions for developing ESL reading proficiency.
Relationship between location of chest pain and site of coronary artery occlusion

Chest pain characteristics and site of coronary artery occlusion were evaluated in 148 patients having single-vessel coronary angioplasty and in 95 patients having double-vessel angioplasty. The locations of chest pain included substernal and left precordium, right precordium and epigastric. The possible sites of pain radiation were limited to neck/jaw, left arm, right arm, and interscapular. The patient described whether or not the pain was typical of previous angina, and the presence of ST segment deviation was noted to be certain that ischemia was present. The analysis showed that the occluded artery could not be reliably identified. However, it was possible to say which artery was most likely not diseased. Patients presenting with substernal or left chest pain with radiation to the left arm had a less than 10% chance of having right coronary artery disease. A patient presenting with epigastric pain radiating to the neck or jaw had a less than 13% chance of having left anterior descending disease. It is concluded that in patients with single- and double-vessel coronary disease, there is some relationship between chest pain pattern and disease location.
Architecture and details of a high quality, large-scale analytical placer

Modern design requirements have brought additional complexities to netlists and layouts. Millions of components, whitespace resources, and fixed/movable blocks are just a few to mention in the list of complexities. With these complexities in mind, placers are faced with the burden of finding an arrangement of placeable objects under strict wirelength, timing, and power constraints. In this paper we describe the architecture and novel details of our high quality, large-scale analytical placer. The performance of our placer has been recently recognized in the recent ISPD-2005 placement contest, and in this paper we disclose many of the technical details that we believe are key factors to its performance. We describe (i) a new clustering architecture, (ii) a dynamically adaptive analytical solver, and (iii) better legalization schemes and novel detailed placement methods. We also provide extensive experimental results on a number of benchmark sets. On average, our results are better than the best published results by 3%, 14%, and 6% for the IBM ISPD '04, ICCAD '04, and ISPD '05 benchmark sets respectively. One of the goals of this paper is to also provide enough details to enable possible future replication of our methods.
Alterations in Skin and Stratified Epithelia by Constitutively Activated PPARα

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α is a pleiotropic regulator in many cell types and has recently been implicated in skin homeostasis. To determine the role of PPAR α in skin physiology, transgenic mice were generated using the tetracycline Tet-off regulatory system to target constitutively activated PPAR α to the epidermis and other stratified epithelia by the bovine keratin K5 promoter. Expression of the transgene during early development resulted in postnatal lethality within 2 days after birth. A thin epidermis, few hair follicles, and abnormal development of the tongue were observed in neonatal transgenic mice. Early mortality was not observed when transgenic PPAR α expression was diminished by administration of doxycycline (dox) to the mothers. The alterations noted in neonatal mice were not observed in adult mice upon re-expression of the PPAR α transgene by withdrawing dox. Attenuated hyperplasia of interfollicular epidermis after topical application of the tumor promotor 12- O -tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was observed in adult mice expressing the PPAR α transgene. In addition, expression of the PPAR α transgene in mammary gland during pregnancy resulted in abnormal development of this organ and impaired lactation. Further investigations using primary keratinocytes revealed that expression of the transgene in keratinocytes resulted in increased differentiation and decreased proliferation, which may contribute to the observed phenotype in the transgenic mice. Thus, these results indicate that PPAR α plays an important role in the development of stratified epithelia including skin, tongue, and mammary gland.
Refined Mapping of a Hypertension Susceptibility Locus on Rat Chromosome 12

Previously, we found that transferring 6.1 Mb of salt-sensitive (SS) chromosome 12 (13.4-19.5 Mb) onto the consomic SS-12(BN) background significantly elevated mean arterial pressure in response to an 8% NaCl diet (178±7 versus 144±2 mm Hg; P<0.001). Using congenic mapping, we have now narrowed the blood pressure locus by 86% from a 6.1-Mb region containing 133 genes to an 830-kb region (chr12:14.36-15.19 Mb) with 14 genes. Compared with the SS-12(BN) consomic, the 830-kb blood pressure locus was associated with a ∆+15 mm Hg (P<0.01) increase in blood pressure, which coincided with elevated albuminuria (∆+32 mg/d; P<0.001), proteinuria (∆+48 mg/d; P<0.01), protein casting (∆+154%; P<0.05), and renal fibrosis (∆+79%; P<0.05). Of the 14 genes residing in the 830-kb locus, 8 were differentially expressed, and among these, Chst12 (carbohydrate chondroitin 4 sulfotransferase 12) was most consistently downregulated by 2.6- to 4.5-fold (P<0.05) in both the renal medulla and cortex under normotensive and hypertensive conditions. Moreover, whole genome sequence analysis of overlapping blood pressure loci revealed an ≈86-kb region (chr12:14 541 567-14 627 442 bp) containing single-nucleotide variants near Chst12 that are unique to the hypertensive SS strain when compared with the normotensive Brown Norway, Dahl salt-resistant, and Wistar-Kyoto strains. Finally, the 830-kb interval is syntenic to a region on human chromosome 7 that has been genetically linked to blood pressure, suggesting that insight gained from our SS-12(BN) congenic strain may be translated to a better understanding of human hypertension.
The Interface of Wiring and Bias to High Temperature Chambers

Reviewing the foregoing, there are three type of users: one-shot, small-scale, and large-scale. The system that each would use can be summarized as follows: 1. One-Shot: A hand wired system with the wiring coming directly out the door opening. Either a matrix board or a bread-boarded biasing sytem. 2. Small-Scale: A modified door or P.C. card system for the units with the biasing network coming out to a matrix board. 3. Large-scale: A P.C. card system for the devices with a front connector for the P.C. cards. A mother board biasing network externally.
AC power disturbance detector circuit

The authors describe the design, construction, and performance of a circuit that detects transient disturbances on low-voltage AC supply mains. Such disturbances include reactive loads, large departures from the nominal RMS voltage, severe harmonic distortion, and outages. While this circuit was designed for use on single-phase mains, the primary side of the isolation transformer could be connected between one three-phase line and neutral. The disturbance detector circuit can be used to trigger a digital waveform recorder, as in the present application, or to operate a counter circuit to simply record the occurrence of a disturbance. >
98%-Effective Integer-Ratio Lot-Sizing for One-Warehouse Multi-Retailer Systems

A warehouse supplies N retailers. Constant external demand occurs at each retailer, and shortages are not allowed. There are linear holding costs and fixed costs for ordering at the warehouse and at each retailer. The goal is to minimize the long-run average cost over an infinite time horizon. We define a new class of policies for this problem whose simple structure facilitates both computation and implementation. The cost of a policy that is optimal within this class is shown to be within 2% of the cost of an optimal policy for the original problem, in the worst case. Such a policy can be computed in ON log N time.
Gender Differences in Teacher and Student Perceptions of Gifted Students' Ability and Effort.

This study investigated whether female gifted students viewed the quality and importance of their work, effort, and ability differently than male gifted students. The study also investigated whether teachers perceived male and female students differently with respect to these areas in mathematics, language arts, social studies, and science. The sample included 5,385 fourth through eighth grade students who were identified as gifted and talented by their teachers. Teachers consistently rated females higher than males on effort and the quality of their work. Teachers rated males and females similarly on all abilities except language arts in which they rated females higher. Female students rated their language arts ability higher than males while the males rated their mathematics, science, and social studies abilities higher. The correlation between ratings of students' ability and quality of work and ratings of students' effort and quality of work were significantly different for students and teachers.
Seasonal dynamics and ecosystem impact of mesozooplankton at station ALOHA based on optical plankton counter measurements

Abundances of mesozooplankton-sized particles were measured at 45-m depth at station ALOHA (22.75°N, 158°W) during 18 cruises from February 1995 through December 1996 with an optical plankton counter (OPC). Mesozooplankton were also sampled with oblique net tows to 155 m depth. Vertical OPC profiles showed uniform total abundance in the upper mixed layer, usually >45 m. OPC and net data agreed with respect to total abundance, size composition, abundance of individual size classes, and seasonal cycle of abundance. We found no evidence for significant contributions to OPC particle counts by diatom aggregates, Trichodesmium spp., or detritus. Variations in OPC estimates of abundance are well explained by diel behavior and seasonal cycles of species that dominate mesozooplankton abundance, of which 80% are copepods. The summer maximum in mesozooplankton abundance is due primarily to the increase of the six smallest OPC size classes (<1.15 mm equivalent spherical diameter), dominated by 14 nonmigrating copepod species that account for more than 95% of average copepod abundance. Seasonal cycles of zooplankton egestion estimated from OPC measurements were highly correlated, and comparable in magnitude, with observed sinking flux measurements of both C and N. Sinking flux at the base of the euphotic zone was 0.67 and 0.77 mol C m -2 yr -1 and 81 and 87 mmol N m -2 yr -1 , for 1995 and 1995, respectively. The potential contribution of mesozooplankton egestion in the mixed layer, based on OPC measurements, accounts for 95% and 90% of C and 86% and 81% of N, respectively.
Alternative strategies for improving the fairness in an analytical model of DQDB networks

This study deals with the distributed queue dual bus (DQDB) (IEEE 802.6) network, and makes two independent contributions. First, the unfairness problem of DQDB is addressed, and several alternative solutions that can improve the network's fairness are proposed. They include (1) the proportional assignment scheme (PR); (2) the (multiple-request) FCFS (first come first served)-message-queue-based DQDB scheme (MD); and (3) a combination of MD and PR, denoted by MP. Implementation methods that require simple hardware in addition to the regular DQDB interface are outlined. The schemes are compared through simulation, and insights into their characteristics are gained. The performance of these schemes is also compared with that of regular DQDB and bandwidth balancing DQDB. The second contribution is the development of an analytical model of the DQDB network. By employing some constrained assumptions for analytical tractability, a Markov chain model for (an earlier version of) the entire DQDB network is formulated. The model is verified via simulation. >
NITROUS OXIDE AND NEUTROPHIL CHEMOTAXIS IN MAN

Inhalation of 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen by seven adult male volunteers for 60 min was found to increase significantly polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) chemotaxis, but not to influence total white or PMN blood cell counts. Also, the addition of morphine 0.2 mg kg−11 i.v. during the breathing of nitrous oxide did not alter any variable. These results indicate that nitrous oxide and nitrous oxide in combination with morphine do not depress PMN chemotaxis.
Flexing closed hyperbolic manifolds.

We show that for certain closed hyperbolic manifolds, one can nontrivially deform the real hyperbolic structure when it is considered as a real projective structure. It is also shown that in the presence of a mild smoothness hypothesis, the existence of such real projective deformations is equivalent to the question of whether one can nontrivially deform the canonical representation of the real hyperbolic structure when it is considered as a group of complex hyperbolic isometries. The set of closed hyperbolic manifolds for which one can do this seems mysterious. 57M50
The Effect of Local Atmospheric Circulations on Daytime Carbon Dioxide Flux Measurements over a Pinus elliottii Canopy

The daytime net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) was measured in an even-aged slash pine plantation in northern Florida from 1999 to 2001 using the eddy covariance technique. In August 2000, two clear-cuts were formed approximately 1 km west of the study site. A statistical approach was used to determine whether the clear-cuts induced changes in CO2 concentration, wind direction, horizontal and vertical wind speeds, and temperature, as measured by instruments above the plantation canopy and, in turn, whether any such changes affected daytime NEE. The NEE estimates were first transformed so that mean responses to incident radiation and vapor pressure deficit were removed using empirically derived functions for each 30-min period. Prior to the clear-cuts, there were significant interactive effects of CO2 concentration and some wind statistics on NEE at the tower when wind was flowing from the direction of the future clear-cuts. Even in this relatively homogenous forest, with flat topography, the CO2 source strength differed with wind direction prior to the clear-cuts. After the clear-cuts, additional two- and three-way interactive effects became significant during flows from the direction of the clear-cuts. There was also a 16.6% reduction in the integrated measure of daytime NEE over 487 days after the clear-cuts. The results herein suggest that the development of local circulations over the clear-cuts contributed to low-frequency effects on the NEE.
Errors in the heat of battle: taking a closer look at shared cognition breakdowns through teamwork

Objective: We developed a theoretically based taxonomy for classifying shared cognition breakdowns related to teamwork which contribute to fratricide incidents. Background: Fratricide on the battlefield is an inescapable cost of war. A number of technological advancements have been made in terms of combat identification systems to reduce the risk of these incidents. However, fratricide continues to occur at alarming rates. Method: We take a human-centered approach to understanding errors leading to fratricide incidents by focusing on shared cognition. We turn to the literature and provide the theoretical foundations for an error classification taxonomy to improve understanding of why fratricide incidents occur. Results: Based on our review of the literature, we identified a number of problem areas leading to fratricide incidents. However, many of the cited contributing factors were broad terms (e.g., poor coordination) and did little to tell us why the breakdown occurred and where improvements are needed....
Data recording and analysis of American Sign Language

People who are deaf often turn to American Sign Language (ASL) to help them communicate with others. Though It is an effective means of communicating, most people do not understand ASL. Current technology such as the Cyberglove and Flock of Birds can digitize sign language to be read by a computer. After these data have been recorded, analysis of its accuracy can be verified through the use of cameras and 3D-rendering programs like Jack 3.0. Upon verification of accuracy, the biomechanics can be explored in foresight of developing translators that will transform sign into voice.
Passage reranking for question answering using syntactic structures and answer types

Passage Retrieval is a crucial step in question answering systems, one that has been well researched in the past. Due to the vocabulary mismatch problem and independence assumption of bag-of-words retrieval models, correct passages are often ranked lower than other incorrect passages in the retrieved list. Whereas in previous work, passages are reranked only on the basis of syntactic structures of questions and answers, our method achieves a better ranking by aligning the syntactic structures based on the question's answer type and detected named entities in the candidate passage. We compare our technique with strong retrieval and reranking baselines. Experimental results using the TREC QA 1999-2003 datasets show that our method significantly outperforms the baselines over all ranks in terms of the MRR measure.
Considerations for Disrupting Dengue Virus Transmission; Ecology of Aedes aegypti and Current (Nongenetic) Methods of Control

Abstract Dengue is the most common arboviral disease in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Four different dengue viruses are transmitted between container Aedes mosquitoes and humans in urbanized areas. People provide mosquitoes with artificial containers located inside and around homes, resting sites, and blood. Current vector control measures consist of eliminating disposable containers, applying larvicides, and spraying insecticides to eliminate adult mosquitoes. These methods face limitations regarding the effectiveness of the control agents (insecticide resistance), deliverance (lack of access to households, cryptic aquatic habitats), and coverage (affecting a small proportion of the population). There are novel mosquito surveillance and control techniques directed at the adult stages that complement existing methods. The complex spatial and temporal dynamics of dengue viruses and vectors would require the integration of various control methodologies. This review focuses on the ecology and nongenetic control of the domestic variety of Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue viruses worldwide. Factors limiting the application of control measures against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, including genetic control approaches, are discussed.
A Preferential Option for the Repressed: Psychoanalysis Through the Eyes of Liberation Theology

Psychoanalysis’s origin as a product of a marginalized people—Jewish women and men in 19th-century Europe—is often obscured in contemporary narratives of psychoanalytic history. This history has important relevance for subaltern communities—especially people of color in North America. Using Liberation Psychology, Latin American Liberation Theology, Black Theology, and Liberation Philosophy as a composite lens with which to reread the origins of psychoanalysis, it will be argued that imbued within its theoretical machinery is an ethics of otherness, concerned with the “outcasts” of psyche and society. Examining the intersection of race and marginality in psychoanalysis’s origins yields rich possibilities for theorizing about psychodynamics, race, and social justice.
Current Controversies in Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer and the eighth most common cancer diagnosed each year. Patients with risk factors for thyroid cancer or thyroid nodules warrant further work-up consisting of cervical neck ultrasound and possible fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Population Balance Kinetic Model for Interaction of 2-Bisbenzothiazole-2-2'Disulfide (MBTS) with Sulfur

Abstract The first step in accelerated vulcanization is the formation of the active sulfurating species via the incorporation of sulfur by an accelerator like benzothiazole. Several mechanisms for the pick-up of sulfur by the accelerator have been proposed, including lumped pick-up of the full S8 species, sequential pick-up of individual sulfur atoms in S8 and numerous proposals where the stoichiometry is not clearly specified. For the reaction of MBTS with S8 Gradwell, et al. observed that benzothiazole terminated sulfurating species with lower sulfur rank form in greater concentrations than the sulfurating species with higher sulfur rank, where a sequential sulfur pick-up mechanism was then postulated. A detailed kinetic model will be developed to describe the Gradwell, et al. data. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations were used to provide information on the thermochemistry of the various reaction intermediates. The DFT simulations indicated that both sequential and lumped S8 pick-up are thermody...
Drop-Size Studies in a Radially-Uniform Fuel Spray

Presentation et discussion de resultats experimentaux mettant en evidence les effets de variations des proprietes du combustible et de l'air sur les caracteristiques de pulverisation de ce nouveau type d'injecteur
Financing dengue vaccine introduction in the Americas: challenges and opportunities

Dengue has escalated in the region of the Americas unabated despite major investments in integrated vector control and prevention strategies. An effective and affordable dengue vaccine can play a critical role in reducing the human and economic costs of the disease by preventing millions around the world from getting sick. However, there are considerable challenges on the path towards vaccine introduction. These include lack of sufficient financing tools, absence of capacity within national level decision-making bodies, and demands that new vaccines place on stressed health systems. Various financing models can be used to overcome these challenges including setting up procurement mechanisms, integrating regional and domestic taxes, and setting up low interest multilateral loans. In this paper we review these challenges and opportunities of financing dengue vaccine introduction in the Americas.
Predicting fatigue crack growth under variable amplitude loadings with usage monitoring data

For complex engineering systems, there is an increasing interest in the use of structural health monitoring systems to estimate the current state of damage (diagnosis) and to predict the behavior of the damage in the future (prognosis). For fatigue crack growth, one challenge in prognosis is to predict dynamic stress history at the location of damage. In this article, a method of predicting fatigue crack growth in aircraft panels is proposed under variable amplitude loading. A simple analytical–numerical method is proposed to calculate dynamic stress history from the usage monitoring data. A variable amplitude fatigue analysis is then conducted through the use of a fatigue crack growth model with the extended finite element method. Numerical examples show that the effect of underload and overload is significant in fatigue crack growth. It is also indicated that the crack growth rate and direction can significantly change under the multi-axial loading environment.
Integrated computational materials design: From genome to flight

The depth of scientific knowledge in physical metallurgy has enabled the development of a successful computational materials design methodology grounded in a system of fundamental databases. Expansion of the approach to embrace acceleration of the full development and qualification cycle has demonstrated flight of the first fully computationally designed and qualified material, and further cycle acceleration is underway.
Influence of Substituents on the Through-Space Shielding of Aromatic Rings

A series of naphthalene derivatives, bearing a methyl group and a substituted phenyl ring in a 1,8-relationship, have been synthesized. The chemical shifts of the protons of the methyl group, which...
Trend Analysis of Lung Cancer Mortality from High Incidence Areas in Yunnan Province

Objective To study the mortality trends of lung cancer from high incidence areas of Yunnan province,providing basis for local lung cancer control effect evaluation and formulation of measures.Methods The information on the lung cancer mortality in the Xuanwei City and Gejiu City in Yunnan province was collected from 1973 to 1975,from 1990 to 1992 and from 2004 to 2005.The level of lung cancer mortality,increase trend and the changes of malignant tumor mortality in the ranking was analysed,respectively.Results The lung cancer military in creased from 0.0282% to 0.08328% in Xuanwei City,while decreased from 0.04365% to 0.02484% in Gejiu City,respectively,from 1973 to 2005.From 1992 to 2005,the growth rate of lung cancer mortality in Xuanwei City is 5.74%,which is higher than that(1.90%)from 1973 to 1992(P0.01).From 1992 to 2005,the growth rate of lung cancer mortality is-5.17% in Gejiu City,which is lower than that(0.67%)from 1973 to 1992(P0.01).The lung cancer mortality rate among malignant tumor mortality in creased from 46.5% of 1973 to 58.44% of 2005 in Xuanwei;while decreased from 48.29% to 43.54% in Gejiu.Conclusion The mortality rate of lung cancer in Xuanwei city shows a tendency of rapid increase,especially in the latest decade;but the mortality rate in Gejiu City decreases evidently after prevention.
Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis with CASL Core Simulator VERA-CS

Abstract VERA-CS (Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications, Core Simulator) is a coupled neutron transport and thermal-hydraulics code under development by the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL). An approach to uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis with VERA-CS was developed and a new toolkit was created to perform uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis. A 2 × 2 fuel assembly model was developed and simulated by VERA-CS, and uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis were performed with fourteen uncertain input parameters. The minimum departure from nucleate boiling ratio (MDNBR), maximum fuel center-line temperature, and maximum outer clad surface temperature were chosen as the selected figures of merit. Pearson, Spearman, and partial correlation coefficients were considered for all of the figures of merit in sensitivity analysis and coolant inlet temperature was consistently the most influential parameter. Parameters used as inputs to the critical heat flux calculation with the W-3 correlation were shown to be the most influential on the MDNBR, maximum fuel center-line temperature, and maximum outer clad surface temperature.
Analysis of Human-Computer Interactions and Online Social Networking: A Framework

Human-computer interaction plays an important role in most (if not all) computer applications. It is considered even essential for enabling social networking as dynamic Web 2.0 is becoming an important platform for communication, collaboration, information and knowledge sharing. Compared to static web pages (Web 1.0), Web 2.0 enables more intensive human-computer interactions. This chapter analyzes the relationship between human-computer interaction and social networking. A framework is outlined for representing and measuring online social networks, especially those formed through Web 2.0 applications. A case study based on this framework is performed on Wikipedia.