cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three Frank Questions to Discipline Your Theorizing

Social science fledglings can improve their theorizing by focusing on three questions: Theory of what?, Why should we care?, and What merit in your explanation? This suite of questions takes the spine of theory to be explanation. Explanation has a counterpart in the thing to be explained, the explanandum. The three questions have been deployed in criticizing the tendency in economics to pass off mere model-building as theorizing. I summarize that deployment and then offer the three questions as means to discipline one’s theorizing. Adam Smith helps us see the theorizer as something of an artist. The questions help us appreciate a work by James Coleman and Thomas Hoffer. I also use a coauthored work of my own to explore the questions and relate them to creativity in theorizing (“abduction”).
On a software-based self-test methodology and its application

Software-based self-test (SBST) was originally proposed for cost reduction in SOC test environment. Previous studies have focused on using SBST for screening logic defects. SBST is functional-based and hence, achieving a high full-chip logic defect coverage can be a challenge. This raises the question of SBST's applicability in practice. In this paper, we investigate a particular SBST methodology and study its potential applications. We conclude that the SBST methodology can be very useful for producing speed binning tests. To demonstrate the advantage of using SBST in at-speed functional testing, we develop a SBST framework and apply it to an open source microprocessor core, named OpenRISC 1200. A delay path extraction methodology is proposed in conjunction with the SBST framework. The experimental results demonstrate that our SBST can produce tests for a high percentage of extracted delay paths of which less than half of them would likely be detected through traditional functional test patterns. Moreover, the SBST tests can exercise the functional worst-case delays which could not be reached by even 1M of traditional verification test patterns. The effectiveness of our SBST and its current limitations are explained through these experimental findings.
Iterated generalized half-dominance and global game selection ☆

We offer an equilibrium characterization of a general class of global games with strategic complementarities. The analysis highlights a form of acyclicity in the interim belief structure of global games, which allows us to formalize a selection criterion, iterated generalized half-dominance. This criterion is shown to be a unique global game selection when noise distributions satisfy a regularity condition. A similar logic also applies to the perfect foresight dynamics of Matsui and Matsuyama (1995); an iterated generalized half-dominant equilibrium is a unique globally stable state when agents are patient enough. The criterion is especially useful for games with more than two asymmetric players, and can be easily applied to local interaction games with an arbitrary network structure.
Identification of the uvrA gene product

Abstract The proteins synthesized by the plasmid pDR2000, a recombinant plasmid with the Escherichia coli uvrA and ssb (lexC) genes cloned on pBR322, were examined using the maxicell procedure developed by Sancar et al. (1979). The proteins synthesized by this plasmid include those expected from pBR322 plus two others, a small protein (Mr = 18,500) and a large one (Mr = 114,000). The molecular weight and DNA binding properties of the 18,500 Mr protein indicate that it is the product of the ssb gene. Derivatives of pDR2000 were prepared in which the uvrA gene was inactivated by insertion of the γδ transposon (Tn1000). In each of these derivatives the 114,000 Mr protein was not made, indicating that it is the product of the uvrA gene. By extrapolating from the relative amounts of ssb and uvrA proteins synthesized in maxicells, we estimate that a normal cell contains only about 20 uvrA polypeptide chains. The uvrA protein binds to both single and double-stranded DNA. A procedure is described for purifying uvrA protein to radiochemical homogeneity, and subsequent gel filtration of this isolated native uvrA protein shows that it is a monomer. When γδ is inserted into the uvrA gene, truncated uvrA polypeptides resulting from premature termination at nonsense codons in the inserted sequence are observed. From the sizes of these truncated polypeptides and the sites of the insertions determined by restriction mapping, the direction of transcription of the uvrA gene was determined to be counter-clockwise on the E. coli genetic map.
Multiple child-care arrangements and young children's behavioral outcomes.

Nationally, 15% of children younger than 5 years regularly attend more than 1 child-care arrangement. An association between arrangement multiplicity and children’s behavior problems has been identified, but previous research may be susceptible to measurement or omitted variable bias. This study used within-child fixed effects models to examine associations between changes in the number of concurrent, nonparental child-care arrangements and changes in mother- and caregiver-reported behavior among 2- and 3-year-old children in the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N= 850). Increases in the number of arrangements were related to increases in children’s concurrent behavior problems and decreases in prosocial behaviors, particularly among girls and younger children. Implications for policy and research are discussed.
Rupture of renal artery aneurysm due to salmonella infection in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are prone to infection. Immunomodulation treatment increases the susceptibility. Salmonella infections in SLE patients may present with various clin...
Phosphorylation States of Translational Initiation Factors Affect mRNA Cap Binding in Wheat

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic translational initiation factors (eIFs) has been shown to be an important means of regulating protein synthesis. Plant initiation factors undergo phosphorylation/dephosphorylation under a variety of stress and growth conditions. We have shown that recombinant wheat cap-binding protein, eIF(iso)4E, produced from E. coli can be phosphorylated in vitro. Phosphorylation of eIF(iso)4E has effects on m7G cap-binding affinity similar to those of phosphorylation of mammalian eIF4E even though eIF(iso)4E lacks an amino acid that can be phosphorylated at the residue corresponding to Ser-209, the phosphorylation site in mammalian eIF4E. The cap-binding affinity was reduced 1.2−2.6-fold when eIF(iso)4E was phosphorylated. The in vitro phosphorylation site for wheat eIF(iso)4E was identified as Ser-207. Addition of eIF(iso)4G and eIF4B that had also been phosphorylated in vitro further reduced cap-binding affinity. Temperature-dependent studies showed that ΔH° was favorable for cap bindin...
Reverse dot blot probes for the screening of β‐thalassernia mutationsin Asians and American blacks

We have optimized a battery of reverse dot blot oligonucleotide probes for detecting the most common beta-globin gene mutations in Asians and American Blacks. These probes allow a high degree of coverage of mutant chromosomes in these two populations and are useful in mutation screening and prenatal diagnosis. When coupled with the Mediterranean subset of probes, a 95% worldwide coverage of beta-thalassemia mutations should be possible. The use of these probes in the reverse dot blot system should allow the distribution of premade strips and application to automated screening.
The effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the growth of phytoplankton recognised as food forms for the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica gmelin

Abstract The effects of water-soluble extracts of a Nigerian crude oil and two No. 2 fuel oils on the growth of five species of phytoplankton recognised as food sources for the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, have been examined. Unialgal cultures of Monochrysis lutheri, Isochrysis galbana, Dunaliella euchlora, Nannochloris oculata and Skeletonema costatum were exposed to water-soluble extracts in a closed culture system. The relative sensitivity of the five species was found to vary among oils. Inhibitory effects, when present, were often transitory. In general, concentrations at which toxic effects were noted were far in excess of levels previously demonstrated to be lethal to adult and larval oysters. Three clones of the diatom Skeletonema costatum were utilised and distinct interclonal differences in responses were noted. This variation among clones indicates that the response of an algal culture composed of only one genotype may not necessarily be representative of a species response.
CO2 laser-driven Stirling engine

A 100-W Beale free-piston Stirling engine was powered remotely by a CO2 laser for long periods of time. The engine ran on both continuous-wave and pulse laser input. The working fluid was helium doped with small quantities of sulfur hexafluoride, SF6. The CO2 radiation was absorbed by the vibrational modes of the sulfur hexafluoride, which in turn transferred the energy to the helium to drive the engine. Electrical energy was obtained from a linear alternator attached to the piston of the engine. Engine pressures, volumes, and temperatures were measured to determine engine performance. It was found that the pulse radiation mode was more efficient than the continuous-wave mode. An analysis of the engine heat consumption indicated that heat losses around the cylinder and the window used to transmit the beam into the engine accounted for nearly half the energy input. The overall efficiency, that is, electrical output to laser input, was approximately 0.75%. However, this experiment was not designed for high efficiency but only to demonstrate the concept of a laser-driven engine. Based on this experiment, the engine could be modified to achieve efficiencies of perhaps 25-30%.
On bills of materials structure and optimum product-level smoothing of parts usage in JIT assembly systems

Determining the conditions under which optimum product-level sequences will achieve optimum or near-optimum parts usage smoothing in a just-in-time (JIT) environment has become very important due to computational efficiency issues with industrial scale problems. In particular, this is relevant because while the optimum product-level smoothing problem is tractable, the optimum parts-level smoothing problem is not for large-scale assembly lines. In this article, we build on earlier findings in the literature relating to this issue by considering various bill of materials (BOM) structures-including those used in automotive manufacturing environments. Results from our study indicate that mix of the BOM impacts how well optimum product-level sequences perform relative to optimum parts usage smoothing more than variation in parts requirements. Product composition structure and number of products scheduled are also shown to be very important contributing factors to the above performance. Finally, we find that an increase in the number of products scheduled accentuates the advantage of heuristic part-level sequences over optimum product-level sequences. With the growing use of optional customisation in industries such as automotive, where potentially each customer can order a unique product, these findings are particularly useful in the effective management of inventory.
Suppression of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity by noxious stimulation: mediation by 5-hydroxytryptamine

Abstract Noxious stimulation has a well known suppressant effect on epileptiform activity in both laboratory animals and man. To study this phenomenon in an animal model, focal epileptiform activity was induced in anaesthetized rats by applying penicillin from one barrel of a micropipette while recording intracortical activity from another barrel. Penicillin produced either focal epileptiform activity or focal penicillin spikes, depending somewhat on the rate of penicillin release. Focal epileptiform activity was suppressed by noxious stimulation, both somatic and olfactory, whereas non-noxious stimulation was ineffective in this regard. Focal penicillin spikes were only rarely suppressed by noxious stimulation. Reserpine blocked the suppressant effect of noxious stimulation as did p -chlorophenylalanine, a more selective depletor of 5-hydroxytryptamine. l-5-Hydroxytryptophan, a 5-hydroxytryptamine precursor, restored the suppressant effect of noxious stimulation blocked by reserpine and p -chlorophenylalanine. These results suggest that the suppression of SW by noxious stimulation is mediated by 5-hydroxytryptamine. Data from experiments employing pharmacological antagonists suggest the suppression of spike and wave activity by noxious stimulation not to be mediated by activation of dopamine receptors, alpha 2 or beta adrenoceptors, or muscarinic cholinoceptors. Prazosin, a selective alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist, did block the suppressant effect of noxious stimulation but only at a very high dose (2.4 μ mols/kg). This likely reflects a known analgesic action of prazosin or weak binding to the 5-HT receptor. Methysergide, a 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonist, failed to antagonize the suppressant effect of noxius stimulation, however, many inhibitor actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine are not blocked by methysergide. It is concluded that suppression of focal epileptiform activity by noxious stimulation is mediated, at least in part, by 5-hydroxytryptamine.
Quality of life assessment for cost/utility studies in cancer

The goals of cancer treatment and cancer prevention are to extend life expectancy and to improve quality of life in the years prior to death. Typically, outcomes of cancer treatment are evaluated in terms of survival time. Although quality of life is often measured, interpretation of these outcomes in relation to mortality is difficult. Survival analysis places each individual into one of two categories: alive or dead. Among those alive, all individuals are considered equivalent. Thus, a patient confined to bed with severe symptoms is scored the same as someone who is active and asymptomatic. A General Health Policy Model is proposed as a solution to this problem. The model adjusts life expectancy for diminished quality of life, which is measured using a standardized instrument known as the Quality of Well-being (QWB) scale. The model expresses the effect of treatment in a unit known as a Well-Year or Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY). These units integrate side-effects and benefits of treatment by combining into a single number, mortality, morbidity, and duration of each health state. Similar methods, such as the Q-TWiST, have been proposed for use in cancer clinical trials. However, the Q-TWiST is a subset of the more general model and carries limitations for cross-disease comparisons. We conclude that general health outcome models can be of considerable value for analysing the costs, risks and benefits of cancer therapies.
A case report of heart failure after therapy with ustekinumab

Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic immune disorder that affects 2–3% of the US population. Ustekinumab, a monoclonal antibody against IL-23/12, has shown great efficacy in treating psoriasis. Here we present a rare finding of a patient with plaque-type psoriasis who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure after initiating treatment with ustekinumab. The patient experienced full recovery of cardiac function upon discontinuation of ustekinumab.
Unattached presynaptic terminals in a cerebellar neuroblastoma in the human.

Hirano A. & Shin W.-Y. (1979) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology5, 63–70 Unattached presynaptic terminals in a cerebellar neuroblastoma in the human Many unattached presynaptic terminals were seen in a cerebellar neuroblastoma removed from a 3-year-old boy. It was concluded that presynaptic terminals may develop without the immediate influence of a postsynaptic mate on a one-to-one basis.
Bistate t-expansion study of U(1) lattice gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions.

The compact formulation of U(1) Hamiltonian lattice gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions is studied using the {ital t} expansion. The ground-state energy, average plaquette, specific heat, photon mass gap, and the ratio of the two lowest masses are investigated. Two contraction techniques are applied: a unistate scheme which uses only the strong-coupling vacuum for the trial state, and a bistate scheme which allows the introduction of variational parameters and arbitrarily large loops of electric flux in one of the trial states. The mass ratio obtained from the bistate contraction scheme exhibits precocious scaling. No evidence of a stable scalar glueball is found.
Low-temperature synthesis of porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds using polyaphron templates

A method to synthesize porous hydroxyapatite (HA) structures at a low temperature was investigated in this study. Polyaphrons, a class of high-internal-phase-ratio emulsions were used as the shape-directing template for the sol-gel reactions that facilitated the formation of the structures. Electron micrographs revealed a three dimensional porous structure with pore sizes in the range of 1–5 microns. X-ray diffraction images showed that the hydroxyapatite structure formed after treatment at 400°C matched exactly with commercial HA spectra indicating that the phase transformation was complete. IR spectra of the samples confirm the formation of the structural components characteristic of commercial HA.
A deficit in collagenase activity contributes to impaired migration of aged microvascular endothelial cells.

Angiogenesis is impaired in aging. Delayed neovascularization is due, in part, to slowed endothelial cell migration. Migration requires an optimal level of adhesion to matrix proteins, a process mediated by matrix-degrading metalloproteases (MMPs) such as MMP1. To determine whether impaired angiogenesis in aging is associated with altered synthesis and activity of MMP1, we examined the expression of collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 1 (TIMP1) by immunostain of angiogenic sponge implants from young and aged mice. To characterize the relevance of MMP activity during the movement of aged endothelial cells, the secretion of MMP1 and TIMP1 by late-passage human microvascular endothelial cells (hmEC aged in vitro) and their non-aged (young) counterparts was quantified. The migration of aged human microvascular endothelial cells and the effect of inhibition of TIMP1 on the migration of aged hmEC or collagen I was also measured. Relative to young mice, granulation tissue from aged mice showed less expression of collagenase and increased expression of TIMP1. In vitro, aged hmEC were deficient in MMP1 secretion (55 ± 13% relative to young cells) and activity but showed increased expression of TIMP1 (280 ± 109% relative to young cells). Aged hmEC migrated significantly less distance than did young hmEC over a 5-day period (59 ± 8% relative to young cells). In the presence of a blocking antibody to TIMP1, aged hmEC showed a significant increase in the distance migrated on collagen I over a 5 day period (142 ± 11% relative to untreated aged hmEC). We propose that deficient MMP1 activity contributes to impaired cellular movement in aged microvascular endothelial cells and that perturbations that enhance collagenase activity increase their migratory ability and angiogenic potential. J. Cell. Biochem. 77:116–126, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fluoride-mediated activation of the respiratory burst in electropermeabilized neutrophils.

Abstract Electropermeabilization creates small pores in the plasma membrane allowing the introduction of low-molecular-weight modulatory components, such as ions and nucleotides, into the cytosol. The present study investigates fluoride-mediated stimulation of the signal transduction pathway that activates the respiratory burst in electropermeabilized neutrophils. In marked contrast to intact (i.e., non-electropermeabilized) neutrophils, cells permeabilized by this technique demonstrated an immediate and potent stimulation of the superoxide (O2−)-generating NADPH oxidase in response to the addition of fluoride. Furthermore, permeabilization of neutrophils in the presence of exogenously added ATP enhanced the rate of F−-mediated O2− production. Fluoride-stimulated O2− production in electropermeabilized neutrophils was antagonized by GDPβS and dependent upon the presence of Mg2+ in the medium, but was insensitive to pertussis toxin treatment, consistent with the hypothesis that fluoride activates a G protein, probably Gp, by interacting with the nucleotide-binding site on the Gα subunit. In addition, electropermeabilized neutrophil O2− release triggered by F− was blocked by staurosporine and H-7, indicating that this pathway proceeds largely through protein kinase C activation. However, nucleotide-enhanced O2− production was only partially blocked by these inhibitors, suggesting that under such conditions ATP either competes with the inhibitor-protein kinase interaction or affects the signaling pathway(s) in such a way that protein kinase C may no longer be necessary for the activation of NADPH oxidase.
Second Language Acquisition of Relative Clauses in the Languages of East Asia

The study of relative clauses (RCs) has been central to both theoretical linguistics and studies in acquisition. This thematic issue of Studies in Second Language Acquisition makes a very important new contribution in this area by highlighting recent developments in thinking on the structure of RCs crosslinguistically and by introducing new data on the acquisition of Japanese, Korean, and Cantonese as first languages (L1s) and second languages (L2s). In this commentary, I will focus on two themes that emerge from the articles: representation and processing of RCs.
An antennal-derived mechanosensory pathway in the cockroach: descending interneurons as a substrate for evasive behavior

Large amplitude units responding to intense winds or touch of the antennae were recorded extracellularly from the cervical connectives of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Intracellular recording and staining revealed a number of interneurons with cell bodies in one of the head ganglia and large caliber axons descending to thoracic levels. These cells respond to touch of an antenna at very short latencies. The properties of these cells suggest that in the cockroach they may be a substrate for non-GI evasive behavior, especially for responses to predators which are detected by tactile cues.
Interaction of Topical and Oral Timolol in Glaucoma

The interaction of oral and topical timolol maleate was studied in patients with open-angle glaucoma. The oral and topical preparations given separately produced a significant and comparable reduction of the intraocular pressure, but no additive effect was observed when both preparations were given together. Pulse- and blood pressure-lowering effects of oral timolol were not enhanced by the application of topical timolol. These systemic effects were not found in those patients using topical timolol alone.
OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF INFANTS UNDER INFRARED RADIANT ENERGY WARMERS

Overhead radiant warming devices facilitate the care of sick newborn infants. However, no data are available on the energy ex penditure)oxygen consumption)of infants under radiant energy warmers compared to conventional incubators. This study was conducted to compare oxygen consumption of normal, two day old full term infants subjected to non-ionizing radiant warmers(KDC-CC-660) and to conventional incubators(Servo-Care Armstrong Incubators, Ohio Medical Products). Oxygen consumption was determined using the “closed system technique” employing nasal prongs, a CO2 analyzer the Beckman OM-11 O2 analyzer and the Hewlett Packard (HP). Pneumotach with attachments to the respiratory integrator of the HP 7700 multichannel recording system. All infants were fed 20 minutes prior to each recording period. Each infant was alternately placed on the radiant warmer and the incubator(servo-control set to 36.5 ° C)and after an initial stabilizing period of 20-30 minutes the O2 consumption was determined for 3-5 minutes while in quiet sleep (characteristic EEG, ECG, muscle activity and respiration). The skin temp and heart rate were respectively, radiant warmer 36.6 ° C and 136 b/m and incubator 36.1 ° C and 135 b/m. These findings support the hypothesis of increased oxygen consumption in infants on radiant energy warmers.
8.3% Efficient copper zinc tin sulfoselenide solar cells processed from environmentally benign solvent

Forming kesterite thin films directly from solution is a promising method for inexpensive photovoltaic electricity generation. Recently, we reported 4.1% efficient CZTSSe devices processed from a mixed precursor solution of Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O, ZnCl2, SnCl2·2H2O, and thiourea dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) [1], an environmental benign solvent. Here, by modifying the precursor solution preparing procedure, a power conversion efficiency of 8.3% with a current density of 31.1mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 0.44 V, and a fill factor of 0.60 was achieved from a device with an active area of 0.43 cm2 without an antireflection coating. The enhanced device performance is due to complete redox reaction between copper and tin precursors which resulted in better absorber material film. Our results demonstrate that highly efficient kesterite solar cells can be realized from simple molecular precursor solution in environmental benign solvent, making this method the most promising approach for low cost earth abundant solar cells.
Effect of environmental spins on Landau-Zener transitions

Landau-Zener (LZ) transitions of a two-level system (e. g., electronic spin in molecular magnets) coupled to one or many environmental spins (e. g., nuclear spins) are studied. For rather general interactions the LZ problem is reduced to that of a Landau-Zener grid. It is shown analytically that environmental spins initially in their ground state do not influence the staying probability P. This changes if they are prepared in a statistical ensemble. For a more specific model with environmental spins in a transverse field, LZ transitions are studied in the case of well-separated resonances in the LZ grid. The full evolution of the system is described as a succession of elemenary transitions at avoided crossings and free evolution between them. If the environmental spins are strongly coupled to the central spin, their effect on P is weak. In other cases LZ transitions are strongly suppressed and P is decreasing very slowly with the sweep-rate parameter epsilon ~ 1/v, v being the energy sweep rate.
Depression of an Inhibitory Reflex, the Masseteric Silent Period, in Recovering Alcoholics

Because inhibitory deficits may contribute to motor incoordination of alcoholics, we proposed that the duration of the masseteric silent period (SP), an inhibitory reflex, might be shorter in alcoholics (ALs) than in nonalcoholics (NAs). To test this hypothesis, we measured the SP in a racially mixed group of 12 ALs and 12 NAs matched for age (31-49 years) and sex. All subjects were normotensive, had full dentition, and reported no major medical problems. Sensory and motor conduction velocities of the anterior tibialis, ulnar, and medial nerves were measured for each subject, and were not different in ALs and NAs. Jaw jerk and SP were evoked by tapping the chin manually with a rubber hammer containing a circuit to trigger the oscilloscope display of the masseter EMGs. Averaged mean latencies and durations of the SPs were not significantly different between the right and left masseters. SP latencies were significantly (0.7 msec) shorter in ALs than NAs (p < 0.01). The mean SP duration for ALs (13.9 +/- 1.6 msec) was also significantly shorter than that of the NAs (24.4 +/- 2.4 msec; p < 0.001). Results support the hypothesis that chronic alcoholism may interfere with inhibitory mechanisms in the CNS.
On the computational complexity of algebra on lattices

We study the computational complexity of equivalence and minimization problems for expressions on many different lattices including each finite lattice and each distributive lattice. A general efficient expressibility condition C on a lattice is presented such that 1. The equivalence problem is co$NP$ hard for constant-free expressions on any lattice with at least two elements that satisfies condition C.Each finite or distributive lattice is shown to satisfy condition C. Moreover, if a lattice $\mathcal{L}$ satisfies condition C and $ \equiv $ is a congruence relation on $\mathcal{L}$, then ${\mathcal{L} / \equiv }$ also satisfies condition C. Several additional results are also presented. These results include the following: 2. In contrast to 1, the equivalence and operator minimization problems are solvable deterministically in polynomial time for disjunctive normal form and conjunctive normal form expressions on any lattice and for constant-free expressions on any free lattice with at least three gener...
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURFACE CHARGE (POTENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS) OF THE VASCULAR INTERFACE AND THROMBOSIS

Thus, it can be shown that highly theoretical experiments carried out to evaluate the electrochemistry of thrombosis can also be shown to have significance in the generation of new products, which relates the scientific findings to successful modern prosthesis and medically useful devices.
Conceptual Issues in the Teaching and Learning of Fractions

The authors have interviewed hundreds of students to determine the extent of their conceptual understandings of fractions. This paper reports the results, which will be of particular value to curriculum authors who prepare fraction materials for children. Specific emphasis is given to a sample of 20 students chosen at random from 60 students in a typical sixth grade. However, data included in the summary reflect findings of the hundreds of interviews. The 45-minute interviews were done with one child at a time. The inter-
Alpha-Fetoprotein in a Patient with Gastric Carcinoma Metastatic to the Liver

ALPHA-fetoprotein (AFP) is detectable in the serums of most patients with hepatoma and not in those of normal adults or adult patients with a variety of liver and neoplastic diseases. The presence ...
Factors determining outcome after surgical resection of T3 and T4 lung cancers of the superior sulcus.

Abstract Background: The treatment of superior sulcus lung cancers is evolving and preoperative chemotherapy is increasingly used. To establish a historical benchmark against which new therapies can be assessed, we reviewed our 24-year experience with patients undergoing thoracotomy for lung cancers of the superior sulcus. Methods: Data were acquired through retrospective chart review. Overall survival was calculated by the method of Kaplan and Meier, and prognostic factors were examined by log rank and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results: From 1974 to 1998, 225 patients underwent thoracotomy. The patients included 144 men (64%) and 81 women with a median age of 55 years. The majority of patients (55%) received preoperative radiation, but 35% did not have any preoperative treatment. Tumor stages were IIB (T3 N0) in 52%, IIIA in 15%, and IIIB in 27% of patients. Complete resection was achieved in 64% of T3 N0 tumors, 54% of T3 N2 tumors, and 39% of T4 N0 tumors. Operative mortality was 4%. Median survival was 33 months for stage IIB and 12 months for both stages IIIA and IIIB. Actuarial 5-year survivals were 46% for stage IIB, 0% for stage IIIA, and 13% for stage IIIB. By univariate and multivariable analyses, T and N status and complete resection had a significant impact on survival. Locoregional disease was the most common form of relapse. Conclusions: Our results provide a benchmark against which new treatment regimens can be evaluated. Control of locoregional disease remains the major challenge in treating lung cancers of the superior sulcus. The potential benefit of preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy must be assessed by whether it leads to higher rates of complete resection and a lower risk of local relapse. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:1147-53)
Growth and foliar nutrition of Spiraea alba Du Roi and Spiraea tomentosa L. in response to root zone pH

Abstract Spiraea alba and Spiraea tomentosa are native to the eastern and northern U.S. with potential for wider use in urban landscapes. Both grow in acidic soils in their native habitats. To determine their pH requirements in container media, three seed sources of S. alba and two of S. tomentosa were planted in media adjusted to pH 5, 6 and 7. Biomass and leaf greenness were reduced at pH 7 in all seed sources. Foliar P and Ca were higher and Mg and Al lower in plants grown in pH 6 and 7. Foliar Mn was not affected by media pH and Fe decreased with increasing pH only in S. alba . Shoot dry weight was correlated with high foliar N and low Zn and chlorosis was correlated with an increased Ca:Mg ratio. Growth of both species was best in media with a pH of 5 or 6, similar to their native habitats.
The initiative for innovation in pediatric education: a snapshot of a program evaluation.

* Abbreviations: GME — : graduate medical education IIPE — : Initiative for Innovation in Pediatric Education LOI — : letter of intent As the Residency Review and Redesign Project came to a close in 2009, the Initiative for Innovation in Pediatric Education (IIPE) was ushered in as the next phase of ongoing evaluation and transformation of pediatric residency education. The mission of the IIPE is to initiate, facilitate, and oversee innovative change in pediatric residency education through carefully monitored, outcome-directed experimentation.1 The IIPE pursues this mission by supporting residency programs in their pursuit of innovative educational projects via a structured process for project review, consultation, monitoring, and dissemination. At the start of the IIPE, leaders of the Residency Review and Redesign Project wrote, “We need to recognize that conducting the business of graduate medical education (GME) is a project that is never complete and requires acknowledgment of a certain degree of ambiguity and uncertainty.”2 Recognizing that GME is a complex system, the IIPE leadership adopted developmental evaluation as its approach to program evaluation because it embraces ambiguity and uncertainty and because it could inform program development. Specifically, developmental evaluation aims to facilitate systematic, data-informed reflection and decision-making as the program evolves, whereas traditional evaluation approaches generally aim to improve a relatively stable program (process evaluation) or judge the merit and worth of an established program (outcome … Address correspondence to Dorene Balmer, PhD, RD, 701 West 168th St, Hammer Health Science Center, Lobby 10-A, New York, NY 10032. E-mail: db2595{at}columbia.edu
Establishing tolerable dungeness crab (Cancer magister) and razor clam (Siliqua patula) domoic acid contaminant levels.

Domoic acid has been found in razor clams (Siliqua patula) and dungeness crabs (Cancer magister) in Washington State and elsewhere on the West Coast of the United States. Due to toxic effects assoc...
How well do you know yourself

One of the great puzzles of consciousness concerns our knowledge of ourselves. On the one hand, it seems we have direct knowledge of our own experiences. On the other hand, numerous psychological experiments have served to undermine confidence in our self-knowledge. In the latest striking demonstration, subjects are asked to choose which of two faces, shown in separate pictures, is more attractive. Just a few seconds later, the experimenter tricks them by holding up the wrong picture and asking them why they chose it.
Assessing the validity and reliability of descriptor variables used in scenic highway analysis

Abstract The research presented here evaluated descriptor variables used by agencies to assess scenic quality along roads in their jurisdiction. The goal was to determine if these descriptors, when applied in an expert assessment, could produce results indicative of public preference for highway conditions. Several state and federal scenic highway programs were first reviewed to determine what descriptors were most widely used in their assessment efforts. From that review, four descriptors were selected: naturalness, vividness, variety, and unity. A photographic inventory was generated along a road corridor in California’s Central Coast region. A pool of landscape architects was shown test slides from that corridor, and was asked to rate each scene using the four descriptors. Untrained observers were then shown the identical slides, and were asked to rate the scenic beauty per-scene. Mean scenic beauty scores were compiled and later related to the expert judgments, using correlation, regression and factor analysis. Results indicate that vividness had a significant relation with preference, and was most correlated with the construct scenic beauty. Of the three other descriptors, only variety presented a significant relation to preference. The contribution of variety was; however, limited, as it did not supply additional information concerning preference beyond that provided by vividness in the regression equation. Of note is that naturalness did not significantly add to the analytical ability to predict preference. This runs contrary to discussions in the cited programs, which imply that natural conditions are the scenic ideal.
The Permanent Rank of a Matrix

Define the perrank of a matrixAto be the size of the largest square submatrix ofAwith nonzero permanent. Motivated in part by the Alon?Jaeger?Tarsi Conjecture [3], we prove several results on perranks..
Ameliorating the Pregnant Man problem: a verification tool for personal computer based expert systems

With the increase in expert systems development over the last several years, has come a need for verification tools that will allow the knowledge engineer to debug and refine the systems. Although some tools are forthcoming, these tools have traditionally been concerned with completeness and consistency checking of the knowledge base itself. Completeness and consistency checking are important aspects of knowledge base debugging, but there is another aspect that has been largely ignored, that is determining whether the expert system will ask the user foolish or useless questions. This aspect of knowledge base debugging is important, because a system that asks the user foolish or useless questions will quickly lose credibility, and when the credibility of an expert system is in question, it will be abandoned by its users. To address this problem, we developed a procedure to help the knowledge engineer determine whether the system will ask the user foolish or useless questions. This procedure is an iterative process based on identifying conflicting question pairs. It has identified four constructions in rule-based expert systems that lead to inappropriate questioning. This procedure is effective, easy to implement, and has exhibited benefits, which are not confined to identifying constructions in the knowledge base that lead to inappropriate questioning. As a result, this procedure should become a useful tool that can be used by knowledge engineers to build better, more error free expert systems. We developed and tested the procedure on personal-computer-based expert systems; we are not sure how it will scale to main-frame systems.
WHERE IS THE PERSON IN PERSONALITY RESEARCH?1

Constraints upon inquiry in personality imposed by current research methods were examined by (a) a survey of empirical work published in two major personality journals and (b) a consideration of methodological and ethical issues raised in recent research criticism. Review of samples, research procedures, and social-psychological context in 226 empirical studies revealed that current methodological practices are incapable of approaching questions of real importance in personality and involve serious problems beyond those noted in recent research criticism. Recent proposals for methodological reforms, largely directed toward control of unwanted variance and improvement of subject-experimenter relationships, offer only partial solutions and require further consideration of the “personology of science.”
Colonialism, Culture, and the Law: A Foreword

its first fluores- cence, that literature evinced a rather crude topos. Its primary concern was to demonstrate the importance of legalities, broadly defined, in the imposi- tion of control by Europe over its various “others”: how law was “the cutting edge of colonialism, an instrument of the power of an alien state and part of the process of coercion” (Chanock
A study of the survival and function of homografted thyroid tissue in membrane filter chambers in the rat.

Thyroid tissue has been successfully homograftcd in Millipore diffusion chambers between rats that have been shown routinely to reject skin homografts. In such grafted animals, histological sections of chambers removed have revealed normal thyroid tissue and colloid-filled acini in 70% at 1 month and44% at 4 months. Further corroborative evidence of functional viability has been based on a significant uptake of a tracer dose of iodine131 given prior to removal of the chambers, and on radio-autographs obtained. Problems relating to membrane thickness and to chamber breakage arc discussed and the question of possible tissue adaptation to the host with the passage of time is raised.
Host specificity of Spurgia esulae Gagne (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a gall midge introduced into the United States for control of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L. "complex")

Spurgia esulae Gagne (= Bayeria capitigena Bremi of Solinas & Pecora), a multivoltine gall midge recorded on Euphorbia esula in Italy, was selected as a candidate for the biological control of leafy spurge ( Euphorbia esula L. “complex”) in North America. Its potential host range was studied in 1982 at Rome, Italy, and in 1984 at Albany, Calif., using populations associated with Euphorbia esula from San Rossore near Pisa, Italy. Of 56 plant species or varieties in 22 families tested at the Rome laboratory, the midge oviposited and completed its life cycle only on plants in the genus Euphorbia (subgenus Esula ). In the tests conducted in Rome, complete development occurred on five populations of North American leafy spurge (from Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Saskatchewan) and on European E. peplus L., E. cyparissias L., E. myrsinites L., E. characias L., E. serrulata Thuillier, and on E. lathyris L. from Chico and Castro Valley, Calif. Of 12 native North American Euphorbia species tested at Albany in 1984, four species in the subgenus Esula ( E. incisa Engelmann, E. palmeri Engelmann, E. robusta (Engelmann) Small, and E. spathulata De Lamarck) supported the complete development of S. esulae . The restricted host range suggested use of this midge as a biological control agent against leafy spurge in North America. Releases of S. esulae were made in Montana in 1985 and in North Dakota in 1986; this species became established in both states.
Vibrational energy transfer involving Renner–Teller levels of the NCO(X̃2Π) molecule

Abstract Stimulated emission pumping has been employed to prepare specific Renner–Teller levels associated with the (0 1 2) vibrational manifold of the NCO ( X 2 Π ) molecule. Transfer out of these vibronic levels due to collisions with argon collision partner was monitored by laser fluorescence excitation. The total removal bimolecular rate constants were found to be large [(2–5) × 10 −10 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 ]. In several cases, it was possible to observe collisional transfer between specified X (0 1 2) Renner–Teller levels. The collisional transfer of population between the Renner–Teller levels was found to be a small fraction of the total collisional loss but was comparable in magnitude to the total decay rates for the X (0 1 0) levels.
ANALOGY AND DISANALOGY IN PRODUCTION AND PERCEPTION OF SPEECH.

A varied psychological vocabulary now describes the cognitive and social conditions of language production, the ultimate result of which is the mechanical action of vocal musculature in spoken expression. Following the logic of the speech chain, descriptions of production have often exhibited a clear analogy to accounts of perception. This reciprocality is especially evident in explanations that rely on reafference to control production, on articulation to inform perception, and on strict parity between produced and perceived form to provide invariance in the relation between abstract linguistic objects and observed expression. However, a causal account of production and perception cannot derive solely from this hopeful analogy. Despite sharing of abstract linguistic representations, the control functions in production and perception as well as the constraints on their use stand in fundamental disanalogy. This is readily seen in the different adaptive challenges to production – to speak in a single voice ...
Particle Size Distribution in Ferrofluid Macro-Clusters

Abstract Under an applied magnetic field, many commercial and concentrated ferrofluids agglomerate and form large micron-sized structures. Although large diameter particles have been implicated in the formation of these macro-clusters, the question of whether the particle size distribution of the macro-clusters are the same as the original fluid remains open. Some studies suggest that these macro-clusters consist of larger particles, while others have shown that there is no difference in the particle size distribution between the macro-clusters and the original fluid. In this study, we use X-ray imaging to aid in a sample (diluted EFH-1 from Ferrotec) separation process and conclusively show that the average particle size in the macro-clusters is significantly larger than those in the original sample. The average particle size in the macro-clusters is 19.6 nm while the average particle size of the original fluid is 11.6 nm.
Analysis of a system for remote, dry removal of solidified mixed waste

Abstract This paper describes a novel technology for the removal of solidified radioactive waste from underground storage tanks at the DOE Hanford site in southeast Washington. The process involves the use of a unique high pressure system which pulverizes the hardened saltcake with stainless steel pellets to a powder for easy vacuum removal. The steel pellets can be magnetically separated from the waste material for re-use. Specifically this study analyzes the effects of various steel abrasives, pressure of the air stream, and stand-off distance on removal rates and penetration depth on simulated saltcake samples using the high pressure technique. A full-scale test set-up and protocol were implemented to allow for comprehensive testing. To insure reproducibility of the method, tests were then run for the optimum removal parameters. A time-dependent test was also conducted to determine the relationship of removal rates to length of pressure blasts. The results of these tests revealed that stand-off distance and pressure could be positively correlated to removal volumes. Additionally, a statistical analysis confirmed that nozzle angle is independent of removal rate. This study demonstrated that the pellet ‘blaster’ technique is a safe, effective method for removal of radioactive wastes without any increase in either waste mass or volume.