cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Construct Validation of Metacognition

Abstract Recent investigations have established the importance of metacognition in the acquisition and application of learning skills in diverse domains of inquiry. Despite the voluminous theoretical and empirical research, there remain some unanswered questions regarding the specific components underlying the construct and whether these components are differentially employed as a function of context. Using a self-report measure developed for this study, we sought answers to these questions among a sample of 126 high school students. Factor analysis of the items revealed six components of metacognition that accounted for 62% of the explained variance. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that the components were interdependent and were used across all types of problem-solving situations. The results, although no more than a first step in the construct-validation process, contribute to a more informed understanding of the nature and function of the metacognition construct in different contexts.
Spin and phase coherence lengths in n-InSb quasi-one-dimensional wires

We present measurements of the magnetoconductance of quasi-one-dimensional wires fabricated on a two-dimensional electron system in an InSb/InAlSb heterostructure. The width and temperature dependence of the spin and phase coherence lengths in the narrow wires are examined by analyzing the magnetoconductance in antilocalization theory, modified to account for ballistic transport. The experiments indicate that the confined geometry can enhance spin coherence lengths in systems not in the motional narrowing regime and in the presence of strong cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction. Experimentally, the spin coherence lengths are found to be inversely proportional to wire width and to display a weak temperature dependence. For all wire widths the phase coherence length, after correction for finite length effects, shows a temperature dependence indicative of phase decoherence via the one-dimensional Nyquist mechanism.
Directional droplet ejection by nozzleless acoustic ejectors built on ZnO and PZT

This paper describes a technique to eject liquid droplets in almost any direction with a nozzleless self-focusing acoustic transducer (SFAT) built on a ZnO thin film as well as on a thick PZT substrate. Sectoring of the SFAT annular rings of half-wave-band sources to create a piezoelectrically inactive area causes the droplet ejections to be directed non-perpendicular (i.e., oblique) to the liquid surface. The direction of the droplet ejections depends on the size of the piezoelectrically inactive area within the area of the half-wave-band sources. Droplets are ejected from the center part of the annular rings toward the open inactive area. Various openings up to 90° of pie shape have been made and tested to show that the ejection direction becomes less vertical as the piezoelectrically inactive area in the transducer increases. Additionally, a multi-directional ejector built on ZnO film has been demonstrated to eject micron-sized liquid droplets (several microns in diameter) in any of eight predetermined directions on demand. Larger size liquid droplets (about a hundred microns in diameter) have also been directionally ejected from a sectored SFAT built on a PZT substrate.
Making good use of online case study materials

Web-based access to engaging instructional materials for SEE instruction represents an increasingly viable and attractive opportunity for educators. This paper will review research findings that demonstrate important differences in more experienced and novice ethical responses to engaging online materials, including authentic cases, codes, and commentaries. Results demonstrate that experienced ethical thinkers are more likely than novices to appeal to middle level principles that identify professional role-specific obligations (RSO); to make greater use of professional knowledge in order to recognize moral issues and relevant facts; and to employ more ‘contextually sensitive’ reasoning strategies when crafting resolutions to moral problems — e.g., identify alternative moral issues, assess the moral implications of actions, and provide alternative practical resolutions to conflicts. These findings suggest that when effectively integrated into SEE courses, authentic instructional materials have the potential to effectively challenge students and enhance student learning. however, there is evidence that the uses and benefits of these materials are not well understood. In the second part of this paper, five research-based instructional principles will be identified and discussed that can help SEE instructors better understand how to effectively integrate these materials into their courses.
Arithmetic of Weakly Krull Domains

Abstract A noetherian domain R is called weakly Krull if , where &#x1d51b;(R) denotes the set of hight one prime ideals of R. We study arithmetical properties and in particular the structure of sets of lengths of a noetherian weakly Krull domain R. This structure is well investigated if the integral closure R¯ of R is a finitely generated R-module and if the class group of R is finite. The main emphasis of the paper lies on the study of the case when R¯ fails to be a finite R-module. In the first part of the article we study the structure of v-ideals of R and derive an exact sequence which connects the class groups of R and R¯. This sequence is the well known Mayer-Vietoris sequence if R is one-dimensional with finite integral closure. In the second part we introduce the concept of local monoids and study factorization properties of R locally.
The effects of state terrorism and exile on indigenous Guatemalan refugee children: a mental health assessment and an analysis of children's narratives

This study examined the mental health and psychosocial development of 58 Guatemalan Mayan Indian children living in 2 refugee camps in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Conventional assessment instruments were adapted for use in this unique context, and semistructured interviews were utilized to gather phenomenological data from children regarding various developmental, sociocultural, and political topics. Data are presented that show minimal evidence of psychological trauma in this sample, and various factors are suggested to account for this finding. In addition, data are presented showing a positive relationship between children's mental health and the health status (physical and mental) of their mothers. In particular, a strong association was found between depressive symptomatology in girls and poor health status in their mothers. Qualitative data from the interviews are presented, focusing on children's understandings of why their families fled Guatemala, the nature and causes of the violence, and their thoughts and feelings regarding the prospect of returning to Guatemala at some future point.
Multiplex PCR methods for the species-specific detection and quantification of Prymnesium parvum (Haptophyta)

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were developed for detecting and quantifying Prymnesium parvum wherein suites of primers simultaneously amplify four species- and gene-specific products using genomic DNA or whole cells for template. With conventional PCR, amplification products were easily resolved by gel electrophoresis, generating a diagnostic banding pattern. Gene-specific fluorescent molecular beacons were designed for use with real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Both methods were capable of detecting as few as one or two cells in 50 cycles. The species and gene specificities of the assays were evaluated using isolates (and mixtures) of P. parvum, related species, and out-groups. Cell counts using qPCR to evaluate environmental samples were comparable to mean values obtained from manual counts and had lower standard deviations. This presents a significant improvement in DNA-based detection technology, enhanced by the rapid and simultaneous confirmation of four species-specific products and the ability to detect several widely separated geographic isolates of P. parvum.
Infrared Evaluation Techniques for Ge(Li) Detectors

The types of Ge(Li) detector spectrum degradation due to "trapping effects" are first considered, and a model is presented which explains this degradation in terms of specific phenomena. Then two detector evaluation techniques which utilize infrared light for studying these phenomena are outlined and the significant results obtained using these techniques are presented. The infrared absorption measurement yields information concerning apparent strain in the crystal which can be related to localized trapping effects in the detector. The detector response to monochromatic infrared light determines the presence of localized lithium precipitation (a major cause of spectrum tailing) and permits a quantitative measurement of the important carrier traps in germanium such as the lithium-defect trap, copper, nickel, and iron. Utilizing these measurements, it is possible to completely characterize the performance of a crystal and determine the source of detector degradation in one day. Very good correlation is consistently obtained.
Characteristics of Pasteurella multocida isolated from waterfowl and associated avian species in California

Characteristics of Pasteurella multocida isolated from tissues of dead waterfowl and associated avian species found at 23 sites located in northern and central California, from January 1986 through January 1988 are reported. Two hundred ninety five isolates of P. multocida were obtained from 23 avian species. Most of the isolates belonged to the subspecies P. multocida multocida (63%), followed by P. multocida gallicida (37%), and by P. multocida septica (<1%). There appeared to be a higher prevalence of P. multocida multocida in Ross' geese (Chen rossi) and Snow geese (Chen coeruleus). All of the isolates belonged to somatic serotype 1, possessed the A capsule type and were susceptible to the 8 antimicrobial agents tested. None contained plasmid DNA.
Comparison of bonded, polymeric and silica columns for chromatography of some penicillins.

The retention of ampicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G was determined on ODS and cyanopropyl (CN)-bonded to silica, on an all-organic polymeric reversed-phase column (styrene-divinylbenzene) and on bare silica. Solvents tested were 0.01 M H3PO4 (pH 1.6)-acetonitrile and 0.002 M KH2PO4 (pH 4.6)-acetonitrile in the proportions 100:0 to 10:90. Retention with 0.002 M KH2PO4 was weaker than with 0.01 M H3PO4 at all proportions of acetonitrile on all packings. With 0.01 M H3PO4, retention of penicillins on the polymeric column decreased rapidly from 100 to 50% aqueous phase and remained low to 10% aqueous phase. On the ODS bonded column, retention was similar, except that retention of the aminopenicillins, amoxicillin and ampicillin increased at < 30% aqueous phase. On the CN-bonded column, results were similar to those on the ODS column, except that the aminopencillins were less strongly retained when using 100% 0.01 M H3PO4. On the bare silica, penicillin G was poorly retained at all proportions of acetonitrile, while retention of aminopenicillins increased rapidly at < 50% 0.01 M H3PO4. Retention of aminopenicillins at < 50%. 0.01 M H3PO4 was parallel on bonded and bare silica but weaker on the bonded silica. A bonded organic layer weakened but did not prevent binding of amines to silica.
EDXD studies above 400 GPa (and prospects for obtaining pressures near 1 TPa and doing EDXD studies at such pressures)

Abstract We have now taken two materials (W, Mo) to pressures greater than the pressure at the center of the earth for the first time, with all pressures based on x-ray diffraction and shock-based equations of state. The present paper describes x-ray diffraction studies of a sample in which pressure equals or exceeds 438 GPa. It is noted that as a result of the process of pressure strengthening, pressures of 1 TPa may be attainable. Presented at the IUCr Workshop on ‘Synchrotron Radiation Instrumenration for HighPressure Crystallography’. Daresbury Laboratory 20-21 July 1991
Self‐regulation of student epistemic thinking in science: the role of metacognitive prompts

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of a metacognitive prompts intervention‐science (MPI‐S), which is based on the nature of science with 162 eighth‐grade science students. It was hypothesised that students exposed to the intervention will show higher levels of content knowledge and knowledge about the nature of science than students in a comparison group. Attempts were also made to determine what cognitive processes are triggered during the use of metacognitive prompts. Findings showed significant improvements in students’ content knowledge and nature of science. In addition, qualitative findings revealed that the experimental group made choices based on evidence in the inquiry unit whereas the comparison group made decisions based on authority. Educational implications for practice into the classroom are discussed.
Why Do We Have to Learn This? Teaching Goals Beyond Content

Abstract Schools often struggle to create lasting learning experiences for students. Teachers can enhance instruction by creating and promoting goals that extend beyond content knowledge. The development of long-term traits such as critical thinking, creativity, cooperation, and others adds meaning to student learning and purposeful teacher planning.
Electrocatalytic reduction of protons to hydrogen by a water-compatible cobalt polypyridyl platform

A cobalt(ii) complex supported by the new tetradentate polypyridyl ligand PY4 is an electrocatalyst for the reduction of protons to hydrogen and can operate in 50% aqueous media.
Oenothera chloroplast DNA polymorphisms associated with plastome mutator activity

Oenothera plants homozygous for a recessive allele at the plastome mutator (pm) locus show non-Mendelian mutation frequencies that are 1000-fold higher than spontaneous levels. Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) was isolated from nine mutants and two green isolates of the plastome mutator line. cpDNA restriction patterns were compared to cpDNA from a representative of the progenitor Johansen strain, and cpDNAs from all eleven plastome mutator lines show changes of fragment mobility due to deletion events at five discrete regions of the plastome. Most of the mutants have cpDNA restriction patterns identical to that of one of the green isolates from the plastome mutator line, and therefore, most of the differences in fragment length are probably not responsible for the mutant phenotypes. In contrast to the plastome mutator line, cpDNA from several populations of a closely related wild-type Oenothera species have few restriction fragment length polymorphisms. This suggests that both mutation frequencies and site-specific cpDNA deletions are elevated in the plastome mutator line, and implicates a defect in the cpDNA repair or replication machinery.
Switching among functional states by means of neuromodulators in the lobster stomatogastric ganglion

The lobster stomatogastric ganglion contains the central pattern generators (CPGs) for the pyloric and gastric mill rhythms. All of the neurons and their synaptic connections have been identified for each rhythm and serve as the basis for understanding the mechanisms by which chemical neuromodulators are able to alter the functional state of each CPG. Using examples of different amines and peptides, I show how these substances can be found within specific neurons and how their application to the CPG can alter the motor patterns in specific ways. I also discuss what changes in cellular and synaptic properties occur as a result of bath application and particularly in the case of proctolin, how these changes may have behavioral correlates. The various outputs appear to be the result of a functional ‘rewiring’ of anatomically defined neural circuits and this may be a widespread mechanism for the production of closely-linked but behaviorally distinct movement patterns.
A system dynamics model for the integrated control of tsetse flies and african trypanosomiasis

The purpose of this study is to introduce systems thinking into the various aspects of the tsetse and trypanosomiasis problem which are presently dealt with from rather isolated viewpoints: the biological, the agricultural, the economic, the cultural, and the environmental, etc. In short, a systems approach to the problem implies the establishment of the quantification of long-range costs and benefits of combinations of alternative courses of action to deal with the problem, as well as the creation of development planning instrumentalities in African countries currently affected. The approach expostulated in this paper makes use of the computer model displayed in the causal diagram, "Dynamics of Tsetse Fly Control". The equations developed from the causal diagram are expressed in the DYNAMO simulation language. Using the model one can forecast not only the monetary but also the environmental and social costs of various management policies and control strategies. In the paper a range of strategies which focus on the disease nagana, the trypanosome parasite, the tsetse fly agent, and the host (cattle and wild game) are considered including curative drugs, immunization, avoidance, game reduction, brush clearing, biological control, male sterilization and insecticide spraying. By changing parameter values any combination of control techniques can be evaluated against any tsetse specie or trypanosome strain in any environment for various types of land use--pastoral, ranching, subsistence farming, etc.
Wood-Boring Bivalves, Opportunistic Species in the Deep Sea

Wood exposed for 104 days at a depth of 1830 meters at the permanent station of the research submersible D.S.R.V. Alvin was completely riddled by two species of bivalve wood borers (subfamily Xylophagainae, family Pholadidae). Their high reproductive rate, high population density, rapid growth, early maturity, and utilization of a transient habitat classify them as opportunistic species, the first recorded from the deep sea. Xylophaga is shown to be the most important species involved in decomposing woody plant material in the deep sea.
Enabling Quality and Schedule Predictability in SoC Design using HandoffQC

Design of state-of-the-art SoCs often require multiple design data handoffs between sub-teams involved in its development. Handoff quality issues account for a significant portion of the wasted effort during SoC development-principally due to completeness, correctness and consistency of different elements of the handoff. Such issues impact silicon quality and schedule predictability, due to the re-work effort involved. HandoffQC has been developed as an integrated QC system to qualify incoming handoffs, which ensures handoff and silicon issues are detected and fixed up-front. HandoffQC also allows for applying learnings from one design to the next, promoting continuous process improvement. The system has been architected to be easily extensible in terms of the quality checks, is user configurable and can easily be integrated into design flows. HandoffQC has been deployed on many production designs where it has successfully identified several handoff and potential silicon issues before they resulted in downstream design re-work.
Developing National Housing Strategies: Lessons Learned from Barbados, Jamaica, Jordan and Kenya

The magnitude of the housing problems in developing countries is well-known in general and in the past few years they have been quite accurately documented in about twenty nations using the Housing Needs Assessment Model developed by the US AID Office of Housing and Urban Programs. A recent study estimates that developing countries as a group must produce about 45 million additional units of minimally acceptable quality each year in the years immediately ahead if they are to meet their housing needs. The rough estimate of the corresponding annual investment is $130 billion or about 5.8 per cent of their combined Gross National Product. Low-income countries, as defined by the World Bank, must produce two-thirds of the housing units at a cost of about $24 billion (Struyk, 1987, Annex E).
Seismic instrumentation of landslides: Building a better model of dynamic landslide behavior

Although the geologic, topographic, and threshold shaking con- ditions required to trigger landslides in earthquakes are probabilistically pre- dictable, models used to estimate the behavior of slopes under dynamic shaking conditions are overly simplistic because of the lack of direct measurement of landslide behavior during seismic shaking. Two permanent instrument arrays have been installed on seismically active landslides to simultaneously record acceleration, pore pressure, and permanent landslide displacement, which will permit more accurate modeling of seismic landslide response.
The role of clinic culture in implementation of primary care interventions: the case of Reach Out and Read.

Objective Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a primary care–based intervention supported by considerable evidence regarding its efficacy. Implementation of ROR, however, varies across participating sites. The objective of this study was to identify practice attributes associated with variability in ROR implementation. Methods Twenty primary care providers and 70 support staff from 7 clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, participated in semistructured interviews. Sites were purposefully selected on the basis of the perceived success of their ROR program implementation. All interviews were transcribed and inductively analyzed to identify themes. Themes were compared to predictors postulated by a conceptual model for team effectiveness across a variety of workplace settings. Results Only one theme (integration of ROR procedures) addressed the design of ROR implementation within clinics. Nearly all other themes identified group processes and group psychosocial traits broadly reflective of clinic culture. At struggling sites, staff found their jobs burdensome and communication lacking. They demonstrated disrespect for patients and families. In this context, they experienced difficulty integrating ROR into their daily routines. Staff at successful sites worked as a team and expressed strong commitments to their communities. Integration of ROR at these sites tended to occur smoothly. Providers from all sites reported strong pressures to increase productivity, and thought that these pressures impaired their ability to deliver high-quality primary care. Conclusions Clinic culture influences the implementation of an efficacious primary care intervention. Characteristics of clinic culture therefore need to be identified and taken into account in future efforts to improve its implementation.
Flexible, high-performance pin electronics implementation

The author discusses an implementation of the pin electronics for a distributed architecture (resource-per-pin) printed circuit board test system. Included are descriptions of the custom integrated circuits and hybrids used to accomplish this at a reasonable cost. The pin electronics card which incorporates these custom parts is a relatively sparse looking 16-in by 20.5-in assembly. It is densely routed on six layers using conservative design rules (25-mil line pitch) to achieve the required interconnect. These custom parts allow the automatic compensation for many of the error terms found in a high-performance board test system. The present work demonstrates that it is possible to add significantly to the functionality of printed circuit board test systems through the use of custom integrated circuits. This added functionality can be used to provide new test capabilities and to make existing capabilities easier to use, thereby helping the user meet demanding test requirements. Along with the functionality improvements come equally important accuracy, reliability, and cost benefits. >
A Liquid–Solid Direct Contact Low-Loss RF Micro Switch

This paper reports the design, fabrication, and testing of a liquid-metal (LM) droplet-based radio-frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) shunt switch with dc-40 GHz performance. The switch demonstrates better than 0.3 dB insertion loss and 20 dB isolation up to 40 GHz, achieving significant improvements over previous LM-based RF MEMS switches. The improvement is attributed to use of electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) as a new actuation mechanism, which allows design optimized for RF switching. A two-droplet design is devised to solve the biasing problem of the actuation electrode that would otherwise limit the performance of a single-droplet design. The switch design uses a microframe structure to accurately position the liquid-solid contact line while also absorbing variations in deposited LM volumes. By sliding the liquid-solid contact line electrostatically through EWOD, the switch demonstrates bounceless switching, low switch-on time (60 mus), and low power consumption (10 nJ per cycle).
Interlaboratory study evaluating quantitation of antibodies to haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

An interlaboratory study was conducted to determine whether an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with an antigen preparation composed of various-sized fragments of Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide conjugated to human serum albumin could be standardized across laboratories and whether the ELISA-derived results from different laboratories are equivalent to those obtained by the standard radioactive antigen binding assay (RABA) for quantitation of anti-H, influenzae type b polysaccharide antibodies. Twenty coded human serum samples were quantitated by ELISA in 11 laboratories and by RABA in 5 laboratories. The mean RABA-derived values served as the basis for all comparisons. While the overall correspondence of antibody values between the two methods was good, significant differences were found among some of the 11 ELISA data sets and among the mean RABA values. Seven laboratories generated higher ELISA antibody values for low-titered sera. Four laboratories generated antibody concentrations that were not statistically different between the two assay methods. The results therefore indicate that the ELISA can tolerate substantial variations in protocol, such as the use of different plates and different antibody reagents, without affecting the quantitation of serum antibodies. However, attention should be focused on low-titered sera, as some assay conditions may yield spurious results. This ELISA is a serologic assay which can serve as an alternative to the RABA for quantitation of antibodies to H. influenzae type h polysaccharide.
Entanglement without dissipation: A touchstone for an exact comparison of entanglement measures

Entanglement, which is an essential characteristic of quantum mechanics, is the key element in potential practical quantum information and quantum communication systems. However, there are many open and fundamental questions (relating to entanglement measures, sudden death, etc.) that require a deeper understanding. Thus, we are motivated to investigate a simple but non-trivial correlated two-body continuous variable system in the absence of a heat bath, which facilitates an exact measure of the entanglement at all times. In particular, we find that the results obtained from all well-known existing entanglement measures agree with each other but that, in practice, some are more straightforward to use than others.
Insulin, Insulin Resistance, Obesity, and Cancer

Epidemiologic studies have proposed a link between obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the development of type 2 diabetes, namely hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, have also been implicated in cancer development. Patients with type 2 diabetes are reported to have a worse response to cancer chemotherapy, have more complications, and have a poorer prognosis than patients with cancer without diabetes. Studies also have reported that insulin, insulin secretagogues, and metformin may have effects on tumor growth. Given the escalating worldwide prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, their relationship to cancer has generated great interest and research across many fields of medicine.
Effects of age on muscle activity and upper body kinematics during a repetitive forearm supination task

Abstract The principal objective of this study was to assess the effects of age on upper extremity muscle activation patterns and upper body kinematics during a forearm supination task. Age-related physiological and biomechanical changes in the musculoskeletal system have been documented in the literature. It was hypothesized that these changes may have an impact on muscle recruitment and work technique (postural/kinematic) employed during work tasks. A simple repetitive forearm supination task was used to evaluate these hypotheses. Twenty subjects (ten in each age group 19–29 and 55–65) performed a series of static and dynamic forearm supination tasks on a work simulator. These exertions were performed at eight different levels of supination torque: 5–40 lb-in in 5 lb-in increments. As the subjects performed the static exertions the activation levels of several key muscles of the upper extremity were captured using surface electromyography. As the subjects performed the dynamic exertions, the motions of the upper body and upper extremity were captured using a magnetic field-based motion analysis system. The results of the static exertions showed that older subjects generated 135% greater trapezius muscle activity (significant at p 0.05 level) but no other muscle group sampled showed a significant difference between the age groups. In the dynamic exertions, age had no effect on upper limb/torso kinematic responses. In both the static and dynamic exertions, supination torque level had a significant impact on muscle activity and kinematics. These results provide empirical evidence that age alone does not have a consistent impact on biomechanical responses during physically demanding work tasks.
Proceedings of the High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions

As Program Chair of the 2012 High Blood Pressure Research Scientific Sessions sponsored by the American Heart Association Councils for High Blood Pressure Research and Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, it is my pleasure to report that this year’s meeting was both well attended (755 attendees) and scientifically productive. The conference was held on September 19 to 22 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. The 94 platform talks and 488 poster presentations given this year dealt with the latest developments in our understanding of the causes of hypertension; its relationship to stroke, cardiac disease, and kidney dysfunction; and the most effective means for detecting, evaluating, and treating high blood pressure. The conference continues to be the premier scientific meeting on hypertension in the world, and the diversity of attendees reflected that fact: nearly one-third of participants were from countries other than the United States. This was despite the fact that we had a reduced number of participants from Japan, typically one of our largest contingents from overseas, because of a conflict with their own Society’s meeting. This year, for the first time, the meeting was preceded by 2 concurrent workshops on special topics suggested by Council members and selected by the Program Committee. One was entitled “Epigenetics and Hypertension: Beyond the Genome” and was Chaired by David Harrison, MD, from Vanderbilt University, and Zorina Galis, PhD, who is Chief of the Vascular Biology and Hypertension Branch at National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The second was entitled “Unifying Theories of Hypertension: Past, Present, and Emerging” and was Chaired by John Osborn, PhD, from the University of Minnesota Medical School, and Theodore Kurtz, MD, from the University of California-San Francisco. Both featured excellent attendance, stimulating presentations, and wide-ranging discussions of important issues related to the genetic, molecular, and integrative aspects …
River discharge of strong Cu-complexing ligands to South Atlantic Bight waters

Abstract Discharge of dissolved organic matter (DOM) provides an important source of strong Cu-complexing ligands to the coastal ocean waters of Long Bay off the southeast coast of North Carolina. Concentrations of strong Cu ligands (∑L i at fixed K CuL ′=10 13.5 ), measured using competitive ligand equilibration-cathodic stripping voltammetry with 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) as the competing ligand, were linearly correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations (∑L i =0.23DOC−14, r 2 =0.81, p ≪0.01, n =9) in Long Bay transect samples. The relationship between ∑L i and DOC measured in this study was very similar to that measured in a previous study for Cape Fear estuarine sites. The Cape Fear provides 1.8×10 6 mol of strong Cu ligands annually to Long Bay with a ratio of ligand/DOC of 1.7×10 −5 mol g −1 C. For South Atlantic Bight (SAB) shelf waters, yearly discharge from organic-rich rivers may provide up to 1.7×10 7 mol of strong Cu ligands. A river flux of this magnitude could support 1.6 nM strong Cu-complexation capacity throughout the SAB water column, or up to 50% of the total pool of strong Cu-complexing ligands. Estimates for the worldwide river discharge of terrestrial DOM indicate this source could support 0.03–0.2 nM strong Cu complexation capacity, or a maximum of 20% of the global ocean reservoir of strong Cu ligands.
Best Resident Poster Award: Evaluation of anastomotic techniques for laparoscopic resection of isolated small intestine pathology

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes for intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomotic techniques for isolated laparoscopic small-intestine resection. METHODS: A retrospective database was created for all adult patients who underwent a laparoscopic segmental small-intestine resection. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease or requiring an ileocolectomy were excluded. RESULTS: Laparoscopic resection was performed in 52 patients (ratio of men:women, 30:22) with a mean age of 47 ± 21 years. A laparoscopic intracorporeal anastomosis was performed in 30 patients (58%), and an extracorporeal anastomosis was performed in 22 patients (42%). There was no difference in mean operating room time, estimated blood loss, perioperative complication rate, or length of stay between the 2 groups. Ten patients had a complication, and 5 patients experienced a Clavien grade II or greater complication. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic segmental small-bowel resection using either intracorporeal or extracorporeal anastomotic techniques is equally efficacious for pathology isolated to the small bowel.
Insulin resistance and muscle insulin receptor substrate-1 serine hyperphosphorylation

Insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome subjects is profound in spite of muscle insulin receptor and insulin-responsive glucose transporter (GLUT4) expression being nearly normal. Insulin receptor tyrosine kinase phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) at Tyr896 is a necessary step in insulin stimulation of translocation of GLUT4 to the cell surface. Serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 by some kinases diminishes insulin action in mice. We evaluated the phosphorylation status of muscle IRS-1 in 33 subjects with the metabolic syndrome and seventeen lean controls. Each underwent euglycemic insulin clamps and a thigh muscle biopsy before and after 8 weeks of either strength or endurance training. Muscle IRS-1 phosphorylation at six sites was quantified by immunoblots. Metabolic syndrome muscle IRS-1 had excess phosphorylation at Ser337 and Ser636 but not at Ser307, Ser789, or Ser1101. Ser337 is a target for phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and Ser636 is phosphorylated by c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1). Exercise training without weight loss did not change the IRS-1 serine phosphorylation. These data suggest that baseline hyperphosphorylation of at least two key serines within muscle IRS-1 diminishes the transmission of the insulin signal and thereby decreases the insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4. Excess fasting phosphorylation of muscle IRS-1 at Ser636 may be a major cause of the insulin resistance seen in obesity and might prevent improvement in insulin responsiveness when exercise training is not accompanied by weight loss.
Complete Recovery of Actinides from UREX-like Raffinates using a Combination of Hard and Soft Donor Ligands

Studies have shown a much enhanced differentiation between trivalent actinides and trivalent lanthanides when substituted alkyl dithiophosphinic acids are utilized as the active phase transfer reagents. We present a study evaluating the use of a synergistic combination of bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl)dithiophosphinic acid and trioctylphosphine oxide for the complete actinide recovery from UREX-like raffinates. A complete single-step separation of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, and americium from aqueous mixtures containing 0.5 M nitric acid and a total fission product content of 5.5 g/L (45 mM) has been demonstrated.
Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase 3 regulates Golgi complex structure and function

Recent studies have suggested that the functional organization of the Golgi complex is dependent on phospholipid remodeling enzymes. Here, we report the identification of an integral membrane lysophosphatidic acid–specific acyltransferase, LPAAT3, which regulates Golgi membrane tubule formation, trafficking, and structure by altering phospholipids and lysophospholipids. Overexpression of LPAAT3 significantly inhibited the formation of Golgi membrane tubules in vivo and in vitro. Anterograde and retrograde protein trafficking was slower in cells overexpressing LPAAT3 and accelerated in cells with reduced expression (by siRNA). Golgi morphology was also dependent on LPAAT3 because its knockdown caused the Golgi to become fragmented. These data are the first to show a direct role for a specific phospholipid acyltransferase in regulating membrane trafficking and organelle structure.
Effects of microstructure of ferromagnetic alloys on magnetoacoustic emission

The origin of MAE (magnetoacoustic emission) is mainly due to the interaction between 90 degrees magnetic domain walls and defects, as evidenced by the phase lag of the MAE with respect of magnetic induction B(t), found under certain conditions. Recent experiments have shown an asymmetry of MAE bursts in a period corresponding to a half cycle of the hysteresis loop for embrittled HY80 steel samples, which was not explained satisfactorily. The present study was performed to investigate fully the origin of this asymmetry with an improved scheme of AC magnetic field application. The results show that critical information on the material characteristics can be obtained directly from the shape of MAE spectra and that the asymmetry is reduced by increasing the AC field intensity. It has also been found that the generation of a square wavelike form of dB/dt is desirable to enhance the rate of data collection at low AC field frequency. >
Charge separation and surface reconstruction: a Mn2+ doping study.

Hydrothermal synthesis of Mn doped anatase (TiO2) nanoparticles using scrolled nanotubes of TiO2 and MnCl2 as the starting materials is described. Incorporation of Mn2+ ions on the substitutional sites was confirmed using X-ray absorption fine structure (FT-XAFS) while the oxidation state Mn(II) and coordination environment were determined using both electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Two different hyperfine couplings of 96 and 86 G were found using high-field (130 GHz) EPR reporting that Mn atoms occupy two distinct sites: one undercoordinated (reconstructed surface) and the other octahedral crystalline geometry (nanoparticle core), respectively. It was found that Mn atoms that occupy surface layers are weakly bound to the anatase lattice and can be easily leached using simple dialysis, while those incorporated in the nanoparticle core are bound more strongly and cannot be removed by dialysis. Light excitation EPR reveals that Mn ions incorporated ...
Regulatory Challenges for the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium

Resuscitation research is challenging but vital because few effective therapies exist for a number of life-threatening conditions. Cardiovascular disease has been a leading cause of death and morbidity in the United States. Although estimates vary, the American Heart Association estimates >150 000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the United States,1 with little improvement in survival (≈5%) despite medical advances.2 Traumatic injury, resulting in severe hemorrhagic shock or traumatic brain injury, is the leading cause of death in persons 1 to 44 years of age and is a leading cause of morbidity.3 For treatments to be effective in these life-threatening situations, they must be administered immediately, usually at the site of the event.4 Consequently, researchers and regulatory agencies find that typical standards for informed consent cannot be applied in the emergency setting. In 2004, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute organized the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) to conduct simultaneous prehospital studies of novel therapies for trauma and cardiac arrest. The consortium consists of 11 regional centers in the United States and Canada and a data coordinating center. It was anticipated that these trials would require extra effort from a regulatory perspective because of the need to administer treatments during a relatively brief therapeutic window, making the standard practice of obtaining informed consent from the subjects before enrollment impossible. Because of the nature of the medical conditions being studied, the potential subjects would not be competent to consent. In addition, surrogate decision makers are not commonly available at the scene, and when they are, the emotional nature of the situation makes obtaining consent infeasible.5,6 These challenges are compounded in a trial involving multiple emergency medical services (EMS) systems and hospitals within each regional center. Finally, such trials may be logistically challenging because of the need …
Assessing the Independence of the Board Chairperson: Fact or Fallacy?

Corporate observers have recently devoted increased effort at encouraging corporations to separate the positions of CEO and board chairperson. The primary rationale driving this action is that board chairpersons who do not also serve as CEO are believed to be more independent from firm management than are those board chairpersons who also serve as CEO. Separation of these positions may be especially important in entrepreneurial firms where the founder often remains active in firm affairs. An investigation of Inc. 100 corporations indicates that separate chairpersons do, in fact, differ with respect to tenure as CEO, tenure with the company, stock holdings, and founder status when compared to CEOs who serve simultaneously as chairperson of the board. On two additional dimensions (extent of familial relationships, inside/outside succession), however, separate and joint CEO/board chairpersons cannot be distinguished.
Spatially Localized and Chaotic Motions of a Discretely Supported Elastic Continuum

In this work we provide analytical computations of discreteness effects in the solitary and standing wave motions, and the chaotic envelope of a forced string supported by an infinite periodic array of springs with a softening cubic nonlinearity. To overcome the difficulty encountered in dealing with the singularities inherent in this system, a nonsmooth transformation, first developed by Pilipchuk [1,2], is applied to the spatial variable. The method, also detailed in [3], was first applied to this problem in [4] for the unforced case, and in [5], to compute solitary waves for a system with hardening cubic and vibro-impact supports and forcing.
IMPACT OF MYOCARDIAL BRIDGING ON CORONARY ARTERY PLAQUE FORMATION AND LONG-TERM MORTALITY AFTER HEART TRANSPLANTATION

Myocardial bridging (MB) can cause both anatomic and functional coronary artery abnormalities, including accelerated proximal plaque development and endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to explore the impact of MB on early development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and long-term graft
THE SOCIAL VERSUS SOLITARY NATURE OF DELINQUENT INVOLVEMENTS

The findings of the present study indicate that many of the delinquencies committed by the respondents within the previous year were not committed with accomplices. There was considerable variation in the proportion of solitary, mixed and social participants in the eighteen delinquent acts surveyed. The proportion of those always engaging in the act alone ranged from 11 per cent. (drinking) to 78 per cent. (forcing one's sexual attentions on a girl); the proportion of those always engaging in the act with an accomplice was more homogeneous ranging from 9 per cent (minor theft) to 36 per cent. (drinking). It was found that there was little variation in age, race, father's education and frequency of delinquent involvement in the solitary, mixed and social groups. Additional studies using a wider sampling of activities and respondents seem warranted; work is now under way to examine personality differences among social, mixed and solitary participants in delinquent activities.
Comparative Analysis on Immune Status and Death Situation Among the HIV/AIDS in Elderly and Youngster in Yuxi Prefecture

Objective To explore the immune status and death situation among the elderly and youngster HIV/AIDS cases in Yuxi prefecture,and to provide the evidence for making relative preventive and therapeutic measures. Methods The CD4+T cell counts were collected with retrospective cohort analysis and death situation was collected with follow-up cards during 2006 through 2011 on elderly and youngster,which were statistically analyzed. Results Among the elderly HIV/AIDS,81. 19% primary CD4+T cell counts less than 350cell/μL,the change of CD4+ T cell counts between the first and the last CD4+T cell counts tests had an average of- 7. 91 cell/μL in month and the annual mortality rate was 14. 85%( 95% CI: 7. 90% ~ 21. 81%). Among the youngster HIV/AIDS,38. 43% primary CD4+T cell counts less than 350cell/μL. The change of CD4+T cell counts between the first and the last CD4+T cell counts tests had an average of- 1. 76cell/μL in month and the annual mortality rate was 4. 40%( 95% CI: 3. 30% ~ 5. 50%). There were statistical significance respectively. Conclusion Compared with youngster,the elderly HIV/AIDS cases were found later and showed significant decreases of CD4+T cell counts,thus a faster disease progression. The elderly were dying at an alarming rate. It was urgent for the management department to work out HIV prevention and therapeutic measures.
Plasma vasopressin levels and urinary sodium excretion during cardiopulmonary bypass: Comparison of halothane and morphine anesthesia

Marked elevations of plasma vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone, ADH) levels have been reported during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study was undertaken to determine the effects of different anesthetics on ADH level and the changes in urinary flow and electrolyte content during CPB. Twenty-one patients undergoing elective open cardiac surgery were studied in three groups: Group I—halothane anesthesia; Group II—morphine anesthesia, I mg. per kilogram; and Group III—morphine anesthesia, 2 mg. per kilogram. In Group I vasopressin levels rose during operation (9.9 ± 4 to 82.4 ± 23 pg. per milliliter, p
Arthritis in Children: Conventional and Advanced Imaging

Imaging is crucial for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of arthritis. Plain radiography is the primary tool used to assess and monitor the progression of arthritis or its response to therapy. The newer imaging modalities offer a more complete assessment of the joints in health and disease. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with gadolinium administration allows direct visualization of the inflamed synovium and pannus. With MR imaging articular cartilage can be seen as well as joint effusion and hemosiderin, if present. Small (and large) joint effusions are readily revealed using ultrasonography, which is a relatively easy and inexpensive technique.