cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Framework for Improving the Quality of Research in the Biological Sciences

The American Academy of Microbiology convened a colloquium to discuss problems in the biological sciences, with emphasis on identifying mechanisms to improve the quality of research. Participants from various disciplines made six recommendations: (i) design rigorous and comprehensive evaluation criteria to recognize and reward high-quality scientific research; (ii) require universal training in good scientific practices, appropriate statistical usage, and responsible research practices for scientists at all levels, with training content regularly updated and presented by qualified scientists; (iii) establish open data at the timing of publication as the standard operating procedure throughout the scientific enterprise; (iv) encourage scientific journals to publish negative data that meet methodologic standards of quality; (v) agree upon common criteria among scientific journals for retraction of published papers, to provide consistency and transparency; and (vi) strengthen research integrity oversight and training. These recommendations constitute an actionable framework that, in combination, could improve the quality of biological research.
Giant Nonreciprocity Near Exceptional-Point Degeneracies

We show that gyrotropic structures with balanced gain and loss that respect antilinear symmetries exhibit a giant nonreciprocity at the so-called exact phase where the eigenfrequencies of the isolated non-Hermitian setup are real. The effect occurs in a parameter domain near an exceptional- point (EP) degeneracy, where mode orthogonality collapses. The theoretical predictions are confirmed numerically in the microwave domain, where a nonreciprocal transport above 90 dB is demonstrated, and are further verified using lumped-circuitry modeling. The analysis allows us to speculate the universal nature of the phenomenon for any wave system where EP and gyrotropy can coexist.
Value of transit as reflected in U.S. single-family home premiums: A meta-analysis

Although transit accessibility premiums have been rigorously studied at the local and regional levels for more than 40 years, drawing conclusions about premiums on a national scale requires a meta-analysis. Estimating effect size is a primary purpose of a meta-analysis. Effect size was calculated in 2007 by using pre-2003 studies but has not been studied since. This study sought to fill gaps in the literature by conducting a regression analysis and a thorough meta-analysis that reviewed 114 studies published from 1976 to 2014. Of 114 U.S. and Canadian single-family studies, a sample of 45 single-family studies was selected for further analysis. Compared with the previous meta-analysis, the current analysis found that, overall, U.S. and Canadian studies reported lower premiums on average for single-family houses. The average single-family home premium of 2.3% was significantly lower than the 4.2% premium calculated by the previous meta-analysis. It was found that reported transit premiums were decreasing o...
Trusting and misleading. Parents' and children's communication and negotiation about alcohol as described by teenagers

AbstractBackground: Typically, research on parents’ and children’s interactions around alcohol issues focuses on how parenting styles and parents’ examples affect teenager’s drinking habits. In this paper, we approach the theme from the youngsters’ perspective. We ask how teenagers describe the interaction on alcohol-related issues with their parents and how they would like their parents to act during these interactions.Data and methods: The article applies the concept of trust, which is seen as a feature connecting all kinds of communities, and especially families. We pay attention to whether alcohol issues challenge trustful relations and give rise to contradictions and complications in the interactions between parents and children.Results: The analysis shows the ways how trust is maintained and challenged in teenagers? accounts of communication regarding alcohol with their parents. It also shows that although trust is tested in several ways, it is essential for teenagers. Even though teenagers tell how...
Global Convergence of Langevin Dynamics Based Algorithms for Nonconvex Optimization

We present a unified framework to analyze the global convergence of Langevin dynamics based algorithms for nonconvex finite-sum optimization with $n$ component functions. At the core of our analysis is a direct analysis of the ergodicity of the numerical approximations to Langevin dynamics, which leads to faster convergence rates. Specifically, we show that gradient Langevin dynamics (GLD) and stochastic gradient Langevin dynamics (SGLD) converge to the almost minimizer within $\tilde O\big(nd/(\lambda\epsilon) \big)$ and $\tilde O\big(d^7/(\lambda^5\epsilon^5) \big)$ stochastic gradient evaluations respectively, where $d$ is the problem dimension, and $\lambda$ is the spectral gap of the Markov chain generated by GLD. Both results improve upon the best known gradient complexity results (Raginsky et al., 2017). Furthermore, for the first time we prove the global convergence guarantee for variance reduced stochastic gradient Langevin dynamics (SVRG-LD) to the almost minimizer within $\tilde O\big(\sqrt{n}d^5/(\lambda^4\epsilon^{5/2})\big)$ stochastic gradient evaluations, which outperforms the gradient complexities of GLD and SGLD in a wide regime. Our theoretical analyses shed some light on using Langevin dynamics based algorithms for nonconvex optimization with provable guarantees.
Understanding the Physiological Significance of Four Inertial Gait Features in Multiple Sclerosis

Gait impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) can result from muscle weakness, physical fatigue, lack of coordination, and other symptoms. Walking speed, as measured by a number of clinician-administered walking tests, is the primary measure of gait impairment used by clinical researchers, but inertial gait features from body-worn sensors have been proven to add clinical value. This paper seeks to understand and differentiate the physiological significance of four such features with proven value in MS to facilitate adoption by clinical researchers and incorporation in gait monitoring and analysis systems. In addition, this information can be used to select features that might be appropriate in other forms of disability. Two of the four features are computed using the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm: The “DTW Score” is based on the usual DTW distance, and the “Warp Score” is based on the warping length. The third feature, based on kernel density estimation (KDE), is the “KDE Peak” value. Finally, the “Causality Index” is based on the phase slope index between inertial signals from different body parts. Relationships between these measures and the aforementioned gait-related symptoms are determined by applying factor analysis to three common, clinical walking outcomes, then correlating the inertial measures as well as walking speed to each extracted factor. Statistically significant differences in correlation coefficients to the three extracted clinical factors support their distinct physiological meaning and suggest they may have complimentary roles in the analysis of MS-related walking disability.
On Two Astronomical Passages in Plutarch’s De Animae Procreatione in Timaeo

The following investigations arose from a question of Prof. A. Bidez. He drew my attention to § 31 (1028 F) of the work mentioned in the title, in which Plutarch speaks about a “Chaldean” doctrine according to which the four seasons of the year can be arranged in certain harmonic proportions. The discovery of the unequal length of the four seasons is undoubtedly one of the most fundamental achievements of ancient astronomy because it is equivalent to the discovery of an inequality in the movement of the sun. The explanation of this inequality as apparent by assuming a certain eccentricity of the sun’s orbit with respect to the earth is the basis for the ancient theory of the eccentric movements, a theory which finally led to Kepler’s discovery of the elliptic orbits of the planets. On the other hand, the cuneiform astronomical tablets of the Seleucid period show that the inventors of these mathematical devices also were fully conscious of the fundamental role of an adequate description of the inequality of the movement of the sun in the prediction of the visibility of the moon’s crescent and of eclipses. The careful investigation of every ancient statement about the unequal length of the seasons is therefore fully justified.
Digital Radiography and Nuclear Medicine: Correlative Aspects and Technological Cross-Fertilization

The term “digital radiography,” for practical purposes recently has adopted several meanings. These include intravenous contrast angiography, scanned projection radiography (CT based radiography), dynamic computed tomography, multi-regional digital radiographic flow studies, and digitized ultrasound and radionuclide images.
The Use of Pharmacologic Agents for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

It is generally accepted that transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) is an effective treatment for bladder outlet obstruction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); however, alternative therapies, in particular medical therapies, have been motivated by patients trying to avoid surgery, pharmaceutical companies expanding into new markets and physicians trying to optimize the treatment of their patients. Beyond these motivations, a critical review of TURP suggests that it is a good procedure but has associated complications in a low but predictable percentage of cases. Mebust et al. (1989) studied the morbidity following TURP in a cooperative retrospective study of 3885 consecutive patients from 13 institutions. Holtgrewe et al. (1989) surveyed practicing urologists in the United States with regard to morbidity and mortality. These results are summarized in Table 12.1. although relatively uncommon, the complications from TURP are significant (see Chap. 8).
Race and socioeconomic disparity in treatment and outcome of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury with fracture: Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, 1998–2009

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective national administrative database study. OBJECTIVE Advances in treatment of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury with fracture (TCSCIF) have led to significant improvements in clinical outcomes; however, progress in healthcare is seldom ubiquitous across demographic groups. Therefore, we explored if disparities in treatment and outcome after TCSCIF exist across race and socioeconomic status. SETTING USA. METHODS We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 1998 to 2009 for TCSCIF hospitalizations. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the correlation between socioeconomic status and race to injury, treatment type, and outcome. RESULTS There were 21,985 admissions for TCSCIF, 66.9% of whom had a favorable discharge disposition. In-hospital mortality rate was 12.5%. A total of 43.7% underwent surgery. Overall, surgery was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.27-0.34, p < 0.01) and better discharge disposition (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.62-0.74, p < 0.01) versus nonsurgical or no intervention. African-American (AA) race and low socioeconomic status (LSES) were significant predictors of lower odds to undergo surgery and unfavorable discharge disposition, respectively; potentially explained by a higher odds of increased New Injury Severity Score classification at presentation. Surgical and favorable discharge rates for LSES and non-Caucasian races, however, have been steadily improving over the study period. CONCLUSIONS Despite trending improved outcomes after TCSCIF, LSES, or AA race were more likely to have worse outcomes compared to their counterparts. In addition, LSES, AA, and Hispanic groups were less likely to undergo surgical treatment, suggesting disparities in management and outcome effect.
Effects of polymer chemistry, concentration, and pH on doxorubicin release kinetics from hydroxyapatite-PCL-PLGA composite

The objective of this study was to understand the effects of ceramic polymer composite and pH of the surrounding vicinity on the release kinetics of doxorubicin. Different concentrations of polymers with polycaprolactone (PCL), poly glycolic lactic acid (PLGA), and a blend of PCL–PLGA with hydroxyapatite (HA) were investigated for doxorubicin release at physiological pH of 7.4 and an acidic pH of 5.0 caused by immediate surgery. Burst release of 20% was observed from bare HA at pH 7.4 over a week, whereas all the polymer incorporated discs showed sustained release. The hydrophilic–hydrophobic and hydrophobic–hydrophobic interactions between the polymer and the drug altered by the surrounding pHs were found to be pivotal in controlling the release kinetics of drug. No cytotoxicity of the drug at a concentration of 50 µg per disc was observed at early time points when cultured with osteoblast cells; however, the same drug dosage inhibited osteosarcoma cell viability. This study mainly bases on the comprehension of the effects of chemistry, environment, and polymer–drug interactions, leading to a beneficial understanding towards the design of drug delivery devices.
Measurements and modeling of the density of rocket propellant RP-2 at temperatures to 573 K and pressures to 100 MPa

Abstract Liquid rocket propellants are subject to wide ranges of temperature and pressure when flowing through high performance liquid rocket engines. For example, as rocket propellant (RP) is used for regenerative cooling, near-wall fluid temperatures can exceed 700 K. The pressure can reach as high as 100 MPa when exiting the fuel pump. Therefore, accurate thermophysical property data, particularly density, are needed to accurately model the flow in rocket engines using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other engineering design tools. In this work, we report the density of two RP-2 samples at temperatures to 573 K and pressures to 100 MPa. A high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) variable-volume, windowed densimeter is used to determine the density. The experimental density data are satisfactorily correlated by the modified Tait equation that provides a means for interpolating the density within the experimental conditions investigated in this study. The HTHP perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT), Peng-Robinson (PR), and HTHP volume-translated PR equations of state are used to model RP-2 density over the entire temperature and pressure ranges.
Introduction to Acid–Base

The arterial blood gas (ABG) determination is an important laboratory test in the evaluation of oxygenation and acid–base status of the body. This ABG test is most frequently done in the emergency department and critical care units. Also, this test is a valuable tool during operative procedures. When an ABG is ordered, four important values are reported: pH, partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), and bicarbonate (HCO3−). Base excess (BE) is also reported (see Chap. 3), which is used by some clinicians. The percent saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen in the arterial blood (SaO2) is done by either direct measurement using CO-oximetry or estimated from pO2. Only some blood gas analyzers are equipped with CO-oximeter for measurement of SaO2 directly, and other laboratories report calculated value. Mean SaO2 is 98%.
The Relative Effectiveness of Different Active Learning Implementations in Teaching Elementary School Students How to Design Simple Experiments.

“Active learning” has been used to describe classrooms that have varied widely with respect to instructional topics, age of learners, and the procedures used to operationalize the general notion of the term. In most cases, the specific variant of active learning under investigation has been more effective than the particular control used for comparison. The goal of the current study was to unambiguously describe, implement, and assess 4 different active learning implementations that varied based on the instructional technique employed by the teacher. The specific topic taught was the procedure for constructing experiments in which a single causal factor is clearly identified and there are no confounds. The procedure is commonly known in the literature on early scientific thinking as the “control of variables strategy” (CVS). The sample consisted of 145 3rd- and 4th-grade students from 3 schools. Students in each grade at each school were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 active learning conditions. Learning of CVS was measured through a hands-on, active learning activity and a written pre- and posttest. Results indicated that compared to minimal guidance/minimal guidance/activity, modeling/direct guidance/activity resulted in significantly higher levels of CVS knowledge on the hands-on activity. When examining student learning from pre- to posttest, students in all conditions had significant learning gains. However, the largest effect sizes were for modeling/direct guidance/activity followed by modeling/modeling/activity, and the weakest effect size was for minimal guidance/minimal guidance/activity. Thus, more direct/explicit forms of active learning promoted higher learning of CVS than more inquiry-based forms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
Quantifying fatigue-damage and failure-precursors using ultrasonic coda wave interferometry

Abstract Accumulation of the subtle impacts of fatigue-induced rock damage may ultimately trigger rock failure. Probing, understanding and quantifying this behavior is crucial in evaluating the mechanical response under dynamic loading. We conduct cyclic uniaxial compression tests with real-time measurement of ultrasonic velocity to probe the evolution of fatigue-induced damage in shale subjected to cycles of increasing-amplitude and constant-amplitude. The stress-strain response shows hysteretic behavior and hardening effect under cyclic compression. Time of first arrival is used to estimate apparent changes in ultrasonic velocity at incremented maximum stresses. Coda wave interferometry (CWI) is applied to detect the more subtle changes in ultrasonic velocity at minimum stress (10 MPa) under fatigue-loading. Despite a continuous increase in ultrasonic velocity measured at incremented maximum stresses the subtle signal of increasing fatigue-induced damage is apparent in the sensitive CWI signal. This is reflected in the descending trend of ultrasonic velocity, especially the S-wave velocity, observed at the minimum stress (10 MPa) – and may ultimately result in failure. The evolution of ultrasonic velocity is controlled by the competing effects of irreversible healing/closure of micro-fractures, dominating at low-stresses/early-cycles, and counteracted by the creation of fatigue-induced micro-fractures, dominating at high-stresses/late-cycles. The development of fatigue-induced micro-fractures is optimally detected by the multiply-scattered coda waves but is absent in the first arrivals. Dynamic modulus and relative changes in effective velocity inferred from CWI are sensitive and discernable indicators of fatigue-induced damage prior to failure while characteristics of the stress-strain curve and the evolution of elastic moduli are inferior indicators.
Abstract P156: Improvement In Blood Pressure Using Remote Patient Monitoring During COVID19

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic required strict social distancing to curb transmission. Unfortunately, these measures severely limited healthcare access and chronic di...
Accurate calibration of thermophotovoltaic efficiency

The new record efficiency in Thermophotovoltaics relies upon a highly reflective rear mirror. The excellent rear mirror boosts voltage by enhancing the luminescence extraction, and separately also reflects low energy photons, which would otherwise be useless in thermophotovoltaics. The reflected low energy photons reheat the thermal emitter, and regenerate above-bandgap energy photons. The efficiency calibration for such regenerative thermophotovoltaics depends on several factors, yet predominantly on the accurate measurement of the rear mirror reflectivity. Here, we report on the technique for accurate measurement of mirror reflectivity, and of record thermophotovoltaic efficiency 29.1 ± 0.6%, at 1207 °C.
Wide-angle Beam-scanning with Squinted Feed Elements

In this article we propose the use of feed-element correction lenslets (FCL) in order to significantly reduce scan loss for wide-angle beam-scanning lens antennas. The FCL achieves this improved scan performance by squinting feed beams toward the center of the aperture lens to reduce spillover loss and can optionally predistort feed phase to correct for aperture phase distortions and improve beam quality. To demonstrate the concept we design and simulate a 4" fan-beam gradient-index (GRIN) lens antenna and unique GRIN FCLs for beam angles of 27° and 47°. The aperture lens and FCLs include broadband matching sections and exhibit approximately 50% aperture efficiency across the 26.5–40 GHz (WR28) band. We show that by using FCLs the gain at 47° is increased by 3.3 dB, corresponding to a scan loss exponent decrease from 3.0 to 2.0.
Stochastic Differential Geometry

Semi-martingales, bilinear forms, pull-back, covariation process, semimartingale integral, connection, chain rule, differential operators and Christoffel symbols, martingale criteria, induced connections, affine and convex maps, geodesics and martingale criteria, local drift and diffusion rates, sub-manifolds and projection, diffusions, Riemannian metric and connection, isotropic martingales, Brownian motion, harmonic maps, Levy processes in Lie groups.
Resisting nationalism in Rompepistas (2009): Pan-national punk attitude in the working class fiction of Kiko Amat

In his third novel, Rompepistas (2009), Catalan writer Kiko Amat creates a semi-autobiographical first-person narrative that observes national crisis as inextricable from geographic and economic issues of migration and constructions/locations of class as markers of identity in Spanish and Catalan national imaginaries. In a context of internal tensions and official discourses of consensus to organize the city in terms of what ‘should’ be visible, a teen narrator describes an emotional punk attitude during the summer of 1987 in post-dictatorial Barcelona in terms of embodying a cultural misdemeanor in Catalan nationalist context. Amat’s affective literary response to the role of ‘foreign’ music in his early life imbues the novel with a soundtrack of a pre-internet, pan-national sense of solidarity among working-class teenagers as the disenfranchised ‘other,’ producing a counter-consensus within official national discourses and unfettered neoliberal urban development plans.
Light Load Efficiency Improvement for CRM-Based Soft-Switching Three-Phase Inverter

This paper proposes a phase shedding control to improve light load efficiency for a two-channel paralleled three-phase inverter on the basis of a critical conduction mode (CRM)-based soft-switching technique. With the soft-switching method, switching frequency of the inverter increases significantly under light load condition leading to high switching loss. To reduce the loss, phase shedding for the second channel is conducted, which makes the first channel handle more power and lowers the switching frequency. The phase shedding is only applied to two phases in the second channel operating at high frequency to get rid of undesired circulating current between the two channels caused by the shared zero sequence voltage in the paralleled inverter structure. The proposed control method substantially curtails the switching loss and improves efficiency at light load. In this paper, the operation principle of the paralleled three-phase inverter with the proposed control and the analysis of the circulating current are discussed. Experimental results with a 25-kW SiC-based laboratory prototype shows that efficiency is improved by 0.5 to 2.4 % under different light load conditions.
Constrained Choice: Children's and Adults’ Attribution of Choice to a Humanoid Robot

Young children, like adults, understand that human agents can flexibly choose different actions in different contexts, and they evaluate these agents based on such choices. However, little is known about children's tendencies to attribute the capacity to choose to robots, despite increased contact with robotic agents. In this paper, we compare 5- to 7-year-old children's and adults' attributions of free choice to a robot and to a human child by using a series of tasks measuring agency attribution, action prediction, and choice attribution. In morally neutral scenarios, children ascribed similar levels of free choice to the robot and the human, while adults were more likely to ascribe free choice to the human. For morally relevant scenarios, however, both age groups considered the robot's actions to be more constrained than the human's actions. These findings demonstrate that children and adults hold a nuanced understanding of free choice that is sensitive to both the agent type and constraints within a given scenario.
Intramural diverticulosis and diverticulitis of the colon: Pictorial essay.

Abstract Diverticulosis of the colon is a gradually progressive disease that usually starts in early adulthood and increases with advancing age in its anatomical extent and the size of diverticula. It is important to recognize the initial stages of diverticular development in young patients in order to properly diagnose and manage the potential complications of this very common intestinal disorder. This article presents the pathological and radiological features of early diverticular formation, when the mucosal outpouchings are very small and contained within the colonic wall as distinct intramural lesions. The subsequent development of intramural diverticulitis and the spectrum of its manifestations on barium enema examination or Computed tomography (CT) are illustrated.
The communist torturers of Eastern Europe: Prosecute and punish or forgive and forget?

Abstract One of the most difficult dilemmas that post-authoritarian societies face in the early years of democracy involves the treatment of those authoritarian officials who are guilty of gross violations of human rights. Should a new democracy prosecute and punish or should it forgive and forget its former “torturers”? The process leading to a resolution of this “torturer problem” is complex and often misunderstood. This paper argues that the correlation between the “democratization process” and the outcome of the “torturer problem” is a specious one in the East European context. The unfolding of events in the last several years has demonstrated that a much stronger correlation exists between the variables of “exit” and/or “voice” under communism and the outcome of the “torturer problem.”
Ballad of a Thin Man: Sociolegal Studies in a Time of Postmodern Crisis

Commentant l'article de B. de S. Santos intitule «Three metaphors for a new conception of law: the frontier, the baroque and the south» («Law ans society», vol 29, n°4, 1995, pp. 569-84), l'A. etudie les differents modes de regulation de la subjectivite postmoderne d'un point de vue socio-juridique: a travers les metaphores de la frontiere, du baroque et du sud se dessine la complexite des rapports entre la subjectivite et le gouvernement
Permanent sterilization by hysteroscopic cauterization.

Abstract A small series of 22 patients who underwent hysteroscopy cauterization is reported. The uterus was distended with CO 2 and dextran. Cauterization was done with a 6 mm. long, active-tip, No. 4 electrode. There was a 27 per cent failure rate for the controlled cases, this dropping to 11 per cent after recauterization. A significant complication, small bowel perforation, was treated by resection and anastomosis with complete recovery. The uterine distention with CO 2 is safe but ostium visualization is not very good; Dextran distention is more cumbersone but gives excellent visualization and exposure of the ostium because higher intrauterine pressures are developed.
Unraveling the Complexity of Critical Consciousness, Political Efficacy, and Political Action among Marginalized Adolescents.

This research examines the complex patterns by which distinct dimensions of critical consciousness may lead marginalized adolescents toward distinct forms of political action. Structural equation modeling was applied to nationally representative data from the Civic Education Study (2,811 ninth graders; Mage = 14.6), first establishing the measurement invariance of constructs across samples of poor or working class African American and Latino/a adolescents. Perceptions of societal inequality and aspirational beliefs that society ought to be more equal differentially predicted expected voting, conventional political action, and social action—while controlling for civic achievement and with nuances between ethnic and racial groups. Contrary to hypotheses and extant scholarship, political efficacy did not mediate or moderate relations between critical reflection and disparate forms of political action.
Inter-subject variability in hypercapnic normalization of the BOLD fMRI response

In the application of hypercapnic normalization to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response to a functional stimulus is typically divided by the BOLD response to a hypercapnic challenge. While some prior studies have shown that hypercapnic normalization can reduce inter-subject BOLD variability, other studies have found an increase in inter-subject variability. In this study we used measures of baseline cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the functional BOLD and CBF responses to both visual stimuli and hypercapnia to assess the effect of hypercapnic normalization on inter-subject variability. We found that the functional and hypercapnic BOLD and CBF responses all exhibited a significant inverse dependence on baseline CBF. In contrast, the maximum BOLD response was independent of baseline CBF and was not a major source of inter-subject BOLD variability. Division of the functional BOLD response by the hypercapnic BOLD response increased inter-subject variability in the normalized responses as compared to the original responses, reflecting the presence of a systematic bias term that was inversely dependent on the hypercapnic BOLD response. This systematic bias resulted from a positive intercept term in the linear relationship between the functional and hypercapnic BOLD responses. This positive intercept term reflected a steeper inverse dependence of the hypercapnic CBF response on baseline CBF, as compared to the functional CBF response. In contrast to the results obtained with normalization based on division, normalized responses obtained by using the hypercapnic BOLD response as a covariate were unaffected by the systematic bias and exhibited reduced inter-subject variability. The findings of this study indicate that the positive intercept in the linear relationship between functional and hypercapnic BOLD responses should be carefully considered in the hypercapnic normalization of BOLD fMRI data.
Potentiometric Ion-, Gas-, and Bio-Selective Membrane Electrodes

Abstract Membrane electrodes are relatively simple electrochemical devices that can be used for the direct measurement of ions, gases, and biomolecules in complex samples. Selectivity for one species over another is determined by the nature and chemical composition of the membranes and associated reaction layers used to fabricate the devices. All membrane electrode probes employ at least one ion-selective membrane as the ultimate transduction element. This indicator membrane serves as an additional component of a classic two-electrode galvanic cell. The potential developed at the membrane/sample interface is directly or indirectly related to the activity or concentration of analyte in the sample. Because cell potentials are detected under essentially zero-current conditions, analytical measurements with these probes are generally not subject to the mass transfer and electron transfer kinetic limitations that often plague voltammetric or amperometric techniques. In this report, we review the current state ...
The incorporation of 3H-thymidine by developing root tip cells.

Abstract Using autoradiographs, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine by the nuclei of the cells of onion root tips was studied in relation to the stage of development, the mitotic activity and the DNA content of the cell. The data indicate that once DNA synthesis begins, the cell continues this synthesis irrespective of the stage of development or mitotic activity so that by 2 mm from the tip most of the cells contain twice the amount of DNA found in the early stages of development and four times the amount present in the apical initials.
In vitro screening for burrowing nematode, Radopholus citrophilus, tolerance and resistance in commercial Anthurium hybrids

A reliable method to screen Anthurium for burrowing nematode resistance and tolerance in vitro was developed using 17 genetically distinct Anthurium cultivars. Based on nonparametric data analysis, tolerance and resistance were found to be independent traits to be evaluated separately. An effective parameter for tolerance evaluation was ranking of relative leaf retention, whereas an effective parameter for resistance evaluation was the ranking of nematode reproduction, log(Rf+1). A comparison of the ranking of leaf retention with ranking of nematode reproduction clustered the cultivar responses to burrowing nematode infection into four groups: intolerant and resistant, moderately tolerant but susceptible, intolerant and susceptible, and tolerant and susceptible. ‘Ozaki’ was identified as an intolerant reference, ‘Nitta’ as a susceptible reference. ‘Blushing Bride’ was the most tolerant cultivar among those screened, but it may not be an ideal tolerant reference due to its low vigor. Future screening for burrowing nematode-tolerant and-resistant cultivars in Anthurium should include ‘Ozaki’ and ‘Nitta’ as internal controls. Evaluation of resistance should be based on a resistance index obtained by log(Rf of hybrid tested +1) divided by log(Rf of ‘Nitta’ +1); tolerance should be based on ranking of relative leaf retention.
Improved passivating Cr2O3 scales for thin film high temperature PdCr strain gages

Abstract Overcoat protection schemes for thin-film sensors have typically focused on inhibiting the growth of native oxides formed on the sensor surface, rather than on improving the passivating nature of these native oxides. In this work, 730Asputtered Cr overcoats and heat treatments in varying partial pressures of oxygen enhance the passivating nature of native Cr 2 O 3 formed on PdCr thin-film strain gages. Results of dynamic strain tests are presented and the implications in using this approach are discussed. PdCr gages with sputtered Cr overcoats withstood 12,000 strain cycles of 1100 μe during 100 h of testing at a temperature of 1000°C in air. Gage factors of 1.3 with drift rates as low as 0.1 ω h 1 were achieved for devices having a nominal resistance of approximately 100 ω. TCRs ranging from +550 ppm °C 1 to + 798 ppm°C 1 were realized depending on the overcoat scheme used and the thermal history of the film. Possible mechanisms for an anomaly in the electrical characteristics of these films at 800°C and improvements in stability due to the use of overcoats are presented.
The accuracy of pain and fatigue items across different reporting periods

The length of the reporting period specified for items assessing pain and fatigue varies among instruments. How the length of recall impacts the accuracy of symptom reporting is largely unknown. This study investigated the accuracy of ratings for reporting periods ranging from 1 day to 28 days for several items from widely used pain and fatigue measures (SF36v2, Brief Pain Inventory, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Brief Fatigue Inventory). Patients from a community rheumatology practice (N = 83) completed momentary pain and fatigue items on average of 5.4 times per day for a month using an electronic diary. Averaged momentary ratings formed the basis for comparison with recall ratings interspersed throughout the month referencing 1-day, 3-day, 7-day, and 28-day periods. As found in previous research, recall ratings were consistently inflated relative to averaged momentary ratings. Across most items, 1-day recall corresponded well to the averaged momentary assessments for the day. Several, but not all, items demonstrated substantial correlations across the different reporting periods. An additional 7 day-by-day recall task suggested that patients have increasing difficulty actually remembering symptom levels beyond the past several days. These data were collected while patients were receiving usual care and may not generalize to conditions where new interventions are being introduced and outcomes evaluated. Reporting periods can influence the accuracy of retrospective symptom reports and should be a consideration in study design.
Conjectures about the evolution of the moon

The principal questions about the derivation of the lunar surface have not yet been settled: is it the surface left over from the process of accumulation of the Moon, or is it a surface generated by magmatic processes on the Moon and subsequently altered by further infall from outside? The evidence derived from many sources now favors the former. Seismic data suggest an absence of bedrock down to a depth of several kilometers, and instead a compacted powder only. The ‘mascon’ evidence can be understood as a consequence of major impacts in a deep porous layer. The great abundance of cosmic ray tracks in most soil samples demands a much greater cosmic ray dosage than present rates would cause in the age of the Moon, unless the dust represented infallen material previously irradiated. The nuclear age, since freezing, of the dust is greater than that of the rocks found. The chemical composition of the dust is not the same as of the rocks. Strict layering of the dust has been seen, implying some process other than meteoritic impacts for its generation and deposition. These and other effects found can be understood in the framework of a cold accumulation description, in which the surface layers represent the last addition of meteoritic infall of a basaltic material similar to, but not identical with the present basaltic achondrites. The possible relation of this material to oceanic basalt on Earth is mentioned.
Improved equations estimating GFR in children with chronic kidney disease using an immunonephelometric determination of cystatin C

The Chronic Kidney Disease in Children study is a cohort of about 600 children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States and Canada. The independent variable for our observations was a measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by iohexol disappearance (iGFR) at the first two visits 1 year apart and during alternate years thereafter. In a previous report, we had developed GFR estimating equations utilizing serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, height, gender, and cystatin C measured by an immunoturbidimetric method; however, the correlation coefficient of cystatin C and GFR (-0.69) was less robust than expected. Therefore, 495 samples were re-assayed using immunonephelometry. The reciprocal of immunonephelometric cystatin C was as well correlated with iGFR as was height/serum creatinine (both 0.88). We developed a new GFR estimating equation using a random 2/3 of 965 person-visits and applied it to the remaining 1/3 as a validation data set. In the validation data set, the correlation of the estimated GFR with iGFR was 0.92 with high precision and no bias; 91 and 45% of eGFR values were within 30 and 10% of iGFR, respectively. This equation works well in children with CKD in a range of GFR from 15 to 75ml/min per 1.73m 2 . Further studies are needed to establish the applicability to children of normal stature and muscle mass, and higher GFR.
On the sea-state bias of the Geosat altimeter

The sea-state bias in a satellite altimeter's range measurement is caused by the influence of ocean waves on the radar return pulse; it results in an estimate of sea level that is too low according to some function of the wave height. This bias is here estimated for Geosat by correlating collinear differences of altimetric sea-surface heights with collinear differences of significant wave heights (H1/3). Corrections for satellite orbit error are estimated simultaneously with the sea-state bias. Based on twenty 17-day repeat cycles of the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission, the solution for the sea-state bias is 2.6 + or - 0.2 percent of H1/3. The least-squares residuals, however, show a correlation with wind speed U, so the traditional model of the bias has been supplemented with a second term: H1/3 + alpha-2H1/3U. This second term produces a small, but statistically significant, reduction in variance of the residuals. Both systematic and random errors in H1/3 and U tend to bias the estimates of alpha-1 and alpha-2, which complicates comparisons of the results with ground-based measurements of the sea-state bias.
Miniature Tissue Based Voltammetric Bioelectrodes

Abstract The concept of biologically modified carbon paste is shown to be very attractive for the design and operation of miniature bioelectrodes. In particular, tissue-containing carbon paste microelectrodes combine the ease of fabrication, with fast response times, high sensitivity and low cost. The very fast response is attributed to the close proximity of the biocatalytic and sensing sites. These features are illustrated using a mixed banana/carbon-paste microelectrode that offers selective and sensitive determination of dopamine. The performance of this microelectrode is further enhanced by using high-speed background subtraction square-wave scanning. The suitability of this electrode for in-vivo and in-vitro studies of brain chemistry is discussed. Other biosensing applications may benefit from such coupling of the technologies of surface modification and miniaturization.
Corticosterone, but not Glucose, Treatment Enables Fasted Adrenalectomized Rats to Survive Moderate Hemorrhage

Fed adrenalectomized rats survive the stress of hemorrhage and hypovolemia, whereas fasted adrenalectomized rats become hypotensive and hypoglycemic after the first 90 min and die within 4 hours (h). We have studied the effects of glucose and corticosterone (B) infusions after hemorrhage as well as treatment with B at the time of adrenalectomy on the capacity of chronically prepared, conscious, fasted, adrenalectomized rats to survive hemorrhage. We have also measured the magnitudes of vasoactive hormone responses to hemorrhage. Maintenance of plasma glucose concentrations did not sustain life; however, treatment of rats at the time of adrenalectomy with B allowed 100 percent survival, and acute treatment of adrenalectomized rats at the time of hemorrhage allowed about 50 percent survival during the 5-h posthemorrhage observation period. Rats in the acute B infusion group that died exhibited significantly increased plasma B and significantly decreased plasma glucose concentrations by 2 h compared to the rats that lived. Plasma vasopressin, renin, and norepinephrine responses to hemorrhage were markedly augmented in the adrenalectomized rats not treated with B, and plasma vasopressin concentrations were significantly elevated at 1 and 2 h in all of the rats that subsequently died compared to values in those that lived. We conclude that: 1) death after hemorrhage in fasted adrenalectomized rats is not a result of lack of glucose; 2) chronic and, to an extent, acute treatment of fasted adrenalectomized rats with B enables survival; 3) fasted adrenalectomized rats exhibit strong evidence of hepatic insufficiency which is not apparent in either fed adrenalectomized rats or B-treated fasted adrenalectomized rats; 4) death after hemorrhage in fasted adrenalectomized rats may result from hepatic failure as a consequence of marked splanchnic vasoconstriction mediated bv the actions of extraordinarily high levels of vasoactive hormones after hemorrhage; and 5) B appears to act to decrease the magnitude of response of vasoactive hormones after hemorrhage in fasted adrenatectomized rats.
Overrelaxation and chaos

Abstract I present computational and graphical results on overrelaxed Halley's method for one-parameter rational functions of the form ξ α − 1 = o in order to gain insight into the behavior of the method. The resulting plots reveal a visually striking and intricate class of patterns indicating behavior ranging from stable attractive points to chaos.
Cell lineage, cell-cell interaction, and segment formation in the ectoderm of a glossiphoniid leech embryo☆

Cell division patterns and cell-cell interactions in the germinal bands of the glossiphoniid leech Helobdella triserialis were studied with the aid of a cell lineage tracer dye. Each germinal band of the Helobdella embryo consists of five columns, or bandlets, of primary blast cells, designated as the mesodermal m bandlet and ectodermal n, o, p, and q bandlets. Primary blast cells of each ectodermal bandlet appear to undergo stereotyped, lineage-specific cell divisions. The metameric segmentation pattern of the leech thus appears to arise through a series of segmentally iterated, stereotyped cell divisions of serially homologous primary blast cell clones. Cell-cell interactions were studied by means of cell ablations. With one exception, blast cells underwent their stereotyped divisions without regard to the presence or absence of their normal neighbors. In the one exceptional case, o blast cells underwent divisions normally characteristic of p blast cells when their normal neighboring p bandlet was deleted. However, both o and p blast cells underwent their normal stereotyped divisions when their neighboring m, n, and q bandlets were deleted. It is proposed that the differential choice of pathway by the o and p blast cells depends upon their relative position with respect to each other and to a polarity cue external to the germinal band.
Electronic structure of graphite-alkali metal compounds

Abstract A theoretical model for the electronic structure of the graphite intercalation compounds based on the k z axis zone folding of the pristine graphite π-bands is applied to explain the experimental results obtained in magneto-reflection and in Shubnikov-deHaas experiments on donor compounds. The detailed fit to the observed Shubnikov-deHaas frequencies for stage 5 graphite-potassium supports the model and suggests that the dominant interactions that determine the Fermi surfaces are closely related to those involving the π-bands for pristine graphite.
Norms about nonresident fathers' obligations and rights

Abstract The new welfare reform law includes a number of provisions designed to increase the amount of child support paid by nonresident fathers, but little is known about whether stronger child support enforement may create parental conflict. Parental conflict may increase when fathers do not wish to pay or when fathers pay and demand more time with their child but mothers resist these demands. Using seven-city data from the study of Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing, we find that very few parents are opposed to the idea that fathers should have child support obligations and rights to see their child and make decisions about how their child is raised. We also find very few disagreements among couples. However, we do find that nearly 20 percent of mothers object to fathers' rights to make decisions among parents whose romantic relationships have ended. We also find weak evidence that tough enforcement increases the odds that mothers will object to fathers' rights.