cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leptin and leptin receptor genes in relation to premenopausal breast cancer incidence and grade in Caucasian women

Body mass is inversely related to breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. Leptin, an essential cytokine regulating food intake, energy expenditure, glucose, and fat metabolism may be part of the mechanistic pathway. We investigated 50 tagging and candidate SNPs in the leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes for associations with premenopausal breast cancer incidence using 405 cases and 810 controls nested within the Nurses’ Health Study II. We also examined associations between these SNPs and circulating leptin (among 910 women) and breast cancer grade (among 267 patients). Permutation tests were performed to adjust for multiple testing. We did not detect a significant association between SNPs in the LEP or LEPR gene and either breast cancer incidence or plasma leptin levels. Among cases, 14 SNPs of the LEPR gene were significantly associated with cancer grade, and rs1137101 (Q223R) survived multiple testing adjustment (adjusted P = 0.04). The G carriers of rs1137101 were more likely to have poorly differentiated than well-differentiated cancers. Our data suggest that common genetic variation in the LEP or LEPR gene has no strong association with premenopausal breast cancer risk. The LEPR gene might be associated with breast cancer grade.
248-nm lens materials: performance and durability issues in an industrial environment

The short wavelengths and high peak powers of rare gas-halide excimer lasers suggest many uses in industry. To exploit these opportunities, lasers must be developed that can operate reliably and economically at high repetition rates and high pulse energies, and optics must be fabricated that can withstand hundreds of millions or billions of laser shots without degradation. On the laser front, rapid progress is being made by several manufacturers. This talk focuses on the optics, in particular, transmissive optical materials for KrF laser applications. A variety of synthetic fused silicas were tested in front of an industrial KrF laser at high repetition rate (300 Hz) and moderate fluence (500 mJ/cm 2 ). All samples develop a characteristic absorption band at 210 nm in the early stages of the exposure. The absorption relaxes gradually after the laser is turned off. In almost every sample, this gradual behavior is followed by a large and sudden increase in the 248 nm absorption (up to 12% per cm). The nature, consequences, and possible causes of this `strong absorption transition' are discussed. Some data on high-purity single-crystal CaF 2 is included for comparison.
Purification and properties of a bacteriophage receptor material from Streptococcus faecium

Abstract Receptor material for phage P3 was isolated from lysozyme (EC 3.2.1.17)-produced spheroplasts of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 8043. The receptor material chemically resembles the cell wall. The receptor activity is destroyed by a number of proteolytic enzymes, and is sensitive to heat, acid, alkali, protein denaturants, and also to periodate. This behavior indicates that both protein and carbohydrate are required for receptor activity. The receptor material was solubilized from spheroplast extracts and partially purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Column chromatography and electron microscopic examination of isolated receptor material indicate that the material is heterogeneous. Electron micrographs of mixtures of phage and either semi-purified or purified receptor material show spherical particles, of various sizes, attached to the tips of the phage tails.
Oral absorption of β-lactams by intestinal peptide transport proteins

Abstract The oral β-lactams are an extremely well-absorbed class of antibiotics. They share a common uptake mechanism with small peptides for entry into the enterocyte and exit through the basolateral membrane. Transport proteins involved in the absorption of these antibiotics have been identified. Three strategies were employed to identify proteins important for the proton dependent uptake of β-lactams. First, a 127-kDa β-lactam transporter in rabbit intestinal brush border membranes was identified by photoaffinity labeling, protein purification and reconstitution. Second, an immunological approach resulted in the identification of HPT-1, a 120-kDa protein in apical membranes of human intestinal Caco-2 cells. The hpt-1 cDNA confers the ability to transport both cephalexin and bestatin in a proton-dependent fashion. Third, functional cloning of poly(A)+ RNA of rabbit intestine identified a PepT1 protein that cotransports protons with small peptides, β-lactams, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The kidney also expresses a transporter, PepT2, with high homology to PepT1. The expression and regulation of the intestinal transporters is reviewed. The usefulness of these transport proteins to the discovery of new oral therapeutics is discussed.
Reperfusion Versus Recanalization: The Winner Is…

See related article, p 1582. The terms reperfusion and recanalization are sometimes erroneously used interchangeably when referring to outcomes of thrombolytic or endovascular therapies. Recanalization and reperfusion are neither discrete nor static measures and although achieving one often implies the other has also occurred. Arterial obstructions and perfusion deficits can both evolve independently over time, in the early hours not only after stroke onset but also after therapeutic interventions. Distinguishing reperfusion from recanalization can be challenging in the clinical arena because currently available noninvasive measurements from multimodal computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have imperfect sensitivity and specificity. In this issue of Stroke , Cho et al1 address the question of whether reperfusion or recanalization is a better predictor of a variety of outcomes in patients with acute stroke. The authors observed that successful recanalization consistently led to reperfusion of the ischemic territory; however, recanalization was not a prerequisite for reperfusion. Their data support the premise that reperfusion is the more influential of the 2 parameters on both clinical and radiological outcomes. Cho et al analyzed a prospective database of patients with acute stroke studied with serial MR angiography, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and bolus contrast perfusion imaging, on admission and 3 hours later. Forty-six patients were eligible for their study. The median volume of tissue at risk (perfusion lesion with T max >6 seconds–DWI lesion) was 13 mL, which is modest compared …
Caffeine-induced synaptic potentiation in hippocampal CA2 neurons

Caffeine enhances cognition, but even high non-physiological doses have modest effects on synapses. A(1) adenosine receptors (A(1)Rs) are antagonized by caffeine and are most highly enriched in hippocampal CA2, which has not been studied in this context. We found that physiological doses of caffeine in vivo or A(1)R antagonists in vitro induced robust, long-lasting potentiation of synaptic transmission in rat CA2 without affecting other regions of the hippocampus.
Generalized consultation systems and knowledge acquisition

We are developing the technology to provide helpful. natural language-capable consultation systems for arbitrary domains. Our approach is to develop a "Domain Independent Retargetable Consultant" (DIRC). DIRC is essentially a kit that one will be able to convert into an intelligent, NL-capable consultant for any domain by supplying the appropriate knowledge. We are also developing the knowledge acquisition technology to support DIRC.
Processing psych verbs: Behavioural and MEG measures of two different types of semantic complexity

Many studies have addressed how linguistic complexity affects processing in online comprehension. However, little attention has been given to the relationship between different types of semantic complexity. We investigated two kinds of complexity that have previously been studied separately: coercion, where the meaning of a lexical item is shifted by context, and lexical semantic complexity, which describes the inherent semantic complexity of a lexical item. To compare their processing mechanisms, we used psychological verbs, which divide into two classes with different degrees of lexical semantic complexity, and also participate in a previously uninvestigated coercion, inchoative coercion. Using self-paced reading, we find a reading delay associated with both types of complexity, supporting theories that strongly connect representational complexity and processing. A subsequent magnetoencephalography study showed a distributed fronto-temporal effect around 300–500 ms for coercion but not for lexical seman...
Goodness-of-Fit Diagnostics for Bayesian Hierarchical Models

This article proposes methodology for assessing goodness of fit in Bayesian hierarchical models. The methodology is based on comparing values of pivotal discrepancy measures (PDMs), computed using parameter values drawn from the posterior distribution, to known reference distributions. Because the resulting diagnostics can be calculated from standard output of Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms, their computational costs are minimal. Several simulation studies are provided, each of which suggests that diagnostics based on PDMs have higher statistical power than comparable posterior-predictive diagnostic checks in detecting model departures. The proposed methodology is illustrated in a clinical application; an application to discrete data is described in supplementary material.
Large Eddy Simulation and Noise Prediction of Turbulent Swirling Jets

Large eddy simulations of noise radiation from a Mach 0.9 non-swirling jet and two Mach 0.9 swirling jets with swirl ratios 0.2 and 0.4, respectively, are conducted on a computational domain including both the aerodynamic near-field and a portion of the acoustic far-field. For comparison purposes, Kirchhoff’s method is also used to predict the far-field sound. The dynamic Smagorinsky model is used for subgrid-scale stresses. A sixth-order compact finite-difference scheme is used to discretize axial and radial spatial derivatives and a Fourier spectral method is used to discretize azimuthal spatial derivatives in the governing equations. A standard explicit fourth-order Runge-Kutta scheme is used for time advancement. An eighth-order tri-diagonal filter is used to damp high-frequency spurious waves. Nonreflecting characteristic boundary conditions are used with inflow and outflow buffer zones to damp acoustic reflections at the boundaries. The predicted near-field flow statistics and far-field sound of the Mach 0.9 non-swirling jet are in good agreement with experimental data, except that the high-frequency portion of the noise spectra is much lower than experimental data. The predicted near-field flow statistics for the SR = 0.2 swirling jet are also in good agreement with available experimental data. For the two swirling jets with swirl ratios 0.2 and 0.4, the predicted results show that swirl increases the high-frequency components of the noise and increases the OASPL at high angles. This agrees with previous experimental and numerical studies. The increase of low-frequency components of the noise does not agree with some previous studies and needs to be further investigated.
Photoconductivity effects in CuInS2, CuInSe2 and CuInTe2 thin films

Photoconductivity response spectra for CuInS2, CuInSe2 and CuInTe2 thin films are reported. The temperature dependences of the spectra are utilized to determine the bandgap energies as functions of temperature. Photoconductive response times are measured for these I–III–VI2 ternary semiconductors and are discussed in terms of deposition parameters and post-deposition treatments. The photoconductive decay times are in the range 10-3 – 101 ms.
Evidence of phase separation in amorphous FexSi1−x films

Abstract Anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering studies of magnetron sputtered Fe x Si 1- x alloys (0.044 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.54) have been performed. For films with compositions between 4.4 and 23 at.% Fe, there is a strong, anisotropic small-angle scattering maximum that is dependent on the X-ray energy near the Fe K-edge. Based on the similarity of these results with those reported for amorphous M-Ge (M = Fe, Mo, W) alloys and on the observations reported in the present paper, the Si atoms are most likely distributed homogeneously. The scattering results from an inhomogeneous distribution of Fe atoms. Density calculations indicate phase separation into regions of a-Si and an intermetallic close in composition to a-FeSi 2 , consistent with the disappearance of this scattering maximum for x ⩾ 0.34. Analysis of the scattering in terms of correlation functions indicates that the phase-separated regions are well correlated in the film plane and of the order of 0.6 nm. In the growth direction, however, the regions are poorly correlated and typically 1 nm in size. The metal/insulator transition, which occurs in a composition range in which phase separation is observed, thus apparently results from the percolation of metallic a-FeSi 2 in a-Si and not from a continuous, homogeneous structural transition from an open network to a dense intermetallic structure.
Picosecond Laser Micromachining of Ultra-Hard AlMgB14 Thin Films

Ultra-hard AlMgB14 (30-50 GPa) thin films were deposited on silicon substrate for a nominal thickness of 100 nm using a pulsed excimer laser and then subjected to direct micromachining using a 532 nm, 30 picosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The application is targeted towards synthesizing an artificial nacre material composed of hexagonal bricks and particle bridges of superhard AlMgB14 thin film and mortars of Ti thin film that biomimic the hierarchical architecture of natural nacre. The effects of pulse energy (0.1 to 1 μJ) and laser scanning speed (0.5 to 1.5 m/sec) on ablation depth and quality of scribed channels were evaluated. The morphology of the channels was characterized using confocal microscope and optical profilometer. Results indicated a clean material removal process characterized by absence of heat affected zone, high-speed scribing and small feature size. The energy fluence for the removal of 100 nm thin film without affecting the silicon substrate was 0.3 J/cm2. An interesting observation is that particulate matter present in the thin film was not ablated suggesting a size effect. Analysis of thermal transport reveals that the material removal has occurred via spallation and phase explosion mechanisms. The picosecond laser thus offers a high-speed energy source for precisely ablating ultra-hard thin films that in turn will allow the potential for fabrication of novel artificial nacre with exceptional strength and toughness.
Is There Empirical Evidence That Charter Schools "Push Out" Low-Performing Students?.

A major concern among opponents to charter schools is whether these schools will serve all students. Some have raised concerns that charter schools will “push out” low-achieving students in hopes o...
P3B and Positive Slow Wave following Real and Dummy Feedback on Arithmetic Rule-Learning and Perceptuomotor Tasks

Event-related Potentials (ERPs) were recorded to feedback during a cognitively demanding, arithmetic rule-learning task and a relatively simple, skill-oriented, perceptuomotor task. For both tasks, a compound feedback display was employed. It consisted of numeric feedback information presented simultaneously with a red or green light (50% each) which indicated whether the numeric information was real (valid) or dummy (invalid). The task and feedback-validity manipulations showed a functional dissociation between the P3b (350–450 msec.) and a Positive Slow Wave (600–900 msec.). P3b was larger for real than for dummy feedback; Positive Slow Wave was larger for rule-learning than for perceptuomotor tasks.
Inhibition of Net Nitrate Uptake by Ammonium in Pima and Acala Cotton Roots

This study was conducted to determine whether the inhibition of net NO 3 - uptake by NH 4 + in cotton roots is due to inhibition of NO 3 - influx per se, and/or enhancement of efflux. Two cotton species, Pima (Gossypium barbadense L.) and Acala (G. hirsutum L.), which differ in NO3 influx and efflux, were used. Seedlings were grown hydroponically for 10 to 11 d and then induced for NO 3 - uptake with 0.01, 0.10, or 1.0 mM NO 3 - , Net uptake was determined by following NO 3 - depletion from uptake solutions, containing 0.1 mM NO 3 - in the presence or absence of 10 mM NH 4 + . Roots induced with 0.01 mM NO 3 - contained only 5 to 6 μmol NO 3 - g -1 fresh weight (FW) after the induction treatment. In these roots, net NO 3 - uptake was equivalent to influx, and was not inhibited by NH 4 + . Roots induced with 0.1 mM NO 3 - contained 36 to 38 μmol NO 3 - g -1 FW, and NH 4 + inhibited net NO 3 - uptake albeit after a lag of =12 min. In contrast, roots induced with 1.0 mM NO 3 - contained 65 μmol NO 3 - g -1 FW, and NH 4 + immediately inhibited net uptake. Exposure to NH 4 + increased NO 3 - efflux by both species. At similar root NO 3 - concentrations, NH 4 + inhibited net NO 3 - uptake and stimulated efflux more in Pima than in Acala cotton. These results indicate that the response of both cotton species to NH 4 + is dependent upon root NO 3 - concentration, and supports the argument that NH 4 + has little effect on NO 3 - influx, but inhibits net uptake by stimulating efflux.
Local effect for (5-3H)cytosine decays: production of a chemical product with possible mutagenic consequences.

Abstract Purified bacterial DNA containing [2-14C, 5-3H]cytosine was stored at −196 °C to accumulate tritium decays. At various storage times samples were analyzed by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography, following hydrolysis of the DNA. The major product detected as a function of an increasing number of tritium decays was uracil, which was formed with an efficiency of 28% per tritium decay. Uracil possesses the genetic coding properties of thymine and, therefore, would account for the high efficiency of C → T transitions previously reported in mutagenesis studies employing [5-3H]cytosine. A possible reaction mechanism leading to the formation of uracil from [5-3H]cytosine decay is presented.
Gravity signatures and geometric configurations of some Oliverian plutons: Their relation to Acadian structures

Oliverian plutons in west-central New Hampshire consist of Upper Ordovician mantled gneiss domes along the axis of the Bronson Hill anticlinorium, as well as other stocks farther west. All are intrusive into Middle Ordovician volcanic and metasedimentary rocks, but have been remobilized and have acquired their gneissic foliations during the late stages of the Early-Middle Devonian Acadian orogeny. Gravity studies are used to demonstrate that the Moody Ledge, Owls Head, and Baker Pond domes are irregularly shaped flat plutons with maximum thicknesses of 2.5 km. The Croydon dome, 4.2 km thick, is probably of laccolithic shape. The largest dome surveyed, the Mascoma, is mushroom shaped, with a stem extending to a depth of at least 4.5 km. The coeval Lebanon pluton west of the domes is a discordant north-northwest-plunging stock intrusive into a higher stratigraphic level (the Partridge volcanics), and extends to a depth of 8.5 km. It is bordered on the southeast, south, and west by the Cornish nappe, which is overfolded toward the west in the area south of the pluton, but is backfolded toward the east in a large region west and north of the stock. An oval outcrop area in the Mount Cube quadrangle resembles the surface outcrop of a subjacent Oliverian dome, but cannot be, because it lacks the appropriate gravity field. The Devonian Fairlee quartz monzonite is shown to be rootless, in accordance with the fact that Ammonoosuc normal fault passes beneath it, slightly below ground level. A subsurface (Devonian?) granitic stock occurs a short distance to the south. The Devonian Indian Pond pluton of Bethlehem gneiss in the Mount Cube quadrangle is also shown to be rootless, in agreement with its inferred structural position inside a nappe which has been overfolded from east to west, and just touches the present Earth9s surface. Recent pressure-temperature-time ( P-T-t ) metamorphic studies in western New Hampshire have led to proposals that there is a series of nested thrust plates involving the Bronson Hill and adjacent terranes. The possibility arises that the Oliverian domes may be allochthonous. However, nothing in the mapped geology, the geophysics, or the geochronology supports this hypothesis. We conclude that the basement below the Oliverian granites in western New Hampshire is likely to consist of metamorphic formations of Cambrian-Ordovician age.
Microstructural stability of stressed lamellar and fiber composites

Abstract Microstructural stability can be modified by the presence of internal or applied stresses. We employ a linear stability analysis to examine the effect of stresses on the interface diffusion controlled morphological stability of lamellar (plate-like) and fibrous (rod-like phase) eutectic microstructures. These stresses can be either due to misfit strains and/or externally applied loads. For misfitting plates, the nominally flat plate-matrix interface is unstable with respect to the growth of perturbations with wavelengths greater than a critical wavelength, provided that the plates are elastically stiffer than the surrounding matrix. In contrast, for stresses generated by externally applied loads, the flat plate-matrix interface is always unstable as long as the plate modulus and the matrix modulus are different. In addition, the present analysis shows that misfit strains can either counteract or enhance the destabilizing influence of applied loads, depending on the elastic properties of the plate and the matrix and the volume fraction of the two phases. For misfitting rods, the nominally cylindrical rod-matrix interface in an isotropic matrix is unstable with or without elastic effects. However, the elastic effects can decrease (increase) the maximally unstable wavelength over that predicted by curvature effects alone provided that the rods are elastically stiffer (softer) than the surrounding matrix. Stresses generated by externally applied loads, on the other hand, always lead to a decrease in the instability wavelength compared with the Rayleigh instability wavelength. Stability diagrams are presented which identify the material properties and operating conditions required to maintain a stable interface in these eutectic microstructures. © 1997 Acta Metallurgica Inc .
Superconductivity up to 8.9 K in two-layer RNi1-xCuxBC (R = Y, Lu).

In the class of intermetallic compounds of general formula (RC${)}_{\mathit{m}}$(TB${)}_{\mathit{n}}$ (R= rare earth, T= transition metal), superconductivity has been reported in several of the single RC layer (m=1 and n=2) compounds, but only in one two-layer (m=2, n=2) system [${\mathrm{LuNi}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$(Cu/V${)}_{\mathit{x}}$BC]. We report here the observation of superconductivity in a further two-layer compound ${\mathrm{YNi}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$BC with ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ as high as 8.9 K. The corresponding ${\mathrm{LuNi}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{\mathit{x}}$BC system shows an enhancement of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ up to 6.4 K upon Cu substitution. The principal structural effect of substitution in both systems is an expansion of the tetragonal lattice along the c axis. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Assessment of (U-Th)/He thermochronometry: The low-temperature history of the San Jacinto mountains, California

(U-Th)/He ages have been measured on igneous apatites from the San Jacinto mountains, a high region at the junction of the Peninsular and Transverse Ranges, to investigate the potential of this technique for thermochronometry of slowly cooled rocks. Helium ages from 79 to 17 Ma are younger than ages obtained by other dating techniques, including apatite fission-track counting, and are consistent with laboratory experiments that indicate this system has a uniquely low closure temperature. Helium ages are strongly correlated with elevation and record the latest low-temperature thermal evolution of the range. They suggest relative tectonic quiescence in the latest Cretaceous through mid-Tertiary and provide no evidence for rapid unroofing of the block during this period. Nor do they obviously require a large degree of uplift associated with convergence between the Transverse and Peninsular ranges in the last few million years. Helium ages document modest westward tilting of the block (∼7°) and a significant vertical component of motion on the block's bounding faults after helium retention began. This work suggests that apatite helium ages record low-temperature tectonic and thermal histories that are not apparent from other dating techniques.
Crosstalk characterization in photodiode detector array using a 1-μm optical scanning spot laser beam

A non-contact, accurate measurement technique to characterize cross talk in Si infrared photodiode detector arrays using a scanning laser beam of 1-micrometers in spot size is presented.
An interactive keyboard for man-computer communication

With the advent of time-sharing and remote terminals, people who have little or no programming experience are becoming computer users. One of the reasons these people have been attracted to using time-sharing computers is that the programming languages available have been made relatively simple and easy to use. BASIC is an example of the type of language that has become popular in the time-sharing community. Other languages have been developed for such fields as numerical control. Languages such as these which have been developed using terminology and syntax which are consistent with the terminology and syntax of a given field of interest are called natural languages.
Beyond Baron and Kenny: Statistical Mediation Analysis in the New Millennium

Understanding communication processes is the goal of most communication researchers. Rarely are we satisfied merely ascertaining whether messages have an effect on some outcome of focus in a specif...
Asymptotically optimal estimation for the reduced second moment measure of point processes

SUMMARY A modification of the rigid motion correction estimator for the reduced second moment measure of a stationary, isotropic point process is shown to possess an asymptotic optimality property as the observation region grows. Furthermore, a modification of the translation correction estimator for stationary, anisotropic point processes has a similar defined as K(t) = A-'E(number of other points within t of x |point at x), where t> 0, xe Rd. For a stationary Poisson process in two dimensions, K(t) = Xt', so deviations of K (t) from irt2 are one way of describing deviations from the Poisson model. To estimate K(t) based on observing N(.) in some bounded region A c Rd, we need to account for the fact that for points within t of the boundary of A, we do not get to observe the number of other points within t of them. Ripley (1988, Ch. 3) and Stein (1991) describe various estimators that correct for this edge effect. While the estimator suggested by Stein (1991) appears to work fairly well, its motivation is somewhat ad hoc. This paper describes how to construct an estimator motivated more clearly by the goal of attempting to minimize the mean squared error of the estimator when N(.) is Poisson subject to an unbiasedness constraint. Furthermore, among a large class of estimators, the estimator developed here is proven to come very close to minimizing the mean squared error when A is large and N(.) is Poisson. The estimator is obtained by applying the Haijek Projection Lemma (Hajek, 1968, Lemma 4.1) to the rigid motion correction due to Miles (1974) and Ohser & Stoyan (1981). The same approach also works for stationary but possibly anisotropic processes, in which case the recommended estimator is obtained by applying the Hajek Projection Lemma to the translation correction due to Ohser & Stoyan (1981).
Erratum to: The Consequences of Tariff Reduction for Economic Activity and Inequality

The recent increase in trade liberalization has had substantial distributional consequences, although the direction of the relationship and the mechanism driving it has been open to debate. This paper analyzes the impact of tariff reductions on the dynamics of wealth and income inequality in a growing economy in which agents accumulate both physical capital and international bonds. Our study, which comprises a combination of formal analysis, supplemented with numerical simulations, suggests that in the long run the tariff reduction will be expansionary and be associated with both a permanent reduction in wealth inequality but an increase in income inequality, the magnitudes of which depend upon the speed with which the tariff reduction is implemented.
Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World

Chilies to Chocolate: Food the Americas Gave the World. NELSON FOSTER and LINDA S. CORDELL (editors). Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1992. xx+ 191 pp. $13.95 (paper). ISBN 0–8165–1324–4
Online higher education commodity

This article analyzes the current trend towards online education. It examines some of the reasons for the trend and the ramifications it may have on students, faculty and institutions of higher learning. The success and profitability of online programs and institutions such as the University of Phoenix has helped to make the move towards online education more appealing to other institutions, as well as, helped to change how online education is viewed by the public. Reasons such as cost, accessibility and flexibility are often presented as motivations for why many students and institutions use online learning. However, the reasons behind the movement towards more online learning may be more motivated by capitalistic ideals associated with an ever increasingly knowledge-based economy than that of providing quality and more accessible education. The movement towards more online learning coupled with the increased corporatization of higher education may be helping to contribute to the commodification of knowledge and the changing role of institutions and education itself. Thus potentially leading to a state in which education is further transformed into a commodity, students becoming more like consumers, faculty into entrepreneurs, and institutions of higher learning into storefronts for knowledge.
Radiation pressure-driven shocks in winds from hot stars

The dynamical theory of radiation-pressure-driven shocks in winds from early-type stars is outlined. After the principal parameters needed for a description of these shocks are isolated (speeds relative to incoming material and their column densities), the shocks' principal properties as functions of these parameters are estimated. The special case of time-steady shocks is examined, and calculations are given for density, ionization state, temperature, and flow velocity as functions of position; also calculated are X-ray emissivity, UV line emissivity, and total radiation force as functions of shock velocity and postshock column density.
Le Noeud de vipères ou Les destinations d'un récit

Roman mauriacien modele, Le Noeud de viperes est aussi une etude sur les destinations d'un recit et sur leurs consequences. Incapable de s'exprimer autrement que par l'ecriture, Louis, le protagoniste, compose un texte qui prend tour a tour les allures d'un requisitoire, d'une confession, d'une recherche. Mais tout en l'ecrivant, le heros ne sait au juste a qui l'adresser et il change a plusieurs reprises de destinataire. Son discours ne va pas sans se nourrir de ce va-et-vient perpetuel entre differentes destinations possibles: he texte de lettre devient journal puis tend a prendre la forme d'une histoire, d'un simple recit. De plus, he ton adopte, les situations presentees, les details rapportes varient selon le lecteur envisage. Surtout, les hesitations de Louis quand a son destinataire illuminent le chemin qui mene a la conclusion du roman: desesperant de trouver un lecteur humain qui le comprenne, Louis finit par se rendre compte que Dieu seul peut depasser les apparences et lire en lui la verite. Mais Dieu lit au-dela d'un texte, Dieu n'a pas besoin de texte. Louis peut s'arreter d'ecrire. II meurt. Mais c'est pour renaitre: il a decouvert le lecteur eternel.
Pseudospectral solution of atmospheric diffusion problems

Abstract The pseudospectral method is applied to the solution of advection/diffusion problems arising from the dispersion of contaminants in the atmosphere. Two techniques are developed for the pseudospectral treatment of nonperiodic boundary conditions that typically exist in such problems. Calculations using the two forms of the pseudospectral method are presented for the dispersion of a contaminant emitted from an elevated, crosswind line source in the atmosphere. The results indicate that pseudospectral methods offer a promising alternative to finite-difference methods for such problems.
Evaluation of 2-Dodecylcyclobutanone as an Irradiation Dose Indicator in Fresh Irradiated Ground Beef

Alkylcyclobutanones (2-ACBs) are radiolytic products formed when fatty acids are irradiated. These cyclobutanones are unique irradiation byproducts and therefore may serve as indicators of irradiation exposure. As only limited information exists about 2-ACB formation in retail meat products, reliable methods that can quantify 2-ACBs and thus estimate irradiation dose in commercial meat products are desired. The cyclobutanone studied in this experiment was 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB), which is formed from palmitic acid. The formation of 2-DCB was evaluated in fresh irradiated ground beef patties at two fat levels. Patties containing 15% and 25% fat were irradiated by electron beam at 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.5 kGy. Commercially available 1-lb irradiated ground beef chubs with different fat levels were analyzed in order to estimate dose absorbed by these samples. The 2-DCB was extracted using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and was detected in all the irradiated samples. The concentration of 2-DCB increased linearly with dose with R2 = 0.9646 for 25% fat samples and R2 = 0.9444 for 15% fat samples. Further, there was no significant difference in 2-DCB concentrations between the two fat levels. The estimated doses applied to the commercial samples ranged between 1.38 and 1.55 kGy, values consistent with doses normally used in the industry (1.0-2.0 kGy). Our results show that 2-DCB can be used to monitor fresh irradiated beef and approximate the absorbed dose.
Two sequential nonparametric detection procedures

In this paper, two sequential detection techniques are described. Most of the expressions are derived under the assumption that one of two antipodal equally probable signals corrupted by an additive, zero-mean symmetrically distributed noise is present at the input to the detector. Without too much difficulty the results can be generalized to include non-antipodal signals and asymmetric noise distributions. The proposed detection procedures preserve the desirable robust properties of nonparametric detection procedures while retaining the basic advantages of sequential procedures.
A High Frequency Dielectric Waveguide on the Antennae of Night-Flying Moths (Saturnidae)

When spines on the scape and pedicel of two species of saturnid moths were irradiated with visible coherent (6328 A) and incoherent radiation, the sensors responded to the light by sending a biphasic nerve impulse down the entire length of the central antennal nerve. The biphasic action potential apparently gates the antennae and prevents the moth from responding to environmental signals during daylight.
Characterization of immortalized MARCO and SR-AI/II-deficient murine alveolar macrophage cell lines.

Background: Alveolar macrophages (AM) avidly bind and ingest unopsonized inhaled particles and bacteria through class A scavenger receptors (SRAs) MARCO and SR-AI/II. Studies to characterize the function of these SRAs have used AMs from MARCO or SR-AI/II null mice, but this approach is limited by the relatively low yield of AMs. Moreover, studies using both MARCO and SR-AI/IIdeficient (MS -/- ) mice have not been reported yet. Hence, we sought to develop continuous cell lines from primary alveolar macrophages from MS -/- mice. Results: We used in vitro infection of the primary AMs with the J2 retrovirus carrying the v-raf and v-myc oncogenes. Following initial isolation in media supplemented with murine macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), we subcloned three AM cell lines, designated ZK-1, ZK-2 and ZK-6. These cell lines grow well in RPMI-1640-10% FBS in the absence of M-CSF. These adherent but trypsin-sensitive cell lines have a doubling time of approximately 14 hours, exhibit typical macrophage morphology, and express macrophage-associated cell surface Mac-1 (CD11b) and F4/ 80 antigens. The cell lines show robust Fc-receptor dependent phagocytosis of opsonized red blood cells. Similar to freshly isolated AMs from MS -/- mice, the cell lines exhibit decreased phagocytosis of unopsonized titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), fluorescent latex beads and bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) compared with the primary AMs from wild type (WT) C57BL/6 mice. Conclusion: Our results indicated that three contiguous murine alveolar macrophage cell lines with MS -/- (ZK1, ZK2 and ZK6) were established successfully. These cell lines demonstrated macrophage morphology and functional activity. Interestingly, similar to freshly isolated AMs from MS-/- mice, the cell lines have a reduced, but not absent, ability to bind and ingest particles, with an altered pattern of blockade by scavenger receptor inhibitors. These cell lines will facilitate in vitro studies to further define MARCO and SR-AI/II function, and may also be useful to identify other novel scavenger-type macrophage receptors and for additional studies of particle toxicology.
Multi-Aspect Target Classification and Detection via the Infinite Hidden Markov Model

A new multi-aspect target detection method is presented based on the infinite hidden Markov model (iHMM). The scattering of waves from multiple targets is modeled as an iHMM with the number of underlying states treated as infinite, from which a full posterior distribution on the number of states associated with the targets is inferred and the target-dependent states are learned collectively. A set of Dirichlet processes (DPs) are used to define the rows of the HMM transition matrix and these DPs are linked and shared via a hierarchical Dirichlet process (HDP). Learning and inference for the iHMM are based on an effective Gibbs sampler. The framework is demonstrated using measured acoustic scattering data.
Efficient dependency tracking for relevant events in shared-memory systems

In a concurrent system with N processes, vector clocks of size N are used for tracking dependencies between the events. Using vectors of size N leads to scalability problems. Moreover, association of components with processes makes vector clocks cumbersome and inefficient for systems with a dynamic number of processes. We present a class of logical clock algorithms, called chain clock, for tracking dependencies between relevant events based on generalizing a process to any chain in the computation poset. Chain clocks are generally able to track dependencies using fewer than N components and also adapt automatically to systems with dynamic number of processes. We compared the performance of Dynamic Chain Clock (DCC) with vector clock for multithreaded programs in Java. With 1% of total events being relevant events, DCC requires 10 times fewer components than vector clock and the timestamp traces are smaller by a factor of 100. Although DCC requires shared data structures, it is still 10 times faster than vector clock in our experiments.
Flowering and determinacy in maize

All plant organs are produced by meristems, groups of stem cells located in the tips of roots and shoots. Indeterminate meristems make an indefinite number of organs, whereas determinate meristems are consumed after making a specific number of organs. Maize is an ideal system to study the genetic control of meristem fate because of the contribution from determinate and indeterminate meristems to the overall inflorescence. Here, the latest work on meristem maintenance and organ specification in maize is reviewed. Genetic networks, such as the CLAVATA components of meristem maintenance and the ABC programme of flower development, are conserved between grasses and eudicots. Maize and rice appear to have conserved mechanisms of meristem maintenance and organ identity. Other pathways, such as sex determination, are likely to be found only in maize with its separate male and female flowers. A rich genetic history has resulted in a large collection of maize mutants. The advent of genomic tools and synteny across the grasses now permits the isolation of the genes behind inflorescence architecture and the ability to compare function across the Angiosperms.
CT directed diagnostic and therapeutic pericardiocentesis: 8-year experience at a single institution

A retrospective review of the 8-year experience at a single institution performing more than 300 CT directed pericardiocenteses was performed. The technique, results, and complications were determined. Comparative data from the literature relating to cardiology and thoracic surgery are reviewed. A CPT code data base search was performed to identify all imaging directed pericardiocenteses at a 550 bed regional medical center between 1993 and 2001. Medical records, imaging studies, and reports as well as pertinent laboratory, chemistry and hematology values were reviewed. Demographics, results, fluid analyses, techniques, systems used and complications were recorded. Results: Three hundred and nineteen pericardiocenteses using CT localization were attempted on 261 patients. One hundred and forty-two men were included and mean age was 61 years (range 6 months to 89 years). Mean volume aspirated was 418 cc (range 0–1,875 cc). The major complication rate was 0.3%; the minor complication rate was 6.9%. Technical success was achieved in 98.4% procedures. Emergent pericardiocentesis was performed on anticoagulated patients without significant bleeding. Seventy-nine percent of patients with echocardiographic evidence of tamponade had symptomatic improvement. Patients with marked shortness of breath without other evidence of tamponade benefited symptomatically in 78%. Pericardiocenteses with CT localization is relatively safe and many patients achieve symptomatic relief.
A better method to measure total calcium in biological samples yields immediate payoffs

The calcium ion is the most universal and widely studied vector of chemical signals in living cells. Its presence and dynamic distribution in diverse organelles are associated with various functions, which include controlling protein expression and activity in response to functional demands. Calcium
Performance Evaluation of Congestion-Aware Routing with DVFS on a Millimeter-Wave Small-World Wireless NoC

The mm-wave small-world wireless NoC (mSWNoC) has emerged as an enabling interconnection infrastructure for designing high-bandwidth and energy-efficient multicore chips. In this mSWNoC architecture, long-range communication predominately takes place through the wireless shortcuts operating in the range of 10--100GHz, whereas short-range data exchange occurs through conventional metal wires. This results in performance advantages (lower latency and energy dissipation), mainly stemming from using the wireless links as long-range shortcuts between far-apart cores. The performance gain introduced by the wireless channels can be enhanced further if the wireline links of the mSWNoC are optimized according to the traffic patterns arising out of the application workloads. While there is significant energy savings, and hence temperature reduction, in the network due to the mSWNoC architecture, a load-imbalanced network is still susceptible to local temperature hotspots. In this work, we demonstrate that by incorporating congestion-avoidance routing with network-level dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) in an mSWNoC, the power and thermal profiles can be improved without a significant impact on the overall network performance. In this work, we demonstrate how novel interconnect architectures enabled by the on-chip wireless links coupled with power management strategies can improve the energy and thermal characteristics of an mSWNoC significantly without introducing any performance degradation with respect to the conventional mesh-based NoC.
Tuning magnet power supply

The particles in a rapid cycling accelerator are accelerated by RF cavities, which are tuned by DC-biased ferrite cores. The tuning is achieved by the regulation of bias current, which is produced by a power supply. The tuning magnet power supply utilizes a bridge circuit, supplied by a three-phase rectifier. During the rise of the current, when the particles are accelerated, the current is controlled with precision by the bridge which operates as a power amplifier. During the fall of the current, the bridge operates in a switching mode and recovers the energy stored in the ferrites. The recovered energy is stored in a capacitor bank. The bridge circuit is built with 150 power transistors. The drive, protection, and control circuit were designed and built from commercial components. The system will be used for an RF cavity experiment in Los Alamos and will serve as a prototype tuning power supply for future accelerators. >
Biomimetic di-manganese catalyst cage-isolated in a MOF: robust catalyst for water oxidation with Ce(IV), a non-O-donating oxidant

A biomimetic di-Mn catalyst catalyzes water oxidation with (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 for >7 days with initial TOF of 40 h−1. Isolation of one molecule of catalyst in each pore of a Cr-based MOF prevents decomposition of the catalyst and allows sustained water oxidation even at pH 1.00.
The Complexity of Practice: Participant Observation and Values Engagement in a Responsive Evaluation of a Professional Development School Partnership

All social and professional practices are historically situated, evolving forms of acting and interacting. Evaluation, as a practice, is shaped by and shapes the practice evaluated. This article co...
The Stability of Pore Channels: Experimental Observations

Micrographic evidence is presented suggesting that perturbation phenomena of the type described by Rayleigh and others may play a role in the development of closed pores in powder compacts undergoing densification. Several difficulties in applying the thermodynamic and kinetic analyses based on cylindrical pore geometries are discussed.
An Electronic Portfolio for the ACTFL/NCATE Teacher Program Standards in the Second Language Methods Course 1

: With the publication of the ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers in the fall of 2002, teacher preparation programs need to rethink the process of gathering materials that best represent the abilities of the teacher candidates they are training. This article discusses how one foreign language program has piloted an archival process that requires students to produce a CD-ROM as part of the second language methods course. The CD-ROM will become a part of the total package presented during a NCATE accreditation review. Although the creation of the CD-ROM is ultimately for institutional review of its foreign language teacher education program, it has also led to interactions among the foreign language faculty about the shared responsibility for the preparation of teachers. Raising the bar for teacher candidates can only energize faculty to revisit expectations for all foreign language students. When all faculty members realize that they are charged with graduating better-educated teacher candidates, the ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards will have accomplished far more than institutional accreditation.