cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the effects of urbanization age on the morphology of low-order urban streams in the U.S. southern Piedmont

We used space-for-time substitution, correlation, and regression analyses to study the effects of urbanization age on stream channel variables from 19 low-order urban watersheds in the southern Pie...
Singularity preserving Galerkin method for Hammerstein equations with logarithmic kernel

In a recent paper [3], Cao and Xu established the Galerkin method for weakly singular Fredholm integral equations that preserves the singularity of the solution. Their Galerkin method provides a numerical solution that is a linear combination of a certain class of basis functions which includes elements that reflect the singularity of the solution. The purpose of this paper is to extend the result of Cao and Xu and to establish the singularity preserving Galerkin method for Hammerstein equations with logarithmic kernel. The iterated singularity preserving Galerkin method is also discussed.
Discrete element modeling of grain crushing and implications on reservoir compaction

Abstract Depletion-induced formation compaction is a concern for production in hydrocarbon reservoirs. In this study, numerical mechanical tests and digital samples are proposed as an alternative to uniaxial strain experiments for investigating the effects of compaction. We propose a grain crushing model with two-sized subgrains based on the discrete element method and bonded-particle model (DEM-BPM) and perform numerical single grain crushing tests to calibrate the model parameters against the experimental sand grain characteristic strength. Numerical uniaxial strain tests are used to predict porosity and permeability reduction caused by reservoir compaction. Grain crushing incurs a significant reduction of porosity under the uniaxial strain stress path, which becomes more evident for digital samples consisting of larger grains. The stress-dependent changes in porosity and permeability obtained from the DEM simulations can be used as inputs for a reservoir-scale correlation to predict the productivity loss due to reservoir compaction.
Visualizing inference

Graphical visualization has demonstrated enormous power in helping people to understand complexity in many branches of science. But, curiously, AI has been slow to pick up on the power of visualization. Alar is a visualization system intended to help people understand and control symbolic inference. Alar presents dynamically controllable node-and-arc graphs of concepts, and of assertions both supplied to the system and inferred. Alar is useful in quality assurance of knowledge bases (finding false, vague, or misleading statements; or missing assertions). It is also useful in tuning parameters of inference, especially how "liberal vs. conservative" the inference is (trading off the desire to maximize the power of inference versus the risk of making incorrect inferences). We present a typical scenario of using Alar to debug a knowledge base.
Photovoices of Urban Educational Leadership Students Abroad in Peru

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of educational leadership graduate students who participated in a short term study abroad program in Peru. We analyzed assignments submitted for course credit, including a total of 144 photos and 107 corresponding reflections submitted as part of the photovoice assignment. Analysis revealed that the study abroad was a transformative experience . Students drew upon their own professional experiences to make sense of their educational experiences overseas . Their experience in Peru gave them a window into the wor ld of so many students in their U S schools what it is like to be a racial and language minority enriching and informing their perspectives as educators and future educational leaders. Instructors in study abroad courses may seek a balance between th e analytical const raints of applied heuristics with the freedom that photovoice promises.
Modernism and World Art, 1950–72

Focusing on a series of exhibitions of modern art from the 1950s to the early 1970s, this article traces the frictions between two related, yet separate endeavors during the first postwar decades: ...
Comparative DNA methylomic analyses reveal potential origins of novel epigenetic biomarkers of insulin resistance in monocytes from virally suppressed HIV-infected adults.

Compared to healthy individuals, those with stably repressed HIV experience a higher risk of developing insulin resistance, a hallmark of pre-diabetes and a major determinant for cardiometabolic diseases. Although epigenetic processes, including in particular DNA methylation, appear to be dysregulated in individuals with insulin resistance, little is known about where these occur in the genomes of immune cells and the origins of these alterations in HIV-infected individuals. Here, we examined the genome-wide DNA methylation states of monocytes in HIV-infected individuals (n = 37) with varying levels of insulin sensitivity measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). By profiling DNA methylation at single-nucleotide resolution using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip in monocytes from insulin-resistant (IR; HOMA-IR ≥ 2.0; n = 14) and insulin-sensitive (IS; HOMA-IR < 2.0; n = 23) individuals, we identified 123 CpGs with significantly different DNA methylation levels. These CpGs were enriched at genes involved in pathways relating to glucose metabolism, immune activation, and insulin-relevant signaling, with the majority (86.2%) being hypomethylated in IR relative to IS individuals. Using a stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis, we observed 4 CpGs (cg27655935, cg02000426, cg10184328, and cg23085143) whose methylation levels independently predicted the insulin-resistant state at a higher confidence than that of clinical risk factors typically associated with insulin resistance (i.e., fasting glucose, 120-min oral glucose tolerance test, Framingham Risk Score, and Total to HDL cholesterol ratio). Interestingly, 79 of the 123 CpGs (64%) exhibited remarkably similar levels of methylation as that of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in monocytes from IR individuals, implicating epigenetic defects in myeloid differentiation as a possible origin for the methylation landscape underlying the insulin resistance phenotype. In support of this, gene ontology analysis of these 79 CpGs revealed overrepresentation of these CpGs at genes relevant to HSC function, including involvement in stem cell pluripotency, differentiation, and Wnt signaling pathways. Altogether, our data suggests a possible role for DNA methylation in regulating monocyte activity that may associate with the insulin-resistant phenotype. The methylomic landscape of insulin resistance in monocytes could originate from epigenetic dysregulation during HSC differentiation through the myeloid lineage. Understanding the factors involved with changes in the myeloid trajectory may provide further insight into the development of insulin resistance. Furthermore, regulation of specific genes that were implicated in our analysis reveal possible targets for modulating immune activity to ameliorate insulin resistance.
Differences in price of flavoured and non-flavoured tobacco products sold in the USA, 2011–2016

Background Limited data exist on whether there is differential pricing of flavoured and non-flavoured varieties of the same product type. We assessed price of tobacco products by flavour type. Methods Retail scanner data from Nielsen were obtained for October 2011 to January 2016. Universal product codes were used to classify tobacco product (cigarettes, roll-your-own cigarettes (RYO), little cigars and moist snuff) flavours as: menthol, flavoured or non-flavoured. Prices were standardised to a cigarette pack (20 cigarette sticks) or cigarette pack equivalent (CPE). Average prices during 2015 were calculated overall and by flavour designation. Joinpoint regression and average monthly percentage change were used to assess trends. Results During October 2011 to January 2016, price trends increased for menthol (the only flavour allowed in cigarettes) and non-flavoured cigarettes; decreased for menthol, flavoured and non-flavoured RYO; increased for flavoured little cigars, but decreased for non-flavoured and menthol little cigars; and increased for menthol and non-flavoured moist snuff, but decreased for flavoured moist snuff. In 2015, average national prices were US$5.52 and US$5.47 for menthol and non-flavoured cigarettes; US$1.89, US$2.51 and US$4.77 for menthol, non-flavoured and flavoured little cigars; US$1.49, US$1.64 and US$1.78 per CPE for menthol, non-flavoured and flavoured moist snuff; and US$0.93, US$1.03 and $1.64 per CPE flavoured, menthol and non-flavoured RYO, respectively. Conclusion Trends in the price of tobacco products varied across products and flavour types. Menthol little cigars, moist snuff and RYO were less expensive than non-flavoured varieties. Efforts to make flavoured tobacco products less accessible and less affordable could help reduce tobacco product use.
Multiple Alternative Carbon Pathways Combine To Promote Candida albicans Stress Resistance, Immune Interactions, and Virulence.

ABSTRACT The phagocytic cells of the innate immune system are an essential first line of antimicrobial defense, and yet Candida albicans, one of the most problematic fungal pathogens, is capable of resisting the stresses imposed by the macrophage phagosome, eventually resulting in the destruction of the phagocyte. C. albicans rapidly adapts to the phagosome by upregulating multiple alternative carbon utilization pathways, particularly those for amino acids, carboxylic acids, and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Here, we report that C. albicans recognizes these carbon sources both as crucial nutrients and as independent signals in its environment. Even in the presence of glucose, each carbon source promotes increased resistance to a unique profile of stressors; lactate promotes increased resistance to osmotic and cell wall stresses, amino acids increased resistance to oxidative and nitrosative stresses, and GlcNAc increased resistance to oxidative stress and caspofungin, while all three alternative carbon sources have been shown to induce resistance to fluconazole. Moreover, we show mutants incapable of utilizing these carbon sources, in particular, strains engineered to be defective in all three pathways, are significantly attenuated in both macrophage and mouse models, with additive effects observed as multiple carbon pathways are eliminated, suggesting that C. albicans simultaneously utilizes multiple carbon sources within the macrophage phagosome and during disseminated candidiasis. Taking the data together, we propose that, in addition to providing energy to the pathogen within host environments, alternative carbon sources serve as niche-specific priming signals that allow C. albicans to recognize microenvironments within the host and to prepare for stresses associated with that niche, thus promoting host adaptation and virulence. IMPORTANCECandida albicans is a fungal pathogen and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in people with defects, sometimes minor ones, in innate immunity. The phagocytes of the innate immune system, particularly macrophages and neutrophils, generally restrict this organism to its normal commensal niches, but C. albicans shows a robust and multifaceted response to these cell types. Inside macrophages, a key component of this response is the activation of multiple pathways for the utilization of alternative carbon sources, particularly amino acids, carboxylic acids, and N-acetylglucosamine. These carbon sources are key sources of energy and biomass but also independently promote stress resistance, induce cell wall alterations, and affect C. albicans interactions with macrophages. Engineered strains incapable of utilizing these alternative carbon pathways are attenuated in infection models. These data suggest that C. albicans recognizes nutrient composition as an indicator of specific host environments and tailors its responses accordingly.
Posterior Shoulder Instability: Surgical Outcomes and Risk of Failure in Adolescence:

Background:Arthroscopic capsulolabral reconstruction has proven to be effective in treating posterior shoulder instability. Few studies have examined the risk factors that may contribute to poor ou...
4 – Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia exhibits an enormous diversity in types and levels of sophistication of e-government. Singapore has one of the world's best-developed systems. At the other end of this spectrum lie impoverished states such as Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, where e-government barely exists. Malaysia and Thailand occupy positions in between. The Philippines is an interesting case where e-government centers largely around text messaging.
Telemedicine in gastroenterology in the wake of COVID-19.

The current global outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 related disease, has reshaped the method in which health care is delivered across the world. Health care systems have had ...
Implementing a School Readiness Intervention in Community-Based Childcare Centers: Director and Teacher Perceptions

In the U.S., one-third of preschool children attend programs run by childcare centers. Childcare centers are generally isolated and under-resourced businesses, often challenged by high rates of tea...
Bio-inspired nitrogen oxide (NOx) interconversion reactivities of synthetic heme Compound-I and Compound-II intermediates.

Abstract Dioxygen activating heme enzymes have long predicted to be powerhouses for nitrogen oxide interconversion, especially for nitric oxide (NO) oxidation which has far-reaching biological and/or environmental impacts. Lending credence, reactivity of NO with high-valent heme‑oxygen intermediates of globin proteins has recently been implicated in the regulation of a variety of pivotal physiological events such as modulating catalytic activities of various heme enzymes, enhancing antioxidant activity to inhibit oxidative damage, controlling inflammatory and infectious properties within the local heme environments, and NO scavenging. To reveal insights into such crucial biological processes, we have investigated low temperature NO reactivities of two classes of synthetic high-valent heme intermediates, Compound-II and Compound-I. In that, Compound-II rapidly reacts with NO yielding the six-coordinate (NO bound) heme ferric nitrite complex, which upon warming to room temperature converts into the five-coordinate heme ferric nitrite species. These ferric nitrite complexes mediate efficient substrate oxidation reactions liberating NO; i.e., shuttling NO2− back to NO. In contrast, Compound-I and NO proceed through an oxygen-atom transfer process generating the strong nitrating agent NO2, along with the corresponding ferric nitrosyl species that converts to the naked heme ferric parent complex upon warmup. All reaction components have been fully characterized by UV–vis, 2H NMR and EPR spectroscopic methods, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and semi-quantitative determination of NO2− anions. The clean, efficient, potentially catalytic NOx interconversions driven by high-valent heme species presented herein illustrate the strong prospects of a heme enzyme/O2/NOx dependent unexplored territory that is central to human physiology, pathology, and therapeutics.
Relationship Between Decreased Cortisol and Development of Chronic Pain in Traumatically Injured.

ABSTRACT Background The relationship between pain and stress is widely accepted, yet the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms are poorly understood. Cortisol secretion during a stress response, may distract attention from a painful stimulus, inhibiting pain. However, when pain is the stressor, cortisol secretion may intensify the pain experience and condition a fear-based memory of pain. This study attempts to determine the relationship between acute pain, chronic pain, and cortisol in the traumatically injured population. Methods Secondary analyses of a prospective observational study with participants from a Midwestern Adult Level I Trauma Center post traumatic injury, with interview and serum cortisol taken at hospitalization (baseline) and 6 mo after discharge, was completed using Ward's Method hierarchical cluster analysis, Pearson's correlations, and linear regressions. Results Two major clusters were identified. The Chronic Pain group were those who had severe pain at discharge and continued to have severe pain as defined by Numeric Pain Score. The Resolved Pain group were those who had moderate pain at discharge and their pain improved or resolved. Pain score at discharge significantly, negatively correlated with baseline cortisol levels (r = -0.142, P = 0.02). Minority status, single individuals, low cortisol at baseline, and greater psychological distress at baseline significantly increased the likelihood of developing chronic pain. Conclusions Low cortisol and greater psychological stress, which are also associated with minority status and single individuals, contribute to chronic pain in the traumatically injured population. Trauma victims without an adequate cortisol response to acute injury and pain are at risk for development of chronic pain after injury.
Consumer Satisfaction with Health Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts.

Although most of the population of Massachusetts has continuous health insurance coverage, many in the state—particularly those with income below 300 percent of the federal poverty level—experience difficulty in gaining access to care, paying for services not covered, and making co-pays.
A View of Computational Learning Theory

The distribution-free or “pac” approach to machine learning is described. The motivations, basic definitions and some of the more important results in this theory are summarized.
Melanin Formation in Vitiliginous Skin Under the Influence of External Applications of 8-Methoxypsoralen1

8-Methoxypsoralen, also known as “ammoidin” and “xanthotoxin”, is one of several compounds isolated from the leaves of the plant Ammi majus by % Fahmy and Shady (1, 2, 3). It is present in concentrations as high as 0.5% in some parts of the plant and has been regarded as the most important active A principle of the extracts used in the treatment of vitiligo.
Building Teams and Programs for Effective Rehabilitation

Carefully controlled, clinical research has shown psychiatric rehabilitation to significantly help persons with severe mental illness address their disabilities and obtain a higher quality of life. For psychiatric rehabilitation to yield its greatest effect, discrete principles and skills that are part of the rehabilitation paradigm must be disseminated to staff working in real-world settings. Staff training strategies that help the rehabilitation team develop effective programs are especially important. This paper reviews Interactive Staff Training (IST), an approach to team building and program development that combines educational and organizational strategies. IST comprises four stages—introduction to the system, program development, program implementation, and program maintenance—with each stage defined by behavioral tasks that engage the team and corresponding products that serve as markers of progress. Testing treatment dissemination strategies poses interesting problems for the researcher, some which are reviewed here. Outcome studies completed on IST are summarized in light of these problems. The paper ends with a consideration of some future directions for research in this area.
Generalizing temporal controllability

In this paper, we focus on extending the expressive power of constraint-based temporal reasoning formalisms. We begin with the well-known Simple Temporal Problem with Uncertainty, and incorporate three extensions: prior observability, in which the values of uncontrollable events become known prior to their actual occurrence; partial shrinkage, in which an observation event triggers the reduction of a contingent temporal interval; and a generalization of partial shrinkage to requirement links, making it possible to express certain types of uncertainty that may arise even when the time points in a problem are themselves fully controllable. We describe levels of controllability in the resulting formalism, the Generalized STPU, and relate this formalism to related developments in disjunctive temporal reasoning. Throughout, we motivate our approach with simple, real-world examples that illustrate the limitations of existing formalisms and the flexibility of our proposed extensions.
Factors relating to engineering identity

Engineering identity is believed to relate to educational and professional persistence. In particular, a student's sense of belonging to the engineering community is critical to that path. The primary research questions were: 1) which students self-identify as engineers?; and 2) what are the key factors that relate to self-identification? To address these research questions, a cross-sectional study of all undergraduate engineering students at a medium sized, Midwestern private university was conducted in the spring of 2009. The majority of engineering students did self- identify as engineers, with educational progression, gender and future career plans all being significant attributes. The factors that students most frequently identified as being necessary to be considered an engineer were intangible in nature and included: making competent design decisions, working with others to share ideas and accepting responsibility. Students' self-identification as engineers can be linked to a sense of belonging to the engineering college, as well as organisational recognition.
The use of sparse inverse covariance estimation for relationship detection and hypothesis generation in strategic management

Research summary: This paper uses Sparse Inverse Covariance Estimation (SICE) to advance strategic management research, focusing on an application of exploratory SICE techniques to generate novel, testable hypotheses. We demonstrate how SICE can identify intrinsic relationships among variables, especially within large, high-dimension–low-observation datasets. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of SICE, as well as the most appropriate uses of these techniques. We conclude with a detailed illustration of SICE analysis using the High Performance Manufacturing dataset. Managerial summary: Most academic research in strategic management is based on formal hypotheses, which are testable statements of the relationships linking two or more variables. Researchers currently use several approaches to generate hypotheses, but all have different shortcomings. In our study, we demonstrate how researchers can use a set of quantitative techniques known as Sparse Inverse Covariance Estimation (SICE) to generate new hypotheses from large datasets.
Increased intracranial pressure is associated with elevated cerebrospinal fluid ADH levels in closed-head injury

Abstract Objectives: Head injury frequently results in increased intracranial pressure and brain edema. Investigators have demonstrated that ischemic injury causes an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH); increased CSF ADH levels exacerbate cerebral edema, and inhibition of the ADH system with specific ADH antagonists reduces cerebral edema. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that elevated levels of ADH are present in the CSF of subjects with head injury. Methods: Ventricular CSF and blood samples were taken from 11 subjects with head injury and 12 subjects with no known head trauma or injury. ADH levels were analyzed using radioimmunoassay. Severity of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) was rated in head-injured subjects using a four-point ordinal scale, based on which treatments were necessary to reduce ICP. Results: Subjects with head injury had higher CSF (3.2 versus 1.2 pg/ml; P<0.02) and plasma (4.1 versus 1.4 pg/ml; P<0.02) levels of ADH t...
Does the presence of heparin and dexamethasone in the vitrectomy infusate reduce reproliferation in proliferative vitreoretinopathy

• Background: Reproliferation following vitrectomy for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) causes redetachment in up to 55% of cases. Heparin and corticosteroids have each been shown to inhibit the development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in experimental models. However, little information is available on the use of these agents in humans. • Methods: In this pilot study, 62 eyes of 62 patients with severe PVR requiring vitrectomy were prospectively randomized to receive either BSS Plus (control) or BSS Plus with heparin and dexamethasone (HD) in the infusate. • Results: After one operation, the retina was reattached in 42 (71%) of 59 eyes: 22 (65%) of 34 eyes in the control group and 20 (80%) of 25 eyes in the HD group (P = 0.16). Reproliferation developed in 26.5% of the control group (9 of 34 eyes) and 16% of the HD group (4 of 25 eyes; P = 0.26). Postoperative hemorrhage was significantly more frequent in the HD group (P = 0.02) but did not influence final visual or anatomic outcome. Hypotony was less frequent in the HD group but the difference was not significant (P = 0.063). • Conclusion: The trend from this randomized pilot study suggests that HD supplementation of the vitrectomy infusate may reduce the reproliferation rate in PVR and possibly reduce the rate of hypotony. Postoperative hemorrhage was more frequent with HD but did not cause redetachment or alter visual outcome. A multicenter trial involving more patients would be required to better evaluate the efficacy of HD as a pharmacologic adjunct to PVR surgery.
Ataxia telangiectasia: further considerations of the evidence for single strand break repair.

Abstract Fibroblast cells derived from 6 Ataxia lines were compared with normal cells in their ability to rejoin single-strand DNA breaks caused by ionizing radiation. In a newly developed enzymatic assay, the Ataxia cells show extensive ligation of the breaks within 90 min of repair incubation.
Degenerative Joint Disease In the Beginning

In the beginning of one’s professional education in most medical disciplines is a course in microscopic anatomy. One learns that hyaline cartilage is the tissue on which bones interface. One also learns that type II collagen of this tissue is extremely slow to turnover, that the proteoglycans important to binding water and maintaining the resilience of cartilage turn over rather rapidly, and that the chondrocytes responsible for all of this are extremely reluctant to proliferate. All this is combined with the astonishing fact that articular hyaline cartilage is avascular. Although most of us were in our twenties when learning these facts and not personally familiar with the creaks and pains of degenerative joint disease or its proposed mechanisms of development, we had doubts that these qualities of articular cartilage represented the best that evolution had to offer. Most general textbooks present degenerative joint disease as a vicious cycle commencing with degeneration and necrosis of chondrocytes due to aging, excess/abnormal wear, or previous inflammation; a decreased content of matrix proteoglycan due to reduced chondrocyte production and accelerated loss from activation of latent matrix metalloproteinases; and/or erosion and collapse of collagen fibers due to a reduction of the hydrated gel of proteoglycans. Subsequent to this, in cases in which inflammation is not primary, sterile synovitis develops secondary to exposure to previously unrecognized breakdown products from the avascular cartilage. Increasing density of the subchondral bone (osteosclerosis) results from excessive mechanical forces penetrating the overlying defective cartilage. Most experts agree that once this cycle is created, each component can contribute to worsening of degenerative joint disease. The cycle most often described in degenerative joint disease is that, in the beginning, the primary problem is the chondrocyte. This scenario is of a primary or idiopathic degenerative joint disease. In contrast, articular lesions are considered secondary in cases where the synovial inflammation (due to infection or a sterile immune response) occurs prior to degenerative joint disease. Since the middle 1980s there has been speculation in human
Over the scope clip: technique and expanding clinical applications.

Background:Advances in endoscopic and surgical techniques have increased the frequency and complexity of these procedures, and thus, the incidence of associated complications.Aims:To describe the use and clinical applications of the Over the Scope Clip (OTSC) system.Methods:An English language liter
Ultra-precise titanium stable isotope measurements by double-spike high resolution MC-ICP-MS

In this contribution, we present a new technique for the ultra-precise determination of titanium stable isotope composition (expressed as δ49Ti or deviation of the 49Ti/47Ti ratio to the reference standard) of geological samples by multi-collection plasma source mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) using the double spike method to correct for instrumental mass bias. Tails of polyatomic spectral interferences on 46Ti are accounted for by using sample-standard bracketing in high-resolution mode. Choice of ideal double and triple spike composition is investigated and results show that analytical error for a single measurement is optimised for a 47Ti–49Ti double spike composed of ca. 50% of each spike and mixed with ca. 52% of sample. Measurements of pure Ti solution show that internal error on single measurements of ca. 0.010‰ (95% c.i.) is attainable on δ49Ti, in agreement with the error model. Due to the lack of a widely available reference isotopic standard for titanium, all results are expressed as deviations relative to newly created reference material (OL-Ti standing for Origins Laboratory – titanium) prepared from an ultra-pure titanium metal rod. A range of analytical tests demonstrates the robustness of our method. An external reproducibility of ca. 0.020‰ (2sd) is routinely achievable for Ti stable isotopes. Data for a range of basaltic rock standards as well as a subduction zone basalt reference suite is presented and show that the Ti stable isotope compositions of terrestrial basalt show resolvable variations but are overall very close to the OL-Ti reference standard. The average Ti isotopic composition of the basalts studied here is the present best estimate of the upper mantle composition; δ49Ti = +0.004 ± 0.062‰ (2sd).
Introducing ethical issues into the curriculum

The ACM SIGITE Curriculum Committee 2005 has recently published recommendations paying significant attention to the coverage of societal and ethical issues and professional responsibility. It is expected that a growing number of IT departments and schools will seek to address these curricular issues. This panel will examine a variety of approaches to integrating ethics across the IT curriculum, the development and delivery of an online computer ethics course, and techniques for improving students' critical thinking abilities in the context of addressing computer ethics issues. Each panelist will focus on one of these topics, and then the floor will be opened for questions and general discussion.
Contribution of macrophages to interactions between tumor cells and other tissues assessed in an in vitro system

The modification of the tissues surrounding solid tumors is usually attributed exclusively to interactions between the normal tissues and the cancer cells in the tumor, in spite of the fact that tumors contain many different types of non-cancer cells including macrophages. As an experimental model for some facets of the cellular interactions between tumor and normal tissues, we have assessed the individual contributions of macrophages and cancer cells to the differential inhibition of neural retina (NR) cell aggregation by co-culturing NR cells with small numbers of macrophages or cancer cells alone, as well as with both natural (ascites tumors) and artificial mixtures. Cells from human colonic adeno-carcinoma inhibited NR aggregation to a greater extent than normal colon mucosa. Aggregation of NR cells was inhibited by macrophages from mice and rats, and to a greater extent by cancer cell suspensions of mouse Ehrlich and rat Walker 256 lines from spinner culture or in the ascites form. Combinations of macrophages and cancer cells indicated that their inhibitory effects were neither additive nor synergistic. Cell-free media from macrophages and cancer cell cultures were equally effective inhibitors of aggregation. The results suggest that the interaction between a malignant tumor and the surrounding normal tissue can be modified by cancer cells, tumor macrophages and their products.
Decoupling and order reduction via the Riccati transformation

A program that dates back to Riccati [1724] and that seeks to replace a given differential equation with an equivalent collection of effectively uncoupled equations of lower orders through the use ...
Density Effects on Collision-Induced Scattering in Carbon Disulfide-Cyclopentane Mixtures

Collision-induced scattering was measured for carbon disulfide diluted with cyclopentane for solutions of mole fraction 0.3–1 of carbon disulfide. Lineshape measurements of the ν2 band of carbon disulfide were taken over the temperature range 0–40°C and density range 0.90–1.45 g cm−3. The results of density measurements for all solutions are also presented. Analysis of the lineshape of the band used the dipole-induced quadrupole theory. No detectable effect of the concentration of the cyclopentane and temperature on the collision-induced scattering of carbon disulfide in the binary mixtures with cyclopentane was found in the experimental data. Density changes dominate the scattering process.
Procedural representation of three-dimensional objects

A system of PL/I procedures has been written that permits geometric objects to be described hierarchically. The objects are themselves represented as PL/I procedures, allowing very general use of variables. By effectively intercepting subprogram calls, the system provides a means of modifying the semantics associated with any object without modifying the object's procedural description.
Predatory behavior of Cupelopagis vorax (Rotifera; Collothecacea; Atrochidae) on protozoan prey

By rotating on a short, flexible, pedal stalk, Cupelopagis vorax captures prey that traverse the substratum to which this sessile rotifer attaches. Microvideographic analysis (including slow motion and freeze-frame) permitted us to examine some of the details of Cupelopagis foraging behavior. When undisturbed, Cupelopagis usually faces forward in a resting or neutral position (NP) with its unciliated infundibulum (corona) directed parallel to the surface of the substratum. However, vibrations produced by artificial means (fine pins) or small prey (protists) evoke unique behaviors in Cupelopagis. Our analysis of Cupelopagis foraging on two protozoan prey (Paramecium bursaria and a small, unidentified flagellate, SUF) indicates that this predator possesses a 360 ° encounter field (EF) biased towards the NP Size of the EF appears to be a function of both predator and prey size, but it extends at least 650 µm, as measured from the point of attachment of the predator's pedal stalk to the substratum. When a prey comes close to Cupelopagis, this predator can lean toward the organism, stretching forward on its pedal stalk and extending its corona over the prey in a swift motion (< 0.5 s). Probability of capture after attack was a function of prey type (61.6% for P. bursaria and 41.5% for the SUF). Analysis of prey capture by Cupelopagis indicates that this predator has a handling time ranging from a few seconds to several minutes: 24.6 ± 16.8 s for P. bursaria (n= 274) and 34.6 ± 25.4 s for the SUF (n=111). Occasionally Cupelopagis sweeps part of the EF by retracting its corona, turning to the right or left (mean angle subtended ≈ 63 ° ± 42 °), unfolding the corona, and slowly returning to the original resting position. This behavior, termed surveillance, occurs in the presence or absence of prey. While not unique in its ability to detect water movements, Cupelopagis is the only rotifer known to exhibit specific behaviors to vibrations produced by potential prey.
Evolution: a bacterially mediated swap meet for adaptive traits.

Summary New research suggests that secondary bacterial symbionts in insects act as a mechanism for horizontal genetic exchange among hosts, facilitating adaptation to new ecological niches.
Particle background in CCD detectors

Monte Carlo simulations of charged particle events in CCDs are described. Efficient background rejection can be obtained by a combination of energy veto and event morphology censoring. The data are compared with in-flight measurements taken during a sounding rocket flight of a prototype detector. Implications for future missions are discussed. It is shown that the external charged particle background may be small enough that other effects such as locally induced radioactivity and soft electron contamination become important factors.
The variation in the corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in the human red cell, as measured by densitometry.

This paper deals with measurement of the hemoglobin concentration in individual human red cells, the concentration being measured as a function of the optical density, at 5461 A, of the central part of the cell in its spherical form. A number of technical difficulties, principally concerned with the effects of focus, have been met with, and these are described in detail. The results show that the coefficient of variation of the hemoglobin concentration is relatively small (about 5.5 per cent) in the case of fresh human red cells in ACD solution, that the coefficient of variation is almost doubled when the red cells have been stored for 6 weeks at 4°C. or when heparin is used as an anticoagulant instead of ACD solution, but that the average hemoglobin concentration is substantially the same in all three cases. The increase in the coefficient of variation found when the red cells have been stored or when heparin is used is probably due to volume changes, some cells shrinking while others swell.
Holocene geologic history of a transform margin estuary: Elkhorn Slough, central California

Abstract Elkhorn Slough is California's second largest estuary and the United States' first estuarine sanctuary. It occupies the western reaches of Elkhorn Valley, a relic river valley eroded by drainage pouring out of the Santa Clara and/or Great Valley of California into Monterey Bay during the early Pleistocene. During the mid-late Pleistocene Elkhorn Valley was tectonically truncated from its headwaters by right-lateral movement along the San Andreas Fault. During the last glacial maximum, 16–18 × 10 3 years before present ( b.p ), local drainage in Elkhorn Valley incised a stream channel at least 29 m below present day sea-level, as its base level was progressively lowered. With the ensuing Holocene sea-level rise, marine waters invaded this incised channel, floored with non-marine sandy gravels, creating a high-energy tidal inlet at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough approximately 8000 years b.p . As sea-level continued to rise, the main channel of Elkhorn Slough became filled by an estuarine, fining-upward sequence characterized by progressively shallower, lower-energy deposits. A quiet water estuary, considerably larger than the present-day Elkhorn Slough, existed approximately 3000 years b.p . As the Slough was slowly filling, salt marshes developed along its landward margins and have progressively advanced toward the center of the Slough during the past 5000 years. Historical records indicate numerous natural changes in the Elkhorn Slough vicinity. In the mid-1850s a.d . Elkhorn Slough was a minor tributary to the much larger Pajaro-Salinas River system which shared a common entrance to the Pacific Ocean north of Moss Landing. In 1909 winter storms modified the course of the Salinas River to its present location south of Moss Landing, while Elkhorn Slough persisted as a tributary to the Old Salinas River channel. Construction of jetties at the Moss Landing Harbor in 1946 provided a direct link between the Pacific Ocean and Elkhorn Slough. At this time, salt marshes began to retreat from the axis of Elkhorn Slough as it evolved into its present form as a relatively stable estuarine embayment. Had the jetties not been installed, Elkhorn Slough would have likely evolved into a freshwater wetland and eventually into a dry alluvial valley within 2000 years. The future fate of Elkhorn Slough will undoubtedly be controlled by relative sea-level changes, sediment supply, and human activities.
Factors Related to Parenting Behavior in a Sample of Adolescent Mothers With Two‐Year‐Old Children

The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to the parenting behavior of adolescent mothers. A sample of 99 adolescent mothers who were in the Family TIES family support program and their 24‐month‐old children were included in this study; mothers in the program had been randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups before their children were born. An ecological model was used to select potential influences on parenting. Among the factors examined were: (a) characteristics of the mother (b) characteristics of the child, and (c) contextual factors. The teens’ parenting behaviors were assessed with two measures: (a) the NCAST HOME, a version of the HOME inventory that can be used in a clinic setting, and (b) family advocates’ ratings of parenting practices. Bivariate correlational analyses revealed that several factors were predictive of parenting behavior. Teens who provided higher quality care had more positive child‐rearing beliefs, were less psychologically distressed, perceived their chi...
Experimental Therapeutics for Dystonia

Dystonia is a neurological syndrome characterized by excessive involuntary muscle contractions leading to twisting movements and unnatural postures. It has many different clinical manifestations, and many different causes. More than 3 million people worldwide suffer from dystonia, yet there are few broadly effective treatments. In the past decade, progress in research has advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of dystonia to a point where drug discovery efforts are now feasible. Several strategies can be used to develop novel therapeutics for dystonia. Existing therapies have only modest efficacy, but may be refined and improved to increase benefits while reducing side effects. Identifying rational targets for drug intervention based on the pathogenesis of dystonia is another strategy. The surge in both basic and clinical research discoveries has provided insights at all levels, including etiological, physiological and nosological, to enable such a targeted approach. The empirical approach to drug discovery, whereby compounds are identified using a nonmechanistic strategy, is complementary to the rational approach. With the recent development of multiple animal models of dystonia, it is now possible to develop assays and perform drug screens on vast numbers of compounds. This multifaceted approach to drug discovery in dystonia will likely provide lead compounds that can then be translated for clinical use.
Silane treatment effects on glass/resin interfacial shear strengths.

Abstract Objectives . Methacrylic resin-based dental composites normally use a bifunctional silane coupling agent with an intermediary carbon connecting segment to provide the interfacial phase that holds together the organic polymer matrix with the reinforcing inorganic phase. In this study, fiber pull-out tests were used to measure the interfacial bond strength at the fiber–matrix interface. Methods . Glass fibers (approximately 30 μm diameter, 8×10 −2 m length, MoSci) were silanated using various concentrations (1, 5 and 10%) of either 3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (MPS) or glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane (GPS) in acetone (99.8%). Rubber (poly(butadiene/acrylonitrile), amine terminated, M w 5500) molecules were also attached to the fiber surface via GPS molecules. The resin was comprised of a 60/40 mixture of Bis-phenol-A bis-(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylate (BisGMA) and tri (ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). A bead of resin approximately 2–4×10 −3 m in embedded length was placed on the treated fibers and light cured. The load required to pull the fiber out of the resin was converted to shear bond strength. Results . Interfacial shear strengths were greater for silanated specimens compared with unsilanated, and for MPS compared with GPS. The same set of samples soaked in 50:50 (v/v) mixtures of ethanol and distilled water for a period of 1 month showed a decrease in properties. Significance . A positive correlation was found between the amount of silane on the filler surface and the property loss after soaking. Rubber treatment provided improvement in interfacial strength. 5% MPS samples had the highest strength both in soaked as well as unsoaked samples.
Thermal Cracking Models for AC and Modified AC Mixes in Alaska

Low-temperature cracking is a major distress mode in Alaskan pavements because of the extreme temperature conditions—which range, in some instances, from about -50°C in winter to more than 40°C in summer. The use of asphalt modifiers in Alaskan pavements occurred over the past 15 years. These modifiers include Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene polymers, Styrene-Butadiene-Rubber polymers, ULTRAPAVE, and CRM [both the dry process (PlusRide) and the wet process]. Field observations and laboratory studies in Alaska and elsewhere indicate that the use of these modifiers would improve the low-temperature cracking resistance of pavements. The degree to which these modifiers provide beneficial effects for Alaskan pavements needs to be evaluated. The objectives of this research were (1) To characterize asphalt and polymer modified asphalt from a number of selected sites using Superpave PG grading system and to conduct thermal stress restrained specimen tests (TSRST) and Superpave IDT laboratory tests on field specimens; (...
Multi-wavelength digital colposcopy to aid early detection of cervical cancer

The incidence and mortality of invasive cervical cancer in North America has decreased by 70% over the last fifty years, because of early detection through screening efforts (1,2). The test characteristics of the Papanicolaou smear have never been proven through rigorous sensitivity and specificity trials and range widely depending on the study population used to derive them (3). False positive and false negative results cause unnecessary morbidity, and in some cases, mortality.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia With Liver Vascular Malformation Presenting With High-Output Heart Failure

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease manifested by formation of telangiectasias and visceral vascular malformations of organ systems, including the skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, brain, and liver. Hepatic involvement may lead to portal hypertension, high-output cardiac failure, and biliary strictures.1 Diagnosis requires patients to have 3 of 4 clinical characteristics: epistaxis, telangiectasia on the skin, visceral lesions, and a first-degree relative with HHT.2 Management involves controlling the source of bleeding by packing the nasopharynx, endoscopic therapies, or pulmonary or hepatic embolization.3