cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytic quasi-periodic Schrödinger operators and rational frequency approximants

Consider a quasi-periodic Schrodinger operator H α,θ with analytic potential and irrational frequency α. Given any rational approximating α, let S + and S − denote the union, respectively, the intersection of the spectra taken over θ. We show that up to sets of zero Lebesgue measure, the absolutely continuous spectrum can be obtained asymptotically from S − of the periodic operators associated with the continued fraction expansion of α. This proves a conjecture of Y. Last in the analytic case. Similarly, from the asymptotics of S +, one recovers the spectrum of H α,θ .
Secular Variation of the Flux Density of the Radio Source Cassiopeia A

Hogbom and Shakeshaft1 have recently presented evidence for a secular variation of the intensity of radio emission from the source Cassiopeia A. Their observations, made at a frequency of 81.5 Mc./s. over a period of 12 years, suggest that the flux density of Cassiopeia A relative to that of Cygnus A is decreasing at a rate of about 1 per cent per annum. This type of measurement may be sensitive to unknown systematic instrumental effects, and the importance of the result makes independent confirmation desirable.
Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of halazepam in naive and dependent dogs.

The pharmacokinetic profiles of halazepam (HL) and its metabolites, desmethyldiazepam (DMDZ), oxazepam (OX), 3-hydroxyhalazepam (OH-HL), and conjugates of oxazepam (OX-CONJ) and 3-hydroxyhalazepam (OH-HL-CONJ) were studied in 4 naive dogs following single intravenous (2 mg/kg) and oral (112.5 mg/kg) administrations of HL and in 5 dependent dogs chronically dosed with HL (450 mg/kg/day q.i.d.). HL is rapidly metabolized to DMDZ as the principal metabolite but appreciable levels of HL, OX and OH-HL were measured in plasma and the brain tissue. High levels of conjugated metabolites were measured in plasma. The steady-state plasma concentrations of HL and its unconjugated metabolites can be predicted from the single dose study. Halazepam does not serve as a simple prodrug for DMDZ in producing physical dependence in dogs.
Ultrastructure and function of cellular components of the intercentral joint in the percoid vertebral column

The intervertebral joint of the teleost, Perca flavescens, is formed by opposing amphicoelus centra whose rims are connected by external ligaments. The tissue, located within the space formed by these structures, is derived from the notochord and consists of the elastic externa, the fibrous sheath, and the notochordal cells. The cellular tissue within the joint has many characteristics of a stratified epithelium, and when examined with the transmission electron microscope, at least three morphologically distinct regions can be recognized. First, a peripheral single layer of columnar to squamous-shaped cells lies on a basement membrane immediately deep to the fibrous sheath. Second, several layers of cells, each containing a large central vacuole, occur. Third, in the deepest part of the joint, several layers of attenuated cells surround intracentral fluid-filled lacunae and form a transverse septum across the joint. All cells in this tissue are interconnected by numerous desmosomes. Further, an extensive intermediate filament network exists in all three types of cells. The intermediate filament network in the vacuolated cells is arranged cortically around a membrane-bound vacuole, and suggests that these cells may act as passive cellular hydrostats. The squamous cells surrounding the joint lacunae are structurally similar to mammalian epidermal cells, and the intermediate filament network within them is layered parallel to the surface of the lacunae. The organization of these cells suggests that they are the tensile component of extracellular hydrostats within the intercentral joint. These cellular and extracellular hydrostats within the intercentral joint would function to resist the compressive and tensile stresses encountered during undulatory swimming.
Objectively measured physical activity of USA adults by sex, age, and racial/ethnic groups: a cross-sectional study

Accelerometers were incorporated in the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) study cycle for objective assessment of physical activity. This is the first time that objective physical activity data are available on a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents. The use of accelerometers allows researchers to measure total physical activity, including light intensity and unstructured activities, which may be a better predictor of health outcomes than structured activity alone. The aim of this study was to examine objectively determined physical activity levels by sex, age and racial/ethnic groups in a national sample of U.S. adults. Data were obtained from the 2003–2004 NHANES, a cross-sectional study of a complex, multistage probability sample of the U.S. population. Physical activity was assessed with the Actigraph AM-7164 accelerometer for seven days following an examination. 2,688 U.S. adults with valid accelerometer data (i.e. at least four days with at least 10 hours of wear-time) were included in the analysis. Mean daily total physical activity counts, as well as counts accumulated in minutes of light, and moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity are presented by sex across age and racial/ethnic groups. Generalized linear modeling using the log link function was performed to compare physical activity in sex and racial/ethnic groups adjusting for age. Physical activity decreases with age for both men and women across all racial/ethnic groups with men being more active than women, with the exception of Hispanic women. Hispanic women are more active at middle age (40–59 years) compared to younger or older age and not significantly less active than men in middle or older age groups (i.e. age 40–59 or age 60 and older). Hispanic men accumulate more total and light intensity physical activity counts than their white and black counterparts for all age groups. Physical activity levels measured objectively by accelerometer demonstrated that Hispanic men are, in general, more active than their white and black counterparts. This appears to be in contrast to self-reported physical activity previously reported in the literature and identifies the need to use objective measures in situations where the contribution of light intensity and/or unstructured physical activity cannot be assumed homogenous across the populations of interest.
Theoretical Study of Electron Transfer between the Photolyase Catalytic Cofactor FADH- and DNA Thymine Dimer

Photolyase is an enzyme that catalyzes photorepair of thymine dimers in UV damaged DNA by electron-transfer reaction. We docked a thymine dimer to photolyase catalytic site, using crystal structure coordinates of the substrate-free enzyme from Escherichia coli, studied molecular dynamics of the system, and calculated the electron-transfer matrix element between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of flavin and the dimer. We find that the rms transfer matrix element along the dynamic trajectory is about 6 cm-1, which is consistent with the experimentally determined rate of transfer. In the average configuration the docked thymine dimer is sitting deep in the catalytic site, and approaches the adenine of FAD with the C4O4 carbonyl groups. The average distance between the flavin and the base pair is less than 3 A. The electron-transfer mechanism utilizes the unusual conformation of FAD in photolyases, in which the isoalloxazine ring of the flavin and the adenine are in close proximity, and the peculiar ...
Confronting the Moral Dimensions of Technology Through Mediation Theory

Martin Heidegger famously claimed that great thinkers spend their lives exploring a single thought: its history nuances, misappropriations, and implications. While not as narrowly—or, in my opinion, myopically—focused, most contemporary principals in the philosophy of technology pursue recognizable research programs. Since these programs are distinctive, peers and graduate students can associate complex arguments with leading concepts. Such concepts circulate widely enough to become common terms in database searches, and informatics scholars in principle can use them as tools for determining and visually depicting trends that exemplify a field's central preoccupations. Ultimately, the terms become so resonant that they can be the main pieces in a philosophically adapted game of Pictionary. After writing down a qualifying term, teams could compete to give the most robust account of the ideas it designates. For example, to evoke the “fourth revolution” is to conjure Luciano Floridi's views on how the social integration of new technologies can alter experiences and conceptions of reality. Likewise, to talk about “focal practices” is to bring to mind Albert Borgmann's understanding of how a special relation to technology can support rather than thwart the pursuit of the good life. Similarly, to mention “critical theory of technology” is to invite comments on Andrew Feenberg's ideas about increasing participation in decision-making processes concerning the design and development of technology. On rare occasions, distinctive concepts belong to two metaphorical copyright holders: Asking if there is a “cyborg” in the house can invite Andy Clark and Donna Harraway impersonations. Dutch philosopher Peter-Paul Verbeek belongs to this group of Pictionary scholars. Although one of the youngest principals, he already is Professor of Philosophy of Technology at the University of Twente, part-time Socrates Chair at Delft University of Technology, member of the Young Academy (which is part of DOI 10.1007/s13347-011-0054-3
Battery of behavioral tests in mice that models age-associated changes in human motor function

Motor function in humans can be characterized with tests of locomotion, strength, balance, and endurance. The aim of our project was to establish an analogous test battery to assess motor function in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were studied at 3 (n = 87), 20 (n = 48) and 26 (n = 43) months of age. Tests assessed locomotion, strength, balance/coordination, and endurance capacity in mice. Motor function was reduced in the older groups of mice for the locomotion, strength, and endurance subdomains (p < 0.001). As indicated with a summary score, motor function declined by 7.4 % from 3 to 20 months and by 13.5 % from 20 to 26 months. Based on comparison with previously published data in humans, the magnitude and relative time course of changes were similar in mice and humans in each subdomain except balance/coordination. Power calculations confirmed that the age-associated differences depicted by several of the individual tests and domain summary scores would be sufficient to assess the efficacy of interventions aimed at prevention or treatment of motor dysfunction with aging. The current study describes a mouse model that characterizes age-associated changes in clinically relevant domains of motor function and indicates that the preclinical model can be used to test strategies to attenuate age-associated declines in motor function.
Identification of psychologic impairment in patients with mild-moderate thermal injury: small burn, big problem.

Abstract Sixty-eight patients hospitalized at a tertiary care burn center for more than 1 week, aged 18–32 years, with a mild or moderate burn, adequate social and economic support, and the absence of preexisting psychopathology, substance abuse, or medical illness were studied. From this group 16 patients were identified who had been unable to resume social or occupational functioning even after several months and were impaired by psychologic symptoms related to the burn. Utilizing a psychosocial data base of 250 items, these “Small Burn, Big Problem” (SBBP) patients were compared to those who did not have this problem (control). There were no differences between the two groups with respect to age, sex, race, hospital length of stay, agent of injury, circumstances of the accident, extent of burn, or amount of disfigurement. The SBBP patients did develop significantly more sleep disturbances, which continued into the posthospitalization period. There were significant differences in the use of the defense mechanisms of regression and displacement, the extent of experiencing the injury as a narcisistic injury and in the indication of sexual dysfunction in the SBBP patients as compared to the control group. There were no differences in the amount of psychiatric treatment performed while the patients were in the hospital, although 68% of the SBBP group were referred for psychiatric treatment upon discharge as compared to 14% of the control group. Two case vignettes are presented to demonstrate some of the psychodynamics involved.
Angiotensin system polymorphisms and traditional risk factors as predictors of heart failure prognosis

Background Traditional risk factors affect heart failure (HF) severity and outcomes. We investigated whether angiotensin system gene polymorphisms would offer additional prognostic information when considered with traditional risk factors. Methods Patients with chronic HF were enrolled and followed for first event (all-cause mortality, heart transplant, or HF hospitalization). Logistic regression was used to examine the effects of covariates on outcome. Variables included risk factors previously shown to affect prognosis in our population as well as polymorphisms in the ACE (ACE I/D), angiotensinogen (AGT 235T/C), and angiotensin type 1 receptor (AGTR1 1166A/C) genes determined by pyrosequencing or dHPLC. β-blocker, ACE inhibitor, and diuretic use was near unity at baseline and end of follow-up and not included in the model. Significance for inclusion in the model was set at 0.1. Results Patients (n=237) were followed for a median of 18 months (6 months min, 36 months max). Significant markers of HF prognosis are presented (see Table). Polymorphisms in three genes of the angiotensin system were not associated with outcomes, nor were age, race, sex, diabetes, dyslipidemia, or serum creatinine. Conclusion Angiotensin system genes were not associated with HF prognosis in this population. The high use of ACE inhibitors and β-blockers in this population may have ameliorated genetic influence on prognosis. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P63–P63; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.130 Table 1. Variable Odds Ratio 90 CI P-value Serum sodium 0.86 0.78–0.93 0.003 NYHA class 1.84 1.31–2.60 0.003 Previous CABG 1.85 1.03–3.30 0.08
Annual growth rings and the impact of Benlate 50 DF fungicide on citrus trees in seasonally dry tropical plantations of northern Costa Rica

Tree ring scientists have generally ignored the use of dendrochronological techniques to assess growth impacts of cultural treatments for the major horticultural trees in plantations. In this study, we investigated differences in radial growth between orange (Citrus) trees, a non-native subtropical species, growing in plantations in northern Costa Rica and southern Nicaragua that were either treated or untreated with the fungicide Benlate 50 DF (benomyl), which has potential phytotoxic effects. This region of Central America experiences prolonged and severe drought from January through April each year, during which an average of only 10% (about 260 mm) of the annual rainfall occurs. Basal cross-sections taken from the citrus trees reveal distinct annual tree rings that closely match the ages of the trees. The rings are reasonable concentric and have good circuit uniformity. An analysis of 111 tree cores indicates that Benlate 50 DF treated trees had significantly slower radial growth during their first 6 years (averaging 4.54 mm/year) than untreated trees (averaging 10.76‐11.84 mm/year). After year 6, the treated trees had a similar growth rate (11.27 mm/year) to the untreated trees. Four cores taken from each of 10 citrus trees at cardinal directions around the stem reveal that the mean growth rate from any one aspect did not differ significantly from the mean growth per tree. Further analysis of these cores indicates that taking one ortworandomcorespertreeproducedasimilaraveragegrowthcalculation.The resultsofthisstudysuggestthatyoungcitrustreesproducedistinct annual tree rings in a seasonally dry tropical environment, that trees treated with Benlate 50 DF had slower radial growth during their first 6 years, and that, with proper replication, taking one core per tree was adequate to assess radial growth. But this latter point needs to be determined by researchers on a case-by-case and species-by-species basis. The approach used in this study to determine growth impacts following chemical application may have widespread application for other agricultural practices in a variety of horticultural woody plants worldwide. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Homeoviscous response of Clostridium pasteurianum to butanol toxicity during glycerol fermentation

Abstract Clostridium pasteurianum ATCC 6013 achieves high n-butanol production when glycerol is used as the sole carbon source. In this study, the homeoviscous membrane response of C. pasteurianum ATCC 6013 has been examined through n-butanol challenge experiments. Homeoviscous response is a critical aspect of n-butanol tolerance and has not been examined in detail for C. pasteurianum. Lipid membrane compositions were examined for glycerol fermentations with n-butanol production, and during cell growth in the absence of n-butanol production, using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR). Membrane stabilization due to homeoviscous response was further examined by surface pressure–area (π–A) analysis of membrane extract monolayers. C. pasteurianum was found to exert a homeoviscous response that was comprised of an increase lipid tail length and a decrease in the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids with increasing n-butanol challenge. This led to a more rigid or stable membrane that counteracted n-butanol fluidization. This is the first report on the changes in the membrane lipid composition during n-butanol production by C. pasteurianum ATCC 6013, which is a versatile microorganism that has the potential to be engineered as an industrial n-butanol producer using crude glycerol.
Motoneuron axon pathfinding errors in zebrafish: Differential effects related to concentration and timing of nicotine exposure

Abstract Nicotine exposure during embryonic stages of development can affect many neurodevelopmental processes. In the developing zebrafish, exposure to nicotine was reported to cause axonal pathfinding errors in the later born secondary motoneurons (SMNs). These alterations in SMN axon morphology coincided with muscle degeneration at high nicotine concentrations (15–30 μM). Previous work showed that the paralytic mutant zebrafish known as sofa potato exhibited nicotine-induced effects onto SMN axons at these high concentrations but in the absence of any muscle deficits, indicating that pathfinding errors could occur independent of muscle effects. In this study, we used varying concentrations of nicotine at different developmental windows of exposure to specifically isolate its effects onto subpopulations of motoneuron axons. We found that nicotine exposure can affect SMN axon morphology in a dose-dependent manner. At low concentrations of nicotine, SMN axons exhibited pathfinding errors, in the absence of any nicotine-induced muscle abnormalities. Moreover, the nicotine exposure paradigms used affected the 3 subpopulations of SMN axons differently, but the dorsal projecting SMN axons were primarily affected. We then identified morphologically distinct pathfinding errors that best described the nicotine-induced effects on dorsal projecting SMN axons. To test whether SMN pathfinding was potentially influenced by alterations in the early born primary motoneuron (PMN), we performed dual labeling studies, where both PMN and SMN axons were simultaneously labeled with antibodies. We show that only a subset of the SMN axon pathfinding errors coincided with abnormal PMN axonal targeting in nicotine-exposed zebrafish. We conclude that nicotine exposure can exert differential effects depending on the levels of nicotine and developmental exposure window.
Quinidine syncope in children

Quinidine syncope and factors associated with it are well known among adult patients treated for cardiac arrhythmias. To define factors that may influence the occurrence of syncope in children taking quinidine, the clinical, anatomic, electrocardiographic, roentgeno-graphic and pharmacologic data were compared in six patients with syncope (Group A) and 22 patients without syncope (Group B). There was a significant (chi-square = 10.2, p = 0.001) relation between heart disease and quinidine syncope: all six Group A (syncopal) patients had heart disease whereas 15 of the 22 Group B (non-syncopal) patients had no structural heart disease. In contrast, no significant difference was noted between Group A and Group B patients in mean age (11.4 versus 11.4 years), mean quinidine serum concentration (2.9 versus 2.3 μ/ml), mean corrected QT interval before quinidine (0.43 versus 0.40 second) or mean corrected QT interval during quinidine therapy (0.46 versus 0.46 second) or between those taking digitalis and those not. Two of the six Group A (syncopal) patients died during therapy, one 6 days after initiating therapy and one suddenly at home 6 months after beginning quinidine. Another two of the six Group A patients exhibited hypokalemia (both 2.9 mEq/liter) at the time of syncope, 2 weeks and 6 months, respectively, after initiation of quinidine therapy; both survived. Syncope occurred within 8 days of initiation of quinidine therapy in three of the six patients. Sustained ventricular tachycardia was observed during quinidine associated arrhythmia in three of six patients with syncope; nonsustained ventricular tachycardia or complex ventricular ectopic activity while on this therapy was observed before syncope in the other three patients in Group A. This experience indicates that quinidine-related syncope in children is more likely to occur in patients with structural heart disease, may be associated with hypokalemia, is a result of ventricular tachycardia and may be fatal. In the presence of heart disease, in-hospital observation during the first 14 days and maintenance of normokalemia is a prerequisite for quinidine therapy in children.
Electron dynamics at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces

Abstract The application of femtosecond laser photoemission to the study of electron dynamics at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces is described. Fundamental processes such as electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering, diffusion and recombination are discussed. The dynamical evolution of photoexcited electrons on the As/Ge(111) surface is studied with broadly tunable harmonics. Extension of high harmonic generation to produce photon energies approaching 80 eV have resulted in the first atomic core level photoemission spectra from a tunable femtosecond source. Possible applications of harmonics to studies of surface photochemistry are discussed.
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in liver transplant patients

Abstract BACKGROUND: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infection is emerging in the transplant population, and there is no effective antibiotic therapy available. The aims of this retrospective review were to (1) investigate the outcome of and (2) identify common characteristics associated with VRE infection and colonization in orthotopic liver transplant (OLTx) candidates. METHODS: From October 1994 through September 1998, 126 isolates of VRE were identified in 42 of 234 OLTx recipients and 5 OLTx candidates who did not proceed to transplantation. Data were collected by patient chart review or from a computerized hospital database. RESULTS: The 1-year mortality rate with VRE infection was 82%, and with VRE colonization, 7%. This mortality rate contrasts with a 14% 1-year mortality for non-VRE transplant patients ( P 2.5 mg/dL or need for dialysis; 43%). Biliary complications were seen in 52% of post-OLTx VRE-infected or VRE-colonized patients (versus 22% in non-VRE transplant patients, P CONCLUSION: VRE infection is associated with a very high mortality rate after liver transplantation. The incidence of biliary complications prior to VRE isolation is very high in VRE-infected and VRE-colonized patients. The most common characteristics of VRE patients were recent prior vancomycin use, recent prior susceptible enterococcal infection, coinfection with other microbial pathogens, and concurrent fungal infection. With no proven effective antimicrobial therapy for VRE, stringent infection control measures, including strict and limited use of vancomycin, must be practiced.
The association between suicide and the socio-economic characteristics of geographical areas: a systematic review

Background. Despite an extensive literature, there have been widely divergent findings regarding the direction of the association between area socio-economic characteristics and area suicide rates, with high-quality studies finding either a direct relation (higher rates of suicide in higher socio-economic areas), an inverse relation (lower rates of suicide in higher socio-economic areas) or no association. Method. We performed a systematic review of the literature dating from 1897 to 2004 and identified 86 publications with 221 separate analyses that met our inclusion criteria. We examined the percent of direct, inverse and null findings stratified by key study characteristics including size of aggregated area, socio-economic measure used, region of study, control variables and study design.Results. Analyses at the community level are significantly more likely to demonstrate lower rates of suicide among higher socio-economic areas than studies using larger areas of aggregation. Measures of area poverty and deprivation are most likely to be inversely associated with suicide rates and median income is least likely to be inversely associated with suicide rates. Analyses using measures of unemployment and education and occupation were equally likely to demonstrate inverse associations. Study results did not vary significantly by gender or by study design. Conclusions. The heterogeneity of associations is mostly accounted for by study design features that have largely been neglected in this literature. Enhanced attention to size of region and measurement strategies provide a clearer picture of how suicide rates vary by region. Resources for suicide prevention should be targeted to high poverty/deprivation and high unemployment areas.
Doing it all Bass-Ackwards: The development of hierarchical factor structures from the top down

Abstract A simple method is presented for examining the hierarchical structure of a set of variables, based on factor scores from rotated solutions involving one to many factors. The correlations among orthogonal factor scores from adjoining levels can be viewed as path coefficients in a hierarchical structure. The method is easily implemented using any of a wide variety of standard computer programs, and it has proved to be extremely useful in a number of diverse applications, some of which are here described.
Impacts of Hay‐Scented Fern on Nutrition of Northern Red Oak Seedlings

Abstract A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the impacts of hay‐scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula [Michx.] Moore) on the nutrition of first‐year, northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings. Four common forest soil types in Pennsylvania were chosen as growth media for the study—two nutritionally poor soils and two moderately nutritional soils. Oaks and ferns were grown separately and together. Total macronutrient content [phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg)] was positively and significantly related to biomass in red oak, but not in ferns. Oaks grown with ferns exhibited greater nutrient imbalances and diminished nutrient status compared to oaks grown alone on all four soils. When grown with ferns, oak foliage exhibited significantly lower concentrations of K on all four soils, lower nitrogen (N) on three of four soils and lower P on two of four soils when compared to oaks grown alone. Conversely, ferns grown with oaks had fronds with significantly higher concentratio...
An electron microscopy study of the initial stages of dendrite formation in electrodeposited zinc

Abstract The beginnings of dendrite formation in electrodeposited zinc were investigated by electron microscopy. Numerous dendritically shaped crystallites were already present in the very early stages of deposition. They had definite crystallographic characteristics. Only a few of these crystallites developed into optically visible dendrites. High local current densities favored the development of fewer, but larger, dendrites.
State‐mandated accountability as a constraint on teaching and learning science

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of state-mandated policy, emphasizing control through performance-based instruction and student test scores as the basis for determining school accreditation, on the teaching and learning of science. The intended consequence of instigating the rational theory of management by one state is to improve their current level of student literacy. However, some contend that the implementation of the policy has results that are not intended. The identification of the tension between the intended and unintended results of centralized policy making is the basis for examining a specific case in which the rational model is implemented. One hundred and sixty-five seventh-grade science students and four teachers are participants in the study. Qualitative analysis is the research methodology used as a means to provide detailed information about the contextual nature of the classroom processes. The intention is to identify and describe features of the behavior setting that influence the behavior of the teachers and their students. Three assertions generated during the field work were: Teachers redefine the goals of science instruction as the acquisition of facts and isolated skills, teachers alter their usual instructional behavior to implement uniform instructional procedures, and the teacher/student classroom interaction constrains students' opportunities to learn science. The implications of the study indicate that the state-mandated policy has results that are in opposition to the intended results. Instead of improving the practices of teachers, the implementation of the policy constrains and routinizes the teachers' behavior, causing them to violate their own standards of good teaching. They feel pressured to “get through” the materials so students will score well on tests. The classroom interaction is structured in such a way as to inhibit students from asking questions of their own. As a result, students' opportunity to express curiosity and inquiry—central processes in scientific thinking—are constrained. These unintended consequences of the implemented state policy, instead of improving science teaching and learning, continue to reduce science instruction to the literal comprehension of isolated facts and skills.
Do the naïve know best? The predictive power of naïve ratings of couple interactions.

We examined the utility of naive ratings of communication patterns and relationship quality in a large sample of distressed couples. Untrained raters assessed 10-minute videotaped interactions from 134 distressed couples who participated in both problem solving and social support discussions at each of three time points (pre-therapy, post-therapy, and 2-year follow-up) during a randomized clinical trial of behavioral couple therapy. Teams of naive raters observed a particular type of discussion from the three time points at one sitting in a random order and rated dyadic interaction patterns (negative reciprocity, positive reciprocity, wife demand/husband withdraw, husband demand/wife withdraw, and mutual avoidance) and the overall relationship quality of couples. These naive ratings were strongly and consistently associated with both levels of, and changes in, trained observational codes and self-reported relationship satisfaction. Naive ratings of couples accounted for similar – and at times superior – amounts of variance in both concurrent relationship satisfaction and divorce at 5-year follow-up when compared with trained ratings. These findings offer compelling support for the use of naive raters in research with couples, and also suggest important future directions that are applicable to both research and practice with distressed couples.
Effect of chelating agents and solubility of cadmium complexes on uptake from soil by Brassica juncea.

Abstract Brassica juncea, or Indian mustard, was grown in soil artificially contaminated with either a soluble salt, CdCl2, at 186 mg Cd kg−1, or alternately an insoluble, basic salt, CdCO3, at 90 mg Cd kg−1. These experiments study the range of Cd uptake by Indian mustard from conditions of very high Cd concentration in a soluble form to the other extreme with an insoluble Cd salt. After plants were established, four different chelating agents were applied. Chelating agents increased plant uptake of Cd from the CdCl2 soil but did not significantly increase plant uptake of Cd from the CdCO3 contaminated soil. Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) increased the plant concentration of Cd by almost 10-fold in soils contaminated with CdCl2, with a concentration of 1283 mg Cd kg−1 in the dried EDTA-treated plants over a concentration of 131 mg Cd kg−1 in plants without added chelate. However, EDTA increased the aqueous solubility of Cd by 36 times over the soil matrix without added chelator, and thereby, increased the possibility of leaching. Other chelators used in both experiments were ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid, trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) increasing Cd in plants to 1240, 962, and 437 mg Cd kg−1, respectively. The other chelating agents increased the solubility of Cd in the leachate but not to the extent of EDTA. Comparing all chelating agents studied, DTPA increased plant uptake in terms of Cd in dried plant concentration most relative to the solubility of complexed Cd in runoff water.
Flexing is not stretching: An analogue study of flexure-induced fault populations

Abstract Flexure-induced fractures are predicted to form along the axis of maximum tensile stress within a bending brittle plate. The mechanics of this process differ from extensional fault growth in response to lithosphere stretching, where a distributed set of simultaneously growing fractures evolves through elastic interaction. To simulate extensional fault growth during lithospheric flexure, partially solidified plaster layers resting on a foam rubber substrate were depressed by a linear load and fractured in analogue models. The length- and spacing-frequency distributions of the resulting crack populations were analyzed for a series of nine thin (5 mm) and ten thick (15 mm) layer experiments. Previous analogue stretching models predict power-law length-frequency distributions and clustered spacings ( C v > 1) at low strains ( C v
Differential SERS Activity of Gold and Silver Nanostructures Enabled by Adsorbed Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)

We report that poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), a common stabilizer of colloidal dispersions of noble metal nanostructures, has a dramatic effect on their surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity and enables highly selective SERS detection of analytes of various type and charge. Nanostructures studied include PVP-stabilized Au–Ag nanoshells synthesized by galvanic exchange reaction of citrate-reduced Ag nanoparticles (NPs), as well as solid citrate-reduced Ag and Au NPs, both before and after stabilization with PVP. All nanostructures were characterized in terms of their size, surface plasmon resonance wavelength, surface charge, and chemical composition. While the SERS activities of the parent citrate-reduced Ag and Au NPs are similar for rhodamine 6G (R6G) and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) at various pH values, PVP-stabilized nanostructures demonstrate large differences in SERS enhancement factors (EFs) between these analytes depending on their chemical nature and protonation state. At pH value...
Pulmonary vascular effects of amrinone in conscious lambs.

Summary: The direct pulmonary vascular effects of amrinone, a nonglycoside, noncatechole cardiotonic agent were studied in conscious newborn lambs using a double-flow probe preparation that allows separation of direct and indirect pulmonary vascular effects. Amrinone was found to be a direct pulmonary vasodilator with a threshold dose of 0.3 mg/kg. Amrinone also increased cardiac output and decreased aortic pressure at somewhat higher threshold doses (1.0 mg/kg and 3.0 mg/kg, respectively). Amrinone's peak effect on pulmonary resistance appeared greater than its peak systemic effects. These effects were noted in both normoxia and hypoxia, and were not changed by pretreatment with propranolol.
Whether software engineering needs to be artificially intelligent

The author discusses the roles that humans now play versus the roles that could be taken over by artificial intelligence in developing computer systems. Also discussed is how the intelligent part of the automatic system can communicate effectively with humans. Topics covered include an artificial intelligence overview; weak methods; the heuristic search; the problem space; the knowledge base; expert systems; and conclusions drawn from a description of the general artificial intelligence paradigm.
Heat transfer in NMR of conductive samples with radiofrequency decoupling

Abstract Under conditions of thermal and fluid mechanical equilibrium, heat transfer in a vortex-free liquid in an NMR tube spinning at about 30 Hz is evidently dominated by conduction, to first approximation. In contrast, heat transfer between the spinning tube and its stationary surroundings occurs primarily by convection. When high-power rf decoupling is used, lossy samples such as solutions of electrolytes or molecules having large electric dipole moments may exhibit large increases in average temperature as well as substantial radial temperature gradients, because of inductive dielectric heating. Equations for conduction of heat through such samples were applied to the case where chemical shift depends linearly on temperature, and the resulting expressions for the lineshape were fitted to 31 P spectra of arylphosphine derivatives which were obtained using 100-MHz proton noise decoupling. For samples with ionic conductivity equal to that of 0.05 M aqueous NaCl, radial temperature gradients of 2.1 and 0.3 K were observed in 12- and 5-mm glass tubes, respectively, at 9 W radiated rf power and a maximum sample temperature of 302 K, 11 K above the temperatureof the thermostatted gas stream entering the NMR probe. Twelve-millimeter coaxial-cylinder sample tubes and coaxial inserts machined from polycrystalline beryllium oxide have thermal conductivities 250 times that of glass tubes and equilibrate rapidly in the probe. Heating effects and radial temperature gradients in BeO tubes equipped with coaxial BeO inserts were too small to measure. However, calculations suggest that the values should be close to 0.03 K for 9 W decoupling and other conditions as used for the conductive samples in glass tubes without inserts.
Synergistic gains from corporate acquisitions and their division between the stockholders of target and acquiring firms

This paper documents that a successful tender offer increases the combined value of the target and acquiring firms by an average of 7.4%. We also provide a theoretical analysis of the process of competition for control of the target and empirical evidence that competition among bidding firms increases the returns to targets and decreases the returns to acquirers, that the supply of target shares is positively sloped, and that changes in the legal/institutional environment of tender offers have had no impact on the total (percentage) synergistic gains created but have significantly affected their division between the stockholders of the target and acquiring firms.
``Say-stay'' identification and psychoacoustic performance of hearing-impaired listeners

Controversy exists over the extent to which psychoacoustic abilities explain speech perception. The present study addressed this issue by assessing the contribution of psychoacoustic abilities to speech identification by hearing-impaired listeners. Speech stimuli and nonspeech analogs were presented to normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners with varying degrees of hearing loss. Phonemic judgments for synthetic versions of "say-stay" stimuli were evaluated as a function of first formant onset frequency and of silence duration between the /s/ noise and the vocalic portion. Three psychoacoustic measures were obtained: glide onset frequency discrimination, gap detection in noise, and gap detection in speechlike composite signals. Although the resulting difference limens increased with increasing hearing loss, the acoustic cues to the speech contrast were available to all listeners. Nonetheless, the response patterns to the speech stimuli varied among groups in a manner that was not explained by the psychoacoustic results. Thus, although hearing-impaired listeners were able to detect and discriminate essential acoustic cues for speech, the perceptual organization of speech stimuli appeared to differ with degree of loss. Alternative explanations for the findings are considered, including the possible effect of hearing loss on auditory/linguistic experience.
Combinatorial investigation of the stoichiometry, electronic transport and elastic properties of (Cr1-xVx)2GeC thin films

We report on a combinatorial investigation of (Cr,V)–Ge–C via films grown by magnetron sputtering with a focus on the (Cr 1− x V x ) 2 GeC region. Deviations from Vegard’s law for (Cr 1− x V x ) 2 GeC suggest that there can be deficiencies in C in Cr-rich films. All compositions showed metal-like electrical conductivity which was significantly influenced by solid-solution scattering, and the temperature coefficient of resistivity provides an indirect probe of the electronic density of states. Raman spectroscopy indicated that alloying has minimal effect on the elastic moduli.
Growth and Reproductive Performance of Heifers Overwintered in Range or Drylot Environments

Replacement heifers (Bos taurus) are usually placed in drylot following weaning to provide proper nutritional management. Young livestock learn grazing skills from adults before weaning. Maintaining familiarity with the grazing environment may improve retention of these grazing skills, and thus improve subsequent productivity. We evaluated the hypothesis that returning heifers to range during the winter following weaning would improve subsequent productivity. During two consecutive years, 113 and 128 spring-born heifers, respectively, were allotted to two groups each in drylot and on dormant native range (...)
Factors associated with women's and children's body mass indices by income status

OBJECTIVE: To describe associations between eating behaviors, dietary intake, physical activity, attitudes toward diet and health, sociodemographic variables and body mass index (BMI) among women and children, and differences by household income. DESIGN: Data from the 1994–1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS) were examined using multivariate regression to estimate the associations between BMI and behavioral and environmental variables among women and children. SUBJECTS: CSFII 1994–1996 is representative of the US population. DHKS surveyed CSFII respondents 20 y of age and over. Our samples consisted of 2419 adult women and 1651 school-age children. MEASUREMENTS: CSFII respondents reported 24 h recalls of all food intakes on 2 nonconsecutive days and their personal and household characteristics, including self-reported height and weight. DHKS collected data on knowledge and attitudes toward dietary guidance and health from CSFII adult respondents. RESULTS: Significant correlations between women's BMI and age, race, dietary patterns, TV watching, and smoking was observed among women from both low- and high-income households. Beverage consumption, eating out, the importance of maintaining healthy weight, and exercise were correlated with BMI only among women from high-income households. Among children, age, race, income, and mother's BMI were significantly correlated with child BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Among women, the associations between some behavioral and environmental factors and BMI differ by household income. Intervention programs need to target specific eating and physical activity behaviors to promote a healthy body weight.
A bandwidth-allocation-based priority mechanism for high-speed unidirectional-bus networks

A simple and effective priority mechanism for an existing MAN protocol known as the p/sub i/-persistent protocol, a probabilistic scheduling scheme which has been shown to be suitable for applications requiring large bandwidth over long, repeater-free distances, is presented. The priority mechanism works by clipping the low priority stations in a controlled manner, thereby increasing the bandwidth available to the high priority stations, and decreasing their mean delays. The mechanisms operates entirely within the framework of the basic p/sub i/-persistent protocol, and may be easily tailored to achieve specific performance goals by selection of a single operating parameter, regardless of the network conditions. >
Design of wide-band optical heterodyne balanced mixer receivers

The optical heterodyne balanced mixer, or dual-detector receiver, offers significant advantages over a single detector receiver. Balanced mixer receivers are particularly attractive for use in optical heterodyne communication systems because they conserve local oscillator power and cancel excess intensity noise present in the local oscillator. Simple circuit models that illustrate the noise performance, small signal gain, and bandwidth of a balanced mixer receiver are developed. A figure-of-merit for receiver noise performance is also derived. An example design of a gigahertz bandwidth optical heterodyne balanced mixer receiver and the techniques used to characterize near-quantum-limited receiver performance are discussed.
A dual COX-sEH inhibitor improved glycemic status and reduced kidney injury in Zucker diabetic fatty rat (689.4)

Cyclooxygenase (COX) and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors have therapeutic potentials. We synthesized a novel dual COX-sEH inhibitor, PTUPB and investigated its efficacy in type 2 diabetic (T2D) Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. Male ZDF rats were treated with vehicle or PTUPB (3 mg/d, i.p.) for 56 days. On day 56, ZDF rats were diabetic (fasting blood glucose, 287±45 mg/dL) compared to Zucker Diabetic Lean rats (ZDL, 99±6 mg/dL), and PTUPB treatment improved glycemic status in ZDF rats (146±6 mg/dL). ZDF rats also developed hypertension and endothelial dysfunction that were reduced by PTUPB. The ZDF rats demonstrated kidney injury compared to ZDL with elevated albuminurea (4±2 vs 44±4 mg/d), nephriurea (16±4 vs 496±127 µg/d), marked renal fibrosis, cast formation and glomerular injury compared to ZDL rats, and PTUPB treatment reduced this injury by 40-50%. The ZDF rats also demonstrated increased inflammation and oxidative stress with elevated levels of urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-...
The afrocentric paradigm : A pragmatic discourse about social work practice with African Americans

This article discusses the Afrocentric paradigm as a viable theoretical framework to guide the future of social work practice. A historical overview of the paradigm is followed by a description of the basic assumptions for human behavior, self-identity, and community. The last section demonstrates the Afrocentric principle of harmony by embracing the problem-solving model as the conduit for positing wider acceptance and practical application of the Afrocentric Paradigm.