cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pendulation Reduction in Boom Cranes Using Cable Length Manipulation

A technique is proposed to reduce payload pendulations using the reeling and unreeling of the hoisting cable. The payload is modeled as a point mass, the cable is modeled as a rigid link, and the assembly, a spherical pendulum, is attached to the boom tip. An excitation is applied to the assembly at the boom tip. The motion of the payload is described using two-dimensional and three-dimensional models. Our results demonstrate that cable- length manipulation can be used to reduce payload pendulations due to near-resonance excitations. Significant reductions can be obtained via an appropriate choice of the reeling/unreeling speed. We also demonstrate the limitations inherent in two-dimensional modelings of a crane.
Noninvasive detection of vulnerable coronary plaques: Locking the barn door before the horse is stolen.

It is well established from post-mortem studies that ruptured atherosclerotic plaques in proximal coronary arteries usually have a large necrotic core with a thin overlying fibrous cap ([1,2][1]). These “thin cap fibroatheromas” usually have little calcification, and they may not cause critical
The Ionic Strength Dependence of Rare Earth and Yttrium Fluoride Complexation at 25°C

Formation constants for the complexation of yttrium and rare earth elements(YREE) by fluoride ions have been measured at 25°C. The ionic strength (μ)dependence of YREE formation constants in perchlorate solution for ionicstrengths between 0 and 6 molar can be expressed aslogFβ1 (M, μ) =logFβ1o (M) −3.066 μ0.5/(1 + 1.769 μ0.5)+ 0.1645 μwhere logFβ1o(M) represents MF2+formation constants at zero ionic strength.The logFβ1o(M) results obtained inthis work are: Y(4.46), La(3.62), Ce(3.86),Pr(3.84), Nd(3.82), Sm(4.15), Eu(4.27), Gd(4.24), Tb(4.37), Dy(4.39), Ho(4.28),Er(4.27), Tm(4.29), Yb(4.39), and Lu(4.25). The relative magnitudes of YREEformation constants are independent of ionic strength. The pattern oflogFβ1(M,μ),formation constants obtained in this work [relative magnitudes oflogFβ1o (M)],exhibits a shallow minimum between Dy and Yb. In contrast to the smoothpattern of stability constants expected if fluoride were to interact with bare ions(with monotonically decreasing crystal radii between La and Lu), theinteractionof F− with YREEs, which have extensive hydration spheres[M(H2O)8–93+] resultsin a relatively complex pattern of lanthanide stability constants. The fluoridecomplexation behavior of yttrium differs distinctly from the behavior of any rareearth. Although the crystal radius of Y3;pl is approximately equalto that of Ho3+,differences in the covalence/ionicity of Y3+ relative to therare earths leads to aYF2+ stability constant that exceeds that of any rare earthelement (REE).
Measurement of the Viscoelastic Properties of the Chinchilla Tympanic Membrane

Tympanic membrane (TM) transmits the sound pressure in the outer ear into mechanical vibration in the middle ear. Quantitate study on the middle ear sound transfer function requires accurate measurements of the TM mechanical properties. In this paper, a dynamic micro-fringe projection technique is developed to measure the viscoelastic properties of the chinchilla TM. An intact TM in the bulla is inflated with a time-varying air pressure. Micro-fringes are projected onto the TM surface during the inflation process and the surface image of the TM is captured with a digital video camera connected to a microscope. The pressure-volume displacement relationship is calculated with a phrase-shift algorithm. Finite element method with the implementation of a viscoelastic model is employed with the pressure history as input. A viscoelastic model is used to model material properties. By solving an inverse problem with the model, the viscoelastic properties of the TM are determined.
Lead exposure during childhood and subsequent anthropometry through adolescence in girls.

INTRODUCTION Cross-sectional studies suggest that postnatal blood lead (PbB) concentrations are negatively associated with child growth. Few studies prospectively examined this association in populations with lower PbB concentrations. We investigated longitudinal associations of childhood PbB concentrations and subsequent anthropometric measurements in a multi-ethnic cohort of girls. METHODS Data were from The Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program at three sites in the United States (U.S.): New York City, Cincinnati, and San Francisco Bay Area. Girls were enrolled at ages 6-8 years in 2004-2007. Girls with PbB concentrations collected at ≤10 years old (mean 7.8 years, standard deviation (SD) 0.82) and anthropometry collected at ≥3 follow-up visits were included (n = 683). The median PbB concentration was 0.99 μg/d (10th percentile = 0.59 μg/dL and 90th percentile = 2.00 μg/dL) and the geometric mean was 1.03 μg/dL (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.99, 1.06). For analyses, PbB concentrations were dichotomized as <1 μg/dL (n = 342) and ≥1 μg/dL (n = 341). Anthropometric measurements of height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and percent body fat (%BF) were collected at enrollment and follow-up visits through 2015. Linear mixed effects regression estimated how PbB concentrations related to changes in girls' measurements from ages 7-14 years. RESULTS At 7 years, mean difference in height was -2.0 cm (95% CI: -3.0, -1.0) for girls with ≥1 μg/dL versus <1 μg/dL PbB concentrations; differences persisted, but were attenuated, with age to -1.5 cm (95% CI: -2.5, -0.4) at 14 years. Mean differences for BMI, WC, and BF% at 7 years between girls with ≥1 μg/dL versus <1 μg/dL PbB concentrations were -0.7 kg/m2 (95% CI: -1.2, -0.2), -2.2 cm (95% CI: -3.8, -0.6), and -1.8% (95% CI: -3.2, -0.4), respectively. Overall, these differences generally persisted with advancing age and at 14 years, differences were -0.8 kg/m2 (95% CI: -1.5, -0.02), -2.9 cm (95% CI: -4.8, -0.9), and -1.7% (95% CI: -3.1, -0.4) for BMI, WC, and BF%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that higher concentrations of PbB during childhood, even though relatively low by screening standards, may be inversely associated with anthropometric measurements in girls.
Magnetotransport Anomaly in Room-Temperature Ferrimagnetic NiCo2O4 Thin Films

The inverse spinel ferrimagnetic NiCo2 O4 presents a unique model system for studying the competing effects of crystalline fields, magnetic exchange, and various types of chemical and lattice disorder on the electronic and magnetic states. Here, magnetotransport anomalies in high-quality epitaxial NiCo2 O4 thin films resulting from the complex energy landscape are reported. A strong out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, linear magnetoresistance, and robust anomalous Hall effect above 300 K are observed in 5-30 unit cell NiCo2 O4 films. The anomalous Hall resistance exhibits a nonmonotonic temperature dependence that peaks around room temperature, and reverses its sign at low temperature in films thinner than 20 unit cells. The scaling relation between the anomalous Hall conductivity and longitudinal conductivity reveals the intricate interplay between the spin-dependent impurity scattering, band intrinsic Berry phase effect, and electron correlation. This study provides important insights into the functional design of NiCo2 O4 for developing spinel-based spintronic applications.
Rapid radial T1 and T2 mapping of the hip articular cartilage with magnetic resonance fingerprinting

Quantitative MRI can detect early changes in cartilage biochemical components, but its routine clinical implementation is challenging. To introduce a novel technique to measure T and T along radial sections of the hip for accurate and reproducible multiparametric quantitative cartilage assessment in a clinically feasible scan time. Reproducibility, technical validation. A seven-compartment phantom and three healthy volunteers. A novel MR pulse sequence that simultaneously measures proton density (PD), T , and T at 3 T was developed. Automatic positioning and semiautomatic cartilage segmentation were implemented to improve consistency and simplify workflow. Intra- and interscanner variability of our technique was assessed over multiple scans on three different MR scanners. For each scan, the median of cartilage T and T over six radial slices was calculated. Restricted maximum likelihood estimation of variance components was used to estimate intrasubject variances reflecting variation between results from the two scans using the same scanner (intrascanner variance) and variation among results from the three scanners (interscanner variance). The estimation error for T and T with respect to reference standard measurements was less than 3% on average for the phantom. The average interscanner coefficient of variation was 1.5% (1.2-1.9%) and 0.9% (0.0-3.7%) for T and T , respectively, in the seven compartments of the phantom. Total scan time in vivo was 7:13 minutes to obtain PD, T , and T maps along six radial hip sections at 0.6 × 0.6 × 4.0 mm voxel resolution. Interscanner variability for the in vivo study was 1.99% and 5.46% for T and T , respectively. in vivo intrascanner variability was 1.15% for T and 3.24% for T . Our method, which includes slice positioning, model-based parameter estimation, and cartilage segmentation, is highly reproducible. It could enable employing quantitative hip cartilage evaluation for longitudinal and multicenter studies. 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:810-815.
Between- and within-animal variation of CBF during hypotension and ischemia in relation to eNOS concentration, [eNOS], in the rat brain

Variations in the CBF response to hypotension and focal ischemia have been reported. Nitric oxide from eNOS is a possible candidate as the regulatory factor during these conditions. We hypothesize ...
Site fidelity, vertical movement, and habitat use of nearshore reef fishes on offshore petroleum platforms in southern California

Off California, economically important nearshore reef fishes inhabit the shallow (<20 m) regions of offshore petroleum platforms on the San Pedro Shelf (SPS). It is essential to understand the degrees to which platforms support fish over time to indicate whether biological requirements (e.g., shelter, diet, reproduction) are being met. To determine the ecological importance of platforms as fish habitat, the site fidelity and depth/habitat use of adult cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus (Ayres, 1854), grass rockfish, Sebastes rastrelliger (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880), kelp rockfish, Sebastes atrovirens (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880), and California sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher (Ayres, 1854) were investigated at platforms Edith (50 m bottom depth) and Eureka (212 m). A total of 63 fish were acoustically tagged and monitored for up to 578 d. Sixty-three percent of individuals were still present at platforms at the end of the study (long-term site fidelity), with 55 individuals detected a mean of 66.9% (SD 36.0%) of their total days at liberty (daily site fidelity). All species displayed a shift in seasonal depth use. The shallowest horizontal level, consisting of various horizontal beams at platform Edith (15 m depth) and Eureka (17 m), was the most utilized habitat by grass rockfish, kelp rockfish, and California sheephead. Cabezon at platform Eureka utilized depths (21–31 m) unassociated with horizontal levels, while at platform Edith they primarily utilized the second horizontal level (30 m). Decommissioning options that remove the shallowest 26 m of structure would eliminate the habitat most utilized by three of the four study species that dominate the nearshore reef fish communities at SPS platforms.
Lasting Impact of Chronic Adolescent Stress and Glucocorticoid Receptor Selective Modulation in Male and Female Rats.

Abstract Adolescent animals are vulnerable to the effects of stress on brain development. We hypothesized that long-term effects of adolescent chronic stress are mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling. We used a specific GR modulator (CORT108297) to pharmacologically disrupt GR signaling in adolescent rats during exposure to chronic variable stress (CVS). Male and female rats received 30 mg/kg of drug during a 2-week CVS protocol starting at PND46. Emotional reactivity (open field) and coping behaviors (forced swim test (FST)) were then tested in adulthood, 5 weeks after the end of the CVS protocol. Blood samples were collected two days before FST and serial samples after the onset of the swim test to determine baseline and stress response levels of HPA hormones respectively. Our results support differential behavioral, physiological and stress circuit reactivity to adolescent chronic stress exposure in males and females, with variable involvement of GR signaling. In response to adolescent stress, males had heightened reactivity to novelty and exhibited marked reduction in neuronal excitation following swim stress in adulthood, whereas females developed a passive coping strategy in the FST and enhanced HPA axis stress reactivity. Only the latter effect was attenuated by treatment with the GR modulator C108297. In summary, our data suggest that adolescent stress differentially affects emotional behavior and circuit development in males and females, and that GR manipulation during stress can reverse at least some of these effects.
Redox regulation of a light-harvesting antenna complex in an anoxygenic phototroph

The purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris is a model for understanding how a phototrophic organism adapts to changes in light intensity because it produces different light-harvesting (LH) complexes under high light (LH2) and low light intensities (LH3 and LH4). Outside of this change in the composition of the photosystem, little is understood about how R. palustris senses and responds to low light intensity. On the basis of the results of transcription analysis of 17 R. palustris strains grown in low light, we found that R. palustris strains downregulate many genes involved in iron transport and homeostasis. The only operon upregulated in the majority of R. palustris exposed to low light intensity was pucBAd, which encodes LH4. In previous work, pucBAd expression was shown to be modulated in response to light quality by bacteriophytochromes that are part of a low-light signal transduction system. Here we found that this signal transduction system also includes a redox-sensitive protein, LhfE, and that its redox sensitivity is required for LH4 synthesis in response to low light. Our results suggest that R. palustris upregulates its LH4 system when the cellular redox state is relatively oxidized. Consistent with this, we found that LH4 synthesis was upregulated under high light intensity when R. palustris was grown semiaerobically or under nitrogen-fixing conditions. Thus, changes in the LH4 system in R. palustris are not dependent on light intensity per se but rather on cellular redox changes that occur as a consequence of changes in light intensity.IMPORTANCE An essential aspect of the physiology of phototrophic bacteria is their ability to adjust the amount and composition of their light-harvesting apparatus in response to changing environmental conditions. The phototrophic purple bacterium R. palustris adapts its photosystem to a range of light intensities by altering the amount and composition of its peripheral LH complexes. Here we found that R. palustris regulates its LH4 complex in response to the cellular redox state rather than in response to light intensity per se Relatively oxidizing conditions, including low light, semiaerobic growth, and growth under nitrogen-fixing conditions, all stimulated a signal transduction system to activate LH4 expression. By understanding how LH composition is regulated in R. palustris, we will gain insight into how and why a photosynthetic organism senses and adapts its photosystem to multiple environmental cues.
Usefulness of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in status asthmaticus with severe tracheal stenosis.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, traditionally used to treat refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, is being used to treat other etiologies of seve...
Job-Work Fit as a Determinant of the Acceptance of Large-Scale Agile Methodology

Abstract The declaration of the Agile Manifesto in 2001 was hailed as a paradigmatic shift in the development of software systems. Initially, agile development was typically deployed in projects with a single team with fewer than ten members. Recently, a new kind of agile development has emerged for larger projects that may be referred to as large-scale agile methodology (LSAM). The taxonomy of LSAM is more enhanced and subsumes the Agile Manifesto. Based on the software development literature, the study investigates five important antecedents of methodology acceptance: perceived usefulness, compatibility, subjective norm, mandatoriness, and external support. As a result of the initial PLS analysis, the study introduces the notion of Job-Work Fit as a second-order construct composed of perceived usefulness and compatibility. Based on a survey of 123 respondents, the study finds that the construct job-work fit significantly explains the LSAM acceptance for large projects. Job-work fit also mediates the relationships between subjective norm and external support with LSAM acceptance. This research suggests that as the stakes become higher because of project size and agility, job-work fit emerges as the central determinant of LSAM acceptance.
A Boulder in the Chest: Case of Massive Pulmonary Artery Sarcoma

A 79-year-old woman presented with dyspnea and cough. Workup revealed a pulmonary artery mass. After undergoing surgery, she was treated with adjuvant immunotherapy for an undifferentiated pulmonary artery sarcoma. Fifteen months after surgery, there was no evidence of recurrence. The case is discussed, imaging presented, and the published reports reviewed. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).
Increased PD-L1 Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Fanconi Anemia/BRCA Mutations

Introduction: Loss of DNA repair fidelity is a common feature of tumors and can drive genomic instability, tumor evolution, and therapy response. 1 Fanconi anemia (FA) is a DNA damage response (DDR) pathway and biallelic germline mutations in the pathway lead to a bone marrow failure syndrome with a predisposition for cancer, especially acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Unfortunately, FA-AML is a secondary AML with very poor prognosis, with an increased risk for relapse even after initial cure with bone marrow transplantation. Therefore FA patients need further options for therapy. DNA damage response (DDR) deficiency has emerged as a predictive biomarker of response to immune checkpoint inhibition. 2 In some solid tumors, defective DDR leads to genomic instability, increased mutational burden, increased neo antigen expression and increased PD-L1 expression; and respond robustly to PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The mutational burden and PD-L1 expression in FA-mutated tumors remain to be discovered. Therefore, we hypothesize that FA mutations in AML increase mutational burden and PD-L1 expression. This work can set the stage for future studies involving PD-1 blocking therapies for FA-mutated tumors. Methods/Results: To determine the mutational burden in FA-mutated tumors, we didwhole exome sequencing (WES)of three AML cell lines obtained from pediatric FA patients, all were FANCD1/BRCA2 mutated.3,4 The three AML cell lines also represent a progression of AML disease- an early clone, a late clone and a relapsed AML after bone marrow transplantation. There was an average of 180,000 somatic mutations/case, pared down to 1,000 mutations after limiting calls with >10 reads and allele frequency >0.1%. Mutational burden of pediatric AML in non-FA patients has been reported to be ~10 mutations/case.5Therefore there is about a 100-fold increase in mutations in AML from FA patients compared to AML from non-FA patients.Then we determined PD-L1 mRNA and protein expression of the three FANCD1/BRCA2 mutated AML cells with quantitative PCR and flow cytometry respectively. We found increasing PD-L1 mRNA expression from early to late to relapsed clones (2^-ΔCt values 1.21x10-5, 1.54x10-5, and 7.02x10-5 respectively; p-value Conclusions: Our data show there is a high mutational load in FA-AML cell lines, which also express PD-L1. Both of these tumor characteristics are predictors of response to PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. This will lead to future work on PD-1 blockade as a potential therapeutic option for FA-AML. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Classroom discourse and disability: Interactional opportunities for development of self-determination beliefs

This qualitative study of ongoing interactions in a high school classroom illustrates how teachers’ specific interactive choices can provide crucial opportunities for students with disabilities to ...
Long-term deep learning-facilitated environmental acoustic monitoring in the Capital Region of New York State

Abstract The effect of anthropogenic activity on animal communication is of increasing ecological concern. Passive acoustic recording offers a robust, minimally disruptive, long-term approach to monitoring species interactions, particularly because many indicator species of environmental health factors such as biodiversity, habitat quality, and pollution produce distinct vocalizations. Machine learning algorithms have been used in recent decades to automatically analyze the large quantities of audio data that result. In this study, a microphone array was used to collect continuous audio data at a site in the Capital Region of New York State for twelve months, resulting in over 8000 h of recordings. A 19-class database containing a variety of bio- and anthrophony was used to train a convolutional neural network in order to generate a reliable record of species-specific calling activity for the entire study period. These results were used to calculate an acoustics-based pseudo-species richness and abundance distribution. Additionally, heatmap plots were used to visualize (i) the time of day (x), sound category (y), and predicted number of sonic events for an average 30-day period and (ii) the day of the year (x), time of day (y), and predicted number of sonic events for each sound category. The correlations between these sonic events and various abiotic factors such as number of daylight hours, temperature, and weather activity were also examined.
Improving integrative 3D modeling into low- to medium-resolution electron microscopy structures with evolutionary couplings.

Electron microscopy (EM) continues to provide near-atomic resolution structures for well-behaved proteins and protein complexes. Unfortunately, structures of some complexes are limited to low- to medium-resolution due to biochemical or conformational heterogeneity. Thus, the application of unbiased systematic methods for fitting individual structures into EM maps is important. A method that employs co-evolutionary information obtained solely from sequence data could prove invaluable for quick, confident localization of subunits within these structures. Here, we incorporate the co-evolution of intermolecular amino acids as a new type of distance restraint in the Integrative Modeling Platform (IMP) in order to build three-dimensional models of atomic structures into EM maps ranging from 10-14 a in resolution. We validate this method using four complexes of known structure, where we highlight the conservation of intermolecular couplings despite dynamic conformational changes using the BAM complex. Finally, we use this method to assemble the subunits of the bacterial holo-translocon into a model that agrees with previous biochemical data. The use of evolutionary couplings in integrative modeling improves systematic, unbiased fitting of atomic models into medium- to low-resolution EM maps, providing additional information to integrative models lacking in spatial data. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Integration of Palliative Care Services in the Intensive Care Unit: A Roadmap for Overcoming Barriers

Clinicians working in the intensive care unit (ICU) confront death and dying daily. ICU care can be inconsistent with a patient's values, preferences, and previously expressed goals of care. Current evidence promotes the integration of palliative care services within the ICU setting. Palliative care bridges the gap between comfort and cure, and these services are growing in the United States. This article discusses the benefits and barriers to integration of ICU and palliative care services, and a stepwise approach to implementation of palliative care services. Integration of palliative care services into ICU workflow is increasingly seen as essential to providing high-quality, comprehensive critical care.
Sarcoma of the endometrium.

Abstract Three cases of tumor of the endometrium are reported which fulfill the criteria of malignancy. Two of them had massive recurrence after operation and one metastasized. They deserve the term “sarcoma” rather than endometriosis. They were peculiarly sensitive to radiation. One case of sarcoma of the endometrium is reported which had a histologic picture unlike that of the two previous cases and contained cartilage. This should probably be called a teratoma, or mixed-cell type of tumor. One case of so-called carcinosarcoma of the endometrium is reported. This tumor metastasized to the vagina as a true adenocarcinoma suggesting that the sarcoma-like tissue of the stroma was not malignant.
Pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive micropapillary bladder cancer.

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Micropapillary bladder cancer is a high grade variant with poor prognosis. There is no consensus about patients with micropapillary bladder cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but many suggest that radical cystectomy should not be delayed. Data from this study suggest that patients with micropapillary bladder cancer have a similar rate of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy to that of patients with urothelial carcinoma. If these patients have pT0 disease, their survival is significantly improved at 2 years. Objective To describe the pathological outcomes of patients with muscle-invasive micropapillary bladder cancer who have undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and Methods A total of 82 patients with muscle-invasive micropapillary bladder cancer were treated between 1997 and 2010. After excluding those with metastatic disease, micropapillary histology only at radical cystectomy (RC), and chemo-radiation as primary treatment, 44 patients remained. All patients had ≥cT2 disease before chemotherapy/surgery. The median follow-up after RC was 28 months. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was initiated in 29 (66%) patients and all patients underwent RC (93%) or partial cystectomy (7%). Results Micropapillary histology was diagnosed at first transurethral resection in 37 (84%) patients. Final RC pathology revealed pT0 in 15 (34%) patients and positive lymph nodes in 13 (31%) patients. Down-staging to pT0 occurred in 13 (45%) of those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared with two (13%) of those who did not (P = 0.049). Patients with pT0 disease with micropapillary histology had higher overall survival rates (25 vs. 92%) and lower rates of bladder cancer recurrence (21 vs. 79%) at the 24-month follow-up. Conclusions Almost half of the patients responded completely to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a pT0 rate of 45%; therefore, patients with the micropapillary variant of urothelial carcinoma should not be excluded from consideration for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Modeling Studies of Fixed-Bed Metal-Hydride Storage Systems

Modeling studies are of a practical importance in understanding and characterizing the behavior of hydride beds now being developed for storing and supplying hydrogen fuel in power plant and automotive applications. A convection bed model, in which heat is transferred to or from the bed by a flowing stream of hydrogen in direct contact with the particles, and a conduction model in which heat is transferred through a containment wall, were developed. FeTiH2 and catalyzed MgH2 were evaluated using the model.
Cooperation in the Classroom: An Application of Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma

Cooperative learning is an attractive teaching tool that can be problematic if rewards are used as the primary motivation for cooperation. In the absence of rewards, social cohesion is used to motivate cooperation. A repeated Prisoner's Dilemma game among small groups of undergraduate students is used to create a perverse reward structure where social cohesion is the only motivation for cooperation in the face of a rational decision to never cooperate. Panel data from this experiment is analyzed to determine the impact of group structure and individual and group characteristics on cooperative behavior. The expected pattern of initial cooperation followed by steady declines in cooperation is observed. The formation of groups significantly increases cooperative behavior; however, cooperation again declines following group formation. Male students are more cooperative in the absence of small group social forces. Gender becomes insignificant following group formation. Stronger students do not act more cooperatively given the perverse reward structure and weaker students do not act less cooperatively. Prior experiences in the group do not significantly impact cooperative behavior. Statistically significant results for control variables for the different sections suggest individual class personality remains a major factor in the success of cooperative learning that relies on social cohesion.
The measurement challenge in human rights

There are three regional systems for the protection of human rights, namely: the African, the Inter-American and the European systems. This contribution provides a comparative overview of their salient features and focuses on key procedural and institutional aspects of these systems.
Potential energy effects and diffusion in the relaxed components of the reaction 197Au + 40Ar at 288 and 340 MeV bombarding energies

Abstract The fragments emitted in the reaction between 197 Au and 40 Ar at 288 and 340 MeV bombarding energies have been studied. The fragments have been identified in atomic number up to Z = 32 by means of an E - Δ E telescope. The kinetic energy distributions, the cross sections and the angular distributions have been measured for each Z . The kinetic energy distributions show the typical quasielastic and relaxed components; the Z -distributions show a smooth increase in the cross section with increasing Z , interrupted at relatively forward angles by a fairly sharp peak close to Z = 18. The angular distributions are forward peaked in excess of 1 sin θ for atomic numbers as large as Z ≈ 30, as far as twelve atomic number units above the projectile; this is at variance with other reactions like Ag + 20 Ne, where the angular distributions become 1 sin θ four or five atomic number units above the projectile. This is interpreted in terms of an enhanced diffusion towards symmetry, possibly promoted by the potential energy in the intermediate complex corresponding to two fragments in contact.
State youth-access tobacco control policies and youth smoking behavior in the United States

Abstract Context: State policies aimed at controlling youth access to tobacco are an important component of public health efforts to reduce smoking prevalence among youth and prevent subsequent disease. Objectives: This study sought to assess the extensiveness of state youth access tobacco control legislation in the United States, describe how state policies changed over a 4-year period, explore how various political and economic characteristics are related to state policies, and determine the relationship of youth smoking behavior to state youth tobacco control policies. Design: This descriptive and correlational study utilized data from multiple national surveillance, economic, and sociodemographic data sets. Participants: All 50 states and the District of Columbia provided economic and political data. A standard tobacco-control policy score was developed by an expert panel for each state. Aggregated state-level measures of youth smoking behavior were provided by 79,491 youth in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Main Outcome Measures: Included were extent of state tobacco control policies and changes over time, relationship between state political and economic characteristics and tobacco control policies, and relationship between state policies and youth smoking behavior. Results: State policy scores increased in variability and in mean value over the 4-year period, from a mean score of 7.2 in 1993 to 9.0 in 1996. State policy scores were significantly correlated with several state political and economic variables. States with more extensive tobacco control policies had significantly lower youth smoking rates. There was some evidence that a strong state tobacco economy may limit the effectiveness of tobacco control policies on youth smoking rates. Conclusions: It is possible to reliably measure the extent to which states are achieving important public health goals in limiting youth access to tobacco products. Comprehensive state tobacco control policies are important for increasing prevention and cessation of smoking among youth.
Simulation of time-dependent viscoelastic channel Poiseuille flow at high Reynolds numbers

Abstract The development of a fully spectral, three-dimensional (in space) and time-dependent simulation for viscoelastic flows is described. For smooth flow geometries, such as the plane Poiseuille flow which is studied here, the method combines the advantages of a high accuracy, exponentially fast convergent with mesh refinement and spectral approximation with those of an efficient numerical implementation well suited for a vector/parallel computer architecture. This approach is shown here to lead to a stable numerical approximation for We ≈ 0(1) provided the size of the time step is kept small enough. Three different viscoelastic constitutive equations of the differential type are considered here: the upper convected Maxwell, the Oldroyd-B and the Chilcott-Rallison models. At large enough times, and before a stationary state is reached, numerical instabilities set in depending on the time-step size and initial conditions. Before the onset of the numerical instabilities, the conformation tensor is always observed to lose its positive-definiteness. For the constitutive equations utilized here this is due to the accumulation of numerical error since it can be shown that, if the constitutive equations are integrated in time exactly, the conformation tensor remains always positive definite. For the UCM model, this loss of positive definiteness is associated with the loss of evolutionarity of the governing equations. This is presumed to be responsible for the breakdown of the numerical simulations. Examination of the results of the three-dimensional simulations has shown similar results for the rms values of the velocity field and the Reynolds stress as compared to the Newtonian case. However, sharp boundary layers have been observed for all the components of the conformation tensor, for both their mean and rms values. These results were obtained at a Reynolds number of 5000, for initial perturbations to the steady Poiseuille flow solution in the form of the most unstable eigenvectors with a relative amplitude of the order of 1 2% in the energy norm.
Opportunistic Sensing in Wireless Sensor Networks: Theory and Application

Opportunistic Sensing (OS) refers to a paradigm for signal and information processing in which a network of sensing systems can automatically discover and select sensor platforms based on an operational scenario. In this paper, we propose theory and algorithms of OS for advancing autonomous sensing that not only ensures effective utilization of sensing assets but also provides robust optimal performance. We propose an information theoretical criterion for opportunistic sensing in wireless sensor networks and derive an algorithm for efficient OS. We apply our OS algorithm to radar sensor networks for sense-through-foliage target detection, and show that our OS algorithm works very well and much better than other approach.
Dual-space drawing: designing an interface to support creative and reflective drawing experiences

Dual-Space Drawing is an interface that enables children to express their drawing ideas in both the digital and real worlds. It supports creative and reflective drawing experiences using two layers: a transparent layer and a screen layer. The interface takes a user's drawing movements on the transparent display unobtrusively and then projects the movements on the screen display while presenting the user-selected multimedia components. Dual-Space Drawing lets users interact with motion graphics on a mirror-like display. In the process of designing the self-projected scenes and creating digital contents, children can express themselves and embody their ideas. While designing a digital object, a user's response to the object creates a new relationship to the object in connection with the user's self-reflectionprojection. In this way, Dual-Space Drawing integrates the user's drawing activity with expressive interaction.
Affective Responses by Adults with Autism Are Reduced to Social Images but Elevated to Images Related to Circumscribed Interests

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) demonstrate increased visual attention and elevated brain reward circuitry responses to images related to circumscribed interests (CI), suggesting that a heightened affective response to CI may underlie their disproportionate salience and reward value in ASD. To determine if individuals with ASD differ from typically developing (TD) adults in their subjective emotional experience of CI object images, non-CI object images and social images, 213 TD adults and 56 adults with ASD provided arousal ratings (sensation of being energized varying along a dimension from calm to excited) and valence ratings (emotionality varying along dimension of approach to withdrawal) for a series of 114 images derived from previous research on CI. The groups did not differ on arousal ratings for any image type, but ASD adults provided higher valence ratings than TD adults for CI-related images, and lower valence ratings for social images. Even after co-varying the effects of sex, the ASD group, but not the TD group, gave higher valence ratings to CI images than social images. These findings provide additional evidence that ASD is characterized by a preference for certain categories of non-social objects and a reduced preference for social stimuli, and support the dissemination of this image set for examining aspects of the circumscribed interest phenotype in ASD.
From Abba to Zeppelin, Led: Using Music to Teach Economics

(2008). From Abba to Zeppelin, Led: Using Music to Teach Economics. The Journal of Economic Education: Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 107-107.
Vital effect on stable-isotope composition seen in foraminifera and coral skeletons

Stable-isotope composition of carbonate precipitated by hermatypic corals and associated benthonic foraminifera is strongly influenced by photosynthesis of symbiotic algae. In situ 14C and 45Ca uptake experiments show that when photosynthesis increases, more light metabolic CO2 is incorporated in the skeleton. This mechanism explains the non-equilibrium isotopic compositions previously reported for these organisms (as well as for planktonic foraminifera), and have important implications for palaeoenvironmental determinations based on stable-isotope analysis.
Fine Structure in the Nuclear Photoeffect

It is shown that the widths of the levels presumed to be composing the giant resonance for photon absorption in carbon can be measured by self-absorption in carbon. Existing measurements suggest that the widths must be greater than 50 kev, in contradiction to other experiments.
GPR56 and the Developing Cerebral Cortex: Cells, Matrix, and Neuronal Migration

GPR56, a member of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, is integral to the development of the cortex, as mutations in GPR56 cause bilateral frontoparietal polymicrogyria (BFPP). BFPP is a cobblestone-like cortical malformation, characterized by overmigrating neurons and the formation of neuronal ectopias on the surface of the brain. Since its original cloning a decade ago, GPR56 has emerged from an orphaned and uncharacterized protein to an increasingly well-understood receptor, both in terms of its signaling and function. Collagen III is the ligand of GPR56 in the developing brain. Upon binding to collagen III, GPR56 activates RhoA via coupling to Gα12/13. This pathway appears to be particularly critical in the preplate neurons, which are the earliest born neurons in the cortex, as the expression pattern of GPR56 in these neurons mimics the anterior to posterior gradient of malformation associated with loss of GPR56 in both humans and mice. Further characterizing the role of GPR56 in the preplate will shed light on the mechanism of cortical development and patterning.
Factorial similarity of letter and number series comprising identical rules

Letter series and number series tests, comprising items based on identical rules, were administered in a counterbalanced design to 320 undergraduates in order to determine the similarity of factorial structure by means of Tucker’s coefficients of congruence. Results indicated that the letter and number series tests, in which each item in one had a same-rule counter-part in the other, possessed limited factorial similarity because only 4 of the 8 identically constituted factors yielded coefficients of congruence between .80 and .91 (median = .85). Examination of item-wise patterns of responses of the persons, whose total scores on the letter series tests were five or more points lower than their total scores on the corresponding number series tests, revealed certain tactics of this group (n = 92) that might account for the lack of adequate factorial similarity.
Useful polynomials for the transient response of solids under mechanical and thermal excitations

Abstract Integral- and fractional-order polynomials capable of describing the transient response of mechanical and thermal systems to a generalized excitation of displacement or temperature were derived using convolution theory. Excellent agreement between the derived polynomials and an existing closed-form solution was then seen for the mechanical case where a single-degree of freedom system without damping was subjected to an asymptotic-exponential and half-sine displacement excitations. Excellent agreement was also seen with the thermal case of a slab subjected to an asymptotic-exponential temperature rise on the exposed surface. However, in order to avoid the use of functions involving complex arguments that arise during a portion of the integration, the Laplace Transform identity of the convolution integral and a ten-term Gaver–Stehfest inversion formula were used. The use of polynomials in the solution was intended to allow the incorporation of empirical date not easily represented by standard functions. The resulting relationships are easily programmed and can be used to solve a variety of problems in engineering, as well as verify numerical calculations involving more sophisticated methods such as finite-element analysis.
Implementing mass customization

Abstract Total Customer Satisfaction today can mean embarking on “Mass Customization”: giving every customer a product tailored specifically to his or her needs. In the past, manufacturing was usually “high volume, low mix”, characterized by keeping costs down with economies of scale, or “low volume, high mix”, incurring costs and time for changeovers and special handling. Today's mass customization, however, can result in a challenging manufacturing environment with both high volume and high mix, where customers expect individualized products at the same price they paid for mass-produced items. Meeting this challenge requires changes in the manufacturing processes. Equipment must be more flexible. Most important are the computer systems which support the manufacturing enterprise. Never has data been so essential to define, control, and monitor manufacturing as with mass customization. Motorola's product lines — from the pagers with millions of possible options, to the cellular phones and semiconductors — are all experiencing the move to mass customization. This presentation will describe some Motorola examples and the methods used to achieve world-class manufacturing under these conditions.
False aneurysm of a hepatic artery branch complicating intrahepatic islet transplantation

Summary Islet transplantation, an innovative treatment strategy for type 1 diabetes mellitus, is a relatively safe procedure, with less morbidity than pancreas transplantation. Vascular injuries have not been reported to date. We report a percutaneous transhepatic intraportal islet transplant infusion that was followed by bleeding from a false aneurysm of an intrahepatic branch of the hepatic artery. The bleeding was controlled by selective embolization. Despite the complication and its treatment, the patient gained insulin independence, which was sustained for 285 days. She is currently on a small dose of insulin with good glycemic control.
Experimental Support for Tilt-Dependent Theory of Biomembrane Mechanics

Recent simulations have indicated that the traditional model for topographical fluctuations in biomembranes should be enriched to include molecular tilt. Here we report the first experimental data supporting this enrichment. Utilizing a previously posited tilt-dependent model, a height-height correlation function was derived. The x-ray scattering from a liquid crystalline stack of oriented fluid phase lipid bilayers was calculated and compared with experiment. By fitting the measured scattering intensity, both the bending modulus ${K}_{c}=8.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}20}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{J}$ and the tilt modulus ${K}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}=95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}7\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{mN}/\mathrm{m}$ were determined for DOPC lipid bilayers at $30\text{ }\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$.
The cell surface form of colony-stimulating factor-1 is biologically active in bone in vivo.

The specific biological function of the cell surface or membrane-bound isoform of colony-stimulating factor-1 (mCSF-1) is not well understood. To help define the role of this isoform in bone, we developed a transgenic mouse in which targeted expression of human mCSF-1 in osteoblasts was achieved under the control of the 2.4-kb rat collagen type I α promoter. Bone density, determined by peripheral quantitative computed tomography, was reduced 7% in mCSF-1 transgenic compared with that in wild-type mice. Histomorphometric analyses indicated that the number of osteoclasts in bone (NOc/BPm, NOc/TAR, OcS/BS) was significantly increased in transgenic mice (1.7- to 1.8-fold; P < 0.05 to P < 0.01) compared with that in wild-type animals. Interestingly, the osteoblast-restricted isoform transgene corrected the osteopetrosis seen in CSF-1-deficient op/op mice. Skeletal growth and bone density in op/op mice expressing mCSF-1 in osteoblasts were similar to those in wild-type mice and were dramatically different from ...