cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A digitally reconstructed radiograph algorithm calculated from first principles

Purpose: To develop an algorithm for computing realistic digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) that match real cone-beam CT (CBCT) projections with no artificial adjustments. Methods: The authors used measured attenuation data from cone-beam CT projection radiographs of different materials to obtain a function to convert CT number to linear attenuation coefficient (LAC). The effects of scatter, beam hardening, and veiling glare were first removed from the attenuation data. Using this conversion function the authors calculated the line integral of LAC through a CT along rays connecting the radiation source and detector pixels with a ray-tracing algorithm, producing raw DRRs. The effects of scatter, beam hardening, and veiling glare were then included in the DRRs through postprocessing. Results: The authors compared actual CBCT projections to DRRs produced with all corrections (scatter, beam hardening, and veiling glare) and to uncorrected DRRs. Algorithm accuracy was assessed through visual comparison of projections and DRRs, pixel intensity comparisons, intensity histogram comparisons, and correlation plots of DRR-to-projection pixel intensities. In general, the fully corrected algorithm provided a small but nontrivial improvement in accuracy over the uncorrected algorithm. The authors also investigated both measurement- and computation-based methods for determining the beam hardening correction, and found the computation-based methodmore » to be superior, as it accounted for nonuniform bowtie filter thickness. The authors benchmarked the algorithm for speed and found that it produced DRRs in about 0.35 s for full detector and CT resolution at a ray step-size of 0.5 mm. Conclusions: The authors have demonstrated a DRR algorithm calculated from first principles that accounts for scatter, beam hardening, and veiling glare in order to produce accurate DRRs. The algorithm is computationally efficient, making it a good candidate for iterative CT reconstruction techniques that require a data fidelity term based on the matching of DRRs and projections.« less
Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth and Properties of Bi2Se3 Topological Insulator Layers on Different Substrate Surfaces

Growth of high-quality Bi2Se3 films is crucial not only for study of topological insulators but also for manufacture of technologically important materials. We report a study of the heteroepitaxy of single-crystal Bi2Se3 thin films grown on GaAs and InP substrates by use of molecular beam epitaxy. Surface topography, crystal structure, and electrical transport properties of these Bi2Se3 epitaxial films are indicative of highly c-axis oriented films with atomically sharp interfaces.
India and China Today and Tomorrow

A complex India--China relationship today reflects efforts by both governments for over twenty years to improve relations frozen since 1962. The boundary question has not yet been resolved, however, and China's recent assertiveness along its periphery combined with accelerating military capabilities causes anxiety in India. China worries about India's new partnerships with the United States and Japan. Meanwhile, the economies of both grow rapidly with increasing exchanges of goods and services. The two governments have learned to manage differences. The future relationship between these two Asian giants will be bright if they can cooperate in their shared neighbourhoods, but dark if mistrust and rivalry dominate perceptions.
Controlled Chemical and Structural Properties of Mixed Self-Assembled Monolayers of Alkanethiols on Au(111)

A systematic study is reported of mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) of alkanethiols with two compounds having chain length differences of 4−10 carbon atoms. These mixed SAMs were characterized by scanning tunneling (STM) and atomic force (AFM) microscopy. At the center of atomically flat Au(111) terraces, homogeneous mixed SAMs of octanethiol/tetradecanethiol and octanethiol/dodecanethiol were achieved by coadsorption at 50 °C. The surface composition of the mixed SAMs can be adjusted by varying the solution composition. These mixed SAMs did not segregate in air for at least 3 days. At room temperature, phase segregation was observed when the chain length difference was greater than four carbons. The effects of material defects and temperature on phase segregation and preferential adsorption are discussed. Possible mechanisms are suggested for coadsorption at room and higher temperatures. This work provides an alternative approach for the preparation of homogeneous mixed SAMs at the molecu...
Use of the specific challenge in the diagnosis of occupational asthma: a 'gold standard' test or a test not used in current practice of occupational asthma?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review, an assessment of the role of inhalational challenge testing in the diagnosis of occupational asthma, focuses on the difficulties associated with making the correct diagnosis of occupational asthma. This report contrasts the apparent discrepancy between the clinical diagnosis and the diagnosis made by inhalational challenge testing, the 'gold standard'. This disparity has been pointed out by a number of authors, yet this approach to making the diagnosis of this illness continues. RECENT FINDINGS Because of the disparity between the clinical mode for diagnosis and using specific challenge testing for diagnosis, awarding compensation to a worker based on the clinical diagnosis of occupational asthma, or using this clinical approach to identify the incidence or prevalence of occupational asthma in a population, is suspect. In the absence of specific inhalational challenge, physicians have attempted to understand changes in flow rates over time through the use of serial peak-flow assessments, a relatively cost-effective way to sort out the diagnosis. Yet, there is an increasing body of knowledge which presents information casting concern on the adequacy of these measurements. In addition, recent data suggest that chest physicians, occupational medicine physicians, and allergists most often make a diagnosis of occupational asthma by usual clinical methodology, which is a routine part of their hospital's pulmonary function laboratory. SUMMARY The apparent lack of training in the approach to specific inhalation challenge testing in fellowship programs, the relatively few specialized centers, and the apparent lack of recognition by many physicians who are presented with a patient with suspected occupational asthma means that the use of routine methods to make the clinical diagnosis may often be incorrect, making it unlikely that this approach to the diagnosis of occupational asthma will change in the near future.
The lysine requirement and ratio of total sulfur amino acids to lysine for chicks fed adequate or inadequate lysine

Experiments (Exp.) were conducted with Cornish Rock males (4 to 14 or 15 d of age) to determine the Lys requirement (Exp. 1) and the optimum ratio of TSAA:Lys for chicks fed adequate or inadequate Lys (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1, 180 chicks were allotted on the basis of BW to six treatments with six replications of five chicks each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Average initial and final BW were 73.5 and 415.5 g. The Lys levels fed were: 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3% digestible Lys. In Exp. 2, 240 chicks were allotted on the basis of BW to 12 treatments with four replications of five chicks each in a CRD. Average initial and final BW were 68.5 and 336.3 g. Chicks were fed either 0.82 or 1.0% digestible Lys and within each Lys level, a ratio of TSAA:Lys of: 0.55, 0.63, 0.72, 0.80, 0.88, and 0.96, resulting in a 2 x 6 factorial arrangement of treatments. At the end of each trial, all chicks were weighed and pen feed consumption was measured. In Exp. 1, average daily gain (ADG) and gain:feed (GF) increased (linear, P 0.05) in the estimated ratios of TSAA:Lys required to maximize ADG, ADFI, and GF for chicks fed 0.82 and 1.0% Lys. Thus, similar ratios of an indispensable amino acid to Lys can be obtained when chicks are fed at or slightly below their Lys requirement.
Universal scaling of the formation factor in porous media derived by combining percolation and effective medium theories

The porosity dependence of the formation factor for geologic media is examined from the perspective of universal scaling laws from percolation and effective medium theories. Over much of the range of observed porosity, the expected percolation scaling is observed, but the values of the numerical prefactor do not conform to the simple predictions from percolation theory. Combining effective medium and percolation theories produces a numerical prefactor whose value depends on both the threshold porosity and the porosity above which the formation factor crosses from percolation to effective medium scaling. This change allows extraction of a numerical value of the prefactor, which is reasonably close to experimental values. Subsequent evaluation of the porosity dependence of the formation factor shows that difficulties in prior comparisons of theory and experiment are largely removed when percolation scaling is allowed to transition to effective medium scaling far above the percolation threshold.
The Interface of Opinion, Understanding and Evaluation While Learning About a Socioscientific Issue

Scientific literacy is an important goal for science education, especially within controversial socioscientific issues. In this study, we analysed 143 students' research reports about stem cell research (SCR) for how they addressed specific source evaluation criteria provided within the assignment. We investigated students' opinions about SCR, how they used the evaluation criteria to evaluate online sources and whether the evaluation criteria and/or the specific sources influenced their opinion and/or understanding of SCR. We found that most of the students supported some form of SCR and reported that their sources were credible and contained more factual information than opinions. Students critiqued the language of the authors, as well as status in their respective fields, along with the content within each source. Additionally, students reported that their sources influenced their content knowledge, but had little influence regarding their SCR opinions. Through this work, we present a new working model ...
Submental liposuction versus formal cervicoplasty: which one to choose?

The author highlights the inherent advantages of each procedure (cervicoplasty and liposuction) and indications of performing one over the other. The aging process is discussed as well as the elements of the aging process of the lower face and the evaluation of the patient. Aging involves deposition of fat as well as redundancy or banding of the underlying platysma muscles. Rejuvenation of this area must therefore include both components. Cervicoplasty is a much more comprehensive surgical option compared to liposuction of the submental area. It provides a direct view allowing for an open liposuction of the supraplatysmal fat as well as a formal platysmaplasty.
Development and testing of a scale measuring parent satisfaction with staff interactions.

This study tested the psychometric properties of the Parent Satisfaction Scale (PSS), a new scale measuring parents' satisfaction with their child's mental health services, primarily focusing on staff's interpersonal interactions. Data were collected by postal surveys 5 to 10 months after a child's admission to 1 of 5 mental health treatment programs. Completed surveys were received from parents of 120 of a potential 232 children (52% response rate). Internal consistency reliability of the PSS was strong (α=.96). Construct validity was supported by significant relationships between the PSS and constructs considered to be antecedent variables influencing parent satisfaction, including met expectations (r=0.62, P<.001), met desires (r=0.32, P<.001), and met needs (r=0.55, P<.001). Convergent validity was supported, with the PSS having Pearson correlations of .86 (P<.001) with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 and .76 (P<.001) with parents' ratings of satisfaction with specific services received.
Fast arbitrary-slice CT reconstruction with GPUs

Volume data reconstruction from cone-beam projections can be time consuming, typically reconstructing parallel axial slices. We present a system for performing fast, arbitrary-orientation CT slice reconstruction using commodity graphics processing units (GPUs). For 1024x1024 voxel slice reconstruction we have achieved a 89-fold performance improvement over a CPU implementation with comparable image quality.
An Evaluation of an Implementation of Qualified Hyperresolution

A new inference rule for resolution based theorem proving, termed qualified hyperresolution, is presented from a practical point of view. The method of qualification is intended to deal with clause sets involving not-everywhere-defined functions. Two examples illustrating the effects of the method are discussed in detail. The potential practical value of the method is indicated by substantial improvements over the performance of ordinary hyperresolution obtained in five test problems.
The Migrant Effect: An Evaluation of Native Academic Performance in Qatar

Recent data have suggested that despite massive outlays on educational reform Qatar consistently ranks as one of the least academically proficient countries in key areas of literacy. Of the seventy...
Smart optical probes for near-infrared fluorescence imaging of Alzheimer’s disease pathology

Purpose Near-infrared fluorescent probes for amyloid-beta (Aβ) are an exciting option for molecular imaging in Alzheimer’s disease research and may translate to clinical diagnostics. However, Aβ-targeted optical probes often suffer from poor specificity and slow clearance from the brain. We are designing smart optical probes that emit characteristic fluorescence signal only when bound to Aβ.
Fast Sampling of A-to-B Protein Global Conformational Transitions: From Galileo Galilei to Monte Carlo Anisotropic Network Modeling

Local and global conformational transitions underlie protein function. Local changes include induced-fit effects such as the reorientation of residues. Global motions may involve interdomain motion, allosteric switches, and the dynamics of secondary structure elements several nanometers distant from each other (1). Global conformational changes are activated processes, thus particularly challenging for traditional atomistic simulation, because sampling can be prohibitively slow or activated by rare events. The easiest simulation scenario arises when at least knowledge of two states of interest, A and B, is available; these states can be assumed the most relevant and the problem is reduced to two key questions: what are the most convenient pathways connecting A to B, and vice versa? Does one unique, most favorable pathway exist?
All-Optical Plasma Turbulence

We consider an all-optical bump-on-tail instability. For weak nonlinearity, there is momentum transfer with no variation in intensity. Above a threshold, modulations appear. Borrowing plasma language, these represent weak and strong regimes of optical turbulence.
Professionalization of agriculture and distributed innovation for multifunctional landscapes and territorial development

Professionalization of farmers and rural entrepreneurs is identified as a potential resource to advance transition to multifunctional landscapes and territorial development. Drawing on interactive conceptions of knowledge creation and technical change, I argue that collective structures that support pooling of experiential knowledge can complement public and private sector engagement in innovation systems. Through exercise of leadership in advancing integration of farming into regional development and in integrating ecological and social concerns into agriculture, farmers can forge a professional identity and broker a new social contract entitling them to renewal of their political and economic status.
Educating for integrated resource management

How do we inculcate that mass conservation literacy necessary to fuel the public and private quest for ecological survival. One such approach would establish on appropriate university campuses Integrated Resource Management Education Centers. Such centers would focus on the problem of translating resource management policies and plans into action on the landscape through (a) the collation of information about, and the preparation of practical materials on, restoring the quality of the environment, (b) informal instruction and technical assistance carried out directly to local governments, regional instrumentalities, and citizen groups, (c) the refresher education of key practitioners brought back to the campus for work in natural resource policy implementation, and (d) research in adult education theory and practice.
Incorporation and visibility of reference and social networking tools on ARL member libraries' websites

Purpose – This study aims to evaluate 125 research libraries in North America to identify whether they incorporate reference and social networking tools in their library's website.Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis of 125 library websites is conducted to determine whether libraries who are members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) incorporate and promote reference and social networking tools in their website. For the purpose of this study, a list of reference and social networking tools was chosen and each library's website was visited to determine first, which reference and social networking tools from this list appear on their library's homepage and, second, which tools appear elsewhere on the library's website.Findings – The results show that even though most of these reference and social networking tools are incorporated into their library's websites, their presence is lower on their library's homepage.Practical implications – Academic and research libraries should incorpora...
The role of tissue pressure recording in forearm fractures in children.

Abstract During a 25-month period, 15 children with severe forearm fractures had signs and symptoms suggestive of an early compartment syndrome and underwent tissue pressure measurements. Of these, seven were found to have elevated intracompartmental pressures and had decompressive fasciotomies performed. The remaining eight patients had normal pressures and subsequently made uneventful recoveries. Tissue pressure recording is a useful adjunct to clinical diagnosis in suspicious cases of compartment syndrome, particularly in children.
Conformational Energy Calculations on Polypeptides and Proteins: Use of a Statistical Mechanical Procedure for Evaluating Structure and Properties

We are using a variety of theoretical and computational techniques to study protein structure, protein folding, and higher-order structures. Our earlier work involved treatments of liquid water and aqueous solutions of nonpolar and polar solutes, computations of the stabilities of the fundamental structures of proteins and their packing arrangements, conformations of small cyclic and open-chain peptides, structures of fibrous proteins (collagen), structures of homologous globular proteins, introduction of special procedures as constraints during energy minimization of globular proteins, and structures of enzyme-substrate complexes. Recently, we presented a new methodology for predicting polypeptide structure (described here); the method is based on the calculation of the probable and average conformation of a polypeptide chain by the application of equilibrium statistical mechanics in conjunction with an adaptive, importance sampling Monte Carlo algorithm. As a test, it was applied to Met-enkephalin.
Persistence of antigen is required to maintain transplantation tolerance induced by genetic modification of bone marrow stem cells

Genetic modification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) resulting in a state of molecular chimerism can be used to induce donor-specific tolerance to allografts. However, the requirements for maintaining tolerance in molecular chimeras remain unknown. Here, we examined whether long-term expression of a retrovirally encoded alloantigen in hematopoietic cells is required to maintain donor-specific tolerance in molecular chimeras. To this end, mice were reconstituted with syngeneic bone marrow transduced with retroviruses carrying the gene encoding the allogeneic MHC class I molecule Kb. Following induction of molecular chimerism, mice were depleted of cells expressing Kb by administration of the anti-Kb monoclonal antibody Y-3. Mice that were effectively depleted of cells expressing the retrovirally encoded MHC class I antigen rejected Kb disparate skin allografts. In contrast, control molecular chimeras accepted Kb disparate skin allografts indefinitely. These data suggest maintenance of tolerance in molecular chimeras requires long-term expression of retrovirally transduced alloantigen on the progeny of retrovirally transduced HSCs.
Late onset aneurysm development following radiosurgical obliteration of a cerebellopontine angle meningioma

The development of de novo intracranial aneurysms following stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial pathology is a rare complication secondary to vascular injury. Typically, these aneurysms develop within the first few years after radiation surgery. We present the first case of an aneurysm developing 10 years after radiosurgery for a cerebellopontine angle meningioma. This case highlights the importance of careful long-term follow-up of patients who undergo radiosurgery for lesions abutting major vessels and/or who suffer post-radiation complications.
Three-dimensional image processing and recognition

Two research areas are investigated in this dissertation. One is pattern recognition with three-dimensional object information. The other is compression of three-dimensional ray information in integral imaging. The ability to detect and identify unknown objects in input scenes and label them as one of hypothesized classes has been investigated for the past decades. The discrimination capability of recognition systems is often challenged by arbitrary distortion and high intra-class variation of object patterns. This dissertation addresses several mathematical and computational methods for the recognition and classification by means of three-dimensional information. Three-dimensional information is acquired by various imaging techniques such as integral imaging, photon counting integral imaging, x-ray volumetric imaging, and computational holography. The following is a summary of recognition techniques in this dissertation: (1) nonlinear matched filtering and photon counting linear discriminant analysis with photon counting integral imaging for automatic target recognition, (2) thickness feature evaluation method to identify filamentous structure of microorganisms, (3) three-dimensional Gabor-based wavelets and three-dimensional dynamic link association (graph matching) for the analysis and recognition of volume objects, (4) complex morphology-based recognition and automatic feature selection for the identification of microorganisms, and (5) principal component analysis followed by mixture discriminant analysis to utilize multi-spectral information. A low level of photons is needed for object recognition tasks using the proposed techniques in photon counting integral imaging. The Gabor-based wavelets decompose geometrical shape and extract feature vectors. By evaluating thickness features, filamentous microorganisms with different thickness are discriminated. The graph matching technique with Gabor-features is shown to be robust to translation, rotation, and distortion of volume objects and complex morphology of microorganisms. Multi-spectral information is embedded into the recognition system to classify color objects. For the compression of three-dimensional ray information in integral imaging, two compression schemes are addressed: (1) the hybrid compression scheme composed of vector quantization, principal component analysis, and rounding-off, and (2) MPEG-2 compression with three scanning topologies of elemental images. Both of compression methods are shown to be superior to JPEG for high compression ratios.
Three-dimensional asymptotic stress field at the front of an unsymmetric bimaterial pie-shaped wedge under antiplane shear loading

Abstract Three-dimensional asymptotic stress field in the vicinity of the front of a bimaterial pie-shaped wedge of general (unsymmetric) geometry is obtained by a recently developed eigenfunction expansion method. The bimaterial pie-shaped wedge is subjected to four combinations of wedge-side boundary conditions – free–free, clamped–clamped, free–clamped and clamped–free. Each material is isotropic and elastic, but with different material properties. Additionally, numerical results pertaining to the variation of the lowest eigenvalues (or stress singularities) with respect to the wedge opening angle of the bimaterial wedge, subjected to the aforementioned wedge-side boundary conditions, are also presented. Dependence of the same on the material properties of the component material phases is also an important part of the present investigation.
The cardiovascular effects of insulin.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in diabetes mellitus. A causal link between insulin, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk has been investigated at the basic science level and studied in large clinical trials.Areas covered: The cardiovascular actions of insulin and its role at the level of the endothelium will be reviewed. Cardiovascular outcomes in several large diabetes trials where insulin management was prominent will be summarized.Expert opinion: The vascular actions of insulin are complex and mediated primarily via nitric oxide and endothelin-1. It appears that insulin resistance, rather than hyperinsulinemia itself, increases cardiovascular risk. In fact, hyperinsulinemia in the setting of normal beta cell function protects obese and insulin-resistant individuals from type 2 diabetes. Large clinical trials have supported that insulin management is not associated with increased adverse outcomes. A multifactorial approach targeting m...
Evaluation's role in enhancing organizational learning: A model for practice

Abstract Over the last decade organizations have been forced to make major changes in the way they develop and provide services and products. Out of this experience has come the notion of the learning organization. Yet, few organizations have succeeded in their attempts to learn from their practices because they have failed to link continuous improvement to individual and organizational learning. The purpose of this article is to describe how the evaluator's role might be redefined to facilitate organizational learning, and how working with human resource development professionals can enhance the success of this process. A theory to practice model is presented so that scholars and educators can provide organizations with concrete ideas for implementing organizational learning.
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE UNIMOLECULAR GAS-PHASE DECOMPOSITIONS OF THE PROPANE MOLECULAR ION

Although the propane ion has been a long-standing model for RRKM/QET calculations, the validity of the transition states utilized in such calculations was unclear. To remedy this, we use potential energy barriers and harmonic vibrational frequencies calculated at the ab initio QCISD(T)/6-311+G(2d,2p) and UMP2/6-31G(d) levels of theory, respectively, as parameters to compute rate constants versus internal energy curves for the losses of the H atom, CH3•, and CH4 from the propane ion by a RRKM procedure. The results agree reasonably with experimental ones. The ab initio calculations confirm that H atom loss occurs from the middle carbon of the propane ion to form the sec-propyl cation. The rate constant of H atom loss increases slowly with increasing internal energy, which is surprising for a simple bond cleavage. This is shown to be due to the changes in vibrational frequencies between the propane ion and the transition state being small for this reaction. Methane elimination occurs in a stepwise fashion t...
A one-dimensional model for phonon-induced relaxation

Abstract An improved one-dimensional model for phonon-induced relaxation in a low-temperature matrix is considered. The contribution of the local lattice modes are explicitly taken into account. The model is used for analyzing the influence of some molecular parameters on the relaxation rate. The model is capable of explaining the anomalous dependence of the relaxation rate of HCl in Kr and Xe matrices at 20 K, on the vibrational quantum number.
Tumor hypoglycemia: a heterogeneous disorder.

Abstract Glucose and lactate kinetics were investigated by isotopic techniques utilizing 14 C labeled substrates in a patient with hypoglycemia associated with a primary hepatoma. Glucose utilization was only minimally increased while endogenous glucose production and lactate conversion to glucose were markedly decreased, indicating that the hypoglycemia was due primarily to a defect in glucose synthesis. The results of these studies and others in the literature suggest that hypoglycemia associated with non-pancreatic tumors is biochemically heterogeneous and that no single mechanism can satisfactorily explain the disorder.
A Revised Model of the Warnings Process Derived from Value-Expectancy Theory:

Recent research indicates that product-related perceptions and expectations account for a major portion of the variance in user self-protective behavior. The present paper examines value-expectancy theory and research and proposes a replacement for the information processing model of the warnings process. The revised model focuses on the risk appraisal activities of the user and attempts to capture the dynamic nature of precautionary behavior.
cDNA Cloning and Expression of Human Glutamyl Aminopeptidase (Aminopeptidase A)

The murine B-lymphocyte differentiation antigen BP-1/6C3 has been identified as glutamyl aminopeptidase (E-AP), formerly known as aminopeptidase A, the new gene symbol for which is ENPEP. In mice, the enzyme is found on early B-lineage cells and certain stromal cells of the bone marrow and thymus. This ectopeptidase is also expressed by capillary endothelial cells, placenta, and epithelial cells of the intestine and proximal renal tubules. Here we have used a mouse E-AP cDNA to identify the human counterpart in a kidney library. Sequence comparison of the human and mouse cDNAs reveals approximately 80% homology at both nucleotide and predicted amino acid levels. The nucleotide sequence of human E-AP predicts a type II integral membrane protein of 957 amino acids with an 18-amino-acid aminoterminal intracellular domain, and a 22-amino-acid transmembrane domain. The large extracellular carboxyterminal domain contains the zinc-binding motif typical of zinc-dependent metallohydrolases. When the human E-AP cDNA was placed downstream of the SR alpha promoter in an expression vector and transfected into COS-7 cells, the transfected cells exhibited cell surface E-AP activity. A 4.1-kb transcript could be detected in a variety of human tissues, including heart, brain, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreas. However, in representative lymphoid leukemias, E-AP transcripts were restricted to pre-B leukemia and were not found in T- and B-cell leukemias. The cDNA cloning and successful expression of human E-AP will allow more precise analysis of its physiological role(s).
Three-Generation Family Households: Differences by Family Structure at Birth

Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (N=4,898), this study investigates how the share, correlates, transition patterns, and duration of three generation households vary by mother's relationship status at birth. Nine percent of married mothers, 17 % of cohabiting, and 45% of single mothers live in a three generation family household at the birth of the child. Incidence over time is much higher and most common among single mother households, 60% live in a three generation family household in at least one wave. Economic need, culture, and generational needs are associated with living in a three generation household and correlates vary by mother's relationship status. Three generation family households are short lived and transitions are frequent. Kin support through coresidence is an important source of support for families with young children and in particular families that are unwed at the birth of their child.
Quality of life and spatial dimensions of the productivity slowdown

This research is concerned with explaning locational variations in the productivity slowdown within the urban manufacturing sector of the United States. The observed decline in labour productivity growth rates between the 1963–73 and 1973–82 subperiods is explained on the basis of both national and location-specific factors. An explict hypothesis examined here is that quality of life is an important area-specifc influence on productivity growth and related trends. Statistical analyses are conducted whereby either an aggregate amenity index or its individual amenity components are utilized to examine the importance of quality of life differentials. The results suggest that these amenities, particularly environmental quality, may be instrumental in explanining the differncial magnitude of the productivity slowdown across urban areas. Additional findings generally do not confirm the importance of other factors frequently cited as contributing to inter-area productivity differences. A regression diagnostic an...
Dynamic optical arbitrary waveform generation and measurement for Elastic Optical Networks

We discuss dynamic OAWG and OAWM technologies as EON transceivers to generate and detect arbitrary waveforms in any modulation format across their operating bandwidth. Compared to other technologies, OAWG/OAWM provides EON with most versatility, flexibility, and optical performance monitoring capability.
Enhancement of the colorimetric response of enzymatic reactions by thermally evaporated plasmonic thin films: application to glial fibrillary acidic protein

We report the enhancement of the colorimetric response of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) in bioassays by thermally evaporated silver, gold, copper and nickel thin films. In this regard, a model bioassay based on biotin–avidin interactions was employed. Biotin groups and enzymes were introduced to all surfaces using a biotinylated linker molecule and avidin, respectively. The colorimetric response of HRP in the model bioassay carried out on plasmonic thin films were up to 4.4-fold larger as compared to control samples (i.e., no plasmonic thin films), where the largest enhancement of the colorimetric response was observed on silver thin films. The colorimetric response of AP on plasmonic thin films was found to be similar to those observed on control samples, which was attributed to the loss of enzymes from the surface during the bioassay steps. The extent of enzymes immobilized on to plasmonic thin films was found to affect the colorimetric response of the model bioassay. These findings allowed us to demonstrate the use of silver thin films for the detection of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), where the colorimetric response of the standard bioassays for GFAP was enhanced up to 67% as compared to bioassays on glass slides.
Electric Field Exposure Triggers and Guides Formation of Pseudopod-Like Blebs in U937 Monocytes

We describe a new phenomenon of anodotropic pseudopod-like blebbing in U937 cells stimulated by nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF). In contrast to “regular,” round-shaped blebs, which are often seen in response to cell damage, pseudopod-like blebs (PLBs) formed as longitudinal membrane protrusions toward anode. PLB length could exceed the cell diameter in 2 min of exposure to 60-ns, 10-kV/cm pulses delivered at 10–20 Hz. Both PLBs and round-shaped nsPEF-induced blebs could be efficiently inhibited by partial isosmotic replacement of bath NaCl for a larger solute (sucrose), thereby pointing to the colloid-osmotic water uptake as the principal driving force for bleb formation. In contrast to round-shaped blebs, PLBs retracted within several minutes after exposure. Cells treated with 1 nM of the actin polymerization blocker cytochalasin D were unable to form PLBs and instead produced stationary, spherical blebs with no elongation or retraction capacity. Live cell fluorescent actin tagging showed that during elongation actin promptly entered the PLB interior, forming bleb cortex and scaffold, which was not seen in stationary blebs. Overall, PLB formation was governed by both passive (physicochemical) effects of membrane permeabilization and active cytoskeleton assembly in the living cell. To a certain extent, PLB mimics the membrane extension in the process of cell migration and can be employed as a nonchemical model for studies of cytomechanics, membrane–cytoskeleton interaction and cell motility.
An effective algorithm for parallelizing hash joins in the presence of data skew

A parallel hash join algorithm based on the concept of hierarchical hashing is proposed to address the problem data skew. The proposed algorithm adds an extra scheduling phase to the usual hash and join phases. During the scheduling phase, a heuristic optimization algorithm, using the output of the hash phase, attempts to balance the load across the multiple processors in the subsequent join phase. The algorithm naturally identifies the hash partitions with the largest skew elements, splits them up, and assigns each of them to an optimal number of processors. Assuming a Zipf-like distribution of the elements in the join column, the algorithm is shown to achieve good load balancing for the join phase in a CPU-bound environment, and it is shown to be fairly robust relative to the degree of data skew and the total number of processors. The overall speedup due to this algorithm is compared with conventional parallel hash join methods and the considerable advantage of the proposed method is demonstrated even when the additional scheduling phase is taken into account. >
Evaluation of cutaneous allodynia following induction of cortical spreading depression in freely moving rats

Background: Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a wave of depolarization followed by depression of bioelectrical activity that slowly propagates through the cortex. CSD is believed to be the underlying mechanism of aura in migraine; however, whether CSD can elicit pain associated with migraine headache is unclear.Methods: Awake, freely moving rats were monitored for both CSD events and behavioral responses resulting from dural-cortical pinprick and/or KCl injection to the occipital cortex.Results: We observed tactile allodynia of the face and hindpaws, as well as enhanced Fos expression within the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) following CSD induced by KCl injection into the cortex, but not by pinprick. Application of KCl onto the dura elicited cutaneous allodynia and increased Fos staining in the TNC but did not elicit CSD events.Conclusions: These data suggest that sustained activation of trigeminal afferents that may be required to establish cutaneous allodynia may not occur following CSD events ...
Mothers' and Fathers' Attitudes Regarding Pretend Play in the Context of Imaginary Companions and of Child Gender

Mothers' and fathers' beliefs and attitudes regarding pretend play were examined as a function of whether their children had imaginary companions and their children's gender. Parents (73 mothers, 40 fathers) were surveyed about their children's pretend play, their attitudes toward pretense, and the environments they provided for their children's pretense. Results revealed that parents of children with and without imaginary companions saw their children's play similarly. Girls were rated as engaging in more pretend play than boys, and mothers perceived pretend play more positively than fathers did. Results are discussed in terms of the relation between individual differences in children and parents' attitudes and in terms of the relation between parents' beliefs about pretend play and their gender roles.
The Value of Cultural Belonging: Expanding Kymlicka’s Theory

In his recent book, Liberalism, Community and Culture, Will Kymlicka defends collective rights for some minority groups—and particularly for indigenous peoples in North America—by trying to show that (1) secure cultural belonging is of great value, and (2) rights to protection and autonomy for minorities, including some collective rights, are justified by the special disadvantages some minorities face in enjoying secure cultural membership. Kymlicka defends these claims from within a liberal perspective that draws heavily on Rawls and Dworkin and that denies that groups are independent sources of moral claims. In this paper I am mainly concerned with how to defend the first of these claims, which I shall call the “Value Thesis.” One reason for being interested in the justification of the Value Thesis is that some version of it is a key part of most arguments for minority and collective rights. Another reason is that the Value Thesis is important to communitarians who frequently base their claims about the importance of community on the value of belonging.
Radiographic Changes in the Clavicle and Proximal Femur and Their Use in the Determination of Skeletal Age at Death

Visually seriated radiographs of the proximal femur, proximal humerus, clavicle, and calcaneus from 130 individuals from the Hamann-Todd collection were examined as indicators of skeletal age at death. The clavicle demonstrated the most consistent relationship to age in both sexes. The same radiographs were also seriated by size-normalized optical density as a means of establishing relative radiolucency. In this context, visual seriation proved superior. The four sites studied showed strong divergence in response to age. Since each was sampling bone response from the same individual, it is concluded that bone loss is highly site specific. This demonstrates the individual character of specific skeletal sites. Visual inspection of clavicular radiographs, seriated on a populational basis, provides age estimates that are comparable to anatomical age indicators and provides independent estimates of skeletal age when included in the summary age method (1985: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 68:1-14).
The Sound Judgment Series

was honored and excited when Alfred Abuhamad, MD, president of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), asked me to head a task force to educate AIUM members and nonmembers about when and how to do sonography for conditions where other imaging modalities are likely to be considered instead. As an imaging modality, sonography is safe, effective, and affordable compared with other forms of imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and computed tomography. It is safer for the patient and health care provider than those techniques that use ionizing radiation. The concept of pointof-care sonography has exploded geometrically in the hands of all kinds of clinicians who use it diagnostically as well as for procedural guidance. Sonography is even making its way into undergraduate medical education to teach anatomy and physical diagnosis. The task force will oversee the creation of a series of articles to be entitled Sound Judgment, the first appearing in this issue. The task force will rely heavily on the AIUM Communities of Practice, which are currently 17 in number but continue to grow as new users of new applications of sonography continue to emerge. Sonography has become so entwined into so many areas of medical and surgical diagnosis and management that no one person can possibly keep up and understand the myriad of uses and nuances. Because of its multidisciplinary nature, the AIUM is the only professional society that can enable a wide variety of both clinicians and basic scientists to interact and cross-pollinate. Among areas that I can think of (and this list is far from complete) where “sound judgment” should prevail include postmenopausal bleeding (the topic of the inaugural vignette in the issue), 1 pneumothorax diagnosis and management, uterine malformations diagnosed with 3-dimensional sonography rather than magnetic resonance imaging, 2 diagnosis of deep endometriosis, 3 diagnosis of main stem intubation and bronchial obstruction, 4 appendicitis, 5 increased safety in central venous catheter placement, 6 reduction in the length of stay for trauma patients, 7 reduced complications in thoracentesis, 8 nerve block guidance compared with peripheral nerve stimulation, 9 and renal colic. 10 In the musculoskeletal arena, sonography allows for examination of structures at rest and motion and is useful in rotator cuff tears, 11 ankle injuries, and many other conditions. 12 These examples are just a sampling—the tip of the iceberg—of areas where sonography can and should be the first, and often only, imaging modality. We hope that clinicians in a multitude of specialties will display “sound judgment” for an evergrowing number of indications.
Sorbitol in Diet of Young Dairy Calves

Abstract Forty Holstein calves were allotted randomly before 24h of age to one of four groups and fed daily for 28 days via their liquid diet, either 0, 10, 20, or 40g sorbitol. Initial jugular blood samples were taken from all calves before receiving sorbitol and from 5 calves per treatment group at 30-min intervals for the first 8h postfeeding sorbitol before 24h of age. Total feed intake and incidence of scours were recorded daily, and calves were weighed every 7 days. Blood glucose concentrations of calves less than 24h of age fed 40g of sorbitol were lower during the first 8h postfeeding sorbitol than those of calves in the other treatment groups. No differences occurred in blood glucose concentrations of calves during the first 3 to 28 days. Average blood glucose of calves during the first 8h postfeeding sorbitol and during 3 to 28 days were 69.7 and 73.1 mg/dl. Blood fructose concentrations of calves fed 40g of sorbitol were higher during the first 8h than those of calves in the other groups. There were no differences in blood fructose of calves during 3 to 28 days. Average blood fructose of calves during the initial 8h and 3 to 28 days were 9.3 and 3.1 mg/dl. Elevated blood fructose during the first 8h appeared to depress glucose in blood. Calves appear to lose the ability to convert sorbitol to fructose by the 3rd day of life. There were no differences in body weight gains at weaning. However, calves fed sorbitol gained more body weight during the 1st wk of life.
Grade performance of face-to-face versus online agricultural economics students.

Online course offerings have been growing at a rapid pace in post-secondary education. An ordered probit model is estimated to analyze the effects of online vs. face-to-face course format in achieving specific letter grades. An upper-division agricultural economics course taught over 9 years using both formats is used for the analysis. For a sample of 81 students, variables of grade point average, number of credit hours taken, verbal SAT score, gender, course format, and major were used to predict final score in the course. Results indicate that online students performed better than face-to-face students at a marginal significance level. Online students were 2% less likely to earn a D in the course, and 15% less likely to earn a C in the course than their face-to-face counterparts. Online students were 8%t more likely to earn a B in the course and 9% more likely to earn an A in the course than face-to-face students.