cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of stress relaxation in temporization materials in dentistry

Abstract Objective Although temporization is intended as an interim step, complexity of individual treatment situations may demand medium to longer term use of temporary appliances in clinical practice. The durability and integrity of these restorations for continued use to meet the treatment demands is therefore an important clinical problem. The goal of this study was to evaluate the short to medium term stability of these materials under controlled loading to study their stress relaxation behavior. Methods Acrylic resins (poly(methyl) and poly(ethyl) methacrylate) and bis-acryl composite resins were tested in vitro in this study. The stress decay data with time (under an applied constant strain) due to internal strain caused by molecular relaxation were systematically analyzed using important parameters derived from stress changes with time. Results and Significance The results showed significant differences in the stress relaxation behavior between different materials which may have significant bearing on their durability in medium to longer term interim clinical applications. Poly(ethyl) methacrylate (PEMA) resins subjected to applied constant strain over a period of time showed large time dependent decay of applied stress, indicating very high internal molecular relaxation effects, relative to those of poly(methyl) methacrylate (PMMA) and bis-acryl composites. The results showed that PMMA and composite resins were superior in their ability to maintain constant strain without excessive dissipation of applied stress than PEMA resin. This suggests that internal strain caused by molecular relaxation events may lead to excessive dimensional instability in PEMA.
Two characterizations of the Raiffa solution

Abstract It is shown when and how the two-person bargaining solution proposed by Raiffa can be generalized to the n -person case. Two characterizations are proposed involving the familiar axioms of Pareto-optimality, Symmetry, and Invariance, as well as two new Monotonicity axioms.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE CASCADE TIME OF NEGATIVE MESONS IN A LIQUID HELIUM BUBBLE CHAMBER

The cascade time of mesons ( pi /sup -/) in liquid helium wss measured. The results seem to rule out significant amounts of Stark effect and polarization capture in liquid helium. It appears that the measured cascade time is consistent with the assumption that radiation and external Auger effect are the primary cascade mechanisms. (C.E.S.)
The facilitation of picture discrimination after object discrimination learning in the neonatal monkey and probably vice versa

Two groups of 20-day-old rhesus monkeys were trained to discriminate a three-dimensional vs a two-dimensional object or a pictorial representation of the objects. Object discrimination was significantly faster than pictorial discrimination, and reversal transfer tests showed significant savings in both cases. However, Ss trained on the object-picture sequence completed all training before any Ss completed the initial picture problem. The performance of the picture-object group in transfer tests did not differ significantly from other groups of comparable age.
The monodromy of Weierstrass points.

We show that the monodromy of the family of curves (Riemann surfaces) acts as the full symmetric group on the Weierstrass points of a general curve. The proof uses a degeneration to certain reducible curves, and the theory of limit series developed in our (1986, 1987a, b). Some of the monodromy is actually constructed by fixing a (reducible) curve and varying its “canonical” series.
SnapShot: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia among adults in western countries. This SnapShot depicts the origins and evolution of this B cell malignancy, describes prognostic factors and CLL animal models, and illustrates therapies in preclinical and clinical development against CLL.
Inhibitors of sterol synthesis. Chemical synthesis and spectral properties of (25R)-5α-cholest-8(14)-ene-3β,15β,26-triol, a potential metabolite of 3β-hydroxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one and its effects on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in CHO-K1 cells

Abstract (25 R )-5α-Cholest-8(14)-ene-3β,15β,26-triol ( III ) was prepared by reduction of (25R)-3β,26-diacetoxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one with sodium borohydride followed by treatment of the crude product with lithium aluminium hydride. The trihydroxysterol III , a potential metabolite of 3β-hydroxy-5α-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one, was characterized by the results of mass spectral studies and by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Full 1 H and 13 C NMR assignments for III and 5α-cholest-8(14)-ene-3β,15β-diol are given and used to establish the structure of III . The triol was found to be very potent in lowering the levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
Face recognition with MRC-boosting

In this paper, a novel classification algorithm called MRC-Boosting is proposed. Through aggregating maximal-rejection-classifier features under boosting framework, this algorithm can deal with complicated two-class classification problem, especially for the category called target detection problem where a target class should be discriminated from tile surrounding clutter class. MRC-Boosting is efficient since unlike many other boosting based algorithms, at each iteration the optimal feature is computed in closed-form, with neither exhaustive search nor time-consuming numerical optimization. Furthermore, a variant of MRC-Boosting is derived and applied to face recognition. This variant MRC-Boosting algorithm is able to utilize large amount of training samples efficiently overcoming the difficulty faced by other algorithms like AdaBoost. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated by face recognition experiments on CMU-PIE database
Mechanical behavior of a simple model of an intervertebral disk under compressive loading.

Abstract A simplified axisymmetric finite-element model of the vertebral body-intervertebral disk is constructed. The model employs three homogeneous substructures corresponding to the vertebral body/endplate region, the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disk, and the nucleus pulposis. The model is used to examine the effects of gross disk geometry and material property parameters on the predicted intradiscal pressure increase, radial disk bulge, and vertical deflection under compressive loading. The results obtained indicate that all parameters have a significant effect on disk bulge and vertical deflection. Variations of disk height and radius are found to produce significant changes in the predicted intradiscal pressure increase. Results obtained using the present simplified model are also shown to be in reasonable agreement with published experimental measurements.
Which stoma works better for colonic dysmotility in the spinal cord injured patient

Abstract Background The formation of an intestinal stoma is very effective in the treatment of colonic dysmotility associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). Little is known about the difference in the long-term outcome among left-sided colostomies, right-sided colostomies, and ileostomies in this patient population. Methods The records of 45 SCI patients with intestinal stomas at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Operative details and preoperative colonic transit times (CTT) were recorded. Patients who were alive and available were interviewed using a questionnaire designed to assess the quality of life (QOL), health status, and time to bowel care before and after stoma formation. Results Between 1976 and 2002, 45 patients underwent a total of 48 intestinal stomas. A left-sided colostomy (LC) was formed in 21 patients, right-sided colostomy (RC) in 20, and ileostomy (IL) in 7. Three of the patients in the RC group ultimately underwent total abdominal colectomy and ileostomy. The indications for stoma formation and CTT were different in the three groups. Bloating, constipation, chronic abdominal pain, difficulty evacuation with prolonged CTT was the main indication in 95% of patients in the RC group, 43% of patients in the LC group, and 29% in the IL group. Management of complicated decubitus ulcers, perineal and pelvic wounds was the primary indication in 43% of patients in the LC group, 5% in the RC group, and none in the IL group. Preoperative total and right CTTs were longer in the RC group compared with the LC group: 127.5 versus 83.1 hours ( P P P P P P P P P P P Conclusions Regardless of the type of stoma, most patients had functional improvement postoperatively. Patients who underwent RC had longer CTT and more chronic symptoms related to colonic dysmotility, reflecting the preoperative selection bias. The successful outcome noted in all groups suggests that preoperative symptoms and CTT studies may have been helpful in optimal choice of stoma site selection.
Anemia increases risk for falls in hospitalized older adults: an evaluation of falls in 362 hospitalized, ambulatory, long-term care, and community patients

Objective The objective of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the presence of anemia and the occurrence of falls during hospitalization in ambulatory older adults from long-term care and community settings. All individuals were hospitalized for acute conditions not related to a fall. Participants Three hundred sixty-two hospitalized, ambulatory older (59–104 years) adults. Measurements Laboratory values (hemoglobin [Hb], hematocrit [Hct]), routine laboratory tests, pertinent medical history, and demographics. Results Ambulatory hospitalized patients who fell were compared to controls (no falls during hospitalization) of similar age (P = .283) and gender distribution (P = .554). Patients who fell had significantly lower Hb (P Conclusions These findings suggest a potentially important link between anemia and the risk of falls during hospitalization in ambulatory older patients. Further studies are needed to determine if the risk of falls can be modified by correction of anemia and to determine the applicability of these findings to older adults in different settings.
When They Return From Afghanistan/Iraq: Acceptance of Loss Due to War Injury

Background: Returning service members who are disabled due to war injury has risen substantially over the last decade due to increased use of body armor, extraordinary medical care and rapid return to the United Sates for medical care. This has resulted in a huge cohort of returning service members who need protracted care. Acceptance of disabling conditions requires that health care professionals have an understanding of the factors that impact injury acceptance. Objectives: This study aimed to explicate the demographic and war-related factors that impact acceptance of war related disability. Patients and Methods: The Acceptance of disability scale was used to assess factors related to acceptance of a war-related injury. Members of the Warrior Transition Brigade in two Department of Defense hospitals were surveyed (n = 157). Results: Finding showed that the majority of participants accepted their disabling condition at the ‘medium’ level with nuances regarding demographic factors. There was no impact for age, deployment length and deployment frequencies on the findings. Additional findings highlight specific subscale areas impacting disability acceptance. Conclusions: Health care professionals engaged in working with the combat related war injured need to be sensitive to the factors that impact adjustment to their disability. Findings point in specific directions to enable this level of care.
Certified Software Architects

Are software architecture certifications worthwhile? At a recent Software Engineering Institute architecture conference, certification programs from Boeing, Raytheon, Siemens, the International Association of Software Architects, and the SEI were presented and compared. This article captures the comparison, and offers some advice about engaging in certification activities and (if you're an organizational manager) setting up your own program.
Enchanted Edens and Nation-Making: Juana Manso, Education, Women and Trans-American Encounters in Nineteenth-Century Argentina

This article considers Juana Manso (1819–1875) as a crucial nation maker in nineteenth-century Argentina. Usually studied as a novelist, Manso was important beyond her literary production. As the first woman to be appointed to a government position and arguably the most radical feminist in nineteenth-century Argentina, Manso's story informs us about Argentine feminism and education, and illustrates how a woman, who lived in Uruguay, Brazil, United States and Cuba, became a crucial transmitter of ideas about emerging nations and a living example of the interconnectedness of the Americas.
Ultraviolet Radiation and Distribution of the Solitary Ascidian Corella inflata (Huntsman)

The solitary ascidian Corella injutu is a com- mon fouling organism in many areas of Puget Sound and the San Juan Archipelago, Washington, USA. Despite its abun- dance, it is conspicuously absent from areas that receive direct sunlight. Previous work suggests that ascidians in unshaded habitats can be overgrown and killed by algal overgrowth. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that UV irradiation contributes to C. inflatu distribution by killing individuals exposed to direct sunlight. To test this, we exposed C. infuta embryos, larvae, juveniles, and adults to UV irradiation and measured the responses. We also tested for UV-absorbing compounds in larvae, juveniles, and adults. In the laboratory, UV significantly damaged all life stages; the earliest stages were most vulnerable. A 3-week UV exposure significantly shortened adult life span. Juve- niles suffered 100% mortality after only 3 days. Tadpole larvae decreased settlement and metamorphosis after I day of UV exposure, and embryos exhibited developmental abnormalities after only 30 minutes of exposure. None of the life-history stages had apparent UV-absorbing com- pounds. Given the vulnerability of this species to UV, we suggest that its unique life-history traits (i.e., time of spawn- ing, brooding behavior, length of larval life) help it persist in its preferred habitat and avoid dispersal into inappropri- ate, UV-exposed areas.
Effects of injection location, flow ratio and geometry on kenics mixer performance

The performance of the Kenics static mixer for mixing small streams of passive tracer into the bulk flow is investigated as a function of injection location and flow ratio. Flow ratios of 1/99 and 10/90 are simulated at nine different injection locations, and two alternative geometries are considered in addition to the standard Kenics mixer. Mixing is evaluated qualitatively by examining the spread of the tracer on cross-sectional slices from the mixer and quantitatively by computing the variation coefficient as a function of axial position. For the standard Kenics geometry, injection location strongly affects the extent of mixing only for the first few elements, after which the mixing rate is independent of injection location. In a sufficiently long mixer, material injected at any location spreads to the entire flow, but the least effective injection locations require up to four elements more than the most effective locations to achieve the same variation coefficient. A faster rate of decrease in variation coefficient is observed for a flow ratio of 1/99 us. 10/90. An alternative geometry in which the elements have 120° of twist instead of the standard 180° of twist shows a similar dependence on injection location and flow ratio, but is more energy-efficient than the standard Kenics geometry. In another alternative geometry in which all elements have the same direction of twist, segregated islands exist in the flow. For injection locations inside the segregated islands, virtually no mixing takes place; for injection locations outside of the segregated islands, the tracer spreads to the remaining flow but does not penetrate the islands.
Are Community Colleges “Home-School Friendly?”: An Exploration of Community College Web Sites as an Indicator of “Friendliness”

With the popularity of home schooling strengthening at the secondary level, the prevalence of home schoolers now attempting to enter higher education is escalating. Community colleges, however, may be inadvertently closing our doors to home-schooled applicants. This content analysis study uses the Home School Legal Defense Association's recommended college admissions policies as an indicator of home-school friendly cultures in an inductive analysis of admissions information appearing on 105 community college Web sites in an 11-state accreditation region. Findings suggest that community college Web sites frequently do not provide information for home-schooled applicants, and home-school admissions policies often differ from college to college. Suggestions for improvement include customizing information to better meet the needs of the individual audiences visiting the site, adding a “doorway” or “landing page,” posting YouTube-type videos, and providing interactive functions—such as instant messaging and li...
Neural crest-specific deletion of Ldb1 leads to cleft secondary palate with impaired palatal shelf elevation.

Background LIM domain binding protein 1 (LDB1) is a transcriptional co-factor, which interacts with multiple transcription factors and other proteins containing LIM domains. Complete inactivation of Ldb1 in mice resulted in early embryonic lethality with severe patterning defects during gastrulation. Tissue-specific deletions using a conditional knockout allele revealed additional roles of Ldb1 in the development of the central nervous system, hematopoietic system, and limbs. The goal of the current study was to determine the importance of Ldb1 function during craniofacial development in mouse embryos.
Cell-based approaches to the engineering of vascularized bone tissue

Abstract This review summarizes recent efforts to create vascularized bone tissue in vitro and in vivo through the use of cell-based therapy approaches. The treatment of large and recalcitrant bone wounds is a serious clinical problem, and in the United States approximately 10% of all fractures are complicated by delayed union or non-union. Treatment approaches with the use of growth factor and gene delivery have shown some promise, but results are variable and clinical complications have arisen. Cell-based therapies offer the potential to recapitulate key components of the bone-healing cascade, which involves concomitant regeneration of vasculature and new bone tissue. For this reason, osteogenic and vasculogenic cell types have been combined in co-cultures to capitalize on the function of each cell type and to promote heterotypic interactions. Experiments in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional systems have provided insight into the mechanisms by which osteogenic and vasculogenic cells interact to form vascularized bone, and these approaches have been translated to ectopic and orthotopic models in small-animal studies. The knowledge generated by these studies will inform and facilitate the next generation of pre-clinical studies, which are needed to move cell-based orthopaedic repair strategies into the clinic. The science and application of cytotherapy for repair of large and ischemic bone defects is developing rapidly and promises to provide new treatment methods for these challenging clinical problems.
Diastolic Dysfunction and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation A Mechanistic Appraisal

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and its prevalence in the population is increasing.1 Diastolic dysfunction shares many common risk factors with AF, including age, hypertension,2–5 obesity,6,7 and diabetes.8,9 Like AF, diastolic dysfunction increases with age,10 and patients given the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction are more likely to have AF at the time.11 Diastolic dysfunction has significant pathological effects on atrial structure and function, many of which are proarrhythmic. However, much remains to be learned about the specific mechanisms through which diastolic dysfunction ultimately promotes AF. Previous reviews have examined the broad association of diastolic dysfunction and AF.12 In this review, we attempt to examine this association on a mechanistic level. We begin with a basic review of the physiology of diastolic function, with particular attention to the complex interaction between the atrium and the ventricle during diastole. We then provide an overview of some of the most common clinical methods to quantify diastolic function and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of these methods with regard to providing an accurate picture of this physiology. We describe how these methods are applied to diagnose diastolic dysfunction, including the development of a widely adopted classification scheme of diastolic dysfunction. We then review the limited clinical data available connecting diastolic dysfunction with the risk of incident, nonvalvular AF, with a focus on studies examining diastolic dysfunction in populations without structural heart disease—ie, with preserved systolic function in the absence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathic disease or congenital heart disease. Finally, we attempt to reconcile the results of these clinical studies with experimental data in both human, animal, and cellular models, to create a mechanistic link between diastolic dysfunction and pathological changes that increase the likelihood of AF. A number …
Millimeter-Wave Lumped Element Superconducting Bandpass Filters for Multi-Color Imaging

The opacity due to water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere obscures portions of the sub-THz spectrum (mm/sub-mm wavelengths) to ground based astronomical observation. For maximum sensitivity, instruments operating at these wavelengths must be designed to have spectral responses that match the available windows in the atmospheric transmission that occur in between the strong water absorption lines. Traditionally, the spectral response of mm/sub-mm instruments has been set using optical, metal-mesh bandpass filters [1]. An alternative method for defining the passbands, available when using superconducting detectors coupled with planar antennas, is to use on-chip, superconducting filters [2]. This paper presents the design and testing of superconducting, lumped element, on-chip bandpass filters (BPFs), placed inline with the microstrip connecting the antenna and the detector, covering the frequency range from 209-416 GHz. Four filters were designed with pass bands 209-274 GHz, 265-315 GHz, 335-361 GHz and 397-416 GHz corresponding to the atmospheric transmission windows. Fourier transform spectroscopy was used to verify that the spectral response of the BPFs is well predicted by the computer simulations. Two-color operation of the pixels was demonstrated by connecting two detectors to a single broadband antenna through two BPFs. Scalability of the design to multiple (four) colors is discussed.
Predictors of Hypersexual Behavior Among College Men and Women: Exploring Self‐Conscious Emotions

The authors examined self-conscious emotions as predictors of hypersexual behavior among 235 college students. Among men, shame-proneness and externalization predicted higher hypersexual behavior, whereas guilt-proneness and detachment were associated with lower hypersexual behavior. Detachment predicted higher hypersexual behavior among women.
Co-Teaching With Strategy Instruction:

Despite the popularity of co-teaching and widespread professional literature describing exemplary co-teaching practices, this instructional approach has yet to realize its potential. One way to increase the effectiveness of co-teaching is for special educators to contribute meaningfully by assuming the role of strategy leader in the co-taught classroom. This article provides examples of how special educators can define their role in co-taught classrooms by contributing purposefully through evidence-based strategy instruction.
Discrete differential forms and applications to surface tiling

The geometry of manifolds has been extensively studied for centuries - though almost exclusively from a differential point of view. Unfortunately, well-established theoretical geometric foundations do not directly translate to discrete meshes: discretizations of inherently-continuous notions such as curvatures and geodesics may lose their geometric and/or variational properties.In this talk, we will introduce the notion of discrete differential forms and show how they provide differential, yet readily discretizable computational foundations [1]. We will describe how key geometric properties built into their description can more readily yield robust numerical computations which are true to the underlying continuous equations: they exactly preserve invariants of continuous models in the discrete computational realm.These discrete forms will be put to good use, first for surface flows and conformal parameterizations, then for the design of pure quadrilateral tiling of arbitrary 2-manifolds [2]. We will also briefly mention other applications (fluid animation, vector field design) benefiting greatly from this principled, discrete approach to geometry and computations.
A PC-based instrumentation board that overcomes many drawbacks of typical commercial data acquisition systems for electrophysiological recording applications

The accessibility of adequate instrumentation to conduct fundamental researches for the development of new diagnostic tools and methods in electrophysiology is essential. As such, many researchers develop proprietary instrumentation systems based on commercially available data acquisition boards. These boards are typically not designed for recording electrophysiological signals and as such, they may introduce significant error artifacts such as signal distortions, which in turn may lead to false interpretations. In this paper, we describe a data acquisition board that has the specifications required to adequately record many electrophysiological signals (e.g. cardiac mapping, body surface potential mapping) under difficult conditions, as it is often the case in a fundamental research environment. Furthermore, unlike other comparable in-house systems, it enables custom hardware functions to be implemented to support specific requirements encountered in a research environment. The card can also be installed directly in any modern personal computer offering an inexpensive, open, powerful, and very flexible system allowing researchers to easily take advantage of both commercial hardware and software to tailor the final system configuration for their particular needs.
Development of Gendine-Coated Cannula for Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion for Extended Use

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) using pumps is a widely used method for insulin therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus. Among the major factors that usually lead to the discontinuation of CSII are CSII set-related issues, including infection at the infusion site. The American Diabetic Association currently recommends rotating sites every 2 to 3 days. This recommendation adds cost and creates inconvenience. Therefore, in order to prevent infections and extend the duration between insertion site changes, we developed a Teflon cannula coated with a combination of gentian violet and chlorhexidine (gendine) and tested its antimicrobial efficacy against different pathogens. The cannulas were coated with gendine on the exterior surface and dried. The efficacy and durability of gendine-coated cannulas were determined against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Candida glabrata using a biofilm colonization method. The cytotoxicity of gendine was assessed against mouse fibroblast cell lines. The gendine-coated cannulas showed complete prevention of biofilm colonization of all organisms tested for up to 2 weeks (P < 0.0001) compared to that with the uncoated control. A gendine-coated catheter against mouse fibroblast cells was shown to be noncytotoxic. Our in vitro results show that a novel gendine cannula is highly effective in completely inhibiting the biofilm of multidrug-resistant pathogens for up to 2 weeks and may have potential clinical applications, such as prolonged use, cost reduction, and lower infection rate.
Myofibril-Inducing RNA (MIR) is essential for tropomyosin expression and myofibrillogenesis in axolotl hearts

The Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, carries the naturally-occurring recessive mutant gene 'c' that results in a failure of homozygous (c/c) embryos to form hearts that beat because of an absence of organized myofibrils. Our previous studies have shown that a noncoding RNA, Myofibril-Inducing RNA (MIR), is capable of promoting myofibrillogenesis and heart beating in the mutant (c/c) axolotls. The present study demonstrates that the MIR gene is essential for tropomyosin (TM) expression in axolotl hearts during development. Gene expression studies show that mRNA expression of various tropomyosin isoforms in untreated mutant hearts and in normal hearts knocked down with double-stranded MIR (dsMIR) are similar to untreated normal. However, at the protein level, selected tropomyosin isoforms are significantly reduced in mutant and dsMIR treated normal hearts. These results suggest that MIR is involved in controlling the translation or post-translation of various TM isoforms and subsequently of regulating cardiac contractility.
Agenda for African Economic History

It is frequently remarked that Africa is so diverse as to defy generalization. Perhaps one generalization that can legitimately be made is that today there exists in every sphere of government in every African country a “development consciousness,” preeminent within this consciousness a dependence on economic planning for growth. The historical lessons of Europe and America are proffered and the lessons are studied and more than occasionally applied in the African setting. The Euroamerican historical record is rich and ripe for study; the African record of economic history, on the other hand, nearly does not exist. The embarrassing lacunae of historical work on the economies of Africa is pronounced, whether one is speaking of the transitional economies which through increased trading links first bridged world and African communities in perhaps an irreversible way, or whether one is speaking of the colonial economies of increased dependence, or of the “development economies” of more recent years. And there is irony here, for when seen against the often thin character of the pre-colonial historical record, work on the economic features of pre-colonial Africa seems relatively more substantial than work on the colonial and post-colonial periods.
Denormalization effects on performance of RDBMS

Presents a practical view of denormalization, and provides fundamental guidelines for incorporating denormalization. We have suggested using denormalization as an intermediate step between logical and physical modeling, to be used as an analytic procedure for the design of the applications requirements criteria. Relational algebra and query trees are used to examine the effect on the performance of relational database management systems (RDBMS). The guidelines and methodology presented are sufficiently general, and they can be applicable to most databases. It is concluded that denormalization can enhance query performance when it is deployed with a complete understanding of application requirements.
You Write What You Know: Writing, Learning, and Student Construction of Knowledge

Still in the relatively early stages of our college’s Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) initiative, we have begun a study to assess its impact. As members of the WAC committee, full-time instructors in two of the college’s career programs (human services and early childhood respectively), and qualitative researchers, we were charged with the task of developing and implementing the study. In our urban community college we often conduct interdisciplinary work, and both the WAC program and committee reflect that. The WAC committee has enlisted support for WAC from the variety of career programs and liberal arts departments. Our role as assessors is to look at and learn from the way instructors are implementing WAC. Walvoord & Anderson (1998) state that assessors are not external imposers of something brand new but investigators, ethnographers, and facilitators. The assessor’s approach is not to get people to do assessment, but to examine how people teach and assess critical thinking, and to help them improve. (pp.150151) During the planning stages, we envisioned at least two purposes of
Building Theory about Theory Building: What Constitutes a Theoretical Contribution?

We distill existing literature on theoretical contribution into two dimensions, originality (incremental or revelatory) and utility (scientific or practical). We argue for a revision in the way scholars approach the utility dimension by calling for a view of theorizing that would enable theories with more “scope” (both scientific and practical utility). We also argue for an orientation toward “prescience” as a way of achieving scope and fulfilling our scholarly role of facilitating organizational and societal adaptiveness.
TESTING THE OSSIFICATION THESIS: AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF FEDERAL REGULATORY VOLUME AND SPEED, 1950-1990

We present one of the first empirical assessments of the prominent ossification thesis in administrative law scholarship. Scholars argue that the federal courts’ embrace of the “hard look” doctrine of judicial review in the 1970s, along with the imposition of procedural constraints on agency autonomy by the White House and Congress in the 1980s, have severely limited the ability of federal agencies to regulate in the public interest. This conventional wisdom has remained largely untested. To test it, we constructed an original database of the universe of notice-and-comment rules proposed and promulgated by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) from 1950-1990. We examine whether DOI agencies promulgated fewer rules in the supposedly ossified era of 1976-1990 than they did in earlier years; whether there is evidence of a movement away from notice-and-comment rules toward ostensibly illegal regulation via more informal policy devices; and whether notice-and-comment regulations took significantly longer to complete in the allegedly ossified era. We find mixed and relatively weak evidence of ossification. The federal agencies in our study remain able to promulgate large volumes of regulations, and do not appear to be systematically substituting informal policy devices for notice-and-comment regulations. Additionally, while rules do take somewhat longer to complete in the ossified era than before, the major-ity of supposedly ossified regulations are promulgated within one year of proposal and the vast majority are promulgated within two years. We conclude that attempts made by the courts, White House, and Congress to restrict bureaucratic autonomy in favor of increased accountability have probably not unduly harmed rule-making in the aggregate. Would-be reformers of the federal administrative process may wish to think twice before radically altering the current system in ways that decrease opportunities for oversight.
Redundancy of IL-1 Isoform Signaling and Its Implications for Arterial Remodeling

Aims Mice deficient in IL-1 receptor 1 (hence unresponsive to both IL-1 isoforms α and β) have impaired expansive arterial remodeling due to diminished expression of matrix-degrading enzymes, especially MMP-3. Emergence of IL-1 as a target in cardiovascular disease prompted the investigation of the redundancy of IL-1α and IL-1β in the induction of MMP-3 and other matrix-remodeling enzymes in human cells. Methods and Results Human primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and carotid endarterectomy specimens were stimulated with equimolar concentrations of IL-1α or IL-1β and analyzed protease expression by immunoblot and ELISA. Either IL-1α or IL-1β increased the expression of pro-MMP-3 in VSMCs, facilitated VSMC migration through Matrigel, and induced MMP-3 production in specimens from atheromatous plaques. VSMCs also secreted MMP-1 and Cathepsin S (CatS) upon stimulation with IL-1α or IL-1β. IL-1 isoforms similarly increased MMP-1 and MMP-9 expression in carotid endarterectomy specimens. We examined the expression of MMP-3 and IL-1 isoforms by immunostaining of carotid atheromata, calculated the % positive areas, and tested associations by linear regression. MMP-3 colocalized with IL-1 isoforms in atheromata. MMP-3+ area in plaques positively associated with IL-1α+ (R2 = 0.61, P<0.001) and with IL-1β + areas (R2 = 0.68, P<0.001). MMP-3+ area within atheroma also associated with CD68+ area, but not with α-smooth muscle actin area. Conclusions Either IL-1α or IL-1β can induce the expression of enzymes implicated in remodeling of the arterial extracellular matrix, and facilitate human VSMC migration in vitro. Human atheromata contain both IL-1 isoforms in association with immunoreactive MMP-3. This redundancy of IL-1 isoforms suggests that selective blocking of one IL-1 isoform should not impair expansive arterial remodeling, a finding with important clinical implications for therapeutic targeting of IL-1 in atherosclerosis.
Cognitive psychology and applied linguistics a timely rapprochement

Abstract: This paper reviews several central theoretical cnstructs in contemporary cognitive psychology and argues that such knowledge can be useful for the applied Iinguist. An example of such a use is then discussed: the study of the way consumers draw inferences about products from advertisements and then remember those inferences as facts. A second example of the influence of the wording of a question on eyewitness memory is also examined.
Inhibition of marrow growth by cyclic AMP.

SummaryCyclic AMP, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, epinephrine, and theophylline inhibited growth of marrow colonies in vitro. The interpretation of this observation is uncertain since various adenine nucleotides had a similar effect and since several substances lowering intracellular cyclic AMP levels were unable to reverse the inhibitory effect of exogenous cyclic AMP.
Association of congenital hepatic fibrosis with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: report of a family with review of literature

The association of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) with congential hepatic fibrosis (CHF) is well known; a rare occurrence is that of congenital hepatic fibrosis with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). We report a family with ADPKD in which congenital hepatic fibrosis with severe portal hypertension (PHT) presented in a 4-year-old girl; the kidneys were initially normal. Typical changes of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease developed in the next decade and were also found in the mother and sister (neither of whom had any evidence of portal hypertension). Severe variceal bleeding was treated by sclerotherapy and beta receptor blocade.
Influence of Zhuyu Tongmai capsule combined with Vinpocetine on level of H_2S and CBS in patients with chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency

[Objective] To study the influence of Zhuyu Tongmai(removing stasis and promoting circulation)capsule combined with Vinpocetine on the level of H2S and CBS in patients with chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency. [Methods] One hundred and fifty patients with chronic cerebral insufficiency were randomly divided in three groups. Patients in group A was treated with Zhuyu Tongmai capsule, group B with Vinpocetine injection and group C with Zhuyu Tongmai capsule and Vinpocetine injection. Each group took the conventional treatment as basic treatment. The level of CBS and H2S in each group were observed and compared. [Results] The plasma level of CBS and H2S in patients with cerebral blood deficiency of group C was obviously higher than that in group A and B with significant statistical difference(P0.05). [Conclusion] Zhuyu Tongmai capsule combined with Vinpocetine injection can reduce plasma level of CBS and H2S, improve symptoms in patients with chronic cerebral circulatory insufficiency and reduce the rate of recurrence.
Awaiting a new wave: The status of state writing assessment in the United States

Abstract Large-scale state assessment is in a time of flux in the United States. The Common Core State Standards have been widely adopted, resulting in most states developing or adopting new writing assessments. This article presents results from document analysis of websites across all 50 states conducted in 2015 to determine writing assessment formats and scoring practices. Drawing on the dichotomy of psychometric and sociocultural assessment approaches, three major classifications for writing assessments are used to categorize assessments: indirect psychometric, direct psychometric, and direct sociocultural, with these aligning with multiple choice tests, traditional “direct writing assessment” or on-demand essay assessment, and portfolio assessment, respectively. Findings indicated that 46 out of 50 states (92%) were primarily using on-demand essay assessment, often in conjunction with multiple choice and short answer items, and no state was utilizing portfolios for writing assessment. Regarding scoring, 98% of state writing assessment was scored externally with no involvement of the classroom teacher. Overall, there was no evidence that forms of direct sociocultural assessment were occurring at the state level. The current study offers a snapshot of recent state writing assessment in order to inform the next wave of writing assessment in the United States.
Penile Prosthesis Reimplantation

AbstractOccasionally, penile prostheses are removed following erosion, infection or malfunction and they are not replaced immediately. Patients may present later for reimplantation of a penile prosthesis after an interval free of a device. However, no information is available as to the outcome and difficulties of such a procedure. We reviewed the charts of all 305 patients undergoing implantation of a penile prosthesis at our institution and contacted all 8 who had undergone reimplantation. Bilateral prostheses were placed in 4 patients. Unilateral prostheses only could be placed in 2 patients because of extensive fibrosis in the other corporeal body. One of these prostheses subsequently was removed because of erosion. In 2 patients the prosthesis could not be implanted in either side because of extensive fibrosis. Of the 8 patients 4 are able to have intercourse (1 with difficulty) and reimplantation of the prosthesis often was difficult or impossible. We conclude that reimplantation of a penile prosthes...
Panel Discussion on the Internet and Marketing Pedagogy

This panel discussion demonstrates the use of the Internet in teaching a new class called the "Information Technology in Marketing" at the University of Cincinnati. The objectives of the class are to help guide students through the amazing world of the Internet and its implications for marketing. The first half of the course relies upon learning the basics of using the Internet and the many powerful functions of this resource. This section of the class changes over time based on student expertise coming in and on recent changes in technology. The later half of the class examines the influence of IT on Marketing and its various functions. For example, sections of the class discuss implications for survey research, advertising, channel relationships, channels of distribution, innovation and product adaptation, customer service, and communication. All course materials, including syllabus, assignments, class presentations are available from the author’s home page at http://ucunix.san.uc.edu/mehta.
Programming assistance for type-directed programming (extended abstract)

Type-directed programming is a powerful programming paradigm where rich types dictate the structure of the program, making design largely automatic. While mechanical, this paradigm still requires manual reasoning that is both tedious and error-prone. We propose using type-directed program synthesis techniques to build an interactive programming assistant for type-directed programming. This tool bridges the gaps between simple auto-completion engines and program synthesis, complementing the strengths of each.
Focal Cortical Opioids and Reading Epilepsy

The release of endogenous opioids in 5 patients with reading-induced seizures was investigated using C-diprenorphine PET scans at the MRC Cyclotron Unit Hammersmith Hospital, and the Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
Plan Failure Analysis: Formalization and Application in Interactive Planning Through Natural Language Communication

While most robots in human robot interaction scenarios take instructions from humans, the ideal would be that humans and robots collaborate with each other. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Communicating with Computer program proposes the collaborative blocks world scenario as a testbed for this. This scenario requires the human and the computer to communicate through natural language to build structures out of toy blocks. To formulate and address this, we identify two main tasks. The first task, called the plan failure analysis, demands the robot to analyze the feasibility of a task and to determine the reasons(s) in case the task is not doable. The second task focuses on the ability of the robot to understand communications via natural language. We discuss potential solutions to both problems and present prototypical architecture for the integration of planning failure analysis and natural language communication into an intelligent agent architecture.
Disparities in Surgical Treatment of Early-Stage Breast Cancer Among Female Residents of Texas: The Role of Racial Residential Segregation.

Abstract Introduction Early-stage breast cancer can be surgically treated by using mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy, also known as breast-conserving therapy (BCT). Little is known about the association between racial residential segregation, year of diagnosis, and surgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer, and whether racial residential segregation influences the association between other demographic characteristics and disparities in surgical treatment. Methods This was a retrospective study using data from the Texas Cancer Registry composed of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer between 1995 and 2012. The dependent variable was treatment using mastectomy or BCT (M/BCT) and the independent variables of interest (IVs) were racial residential segregation and year of diagnosis. The covariates were race, residence, ethnicity, tumor grade, census tract (CT) poverty level, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, and year of diagnosis. Bivariate and multivariable multilevel logistic regression models were estimated. The final sample size was 69,824 individuals nested within 4335 CTs. Results Adjusting for the IVs and all covariates, there were significantly decreased odds of treatment using M/BCT, as racial residential segregation increased from 0 to 1 (odds ratio [OR] 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.54). There was also an increased likelihood of treatment using M/BCT with increasing year of diagnosis (OR 1.14; 95% CI, 1.13-1.16). A positive interaction effect between racial residential segregation and race was observed (OR 0.56; 95% CI, 0.36-0.88). Conclusion Residents of areas with high indices of racial residential segregation were less likely to be treated with M/BCT. Racial disparities in treatment using M/BCT increased with increasing racial residential segregation.