cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection of the number of clusters via the bootstrap method

Here the problem of selecting the number of clusters in cluster analysis is considered. Recently, the concept of clustering stability, which measures the robustness of any given clustering algorithm, has been utilized in Wang (2010) for selecting the number of clusters through cross validation. In this paper, an estimation scheme for clustering instability is developed based on the bootstrap, and then the number of clusters is selected so that the corresponding estimated clustering instability is minimized. The proposed selection criterion's effectiveness is demonstrated on simulations and real examples.
The use of prior distributions in the design of experiments for parameter estimation in non-linear situations: multiresponse case.

Abstract : When prior information is available on the parameters of a nonlinear model, it should influence the choice of the appropriate experimental design. The authors investigate, for the multiresponse case, how prior information on the parameters in the form of a multivariate normal distribution can be used in selecting designs for parameter estimation. An example illustrates how the precision of the prior knowledge can affect the positioning of the design points. (Author)
Colonization and degradation of oxidized bituminous and lignite coals by fungi

APenicillium sp. previously shown to grow on lignite coals degraded an air-oxidized bituminous coal (Illinois #6) to a material that was more than 80% soluble in 0.5 N NaOH. Scanning electron microscopy of the oxidized Illinois #6 revealed colonization of the surface by thePenicillium sp., production of conidia, and erosion of the coal surface. The average molecular weight (MW) of Illinois #6 degraded by the fungus and base-solubilized was approximately 1000 Da. The average MW for base-solubilized Illinois #6 that was not exposed to the fungus was 6000 Da, suggesting solubilizing mechanisms other than base catalysis. A spectrophotometric assay to quantify the microbial conversion of biosolubilized coal was developed. Standard curves were constructed based on the absorbance at 450 nm of different quantities of microbe-solubilized coal. An acid precipitation step was necessary to remove medium and/or microbial metabolites from solubilized coal to prevent overestimation of the extent of coal biosolubilization. Furthermore, the absorption spectra for different coal products varied, necessitating construction of standard curves for individual coals.
Stable isotope labelled 5-lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidoic acid: Analysis by negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Purification and analysis of very small quantities of arachidonic acid lipoxygenase products from biological samples remains a challenging task. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is an ideally suited technique unsurpassed in the analytical figures of merit of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the quantitation of such hydroxy lipids as 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and the LTB4 isomers. We have developed procedures to incorporate oxygen-18 into the carboxyl moiety of these fatty acids as well as 12-hydroxyl position of LTB4 and report on the suitability of these isotopimers as internal standards for quantitative mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the enhanced sensitivity of negative ion chemical ionization of the pentafluorobenzyl ester, trimethylsilyl ether derivatives has been examined. The most abundant ion obtained by this technique is the carboxylate anion which retains all oxygen atoms of these eicosanoids. Comparison of the positive electron impact and negative ion CI mass spectrometric behavior is presented.
Differential inhibition of regional gastrointestinal tissue to progesterone in the rat.

Abstract The influence of progesterone on contractile activity of three gastrointestinal regional tissues was evaluated. Up to six dose levels of progesterone were administered subcutaneously to male rats daily for four days. Progesterone blood levels measured with radioimmunoassay on the fourth day revealed that the range of progesterone exposure to the male animals did not exceed the progesterone blood level peak reported during the normal hormonal cycle of female rats. Log-dose response curves indicate that esophageal, antral, and colonic tissues from progesterone treated animals showed a significant reduction in contractile activity compared to the corresponding tissue from non-progesterone treated control animals. Esophageal and colonic tissues were two and 12-fold, respectively, more sensitive to the inhibitory progesterone influence compared to antral tissue. This study supports the concept that normal circulating levels of progesterone may have an influence on specific gastrointestinal regional function in addition to the effects of progesterone blood levels during pregnancy.
Spectral analysis of Drosophila courtship songs: D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and their interspecific hybrid.

Digital signal processing methods have revealed spectral components inDrosophila melanogaster's andD. simulans' male courtship songs that had gone undetected in previous studies. We found that a bout of courtship hum (“sine song”) inD. simulans typically consists of a narrowband fundamental frequency, accompanied by second and third harmonics that can comprise a major fraction of the power in the signal. The pulse song spectra consisted of single broad-band peaks of highly variable frequencies, which, nevertheless, are characteristically different in these two species. Genetic elements of the newly discovered song components were examined by analysis of theD. melanogaster/D. simulans hybrid. Such males were found to be intermediate in production of sine song harmonics as well as in other parameters of courtship song, except for sine song and intrapulse frequency bandwidths, for which there may be dominant factors inD. simulans.
Role conflict and ambiguity: an empirical investigation of nursing personnel.

A review of the nursing literature provides a number of hypotheses regarding levels among nurses of role ambiguity (uncertainty regarding others' expectations) and role conflict (incompatible demands from various role senders or from multiple roles held simultaneously). Questionnaire data collected from 504 registered staff nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurses aides and head nurses/supervisors in five hospitals failed to provide much support for these hypotheses. Although levels ofrole conflict and ambiguity were low for most nurses, they were significantly related to job stress, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit.
Eruptive Prominences Recorded by the X u.v. Spectroheliograph on Skylab

Five major eruptions were observed to produce spectacular phenomena above the limb during Skylab. All are seen best in H en 304 A. The event of 17 January 1974 was the only one that was observed in high transition and coronal lines. This eruption had at least five major parts; their forms were entirely different spatially and they maximized at different temperatures. The observations began not less than 20 min after the main eruptive phase, and extended for 1 h . The greatest detail was present in H en 304 A; this included groups of long, curved rays of diameter at the instrumental resolution, 2". Many parts of the He II feature changed intensity but not position. Therefore it is difficult to distinguish mass motion from spatially changing excitation
Developmental fates and migratory pathways of dividing progenitors in the postnatal rat cerebellum.

To investigate the developmental fates and the migratory pathways of dividing progenitors in both the white matter (WM) and the external granule layer (EGL) in the early postnatal rat cerebellum, a replication-deficient retrovirus carrying the β-galactosidase gene (BAG) was injected into the deep cerebellar tissue or the EGL of postnatal rats to label dividing progenitors. After 1–3 days post-injection (1–3 dpi) of BAG into the deep cerebellar tissue of postnatal day 4/5 (P4/5) rats, labeled immature, unipolar cells were found mainly in the WM. From 4 to 6 dpi, similar cells appeared in the internal granule (IGL), Purkinje cell, and molecular layers, although about half of the labeled cells still resided in the WM and appeared immature. The first morphologically definable Bergmann glia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes were also observed. From 14 to 20 dpi, most labeled cells had developed into Bergmann glia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and interneurons in their appropriate layers. When BAG injections were performed at P14, unipolar cells were initially observed, but the majority of these differentiated into myelinating oligodendrocytes in the WM and IGL by 17 dpi. Few immature cells were labeled by injections administered at P20, and these did not develop into mature glia, but into cells with lacy, fine processes, possible representing immature oligodendrocytes. In contrast, BAG-labeled progenitors of EGL produced only granule neurons. Thus, within the first 2 postnatal weeks, dividing progenitors in the WM migrate as immature cells into the cortex before differentiating into a variety of glia and interneurons. The genesis of oligodendrocytes continues through the 2nd postnatal week and largely ceases by P20. EGL cells do not produce glia, but only granule cells. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chemical carcinogen-induced alterations in the potentials of cultured animal cells.

THE principal biological parameters which have been used in defining neoplastic transformation induced in vitro are growth with a loss of contact inhibition1; continuous growth in culture; growth in semi-solid agar2; and the capacity of transformed progeny to form tumours in isogenic hosts. Several of these characteristics have been correlated with the capacity of cells transformed by chemical3 and by viral4 carcinogens to produce tumours. The findings reported here lend support to the original observations of Berwald and Sachs3,5 who presented evidence for a hydrocarbon carcinogen directed conversion of normal hamster cells in culture to a neoplastic state.
Low voltage polymer network liquid crystal for infrared spatial light modulators

We report a low-voltage and fast-response polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) infrared phase modulator. To optimize device performance, we propose a physical model to understand the curing temperature effect on average domain size. Good agreement between model and experiment is obtained. By optimizing the UV curing temperature and employing a large dielectric anisotropy LC host, we have lowered the 2π phase change voltage to 22.8V at 1.55μm wavelength while keeping response time at about 1 ms. Widespread application of such a PNLC integrated into a high resolution liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) for infrared spatial light modulator is foreseeable.
Metabolism of furans in vitro: ipomeanine and 4-ipomeanol.

Ipomeanine (IPN), 4-ipomeanol (4-IPO), 1-ipomeanol (1-IPO), and 1,4-ipomeadiol (DIOL) are toxic 3-substituted furans found in mold-damaged sweet potatoes. IPN and 4-IPO are the most toxic, but all produce pulmonary toxicity in cattle and rodents, and 4-IPO induces hepatotoxicity in humans. These furans require metabolic activation to elicit toxicity, but the limited information obtained from previous metabolism studies prompted us to initiate the investigation reported here. Our initial studies of 4-IPO metabolism by rat liver microsomes demonstrated that the oxidation of 4-IPO to IPN and reduction to DIOL occurred and that more IPN was metabolized to a reactive species than 4-IPO or DIOL. Incubation of IPN and Gly produced a 2‘-pyrrolin-5‘-one adduct establishing that IPN was metabolized to an enedial. N-Acetylcysteine reacted with the 5‘-aldehyde of the enedial to give two 2‘,5‘-dihydro-2‘-hydroxyfurans stabilized by H bonding between the 2‘-OH and 3‘-keto group. Reaction of the enedial metabolite of IP...
In-core volume rendering for Cartesian grid fluid dynamics simulations

The volume rendering code Srend is designed for visualization of computational fluid dynamics simulations which use Cartesian grids, and it is designed to be compiled within the application for in-core rendering. Srend was embedded in three codes: Piecewise Parabolic Method (PPMstar), Cloud Model 1 (CM1), and Weather Research Forecast model (WRF). Results show modest rendering overhead, fine quality imagery, and high potential for scaling. When embedded in a code, Srend produces immediate, quality imagery, and this capability can sharply reduce data output & storage requirements.
Researching Inequality Through Interpretive Collaborations: Shifting Power and the Unspoken Contract

Researchers committed to feminist participatory research must grapple with power and vulnerability—both those of other people as well as their own. In this article, the authors argue that in the current context of sharp economic disparity, political polarization, and global conflict, researchers must undertake collaborative and even risk-taking social inquiry in order to learn about alternative lives. The authors highlight the importance of using a feminist participatory methodology with a focus on the interpretive process. Drawing on field research, they explore an innovative approach to analyzing meaning through interpretive focus groups as “safer space.” The following questions are raised: Is there an ethical way to inquire into habits of life that are intentionally kept hidden? And even if individual confidentiality is ensured, what about collective confidentiality and the obligations that researchers have in a context of increasing inequality?
Popcorn: the personal knowledge base

People often use powerful tools to manage the documents they encounter, but very rarely to store the mental knowledge they glean from those documents. Popcorn is a personal knowledge base: an experimental interface and database designed to store and retrieve a user's accumulated personal knowledge. It aims to let the user represent information in a way that corresponds more naturally to their mental conceptions than simply text would, in part by making heavy use of transclusion: sharing items among multiple contexts. This paper describes the design rationale for the system, contrasting it with related efforts, and presents the results of deploying it to a group of volunteers who used it in real-world settings. The results, while revealing some limitations in the tool, and some challenges in coping with knowledge reorganization, suggest that the analysis underlying the design is useful, and that Popcorn is a powerful and effective tool for a variety of intellectual work.
Essential Independence and Likelihood-Based Ability Estimation for Polytomous Items.

A definition ofessential independence is proposed for sequences of polytomous items. For items satisfying the reasonable assumption that the expected amount of credit awarded increases with examinee ability, we develop a theory ofessential unidimensionality which closely parallels that of Stout. Essentially unidimensional item sequences can be shown to have a unique (up to change-of-scale) dominant underlying trait, which can be consistently estimated by a monotone transformation of the sum of the item scores. In more general polytomous-response latent trait models (with or without ordered responses), anM-estimator based upon maximum likelihood may be shown to be consistent for θ under essentially unidimensional violations of local independence and a variety of monotonicity/identifiability conditions. A rigorous proof of this fact is given, and the standard error of the estimator is explored. These results suggest that ability estimation methods that rely on the summation form of the log likelihood under local independence should generally be robust under essential independence, but standard errors may vary greatly from what is usually expected, depending on the degree of departure from local independence. An index of departure from local independence is also proposed.
Challenges in Teaching for Critical Multicultural Citizenship: Student Teaching in an Accountability-Driven Context

Abstract As public schools become increasingly diverse, novice teachers are being called on to prepare their students for a multicultural democracy. This article presents a case study of three preservice teachers who attempted to teach for critical multicultural citizenship during their student-teaching semester in an accountability-driven school context. Although all three participants felt constrained by the culture of accountability, two were able to negotiate these constraints and implement critical multicultural citizenship education in their classrooms. Findings suggest that although participants employed successful strategies—such as de-emphasizing the test, sneaking in multicultural and critical content, and teaching multiple perspectives—feeling a sense of ownership in the classroom served as an essential prerequisite to enacting citizenship education that goes against the grain.
Masticatory Forces Accurately Identified

A technic that simulates the actual eating experience has been developed to help patients with denture problems. The method enables the dentist to identify quickly and accurately points of soreness that the patient experiences. It is a low-cost technic, and it saves time for the patient and the dentist by eliminating the need for visits after the denture is inserted.
The Product Cycle and New England Textiles

Technological change and product life cycle concepts can be used to explain the concentration of cotton textile production in Southeastern New England during the industry's period of rapid innovation in machinery and machine tool design. Boston was the center for an agglomeration of high technology industries that were attracted by each other and the local resource pool of skilled mechanics and entrepreneurs. The movement of the textile industry to the Southeast, which took place after 1880, is linked to technological change in the product cycle that substituted unskilled labor for skilled labor and high technology inputs. The phrase "Yankee ingenuity" has become a part of the English language. If New England no longer holds all the good mechanics in the United States, there was a time when she came so near it that the term "New England mechanic" had a very definite meaning over the whole country [Roe, 1916, p. 109].
Amino acid sequence of neurotoxin I from Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing

The further characterization of toxin I from venom of the scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing (region, Southwestern United States) is reported. Toxin I is a single polypeptide chain of 64 amino acid residues crosslinked by four disulfide bridges. The complete amino acid sequence of toxin I was deduced from the sequence of its tryptic peptides and overlaps provided by its chymotryptic peptides. Toxin I has an amino terminal lysyl residue and a carboxyl terminal threonyl residue. The amino acid sequences of toxin I and neurotoxic variants 1, 2, and 3, likewise isolated from C. sculpturatus venom, differ at 26 positions. The sequences of toxin I from C. sculpturatus and toxins I and II from the North African scorpion, Androctonus australis Hector, are also compared.
New Reactions of the Thiocarbonyl Function. The Synthesis of Hindered Peptides

ABSTRACT: The well-known radical chemistry of the thiocarbonyl function has been expanded to include the concerted reaction between an O-acyl derivative of N-hydroxypyridine-2(1H)-thione (a Barton PTOC ester) and a sulfenamide. The atom-economical process spawned a carboxamide and an unsymmetrical disulfide of synthetic and biological value. The reaction was successfully applied to the synthesis of sterically encumbered, urethane-protected dipeptides. The oxidation-reduction technology pertaining to the disulfide-phosphine combination facilitated the generation of transient Barton PTOC esters, In conjunction with the appropriate benzenesulfenamide, the Barton PTOC ester of benzoyl-L-leucine was shown to preserve optical integrity according to the sensitive Young test, albeit at low temperature. However, the thermodynamic forces at play are powerful and, as a result, the yields were not compromised. In all but the sterically demanding instances, the parent free amine almost matched the reaction time, yield...
Preferential loss of body fat during starvation in dietary obese rats.

This study was undertaken to examine whether diet-induced obesity alters the amount and/or composition of weight lost during starvation. The amount and composition of weight lost during a 4-day period of starvation was determined before and at 17, 30 and 42 weeks after rats (350 g of body weight) were given a high fat diet (HFD). To control for effects of aging, a second group of rats, fed standard laboratory chow, was also subjected to similar periods of starvation. Although total weight loss during starvation was never greater for HFD rats than for chow-fed rats, the former group showed a clear patter of increasing loss of body fat and total energy and conservation of fat-free tissues with periods of starvation later in life. In addition, chow-fed rats showed substantial energy conservation during each period of starvation (i.e. they lost less energy each day than their pre-starvation energy requirements). In contrast, HFD rats demonstrated substantial energy conservation only at 17 weeks and not at 30 or 42 weeks; during the last period of starvation, their average daily loss of carcass energy exceeded their pre-starvation energy requirements. This suggests the increased fat mass of these rats may have led to increased fuel availability and to an increased metabolic rate during starvation. If these results are applicable to humans, the more obese subjects are likely to show greater total loss of energy than lean subjects, but show a lesser loss of lean body mass, at least initially. If protein requirements are reflected by the ability to mobilize protein during food restriction, protein requirements would be substantially lower in the dietary obese rats than in controls. In summary, diet-induced obesity leads to preferential loss of body fat and conservation of lean mass during starvation.
Polyelectrolyte-Assisted Immobilization of Active Enzymes on Glass Beads

Using alternating layers of charged polymers, we have constructed reactive thin films by incorporating enzymes, specifically alkaline phosphatase (AP) and glucose oxidase (GOD), into multilayers of a polycation, branched polyethylenimine (PEI), and a polyanion, poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS), supported on a glass substrate. Experiments using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) demonstrated that the films grew sequentially on a solid support, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) further confirmed the growth and deposition of successive enzyme layers. For both enzymes, the reactive films demonstrated increased activity with the successive number of deposited enzyme layers. In hybrid films, consisting of alternating layers of AP and GOD, both enzymes retained activities similar to those of their corresponding films of either enzyme alone. The effect of elevated temperature was also investigated for these reactive films. Increased thermal stability was found to be associated with the increase in the num...
School and peer competence in early adolescence: A test of domain-specific self-perceived competence.

Examen de la validite d'un modele non global d'auto-perception des competences sociales et scolaires dans un echantillon de 89 eleves de 7eme annee scolaire, noirs et d'origine socioeconomique modeste
Implementing the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards : a slow process

The purpose of this study was to look at inservice teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards (1989 & 2000). The Standards’ Belief Instrument (Zollman and Mason, 1992) was administered on teachers. An ANOVA was used to look for a significant difference between teachers with five years or less experience of teaching mathematics, and those with more than five years teaching experience. One expectation was that teachers who are recent graduates of teacher education programmes may have more training on the NCTM Standards. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups, this study did support the expectation. Current training with in-service teachers shows that many of the teachers are familiar with neither the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics nor their Standards. It seems then from this study that the implementation process of the NCTM Standards, and perhaps any standards or best practices and new curriculum implementation, is very sluggish.
Circular magnetic x-ray dichroism in crystalline and amorphous GdFe2.

The spin-dependent absorption of circularly polarized x rays at the {ital K} edge of Fe and the {ital L}{sub 2} and {ital L}{sub 3} edges of Gd in amorphous and crystalline GdFe{sub 2} has been studied. Large differences in the magnitude of the dichroic signal are observed between the two samples. The application of recently derived sum rules indicates substantial quenching of the orbital moment in the amorphous sample. The results are compared to a theoretical spectrum for crystalline GdFe{sub 2}.
Analysis of human immunodeficiency virus matrix domain replacements.

Abstract The matrix (MA) domain of the HIV-1 structural precursor Gag (PrGag) protein targets PrGag proteins to membrane assembly sites, and facilitates incorporation of envelope proteins into virions. To evaluate the specific requirements for the MA membrane-binding domain (MBD) in HIV-1 assembly and replication, we examined viruses in which MA was replaced by alternative MBDs. Results demonstrated that the pleckstrin homology domains of AKT protein kinase and phospholipase C δ1 efficiently directed the assembly and release of virus-like particles (VLPs) from cells expressing chimeric proteins. VLP assembly and release also were mediated in a phorbol ester-dependent fashion by the cysteine-rich binding domain of phosphokinase Cγ. Although alternative MBDs promoted VLP assembly and release, the viruses were not infectious. Notably, PrGag processing was reduced, while cleavage of GagPol precursors resulted in the accumulation of Pol-derived intermediates within virions. Our results indicate that the HIV-1 assembly machinery is flexible with regard to its means of membrane association, but that alternative MBDs can interfere with the elaboration of infectious virus cores.
Complexity of the minimum-length corridor problem

We study the Minimum-Length Corridor (MLC) problem. Given a rectangular boundary partitioned into rectilinear polygons, the objective is to find a corridor of least total length. A corridor is a set of line segments each of which must lie along the line segments that form the rectangular boundary and/or the boundary of the rectilinear polygons. The corridor is a tree, and must include at least one point from the rectangular boundary and at least one point from the boundary of each of the rectilinear polygons. We establish the NP-completeness of the decision version of the MLC problem even when it is restricted to a rectangular boundary partitioned into rectangles.
TREE STRUCTURE AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN ARBOREALITY AMONG WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS (GORILLA GORILLA GORILLA) AT BAI HOKOU, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

The aim of six months of research in 1995 on the gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic, was to study the effects of tree structure, relative numbers of arboreal feeding sites, and sex differences in body size on arboreal foraging. The analysis presented here also documents inter-annual variation in fruit availability and climbing by silverback gorillas by comparing the 1995 results to those from earlier research, 1990–1992. This analysis suggests that female gorillas maintain similar levels of arboreality in fruit-rich and fruit-poor seasons and years, but silverbacks may be more terrestrial when fruit is scarce or difficult to access. Trees of different shapes present different numbers of feeding sites to bigger males and smaller females. Male climbing is affected by the availability of fruit, and small trees with narrow crowns that lend easy access to fruit from the core. This study suggests that the energetics of vertical climbing and biomechanical constraints imposed by small branch feeding sites in the periphery of trees may constrain the arboreal behavior of male gorillas. Fine-tuned comparisons of food availability, tree structure, and variation in social context of behavior across habitats, will assist efforts to understand differences in ecology among populations and species of African apes.
A self-tuning fuzzy controller for a class of multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems

This paper presents a systematic design procedure of a multivariable fuzzy controller for a general Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) nonlinear system with an input-output monotonic relationship or a piecewise monotonic relationship for each input-output pair. Firstly, the system is modeled as a Fuzzy Basis Function Network (FBFN) and its Relative Gain Array (RGA) is calculated based on the obtained fuzzy model. The proposed multivariable fuzzy controller is constructed with two orthogonal fuzzy control engines. The horizontal fuzzy control engine for each system input-output pair has a hierarchical structure to update the control parameters online and compensate for unknown system variations. The perpendicular fuzzy control engine is designed based on the system RGA to eliminate the multivariable interaction effect. The resultant closed-loop fuzzy control system is proved to be passive stable as long as the augmented open-loop system is input-output passive. Two sets of simulation examples demonstrate that the proposed fuzzy control strategy can be a promising way in controlling multivariable nonlinear systems with unknown system uncertainties and time-varying parameters.
Blazing a trail to find the right button, or, how to use a podium

One of the common problems IT departments get calls on is from frustrated faculty trying to operate a podium, and it's no different for us in Instructional and Information Technology (IIT) here at Penn State's Schuylkill campus. They have a remote for the projector, a remote for the DVD/VHS player, a remote for the video conference system, a remote for the document camera, and a PC at the core of it along with a sound system attached to the whole mess. The question that often comes in is "What button do I have to push to get what I want to come up on the screen?" With students manning our help desk that are not always familiar with the variety of devices in the rooms, sometimes answers were hard to come by. This caused some of the faculty to question our effectiveness. This caused us to look for a cheap and reasonable means to resolve or at least reduce the number of calls to the Help Desk using tools that were already available until a long term solution could be researched. We sent a student out armed with a digital camera and PowerPoint to create a solution.The solution not only helped to reduce calls to the over podium operation, but also provided a feeling of satisfaction to the faculty. They realized that their concerns are being heard and researched for resolutions. This turned out to be a cheap and profitable interim solution.
PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN STARCH DURING DEEP‐FAT FRYING OF A MOLDED CORN STARCH PATTY

Corn starch patties with an initial moisture content of 46.5 % (wet basis) were fried in oil at 165C. The results indicated that oil content in the patty ranged from 10.6 to 12.5% in the crust region, and 1.5 to 3.9% in the core region. Starch gelatinization was significantly dependent on frying time and location of starch in the patty. Both, water absorption and water solubility indices of starch increased with frying time, with the starch contained in the crust exhibiting much higher water absorption ability and water solubility than that contained in the core region. Measurements of 'blue value' (the intensity of blue color of starch solution upon addition of iodide ion) and the absorbance spectra of starch samples indicated that amylose-lipid complexes were present in the fried materials. The degree of starch complexation was 10.9 to 13.2% in the crust and 0.3 to 6. 6% in the core region. The puncture force on the surface of food fried for no more than 5 min was close to that in the food center, although a significant increase in force was required for the crust region during the later stages of frying.
Health Care Worker Quarantine for Ebola: To Eradicate the Virus or Alleviate Fear?

The 2014 Ebola outbreak originating in West Africa is a public health emergency of international concern that has drawn worldwide media attention. Quarantine—an action that restricts movement of individuals, with the goal to protect the public health—is a historic public health action. Despite our global experience with emerging infectious diseases, politicians empowered with making health policy decisions and even some scientists have created confusion, fear, and stigmatization of health care workers by inconsistent use of quarantine. The paradoxic application of quarantine during the 2014 Ebola outbreak has led to confusion among health care workers and the public alike. Within the United States, conflicting policies have resulted in a nurse being placed in quarantine in a tent next to a hospital in New Jersey and later in her home in Maine after returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa, yet at the same time other returning health care workers moved about freely, including a physician in New York City who later tested positive for Ebola. Asymptomatic health care workers returning from treating Ebola patients in West Africa even met with the President of the United States, a strong indication that they were of no threat to others. Furthermore, health care workers caring for patients with Ebola within the United States and other non-African countries have not had their movement restricted. Similarly, the US ambassador to the United Nations returned from an Ebolastricken country and was simply placed under public health monitoring, whereas the media concurrently reported that returning US military troops would be quarantined for 21 days. Physicians from West Africa were told they would be quarantined if they traveled to the United States to attend a professional meeting at the same time that physicians who returned from treating Ebola patients moved freely about at the annual American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Scientific Assembly. So what is the truth about quarantine? Quarantine is an ancient term that is derived from the Italian quaranta, which refers to the 40-day sequestration imposed on arriving merchant ships during plague outbreaks of the 14th century. Although the terms are frequently used interchangeably, quarantine differs from isolation in important ways. According to the 2001 US Model State Emergency Health Powers Act, both quarantine and isolation are tools that “enforce physical separation
Proliferation of epithelial rests of Malassez during experimental tooth movement

The epithelial rests of Malassez (ERM), remnants of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath, are found near the root surface in the periodontal ligament. The functional significance of the ERM is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the behavior of the ERM during experimental tooth movement. Tooth movement was achieved in 12 male Sprague-Dawley rats (each, 120-200 g) by placing elastic bands between the maxillary right first and second molars. The left molars served as controls. The rats were killed after 6, 12, 18, 24, 60, and 72 hours. The mitotic activity of the ERM was assessed by injecting the animals with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) 2 to 3 hours before killing by intracardial perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde. The molar-bearing segments were dissected and processed for histological examination. The incorporated BrdU was detected by immunohistochemistry. The number of cells in each ERM cluster was counted in all groups. In the 18-, 24-, 60-, and 72-hour experimental groups, the cell numbers were significantly higher than in the controls. The surface areas of the ERM clusters were also measured in all groups, but only in the 18-, 24-, 60-, and 72-hour specimens were the areas significantly higher in the experimental than in the control groups. The ERM cells in the experimental specimens were labeled with anti-BrdU, while those in the controls were not. It was concluded that experimental tooth movement stimulates ERM cells to proliferate and increase in size. These increased activities of the ERM are consistent with a putative role for these cells in collagen turnover in the periodontal ligament that is accelerated during tooth movement.
HYPERTENSIVE DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY

Hypertensive disorders are the most common medical complications of pregnancy with a reported incidence of 5% to 10%. Throughout the world, hypertensive disorders are a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. In the United States, approximately 20% of maternal and perinatal deaths are attributed to preclampsia and eclampsia. 28 Thus, the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a frequent challenge confronting the anesthesiologist in obstetrics.
E algebras and p-adic homotopy theory

Abstract Let F p denote the field with p elements and F p its algebraic closure. We show that the singular cochain functor with coefficients in F p induces a contravariant equivalence between the homotopy category of connected p-complete nilpotent spaces of finite p-type and a full subcategory of the homotopy category of E ∞ F p -algebras.
SYNTHESIS OF DEOXYADENOSINE UNDER SIMULATED PRIMITIVE EARTH CONDITIONS.

RECENT experiments have demonstrated that many organic compounds of biological significance can be produced in a wide variety of experiments simulating primitive Earth conditions, The synthesis of the purines, adenine1,2 and guanine3, and the sugars, ribose4 and deoxyribose4,5, have been reported. It was therefore of interest to find out whether the nucleosides and nucleotides present in RNA and DNA could be synthesized under similar conditions.
Hurricane, Habitat Degradation, and Land Loss Effects on Brown Pelican Nesting Colonies

ABSTRACT Walter, S.T.; Carloss, M.R.; Hess, T.J., and Leberg, P.L., 2013. Hurricane, habitat degradation, and land loss effects on Brown Pelican nesting colonies. Nesting colonies of coastal avifauna are perennially threatened by hurricanes, land loss, and environmental contamination. To understand how nest substrate and habitat availability influence reproductive success of Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), we monitored 802 nests and quantified vegetation cover on two barrier islands in Louisiana from 2008 to 2010. In 2008, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused habitat degradation and land loss at our study sites and thus allowed comparison of pelican productivity in pre- and post-hurricane conditions. As habitat availability changed across years and islands, pelicans shifted from nesting in woody vegetation, to grasses, forbs, and bare ground. More chicks that survived until the age of 3 to 4.5 weeks old were from higher nests, and the loss of woody vegetation might have elicited colony abandonment. H...
On generation of positive real functions

It is pointed out that orthogonal polynomials have already been used to generate positive real functions. Mathematical induction and existing recurrence relations were used to prove desired results. Finally, a definite answer to a conjecture is given.
Scheduling and Routing for a Bus-Based Evacuation with a Constant Evacuee Arrival Rate

This paper introduces a variant of the vehicle routing problem adapted for bus-based, regional evacuation planning, where evacuees arrive at predetermined pickup locations at constant, location-specific rates. This arrival process more realistically portrays evacuee arrival behavior, presenting an important distinction from the current transit-based evacuation literature. In this problem, capacity-constrained buses are routed, potentially multiple times, to transport all evacuees to a depot/shelter such that the last pickup, and the end of the arrival process, occurs at a location-specific time, determined by risk considerations. The problem seeks to minimize the total waiting time at these locations total exposure and exploits efficiencies by allowing service choice. The structural properties of this problem guide the choice for two important strategic parameters: the maximum number of pickups allowed on each location and the fleet size. It is shown that, depending on the problem instance, increasing the maximum number of pickups may reduce both the fleet size requirement and the total exposure and that, past a certain threshold, there exists a maximum number of pickups or a range of potential values, if the problem cannot be solved to optimality that guarantees an efficient usage of the available fleet and equitable reductions in exposure across pickup locations.
Peptidyl aldehydes as reversible covalent inhibitors of SRC homology 2 domains.

Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are phosphotyrosine- (pY-) binding modules found in a variety of signal-transducing proteins and constitute an important class of drug targets for the treatment of signaling related diseases/conditions. To date, a large number of peptidic as well as nonpeptidic SH2 domain inhibitors have been reported. However, all of these inhibitors contain a negatively charged pY mimetic as the core structure and generally have poor membrane permeability. We report here that peptidyl cinnamaldehydes function as reversible, slow-binding inhibitors toward the SH2 domains of protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1. Specific interactions between the SH2 domains and the aldehydes were assessed by their ability to relieve the autoinhibitory effect of the N-terminal SH2 domain on SHP-1 catalytic activity and the surface plasmon resonance technique. The most potent inhibitor (Cinn-GEE) displayed a K(D) value of 1.3 microM against the N-terminal SH2 domain of SHP-1. The mechanism of inhibition was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and by using Cinn-GEE specifically labeled with (13)C at the aldehyde carbon and (1)H-(13)C heteronuclear single-quantum coherence spectroscopy. The proposed mechanism involves the formation of an initial noncovalent E.I complex, which is slowly converted into a covalent imine/enamine adduct (E.I) between the aldehyde group of the inhibitor and the guanidine group of Arg betaB5 in the pY-binding pocket of the SH2 domains. These aldehydes should provide a general, neutral pharmacophore for the further development of potent, specific, and membrane-permeable SH2 domain inhibitors.
A 3-stage model of patient-centered communication for addressing cancer patients' emotional distress.

Abstract Objective To describe pathways through which clinicians can more effectively respond to patients’ emotions in ways that contribute to betterment of the patient's health and well-being. Methods A representative review of literature on managing emotions in clinical consultations was conducted. Results A three-stage, conceptual model for assisting clinicians to more effectively address the challenges of recognizing, exploring, and managing cancer patients’ emotional distress in the clinical encounter was developed. To enhance and enact recognition of patients’ emotions, clinicians can engage in mindfulness, self-situational awareness, active listening, and facilitative communication. To enact exploration, clinicians can acknowledge and validate emotions and provide empathy. Finally, clinicians can provide information empathetically, identify therapeutic resources, and give referrals and interventions as needed to help lessen patients’ emotional distress. Conclusion This model serves as a framework for future research examining pathways that link clinicians’ emotional cue recognition to patient-centered responses exploring a patient's emotional distress to therapeutic actions that contribute to improved psychological and emotional health. Practical implications Specific communicative and cognitive strategies are presented that can help clinicians better recognize a patient's emotional distress and respond in ways that have therapeutic value.
Tagore's Vision of International Education: Relevance and Implications for Today

Abstract In this information age, the world is fast becoming a global village. In this context, it is relevant to look at the educational vision of Rabindranath Tagore. He tried to realize his educational vision in his schools and Visva-Bharati University where the world makes its home in a single nest. Tagore's vision of international education can help to prevent misunderstanding and war, promote peace, foster multiculturalism, connect human beings, and celebrate their common heritage
The biological response of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii to transplantation into California ricefields

Abstract The population dynamics of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii was studied in California ricefields to investigate the effects of range extension and to examine its potential for harvest. The species was shown to undergo distinct cycles of activity related to depth, temperature and reproduction. Juveniles were observed to have two peaks in activity during late summer and winter, while adults only had a single peak. Ovarian maturity was found during summer and maximum hatching occurred in late summer and winter. Males matured at 35.8 mm carapace length (CL) on the average, while females matured at 36.5 mm CL. A direct correlation between female egg production and body size was noted. P. clarkii in California were shown to be cued into similar cycles as Louisiana crayfish, even though the timing and extent of the hydrological cycle was considerably different. Breeding activity paralleled the Louisiana crayfish, while winter-spring juvenile growth rates (16.32 mm in 120 days) and biomass (208 kg/ha) were much lower. Crayfish emigration during ricefield draining was found to be substantial (31% of population) and may provide an excellent opportunity for harvest.
Kleinberg navigation in fractal small-world networks.

We study the Kleinberg problem of navigation in small-world networks when the underlying lattice is a fractal consisting of $N\ensuremath{\gg}1$ nodes. Our extensive numerical simulations confirm the prediction that the most efficient navigation is attained when the length $r$ of long-range links is taken from the distribution $P(\mathbf{r})\ensuremath{\sim}{r}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}}$, where $\ensuremath{\alpha}={d}_{\mathrm{f}}$ is the fractal dimension of the underlying lattice. We find finite-size corrections to the exponent $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, proportional to $1∕(\mathrm{ln}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}N{)}^{2}$.
Assessment of Polyp and Mass Histopathology by Intravenous Contrast-Enhanced CT Colonography

Rationale and Objectives We sought to demonstrate that intravenous contrast–enhanced CT colonography (CTC) can distinguish colonic adenomas from carcinomas. Methods Supine intravenous contrast–enhanced CTC with colonoscopic and/or surgical correlation was performed on 25 patients with colonic adenomas or carcinomas. Standard deviation of mean polyp CT attenuation was computed and assessed using ANOVA and receiver-operating characteristic analyses. Results Colonoscopy confirmed 32 polyps or masses 1 to 8 cm in size. The standard deviations of CT attenuation were carcinomas (n = 13; 36 ± 6 HU; range 28–48 HU) and adenomas (n = 19; 49 ± 14 HU; range 31–100 HU) (P = 0.005). At a standard deviation threshold of 42 HU, the sensitivity and specificity for classifying a polyp or mass as a carcinoma were 92% and 79%, respectively. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.89 ± 0.06 (95% confidence interval 0.73–0.96). Conclusions Measurement of the standard deviation of CT attenuation on intravenous contrast–enhanced CTC permits histopathologic classification of polyps 1 cm or larger as carcinomas versus adenomas. The presence of ulceration or absence of muscular invasion in carcinomas creates overlap with adenomas, reducing the specificity of carcinoma classification.