cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What a Difference Mentoring Makes: Service Learning and Engagement for College Students.

Colleges are increasingly interested in ways to better engage students in their academic careers. This article reports 20 college students' experiences as mentors for at‐risk fourth‐graders through a mentoring program called The Learning Connection (TLC), run by the Community Services Office at Moravian College. The study describes students' voluntary participation in service learning activities as a source of student engagement, the characteristics of the TLC mentoring program, the process by which student mentors reported their experiences over the course of the academic year, and the benefits of the mentoring program through the eyes of the college student mentors. At the beginning of the mentoring experience, mentors reported that the primary reasons for mentoring were to make a difference in a child's life and supplement classroom learning. At the end of the academic year, mentors reported that mentoring taught them important lessons about children, themselves, community work and the value of mentori...
Mechanical Stimulation Provides the Key Induction Signal for Tenogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Braided Nanofibrous Scaffolds

Tendon injury frequently occurs to the people who actively participate in physical or recreational activities. For example, in the U.S., there are more than 250,000 Achilles tendon injuries annually. The orthopedic problem causes significant burdens on the health care system and the economy because of costly patient care and loss of patients’ work productivity.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Erratum to: On enumeration of conjugacy classes of Coxeter elements

For the article with the above title appearing in the Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, volume 136 of 2008, there are two typographical errors in the proof of Proposition 3.8 on page 4162: ■ The inequality in line 3 of the proof should be reversed to read "... over Y', and thus nc > «(F')·" ■ The inequality in the last line of the proof should be reversed to read "... of Ce(y), and thus nc < κ(Υ').η With these corrections the full proof becomes:
Compositional dependence of the direct and indirect band gaps in Ge1−ySny alloys from room temperature photoluminescence: implications for the indirect to direct gap crossover in intrinsic and n-type materials

The compositional dependence of the lowest direct and indirect band gaps in Ge1−ySny alloys has been determined from room-temperature photoluminescence measurements. This technique is particularly attractive for a comparison of the two transitions because distinct features in the spectra can be associated with the direct and indirect gaps. However, detailed modeling of these room temperature spectra is required to extract the band gap values with the high accuracy required to determine the Sn concentration yc at which the alloy becomes a direct gap semiconductor. For the direct gap, this is accomplished using a microscopic model that allows the determination of direct gap energies with meV accuracy. For the indirect gap, it is shown that current theoretical models are inadequate to describe the emission properties of systems with close indirect and direct transitions. Accordingly, an ad hoc procedure is used to extract the indirect gap energies from the data. For y < 0.1 the resulting direct gap compositional dependence is given by ΔE0 = −(3.57 ± 0.06)y (in eV). For the indirect gap, the corresponding expression is ΔEind = −(1.64 ± 0.10)y (in eV). If a quadratic function of composition is used to express the two transition energies over the entire compositional range 0 y 1, the quadratic (bowing) coefficients are found to be b0 = 2.46 ± 0.06 eV (for E0) and bind = 1.03 ± 0.11 eV (for Eind). These results imply a crossover concentration yc = , much lower than early theoretical predictions based on the virtual crystal approximation, but in better agreement with predictions based on large atomic supercells.
Laser Electron Acceleration By Net Inverse Bremsstrahlung

Net absorption of a laser light by relativistic electrons through net inverse bremsstrahlung in a longitudinal electrostatic wave was previously found to give rise to a very large net dc force. The predicted incident energy dependence of electron acceleration by co-propagating laser waves and the weaker longitudinal electrostatic waves is in qualitative agreement with the preliminary results of a recent Canadian laser-plasma electron acceleration experiment in which phase matching was not attempted. Furthermore, an analysis of the preliminary data indicates the existence of a non-Lorentzian force, which is the only force responsible for the net electron acceleration.
Electrochemical determination of reduction potentials in glass-forming melts

Square-wave voltammetry (SWV) has been used to determine the reduction potentials of several multivalent elements in situ in an alkali borosilicate melt. Such reduction potentials measured at melt temperature were found to be proportional to the relative reduction potentials obtained from analyses of the quenched glasses. Accordingly, the redox state of the glass typically reflects the redox state of the melt. Although SWV is a sensitive tool for monitoring the total concentration of specific multivalent elements in the melt, the method does not directly monitor the redox state of the melt.
Vascular reactivity in patients with peripheral vascular disease

Noninvasive techniques have been used to demonstrate a specific pattern of impaired vasoactive response in the normal brachial artery of patients with clinical atherosclerosis. This is a physiologic reflection of the systemic nature of atherosclerosis and may be useful as a marker for identifying patients with preclinical atherosclerotic disease.
Comparative biochemical studies of isozymes of isocitrate dehydrogenase from the mouse.

Biochemical properties of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial isozymes of isocitrate dehydrogenase from DBA/2J mice were compared under various experimental conditions. These included Km determinations, coenzyme specificity, pH dependence, urea, iodoacetate and thermal inactivation and fluorescence titration studies. From these comparative studies each isozyme was found to have distinct coenzyme specificity, thermal stability and sensitivity to alkylation. In the case of the cytoplasmic isozyme, both NADP+ and isocitrate protect the enzyme against thermal denaturation but not iodoacetate inactivation. On the contrary, neither NADP+ nor isocitrate protects the mitochondrial enzyme against thermal or iodoacetate inactivation. Both isozymes exhibit similar fluorescence properties. NADP+ and NADPH, but not isocitrate, cause quenching of protein fluorescence. Enhancement of coenzyme fluorescence and protein energy transfer was observed when either isozyme was added to NADPH solutions. Further addition of isocitrate or isocitrate-Mg++ to a NADPH-enzyme solution caused a decrease of the enhancement of coenzyme fluorescence and protein energy transfer, but not quenching of protein fluorescence, indicating the formation of a ternary complex. This observation precludes the mechanism of mutual exclusion between NADPH and isocitrate in the active site of the enzyme.
Parallel Finite Element Software Development and Performance Analysis in an Object-Oriented Programming Framework

The use of object-oriented programming techniques in the development of parallel, finite element analysis software enhances code reuse and increases efficiency during application development. In this paper, an object-oriented programming framework developed by the authors is utilized in the implementation of parallel finite element software for modeling of the resin transfer molding manufacturing process. The motivation for choosing the resin transfer molding finite element application and implementing it with the object-oriented framework is that it was originally developed and parallelized in a functional programming paradigm thus offering the possibility of direct comparisons. Discussion of the software development effort and performance results are presented and analyzed.
Neurotransmitter receptor sites in human hippocampus: a quantitative autoradiographic study.

The distribution of serotonin1, cholinergic-muscarinic, α-adrenergic and opiate-type receptors was studied in the human hippocampus by quantitative autoradiography. Each receptor type exhibited a unique distribution. Serotonin1 receptors were found to predominate in the subiculum, whereas α1-adrenergic receptor are absent in that area and present at high levels in the dentate and the CA fields. High densities of muscarinic receptors appear in the subiculum and dentate gyrus. Opiate receptors are restricted to a medial aspect of the subiculum, with lower levels in the dentate and CA fields. The high anatomical resolution and quantitative character of the data may make it useful in the investigation of hippocampal pathology in humans.
Bulbospinal serotoninergic pathways in the frog rana pipiens

We combined retrograde fluorescent tracing with rhodamine immunofluorescence to identify the origin of serotoninergic neurons with descending projections to the spinal cord of frogs. After injections of Fluoro-gold into the spinal cord, retrogradely labeled immunoreactive serotoninergic neurons were detected in the caudal part of the brainstem from the level of the obex through the level of the VIII nerve. These doubly labeled cells were distributed along the midline throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the dorsal portion of the raphe nuclear region. Doubly labeled neurons were more numerous in the rostral than in the caudal part of the raphe area. The fluorescent tracer 1,1′-dioctadecyl--3,3,3′3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) was then placed in and around the middle and rostral raphe nuclear region. Anterogradely labeled fibers could be traced bilaterally in the lateral portion of the dorsal funiculus and the lateral and ventral funiculi. These fibers were seen terminating in the dorsal and ventral horns, as well as in the intermediate grey matter. After placement of DiI in the caudal raphe area, labeled fibers were found only in the intermediate grey and ventral horn. These findings suggest that the organization of bulbospinal serotoninergic pathways in the frog is similar to that of mammals, and that an isolated amphibian spinal cord preparation could be a useful model for pharmacological and physiological studies of the action of serotonin (5HT) in the spinal cord.
Potassium Channels Regulate Cholecystokinin Secretion in STC-1 Cells

Abstract Following blockade of plasma membrane potassium channels with barium or tetraethylammonium chloride, release of cholecystokinin was increased in an intestinal cell line (STC-1). Treatment with calcium channel blockers inhibited barium- or TEA-induced secretion. Barium chloride also stimulated 45Ca efflux fron STC-1 cells. Whole cell patch clasp recordings revealed a voltage-activated, Li-type calcium current. We conclude that, inhibition of basally active potassium channels may depolarize STC-1cells, producing activation of voltage-gated calcium influx pathways. Influx of calcium may lead to a release of intracellular calcium which stimulates cholecystokinin secretion.
Enzyme changes in rats with terminal liver necrosis due to vitamin E and selenium deficiencies

Abstract Blood and tissues were taken for enzyme studies from rats which were raised on a selenium- and vitamin E-deficient diet or this diet containing vitamin E and/or selenium. Plasma levels of enzymes which are found in high concentrations in the liver were significantly higher in rats with liver necrosis (selenium and vitamin E deficient). Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), an enzyme found in high levels in muscle, was not affected significantly in plasma of vitamin E- and/or selenium-deficient rats. The activities of aryl sulfatase, β-glucuronidase, the autolytic activity, and the thiobarbituric acid index were significantly higher, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were significantly lower in livers of rats with liver necrosis. The proteolytic activity, acid phosphatase, and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) levels were not affected in liver of vitamin E- and/or selenium-deficient rats nor were GOT, LDH, aryl sulfatase, or peroxidase levels affected in the heart, kidney, or muscle. The results indicate that plasma levels of isocitrate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glutamic dehydrogenase, or ornithine carbamyl transferase (probably the most sensitive) could be used to detect liver damage, whereas CPK is the enzyme of choice for detecting muscle damage.
Gravitational couplings of the inflaton in extended inflation

We discuss a new extended-inflationary scenario evading the difficulties of the original model. Our model can thermalize the energy in the bubble walls by the necessary epoch, and establish a Robertson-Walker frame in the bubble clusters. The essential new ingredient in our model is the observation that the coupling of inflaton to the Jordan-Brans-Dicke field is expected to be different from that of visible matter.
Computer‐assisted quality assurance for radiographic equipment

A quality assurance procedure which includes a computer program has been implemented to facilitate measurement of some of the parameters normally tested on diagnostic radiographic equipment. These include: reproducibility of output, linearity of mA settings, filtration, kVp calibration, timer error, SID indication, light field--x-ray field coincidence and effective focal spot size. The user may omit those sections which are not applicable to his needs. Full use is made of the data reducing the number of field measurements needed.
The Memories of Ovid's Pythagoras

L'A. etudie l'utilisation faite par Ovide dans «Les Metamorphoses» de la doctrine pythagoricienne de la metempsychose, ou Pythagore lui-meme raconte les souvenirs qu'a son âme de ses vies anterieures
Neuroscience and Morality

Humans are social animals who use specialized brain mechanisms to assess the actions of others. This system for social cognition can be studied by imaging techniques, and its damage can lead to inappropriate social and moral behavior. Neuroscience can thus enrich our understanding of behaviors traditionally thought to be outside the province of science.
Expression and Functional Roles of Bradyrhizobium japonicum Genes Involved in the Utilization of Inorganic and Organic Sulfur Compounds in Free-Living and Symbiotic Conditions

Strains of Bradyrhizobium spp. form nitrogen-fixing symbioses with many legumes, including soybean. Although inorganic sulfur is preferred by bacteria in laboratory conditions, sulfur in agricultural soil is mainly present as sulfonates and sulfur esters. Here, we show that Bradyrhizobium japonicum and B. elkanii strains were able to utilize sulfate, cysteine, sulfonates, and sulfur-ester compounds as sole sulfur sources for growth. Expression and functional analysis revealed that two sets of gene clusters (bll6449 to bll6455 or bll7007 to bll7011) are important for utilization of sulfonates sulfur source. The bll6451 or bll7010 genes are also expressed in the symbiotic nodules. However, B. japonicum mutants defective in either of the sulfonate utilization operons were not affected for symbiosis with soybean, indicating the functional redundancy or availability of other sulfur sources in planta. In accordance, B. japonicum bacteroids possessed significant sulfatase activity. These results indicate that strains of Bradyrhizobium spp. likely use organosulfur compounds for growth and survival in soils, as well as for legume nodulation and nitrogen fixation.
Age differences in blood pressure and norepinephrine concentration in normotensive rats after higher doses of estrogen.

Abstract 1. 1. Normotensive rats (3 months old) showed 6–9% increases in blood pressure (B.P.) after high doses of estrogen, with increases in hypothalamic and adrenal norepinephrine (NE). 2. 2. Older normotensive rats (6 months old) showed 4–11% increases in B.P. after high doses of estrogen with a decrease in brainstem NE.
A Software Implementation of the IEEE 754R Decimal Floating-Point Arithmetic Using the Binary Encoding Format

The IEEE Standard 754-1985 for binary floating-point arithmetic [19] was revised [20], and an important addition is the definition of decimal floating-point arithmetic [8], [24]. This is intended mainly to provide a robust reliable framework for financial applications that are often subject to legal requirements concerning rounding and precision of the results, because the binary floating-point arithmetic may introduce small but unacceptable errors. Using binary floating-point calculations to emulate decimal calculations in order to correct this issue has led to the existence of numerous proprietary software packages, each with its own characteristics and capabilities. The IEEE 754R decimal arithmetic should unify the ways decimal floating-point calculations are carried out on various platforms. New algorithms and properties are presented in this paper, which are used in a software implementation of the IEEE 754R decimal floating-point arithmetic, with emphasis on using binary operations efficiently. The focus is on rounding techniques for decimal values stored in binary format, but algorithms are outlined for the more important or interesting operations of addition, multiplication, and division, including the case of nonhomogeneous operands, as well as conversions between binary and decimal floating-point formats. Performance results are included for a wider range of operations, showing promise that our approach is viable for applications that require decimal floating-point calculations. This paper extends an earlier publication [6].
An insight into power quality disturbances using wavelet multiresolution analysis

The wavelet transform is beginning to be used widely in power engineering. Its effectiveness for analyzing transients with time localized information is now well known. Multiresolution analysis is especially suitable for feature enhancement of transients and thus makes it possible for power disturbances to be classified. In addition, the wavelet transform works well where the Fourier transform fails. A graphical insight is demonstrated in this letter.
Indirect reciprocity can stabilize cooperation without the second-order free rider problem

Models of large-scale human cooperation take two forms. 'Indirect reciprocity' occurs when individuals help others in order to uphold a reputation and so be included in future cooperation. In 'collective action', individuals engage in costly behaviour that benefits the group as a whole. Although the evolution of indirect reciprocity is theoretically plausible, there is no consensus about how collective action evolves. Evidence suggests that punishing free riders can maintain cooperation, but why individuals should engage in costly punishment is unclear. Solutions to this 'second-order free rider problem' include meta-punishment, mutation, conformism, signalling and group-selection. The threat of exclusion from indirect reciprocity can sustain collective action in the laboratory. Here, we show that such exclusion is evolutionarily stable, providing an incentive to engage in costly cooperation, while avoiding the second-order free rider problem because punishers can withhold help from free riders without damaging their reputations. However, we also show that such a strategy cannot invade a population in which indirect reciprocity is not linked to collective action, thus leaving unexplained how collective action arises.
Contrast Transmission In Rain

While the propagation of visible and infrared radiation in adverse weather has been studied by many investigators, the effect of rain on contrast transmission or visual range have received little attention. A theoretical and experimental program examining contrast transmission in adverse weather will be described in this paper. Measurements of contrast transmission were made using bar targets consisting of parallel flourescent light bulbs. The bulb spacing is four times the bulb diameter. Data is obtained by photographing the target from a distance of two hundred meters using a camera fitted with an eight-hundred millimeter lens under both clear and obscured conditions. The negatives are then analyzed using a microdensitometer and contrast is defined by C = (I MAX - i MAX + i MIN)-1 where I-MAX and I-MIN are the intensity maximum and minimum, respectively. In addition to contrast measurements, simultaneous measurements of atmospheric transmission, snow particle phase function, and all relevant weather parameters are made. A computer model, based on scattering theory, has been developed for predicting contrast transmission. The model computes zero, first and second order scattering contributions in a three-dimensional atmosphere using phase function computations based on Mie theory.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Diabetic neuropathy, the great masquerader: truncal neuropathy manifesting as abdominal pseudohernia.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe a patient with diabetic truncal neuropathy and suggest a helpful diagnostic approach to this entity. Methods We present a case report, with a focus on physical, computed tomographic, and electromyographic findings. Results Because of an extensive differential diagnosis, diabetic truncal neuropathy is a rarely recognized and often misdiagnosed condition in patients with diabetes mellitus. In a 55-year-old man with a 13-year history of diabetes but no retinopathy, vasculopathy, or nephropathy, pain and a visible bulge in the left lower abdominal quadrant prompted radiographic assessment of the abdomen. A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen disclosed no mass but a weakening of the abdominal musculature suggestive of a pseudohernia. Subsequent electromyography showed evidence of polyradicular neuropathy. The patient was given treatment for pain control, and the pseudohernia resolved within 1 year. Conclusion In patients with diabetes who have a painful abdominal mass, the potential presence of a diabetic truncal neuropathy should be considered. (Endocr Pract. 2006;12:281-283)
Predictors of Breastfeeding and Breastmilk Feeding Among Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Abstract Objective: This study investigated associations between maternal and infant factors and breastfeeding practices in infants born <30 weeks gestation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Study Design: This study was a retrospective cohort. Mother and infant characteristics were investigated for associations with breastfeeding outcomes using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Seventy-eight percent of infants initiated breastmilk feedings, 48% of those continued to have breastmilk at discharge, and 52% were breastfed in the hospital. The average duration of breastmilk feedings was 43 days. Mothers who were married and had a multiple-infant birth were more likely to initiate breastmilk feeds, African American mothers and younger mothers had less success with maintaining breastmilk feeds until hospital discharge, and African American mothers and mothers of lower socioeconomic status were less likely to participate in direct breastfeeding in the NICU. Conclusions: Infant factors, such as ...
APPLICATIONS OF POLAROGRAPHY FOR ASSESSMENT OF FISH FRESHNESS

Fish freshness was assessed with an enzymatic method using a polarographic probe at 0.7 volt (platinum vs silver) to monitor degradation of inosine monophosphate (IMP), inosine (H × R), and hypoxanthine (Hx). The K-value, a ratio of H × R + Hx/IMP + H × R + Hx, was determined in Sockeye salmon, Pacific cod and Pacific herring in ice and at 12°C. Results were compared with those from HPLC and sensory scores. K-values by polarography correlated well with HPLC. Loss of freshness accompanied rise in K-value in all studies. Sensory scores correlated relatively well with K-values in Sockeye salmon and Pacific herring but less with Pacific cod. K-value did not reflect eating quality of Pacific cod.
Revisiting the προσήλυτος in "the LXX"

One of the more heated lexical debates in LXX studies surrounds the meaning of the Greek term προσήλυτος. Yet the only thorough examination of the word in the LXX is W. C. Allen's 1894 article "On the Meaning of ΠPOΣHΛYTOΣ in the Septuagint," which argues that the LXX translators distinguish carefully between two different uses of גר in the Hebrew Bible: the first is rendered by the Greek word πάροικος and is used in contexts where a convert to Judaism cannot be intended; the second is rendered by the Greek word προσηλυτος and is used in contexts where a convert to Judaism could be intended. Most modern treat ments of conversion in early Judaism rely heavily on Allen's conclusions, often indirectly through Karl Georg Kuhn's TDNT entry on προσήλυτος, without reas sessing the methodology or evidence Allen used to support his argument. Con sequently, I provide a criticism of Allen's methodological assumptions and a reassessment of LXX renderings of גר by utilizing recent studies on the signifi cance of the varying translation techniques of the LXX translators, concluding that Allen's methodology, which treats the entirety of the LXX as a translational unity, leads him, and those who rely on him, to misinterpret the evidence of the LXX. In contrast, analyzing the evidence of the individual books of the LXX as discrete translations by different translators demonstrates that Allen anachro nistically renders προσηλυτος in the LXX as "proselyte," when in fact it should be translated as "alien."
Cross-Coupling Reactions of Alkenylsilanolates. Investigation of the Mechanism and Identification of Key Intermediates through Kinetic Analysis

The mechanism of the fluoride-free, palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of potassium (E)-heptenyldimethylsilanolate, K+(E)-1-, with 2-iodothiophene has been investigated through kinetic analysis. The order of each component was determined by plotting the initial rates of the reaction against concentration. These data provided a mechanistic picture which involves a fast and irreversible oxidative insertion of palladium into the aryl iodide and a subsequent intramolecular transmetalation step from a complex containing a silicon−oxygen−palladium linkage. First-order behavior at low concentrations of silanolate with excess palladium(0) complex supports the formation of this complex as the turnover-limiting step. The change to zeroth-order dependence on silanolate at high concentrations is consistent with the intramolecular transmetalation becoming the turnover-limiting step.
Dynameomics: a consensus view of the protein unfolding/folding transition state ensemble across a diverse set of protein folds.

The Dynameomics project aims to simulate a representative sample of all globular protein metafolds under both native and unfolding conditions. We have identified protein unfolding transition state (TS) ensembles from multiple molecular dynamics simulations of high-temperature unfolding in 183 structurally distinct proteins. These data can be used to study individual proteins and individual protein metafolds and to mine for TS structural features common across all proteins. Separating the TS structures into four different fold classes (all proteins, all-α, all-β, and mixed α/β and α + β) resulted in no significant difference in the overall protein properties. The residues with the most contacts in the native state lost the most contacts in the TS ensemble. On average, residues beginning in an α-helix maintained more structure in the TS ensemble than did residues starting in β-strands or any other conformation. The metafolds studied here represent 67% of all known protein structures, and this is, to our knowledge, the largest, most comprehensive study of the protein folding/unfolding TS ensemble to date. One might have expected broad distributions in the average global properties of the TS relative to the native state, indicating variability in the amount of structure present in the TS. Instead, the average global properties converged with low standard deviations across metafolds, suggesting that there are general rules governing the structure and properties of the TS.
Superantigens: Mechanisms by which they may Induce, Exacerbate and Control Autoimmune Diseases

Superantigens are polypeptide molecules produced by a broad range of infectious microorganisms which elicit excessive and toxic T-cell responses in mammalian hosts. In light of this property and the fact that autoimmune diseases are frequently the sequelae of microbial infections, it has been suggested that superantigens may be etiologic agents of autoreactive immunological responses resulting in initiation, exacerbation or relapse of autoimmune diseases. This article relates the biology of superantigens to possible mechanisms by which they may exert these activities and reviews the evidence for their roles in various human and animal models of autoimmune disease. Finally, a mechanism of active suppression by superantigen-activated CD4+ T-cells that could be exploited for therapy as well as prophylaxis of human autoimmune diseases is proposed.
SEPARATED FLOW COMPUTATIONS WITH THE K-E-V2 MODEL

Tlirbulent separated flows over a backstep, in a plane diffuser and around a triangular cylinder, are computed with the k-e-v2 model. These provide examples of massive separation, of smooth separation, and of unsteady vortex shedding. It is shown that to accurately predict the time-averaged properties of bluff body flow, it is necessary to resolve the coherent vortex shedding. The near-wall treatment of the v2-/22 system of equations is able to cope with both the massive and smooth separations. Good agreement between experiment and prediction is found in all
Second-order optimality conditions for the Bolza problem with path constraints

A set of sufficient conditions for a weak minimum is derived for a form of the nonsingular Bolza problem of variational calculus, with interior point constraints and discontinuities in the system equations. Generalized versions of the conjugate point/focal point, normality, convexity and nontangency conditions associated with the ordinary Bolza problem are obtained. The resulting set of sufficient conditions is minimal, in that only minor modifications are required in order to obtain necessary conditions for normal, nonsingular problems of this form. These conditions are relatively easy to implement. Analogous second-order optimality conditions for problems with natural corners or control constraints are also obtained. Previously stated sufficiency conditions for problems with control constraints are shown to be unnecessarily restrictive, in some cases.
A Foot in the Door: How the Chromatin Modifier Brg1 and Pax6 Jointly Potentiate Adult Neurogenesis

Transcription factors and chromatin modifiers are known to contribute to cell specification. However, whether and how they jointly act is poorly understood. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Ninkovic et al. show that Pax6 and Brg1 cooperate to modulate gene expression in order to direct neurogenic fate in the olfactory bulb.
Do mandibular cross-sectional properties and dental microwear give similar dietary signals?

Previous animal experimental work eval- uating the effects of dietary consistency on mastication was generally limited to studies of either mandibular structure or rates and types of tooth wear. Control groups fed hard diets (HD) consistently exhibited in- creased cortical remodeling and/or bone strength when compared to groups fed soft diets (SD). Results of tooth- wear studies showed faster rates of tooth wear in HD animals. This study evaluates the effects of dietary dif- ferences on both mandibular structural morphology and postcanine dental microwear in the same animals. We examined mandibles and dentitions from eight mini- ature swine, raised from 4 weeks to 9 months of age on HD and SD (n ¼ 4, each group). Mandibular structural properties were calculated from peripheral quantitative computed tomography slices at the dp3-dp4 and dp4-M1 junctions. Dental microwear analysis was performed on mandibular lingual crushing facets of dp4 and M1, using photomicrographs of high-resolution casts taken at 5003 magnification in a scanning electron microscope. Our results suggest that between the dp3-dp4 contact, HD animals have mandibles that are stronger and more rigid mediolaterally than SD animals. At the dp4-M1 contact, HD animals have mandibles that are stronger and more rigid mediolaterally, dorsoventrally, and in tor- sion than SD animals. Dental microwear results indicate that SD pigs have higher incidences of pitting and more overall microwear features on their premolars than do HD pigs, yet there are no significant differences in molar microwear morphology between the dietary groups. Near-significant correlations exist between pit size and dorsoventral bending strength, but only for HD pigs. These results suggest that dietary consistency signifi- cantly affects both mandibular structure and dental microwear, yet direct correlations between the two are complicated by a number of factors Am J Phys Anthropol
MSOM based automatic modulation recognition and demodulation

Automatic modulation recognition (AMR) and demodulation are two essential components in cognitive radio receivers. This paper proposes a novel method based on MSOM neural networks to automatically recognize the modulation type and demodulate the radio signal at the same time. This efficient method is directly applied to the normalized radio signal samples and has relatively low computation complexity. A dynamic AMR method is also introduced, which further can reduce the computation without obvious loss in recognition. In this paper, four modulation types, i.e. BPSK, MSK, 2FSK and QPSK, are investigated. Our simulation results show that, compared with the traditional cyclic feature-based methods, the proposed MSOM classifier has better performance while requiring less number of signal samples, and it can also perform demodulation at good accuracy.
CT Colonography: Coming of Age

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to highlight key issues in CT colonography (CTC) for radiologists so they can represent the technology accurately to referring physicians and provide a perspective that will hopefully augment best care for their patients.CONCLUSION. With publication of the National CT Colonography Trial and the endorsement of CTC for screening by a multisociety task force that included the American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology, and U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, the clinical validation of CTC has been completed, and CTC is now ready for widespread clinical application. Radiologists must be skilled in CTC and knowledgeable about colorectal cancer screening issues.
A plasticity-based model of material removal in chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP)

It is well known that the chemical reaction between an oxide layer and a water-based slurry produces a softer hydroxylated interface layer. During chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), it is assumed that material removal occurs by the plastic deformation of this interface layer. In this paper, the behavior of the hydroxylated layer is modeled as a perfectly plastic, material, and a mechanistic model for material removal rate (MRR) in CMP is developed. The deformation profile of the soft pad is approximated as the bending of a thin elastic beam. In addition to the dependence of MRR on pressure and relative velocity, the proposed plasticity-based model is also capable of delineating the effects of pad and slurry properties. The plasticity-based model is utilized to explore the effects of various design parameters (e.g., abrasive shape, size and concentration, and pad stiffness) on the MRR. Model predictions are compared with existing experimental observations from glass polishing, lapping, and CMP.
Mid-term outcomes of the Helex septal occluder for percutaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defects.

Background The HELEX Septal Occluder (HSO) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) in 2006. However, little mid-term follow-up information is available. The object of this study was to examine mid-term outcomes after HSO implantation Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on the first 74 patients who underwent ASD closure with the HSO between 4/00–10/04. Only patients who left the catheterization laboratory after successful implantation and had a minimum follow-up of 5 years were selected for analysis. Results Thirty-three patients met entry criteria. At implantation the mean age was 10.9 years and the median ASD size was 15.1 mm. At a median follow-up of 88 months, 26 patients had complete ASD closure, 6 had trivial left-right shunts, and 1 had a significant residual shunt having a reintervention. Fluoroscopy, performed in 27 patients revealed a frame fracture in 3 patients (9%), all of whom were asymptomatic and had effective ASD closure. All 3 devices were 30 mm or 35 mm HSO and were left in place. One patient developed first-degree heart block and remained asymptomatic with no progression. There were no instances of late device embolization, cardiac perforation, erosion, or death. Conclusions Following successful implantation, HSO results in effective closure of secundum ASD in mid-term follow-up. Late complications appear to be rare with the exception of frame fracture, which in this series did not result in clinical sequelae.
Task Complexity and Deception Detection in a Collaborative Group Setting

Deception and deception detection have become important research areas in business. However, little deception research has looked at the computer-mediated group settings that many organizational decisions are made in today. Further, past research has not looked at the influence of task complexity, a key part of group decision processes, on deception. This study looked at these unexplored areas by conducting an experiment to measure the effects of task complexity on group deception detection and group performance. Our findings revealed very low overall detection rates and showed no significant differences in the detection rates between groups performing tasks with different levels of complexity. We did find that even though all groups had the assets necessary to perform well, groups with the complex task performed significantly worse than groups with the less complex task, signaling that these groups were more affected by deception.
Diathesis stress model or “Just So” story?

Mealey's sociopathy model is an exemplar of popular diathesis-stress models. Although such models, when presented in descriptive language, offer the illusion of integrative explanation, their actual scientific value is very limited because they fail to make specific, quantitative, falsifiable predictions. Conceptual and quantitative weaknesses of such diathesis-stress models are discussed and the requirements for useful models are outlined.
Resource Configuration in Family Firms: Linking Resources, Strategic Planning and Technological Opportunities to Performance

We apply the resource-based view of the firm to the study of family firms by investigating how a family specific resource (reciprocal altruism) and a firm specific resource (innovative capacity) contribute to family firm performance. We then examine how the impact of these resources is moderated by strategic planning and technological opportunities. Our findings suggest that family firms can benefit from emphasizing the positive aspects of kinship and from developing innovative capacities. As such, we demonstrate that not only do firm specific resources contribute to family firm performance, but also that family relationships can be a source of competitive advantage for a family firm. In addition, we found a heightened importance of reciprocal altruism in environments rich in technological opportunities, and that strategic planning is more important for those family firms that lack innovative capacities.
Clark Wissler and the Development of Anthropology in the United States

Wissler receives scant notice today although he was a major figure in American anthropology. During the decades when the historical particularism of Franz Boas dominated American cultural anthropology, Wissler's theories provided a nomothetic alternative. His theories are in current use in various guises. The importance of Wissler has been obscured to some extent because he is often misclassified as a Boasian. However, he consciously worked outside of Boas's influence.
Dispersion micro-managed holey fiber and coherent blue-violet continuum generation

Sub-mm scale dispersion micro-management is introduced and demonstrated to generate coherent blue-violet continuum in a short holey fiber. The longitudinal variations of phase-matching conditions of Cherenkov radiation and four-wave mixing are the reasons.
An in vitro method for detecting infectious Cryptosporidium oocysts with cell culture.

Current assay methods to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts in water are generally not able to evaluate viability or infectivity. A method was developed for low-level detection of infective oocysts by using HCT-8 cells in culture as hosts to C. parvum reproductive stages. The infective foci were detected by labeling intracellular developmental stages of the parasite in an indirect-antibody assay with a primary antibody specific for reproductive stages and a secondary fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated antibody. The complete assay was named the focus detection method (FDM). The infectious foci (indicating that at least one of the four sporozoites released from a viable oocyst had infected a cell) were enumerated by epifluorescence microscopy and confirmed under Nomarski differential interference contrast microscopy. Time series experiments demonstrated that the autoreinfective life cycle in host HCT-8 cells began after 12 h of incubation. Through dilution studies, levels as low as one infectious oocyst were detected. The cell culture FDM compared well to other viability assays. Vital stains and excystation demonstrated that oocyst populations less than 1% viable (by vital dyes) and having a low sporozoite yield following excystation could not infect host cells. Until now, the water industry has relied on an oocyst detection method (under an information collection regulation) that is unable to determine viability. The quantifiable results of the cell culture method described demonstrate two important applications: (i) an infectivity assay that may be used in conjunction with current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-mandated detection methodologies, and (ii) a method to evaluate oocyst infectivity in survival and disinfection studies.
Proteases and sFlt-1 Release in the Human Placenta

Increased placental release of soluble VEGF receptor-1 (sFlt-1) is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE). Although the reason for increased placental sFlt-1 release in PE is unknown, proteolytic effect has been proposed as one of the mechanisms that mediate sFlt-1 release in the placenta. In this study, using various protease inhibitors, we tested the possible role of proteases in sFlt-1 release by human placenta. Villous explants from normal term placentas were incubated with various protease inhibitors including serine protease inhibitors (PMSF, aprotini, and specific chymotrypsin inhibitor (CI)), cysteine protease inhibitor E-64, metalloendopeptidase inhibitor PAD, and universal metalloprotease (ADAM) inhibitor PTM. Culture medium was collected and measured for sFlt-1 by ELISA. Our results showed that villous tissue treated with CI and PTM produced significantly less sFlt-1 than those of controls. PMSF, aprotini, E-64, and PAD had no effect on sFlt-1 release. We further examined chymotrypsin-like protease/chymase and ADAM10 expressions in tissue sections from normal and PE placentas by immunohistochemistry. We found that immunostaining for chymase and ADAM10 was significantly increased in the layer of syncytiotrophoblasts in PE placentas compared to normal placentas. These results suggest chymotrypsin-like serine protease and ADAM10, but not cysteine protease and metalloendopeptidase, may play a role in inducing sFlt-1 release in PE placentas.
Maximizing the Energy Density of Dielectric Elastomer Generators Using Equi-Biaxial Loading

Dielectric elastomer generators (DEGs) for harvesting electrical energy from mechanical work have been demonstrated but the energy densities achieved are still small compared with theoretical predictions. In this study, signifi cant improvements in energy density (560 J/kg with a power density of 280 W/ kg and an effi ciency of 27%) are achieved using equi-biaxial stretching, a mechanical loading confi guration that maximizes the capacitance changes. The capacitance of dielectric elastomers subjected to equi-biaxial stretches is demonstrated to be proportional to the fourth power of the stretch. Quantifi cation of the individual energy contributions indicates that attaining higher conversion effi ciencies is limited by viscous losses within the acrylic elastomer, suggesting that still higher conversion effi ciencies with other elastomers should be attainable with our novel mechanical loading design.
The Effect of Local Option Sales Taxes on Local Sales

Because retail sales taxes generate substantial revenue for many local governments, public officials contemplating differential local option tax rates must carefully assess the potential impacts of such decisions on purchasing decisions. The authors use a unique pooled time series to examine these impacts and apply a methodology that permits an analysis of the effects on purchasing decisions of sales tax rate differences across numerous consumer goods. The results indicate that the response to sales tax rate differences depends on the general characteristics of the goods being purchased. A unique variable that controls for the distance to the next significant alternative for making a purchase also provides key insights. The observed significance for this variable and its interaction with tax rates has significant public policy implications.
Spectrophotofluorometric Determination of Mestranol in Oral Contraceptive Tablets

A rapid, reliable fluorometric method has been developed for assaying 17α-ethynylestradiol-3-methyl ether (mestranol) in some oral contraceptive tablets. The method utilizes the native fluorescence of mestranol. No separations are required and the method is applicable in the presence of norethynodrel, ethyndiol diacetate, or norethindrone. Chlormadinone acetate interferes in the procedure. The method is sensitive (0.8-1.0 mcg./ml.) and applicable to single-tablet analyses. The accuracy under the conditions studied was ± 1.29%, and the precision ranged from ± 0.896 to ± 1.73%.
The Role of Emotion in Decision Making A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

Decision making often occurs in the face of uncertainty about whether one's choices will lead to benefit or harm. The somatic-marker hypothesis is a neurobiological theory of how decisions are made in the face of uncertain outcome. This theory holds that such decisions are aided by emotions, in the form of bodily states, that are elicited during the deliberation of future consequences and that mark different options for behavior as being advantageous or disadvantageous. This process involves an interplay between neural systems that elicit emotional/bodily states and neural systems that map these emotional/bodily states.