cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The sociolinguistic nature of black academic failure in capitalist education: a reevaluation of ‘language in the inner city’ and its social function, ‘acting white’

Studies on the acting white hypothesis—the premise that black students purposefully do poorly in school and on standardized tests because of racialized peer pressure—to explain the black–white achievement gap have not been able to negate the fact that a ‘burden of acting white’ exists for some black students, even though it is not prevalent among the group. This article rethinks the conventional understanding of ‘acting white,’ as the basis for the black–white achievement gap, within a world‐system analysis that reconceptualizes the very premise of the construct in order to get at a better understanding of its social psychological manifestation. I conclude from this theoretical reexamination that the construct has very little to do with antischool norms, but everything to do with a mismatch of linguistic structures and functions.
Diabetes. Can tight glycemic control in diabetes benefit cognition

Intensive glucose management, if begun early, diminishes the long-term complications of diabetes. Whether the cognitive domain also benefits from such therapy is not clear, and has remained subject to investigation. Do the new results from the ACCORD-MIND study settle the issue?
The problems of bonus pay.

In their Policy Forum “Bonus pay for research faculty” (23 Jan., p. [476][1]), W. T. Mallon and D. Korn raise many serious issues related to the use of sponsored research funding as a determinant of bonus pay for basic science faculty at a number of U.S. medical schools. The extent and growing importance of multi-investigator research projects present additional challenges to such programs. In many cases, the principal investigator of a program project, center, or other large grant is given full “credit” for the associated facilities and administrative (or indirect) costs, and other contributing investigators are not recognized. Such accounting practices can skew bonus systems and provide significant disincentives for investigators to contribute to collaborative efforts at the expense of individual, R01-type grants. These programs come at a time when team science is most needed to take advantage of a wealth of scientific opportunities, as recently highlighted in the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research ( ). One of the three major themes of the NIH Roadmap is “research teams of the future,” and a key area of emphasis within this theme is multi-investigator, interdisciplinary research. The challenges of assigning credit properly to contributing members of collaborative research efforts extend well beyond the realm of financial compensation. Academic institutions would be well served by developing effective plans to evaluate and recognize such contributions in promotion decisions. Such plans would help provide incentives for individual faculty members to commit themselves to collaborative efforts, enabling institutions to compete more effectively for these types of funding initiatives and promoting the exciting research opportunities presented by these programs. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1094859
Naloxone requires circulating catecholamines to attenuate the cardiovascular suppression of endotoxic shock.

The opiate antagonist naloxone (NAL) improves cardiovascular performance in canine hemorrhagic and endotoxic shock. If the release of neural and adrenal catecholamines is attenuated, NAL does not produce the expected improvement in cardiovascular function in canine hemorrhagic shock. This study tests the hypothesis that an endorphin-catecholamine interaction at the heart is responsible for a part of the cardiovascular depression of endotoxic shock. Two groups of five dogs were instrumented to measure mean arterial pressure (MAP), the first derivative of left ventricular pressure over time (LV dP/dt max), cardiac output, and heart rate (HR); they were then subjected to bilateral adrenalectomy and given chlorisondamine to produce ganglionic blockade. At t = 0 min the dogs were given Escherichia coli endotoxin at 1 mg/kg (LD80). Group I animals received NAL at 2 mg/kg + 2 mg/kg.hr iv from t = 30 to t = 60. At t = 45 these animals were treated with epinephrine (EPI) at 20 micrograms/kg.hr iv until t = 60. Group II animals got EPI from t = 30 to t = 60 and NAL from t = 45 to t = 60 at the same doses as Group I. In Group I, NAL alone had no effect on MAP, LV dP/dt max, or HR. EPI significantly increased (P less than 0.002) cardiovascular parameters with MAP increasing from 52 +/- 7 to 159 +/- 14 mm Hg. In Group II, EPI produced a significant increase in all parameters, and the addition of NAL produced a further significant increase; MAP increased from 37 +/- 3 to 126 +/- 16 mm Hg with EPI and then to 175 +/- 11 mm Hg with NAL. These data support the above hypothesis and indicate that circulating catecholamines need to be present to allow naloxone to reverse the cardiovascular depression in endotoxic shock.
Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on triacylglycerol transport in CaCo-2 cells

The human intestinal cell line, CaCo-2, was used to study the effect of the n-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, on triacylglycerol secretion. In cells incubated with 250 microM eicosapentaenoic acid, the incorporation of [3H]glycerol into triacylglycerols secreted into the medium was decreased by 58% compared to cells incubated with 250 microM oleic acid. The incorporation of [3H]glycerol into cellular triacylglycerols was decreased 32% in cells incubated with eicosapentaenoic acid. In cells preincubated with [3H]glycerol to label existing triacylglycerols, the rates of secretion of preformed triacylglycerols were similar in response to the addition of either fatty acid. Initial uptake rates of the n-3 fatty acid were higher than for oleic acid. Both eicosapentaenoic acid and oleic acid were minimally oxidized to CO2. Oleic acid was predominantly incorporated into cellular triacylglycerols (62% vs. 47%), whereas more eicosapentaenoic acid was incorporated into cellular phospholipids (46% vs. 30%). Phospholipids of microsomes prepared from cells incubated with eicosapentaenoic acid were enriched in this fatty acid. The rate of synthesis of triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol acyltransferase activities were significantly less in microsomes prepared from cells incubated with eicosapentaenoic acid. Triacylglycerol mass secreted by CaCo-2 cells incubated with either fatty acid was similar. In CaCo-2 cells, eicosapentaenoic acid decreases the synthesis and secretion of newly synthesized triacylglycerol without decreasing the secretion of triacylglycerol mass. Modification of microsomal membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition is associated with a decrease in microsomal triacylglycerol synthesis and diacylglycerol acyltransferase activities.
Segmental patterning of the vertebrate embryonic axis

The body axis of vertebrates is composed of a serial repetition of similar anatomical modules that are called segments or metameres. This particular mode of organization is especially conspicuous at the level of the periodic arrangement of vertebrae in the spine. The segmental pattern is established during embryogenesis when the somites--the embryonic segments of vertebrates--are rhythmically produced from the paraxial mesoderm. This process involves the segmentation clock, which is a travelling oscillator that interacts with a maturation wave called the wavefront to produce the periodic series of somites. Here, we review our current understanding of the segmentation process in vertebrates.
Managerial rewards and the behavior of for-profit, governmental, and nonprofit organizations: evidence from the hospital industry

Abstract Studies of mixed industries frequently focus on differential behavior between for-profit and either nonprofit or governmental producers. Substantially less is known about differences among governmental, religious nonprofit, and secular nonprofit organizations. We examine the compensation of hospital CEOs to assess the extent to which these three organizational forms pursue similar objectives. Compensation levels, the use of salaries versus bonuses as proxies for weak versus strong incentives, and the criteria organizations use to determine bonuses are analyzed. We conclude that the CEO incentive contracts at religious nonprofit, secular nonprofit, and governmental hospitals imply substantive differences in the behavior of these organizations.
The Role of Informative Priors in Zero-Numerator Problems

The “Rule of Three” gives an approximation for an upper 95% confidence bound for a proportion in a zero-numerator problem, which occurs when the observed relative frequency is zero. We compare the results from the Rule of Three with those from a Bayesian approach with noninformative and informative priors. Informative priors are especially valuable in zero-numerator problems because they can represent the available information and because different noninformative priors can give conicting advice. Moreover, the use of upper 95% bounds and noninformative priors in an effort to be conservative may backfire when the values are used in further predictive or decision-theoretic calculations. It is better to be candid than conservative, using all of the information available in forming the prior and considering the uncertainty represented by the full posterior distribution.
Mars science laboratory parachute simulation model

A multibody flight simulation for the Mars Science Laboratory that includes six-degree-of-freedom rigid-body models for both the supersonically deployed and subsonically deployed parachutes has been developed. This provides a complete end-to-end simulation of the entire entry, descent, and landing sequence. The simulation provides attitude history predictions of all bodies throughout the flight as well as loads on each of the connecting lines. Other issues such as recontact with jettisoned elements (heat shield, backshell, parachute mortar covers, etc.), design of parachute and attachment points, and desirable line properties can also be addressed readily using this simulation. Time histories of the parachute line loads and the parachute and lander aerodynamic angles are presented. The simulation shows that the backshell does not recontact the lander after separation.
Problem finding, creativity, and giftedness

Problem finding skills are increasingly recognized in theories of creativity. They should also be integrated into definitions of giftedness and recognized by educators. This article reviews the research showing problem finding to be distinct from problem solving, as well as the research supporting its role in intrinsically motivated creative performances. Of most importance may be that problem finding represents a family of related skills (e.g., problem identification, problem definition, problem expression, problem construction), each of which seems to be influenced by cognitive and extracognitive (e.g., attitudinal) factors. Specific educational implications and suggestions for developing the problem finding skills of gifted children are discussed.
Multiple slip in bicrystal deformation

Abstract The tensile deformation of bicrystal specimens with longitudinal grain boundaries has been considered, both from the point of view of macroscopic plasticity and from that of dislocation theory. Emphasis has been on the multiple slip associated with the interaction between the two crystals at the boundary. It has been shown that macroscopic continuity at the boundary will in general require the crystals of a bicrystal to deform on at least four slip systems between them, distributed either with two in each crystal or with three in one crystal and one in the other. A model employing the pile-up of dislocations at a grain boundary has led to a method of predicting which additional slip systems will operate in a given bicrystal. Experimental observations of slip lines on twenty-four aluminum bicrystals deformed in tension have supported the predictions made by this method.
Dorsally derived BMP4 inhibits the induction of spinal cord oligodendrocyte precursors

During development oligodendrocyte precursors arise in a distinct domain of the ventral ventricular zone in the spinal cord that they share with motor neurons. The localized appearance of oligodendrocyte and motor neuron precursors is the result of local inductive signals including sonic hedgehog (Shh). Previous studies suggested that inhibitory signals from dorsal spinal cord act to sharpen the boundaries of the Shh induced region. Here we show that the dorsal spinal cord contains BMP4 during the developmental period when oligodendrocyte precursors first appear. In dissociated cultures of embryonic spinal cord cells, BMP4 competitively blocks the induction of oligodendrocyte precursors by Shh. Similarly, in embryonic slice preparations addition of BMP4 inhibited the appearance of oligodendrocyte precursors in the ventral spinal cord while addition of Shh enhanced their appearance. In vivo, transplantation of a BMP4 coated bead adjacent to the dorsal spinal cord inhibited ventral oligodendrogenesis while transplantation of a Shh coated bead enhanced ventral oligodendrogenesis. These data suggest that the initial localization of oligodendrocytes in the ventral spinal cord reflects the neutralization of dorsally-derived BMP4 inhibition by locally supplied Shh.
The CCK-B antagonist CI-988 increases dopamine levels in microdialysate from the rat nucleus accumbens via a tetrodotoxin- and calcium-independent mechanism

Cl-988, a water-soluble, selective cholecystokinin-B antagonist, was perfused through a microdialysis probe into the anterior nucleus accumbens, posterior nucleus accumbens, or caudate nucleus of anesthetized rats. High concentrations of Cl-988 produced three- to fivefold increases in dopamine overflow, at all three sites, that were temporally correlated with the Cl-988 perfusion and returned to baseline levels upon cessation of Cl-988 perfusion. However, the cholecystokinin-A antagonist CAM-1481, and the relatively inactive enantiomer of Cl-988, CAM-1241, also increased dopamine overflow in the nucleus accumbens. Furthermore, the ability of Cl-988 to increase dopamine overflow persisted in the absence of calcium in the perfusate and was not sensitive to tetrodotoxin treatment. The mechanism by which locally administered Cl-988 increases dopamine overflow appears not to be anatomically specific, not selective for one cholecystokinin receptor subtype, and may be nonvesicular. J. Neurochem. 65, 208-217 (1995).
Messenger RNA encoding an estrogen‐dependent oviduct secretory protein in the sheep is localized in the apical tips and basal compartments of fimbria and ampulla epithelial cells implying translation at unique cytoplasmic foci

Data from our laboratory have shown that an estrogen (E2)-dependent M(r) 90,000-92,000 protein and its mRNA are synthesized and expressed in abundant amounts at estrus from the fimbria and ampulla, not isthmus, oviduct of the sheep. Immunocytochemical studies have shown that the M(r) 90,000-92,000 protein is contained in apical secretory granules of oviduct epithelial cells. The objective of this study was to determine whether the mRNA for the E2-dependent oviduct protein was localized and compartmentalized in similar manner. Fimbria, ampulla, and isthmus oviducts obtained from estrous ewes were flash frozen in liquid nitrogen, cryosectioned, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, hybridized with digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oviduct-specific riboprobes, incubated in anti-DIG antibodies conjugated with alkaline phosphatase, and developed in color substrate. Oviduct protein-specific transcripts were localized to basal perinuclear compartments and, surprisingly, at sites distant from the nucleus in the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the fimbria and ampulla. No specific reaction product was observed in the underlying mucosa or smooth muscle layers. Oviduct protein mRNA was contained predominantly in the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells at the free margins of mucosal folds and in the basal regions of cells located at the crypts of longitudinal folds. No reaction product was present when sections of the fimbria and ampulla oviduct of estrous ewes were incubated in sense riboprobe to the oviduct protein. In addition, when sections of the isthmus oviduct obtained from estrous ewes or fimbira and ampulla oviducts from long-term ovariectomized ewes were hybridized with antisense riboprobes no specific reaction product was detected. Electron microscopy of oviduct protein mRNA containing areas revealed the presence of secretory granules, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi in the apical cytoplasm, and RER in the basal regions of epithelial cells. These data show that the mRNA encoding an E2-dependent oviduct-specific protein is distributed in epithelial cells at perinuclear foci and at sites distant from the nucleus, which are also the sites of protein localization and protein synthesizing organelles, implying translation at unique cytoplasmic foci.
Application of a PCR-based test for detection of potato late blight and pink rot in tubers

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based test for potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and pink rot (P.erythroseptica, P. nicotianae) diseases has been developed for use with potato tuber tissue. Primers based on sequence analysis of the ITS2 region of ribosomal DNA of late blight and pink rot pathogens were utilized in PCR assays of inoculated tubers and tubers harvested from plots known to have late blight and/or pink rot. Assays of artificially inoculated Kennebec and Russet Burbank tubers revealed thatP. infestans was detected by PCR as early as 72 h after inoculation and in the absence of visible symptoms. Much higher detection frequencies were obtained by PCR compared with plating on selective medium or placement of tissue in moist chambers. Tubers from plots known to have late blight and/or pink rot were tested using the PCR assay. Assay of late blight lesions showed ca. 80% recovery for late blight-infected tubers from the field. Results indicate that the PCR assay provides a rapid and accurate test for diagnosis of late blight and pink rot in potato tubers.
Two Worlds in One: Revolution Against Reform*

"THE WORLD IS ONE," declared the late Wendell Willkie. The attention given this slogan showed that people everywhere are becoming aware of the imperative need to establish organized co-operation. The world actually tends to unite, because the life of modern mankind is founded upon a "world economy" which calls for a world-wide organization. The nations are agreed that organized co-operation is needed in order to prevent wars. For tragic experience has shown that no system based upon a "balance of power" can guarantee a lasting peace. More than that, a coalition whose members have contradictory interests is apt to start an armaments race which sooner or later leads to war. The significant slogan, "the world is one" should not dazzle us, nor hide from us those contradictions which exist in "one world." The world is far from being one in its interests, ideas, and beliefs. There were and continue to be clashes of interest in the economic sphere. Strife between the adherents of different political and social systems is bound to go on. Conflicts caused by racial and national differences no doubt will develop as sharply as before. China is not unified, due to the diversity of its social and economic programs. Nor is India united, due to the discords among the various elements which make up its population. Fighting continues between Arabs and Jews. The conflicting interests of the various Slav nations urge them to violent action.
Substance Abuse Counselors' Implementation of Tobacco Cessation Guidelines

This study assessed the extent of implementation of the Public Health Service tobacco cessation guidelines among a national sample of counselors working in five different types of substance abuse treatment programs. Further, we identified implementation patterns among counselors using cluster analysis and considered differences in counselor characteristics based on their cluster membership. Data were obtained from the 2008 Managing Effective Relationships in Treatment Services (MERITS I) project. Counselors (N = 615) working in Clinical Trials Network (CTN) affiliated community treatment programs completed paper-and-pencil surveys. Implementation of the guidelines was inconsistent and selective. Counselors could be grouped into low versus high implementers. Some counselor characteristics differed based on their implementation cluster membership.
Understanding Dynamic Recrystallization Behavior through a Delay Differential Equation Approach

During hot working, deformation of metals such as copper or austenitic steels involves features of both diffusional flow and dislocation motion. As such, the true stress-true strain relationship depends on the strain rate. At low strain rates (or high temperatures), the stress-strain curve displays an oscillatory behavior with multiple peaks. As the strain rate increases (or as the temperature is reduced), the number of peaks on the stress-strain curve decreases, and at high strain rates, the stress rises to a single peak before settling at a steady-state value. It is understood that dynamic recovery is responsible for the stress-strain behavior with zero or a single peak, whereas dynamic recrystallization causes the oscillatory nature. In the past, most predictive models are based on either modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami kinetic equations or probabilistic approaches. In this work, a delay differential equation is utilized for modeling such a stress-strain behavior. The approach takes into account for a delay time due to diffusion, which is expressed as the critical strain for nucleation for recrystallization. The solution shows that the oscillatory nature depends on the ratio of the critical strain for nucleation to the critical strain for completion for recrystallization. As the strain ratio increases, the stress-strain curve changes from a monotonic rise to a single peak, then to a multiple peak behavior. The model also predicts transient flow curves resulting from strain rate changes.
Prevention of Intraoperative Myocardial Injury by Pretreatment with Pharmacological Agents

Pharmacological agents administered prior to the institution of myocardial anoxia or ischemia may protect the myocardium by preventing ATP depletion, structural damage to cell membranes and organelles, and postanoxic disturbances in coronary microcirculation. Propranolol, dipyridamole, nitroglycerin, and mannitol all have the potential to protect the myocardium in one or more of these ways and thus have promise for clinical use.
The Effects of Internal Water Molecules on the Structure and Dynamics of Chymotrypsin Inhibitor 2

Chymotrypsin Inhibitor 2 (CI2) is a small inhibitor that blocks the action of serine proteases by positioning a reactive loop in the protease active site. NMR studies of this inhibitor indicate that the reactive loop residues are quite rigid (high order parameters) and yet there is a shortage of the required NOE data to fully describe the structure of the loop in solution. In addition, four internal water molecules are observed in the crystal structure, resulting in an irregular sheet structure linking the ends of the reactive loop. To further understand the role of the internal water molecules and the nature of this loop region, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations of CI2 using the GROMOS force field. Simulations of 10 ns each were performed starting from two different initial conformations corresponding to the X-ray and NMR structures. Both simulations converged to a common structure. All secondary structural elements remained intact with order parameters in agreement with experiment. Loop regions displayed larger fluctuations than described by the experimental NMR order parameters. One-half of the reactive loop is supported by a hydrophilic arginine cluster and was stable during the simulations. The second half of the loop, which is supported by a hydrophobic cluster, deviated from the X-ray and NMR derived structures. This difference could be directly traced to the loss of internal water molecules during the simulation. A simulation performed with one of the internal water molecules restrained to occupy a hydration site between the two irregular sheet strands resulted in stability of both the hydrophobic cluster and the reactive loop. Hence, the internal water molecules of CI2 appear to be essential for maintaining the structure of the reactive loop, even though they are spatially well removed from the loop itself.
Radiation damage in electron microscopy of inorganic solids

The electron beam of an electron optical instrument is a probe of prodigious energy density, and its “inelastic” interaction with a solid specimen results in energy transfer to the specimen under examination at rates between 10s and 1Or2 W/mm3. Most of this energy eventually appears as heat and can result in deleterious elevation of specimen temperature. The remainder of this energy appears largely as informative electromagnetic radiation (cathodoluminescence, X-ray emission) but occasionally as atom rearrangements, which are the subject to this contribution. Such atom rearrangements, known collectively as radiation damage, limit the analytical information obtainable from a sensitive specimen either because (i) accumulation of damage masks important image or diffraction features arising from otherwise unaffected material, or (ii) the specimen itself deteriorates to such an extent that it becomes unrepresentative. Minimizing the energy channeled into atom rearrangements means first minimizing the overall electron dose which reduces as well the number of interacting electrons that contribute to the image or analytical information, degrading image or information statistics. However, knowledge of the operative mechanisms of damage can in many cases suggest additional measures which may be beneficially applied.
Nonsensory factors in infant frequency discrimination

Olsho (1984) reported that 5- to 8-month-old infants could discriminate between sounds on the basis of frequency as well as adults at high frequencies, but not at low frequencies. However, both infants and adults in that study performed as well as well-trained listeners at 8000 Hz but more poorly at lower frequencies, suggesting that training factors may have contributed to the difference between infants and adults at low frequencies. This article describes an experiment with naive adult listeners which examined the effects of training on frequency discrimination performance at different frequencies. Naive adults were found to perform as well as well-trained psychoacoustical listeners at 4000 Hz from the very beginning of training. However, their average performance at 500 Hz and 1000 Hz was significantly poorer and more variable than that of well-trained listeners. Four adults continued to practice frequency discrimination for a total of 20 hours. Average performance at 500 Hz and 1000 Hz approached that of trained listeners at the end of training, and variability in performance decreased. Each listener's best performance in each session, however, was close to trained levels at all frequencies even at the beginning of training. Re-analysis of the infant data presented by Olsho indicated that if only the best performance of each listener were considered, the age difference at low frequencies was reduced but not eliminated entirely. This finding suggests that while training factors may contribute to infants' relatively poor low-frequency discrimination, other factors must also be responsible.
Degradation mechanism of check valves in nuclear power plants

Abstract A large amount of deposit was detected at a 6-in. check valve installed in a nuclear power plant. To identify the origin of the deposit, the chemical composition of the deposit was analyzed. In this paper, in order to find out the degradation mechanism of the 6-in. check valve, vibration and temperature monitoring of the check valve are carried out during plant heat up and standby conditions. And some degradation mechanisms of the check valve are investigated. Results show that the degradation was caused by valve chattering due to the acoustic resonance.
Long-Term Outcome of Direct Neopulmonary Artery Reconstruction During the Arterial Switch Procedure

Background Neopulmonary stenosis at anastomosis site is one of the most frequent complications after the arterial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries. The surgical technique is a crucial factor associated with the frequency of stenotic complications. We present the outcomes of direct neopulmonary anastomosis during the arterial switch procedure in patients with simple transposition. This research was to assess the efficacy of this surgical technique based on the incidence of postprocedural supravalvular neopulmonary stenosis (SVPS). Methods Among 545 patients operated on in our department between 1992 and 2009, the 346 consecutive survivors who had undergone simple transposition in the first month of life were included in this analysis. Switch procedures were performed with direct neopulmonary artery anastomosis in 318 patients (92%); in the remaining 28 (8%), the risk of coronary artery compression required the use of a pericardial patch for pulmonary reconstruction. Results Neopulmonary stenosis occurred in 9 patients (2.6%): 5 had undergone direct neopulmonary reconstruction, and 4 had been treated with a patch. Balloon angioplasty of SVPS was performed twice in 1 patient. No patients required reoperation to treat neopulmonary stenosis. In multivariate analysis (logistic regression), patch reconstruction (odds ratio, 27.5; p = 0.001) and nonfacing commissures (odds ratio, 11.1; p = 0.004) were correlated significantly with the incidence of SVPS. Conclusions Direct neopulmonary artery anastomosis during arterial switch is an interesting alternative to patch reconstructions and ensures a good postoperative result with low rates of complications and SVPS.
Simple measures of case mix in mental health services.

The concept of Case Mix in community mental health service program evaluation can be useful in mental health program evaluation if the definition of case mix is expanded beyond Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG), where DRG is solely based upon diagnosis and length of hospitalization stay. A case mix definition based upon two principal characteristics is offered. One characteristic is clinical status defined in terms of diagnostic signs and symptoms, level of functioning, and age. The other characteristic is typical treatment strategy for a given period of time (e.g., 13 weeks). Two cases mixes typical of services designed for the chronically mentally ill are discussed.
Experimental verification of a three-dimensional dose calculation algorithm using a specially designed heterogeneous phantom.

A solid heterogeneous phantom made up of 25‐ and 50‐mm cubes of materials with different electron densities was used to verify the accuracy of a three‐dimensional (3‐D) dose calculation algorithm. This algorithm uses 3‐D information obtained from contiguous CT(computed tomography) slices, spaced 5 mm apart. Primary and scatter doses at a point are calculated by using information from ray‐tracing CT voxels. The algorithm was developed on a Stardent model 1500 Supergraphic workstation. Cubes of materials with different electron densities were stacked up to simulate finite heterogeneities in three dimensions. This design allows verification of the algorithm for surface contour corrections and finite heterogeneities in the treatment field. Thermoluminescent lithium fluoride chips were placed in grooves milled on the cubes for dose measurement at various points. Different experiments were performed to investigate both the accuracy of the dose calculation algorithm and the utility of the versatile test phantom.
Selenium accumulation by raccoons exposed to irrigation drainwater at Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge, California, 1986.

In February–March 1986, eight raccoons (Procyon lotor) were collected at Kesterson Reservoir (Merced Co., California), which had received selenium-contaminated irrigation drainwater, and four raccoons were collected at the nearby Volta Wildlife Area, which had not. Selenium concentrations in Kesterson raccoons averaged 19.9 ppm (μg/g dry wt) in liver, 28.3 ppm (dry wt) in hair, 21.6 ppm (dry wt) in feces, and 2.61 ppm (wet wt) in blood and exceeded Volta concentrations by 12, 30, 21, and 10 times, respectively. Selenium concentrations in livers of Kesterson raccoons were less than those in five of nine other mammal species sampled in 1984. Selenium concentrations in hair provided the strongest statistical separation between study areas. Hemoglobin levels in two Kesterson raccoons equalled levels reported in rats with selenium-induced anemia, but the raccoons showed no illness. Amyloidosis in one Kesterson raccoon may have been selenium-induced. Our data indicate that raccoon births peaked about 2 months later than was previously reported. Based on our sample of 12 raccoons, we found no evidence that contamination by irrigation drainwater had negative effects on raccoons inhabiting Kesterson.
Interactions between jointless and Wild-Type Tomato Tissues during Development of the Pedicel Abscission Zone and the Inflorescence Meristem

The jointless mutation of tomato results in the formation of flower pedicels that lack an abscission zone and inflorescence meristems that revert to vegetative growth. We have analyzed periclinal chimeras and mericlinal sectors of jointless and wild-type tissue to determine how cells in different meristem layers (L1, L2, and L3) and their derivatives interact during these two developmental processes. Cells in the inner meristem layer, L3, alone determined whether the meristem maintained the inflorescence state or reverted to vegetative growth. Moreover, L3 derivatives determined whether a functional pedicel abscission zone formed. Limited and disorganized autonomous development of wild-type L2-derived cells occurred when they overlay mutant tissue. Adjacent mutant and wild-type L3-derived tissues in pedicels developed autonomously, indicating little or no lateral communication. Only the outermost L3-derived cells within the pedicel were capable of orchestrating normal pedicel development in overlying tissues, revealing the special status of those cells as coordinators of development for L1- and L2-derived cells, whereas the innermost L3-derived cells developed autonomously but did not influence the development of other cells.
Design and Test of a Thermoelectric Ground-Source Heat Engine

The daily variation in air temperature is large compared with the temperature changes a short distance below the surface of the ground. In theory, a heat engine can be arranged to produce electricity from this temperature difference. In practice, the thermal efficiency of such a device will be low because of the small temperature differences involved. One example of such an energy harvesting device that can produce a small amount of electrical power uses a thermoelectric generator operating between the air and ground temperatures. The low thermal efficiency means that accurately predicting thermal resistances throughout the device and at the air-side and ground-side heat exchangers is critical to the creation of a useful device. Advantages of this device include high reliability, no acoustic emissions, low visibility, significant night-time power production, ruggedness, and long life. With appropriate external power conditioning components, the device could be used to power remote sensors and communications systems. The design of a pair of milliwatt-scale ground source heat engines is described. The devices were fabricated using custom heat exchangers and off-the-shelf thermoelectric modules and other supplies. Both systems were tested over an extended period in order to quantitatively assess effects of sunlight and precipitation on system performance and life. Exhaustive analysis of air-side average heat transfer coefficients, system thermal resistances, and ground-side thermal resistances provide quantitative design information for future applications. Finned and unfinned versions of the device permit assessment of fin performance on both ground-side and air-side heat transfer.© 2007 ASME
Peripheral taste responses in genetically hypertensive rats

In two-bottle preference-aversion tests, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) tolerates higher concentrations of NaCl than the normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY). In contrast, the inbred Dahl salt-sensitive (S/JR) and inbred Dahl salt-resistant (R/JR) rat show similar preferences for NaCl. In order to determine if taste receptor function was also altered between the hypertensive rat and its normotensive control, we recorded electrophysiological taste responses from the chorda tympani (CT) nerve in SHR, WKY, S/JR and R/JR rats. Responses to a concentration series (0.05 M to 0.5 M) of NaCl, NaAcetate, KCl, NH4Cl and CaCl2 were recorded before and after lingual application of amiloride hydrochloride, an epithelial sodium transport blocker. When expressed relative to the 0.5 M NH4Cl response, responses to the majority of stimuli were equivalent between the SHR and WKY. By comparison, relative responses to NaCl were greater in the R/JR than S/JR; however, the magnitude of amiloride suppression was equivalent between these two strains. Relative responses to the majority of the remaining salts did not differ between the S/JR and R/JR. These results suggest that taste receptor function may be equivalent between the hypertensive rat and its normotensive control.
Survival Prediction Models for Coronary Intervention: Strategic Decision Support

Background For a given patient with coronary artery disease, it is uncertain which therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), maximizes long-term survival. Hence, we developed survival models for CABG and PCI using bare-metal stents (BMS) or drug-eluting stents (DES), programmed a decision-support tool, and identified its potential usefulness. Methods From 1995 to 2007, 23,182 patients underwent primary isolated CABG (n = 13,114) or first-time PCI with BMS (n = 6,964) or DES (n = 3,104). Follow-up was 6.3 ± 3.9 years. Survival models were developed independently for each therapy, then all factors appearing in any of the three models were forced into a final model for each. These were programmed into a decision-support tool. Predicted differences in 5-year survival for the same patient among the three therapies were calculated. Results Unadjusted survival was 96%, 86%, and 68% at 1, 5, and 10 years after CABG, 94%, 83%, and 68% after BMS, and 95% and 84% (no 10-year estimate) after DES, respectively. Risk factors for early and mid-term mortality were identified, leading to variable-rich (25 variables) prediction models. Patients most likely to experience a 5-year survival benefit from DES were those undergoing emergency revascularization for acute infarction, and patients most likely to benefit from CABG had extensive coronary artery disease and numerous comorbidities. Conclusions Detailed prediction models for prognosis after PCI and CABG are useful for developing a clinically relevant, strategic decision-support tool that reveals who may experience a long-term survival benefit from each modality.
Laboratory Evaluation of Geogrid Base Reinforcement and Corresponding Instrumentation Program

The performance of geogrid base reinforcement in pavement on weak subgrade under cyclic plate load testing was studied. The performance of instrumentation sensors was also evaluated to improve future instrumentation programs. The tests were conducted inside a test box of dimensions of 2.0×2.0×1.7 m3 using a servo-hydraulic actuator. A 40-kN load at a frequency of 0.77 Hz was applied through a 305-mm-diameter steel plate. The sensors used included linear variable displacement transducers, pressure cells, bondable foil strain gages, and piezometers. The test results showed that the inclusion of geogrid at the subgrade/base course layer interface can significantly improve the performance of flexible pavement on weak subgrade (California bearing ratio=0.5 %) and that the traffic benefit ratio can be increased up to 3.5 for a rutting depth of 25 mm. The test results also showed that the reinforcement can redistribute the applied load to a wider area, thus achieving an improved stress distribution on the subgrade, which will eventually reduce the permanent deformation of subgrade. The bondable foil strain gages are unsuitable for long-time continuous monitoring of strain development within geogrid under high number of cyclic loading.
FAS and CFL Forms of Verbal Fluency Differ in Difficulty: A Meta-analytic Study

The Controlled Oral Word Association (COWA) Test is a brief and sensitive measure of executive cognitive dysfunction. There are two commonly used forms of the test, one using the letters F, A, and S, and the other using C, F, and L. This study examines the relative difficulty of the two forms using a meta-analytic approach that includes multiple samples of normal individuals. The effects of age, education, gender composition, exclusion criteria, and age of study are also examined. Results indicate that the CFL form of the test is more difficult and that age, education, and the use of strict exclusion criteria influence performance. Performance is more variable for the FAS form, and age and age of study influence performance variability.
Examining the Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Reading Comprehension Intervention in Middle Schools: A Focus on Treatment Fidelity

In this experimental study, we examined the effects of a multicomponent reading comprehension intervention in sixth- to eighth-grade English language arts classes with a focus on factors to enhance treatment implementation. We tested the contribution of a theoretically derived fidelity framework that included adherence, quality, dosage, program differentiation, and student responsiveness. The study was conducted in three schools, involving 14 teachers and 859 students. English language arts classes were randomly assigned to the Comprehension Circuit Training intervention (n = 30) or typical practice comparison (n = 31) conditions, and all teachers taught in both conditions. Findings indicated that there was no reliable difference between the intervention and typical practice groups on standardized or researcher-developed proximal measures. To investigate the relationship between fidelity and student outcomes, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to determine the relation of the indicators to a latent fidelity factor. Results of the CFA revealed a single fidelity factor composed of the adherence, quality, dosage, student responsiveness, and program differentiation variables. The fidelity factor was statistically significantly related to outcomes on a standardized comprehension measure (γ = .86, p < .01) and a narrative measure (γ = .52, p < .01). Results underscore the need to consider the complexity of implementing multicomponent interventions in middle schools and the importance of measuring multiple dimensions of the implementation of fidelity.
The phenomonological description of superradiance

Abstract From Maxwell's and Bloch's equations we obtain, with approximations, a general form of the phenomenological equation describing superradiance. The frequency shift and a general αTs relation emerges as well as the energy loss equation of Rehler and Eberly.
Modulation of a cloned human A-type voltage-gated potassium channel (hKv1.4) by the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein

A cloned, human, A-type, voltage-gated potassium channel (hKv1.4) was expressed transiently in Chinese hamster ovary cells and the effects of the broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein on hKv1.4 were studied using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording method. Genistein (up to 50 µM) reversibly reduced the peak currents of hKv1.4 by 44.9±12%. In addition, genistein markedly slowed the activation kinetics (time constant τa) of hKv1.4. At +50 mV, τa increased from 1.8±0.3 to 5.0±0.6 ms (P<0.01). The effect of genistein on the channel inactivation kinetics (time constant τi) was more complex, in that τi was increased significantly at lower step potentials but unaltered at +50 mV or more depolarized potentials. Tail current analysis showed that genistein had no effect on the kinetics of deactivation (time constant τd), but shifted the steady-state activation curve significantly to the right by about 15 mV (potential for half-maximal activation, V 1/2, changed from –7.4±4.4 to +7.7±2.7 mV) with a moderate change in the slope (k) of the curve (from 17.4±2.2 to 23±1.0 mV, P<0.05). Genistein slightly altered the slope of the steady-state inactivation curve from –5.5±0.4 to –7.5±0.4 mV (P<0.01). The recovery rate from inactivation was not altered by genistein. The tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor orthovanadate (1 mM) alone had little impact on current amplitude or channel kinetics. However, orthovanadate significantly, but not completely, blocked the effect of genistein on current amplitude (by 25.5%) and kinetics (by 67.1%). Daidzein (up to 50 µM), an inactive analogue of genistein, had no effect on current amplitude or kinetics. In contrast to genistein, another tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, had little effect on the channel peak amplitude or kinetics. In addition, genistein had a similar impact on the channel peak current amplitude and kinetics in cells with or without pre-treatment with herbimycin A (10 µM). The data suggest that genistein-induced inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation may not be the exclusive mechanism by which hKv1.4 is down-regulated and channel gating affected. Genistein may produce a non-catalytic blockade of this channel.
Intravenous hyperalimentation as an adjunct to colon interposition for carcinoma of the esophagus

Ten consecutive malnourished patients with undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus underwent operation for colon interposition. They received intravenous hyperalimentation preoperatively and/or post-operatively for an average time of 21.5 days and had an average weight gain of 6.5 Ib. There was no significant gastrointestinal morbidity, but one patient succumbed to aspiration pneumonia. All ten patients had postoperative gastrografin swallow radiography which showed no leaks in either anastomosis. With proper use of intravenous hyperalimentation, morbidity and mortality following colon interposition in the malnourished patient for either palliative or curative bypass can be decreased to acceptable levels.
Female reproduction and pup survival and growth for mice fed a cadmium-containing purified diet through six consecutive rounds of gestation and lactation.

Female CF1 mice were bred for 6 consecutive, 42‐d rounds of gestation‐lactation. Their purified diets contained cadmium added at either 0.25, 5.0, or 50.0 ppm Cd; at each cadmium level, the diets were either sufficient or deficient in certain vitamins, minerals, and fat. The deficient diet at 5 ppm cadmium was designed to simulate conditions implicated in the etiology of itai‐itai disease among multiparous women in Japan. Fertility, litter size, pup survival, and pup growth (weaning weight) are reported for mice on the six diets during each of the six rounds of gestation/lactation. Except for fertility, decreases in reproductive measures that occurred in response to dietary deficiencies or cadmium during round 1 of reproduction were repeated, unchanged in magnitude, in each successive round. For sufficient diet groups, 50 ppm cadmium had no effect on fertility or pup survival during lactation, but caused a 15% decrease in litter size at birth and a 25% decrease in pup growth. Dietary deficiencies alone de...
Radar signatures of rotor blades

Rotation of rotor blades in a helicopter modulates the phase function of radar backscattering, induces frequency modulation on returned signals, and generates side-bands about the center frequency of the helicopter's body Doppler frequency. The modulation induced by rotations can be regarded as a signature of the interaction between the rotor blades and the body of the helicopter, and provides additional information for target recognition complementary to existing recognition methods.