cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TERM model: The incorporation of mentorship as a test-item improvement strategy

Abstract Concerns with item content, format, cognitive level and guideline violations exist whether they are garnered from test banks or written from scratch. To compound this issue, new nursing faculty commonly transition into academia without any training on test item writing. Strategies that emphasize the important role of training in this skill are vital. This manuscript describes concerns surrounding test item writing in nursing education and presents a mentorship strategy as a means to assist new faculty learning to write test items that reflect NCLEX® type questions. The TERM model provides a template for collaboration between novice nurse faculty and experienced faculty through training, evaluation, rewriting, and mentorship. The authors demonstrate the effectiveness of the model through the use of authentic test item examples that outline the evolution from the novice nurse educator's first attempts at test item revision to the well-constructed end product as suggested by the experienced faculty.
Quantifying Intra-Arterial Verapamil Response as a Diagnostic Tool for Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is mounting evidence supporting the benefit of intra-arterial administration of vasodilators in diagnosing reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. We prospectively quantified the degree of luminal diameter dilation after intra-arterial administration of verapamil and its accuracy in diagnosing reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients suspected of having intracranial arteriopathy on noninvasive imaging and referred for digital subtraction angiography were enrolled in a prospective registry. Intra-arterial verapamil was administered in vascular territories with segmental irregularities. The caliber difference (Caliberpost − Caliberpre) and the proportion of caliber change ([(Caliberpost − Caliberpre)/Caliberpre] × 100%) were used to determine the response to verapamil. The diagnosis of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome was made on the basis of clinical and imaging features at a follow-up appointment, independent of the reversibility of verapamil. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the best threshold. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were included, and 9 (34.6%) were diagnosed with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. A total of 213 vascular segments were assessed on diagnostic angiography. Every patient with a final diagnosis of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome responded to intra-arterial verapamil. The maximal proportion of change (P CONCLUSIONS: Objective measurement of the change in the arterial calibers after intra-arterial verapamil is accurate in distinguishing reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome from other vasculopathies. A proportion of change ≥32% has the best diagnostic performance.
Worker Perspectives on Incorporating Artificial Intelligence into Office Workspaces: Implications for the Future of Office Work

Workplace environments have a significant impact on worker performance, health, and well-being. With machine learning capabilities, artificial intelligence (AI) can be developed to automate individualized adjustments to work environments (e.g., lighting, temperature) and to facilitate healthier worker behaviors (e.g., posture). Worker perspectives on incorporating AI into office workspaces are largely unexplored. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore office workers’ views on including AI in their office workspace. Six focus group interviews with a total of 45 participants were conducted. Interview questions were designed to generate discussion on benefits, challenges, and pragmatic considerations for incorporating AI into office settings. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an iterative approach. Two primary constructs emerged. First, participants shared perspectives related to preferences and concerns regarding communication and interactions with the technology. Second, numerous conversations highlighted the dualistic nature of a system that collects large amounts of data; that is, the potential benefits for behavior change to improve health and the pitfalls of trust and privacy. Across both constructs, there was an overarching discussion related to the intersections of AI with the complexity of work performance. Numerous thoughts were shared relative to future AI solutions that could enhance the office workplace. This study’s findings indicate that the acceptability of AI in the workplace is complex and dependent upon the benefits outweighing the potential detriments. Office worker needs are complex and diverse, and AI systems should aim to accommodate individual needs.
Representing and computing the B-derivative of an $EC^r$ vector field's $PC^r$ flow.

This paper concerns the first-order approximation of the piecewise-differentiable flow generated by a class of nonsmooth vector fields. Specifically, we represent and compute the Bouligand (or B-)derivative of the piecewise-$C^r$ flow generated by an event-selected $C^r$ vector field. Our results are remarkably efficient: although there are factorially many "pieces" of the desired derivative, we provide an algorithm that evaluates its action on a given tangent vector using polynomial time and space, and verify the algorithm's correctness by deriving a representation for the B-derivative that requires "only" exponential time and space to construct. We apply our methods in two classes of illustrative examples: piecewise-constant vector fields and mechanical systems subject to unilateral constraints.
Estimating experimental dispersion curves from steady-state frequency response measurements

Abstract Dispersion curves characterize the frequency dependence of the phase and the group velocities of propagating elastic waves. Many analytical and numerical techniques produce dispersion curves from physics-based models. However, it is often challenging to accurately model engineering structures with intricate geometric features and inhomogeneous material properties. For such cases, this paper proposes a novel method to estimate group velocities from experimental data-driven models. Experimental frequency response functions (FRFs) are used to develop data-driven models, which are then used to estimate dispersion curves. The advantages of this approach over other traditionally used transient techniques stem from the need to conduct only steady-state experiments. In comparison, transient experiments often need a higher-sampling rate for wave-propagation applications and are more susceptible to noise. The vector-fitting (VF) algorithm is adopted to develop data-driven models from experimental in-plane and out-of-plane FRFs of a one-dimensional structure. The quality of the corresponding data-driven estimates is evaluated using an analytical Timoshenko beam as a baseline. The data-driven model (using the out-of-plane FRFs) estimates the anti-symmetric ( A 0 ) group velocity with a maximum error of 4% over a 40 kHz frequency band. In contrast, group velocities estimated from transient experiments resulted in a maximum error of 6% over the same frequency band.
Review of Rural Education in America: What Works for Our Students, Teachers, and Communities by Geoff Marietta and Sky Marietta: by Geoff Marietta and Sky Marietta 228 pages; ISBN: 9781682535608; Harvard University Press

Scholars and pundits have increasingly made attempts to understand rural places and people over the past half decade. In the world of education, examinations of poverty and challenges in schooling ...
Evolutionary profile for (host and viral) MLKL indicates its activities as a battlefront for extensive counteradaptation.

Pathogen infection triggers host innate defenses which may result in the activation of regulated cell death (RCD) pathways such as apoptosis. Given a vital role in immunity, apoptotic effectors are often counteracted by pathogen-encoded antagonists. Mounting evidence indicates that programmed necrosis, which is mediated by the RIPK3/MLKL axis and termed necroptosis, evolved as a countermeasure to pathogen-mediated inhibition of apoptosis. Yet, it is unclear whether components of this emerging RCD pathway display signatures associated with pathogen conflict that are rare in combination but common to key host defense factors; namely, rapid evolution, viral homolog (virolog), and cytokine induction. We leveraged evolutionary sequence analysis that examines rates of amino acid replacement, which revealed: 1) strong and recurrent signatures of positive selection for primate and bat RIPK3 and MLKL, and 2) elevated rates of amino acid substitution on multiple RIPK3/MLKL surfaces suggestive of past antagonism with multiple, distinct pathogen-encoded inhibitors. Furthermore, our phylogenomics analysis across poxvirus genomes illuminated volatile patterns of evolution for a recently described MLKL viral homolog. Specifically, poxviral MLKLs have undergone numerous gene replacements mediated by duplication and deletion events. In addition, MLKL protein expression is stimulated by interferons in human and mouse cells. Thus, MLKL displays all three hallmarks of pivotal immune factors of which only a handful of factors like OAS1 exhibit. These data support the hypothesis that over evolutionary time MLKL functions - that may include execution of necroptosis - have served as a major determinant of infection outcomes despite gene loss in some host genomes.
Role of Cyclic Di-GMP in Vibrio cholerae Virulence

The bacterial allosteric regulator and secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) plays an integral role in the life cycle of pathogenic Vibrio cholerae by helping to mediate the environment-to-host transition. The regulation of the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP in V. cholerae is complex, as there is an abundance of genes coding for diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and phosphodiesterase (PDEs). This chapter focuses on the role of c-di-GMP in the regulation of V. cholerae virulence mechanisms during colonization and dissemination. The two most important virulence factors expressed by V. cholerae are cholera toxin (CT) and the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). In vitro expression studies have shown that c-di-GMP has a negative effect on virulence gene expression, specifically CT. Although V. cholerae motility has been well studied, the role of motility in pathogenesis remains unclear. There is an abundance of information regarding physiological behaviors regulated by c-di-GMP, but relatively little is known about the mechanism(s) of this regulation. It is understood that the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP is modulated by the enzymatic activities of DGCs and PDEs, but it is not known how these changes in concentration signal for the vast alterations in bacterial behavior are observed. Identification of new regulatory pathways will provide new insight into the cdi-GMP regulatory circuit and will help to explain how this secondary messenger molecule is so important to V. cholerae pathogenesis and environmental fitness.
An experimental investigation of air flow patterns in saturated soils during air sparging

Air sparging is an emerging method used to remediate saturated soils and groundwater that have been contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). During air sparging, air is injected into the subsurface below the lowest known depth of contamination. Due to buoyancy, the injected air will rise through the zone of contamination. Through a variety of mechanisms, including volatilization and biodegradation, the air will serve to remove or help degrade the contaminants. The contaminant-laden air will continue to rise towards the ground surface, eventually reaching the vadose zone, where the vapours are collected and treated using a soil vapour extraction (SVE) system. Air sparging performance and ultimately contaminant removal efficiency is highly dependent on the pattern and type of subsurface air flow. This paper presents the results of a laboratory experimental study which investigated the injected air flow pattern development within an aquifer simulation apparatus. The test apparatus consisted of a tank measuring 61 cm long by 25.4 cm wide by 38.1 cm high. The apparatus was equipped with one air injection well and two vapour extracton wells. Three different soils were used to simulate different aquifer conditions, including a sand, a fine gravel and a medium gravel. Experiments were performed with different injected air pressures combined with different vacuum and groundwater flow conditions. Experiments were also conducted by injecting air into simulated shallow aquifers with different thicknesses. The air flow patterns observed were found to depend significantly on the soil type, groundwater flow conditions and system controls, including injected air pressure, flow rate and applied vacuum. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998
Conduction and dielectric effects in electrorheology

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the studies on the role of electrical properties in electrorheological (ER) response. The physical equations for the combined conduction and dielectric effects are discussed and simplified conduction models proposed for (a) bulk conducting particles, (b) low conducting particles with a conducting film, and (c) highly conducting particles with a low conductivity film. This is followed by some predictions by the conduction models under dc field and by comparisons between the measured ER response and that predicted. The chapter reviews the conduction and dielectric effects in ER response under ac field and the progress in studies of transient response in ER fluids. To improve ER response, both the host oil and particles should be given attention. It is desired that the host oil has low and stable conductivity, which is not strongly super-ohmic, and has high dielectric permittivity. Some recommended design parameters are given for ER suspensions activated by (a) bulk conduction of the particles, (b) dielectric particles with a conducting surface film, and (c) highly conducting particles with an insulating surface film, respectively.
Psychosocial Impact of Passive Health Status Monitoring on Informal Caregivers and Older Adults Living in Independent Senior Housing

This paper describes a study designed to assess some psychosocial impacts of monitoring technology on seniors living in Independent Senior Housing. Monitoring systems were installed, in 25 independent living units in an apartment complex, to track the activities of daily living (ADLs) and key alert conditions of residents. Activity reports were sent to informal caregivers. Residents (N=25) were assessed using the Satisfaction With Life Scales (SWLS) instrument, informal caregivers (N=26) were assessed using modified Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) and Caregiver Burden Interview (CBI) instruments, before and after the installation of the monitoring system. Paired t-test for means was applied to the pre- and post- monitoring scores of SWLS, CSI, and CBI. The Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks nonparametric test was applied to compare the number of informal care hours pre- and post- monitoring. No statistically significant increase was observed on SWLS results. No significant changes in CSI and CBI scores were detected. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of informal care hours provided by the informal caregivers of monitored individuals. The results indicate that monitoring technologies could have enabled informal caregivers to provide more care for their loved ones without increasing their burdens, strain levels or negatively affecting their quality of life.
Bacteriophage Display of Combinatorial Antibody Libraries

Bacteriophage display of combinatorial antibody libraries is one means by which monoclonal antibodies of a desired specificity can be selected without the use of conventional hybridoma technology. Phage display is the expression of proteins and peptides on the surface of a bacteriophage particle, and a combinatorial antibody library is a collection of rearranged variable-region gene segments that have been randomly combined through the use of recombinant molecular biology techniques to yield a large ‘library’ of antibodies. Keywords: phage display; antibody library; fab; scFv
Bounded Harmonic Functions

Liouville’s Theorem in complex analysis states that a bounded holo-morphic function on C is constant. A similar result holds for harmonic functions on R n . The simple proof given below is taken from Edward Nelson’s paper [7], which is one of the rare mathematics papers not containing a single mathematical symbol.
A pedagogical framework to integrate learning style into intelligent tutoring systems

Educational systems can be more adaptive and effective when they incorporate learning style models. Developing a learning style based system is not a trivial task and presents challenges such as selecting the appropriate learning style model and instrument, creating course content consistent with the various learning styles, and determining the level and degree of adaptation of domain content. We present a pedagogical framework that makes it possible to integrate learning style into an intelligent tutoring system. This domain independent framework is based on the Felder-Silverman learning style model and has been designed in the context of CIMEL-ITS, which helps students learn object-oriented design using UML.
Abstract 13850: Outcomes and Resource Utilization in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the United States: Evidence for socioeconomic disparities

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) as reflected by residential zip code status may detrimentally influence a number of pre-hospital clinical, access-related and transport variables that influence outcome for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing reperfusion. We sought to analyze the relationship between SES and in-hospital mortality following STEMI. Methods: We used the 2003-2011 US Nationwide Inpatient Sample for this study. All admissions with a principal diagnosis of STEMI were identified using standard ICD codes. SES was classified based on median household income of the residential zip code of every patient. In-hospital death and timely reperfusion within day 0 of presentation were the primary outcomes for the study. Results: A total of 372984 admissions with STEMI were analyzed. There was a significantly higher mortality among the lowest SES quartile as compared to the highest quartile [OR (95% CI): 1.11(1.06-1.17)] (Fig). There was a highly significant trend indicating a progressively reduced timely reperfusion among patients from lower quartiles [OR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.74-0.88)] (Fig). In addition, there was a greater utilization of circulatory support devices and Swan Ganz catheterization among patients from higher as compared to lower quartiles (Fig). Furthermore, the mean adjusted cost of hospitalization among quartiles 2,3, and 4, as compared to quartile 1 was significantly higher by $913, $2140 and $4070 respectively. Conclusions: Patients residing in zip codes with lower SES had increased mortality and decreased timely reperfusion following STEMI as compared to patients residing in higher SES zip codes. Despite higher mortality, the utilization of circulatory support devices and Swan Ganz catheterization was paradoxically lower among patients from lower SES zip codes. In addition, cost of hospitalization of patients from higher SES quartiles was significantly higher than those from lower quartiles.
Regulation of haematopoiesis during colitis

Although interleukin-21 (IL-21) potently activates and controls the differentiation of immune cells after stimulation in vitro, the role for this pleiotropic cytokine during in vivo infection remains poorly defined. Herein, the requirement for IL-21 in innate and adaptive host defence after Listeria monocytogenes infection was examined. In the innate phase, IL-21 deficiency did not cause significant defects in infection susceptibility, or in the early activation of natural killer and T cells. In the adaptive phase, L. monocytogenes-specific CD8+ T cells expand to a similar magnitude in IL-21-deficient mice compared with control mice. Interestingly, the IL-21-independent expansion of L. monocytogenes-specific CD8+ T cells was maintained even in the combined absence of IL-12 and type I interferon (IFN) receptor. Similarly, L. monocytogenes-specific CD4+ T cells expanded and produced similar levels of IFN-γ regardless of IL-21 deficiency. Unexpectedly however, IL-21 deficiency caused significantly increased CD4+ T-cell IL-17 production, and this effect became even more pronounced after L. monocytogenes infection in mice with combined defects in both IL-12 and type I IFN receptor that develop a T helper type 17-dominated CD4+ T-cell response. Despite increased CD4+ T-cell IL-17 production, L. monocytogenes-specific T cells re-expanded and conferred protection against secondary challenge with virulent L. monocytogenes regardless of IL-21 deficiency, or combined defects in IL-21, IL-12, and type I IFN receptor. Together, these results demonstrate non-essential individual and combined roles for IL-21, IL-12 and type I IFNs in priming pathogen-specific CD8+ T cells, and reveal IL-21-dependent suppression of IL-17 production by CD4+ T cells during in vivo infection.
Hemodynamic manifestation of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

A 60-year-old woman with a history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent left-sided heart catheterization for acute coronary syndrome. Coronary angiography showed a severe stenosis in the mid left circumflex coronary artery. Simultaneous left ventricular and aortic pressure measurements showed a resting gradient (Fig. 1). After a premature ventricular beat, the intraventricular gradient increased substantially. In addition, the aortic pulse pressure was reduced, with a spike-and-dome configuration that was consistent with the Brockenbrough-Braunwald sign.1 The patient underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention and was free of angina thereafter. Fig. 1 Simultaneous left ventricular (LV) and aortic (Ao) pressure measurements obtained from a dual-lumen catheter show a resting gradient. After a premature ventricular beat (PVB), the Brockenbrough-Braunwald sign becomes evident, with a reduction in ...
Hindutva: Formative Assertions

This article is the first of three in a series surveying research on Hindutva (Hindu nationalism or political hinduism), focusing on seminal articulations that set the stage for later debates, and define the directions of later politics. I review accounts of hindutva’s ideological origins, from the pre-independence racialist articulations to the humanist emphases of post-independence years, to the strident culturalism of the 1990s. ‘Hindutva’ is formed through these successive phases of ideological assertion, as much as it precipitates and participates in a wider culture of identitarian assertions. The second essay of three focuses on prominent rhetorical constructions deployed to address hindutva polemically, and the third on hinduva as praxis.
Cancer Cell Growth Is Differentially Affected by Constitutive Activation of NRF2 by KEAP1 Deletion and Pharmacological Activation of NRF2 by the Synthetic Triterpenoid, RTA 405

Synthetic triterpenoids are antioxidant inflammation modulators (AIMs) that exhibit broad anticancer activity. AIMs bind to KEAP1 and inhibit its ability to promote NRF2 degradation. As a result, NRF2 increases transcription of genes that restore redox balance and reduce inflammation. AIMs inhibit tumor growth and metastasis by increasing NRF2 activity in the tumor microenvironment and by modulating the activity of oncogenic signaling pathways, including NF-κB, in tumor cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that KEAP1 loss or mutation—which results in high levels of sustained NRF2 activity—may promote cancer growth and increase chemoresistance. Loss of KEAP1 also increases the levels of other oncogenic proteins, including IKKβ and BCL2. The apparent survival advantage provided to some tumor cells by loss of functional KEAP1 raises the question of whether pharmacological inhibition of KEAP1 could promote tumor growth. To address this issue, we characterized the basal levels of KEAP1 and NRF2 in a panel of human tumor cell lines and profiled the activity of an AIM, RTA 405. We found that in tumor cell lines with low or mutant KEAP1, and in Keap1-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts, multiple KEAP1 targets including NRF2, IKKβ, and BCL2 were elevated. Keap1-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts also had higher rates of proliferation and colony formation than their wild-type counterparts. In cells with functional KEAP1, RTA 405 increased NRF2 levels, but not IKKβ or BCL2 levels, and did not increase cell proliferation or survival. Moreover, RTA 405 inhibited growth at similar concentrations in cells with different basal NRF2 activity levels and in cells with wild-type or mutant KRAS. Finally, pre-treatment with RTA 405 did not protect tumor cells from doxorubicin- or cisplatin-mediated growth inhibition. Collectively, these data demonstrate that pharmacological activation of NRF2 by AIMs is distinct from genetic activation and does not provide a growth or survival advantage to tumor cells.
Immediate Memory and Discourse Processing1

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses people's immediate memory for ordinary English connected discourse. Within experimental psycholinguistics, there is now a modest yet seemingly coherent body of findings, which touch on and explore this general phenomenon. A major conclusion, which can be drawn, is that significant aspects of linguistic structure are mirrored in what can be accurately recalled. The organization being reflected in such data is most plausibly an outcome of natural processing on the discourse which has taken place. The immediate clause and sentence of discourse are being organized as speech-processing structures in immediate memory. The effects are found in a number of different recall settings and in a recognition memory task.
“PASANTIAN”IN BALI AND ITS RENAISSANCE IN GLOBALIZATION ERA

Pasantian, which means reading and reciting a literary work, is growing, developing and resurrecting resistively in the life of the Balinese community in the globalization era. This study tries to answer the following questions: (1) what was the renaissance of pasantian in the globalization era in Bali like; (2) what factors contributed to the renaissance of pasantian in the globalization era in Bali; (3) what was the meaning of the renaissance of pasantian in the globalization era in Bali? This study in which qualitative method was used. It was intended to identify the existence of pasantian and its dynamism through its renaissance in the globalization era. The theory of deconstruction (Derrida, in Norris, 2008), the theory of practice (Bourdieu in Takwin, 2009 and Fashri, 2007), the theory of postmodern (Piliang, 2004, and Piliang, 2004a), and the theory of hegemony (Gramsci, in Barker, 2005) were eclectically used to analyze the data. The result showed that the renaissance of pasantian took place in three periods; the initial renaissance took place from 1979 to 1990, the second from 1991 to 1998, and the third from 1999 to 2010s. Such a renaissance was supported by cultural factors. In addition, political and economic factors also contributed to the renaissance of pasantian. It had socio-cultural, and economic effects, which led to multi-meanings such as educational meaning, entertainment meaning, the meaning of politics of image, the meaning of hypermorality, and the meaning of maintenance of socio-cultural meanings.
The performance of human mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in cell-degradable polymer-peptide hydrogels

Thiol-ene photopolymerization offers a unique platform for the formation of peptide-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels and the encapsulation, culture and differentiation of cells. Specifically, this photoinitiated polymerization scheme occurs at neutral pH and can be controlled both spatially and temporally. Here, we have encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) degradable and cell-adhesive hydrogels using thiol-ene photopolymerization. We find that hMSCs survive equally well in this system, regardless of MMP-degradability. When hMSCs are encapsulated in these cell-degradable hydrogels, they survive and are able to proliferate. In classic hMSC differentiation medias, hMSCs locally remodel their microenvironment and take on characteristic morphologies; hMSCs cultured in growth or osteogenic differentiation media are less round, as measured by elliptical form factor, and are smaller than hMSCs cultured in chondrogenic or adipogenic differentiation media. In addition, hMSCs encapsulated in completely cell-degradable hydrogels and cultured in osteogenic, chondrogenic, or adipogenic differentiation media generally express increased levels of specific differentiation markers as compared to cells in hydrogels that are not cell-degradable. These studies demonstrate the ability to culture and differentiate hMSCs in MMP-degradable hydrogels polymerized via a thiol-ene reaction scheme and that increased cell-mediated hydrogel degradability facilitates directed differentiation of hMSCs.
The Cranfield tests on index language devices

The investigation dealt with the effect which different devices have on the performance of index languages. It appeared that the most important consideration was the specificity of the index terms; within the context of the conditions existing in this test, single‐word terms were more effective than concept terms or a controlled vocabulary.
A Comparative Study of Unit Root Tests with Panel Data and a New Simple Test

The panel data unit root test suggested by Levin and Lin (LL) has been widely used in several applications, notably in papers on tests of the purchasing power parity hypothesis. This test is based on a very restrictive hypothesis which is rarely ever of interest in practice. The Im–Pesaran–Shin (IPS) test relaxes the restrictive assumption of the LL test. This paper argues that although the IPS test has been offered as a generalization of the LL test, it is best viewed as a test for summarizing the evidence from a number of independent tests of the sample hypothesis. This problem has a long statistical history going back to R. A. Fisher. This paper suggests the Fisher test as a panel data unit root test, compares it with the LL and IPS tests, and the Bonferroni bounds test which is valid for correlated tests. Overall, the evidence points to the Fisher test with bootstrap-based critical values as the preferred choice. We also suggest the use of the Fisher test for testing stationarity as the null and also in testing for cointegration in panel data.
Compliant Wireform Mechanisms

This paper presents an alternative to fabrication methods commonly used in compliant mechanisms research, resulting in a new class of compliant mechanisms called wireform mechanisms. This technique integrates torsional springs made of formed wire into compliant mechanisms. In this way the desired force, stiffness, and motion can be achieved from a single piece of formed wire. Two techniques of integrating torsion springs are fabricated and modeled: helical coil torsion springs and torsion bars. Because the mechanisms are more complex than ordinary springs, simplified models, which aid in design, are presented, which represent the wireform mechanisms as rigid-body mechanisms using the pseudo-rigid-body model. The method is demonstrated through the design of a mechanically tristable mechanism. The validity of the simplified models is discussed by comparison to finite element models and, in the case of the torsion-bar mechanism, to experimental measurements.
Structural studies of human alkyladenine glycosylase and E. coli 3-methyladenine glycosylase.

Abstract Human alkyladenine glycosylase (AAG) and Escherichia coli 3-methyladenine glycosylase (AlkA) are base excision repair glycosylases that recognize and excise a variety of alkylated bases from DNA. The crystal structures of these enzymes have provided insight into their substrate specificity and mechanisms of catalysis. Both enzymes utilize DNA bending and base-flipping mechanisms to expose and bind substrate bases. Crystal structures of AAG complexed to DNA suggest that the enzyme selects substrate bases through a combination of hydrogen bonding and the steric constraints of the active site, and that the enzyme activates a water molecule for an in-line backside attack of the N-glycosylic bond. In contrast to AAG, the structure of the AlkA–DNA complex suggests that AlkA substrate recognition and catalytic specificity are intimately integrated in a SN1 type mechanism in which the catalytic Asp238 directly promotes the release of modified bases.
XPS Study of Self-Assembly of Ruthenium Dimers [((acac)2Ru)2bptz]0,+ on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic SAMs

Both neutral and monocationic ruthenium complexes form self-limiting monolayers on top of organothiol/gold SAMs that bear hydrophilic terminating groups. The SAMs are soaked in solutions of [((acac...
Photochemically induced metallization of surface silicon using dinuclear metal carbonyl compounds. Anchoring of ruthenium to a Si(111) surface through covalent Ru-Si bond formation

Near-UV irradiation of hydrogen-terminated Si(111) wafers with the ruthenium−ruthenium bonded dinuclear compounds Cp2Ru2(CO)4 (where Cp = η5-MeC5H4, η5−C5Me5) and [HB(pz)3]2Ru2(CO)4 [where HB(pz)3 = hydrotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate] in benzene solution at room temperature leads to the covalent attachment of CpRu(CO)2 and HB(pz)3Ru(CO)2 moieties to surface silicon sites on the wafer. ATR FTIR, XPS, and RBS data support the proposed Ru−Si bond formation as the dominant mode of wafer metallization. The surface area coverage of these ruthenized wafers is limited by the size the mononuclear ruthenium moiety that is attached to the Si anchor. A plausible reaction sequence involving the photochemically generated ruthenium-centered radicals CpRu(CO)2 and [HB(pz)3]Ru(CO)2 that both activate the hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surface and combine with the resulting silicon radicals is presented and discussed.
The association of parity with osteoarthritis and knee replacement in the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study

Summary Objective We evaluated the association of parity to both risk of knee replacement (KR) and knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design The NIH-funded Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST) is a longitudinal observational study of persons age 50–79 years with either symptomatic knee OA or at elevated risk of disease. Baseline and 30-month knee radiographic OA (ROA) was defined as Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) grade ≥2 or KR. Women were grouped based by number of births: 0; 1 (reference group); 2; 3; 4; and 5 or more. We examined the relation of parity to the incidence over 30 months of ROA and KR using a Poisson regression model. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to control for correlation between two knees within a subject. We adjusted for age, BMI, race, education, occupation, baseline estrogen use, clinical site, injury, and for KR analyses WOMAC pain and use of pain medication. Results Among 1618 women who reported parity information, mean age was 62.6 years, mean BMI 30.7 kg/m 2 , mean WOMAC pain subscale score 3.7 at baseline. There were 115 KRs and 134 cases of incident knee ROA over 30 months. The relative risk of incident KR was 2.7 times as high (95% CI: 1.0, 7.3) and relative risk of incident knee ROA was 2.6 times as high (95% CI: 1.2, 5.3) among women with five to 12 children compared with those with one birth. Conclusion Parity in women at risk for OA is associated with both incident ROA and KR, particularly for those with more than four children.
Piety, politics, and pluralism : religion, the courts, and the 2000 election

Chapter 1 Religion and Liberal Democracy: An American Perspective Part 2 The Role of Religion in the 2000 Presidential Election Chapter 3 The Extraordinary Election of 2000 Chapter 4 Bush vs. Gore: Judicial Activism, Conservative Style Chapter 5 The Christian Right in the 2000 GOP Presidential Campaign Chapter 6 Catholics and the 2000 Presidential Election: Bob Jones University and the Catholic Vote Chapter 7 Stealth Politics: Religious and Moral Issues in the 2000 Election Chapter 8 A Historic First: The Lieberman Nomination Part 9 Religious Liberty in a Pluralistic Society: The Smith Case Chapter 10 Evolving Standards under the Free Exercise Clause: Neutrality or Accomodation? Chapter 11 The Constitutional Context of Religious Liberty in the United States Chapter 12 Political Culture, Political Structure, and Political Conflict: The Persistence of Church-State Conflict in the United States Chapter 13 Public Attitudes on Church and State: Coexistence or Conflict?
Online identification of quality of teleoperator (QoT) for performance improvement of telerobotic operations

In teleoperation studies, most researchers have been researching on the stability and telepresence. Few of them have studied the influence of the operational status of the teleoperator on the telerobotic systems. As a matter of fact, improper and incorrect operations of the teleoperator may decrease the teleoperation efficiency and even result in some serious safety problems even if the stability and telepresence are both guaranteed. Thus, this paper investigates a method to online identify the quality of the teleoperator and then integrate it into the planning and control of the telerobotic system. The method can help improve the performance of the system including efficiency and safety. It is also implemented on a mobile manipulator and the experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the designed method.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

(2000). Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Journal of Immunoassay: Vol. 21, No. 2-3, pp. 165-209.
Perspective on “New developments in molecular orbital theory”

This paper reviews the title article by Clemens Roothaan and the huge impact that his paper has had in modern chemistry. In his paper Roothaan converts the molecular Schodinger equation into a matrix equation by systematically introducing the linear combination of atomic orbitals–molecular orbital approximation and by invoking the variational principle.
Vibrational dephasing in liquid germane

Raman spectra are reported for the n1 bands of germane and germane-d3. Fourier transformation of the band shapes provided vibrational autocorrelation functions. These functions were modeled by a memory-function procedure. Evidence for resonant vibrational energy transfer and higher order cumulant-expansion terms was found in an isotopic-dilution study.
Therapeutic effect of exosomes from indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-positive dendritic cells in collagen-induced arthritis and delayed-type hypersensitivity disease models.

Objective We have demonstrated previously that dendritic cells (DCs) modified with immunosuppressive cytokines, and exosomes derived from DCs can suppress the onset of murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and reduce the severity of established arthritis. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a tryptophan-degrading enzyme that is important for immune regulation and tolerance maintenance. DCs expressing functional IDO can inhibit T cells by depleting them of essential tryptophan and/or by producing toxic metabolites, as well as by generating Treg cells. This study was undertaken to examine the immunosuppressive effects of bone marrow (BM)–derived DCs genetically modified to express IDO, and of exosomes derived from IDO-positive DCs. Methods BM-derived DCs were adenovirally transduced with IDO or CTLA-4Ig (an inducer of IDO), and the resulting DCs and exosomes were tested for their immunosuppressive ability in the CIA and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) murine models. Results Both DCs and exosomes derived from DCs overexpressing IDO had an antiinflammatory effect in CIA and DTH murine models. The suppressive effects were partially dependent on B7 costimulatory molecules. In addition, gene transfer of CTLA-4Ig to DCs resulted in induction of IDO in the DCs and in exosomes able to reduce inflammation in an IDO-dependent manner. Conclusion These results demonstrate that both IDO-expressing DCs and DC-derived exosomes are immunosuppressive and antiinflammatory, and are able to reverse established arthritis. Therefore, exosomes from IDO-positive DCs may represent a novel therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.
Sanguinarine: its potential as a liver toxic alkaloid present in the seeds of Argemone mexicana.

The alkaloid sanguinarine reported to be responsible for several outbreaks of epidemic dropsy in the tropics was examined for its hepatotoxic potential in rats. The studies showed that a single i.p. dose (10 mg/kg) of sanguinarine not only increased the activity of SGPT and SGOT substantially but also caused a significant loss of microsomal cytochrome P-450 and benzphetamine N-demethylase activity. Furthermore, the treated rats exhibited considerable loss of body and liver weight, peritoneal edema and slightly enlarged livers with fibrinous material. Microscopic examination of the liver tissue showed progressive cellular degeneration and necrosis further substantiating that sanguinarine is a potential hepatotoxic alkaloid.
Rotational Invariance of the 2d Spin - Spin Correlation Function

At the critical temperature in the 2d Ising model on the square lattice, we establish the rotational invariance of the spin-spin correlation function using the asymptotics of the spin-spin correlation function along special directions (McCoy and Wu in the two dimensional Ising model. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1973) and the finite difference Hirota equation for which the spin-spin correlation function is shown to satisfy (Perk in Phys Lett A 79:3–5, 1980; Perk in Proceedings of III international symposium on selected topics in statistical mechanics, Dubna, August 22–26, 1984, JINR, vol II, pp 138–151, 1985).
Interrelations between the United States and the United Kingdom, 1873–1975

Abstract This article is an excerpt from a monograph, Monetary Trends in the United States and the United Kingdom: Their Relation to Income, Prices, and Interest Rates, 1867–1975, that the University of Chicago Press has scheduled for publication in July 1982. Earlier in the monograph, we estimate a single demand curve for money for the United States and the United Kingdom, and also show that velocity in the two countries had parallel movements and that the rates of change of velocity were nearly identical in the two countries for most of the century we cover. Similar behavior of velocity in the two countries requires in addition to a largely common demand curve similar behavior of the variables affecting the demand for money. Chapter 7 from which this excerpt is taken begins by examining the interrelations between velocity in the two countries. The excerpt though self-contained is clearly incomplete. Note that the basic data are geometric averages of annual data for cycle phases (expansions or contractions) which average 2.0 years in length for the United States, 2.8 years for the United Kingdom. Rates of change (g with a subscript for the variable) for a phase are the slopes of straight lines fitted to the logarithms of three successive phase averages (the phase in question, the prior phase, and the following phase). Money refers to currency plus adjusted demand and time deposits of commercial banks held by the public. Income refers to net national product. Nominal money (M) or income (Y) is income in dollars or pounds at current prices. Prices (P) refer to the implicit price index obtained by dividing national product in current prices by national product in constant 1929 prices. Velocity (V) is the ratio of nominal income to nominal money. Short-term interest rates refer to the US commercial paper rate and the UK rate on 3-month bank bills. Demand shift and postwar readjustment effects refer to the values of dummy variables in the demand curves for each country. These effects allow for an upward shift in the demand for money during selected phases of economic uncertainty and for readjustments in the demand for money following World Wars I and II.
Cladogenesis, coalescence and the evolution of the three domains of life

In this article, we explore the large-scale structure of the tree of life by using a simple model with a constant number of species and rates of speciation that equal the rates of extinction. In addition, we discuss the consequences of horizontal gene transfer for the concept of a most recent common ancestor of all living organisms (cenancestor). A simple null hypothesis based on coalescence theory explains some features of the observed topologies of the tree of life. Simulations of genes and organismal lineages suggest that there was no single common ancestor that contained all the genes ancestral to those shared among the three domains of life. Each contemporary molecule has its own history that traces back to an individual molecular cenancestor. However, these molecular ancestors were likely to be present in different organisms and at different times.
Reduction in antigen-induced release of histamine and slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis from guinea pig lung with increasing age.

Abstract Release of histamine and slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) from passively sensitized guinea pig lung was found to be related to the age of the donor animal. Minced lungs from 1-week, 1-month and 2-month-old guinea pigs were passively sensitized in vitro to ovalbumin (OA). Subsequent challenge with OA released histamine and SRS-A. Lungs from 1- and 2-month-old animals released less mediators than lungs from 1-week-old animals. A reduced tissue content of histamine and SRS-A and a smaller per cent total release of these mediators from the older guinea pig lungs were responsible for this decline. Lungs from 9- and 53-day-old guinea pigs actively sensitized to OA and challenged 21 days later released similar amounts of histamine and SRS-A. Passively sensitized lung from 1-week-old animals released more histamine than the actively sensitized tissues. SRS-A released from actively sensitized lung was too variable for comparison. These experiments suggest passive sensitization in vitro of lung from 1-week-old guinea pigs may be a means of maximizing mediator release. More significantly, they indicate the importance of the animal's age when studying antigen-induced mediator release.
Organic amendment effects on physical and chemical properties of a sandy soil.

Effects of repeated applications of sewage-sludge compost on soil properties have not been sufficiently evaluated with field trials. Field studies were established on an Evesboro loamy sand soil (mesic, coated Typic Quartzipsamment, 97% sand) to compare the effects of sewage-sludge compost, beef manure, and fertilizer amendments on soil properties. The study site had been fallow for 26 yr and should have provided a positive response to the added organic matter. Compost application rates were based on the assumption that material would be applied either only once or annually. Application rates ranged from those that were too low to supply the total N requirement of a crop (e.g., 33 Mg ha) to excessively high rates that would produce maximum soil benefits from the added organic matter (e.g., 268 Mg ha). Soil properties such as strength (penetrometer resistance), bulk density, water retention, pH, surface area, total N and P contents, and organic matter were evaluated for 5 yr. Addition of sewage-sludge compost significantly reduced penetration resistance when compared with the control and fertilizer-amended soils. Compost significantly reduced bulk density, increased soil water content, and modified pH to greater depths. Specific surface area of the soils increased linearly with the addition of compost and C levels indicated that 24 and 37% of the annually added organic matter decomposed during the 1st yr from the sewage-sludge compost and beef manure, respectively. View complete article To view this complete article, insert Disc 5 then click button8