cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Etiology of Anxiety Sensitivity: Relation to Cardiovascular Perception and Reactivity

A large body of research has suggested that anxiety sensitivity (AS) acts as a specific vulnerability factor in the development of anxiety pathology. More recently, attention has turned to the etiology of AS per se. The present study tested several related etiological hypotheses derived from Expectancy theory. S. Reiss and R. J. McNally (1985) originally proposed that greater physiological reactivity would increase risk for developing heightened AS. Reactive individuals are believed to have greater opportunity to perceive unpleasant bodily perturbations, thereby increasing the likelihood that concerns and fears could be attached to the sensations. Nonclinical participants (N = 86) completed physical (e.g., orthostatic) and biological (e.g., 35% CO2) challenges and a heart beat perception task. AS was not related to heart beat perception but was related to greater tonic heart rate and greater diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity to both the challenges. Higher DBP and higher heart beat accuracy interacted to predict higher AS.
Transcendental Arguments, Self-Reference, and Pragmatism

Most transcendental arguments are anti-sceptical and anti-reductionist, claiming that the reduced world the skeptic holds out as the only legitimate option is not a genuine alternative. They have as their paradigm Kant’s arguments against Hume. Such arguments fortify those philosophers who want to insist, with Kant, that there is such a thing as philosophical criticism of the rest of culture — that the philosopher can say something which science cannot about the claims to objectivity and rationality to which various parts of culture are entitled. Thought of in this way, transcendental arguments seem the only hope for philosophy as an autonomous critical discipline, the only way to say something about human knowledge which is clearly distinguishable from psychophysics on the one hand and from history and sociology of knowledge on the other.
Postcontrast Acute Kidney Injury in Pediatric Patients: A Cohort Study

Rational & Objective The risks of iodinated contrast material administered to pediatric patients are not well defined. The purpose of this study was to examine the rates of postcontrast acute kidney injury (AKI), dialysis therapy, and death following administration of intravenous contrast material to pediatric patients. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting & Participants Pediatric (aged Exposure Intravenous iodinated contrast material. Outcomes Postcontrast AKI based on serum creatinine–defined KDIGO criteria, dialysis therapy, and death. Analytical Approach Risks for AKI, dialysis therapy, and death were compared between contrast and noncontrast group patients using a propensity score analysis incorporating clinical covariates related to contrast exposure. Results 2,201 pediatric patients (1,773 contrast and 428 noncontrast) were identified. Rates of AKI and dialysis therapy in the contrast group were 3.3% (59/1,773) and 0.1% (2/1,773), respectively. Following propensity score adjustment, no differences in risk for AKI (stage 1 AKI: OR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.32-1.78], P=0.5; stage 2: OR, 2.00 [95% CI, 0.18-21.9], P=0.6; stage 3: OR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.05-5.48], P=0.6), dialysis therapy (OR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.06-15.9], P=0.9), or death (OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 0.53-4.22], P=0.4) were observed between the contrast and noncontrast groups. All patients with post-CT stage 3 AKI diagnosed also had contrast-independent potential causes of AKI. Limitations The study's small sample size and low rates of postcontrast AKI, dialysis therapy, and death limited the ability to detect an effect of contrast administration on these outcomes. Unmeasured residual confounders may limit the validity of our results. Few patients had decreased kidney function at the time of CT. Conclusions Rates of postcontrast AKI, dialysis therapy, and death following contrast-enhanced CT were very low in this pediatric cohort. Although not detectably different, an effect of contrast on these outcomes could not be ruled out.
Outcomes and Characteristics of Patients Treated with Emergent Palliative Radiation Therapy.

Abstract Purpose Emergent palliative radiation therapy (PRT) of symptomatic metastases can significantly increase the quality of life of patients with cancer. In some contexts, this treatment may be underused, but in others PRT may represent an excessively aggressive intervention. The characterization of the current use of emergent PRT is warranted for optimized value and patient-centered care. Methods and Materials This study is a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of all emergent PRT courses at a single academic tertiary institution across 1 year. Results A total of 214 patients received a total of 238 treatment courses. The most common indications were bone (39%) and brain (14%) metastases. Compared with outpatients, inpatients had lower mean survival rates (2 months vs 6 months; P Conclusions Survival is particularly poor in patients who receive emergent PRT, and patient characteristics such as functional status and indication should be considered when determining fractionation schedule and dosing. A multi-institutional study of practice patterns and outcomes is warranted.
Exploring the Feasibility of Classifying Fundamental Locomotor Skills Using an Instrumented Insole and Machine Learning Techniques

Movement interventions commonly feature Fundamental locomotor skills (FLSs) like hopping. These skills are thought to positively shape physical activity (PA) trajectory in children. However, the extent to which children who are at risk for overweight and obesity deploy these skills during leisure time PA is often unknown. Direct observation methods are cost-prohibitive. Step count from commercial activity trackers fail to capture these movements. This paper explored the feasibility of using an instrumented insole and machine learning algorithms to classify hopping, running, sprinting, and walking. A subject (age: 40 years; mass: 81 kg; height: 1.7 m) walked, hopped, and sprinted while wearing an instrumented insole. The insole features two pressure sensors and a mechanical housing. The mechanical housing held an Arduino/Genuino 101 programmed using Arduino Software Integrated Development Environment (IDE). An artificial neural network (ANN) training and real-time classification software was written in Arduino IDE and downloaded onto the Arduino 101’s non-volatile memory. The ANN used pressure and time derivative data from a dual sensor array and was tested with various statistical parameters. The moving average, standard deviation, min, max, time derivative and acceleration proved most significant for effective training and precision realtime classification. The on-line validation produced mixed accuracy: walking, running, and sprinting were classified with higher than 70% accuracy, but hopping was classified with only 25% accuracy. It is concluded that insole instrumentation with supervised machine learning seem promising to help track FLS deployment. The lower classification accuracy associated with hopping may be due to higher signal variability.
Precision wearable accelerometer contact microphones for longitudinal monitoring of mechano-acoustic cardiopulmonary signals.

Mechano-acoustic signals emanating from the heart and lungs contain valuable information about the cardiopulmonary system. Unobtrusive wearable sensors capable of monitoring these signals longitudinally can detect early pathological signatures and titrate care accordingly. Here, we present a wearable, hermetically-sealed high-precision vibration sensor that combines the characteristics of an accelerometer and a contact microphone to acquire wideband mechano-acoustic physiological signals, and enable simultaneous monitoring of multiple health factors associated with the cardiopulmonary system including heart and respiratory rate, heart sounds, lung sounds, and body motion and position of an individual. The encapsulated accelerometer contact microphone (ACM) utilizes nano-gap transducers to achieve extraordinary sensitivity in a wide bandwidth (DC-12 kHz) with high dynamic range. The sensors were used to obtain health factors of six control subjects with varying body mass index, and their feasibility in detection of weak mechano-acoustic signals such as pathological heart sounds and shallow breathing patterns is evaluated on patients with preexisting conditions.
Complex Systems Approaches to Educational Research: Introduction to the Special Issue

To explore the movement toward increased complex systems (CS) research in education, this special issue of the Journal of Experimental Education was developed to identify some under-examined places...
The effects of size and content of cerium oxide nanoparticles on a composite sensor for hydroxyl radicals detection

Abstract A screen-printed carbon electrode was modified with a composite comprised of cerium oxide nanoparticles and graphene oxide (CeNP/GO) to be employed as a sensing device for hydroxyl radicals (•OH) detection. CeO2 nanoparticles (CeNPs) were synthesized using a precipitation method, and the CeNP/GO composites were fabricated using a low-temperature solution process. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to determine the average size and the distribution of CeNPs on the composites. X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the composition of the CeNP/GO composites. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to characterize the interaction of the composite sensor with OH generated by the Fenton reaction. The effects of size and content of CeNPs on the sensor response with OH were examined using 8, 12, and 16 nm CeNPs with loadings of 10, 25, 50, 75, and 90 wt% CeNPs on the CeNP/GO composite. The CeNP/GO composite with 8 nm CeNPs showed the largest sensor response to OH for all the tested ratios. Furthermore, the composites containing 50 wt% of CeNPs demonstrated the largest sensor responses in the detection of OH. The lowest detection limit (0.085 mM) was observed with the composite consisting of 8 nm CeNPs with a CeNP:GO ratio of 50:50. It is thought that the lower content of GO and the aggregation of CeNPs as the loading ratio increased above 50 wt% resulted in lower current changes and poor sensor performance.
Validation of threshold values for pancreas thickness and T1-weighted signal intensity ratio in the pediatric pancreas

Pancreas atrophy and the loss of T1-weighted signal intensity by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are findings of chronic pancreatitis. The purpose of this study was to test published normal values and cutoffs for pancreas thickness and the pancreas:spleen T1-weighted signal intensity ratio in children without pancreatic disease. This was a secondary analysis of prospectively collected MRI data for 50 children (range: 6.3–15.9 years; 27 female) with no history of pancreatic disease. Two observers (R1, R2) measured linear pancreas thickness on axial T1-weighted, fat-saturated gradient recalled echo images and placed regions of interest in the pancreas and spleen to calculate the T1-weighted signal intensity ratio. Measurements were compared to published pediatric normal values (computed tomography [CT], ultrasound [US]) and adult cutoffs (CT, MRI). Compared to published pediatric values for CT, 68% (R1: 34/50) or 40% (R2: 22/50) of participants had ≥1 pancreas segment with thickness below the normal range. No participant had a thickness value below the normal range published for US. Compared to cutoff values in adults, 84% (R1: 42/50) or 80% (R2: 40/50) of participants met the criteria for pancreas atrophy. Mean T1-weighted signal intensity ratio was 1.33±0.15 (R1) and 1.32±0.16 (R2). Twelve (R1: 24.5% of 49) or 11/49 (R2: 22.4%) participants had a T1-weighted signal intensity ratio below the threshold associated with exocrine insufficiency in adults. Previously defined thresholds for pancreas thickness and pancreas:spleen T1-weighted signal intensity ratio appear too restrictive for a pediatric population. Further study is needed to define optimal quantitative metrics for findings of chronic pancreatitis in children.
Reading the Lattice QCD Form Factors of the $\Lambda_b \rightarrow \Lambda_c$ Transition Using a C-Code

The $\Lambda_b \rightarrow \Lambda_c \ell^- \bar{\nu}_\ell$ process has been discussed in the literatures as a probe for new physics. This process receives contributions in new physics models from scalar, vector, and tensor hadronic currents. The form factors of these currents can be obtained from the quark model or the lattice QCD. In this work, we present a c-code to read the scalar, vector, and tensor lattice QCD form factors. A Mathematica code was used in Ref. \cite{Datta:2017aue} to read the form factors. Our c-code is much faster than the Mathematica code where the ratio of the wall clock time for the c-code compared to the Mathematica code is 1:64.2 per data point.
The Left Reflects on the Global Pandemic and Speaks to Transform

The structure of this intervention is deliberately schizo-analytic: "and then-," and "then-." They are preparatory notes for a webinar by Transform! Europe on the COVID, arranged before the global explosion of Black Lives Matter. I question the top-down philanthropy of the bourgeois Left. I take the Rohingyas as bottom-line victims. I speak from two hometowns-Calcutta and New York. I ask the bourgeois Euro-U.S. Left not to monolithize the Global South. Many examples of how "India" is constructed are given. From New York, the United States is declared a failed state. Trump's delinquencies are mentioned. It is argued that the only remedy at present is human behaviour and the typical U.S. character is not ready to practice this. This empirical fact shows the failure of the Kantian Sublime and reminds us that Kant thinks that the human moral will comes in to protect us from a hugely frightening natural phenomenon only by "subreption," the same impulse that says that following steps provided by institutional religion will absolve us. Class and caste are taken into consideration throughout. I mention that as a coronavirus convalescent, I am donating plasma regularly.
Trends in Home Birth Information Seeking in the United States and United Kingdom During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 has affected birthing practices on a global scale. Partners and doulas have been excluded from hospital birthing rooms,1 and patients have avoided hospital-based care.2 Simultaneously, home birth practitioners have reported increased interest in their services. In this analysis, we used online search data to assess changes in home birth information-seeking behaviors across the United States and United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effect of Test Sequence on Maximal Anaerobic and Aerobic Power Achievements in Adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of test sequence on adults' ability to achieve maximal aerobic and anaerobic power during a single assessment visit. Forty-one adults (24 men, 17 women; 22.0 ± 1.8 years) completed two baseline visits in randomized order consisting of either a maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) or Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). The subsequent experimental visit consisted of both VO2max and WAnT in randomized order separated by 20 minutes of rest. Mixed-model ANOVAs compared baseline and experimental performance between and within groups. Chi Squared Goodness of Fit tests determined if test sequence significantly affected VO2max criteria achievement. Significant interaction effects were observed for relative VO2max (p = 0.005), RER (p < 0.001), and exercise time (p = 0.022). Within WAnT/VO2max subjects, these values significantly decreased from baseline to experimental tests. No differences were found for WAnT values. During the experimental session, 50% of subjects who performed WAnt/VO2max and 81% of subjects who performed VO2max/WAnT achieved a valid VO2max. Chi squared analysis found the change to be significant in WAnT/VO2max subjects only. Therefore, performing the WAnT before VO2max sequence significantly reduced the percent of subjects who achieved VO2max criteria. These findings indicate that the sequence of VO2max testing before a WAnT allowed maximal results similar to expected baseline values.
Developing a cooperative learning project: bridging the design, merchandising and retail processes

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a cross-disciplinary collaborative project where students can engage in a cross-disciplinary collaborative learning environment in which student...
Overall Congregational Vitality in the United Church of Christ: Predictors and Implications:

This article examines the predictors of overall congregational vitality in the United Church of Christ (UCC), a US mainline Protestant denomination of approximately 5,000 churches and 800,000 membe...
Creating cascading non-linear solutions for the UN sustainable development goals through green chemistry

Paul T. Anastas is the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Professor in the Practice of Chemistry for the Environment. He has appointments in the School of the Environment and Yale School of Public Health. In addition, Prof. Anastas serves as the Director of the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale. Anastas took public service leave from Yale to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency Science Advisor from 2009-2012. Julie B. Zimmerman holds joint appointments as a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and School of the Environment (YSE) at Yale University. She also serves at the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at YSE as well as the Deputy Director of Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering at Yale. Prior to joining the faculty at Yale, Zimmerman worked as an Program Manager in the Office of Research and Development at the US EPA.
Second Order Linear State Models

In this chapter physical processes are considered which can be described by second order linear state equations. A brief discussion of some mathematical aspects of such equations is given; then the systems approach is used to develop and analyze state models for several particular physical processes.
Mothers, Myths, and the Law of Divorce: One More Feminist Case for Partnership

Family law's model of marriage as a companionate, egalitarian relationship in which spouses make equal or similar contributions to work and home does not reflect the reality of many marriages. The attractiveness of this simplistic model of equality lies partly in three supporting mother myths: mothering just happens, mothering is free, and mothering is for babies. Innocent as they may seem, these myths pose great danger for divorcing mothers by creating fictional baselines of appropriate behavior against which real mothers are judged. While the ALI has taken steps toward slaying portions of these myths, their ultimate demise depends on abandonment of the law's egalitarian model of marriage and adoption of a model that distinguishes between status and contribution. Such a model lies in the gender-neutral, equality-based principles and rules of partnership.
Toward single‐walled carbon nanotube–gadolinium complex as advanced MRI contrast agents: Pharmacodynamics and global genomic response in small animals

Gadolinium nanoparticle-catalyzed single-walled carbon nanotubes (Gd-SWCNTs) have recently shown potential in vitro as high-performance T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CAs). Their preclinical safety assessment at nontoxic dosages is essential for MRI applications. Herein, the in vivo (in rats) pharmacodynamics of Gd-SWCNTs (water solubilized with the amphiphilic polymer PEG-DSPE) at the organ, tissue, molecular, and genetic level is reported. Gd-SWCNT, commercially available iron catalyzed SWCNTs (Fe-SWCNTs, control 1) and PEG-DSPE (control 2) solutions were intravenously injected at a potential nontoxic therapeutic dose (0.5 mg/kg body weight, single bolus). Postinjection, bright-field optical microscopy showed their macroscale distribution in lung, liver, kidney, brain, and spleen up to 5 days. Raman and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed their presence at the nanoscale within hepatocytes. Their effects on the host organ tissue, molecular, and genetic level were analyzed after 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 days by histology, biomolecular [lipid peroxidation, plasma tumor necrosis factor TNF-α assay, microarrays] assays. The results indicate that Gd-SWCNTs neither cause any inflammation, nor damage to the above organs, nor any significant change in the lipid peroxidation or plasma proinflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) levels for all the groups at all time points. Global gene expression profile of liver (main organ for the metabolism) after day 1 treatment with Gd-SWCNTs shows that the gene regulation is directed toward maintaining normal homeostasis. The results taken together indicate that PEG-DSPE water-solubilized Gd-SWCNTs at potentially nontoxic dosages have pharmacodynamics similar to other commercially available Fe-SWCNTs and are suitable for future preclinical development as in vivo MRI CAs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2013.
C) Means to Enhance Penetration

Abstract This paper discusses the challenges to be met in designing delivery systems that maximize the absorption of peptide and protein drugs from the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. The ideal delivery system for either route of administration is one that will release its contents only at a favorable region of absorption, where the delivery system attaches by virtue of specific interaction with surface determinants unique to that region and where the delivery system travels at a rate independent of the transitory constraints inherent of the route of administration. Such a delivery system, which is as yet unavailable, will benefit not only peptide and protein drugs, but other poorly absorbed drugs.
ACORN Organizing & Chicago Homecare Workers

Excerpt] Every few months our office receives some piece of direct mail concerning a conference or seminar on union organizing put on by some professional salesperson. The piece extolls the virtues of professional sales techniques for "selling the union" to prospective union members. We throw these advertisements away. Nothing could be more foreign to ACORN's way of doing things. The idea that a union organizer's job is to "sell" his or her union is totally alien to our model for labor organizing, a model which was developed out of ACORN's years of experience with successful community organizing. When we organize a company, the organizer's job is to be a catalyst or contact person, to listen to peoples' perceptions of what they would like to see improved where they work and to help them realize these aspirations through self-organization and action. ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — formed the United Labor Unions (ULU) in 1978 with the purpose of organizing low-wage workers in industries and regions that traditional unions were not organizing.
Combined impact of catchment size, land cover, and precipitation on streamflow and total dissolved nitrogen: A global comparative analysis

Nitrogen (N) loading is a global stressor to fresh and salt water systems with cascading effects on ecosystem processes. However, it is unclear if generalized global response patterns exist between discharge and N sourcing and retention with respect to land cover and precipitation. Using data compiled from 78 catchments from across the world, we identified how discharge and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) vary with precipitation and land cover and how TDN yields deviate from a generalized global response pattern. Area-weighted discharge regressions indicate that catchment size and the absence of vegetation largely control hydrologic responses. TDN concentrations and yields varied significantly (P 0.05) of discharge, suggesting that these sites are less sensitive to shifts in discharge associated with global climate change, but are more sensitive to shifts in hydrologic partitioning in response to land cover change. Clustering based on precipitation and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses show a shift in TDN responses from physical transport controls on TDN sourcing at the most arid and water limited sites to climate and biologically mediated controls on TDN retention at the wetter sites. Combined, these results indicate that terrestrial systems may have differential response to changes in precipitation based on existing land use and that the impact of land use change on N fate and transport occurs within the context of climate conditions.
Farm Level Control of Foreign Animal Disease and Food‐Borne Pathogens

Preventing the introduction of diseases, especially foreign animal diseases (FADs), and diseases that could cause food-borne illness is critically important. Science-based rules and regulations established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) govern activities that could present homeland security risks. This article presents an overview of animal agriculture production in the United States and how that influences farm-level control of pathogens, preventing and controlling the introduction of FADs by understanding the structure of food-producing industries and the farm-level vulnerabilities, and finally, farm-level control of contemporary critical pathogens. The beef, poultry, and pork-producing industries are discussed. The beef industry with its extensive nature of production in cow–calf operations is the most vulnerable to agroterrorism. The poultry industry is arguably the industry most protected from an agroterrorist attack. But the poultry and swine industries are still vulnerable, because the structure of these industries and the intensive production practices used has resulted in large numbers of animals located in relatively small geographic areas. So if an FAD outbreak does occur, the potential economic impacts are still very high. Contemporary FADs discussed in detail are highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), and classical swine fever (CSF). Keywords: pork; poultry; beef; FMD; HPAI; foreign animal disease
Assessing the effect of vaccine on spontaneous abortion using time‐dependent covariates Cox models

Purpose In studying the safety of vaccine for influenza A (H1N1) given during pregnancy, spontaneous abortion (SAB) is one of the important points to consider. Because women may receive the vaccine any time during their pregnancy, evaluation of the effect of the vaccine on SAB should only take place after vaccination and in the risk window for SAB, that is, the first 20 weeks of gestation. In addition, when such studies are conducted through pregnancy registries where recruitment occurs after pregnancy recognition, the accrued subjects are left truncated in the sense that they are not followed from the start of pregnancy. Methods As previously reported, left truncation needs to be properly handled using survival analysis methods to avoid bias. In the context of time-dependent vaccine exposure, a time-dependent covariate Cox model can be used to simultaneously take into account the left truncation and the vaccine exposure timing. Results In this communication, we illustrate the approach using the Vaccine and Medication in Pregnancy Surveillance System data. We explain in details how the model is fitted using different software. Conclusions We recommend survival analysis methods together with collection of necessary data to study the effects of vaccine on SAB. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Galaxy Assembly and SMBH/AGN-growth from Cosmic Dawn to the End of Reionization

[abridged] We propose a tiered, UV--near-IR, cosmological broad- and medium-band imaging and grism survey that covers ~10 deg^2 in two epochs to m_AB=28, ~3 deg^2 in seven epochs to m_AB=28, and ~1 deg^2 in 20 epochs to m_AB=30 mag. Such a survey is an essential complement to JWST surveys ( 1100nm and z>~8). We aim to: (1) understand in how galaxies formed from perturbations in the primordial density field by studying faint Ly\alpha-emitting and Lyman-break galaxies at 5.5 ~5x10^6 galaxies; (5) trace the strongly epoch-dependent galaxy merger rate and constrain how Dark Energy affected galaxy assembly and the growth of SMBHs; (6) study >~10^5 weak AGN/feeding SMBHs in the faint-end of the QSO LF, over 10 deg^2 and measure how the growth of SMBHs kept pace with galaxy assembly and spheroid growth, and how this process was shaped by various feedback processes over cosmic times since z~8. The proposed study is not feasible with current instrumentation but argues for a wide-field (>~250 arcmin^2), high-resolution (<~0.02--0.11 [300--1700 nm]), UV--near-IR imaging facility on a 4m-class space observatory.
Population Change and Social Continuity: Ten Years in a Coal Town

By examining the social structure of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, during a period of massive demographic change, the author challenges the notion that rapid population growth and intense mobility undermines the stability of the community.
Efficient mutation analysis: a new approach

In previously reported research we designed and analyzed algorithms that improved upon the run time complexity of all known weak and strong mutation analysis methods at the expense of increased space complexity. Here we describe a new serial strong mutation algorithm whose running time is on the average much faster than the previous ones and that uses significantly less space than them also. Its space requirement is approximately the same as that of Mothra, a well-known and readily available implemented system. Moreover, while this algorithm can serve as basis for a new mutation system, it is designed to be consistent with the Mothra architecture, in the sense that, by replacing certain modules of that system with new ones, a much faster system will result. Such a Mothra-based implementation of the new work is in progress.Like the previous algorithms, this one, which we call Lazy Mutant Analysis or LMA, tries to determine whether a mutant is strongly killed by a given test only if it is already known that it is weakly killed by that test. Unlike those algorithms, LMA avoids executing many mutants by dynamically discovering classes of mutants that have the “same” behavior, and executing representatives of those classes. The overhead it incurs is small in proportion to the time saved, and the algorithm has a very natural parallel implementation.In comparison to the fastest known algorithms for strong mutation analysis, in the best case, LMA can improve the speed by a factor proportional to the average number of mutants per program statement. In the worst case, there is no improvement in the running time, but such a case is hard to construct. This work enables us to apply mutation analysis to significantly larger programs than is currently possible.
Implications of Institutionalizing Self-Regulated Learning: An Analysis from Four Sociological Perspectives

Researchers, theorists, practitioners, and policy makers have shown interest in better preparing students to self-regulate their learning. In educational psychology, researchers have developed a number of pedagogical models and instructional strategies designed to facilitate students’ self-regulated learning (SRL). This effort is demonstrative of the growing trend to make SRL more widespread and systematic within education, that is, to make SRL an institutional goal. In this analysis, four sociological perspectives are used—functionalism, neo-Marxism, symbolic interactionism, and cultural reproduction theory—to consider some of the complexities associated with institutionalizing SRL. These perspectives help to illuminate some of the conceptual nuances of SRL and the pedagogical complexities associated with teaching SRL.
Characterizing a sewage plume using the 3H-3He dating technique

An extensive 3 H −3He study was performed to determine detailed characteristics of a regional flow system and a sewage plume over a distance of 4 km in a sand and gravel aquifer at Otis Air Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts. 3 H −3He ages increase with depth in individual piezometer clusters and with distance along flowpaths. However, the age gradient with depth (Δt/Δ z) is smaller in the plume than that in the regional waters, due to the intense recharge in the infiltration beds. The 1960s bomb peak of tritium in precipitation is archived longitudinally along a flowline through the main axis of the plume and vertically in individual piezometer clusters. On the eastern side of the sampling area, where water from Ashumet Pond forces plume water deeper into the flow system, 3 H −3He ages are young at depth because the 3 H −3He “clock” is reset due to outgassing of helium in the pond. A reconstruction of the tritium input functions for the regional and plume samples shows that there is no offset in the peak [3H]+[3Hetrit] concentrations for the plume and regional water, indicating that the water from supply wells for use on the base is young. The 3 H −3He ages and detergent concentrations in individual wells are consistent with the beginning of use of detergents and the time period when their concentrations in sewage would have been greatest. Ages and hydraulic properties calculated using the 3 H −3He data compare well with those from previous investigations and from particle-tracking simulations.
Transgenic tomato plant carrying a gene for NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (gdhA) from Aspergillus nidulans

Abstract Tomato plants were transformed with gene constructs that contained the gdhA gene for NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase from Aspergillus nidulans coupled in the sense orientation with the constitutively active 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus. Four independent transformants, which had one or several copies of the gene in their genomes, were obtained. In these transgenic lines, high-level expression of gdhA mRNA was detected in leaves and fruits, and NADP–GDH activity was detected at high levels in leaves. In the tomatoes from 6 successive weeks after the first flowering, the levels of total free amino acids in transgenic fruits were higher (2- to 3-fold) than that in controls. In particular, the level of glutamate was about twice that in control fruits.
Comparison of the properties of detergent-solubilized NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductases from pig liver and kidney immunochemical, kinetic, and reconstitutive properties

Abstract NADPH-cytochrome P -450 reductases from pig liver and kidney and rabbit liver microsomes were purified to a specific activity of 50–62 μmol cytochrome c reduced/min/mg. All reductase preparations were separated into one major and one minor fraction on Sephadex G-200 columns. The molecular weights of the major fractions of the reductases were estimated to be 74,000, 75,000, and 75,500 for rabbit liver, pig kidney, and liver reductases, respectively, whereas the molecular weight of the minor fractions of these reductases, 67,000, was the same as that of the steapsin-solubilized pig liver reductase on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. K m values for NADPH and cytochrome c were: 20 and 29 μ m or 14 and 28 μ m for the pig kidney or liver reductase, respectively. Immunochemical studies, including Ouchterlony double diffusion experiments and inhibition of benzphetamine N -demethylation activity in microsomes by antibody against pig liver NADPH-cytochrome P -450 reductase, indicated the similarity of the purified liver and kidney reductases. There were no differences in the ability to reconstitute NADPH-mediated benzphetamine N -demethylation and laurate hydroxylation in reconstituted systems between the pig liver and kidney reductases, indicating that the reductase did not determine substrate specificity in these systems.
Extinction of associative learning in Hermissenda: Behavior and neural correlates☆

The nudibranch mollusk Hermissenda crassicornis' normal attraction to light can be suppressed by repeated pairings of light with rotation. The present study examines the effects of extinction procedures on this simple form of associative learning. Presentation of non-reinforced light steps following associative conditioning resulted in an attenuation of phototaxic suppression, evident at both short- and long-term retention intervals. The absence of habituation of phototaxic behavior, coupled with the failure to demonstrate spontaneous recovery of extinguished conditioned suppression, indicates that extinction of associative conditioning in Hermissenda depends little upon non-associative learning processes. Electrophysiological evidence indicates that the Type B photoreceptors, which have been causally implicated in the acquisition and retention of associative learning, play an important role in mediating extinction as well. Enhanced input resistances and light responses of B cells, which are produced by associative training, are absent for animals subsequently exposed to light unaccompanied by rotation. In terms of both behavioral and electrophysiological measures, extinction appears to result primarily from a reversal of the original acquisition process.
Diurnal Variation of Spontaneous Uterine Activity in Nonpregnant Primates (Macaca mulatta)

Diurnal variations in the average intrauterine pressure and in the average frequency of contraction were demonstrated in four nonpregnant rhesus monkeys. Uterine activity is lowest between 0400 and 0700 hours and highest between 1400 and 1700 hours. There is statistically significant correlation between uterine activity and diurnal variation in core temperature.
Chinese immigrants' perceptions of the police in Toronto, Canada

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess empirically Chinese immigrants' perceptions of the police in Toronto, Canada.Design/methodology/approach – Data were analyzed based on 293 surveys conducted with Chinese immigrants who participated in various community service organizations in Toronto, Canada, between March and May 2005. Ordinary least squares and ordered logit regressions are used for the analysis.Findings – The paper shows that individuals who had previous contact with police rated police less favorably than those who had not had contact with police in the past. In general, people who rated police as helpful when they called them for assistance expressed a higher degree of respect for police. In addition, poor communication was a significant predictor of Chinese immigrants' perception of police prejudice. Finally, a majority of respondents expressed the concern that more bilingual police were needed in the city.Research limitations/implications – As with any study utilizing a non‐probabil...
Dielectric and optical properties of transparent ferroelectric glass-ceramic systems

Abstract The properties and behavior of optically transparent materials prepared by controlled crystallization of a ferroelectric phase from a glass are discussed. The dielectric and optical properties are different from those of the bulk materials and are shown to be a function of the crystallite size. The control of the crystallite size to values below 0.2 μm allows one to prepare transparent specimens which exhibit a large electrooptic effect. The dielectric and electrooptic properties are shown for a representative number of glass-ceramic systems.
Technical Objectivity Supporting Systems Engineering for Internal R&D Projects

Three capabilities, or intellectual tools, are considered particularly important to Research and Development (RD namely Technical Objectivity, Technical Depth and Technical Breadth. In this brief report we deal with the first tool and leave the latter two for a future paper. The paper concentrates on the system engineering process in company-funded Internal R&D. The intent is to illustrate Technical Objectivity as a tool in addressing internal and external corporate product innovation barriers, and as an essential element in achieving an IR&D product's commercial success in the market place. The systems engineer's task of identifying, acquiring and applying Technical Objectivity is discussed, including characteristics and applications. This task is applicable (tailorable) to several types of IR&D efforts within the fast moving infotech, biotech - medical, telecommunications, instrumentation/electronics, and engineering/technical services industries, as well as the aerospace and defense industries. Our main observation is that Total Technical Objectivity for planning and operating IR&D projects is a capability found in a team, rather than in an individual.
Regional variation in prevalence and etiology of allergic contact dermatitis.

Background: The 1994-1996 North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) patch test results were the first, since the inception of the NACDG in 1970, to include results from a medium-sized metropolitan city in the Midwest. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the causative allergens of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Midwest differ from those in other regions of the United States and, if so, whether occupational or other factors account for the observed differences. Methods: Retrospective analyses of patch test data collected at the University of Kansas Medical Center (Kansas City, KS) were compared with the data collected by the other NACDG centers. Results: Patients in Kansas City were statistically more likely to react to potassium dichromate, formaldehyde and its releasers, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI), and glutaraldehyde. Occupational exposures to chromium and formaldehyde were increased significantly among patients from Kansas City, although the percentages of the local population engaged in these occupations did not differ from those in other NACDG cities. Equal percentages of workers in Kansas City and nationally had occupationally related allergy to glutaraldehyde, although the overall rate of glutaraldehyde was higher among patients from Kansas City. Most cases of relevant allergy to MCI/MI were cosmetically induced both in Kansas City and nationally. Conclusions: The current findings show significant regional differences in causal allergens. The increased percentages of patients seen with ACD to formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and potassium dichromate in Kansas City were likely caused by the referral of greater numbers of work-related cases. However, occupationally acquired ACD to MCI/MI and glutaraldehyde were not more frequent in Kansas City than nationally, suggesting that other factors might be operative. Although awareness of national trends is important, dermatologists must be cognizant of regional variations in allergen sources within their communities and referral networks.
Rate constants for the gas‐phase reactions of selected dibasic esters with the OH radical

Using a relative rate method, rate constants have been measured for the gas-phase reactions of the OH radical with the dibasic esters dimethyl succinate [CH3OC(O)CH2CH2C(O)OCH3], dimethyl glutarate [CH3OC(O)CH2CH2CH2C(O)OCH3], and dimethyl adipate [CH3OC(O)CH2CH2CH2CH2C(O)OCH3] at 298±3 K. The rate constants obtained were (in units of 10−12 cm3 molecule−1 s−1): dimethyl succinate, 1.4±0.6; dimethyl glutarate, 3.3±1.1; and dimethyl adipate, 8.4±2.5, where the indicated errors include the estimated overall uncertainty of ±25% in the rate constant for cyclohexane, the reference compound. The calculated tropospheric lifetimes of these dibasic esters due to gas-phase reaction with the OH radical range from 1.4 days for dimethyl adipate to 8.3 days for dimethyl succinate for a 24 h average OH radical concentration of 1.0×106 molecule cm−3. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet: 30: 471–474, 1998
Characterizing Microclimate and Plant Community Variation in Wetlands

Groundwater-fed calcareous wetlands (fens) support diverse plant assemblages including rare species and boreal disjuncts, yet factors structuring related microclimatic and plant community variation have not been thoroughly examined. We investigated factors influencing microclimate variation in temperate fens relative to uplands and examined associated plant compositional gradients within fens. Large differences in average soil temperatures were observed between monitoring locations during a 161 day period in 2010 (range: 14.5 to 20.0 °C). Using a regression approach, we developed accurate daily resolution soil temperature models (min and max) from a 29-sensor network by integrating atmospheric and hydrologic terms. Models accurately predicted validation observations from an independent 17-sensor network (R2 values 0.92 minimums; 0.95 maximums) with low error compared to null models. Environmental variation in seasonal average soil temperature, snow depth, specific conductance, canopy closure, and non-vascular plant cover were correlated with spatial patterns in vascular plant community composition. Results of plant community analyses provided insufficient support to suggest boreal and non-boreal species occupied distinct microsites. Given the significant soil temperature variation observed, we suggest further investigation of climatic factors structuring wetland plant communities are warranted to inform the placement of conservation reserves that may be less vulnerable to climate change.
Computer Aided Identification of Small Molecules Disrupting uPAR/α5β1- Integrin Interaction: A New Paradigm for Metastasis Prevention

BACKGROUND Disseminated dormant cancer cells can resume growth and eventually form overt metastases, but the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for this change remains obscure. We previously established that cell surface interaction between urokinase receptor (uPAR) and alpha5beta1-integrin initiates a sequel of events, involving MAPK-ERK activation that culminates in progressive cancer growth. We also identified the site on uPAR that binds alpha5beta1-integrin. Disruption of uPAR/integrin interaction blocks ERK activation and forces cancer cells into dormancy. METHODS AND PRINCIPLE FINDINGS Using a target structure guided computation docking we identified 68 compounds from a diversity library of 13,000 small molecules that were predicted to interact with a previously identified integrin-binding site on uPAR. Of these 68 chemical hits, ten inhibited ERK activation in a cellular assay and of those, 2 compounds, 2-(Pyridin-2-ylamino)-quinolin-8-ol and, 2,2'-(methylimino)di (8-quinolinol) inhibited ERK activation by disrupting the uPAR/integrins interaction. These two compounds, when applied in vivo, inhibited ERK activity and tumor growth and blocked metastases of a model head and neck carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE We showed that interaction between two large proteins (uPAR and alpha5beta1-integrin) can be disrupted by a small molecule leading to profound downstream effects. Because this interaction occurs in cells with high uPAR expression, a property almost exclusive to cancer cells, we expect a new therapy based on these lead compounds to be cancer cell specific and minimally toxic. This treatment, rather than killing disseminated metastatic cells, should induce a protracted state of dormancy and prevent overt metastases.