cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematic Position of the Intertidal Genus Bryobiota Casey and a Revised Phylogeny of the Falagriine Genera of America North of Mexico (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

A systematic revision of the aleocharine genus Bryobiota is presented. Bryobiota is redescribed, and two species are recognized, one of which is transferred from Salinamexus ( B. giulianii (Moore) new combination). Myrmecopora californica Scheerpeltz is synonymized under B. bicolor (Casey). Lectotype and paralectotypes of B. bicolor (Casey) are designated. A key is provided for separation of the known species of Bryobiota, and illustrations of diagnostic features are presented. Based on slender neck, pronotum shape, mouthpart structure, and genitalic structure, and especially the presence of a distinctive gland opening on the anterior margin of abdominal sternum IV, Bryobiota is hypothesized to be a member of the tribe Falagriini rather than the tribe Phytosini. A revised key to the genera of Falagriini of America North of Mexico by Hoebeke (1985) is given. Placement of the genus Myrmecopora Saulcy within the Falagriini is discussed. A revised cladistic analysis of the genera of Falagriini of America North of Mexico is presented. Cordalia is the most basal clade and sister group to all other falagriine genera in the analysis. Bryobiota and Mynnecopora are sister taxa and together are the sister group of the eight remaining genera.
Intricacies of assessing the human microbiome in epidemiologic studies

Purpose In the past decade, remarkable relationships have been documented between dysbiosis of the human microbiota and adverse health outcomes. This review seeks to highlight some of the challenges and pitfalls that may be encountered during all stages of microbiota research, from study design and sample collection, to nucleic acid extraction and sequencing, and bioinformatic and statistical analysis.
Supervising or Coaching? Thoughts on Student Teaching

When I was in high school and full of hubris, I became convinced that I could do a better job than my teacher was doing, and so, sure enough but years later, I landed in an urban high school to do a rotation in practice teaching. I was paired with an old, tired – or so he seemed to me – gentleman who met me at the door to his classroom to give me one piece of advice. “Don’t be easy on them but don’t be too hard on them either. If you can get this crowd to remember who George Washington was, you’ll be lucky.” Then he introduced me to his class, showed me the textbook, and eagerly joined his buddies in the cellar where they smoked cigarettes and, I suppose, discussed the Boston Red Sox, the ways in which the principal was messing up, and wondering how I, the wife of the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, was coping with the nonacademic class upstairs. I didn’t really mind the fact that I was on my own, observed only once by my “supervisor” from Harvard and never by the classroom teacher.
Abstract 315: Potential role of androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistance

Clinical assessment of breast cancer tumors has shown that androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in more than 75% of cases, independent of molecular subtype. Specifically, clinical studies have shown that estrogen receptor (ER) and AR discordance correlates with endocrine resistance. Preclinical studies show that downregulation of ER results in a lack of estrogen mediated growth which is concurrent with upregulation of AR and its mediated gene targets. In addition, forced expression of AR was shown to induce resistance to tamoxifen, even when estrogen receptor was still expressed. Furthermore, ER positive breast cancer cells made resistant to tamoxifen express higher levels of AR and show sensitivity to abiraterone acetate. Together, these results implicate AR in endocrine resistance and suggest AR as a potential therapeutic target in a subset of these endocrine resistant cancers. The aim of this study was to better understand the role of AR in aromatase inhibitor (AI) resistance through the use of cell lines made resistant to AI through xenograft mouse modeling. In this study, MCF7 cells, MCF7 cells transfected with the human aromatase gene (MCF7Ca), and their aromatase inhibitor (AI) resistant counterparts, were analyzed for changes in AR and ER expression by qPCR and Western blot. Sensitivity of these cells to AR targeting agents was assessed by MTT assay. MCF7Ca cells displayed decreased expression of AR and increased expression of ER when compared to MCF7 cells. AI-resistant cell lines displayed modulation of ER and AR expression when compared to their AI-sensitive counterparts. Upregulation of AR was accompanied with increased AR transcriptional activity, as demonstrated by increased expression of PSA. Treatment of AI-resistant cells with AR targeting agents displayed increased sensitivity when compared to AI-sensitive cells. Together, these results suggest that upregulation of AR may contribute to AI-resistance, and that targeting AR in AI-resistant breast cancer may have therapeutic relevance. Citation Format: Caleb Hunt, Sarah E. Lock, Cynthia E. Shannon, Nichole M. Varela-Gonzalez, Randolph K. Larsen, Amanda J. Schech. Potential role of androgen receptor in aromatase inhibitor resistance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 315.
The Long Reach of Nurturing Family Environments Links With Midlife Emotion-Regulatory Styles and Late-Life Security in Intimate Relationships

Does the warmth of children's family environments predict the quality of their intimate relationships at the other end of the life span? Using data collected prospectively on 81 men from adolescence through the eighth and ninth decades of life, this study tested the hypotheses that warmer relationships with parents in childhood predict greater security of attachment to intimate partners in late life, and that this link is mediated in part by the degree to which individuals in midlife rely on emotion-regulatory styles that facilitate or inhibit close relationship connections. Findings supported this mediational model, showing a positive link between more nurturing family environments in childhood and greater security of attachment to spouses more than 60 years later. This link was partially mediated by reliance on more engaging and less distorting styles of emotion regulation in midlife. The findings underscore the far-reaching influence of childhood environment on well-being in adulthood.
Semiconducting properties of cold sintered V2O5 ceramics and Co-sintered V2O5-PEDOT:PSS composites

Abstract Recently we established a sintering approach, namely Cold Sintering Process (CSP), to densify ceramics and ceramic-polymer composites at extraordinarily low temperatures. In this work, the microstructures and semiconducting properties of V2O5 ceramic and (1-x)V2O5-xPEDOT:PSS composites cold sintered at 120 °C were investigated. The electrical conductivity (25 °C), activation energy (25 °C), and Seebeck coefficient (50 °C) of V2O5 are 4.8 × 10−4 S/cm, 0.25 eV, and −990 μV/K, respectively. The conduction mechanism was studied using a hopping model. A reversible metal-insulator transition (MIT) was observed with V2O5 samples exposed to a N2 atmosphere, whereas in a vacuum atmosphere, no obvious MIT could be detected. With the addition of 1–2 Vol% PEDOT:PSS, the electrical conductivity (50 °C) dramatically increases from 10−4 to 10−3 ∼ 10−2 S/cm, and the Seebeck coefficient (50 °C) shifts from −990 to −(600 ∼ 250) μV/K. All the results indicate that CSP may offer a new processing route for the semiconductor electroceramic development without a compromise to the all-important electrical properties.
Three Simple Flumes for Flow Measurement in Open Channels

AbstractThe design and calibration of three simple flumes for flow measurements in open channels are discussed. The flumes are designed based on principles of critical flow in open channels. Critic...
Blogging mathematics

Explanations with others help students learn yet little is known about how technology can support and augment these benefits. This paper describes an experiment that compared the effects of mathematical discourse (i.e., explaining, justifying, and arguing) with peers either face-to-face or using technology (a blog) on fraction learning. We hypothesized that blogs may provide benefits beyond face-to-face collaborations because a record of explanations is accessible for subsequent reflection, which allows students to revisit and revise their explanations. A quasi-experimental design with 134 fifth grade students (ages 911) was used to investigate the change in conceptual and procedural knowledge of fractions measured as change from pretest to posttest and delayed posttest. The results indicated that students in the blog condition showed the largest gains in conceptual knowledge from pretest to posttest and at delayed posttest. There was no significant difference between groups on procedural knowledge. The results suggest that the use of blogs may provide unique supports for learning because students are provided opportunities to explain, justify, and argue their thinking, as well as critique the reasoning of others through an interactive learning environment that affords the opportunity to clarify understandings and misconceptions that may not otherwise exist in a traditional face-to-face learning environment. Blog-based explanations improved learning more than face-to-face explanations.Explanations improved conceptual but not procedural fraction understanding.The unique affordances of blogs improved collaborative learning with explanations.
Those Pirates and Muslim Barbarians: The American Public View of the Barbary Nations and the United States Participation in the Barbary War

Although the Marine Anthem is sung quite often throughout the country, relatively few know the extent of its history or the meaning of the phrase, "from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli." In the early 1800s the United States was at war with the Barbary Nations in what would come to be known as the Barbary Wars. The American public glorified the United States and made the Barbary nations into an evil enemy. The historiography of the Barbary Wars tends to be written from a diplomatic or military approach, and understandably so. The fight against these North African pirates afforded some of the earliest and most celebrated actions of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. This combat also began a long and ongoing U.S. military presence in the Middle East, and the American public's interest in the greater Islamic world. Little has been written, though, on the new nation's reaction to the war. This article will address the American people's reaction to the United States dealing with the Barbary Nations.
Mechanical Properties of 3-D LENS and PBF Printed Stainless Steel 316L Prototypes

Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) and Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) are 3-D additive manufacturing (AM) processes. They are capable of printing metal parts with complex geometries and dimensions effectively. Studies have shown that AM processes create metals with distinctive microstructure features and material properties, which are highly dependent on the processing parameters. The mechanical properties of an AM material may appear to be similar to the corresponding wrought material in some way. This investigation focuses on the relationships among AM process, microstructure features, and material properties. The study involves several AM SS316L components made from 3D LENS and PBF printing. Specimens were taken from different locations and orientations of AM components to obtain the associated tensile properties, including yield, strength, and ductility, and to conduct microstructure analyses.
Lobectomy for treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer: can patients avoid postoperative thyroid hormone supplementation and be compliant with the American Thyroid Association guidelines?

Background The American Thyroid Association recommended thyroid lobectomy as an alternative for low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer. One hypothetical benefit includes avoiding lifelong thyroid hormone supplementation; however, guidelines recommend maintaining the thyroid-stimulating hormone Methods A retrospective review of 555 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid lobectomy was performed. Thyroid hormone supplementation was documented, along with thyroid-stimulating hormone levels preoperatively, 7 to 10 days, and 2 to 12 months postoperatively. Results In the study, 478/555 (86%) patients did not take thyroid hormone before thyroidectomy; 394/478 (82%) had thyroid-stimulating hormone levels available at 7 to 10 days postoperatively, and of these, 218 (55%) had thyroid-stimulating hormone >2 mIU/L. From 2 to 12 months postoperatively, of the 225 patients who continued to remain off thyroid hormone supplementation, 132 (59%) experienced a thyroid-stimulating hormone increase to >2 mIU/L; therefore, 350/478 (73%) patients after thyroid lobectomy had thyroid-stimulating hormone levels >2 mIU/L within a year. Conclusion It is important to counsel patients that to be compliant with the American Thyroid Association guidelines for differentiated thyroid cancer, the majority of patients undergoing thyroid lobectomy may require thyroid hormone supplementation to maintain a thyroid-stimulating hormone level
Prospective evaluation of perceived barriers to medication adherence by patients on oral antineoplastics.

6042 Background: Appropriate use of oral antineoplastics (OA), especially those with a food-effect, is a challenge for patients and clinicians. Patient adherence is essential to optimize outcomes, ...
Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma

There has been a dramatic evolution in both the clinical presentation and the methods used to diagnose pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) over the past nine decades. Due to the advances in biochemical testing and cross-sectional computed imaging, we have progressed from prior to 1970 when 90% of patients with PPGL were detected because of symptoms (paroxysms or hypertension) to 2018 when 60% of patients with PPGL are diagnosed due to an incidental discovery on cross-sectional imaging done for other reasons. Thus, the clinician should recognize the imaging phenotype typical for a pheochromocytoma. The differential diagnosis for those patients who present with symptoms spans the field of medicine. Biochemical case detection testing relies on measurement of fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines by tandem mass spectrometry or high-pressure liquid chromatography. The clinician should assess the relative likelihood of pheochromocytoma in each patient. Decisions for the type of test performed may be subject to clinical availability, cost, clinical experience of the ordering physician, and the local laboratory. However, it is key to understand the medications and clinical situations that may cause false-positive biochemical testing.
Escalating Dose-Binge Exposure to Amphetamine and Methamphetamine: Behavioral and Neurochemical Characterization

We have used an escalating dose-binge (ED-B) regimen in rats to simulate a pattern of drug intake typically displayed by high-dose stimulant abusers. ED-B treatment results in the progressive emergence of a unique behavioral profile that could not be produced by any acute or single daily injection stimulant dose tested. Corresponding to this emergent behavioral profile, in vivo microdialysis revealed that the caudate-putamen dopamine response is significantly diminished whereas the nucleus accumbens dopamine response is unchanged or slightly increased. To further assess the relevancy of this model in the context of available neurochemical markers associated with various patterns of stimulant abuse, we determined how a methamphetamine ED-B treatment affects striatal dopamine integrity. Our data revealed a pattern of change in striatal dopamine levels, as well as in measures of the dopamine transporter and vesicular monoamine transporter that paralleled the findings in postmortem brain tissue from methamphetamine abusers. During the 30 days after the last binge exposure, the reduced dopamine levels and the altered behavioral response to subsequent methamphetamine challenge significantly recovered, suggesting that the functional consequences of the ED-B treatment may not be permanent.
The role of ductal obstruction on the course of hemorrhagic pancreatitis in the pig.

The effect of relieving pancreatitic duct obstruction after the onset of hemorrhagic pancreatitis was investigated. Hemorrhagic pancreatitis was produced in 20 pigs by a bile salt-trypsin retrograde injection technique. In half the pigs the pancreatic duct was permanently ligated, and in the other half the ductal obstruction was relieved 2 h after the onset of hemorrhagic pancreatitis. The overall mortality rate was the same in both groups by 24 h. No difference was found between the groups in the gross and microscopic appearance of histological samples taken from the pancreas immediately after death. The biochemical parameters measured to assess the severity of pancreatitis such as calcium, BUN, creatinine, glucose, proteins, and hematocrit did not show any difference between the two groups. The serum amylase level, a measure of ductal obstruction, was less at 24 h and even lower at 48 h in the release group as compared to the non-release group. This difference suggests that the ductal obstruction was relieved, as the amylase levels declined at 24 and 48 h. Hemodynamic variables, including cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary wedge pressure, central venous pressure, and aortic pressure were followed. No significant difference was found in any of these parameters between the two groups. The absence of any significant differences in hemodynamic status, histopathological findings, and biochemical analysis in our pigs, if translatable to man, does not lend support to early operative intervention in gallstone pancreatitis in the hope that those patients who already have hemorrhagic pancreatitis will benefit from early pancreatic ductal decompression.
In Situ Generated Heterometallic Nickel–Zinc Catalysts for Ethylene Polymerization

We have prepared a new series of organometallic nickel complexes ligated by 1-picolyl-4-carboxamidate-1,2,3-triazole donors. Solution metal binding studies by NMR spectroscopy indicated that their reactions with zinc chloride led to the formation of nickel–zinc heterometallics with undefined compositions. These nickel–zinc complexes showed increasing ethylene polymerization activity over the course of 3 h and provided polymers with multimodal distributions. In comparison, the mononickel complexes exhibited constant activity over time and gave narrowly dispersed low molecular weight polyethylene (Mn = ∼103). The addition of zinc sources other than ZnCl2 or other metal salts to the mononickel catalysts did not lead to enhancements in their catalytic performance. Our results suggest that further modifications of the carboxamidatetriazole platform are needed to obtain well-defined heterobimetallic complexes for the controlled synthesis of ethylene-based polymers.
Clinical Reasoning: A 61-year-old woman with acute onset dysgraphia.

A 61-year-old right-handed woman presented to the emergency department after development of acute change in handwriting. The patient was at home in her usual state of health when she suddenly felt compelled to write something. When she began to write, she noted a change in handwriting (figure 1). She stated “I just couldn't get it to look right.” Simultaneously, she also noted numbness over the right tip of her tongue.
CT/MR LI-RADS 2018: clinical implications and management recommendations

Unique among solid organ tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), may be diagnosed by imaging alone, without the need for biopsy. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was developed to provide high-specificity diagnosis of HCC based on imaging while also standardizing the assessment and reporting of the entire spectrum of lesions and pseudolesions encountered in patients at risk for this malignancy. In this pictorial review, we discuss management recommendations associated with CT/MR LI-RADS observations. We emphasize the rationale for the recommendations and the role of multidisciplinary management discussion, and we provide a framework for standardized reporting. Management of patients who undergo ultrasound (US) for screening and surveillance or those who undergo diagnostic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is beyond the scope of this paper.
Has the Promise of the Internet Been Realized? Internet Access and Collective Invention among Independent and Organizational Patent Inventors:

The Internet provides individuals with new avenues for knowledge sharing and collaboration, two key ingredients for the production of novelty. Despite the unprecedented access to information and po...
Effects of Citrulline Malate and Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Blood Flow, Energy Metabolism, and Performance During Maximum Effort Leg Extension Exercise.

Trexler, ET, Keith, DS, Schwartz, TA, Ryan, ED, Stoner, L, Persky, AM, and Smith-Ryan, AE. Effects of citrulline malate and beetroot juice supplementation on blood flow, energy metabolism, and performance during maximum effort leg extension exercise. J Strength Cond Res 33(9): 2321-2329, 2019-Citrulline malate (CitMal) and beetroot juice (BEET) are increasingly popular ergogenic aids, but few studies have rigorously investigated their effects on resistance exercise performance and underlying mechanisms. The current randomized, double-blind, crossover study evaluated the effects of CitMal and BEET supplementation on blood flow, metabolic efficiency, and performance during maximal isokinetic leg extension exercise. After familiarization, 27 recreationally active men (age: 22 ± 4 years) completed 3 visits in which subjects ingested a treatment beverage (CitMal [8 g], BEET [400-mg nitrate], or placebo [PLA]), followed by a 2-hour rest period, warm-up, and 5 sets of 30 concentric leg extensions. Before and after exercise, ultrasound was used to measure diameter (aDIAM) and blood flow (aBF) of the superficial femoral artery, along with cross-sectional area and echo intensity of the vastus lateralis. Plasma analytes (lactate, nitrate/nitrite [NOx], and urea nitrogen [BUN]) were also assessed at these times, and indirect calorimetry was used to measure energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio before and during exercise. Resting NOx values were higher in BEET (233.2 ± 1.1 μmol·L) compared with CitMal (15.3 ± 1.1, p 0.05). While BEET increased NOx, neither treatment was found to enhance performance, blood flow, metabolic efficiency, nor the hormonal response to leg extension exercise.
Estimating PTV Margins in Head and Neck Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy (SABR) Through Target Site Analysis of Positioning and Intrafractional Accuracy.

Purpose Recurrent or previously irradiated head and neck cancers (HNC) are therapeutically challenging and may benefit from high-dose, highly accurate radiation techniques, such as stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR). Here, we compare set-up and positioning accuracy across HNC subsites to further optimize the treatment process and planning target volume (PTV) margin recommendations for head and neck SABR. Methods and Materials We prospectively collected data on 405 treatment fractions across 79 patients treated with SABR for recurrent/previously irradiated HNC. First, interfractional error was determined by comparing ExacTrac x-ray to the treatment plan. Patients were then shifted and residual error was measured with repeat x-ray. Next, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was compared with ExacTrac for positioning agreement, and final shifts were applied. Lastly, intrafractional error was measured with x-ray before each arc. Results were stratified by treatment site into skull base, neck/parotid, and mucosal. Results Most patients (66.7%) were treated to 45 Gy in 5 fractions (range, 21-47.5 Gy in 3-5 fractions). The initial mean ± standard deviation interfractional errors were –0.2 ± 1.4 mm (anteroposterior), 0.2 ± 1.8 mm (craniocaudal), and –0.1 ± 1.7 mm (left–right). Interfractional 3-dimensional vector error was 2.48 ± 1.44, with skull base significantly lower than other sites (2.22 vs 2.77; P = .0016). All interfractional errors were corrected to within 1.3 mm and 1.8°. CBCT agreed with ExacTrac to within 3.6 mm and 3.4°. CBCT disagreements and intrafractional errors of >1 mm or >1° occurred at significantly lower rates in skull base sites (CBCT: 16.4% vs 50.0% neck, 52.0% mucosal, P Conclusions Head and neck SABR PTV margins should be optimized by target site. PTV margins of 1.5 to 2 mm may be sufficient in the skull base, whereas 2 to 2.5 mm may be necessary for neck and mucosal targets. When using ExacTrac, skull base sites show significantly fewer uncertainties throughout the treatment process, but neck/mucosal targets may require the addition of CBCT to account for positioning errors and internal organ motion.
Postpartum interval to estrus and patterns of LH and progesterone in first-calf suckled beef cows exposed to mature bulls

Two trials were conducted in which Angus x Hereford first-calf cows were assigned randomly at calving to one of two treatments: exposure to mature penile-blocked bulls (BE) or isolation from bulls (NE). In Trial 1 (BE, n = 38; NE, n = 37), cow to bull ratio increased from 12:1 to 19:1 over a 14-d period; in Trial 2 (BE, n = 25; NE, n = 24), this ratio was maintained at 13:1. In both trials, blood samples were collected weekly for progesterone and ovaries and uteri of cows were examined rectally. Cows were observed for estrus twice daily (am:pm) beginning 10 d after calving. In Trial 2, intensive blood sampling for LH began 10 d after calving (eight cows per treatment) and continued at weekly intervals until estrus or the end of the trial. Postpartum weight change, condition score change and time to uterine involution did not differ (P greater than .10) between treatments in either trial. Interval to estrus was shorter (P less than .05) for BE cows than for NE cows in both trials. A greater proportion (P less than .05) of BE cows exhibited estrus by 60 and 90 d after calving and showed an increase in progesterone before first estrus. Mean and baseline LH concentrations and amplitude, frequency and duration of LH pulses were not altered (P greater than .10) by bull exposure. In conclusion, exposing first-calf suckled beef cows to bulls after calving hastened resumption of estrous cycles. Bull exposure did not alter patterns of LH concentrations but did increase proportions of cows that showed increased progesterone before first estrus.
Impacts of Coupling Plates on Single-Switch Capacitive-Coupled WPT Systems

Capacitive-coupled Wireless Power Transfer (C-WPT) is emerging as an alternative solution for WPT systems. Several prior works have proven C- WPT to be effective way to transfer power. In this paper, the impact of coupling plates on the C-WPT system performance has been analyzed and verified on a testbed of a single-switch C-WPT circuit. It is found that the quality of capacitive coupler at coupling section has significant impact on overall system performance. A well-designed capacitive coupler can effectively limit harmonics current interacting between transmitter and receiver. Also, the shape of coupling plates has certain impact on C-WPT system. Round-shaped coupling plates has better stability in capacitance during high-frequency operation, which leads to less oscillation in output voltage and higher power delivery at output side. The experiments demonstrated an improvement of 7% in peak output voltage by adopting round-shaped coupling plates over square-shaped ones.
White Cord Syndrome and Acute Tetraplegia After Posterior Cervical Decompression: A Case Report.

Case A 55-year-old man undergoes posterior cervical decompression and instrumentation for progressive cervical myelopathy and develops white cord syndrome (WCS) postoperatively with acute tetraplegia. Conclusion WCS is a rare complication of spinal surgery that is thought to be due to reperfusion injury. We diagnosed WCS in our patient through postoperative examination consisting of acute tetraplegia and magnetic resonance imaging revealing increased signal in the cord. In this case, we used intravenous dexamethasone and mean arterial pressure above 90 mm Hg resulting in markedly improved clinical examination.
Estimating catch curve mortality based on relative return rates of coded wire tagged lake trout in US waters of Lake Huron

We estimated total mortality using catch curves based on relative return rates (RRs) of coded wire tagged lake trout in US waters of Lake Huron. RR was calculated as age specific CPUE per million o...
Public often mistaken about the media and U.S. journalists

During the past 20 years, more and more researchers have studied America's journalists. As a result, we have learned more about journalists' characteristics: their age, sex, race, education, income, and opinions, for example. Previous studies have shown that a majority of the nation's journalists are white males with middle-class backgrounds and college degrees. The journalists tend to be younger and more mobile than other Americans. However, their salaries are not high. Previous studies also suggest that journalists are more liberal and irreligious than other Americans. However, their personal opinions do not seem to affect their treatment of the news. Fewer researchers have studied the public's perceptions of journalists. As a result, we do not know whether any of the new information is being communicated to the public. To determine whether the public is well informed about journalists and the media, this study compared the public's perceptions with data gathered in the recent studies.
Letter Spirit: An Architecture for Creativity in an Microdomain

The Letter Spirit project explores the creative act of artistic letter-design. The aim is to model how the 26 lowercase letters of the roman alphabet can be rendered in many different but internally coherent styles. Viewed from a distance, the behavior of the program can be seen to result from the interaction of four emergent agents working together to form a coherent style and to design a complete alphabet: the Imaginer (which plays with the concepts behind letterforms), the Drafter (which converts ideas for letterforms into graphical realizations), the Examiner (which combines bottom-up and top-down processing to perceive and categorize letterforms), and the Adjudicator (which perceives and dynamically builds a representation of the evolving style). Creating a gridfont is an iterative process of guesswork and evaluation carried out by the four agents. This process is the “central feedback loop of creativity”. Implementation of Letter Spirit is just beginning. This paper outlines our goals and plans for the project.
Science from Sounding Rockets

This article plots the history of the use of sounding rockets for scientific purposes. Science and rockets came together in the twentieth century. Major discoveries were made at the beginning of the century relating to high-altitude phenomena; specifically, the stratosphere, which demonstrated that the atmosphere was structured; cosmic rays, which were energetic radiation originating high in the atmosphere; and the long range transmission of radio waves that revealed the existence of a conducting layer in the atmosphere at high altitude. These and other advances led to pressure from the science community to perfect the means for increasingly sophisticated experiments at high altitude. Meanwhile, three extraordinarily talented physicists—Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in Russia, Hermann Oberth in German, and Robert Goddard in the United States—established the theoretical and technical basis for rockets. Unfortunately, it took a war and the search for an ultimate weapon by the Nazis to bring this all together in the development of the V-2 rocket by Dornberger and his team at Peenemunde. After World War II, scientists in the United States capitalized on the captured inventory of German rockets to conduct a variety of scientific observations and to develop rockets of their own, which formed the basis for the space science program in the United States and elsewhere. These events and current use are discribed. Keywords: rocket development; high altitude; atmospheric effects; ionospheric investigations; cosmic rays; astronomy; solar physics; V-2 rocket; rockets
Implementation of Non-Strict Functional Programming Languages

Modern "non-strict" functional programming languages are a powerful means of programming highly parallel computers, but are intrinsically difficult to compile well because decisions about ordering of subcomputations must be taken at compile time. This book represents a new technique for compiling such languages by partitioning a program into sequential threads. While the interleaving of threads can vary at run time, within each thread the order is fixed.A program is compiled by analyzing its data dependences, and developing from that a set of partitioning constraints. These practical algorithms are founded on a new theory of data dependence and ordering within functional programs, which defines dependence graphs in terms of a rewrite-rule operational semantics for the language.By attacking the ordering problem directly, the book departs from previous approaches that obtain partitioning as a byproduct of optimizing lazy evaluation, and cleanly separates partitioning from other code generation issues. Furthermore, the method is flexible enough to produce both lazy code and also a less restrictive "lenient" variant which allows larger threads with only a slight decrease in expressive power. Code generation and optimization are explored in depth for both uniprocessor and multiprocessor targets.Kenneth R. Traub is a researcher with the Motorola Cambridge Research Center.Contents: Introduction. Background - Functional Language Compilers. Lenient Evaluation. Functional Quads. Code Generation. A Syntactic Theory of Data Dependence. Dependence-Based Partitioning. Conclusion.
Overload analysis of continuous time sigma delta modulators

When a continuous time sigma delta modulator (CT ΣΔM) is overloaded, its output signal to quantization noise ratio (SQNR) decreases when the ΣΔM's input power is increased over a certain value. In this paper, the range of quantizer gains that cause a CT ΣΔM to overload is determined, and this range of values is used to determine the maximum input signal power that prevents overload. To validate the predicted maximum input power that prevents overload, 2nd through 5th order CT ΣΔMs are simulated.
Optical studies of a high density electron-hole plasma iN PbTe

Ultrashort infrared laser pulse techniques have been applied to the study of transient high density electron-hole gas in PbTe. Time resolved data is discussed in terms of relaxation processes and dielectric contributions of the plasma.
A hybrid MoM/FDTD technique for studying human head/antenna interactions

As advances in numerical methods for solutions to Maxwell's equations accelerate, larger and more complex electromagnetic problems are becoming tractable at an astounding rate. The science of computational electromagnetics (CEM) gains inertia with each passing day. The maturing field of CEM research has sprouted various branches of research. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, introduced in 1966 by Yee (1966), and pioneered by Taflove (1995), among others, since 1975, provides a simple and robust method for simulating the propagation of electromagnetic radiation through complex media, e.g., human tissue. Although the FDTD method performs superbly for such propagation simulations, it is not very well suited for modeling complex metallic structures, e.g., antennas. Conversely, a distinct branch of CEM research, the method of moments (MoM), is superior for modeling complex metallic structures and is not very well suited for propagation through complex media, such as human tissue. In this paper, a hybrid MoM/FDTD method for simulating the interaction of antennas with the human head is presented.
Effects of two isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on cortical β-adrenoceptors in rat brain

Two isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) have profound effects on the acquisition of kindled seizures. The gamma-isomer (lindane, gamma-HCH) increases the rate of acquisition in a dose-related manner whereas the beta-isomer (beta-HCH) has the opposite effect, retarding the rate in a dose-related manner. There is evidence that adrenergic influences may play a role in seizure generalization and in this study we examined the effect of these two isomers of HCH on the binding of a ligand to beta-adrenoceptors. Tritiated dihydroalprenolol was used as the ligand in an assay using cortical tissue from rats after 10 days of treatment with 10 mg/kg, p.o. of isomers or corn oil. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of beta-adrenoceptors in cortical tissue taken from gamma-HCH-treated rats. In contrast, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of beta-adrenoceptors cortical tissue taken from beta-HCH-treated rats. Neither treatment produced a significant change in KD. We concluded that the beta-adrenoceptor system in rat cortex is differentially affected by the isomers of HCH. Because the kindling model of epilepsy is sensitive to modulations in adrenergic function, this system may be involved in the pro- and anticonvulsant effects of these HCH isomers on kindling acquisition.
Uptake, binding and clearance of divalent cadmium in Glycera dibranchiata (Annelida: Polychaeta)

The bloodworm Glycera dibranchiata Ehlers, 1968 accumulates cadmium through the general body surface and the intestine. Absorption through the gut accounts for cadmium which rapidly binds to coelomic proteins. Intracoelomic injection of 109Cd demonstrates that cadmium binds readily to hemoglobin and other proteins. The degree of cadmium binding is pH-dependent. The apparent pK of binding sites in body wall and musculature homogenates is 5.39. Cadmium ions injected into the coelom at 7 μg g-1 tissue increase proline incorporation rates into the positively charged hemoglobin (cathode fraction) by 15-fold in 3 days. A 3-fold increase of proline incorporation was observed in the anode hemoglobin fraction over the same time period. Radioactivity in various protein fractions decreases at different rates after injection of 109Cd. Comparisons between the function of mammalian metallothionein and the coelomic fluid proteins of G. dibranchiata as a detoxification mechanism are discussed.
New insights on endocannabinoid transmission in psychomotor disorders

Abstract The endocannabinoids are lipid signaling molecules that bind to cannabinoid CB 1 and CB 2 receptors and other metabotropic and ionotropic receptors. Anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, the two best-characterized examples, are released on demand in a stimulus-dependent manner by cleavage of membrane phospholipid precursors. Together with their receptors and metabolic enzymes, the endocannabinoids play a key role in modulating neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity in the basal ganglia and other brain areas involved in the control of motor functions and motivational aspects of behavior. This mini-review provides an update on the contribution of the endocannabinoid system to the regulation of psychomotor behaviors and its possible involvement in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
Semiparametric transformation models for the case-cohort study

A general class of semiparametric transformation models is studied for analysing survival data from the case-cohort design, which was introduced by Prentice (1986). Weighted estimating equations are proposed for simultaneous estimation of the regression parameters and the transformation function. It is shown that the resulting regression estimators are asymptotically normal, with variance-covariance matrix that has a closed form and can be consistently estimated by the usual plug-in method. Simulation studies show that the proposed approach is appropriate for practical use. An application to a case-cohort dataset from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study is also given to illustrate the methodology.
Measurement of vocal fold collision forces during phonation: methods and preliminary data.

Forces applied to vocal fold tissue as the vocal folds collide may cause tissue injury that manifests as benign organic lesions. A novel method for measuring this quantity in humans in vivo uses a ...
Structure-activity studies on odor molecules using molecular connectivity.

Abstract Several classes of odorants have been examined using a newly developed structural analysis known as molecular connectivity. Within each class significant correlations have been found between odor similarities to a reference standard and connectivity terms. In each case some interpretation is possible as to certain structure-activity relationships imparting odor.
Direct Measurement of Gyroscope Quadrature Error Using Interferometric Tools

A tuning fork gyroscope (TFG) functions by sensing a Coriolis acceleration. Proof masses are excited in plane, such that the motion is sinusoidal. A rotation, normal to the excitation direction, results in a Coriolis acceleration based on the cross product of the input rotation and the proof mass in-plane velocity. The Coriolis force displaces the proof mass, normal to the chip by an amount related to input rotation. The in-plane (drive) and out-of-plane (sense) motions of the proof masses are offset by 90°, placing these positions in quadrature. Quadrature error is present when the proof masses do not oscillate in plane, but rather have a small degree of out-of-plane motion. This error may cause a zero rate output in the sensor, also known as a bias error. A methodology is presented for using interferometry to directly measure the quadrature motion. Optical interferometry uses non-contact methods for shape measurement, with high accuracy normal to the viewing plane. Measurements may be made on the proof masses, while running, by utilizing a strobe illumination source. By matching the strobe frequency with the gyroscope resonance the motion is frozen to the camera, during which time quantitative measurements are made. This process is repeated at various positions of the in-plane proof mass motion and analyzed to reveal the degree of out-of-plane displacements of the proof masses while running.© 2009 ASME
Collapse Prediction During Hollow Optical Fiber Fabrication

A numerical study of the drawing of hollow capillary rods over a range of draw speeds and feed speeds, with application to the drawing of photonic crystal fibers is presented. In this study the axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically using the finite element method. In the numerical study inertia, gravity, surface tension and internal pressurization of the capillary is included and the effect of each of these parameters on the neck down profile is presented. The free surface which defines the neck down profile, is not assumed but is determined using a surface force balance. The results of isothermal and non-isothermal analysis results are compared with experimental, numerical and analytical results from the literature for validation. In the non-isothermal analysis, arbitrary temperature profiles are assumed to represent the temperature distribution in the neck down region and the effect of different temperature distributions on the neck down profile is discussed. The effect of the draw parameters (draw speed and draw down ratio) and the temperature distribution on the collapse of the capillaries is examined. A qualitative discussion on the onset of collapse of the capillary is presented and the effect of the draw parameters on the draw tension is discussed. For isothermal cases, the feed speed dominated the determination of collapse, while the draw speed had a relatively small effect on the collapse. It was found that collapse can be avoided with higher feed speeds and lower temperatures, while the draw tension can be minimized at lower feed speeds and higher temperatures.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Quantitative X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry characterization of the components in DNA

The great diversity of techniques to synthesize and use DNA microarrays has made them extremely flexible for a variety of applications. This flexibility also has made standardization difficult, leading to problems comparing data from these different systems. In this work, we use the surface science techniques of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to analyze the components of DNA. The atomic ratios of the components of nucleobases, nucleosides, and nucleotides were characterized by XPS. The chemical shifts in the high-resolution XPS spectra allow for their relatively easy resolution. The unique positive and negative ions from the nucleobases, nucleosides, and nucleotides in their TOF-SIMS spectra were identified. This information was used to build a comprehensive table of all of the molecular ions. These standard spectra of DNA components can be used to predict the relative amounts of the bases within more complex molecules either by univariate analysis (i.e., by relating the base molecular ions to the sugar fragment ions within the nucleotides) or by multivariate analysis (e.g., principal component analysis). Our preliminary examination of four oligonucleotides shows promising results in that we can distinguish between two oligomers of similar composition using univariate and multivariate analysis, although additional studies are needed to expand this method to more complex oligomers.
A stable-isotope approach to delineate geographical catchment areas of avian migration monitoring stations in North America.

Migration monitoring stations (MMSs) were established to provide information on population trends of North American passerines. However, apart from inferring general origins of birds, there has been no way to delineate geographical catchment areas sampled by MMSs. The ability to resolve MMS catchment areas would greatly enhance our ability to link and constrain population declines to specific geographical areas and thereby focus conservation efforts. Here, we utilize stable-hydrogen (δD) and carbon (δ13C) isotope values of rectrices of fall hatch-year (HY) and spring adult after-second year (ASY) Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) moving through two MMSs in Canada to determine natal and molting catchment areas for those stations. Stable-carbon isotope signatures provided no information on geographical origins of birds. Conversely, δD signatures provided good latitudinal geographical control, and this was also supported by analysis of feathers from two other species, Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minim...