cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Health Care Providers in Young Women's Attitudes about and Willingness to Use Emergency Contraceptive Pills.

Abstract Background Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are an underused resource among adolescent and young adult women who have unprotected sex. This analysis examines young women's attitudes about and willingness to use ECPs, with particular attention to their experiences with health care providers. Methods Sexually active young women (ages 15–25, assigned female at birth, N = 212) completed a self-administered survey at 10 family planning clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area. Participants reported attitudes about ECP effectiveness, safety, effect on sex drive, and whether it should not be taken often, and their willingness to use ECPs in the next 3 months. The predictors of interest were past and current contraceptive experiences with health care providers. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, prior contraceptive use, pregnancy history, and pregnancy intentions. Results Most young women agreed that ECPs are effective at preventing pregnancy (75%) and safe to use (71%); few reported that they reduce sex drive (11%). Yet, the majority (62%) believed ECPs should not be taken often and only 35% reported willingness to use ECPs. In multivariable analyses, more positive health care experiences were associated with more positive attitudes about ECP safety, less concern that ECPs should not be taken often, and greater willingness to use ECPs (p Conclusions Health care providers play an important role in the acceptance and provision of ECPs, especially for young women who prefer ECPs over other contraceptive methods. In particular, providers can use the contraceptive visit as an opportunity to destigmatize repeat ECP use.
ADMM approach for efficient iterative tomographic deconvolution reconstruction of 3D quantitative phase images

Tomographic deconvolution phase microscopy (TDPM) is a promising approach for 3D quantitative imaging of phase objects such as biological cells and optical fibers. In the present work, the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is applied to TDPM to shorten its image acquisition and processing times while simultaneously improving its accuracy. ADMM-TDPM is used to optimize the image fidelity by minimizing Gaussian noise and by using total variation regularization with the constraints of nonnegativity and known zeros. ADMM-TDPM can reconstruct phase objects that are shift variant in three spatial dimensions. ADMM-TDPM achieves speedups of 5x in image acquisition time and greater than 10x in image processing time with accompanying higher accuracy compared to TDPM.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Information Technology and Computer Acronyms, Initials, and Abbreviations

This comprehensive listing covers all aspects of information technology and computers, reflecting the numerous advances in these areas in recent years. Readers will gain fingertip access to the meaning of letters forming acronyms, initials, symbols, and abbreviations now used in today's technical world.
Metacognition and EFL/ESL reading

Several distinct research streams are converging in the field of foreign or second language reading in the U.S. Separate research streams in metacognition, in reading strategies, and in the training of reading strategies are converging in the field of English as a foreign or second language. This confluence of research is dramatically impacting the teaching of English to adult non-native speakers for academic purposes. In this chapter we will briefly review these distinct research streams for their relevance to the population in question, and will then describe the research design for an empirical study we are currently conducting to further investigate the efficacy of metacognitive strategy training for adult EFL/ESL reading.
Two distinct domains in the yeast transcription factor IID and evidence for a TATA box-induced conformational change.

Abstract Transcription factor IID from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (YIID) binds the TATA box element present in most RNA polymerase II promoters. In this work, partial proteolysis was used as a biochemical probe of YIID structure. YIID consists of a protease-sensitive amino terminus and a highly stable, protease-resistant carboxy-terminal core. The cleavage sites of the predominant chymotrypsin- and trypsin-derived fragments were mapped to amino acid residues 40 to 41 and 48 to 49, respectively, by amino-terminal peptide sequencing. Removal of the amino terminus resulted in a dramatic increase in the ability of YIID to form a stable complex with DNA during gel electrophoresis mobility shift assays and a two- to fourfold increase in DNA-binding affinity, as assayed by DNase I footprinting analysis. The carboxy-terminal 190-amino-acid core was competent for transcription in vitro and was similar in activity to native YIID. DNA containing a TATA element induced hypersensitive sites in the amino-terminal domain and stabilized the core domain to further proteolytic attack. Native YIID did not bind to a TATA box at 0 degrees C, whereas the carboxy-terminal DNA-binding domain did. These results suggest that YIID undergoes a conformational change upon binding to a TATA box. Southern blotting showed that the carboxy-terminal domain is highly conserved, while the amino-terminal domain diverged rapidly in evolution, even between closely related budding yeasts.
Tropomyosins as Discriminators of Myosin Function

Vertebrate nonmuscle cells express multiple tropomyosin isoforms that are sorted to subcellular compartments that have distinct morphological and dynamic properties. The creation of these compartments has a role in controlling cell morphology, cell migration and polarization of cellular components. There is increasing evidence that nonmuscle myosins are regulated by tropomyosin in these compartments via the regulation of actin attachment, ATPase kinetics, or by stabilization of cytoskeletal tracks for myosin-based transport. In this chapter, I review the literature describing the regulation of various myosins by tropomyosins and consider the mechanisms for this regulation.
Detection of a Spin-Triplet Superconducting Phase in Oriented Polycrystalline U 2 PtC 2 Samples Using 195 Pt Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on the $^{195}\mathrm{Pt}$ nucleus in an aligned powder of the moderately heavy-fermion material ${\mathrm{U}}_{2}{\mathrm{PtC}}_{2}$ are consistent with spin-triplet pairing in its superconducting state. Across the superconducting transition temperature and to much lower temperatures, the NMR Knight shift is temperature independent for field both parallel and perpendicular to the tetragonal $c$ axis, expected for triplet equal-spin pairing superconductivity. The NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/{T}_{1}$, in the normal state, exhibits characteristics of ferromagnetic fluctuations, compatible with an enhanced Wilson ratio. In the superconducting state, $1/{T}_{1}$ follows a power law with temperature without a coherence peak giving additional support that ${\mathrm{U}}_{2}{\mathrm{PtC}}_{2}$ is an unconventional superconductor. Bulk measurements of the ac susceptibility and resistivity indicate that the upper critical field exceeds the Pauli limiting field for spin-singlet pairing and is near the orbital limiting field, an additional indication for spin-triplet pairing.
Program Comprehension Skills and Their Acquisition: A Call for an Ecological Paradigm

Current theories of program comprehension suggest that the process is either top-down or bottom-up. However, recent research challenges these monolithic generalizations. This paper overviews these challenges and suggests that an ecological paradigm must be used in studying program comprehension and the acquisition of comprehension skills. Specifically, factors encompassing aspects of what is being comprehended, who is doing the comprehending, and for what purpose the comprehension task is undertaken must be studied. Furthermore, the interaction of these factors must be explored in order to fully understand comprehension processes and their acquisition.
A40/K40 age of gneiss from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Biotite from paragneiss of Gneiss Point, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica is dated at 520 m y by the A40/K40 method. Metamorphism of Precambrian sediments at the close of Precambrian or in Cambrian time is indicated, but additional work is needed.
DIFFERENTIAL IN VITRO EFFECT OF SELENIUM (Se) ON NATURAL KILLER (NK) CELL ACTIVITY OF HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES

DIFFERENTIAL IN VITRO EFFECT OF SELENIUM (Se) ON NATURAL KILLER (NK) CELL ACTIVITY OF HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES
Charged defects in soft semiconductors and their influence on organic photovoltaics

Charged defects play an important, but often unrecognized, role in organic semiconductors and in photovoltaic cells made from them. Thermodynamic considerations show that the weak lattice forces characteristic of soft semiconductors inevitably lead to a high concentration of defects, some of which will be charged. The defect density in actual materials is discussed along with the different types of defects and their influence on the electrical properties and chemical stability. Charged defects act as dopants and thus may sometimes be beneficial, although low defect materials with purposely added dopants should be superior.
Theory And Design Of A High-Power, 140 Ghz CARM Amplifier

A high power, 140 GHz, cyclotron autoresonance maser (or CARM) amplifier is under development at M.I.T. Theory, simulations, and the experimental design are discussed. The experiment will employ a high voltage (450-700 kV) Pierce-type beam and a helical wiggler to produce the required elec-tron beam. The initial experiment will be carried out using a 450 kV electron gun; the second phase of the experimental program will employ a 700 kV electron gun. The results of two-dimensional simulations are presented. The CARM nonlinear bandwidth and the sensitivity of the CARM to velocity spread are discussed. The stability of the CARM amplifier to absolute instabilities has also been investigated, and the criteria for stable CARM amplifier operation are presented.
Lack of efficacy of naloxone in a fixed-volume hemorrhage model

Animal studies using a reservoir model of hemorrhagic shock have shown the narcotic antagonist naloxone to be of value in reversing the hemodynamic effects of severe hemorrhage. We conducted a study to evaluate the ability of naloxone to limit the deleterious effects of a fixed-volume hemorrhage. Fifteen mongrel dogs were bled 50% of their estimated blood volumes during one hour. This was followed by a one-hour stabilization period; reinfusion during a 30-minute period; and finally, an additional one-hour monitoring period. Eight dogs received 2 mg/kg IV naloxone 30 minutes prior to hemorrhage and 2 mg/kg/hr for the duration of the study. Seven control dogs received an equivalent volume of saline without naloxone. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac output, heart rate, blood pressure, arterial and mixed venous blood gases, and serum lactate were measured at 19 intervals throughout the study period. Mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and systemic vascular resistance were calculated for each sampling period. With the exception of serum lactates, which were higher in the naloxone group, there were no significant differences between the groups in the mean values calculated for each sampling interval ( P
Managing Changing Classroom Expectations

This is a continuing series of quarterly articles on lessons learned and best practices in civil engineering education. The intent of the series is to reinforce good practices, describe new or developing practices, and provide a forum for what works well and what does not. It is hoped that this series will be an important quarterly read for all civil engineering educators and all those interested in what’s going on in civil engineering education today. Authors and topics will vary from issue to issue. Contact the associate editor, Mark Evans, at mark.evans @usma.edu if you wish to contribute to an upcoming issue. Managing Changing Classroom Expectations
AHSP: a novel hemoglobin helper

Normal human hemoglobin (Hb) formation and function is one of the marvels of human evolution and the process of natural selection. Get it right and you have the best functional molecule ever known to pick up oxygen in the lungs and deliver it to needy cells in order to keep their molecular and cellular engines operating at maximal efficiency. Get it wrong and there’s big trouble. Studies performed more than 50 years ago revealed the apparent relative simplicity of the process of Hb formation (Figure ​(Figure1A).1A). The α-globin genes, of which two are present on each haploid chromosome 16, produce α-globin polypeptides or chains (apo-α); two β-globin genes, of which one from each parent is present on chromosome 11, produce β-globin (apo-β). These α- and β-globin chains spontaneously combine with heme, an iron-containing moiety, to form αHb and βHb, respectively, which then dimerize as Hbαβ. The dimers then rapidly fold to form the functional oxygen-carrying tetramer Hb, the major adult form being HbA (also known as Hbα2β2). Figure 1 Hb formation with and without AHSP. The assumption has been that the primary structure of the α- and β-globin chains encoded all of the information necessary for optimal folding and the production of the considerable amount of HbA critical for normal red cell function and survival. The tertiary structure of human HbA was predetermined by the primary amino acid sequence of the globin chains alone. No additional molecules or Hb “helpers” were required for this to occur, or so we thought. Evidence from earlier studies of the blood disorder β thalassemia indicated that α- and β-globin production by red cell precursors were independent processes. For example, in β thalassemia, β-globin mutations result in reduced or absent β-globin synthesis in reticulocytes; however, α-globin continues to be synthesized in normal amounts (1). The excess α-globin either precipitates in erythroid precursors in the bone marrow (resulting in ineffective erythropoiesis), causing their premature destruction, or is proteolyzed (Figure ​(Figure1B).1B). Alternatively, the excess α-globin binds to the cell membrane of adult erythroid cells, leading to their hemolysis (2). Essentially, disposition of excess α-globin chains also appeared to occur without help from other molecules, despite causing some pathology along the way.
Elasticity of sparsely cross-linked random fibre networks

The elastic modulus of two-dimensional random fibre networks is determined for structures in which, the degree of cross-linking is varied. The relationship between the network parameters – fibre axial and bending stiffness, fibre density and degree of cross-linking – and the overall elastic modulus is discussed and presented in terms of a master curve. It is shown that master curves for sparsely cross-linked networks with various degrees of cross-linking can be collapsed to a unique curve, which is also valid in case of fully cross-linked network.
Sodium nitroprusside-induced hypothermia in mice.

Abstract The hypothermic response following sublethal doses (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg) of sodium nitroprusside was investigated in mice. The magnitude and duration of rectal temperature depression were shown to be dose related. Oral administration of nitroprusside (5 mg/kg) failed to alter rectal temperature significantly; subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intravenous, and intracerebral injections at the same dosage level caused respective drops of 3.61,3.65,6.44, and 3.48°. The degree of rectal temperature depression following nitroprusside (5 mg/kg ip) was dependent upon the ambient temperature. The time course of the effect of nitroprusside (5 mg/kg ip) on tail temperature was noted. A transient rise in tail temperature, which coincided with the onset of rectal temperature depression, was attributed to the vasodilatory effect of the drug. Tail temperature depression occurred at the peak and throughout the remainder of the rectal temperature response, suggesting that nitroprusside may decrease heat production. Body temperature depression via intracerebral administration, as well as pronounced sedation following nitroprusside injection, suggests a central component to the thermolytic response.
Intraoperative Validation of Mitral Inflow Determination by Transesophageal Echocardiography: Comparison of Single-Plane, Biplane and Thermodilution Techniques

Objectives. This study investigated the accuracy of mitral inflow quantification using biplane transesophageal echocardiography. Background. Mitral stroke volume can be reliably quantified by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, but previous studies involving monoplane transesophageal echocardiography have yielded mixed results. Methods. Thirty patients without mitral regurgitation were prospectively examined immediately before cardiovascular surgery. Mitral annulus diameter was measured in the transverse (d1) and longitudinal views (d2) by biplane transesophageal echocardiography. Assuming an elliptic shape, the annular area was calculated as πd1d2/4; area was also calculated from single-plane data assuming a circular annular shape as πd24. The time—velocity integral of mitral annular Doppler velocity was then multiplied by annular area to yield stroke volume. These data were compared with simultaneous thermodilution measurements by linear regression. Results. Good correlations were observed between thermodilution (x) and Doppler (y) measurements of stroke volume (SV) (r = 0.86, p Conclusions. This study validates the accuracy of measurements of mitral inflow using biplane transesophageal echocardiography with potential application for quantification of valvular regurgitation in the operating room. The results are further generalizable, indicating that orthogonal biplane measurements are both necessary and sufficient to ensure accuracy in area calculation for any elliptic structure.
EXPERIMENTAL GLOMERULONEPHRITIS V. STUDIES ON THE INTERACTION OF NEPHROTOXIC ANTIBODIES WITH TISSUES OF THE RAT

A direct correlation between the amount of kidney-fixing antibody and the degree of associated renal injury was demonstrated for rabbit and duck nephrotoxic antibodies. No evidence for a qualitative difference among nephrotoxic antibodies of a given type was obtained. It appeared that duck nephrotoxic antibody was directed against a wider spectrum of rat renal antigens than was rabbit nephrotoxic antibody. In order to produce immediate proteinuria an amount of rabbit or duck gamma-2 kidney-fixing antibody capable of occupying approximately 45 per cent or more of the capillary filtration surface was needed. For immediate proteinuria an amount of rabbit gamma-2 kidney-fixing antibody capable of reacting with more than one-half of the available antigenic sites was needed. Less than twice that amount of rabbit antibody completely saturated available antigenic sites in the kidney. Virtually all nephrotoxic antibodies in hyperimmune rabbit nephrotoxic sera were of the gamma-2 variety while nephrotoxic antibodies in comparable duck nephrotoxic sera were found in gamma-2 (with 5.8 and 7.4S sedimentation coefficients) and gamma-1M fractions. Gamma-1M duck nephrotoxic antibody was 60 times more potent a nephritogen than gamma-2 duck nephrotoxic antibody on a molecular basis. Mercaptoethanol abolished the nephrotoxicity of gamma-1M duck antibody and reduced that of gamma-2 duck antibodies but had no effect on rabbit gamma-2. In no case did mercaptoethanol treatment have an effect on the kidney-fixing properties of the antibodies involved. After injection of nephrotoxic antibodies there appeared to be a prompt fixation of a majority of the antibody to tissue antigens primarily in the kidney. However, a small amount of potentially kidney-fixing antibody remained in the circulation for a considerable period apparently reflecting a dissociation of less avid antibodies with an equilibrium between fixed and free antibody. The role of this more easily dissociable antibody in the progression of nephrotoxic nephritis is not certain but it is possible that it could play a role in the early progression of the disease.
The fourth point: An examination of the influence of Kenyan Somalis in Somalia

Abstract The consequences of insecurity in Somalia to the government of Kenya and its citizens is well documented: massive flows of refugees since the collapse of the Siyad Barre regime in 1991; cross-border violence including poaching, cattle-rustling, kidnappings, and trafficking of illegal goods; and, lately, threats of attacks and jihad from al-Shabaab, the terrorist group which is aligned with Osama bin Laden and, therefore, al-Qaeda. The lack of security and a viable government in Somalia continue to threaten the sovereignty and security of Kenya. As policymakers, military officials, and academics attempt to find solutions to the failed state of Somalia, another dimension of the problem (but also a potential avenue for useful exploration) warrants academic attention and insight – namely, examination of the ethnic Somali populations outside of Somalia and their influence on the politics (and lack thereof) within Somalia itself. This article offers an initial analysis of one subset of the Somali peopl...
Potential for Injury to Alfalfa by Alfalfa Blotch Leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae): Simulations with a Plant Model

Computer simulation studies reported here examine potential for injury to alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., by Agromyza frontella (Rondani), the alfalfa blotch leafminer (ABL). A validated, physiological model of alfalfa growth, ALSIM 1 (Level 2), was modified to incorporate eight hypothesized mechanisms of injury by ABL. A phenological model forecasting occurrence of damaging stages of ABL was used to time simulated injury under nine weather regimes. Sensitivity of yield, quality (leaf fraction), and end-of-season root reserves to different types and degrees of injury were examined. Leaf mining by third instars had virtually no effect on yield during any harvest period under any weather conditions. Leaf fraction of harvested hay increased slightly. There was essentially no impact on end-of-season root reserves. Model results were insensitive to major qualitative changes in the way larval injury was represented. Simulated pinholing injury by adult female ABL had a greater effect. Greatest reduction in total yield (15%) occurred when pinholing was combined with low rainfall. Pinholing also significantly increased the leaf fraction of harvested hay but had little or no influence on end-of-season root reserves. Sensitivity analyses showed that ALSIM was more responsive to all types of damage during the period of ABL adult activity than during the period of larval mining. The model was most sensitive to changes in rates of photosynthesis and assimilate accumulation, and to a lesser degree to changes in level of soil moisture at which water stress was initiated and rate of evaporation from the canopy. During the period of ABL activity, the model was fairly insensitive to alteration of light absorption by the canopy and insensitive to changes in leaf area index and senescence rate of leaves. Cutting management (scheduling) was examined as a factor influencing simulated impact of ABL on alfalfa. Early harvest most often reduced percentage yield loss caused by ABL and reduced the already small effect of ABL on end-of-season root reserves.
WE-E-T-617-03: Flattening Filter Free IMRT - First Experimental Results

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if a flattening filter free clinical accelerator can be used for IMRT applications. Furthermore the performance of a treatment planning system, which has been commissioned for a flattening filter free machine, has been evaluated. Method and Materials: A treatment planning system ECLIPSE (Varian) was commissioned for a 6‐MV flattening filter free clinical accelerator, using data resulting from Monte Carlo simulations and measurements. Treatment plans were created for a nasopharyngeal carcinoma case using CT‐data of a Rando‐phantom, for the filter free machine, and for a standard IMRT machine. A comparison of the treatment plans was performed by evaluating dose‐volume‐histograms (DVHs). The treatment plans were then delivered to a phantom containing films, and the resulting dose distributions have been compared. Results: Comparison of the DVHs from the filter free machine to the standard accelerator revealed better coverage of the PTV, while organs at risk, i.e. brainstem and spinal cord showed decreased dose values, when the filter free machine was used for treatment planning. Comparing the results of film irradiations showed systematically better penumbras and out of field doses in the flattening filter free irradiations, while the target coverage was comparable in both cases. Conclusion: The ECLIPSE treatment planning system is capable of creating IMRT plans for a flattening filter free clinical accelerator. Low energy (6‐MV) IMRT treatment plans, have successfully been created and delivered to a phantom, showing that advantageous dose distributions can be achieved with a flattening filter free accelerator. Conflict of Interest: This research is supported in part by Varian Medical Systems.
Pathology and bioassays of the lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus) entomopoxvirus

Abstract The pathology and virulence of a naturally occurring entomopoxvirus of the lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus) were studied in the laboratory. Diseased larvae appeared red and white, as opposed to the normal blue-green and brown color of healthy larvae. Chronic disease protracted the larval life span up to 40 days beyond normal. Infection appeared to be restricted to the hemocytes and the fat body cells. The LC50 for 1st instars was 9 spheroids; for 3rd and 4th instars 93 spheroids; and for 5th and 6th instars, ca. 700 spheroids.
Metal‐Catalyzed Cross‐Couplings of Aryl Halides to Form C–C Bonds in Aqueous Media

Metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions have developed into a standard component of the synthetic chemist’s toolbox [1–4]. These reactions date to thework ofUllmann and Goldberg in the early 1900s on copper-promoted C–C and C–heteroatom bond formations. Copper remained the catalyst of choice for these reactions until the pioneeringwork ofHeck, Suzuki, Stille, Negishi, and others on palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Palladium-catalyzed reactions, which can be generally carried out under milder conditions and with a wider range of substrates than reactions catalyzed by copper or other metals, have become standard methods for formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds. Cross-coupling reactions are characterized by the metal-catalyzed coupling of an organic electrophile, typically an organic halide, with an organic nucleophile (Scheme 1.1). The organic halide can be an sp-, sp2-, or sp3-hybridized carbon with any halogen or pseudohalogen leaving group. The majority of research has focused on sp2 carbon–halogen bonds. A variety of name reactions have been developed using organometallic carbon nucleophiles. Examples with nearly every metal in the periodic table have been demonstrated, but the most common organometallic species used include organotin (Stille), organoboron (Suzuki), Grignard reagents (Kumada), organosilicon (Hiyama), organozinc (Negishi), and in situ generated acetylide anions (Sonogashira). Key steps in these cross-coupling reactions include oxidative addition of the organic halide, transmetalation of the nucleophilic carbon, and reductive elimination to form the product. The Heck coupling of aryl halides and alkenes also falls into this class of reactions, although it involves a migratory insertion/β-hydride elimination sequence in the key bond-forming step rather than reductive elimination. Organic synthetic methodology has largely developed using organic solvents. Homogeneous-metal-catalyzed reactions have similarly largely relied on the use of traditional organic solvents. Organic solvents have a number of advantages: they are good solvents for organic compounds, there are a range of properties (polarity, protic/aprotic, boiling point, viscosity) that can be chosen, and certain
The effect of asymmetric fuel-clad gap conductance on fuel pin thermal performance

Abstract The common assumption that is used to analyze the radial temperature distribution in a fuel pellet is that a perfectly circular pellet is centered within perfectly circular clad. This postulate leads to the assumption of a uniform gap conductance with respect to azimuthal angle. This paper investigates the effect of a non-axisymmetric gap conductance on the steady state temperature distribution in the pellet. Two models are developed which yield estimates of gap conductance asymmetry. Calculations indicate significant asymmetry in local surface heat flux and temperatures near the pellet surface could result, and the location of maximum temperature could shift by as much as 20% of the pellet radius. These effects are most important for high conductivity fuels.
Metabolism: Adiponectin---a mediator of specific metabolic actions of FGF21.

Adiponectin and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in similar ways and are both critically involved in the antidiabetic effects of thiazolidinedione drugs. Studies in mice now shed light on how adiponectin and FGF21 are functionally linked, which has intriguing implications for the therapeutic potential of these hormones.
Status and future of X-ray lithography

X-ray lithography is relatively mature, and may be used to manufacture complex integrated circuits at 130 nm ground rules and smaller. Overlay and critical dimension control for 180 nm ground rules have been demonstrated with synchrotron-based x-ray lithography. Significant engineering challenges remain in making x-ray masks for 180 nm and smaller ground rules. Extendibility of x-ray lithography to 100 nm ground rules and below will require ≤20 μm gaps and careful mask bias optimization.
Fabrication and Energy Harvesting Measurements of Vibrating MEMS Piezoelectric Benders

In this paper, a study is presented in which piezoelectric microbenders were fabricated and tested to demonstrate energy generating performance. Trapezoidal and diagonal (with respect to the substrate crystal directions) unimorph PZT cantilever benders with interdigitated electrode patterns were utilized. The interdigitated design is beneficial for microenergy harvesting devices because it utilizes the d 33 mode, which can generate higher voltage than the d 31 mode design. It can also eliminate the bottom electrode by only using an interdigitated top electrode, which facilitates fabrication, as opposed to the d 31 mode design that requires both top and bottom electrodes. The micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) benders fabricated in this study consist of layers of SiO 2 /SiN x /ZrO 2/ PZT and AulCr interdigitated electrode on the top. The experimental results indicate that the fundamental frequencies of the microbenders are about 9.1 kHz for the trapezoidal bender and 18.48 kHz for the diagonal bender. The microtrapezoidal bender can generate power of approximately 1.4 μW into a 680 kΩ resistive load at the resonant frequency. The diagonal bender can generate power of about 18.2 μW into a 100 kΩ resistive load at the resonant frequency.
Resistance to school‐based consultation: A behavioral analysis of the problem

When attempting to consult with school personnel, psychologists frequently encounter various forms of resistance. This paper conceptualizes resistance to consultation services within a behavioral/cognitive behavioral framework, and discusses how resistance can result from contingencies operating at both the system and the building levels.
Improving the Use of Data Sources in Disease Management Programs

Disease management has become an increasingly popular tool used to manage people with chronic diseases in managed care organizations. The implementation of these programs, coupled with pressures to document quality and control costs, has increased the need for information regarding the health services provided to patients. This paper gives an overview of selected topics involved in data collection, including medical record review, databases, automated systems, and disease management software. The preliminary uses of the Internet and wireless technology are also discussed.
Polynomials with Restricted Coefficients and Prescribed Noncyclotomic Factors

The algorithms described in this paper were developed to investigate three problems regarding polynomials with restricted coefficients: (i) determining whether there exist polynomials with {0, 1} coefficients and repeated noncyclotomic factors, (ii) searching for polynomials with {−1, 1} coefficients and small Mahler measure, and (iii) finding polynomials with {−1, 0, 1} coefficients with a root of high multiplicity off the unit circle. The results in the first problem presented here answer a question of Odlyzko and Poonen.
Oxidation state of iron in plagioclase from lunar basalts

Determination of the oxidation state of iron in the plagioclase from the coarse-grained basalts 10044 and 12021, using Mossbauer spectroscopy. The location of iron in the crystal structure was also investigated. The spectra show that iron is in the high-spin ferrous state, and they located at least two distinct positions with different coordination numbers. Some excess resonant absorption is probably due to Fe(3+), although the Fe(3+) doublet could not be positively resolved.
Olfactory responses of Drosophila melanogaster selected for knockdown resistance to ethanol.

The experiments usedDrosophila melanogaster lines previously selected for increased knockdown resistance to ethanol. Selected lines utilized ethanol as a metabolic resource to a greater extent than unselected lines. Lines were characterized by their olfactory responses to ethanol, ethyl acetate, and acetaldehyde in a wind tunnel. Selected lines were less attracted to ethanol than unselected lines but did not differ consistently in their responses to other chemicals. This suggests that increased tolerance and utilization of ethanol are not necessarily accompanied by increased attraction to this chemical.
Determinants of bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein in plasma of healthy aging subjects

Abstract The gamma-carboxy glutamic acid (Gla) -containing protein of mammalian bone (BGP, also called osteocalcin) is a 49 amino acid polypeptide containing two to three residues of gamma-carboxyglutamic acid. BGP is synthesized by osteoblastlike cells, and plasma BGP in laboratory animals is derived principally from recently synthesized BGP. These data, taken together with observations that plasma BGP levels are elevated in patients with disorders of high bone turnover, suggest that plasma BGP is a marker of osteoblast activity. Since low bone formation rates may play an important role in the loss of bone mass with age, we have examined the determinants of plasma BGP levels in aging subjects, using a region-specific radioimmunoassay for human BGP based on the synthetic C-terminal peptide hBGP37-49. In 147 carefully screened healthy subjects, aged 23–91, BGP did not change with age, whereas alkaline phosphatase (AP) showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.30, P Our results indicate that plasma BGP, a specific marker of bone metabolism, is not predictably related to age per se. This result is in contrast to the age-related rise in total AP. Subtle changes in renal function can affect plasma BGP levels.
Integrating collections at the cervantes project

Unlike many efforts that focus on supporting scholarly research by developing large-scale, general resources for a wide range of audiences, we at the Cervantes Project have chosen to focus more narrowly on developing resources in support of ongoing research about the life and works of a single author, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616). This has lead to a group of hypertextual archives, tightly integrated around the narrative and thematic structure of Don Quixote. This project is typical of many humanities research efforts and we discuss how our experiences inform the broader challenge of developing resources to support humanities research.
Satisfaction with body image for early adolescent females: The impact of pubertal timing within different school environments

During adolescence dramatic physical changes take place which the individual must incorporate into his or her evolving body image. The impact of different school environments on this incorporation process is explored using data on 225 White females from a longitudinal study. Differences in physical characteristics between early, middle, and late developers were assessed each year. The effects of pubertal timing on satisfaction with body image dimensions and self-esteem were then explored for sixth- and seventh-graders within different school environments. Reference group theory was used to examine three alternative hypotheses. Early versus late onset of menarche had different effects on certain aspects of satisfaction with body image, depending on the school environment. Results support the strength of the cultural ideal of thinness for women, but no other hypothesis had consistent support. The findings indicated the need to consider a multiplicity of factors in relation to specific body image dimensions.
Influence of charge density wave fluctuations on the magnetic susceptibility of the quasi one-dimensional conductor (TaSe4)2I

Abstract The results of magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements from 4 K to 430 K are reported for the quasi one-dimensional (1-D) conductor (TaSe 4 ) 2 I. The long range charge density wave (CDW) transition at T c = 265 K is manifested in the data via a small (20%) slope change in χ(T). By comparison with the 1973 theoretical prediction of Lee, Rice and Anderson for χ(T) of isolated 1-D chains, CDW amplitude fluctuations are found to be responsible for the strong continuing increase of χ observed above T c . Comparison with χ(T) previously reported for the quasi 1-D conductors o-TaS 3 and K 0.3 MoO 3 reveals the universal behavior of χ(T) above T c for these compounds.
Effect of Previous Crop, Seedborne Inoculum, and Fungicides on Development of Stagonospora Blotch

ABSTRACT Stagonospora blotch of wheat has been difficult to control in the eastern United States. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effects of field inoculum, seedborne inoculum, and seed treatment and foliar fungicides on Stagonospora blotch development and to develop more effective management strategies. In 1995 and 1996, similar experiments were established in “infested” and “clean” fields using two seed lots of Coker 9543 (“low” and “high” levels of seed infection) and six seed or foliar fungicide treatments. Planting in clean fields, planting seed with a low level of seedborne inoculum, treating seed with difenoconazole or triadimenol + thiram, and applying propiconazole or tebuconazole to the foliage all contributed toward reducing leaf infections by Stagonospora nodorum, severity of leaf and glume blotch, and incidence of S. nodorum in the harvested seed. Propiconazole alone was the least effective treatment. Planting in an infested field tended to negate the beneficial effects o...
Constructions using a compass and twice-notched straightedge

1. INTRODUCTION. It is impossible to trisect an arbitrary angle. So mathematicians have claimed, with confidence, for more than 160 years. The statement is provocative. To a mathematician, the statement embodies the beauty of algebra and its applications to geometry, hints at Galois theory, and is a rare example of a statement of the nonexistence of a solution. To recreational mathematicians, it is often thought of as a challenge. Every year, mathematicians around the world receive letters from the general population making claims to the contrary. Their solutions fall into two main categories: they either are false or do not adhere to the rules of constructions. In our provocative statement, we often omit the qualifying phrase using only a straightedge and compass. This is a restriction whose popularity is most probably due to the writings of Plato (ca. 427‐347 BC )[ 6]. But according to Pappus (late third century, AD), the ancient Greeks (ancient already to him) classified problems in geometric construction into three types. A problem is called plane if it can be solved using only a straightedge and compass; it is called solid if it can be solved using one or more conic section(s); and it is called linear if the solution requires a more complicated curve. In particular, the ancient Greeks had already found solid solutions to the trisection problem, as well as to the problem of doubling the cube. They suspected that neither problem was plane, a fact that was finally established by Pierre L. Wantzel (1814‐1848) in 1837 (though some have argued that Gauss must have known how to do this soon after writing Disquisitiones in 1798 [4], [5]). I find this classification very intriguing, for it reflects a point of view that is appealing to modern algebraic geometers. The ancient Greeks somehow observed that the simplest problems are those that can be solved using quadratics, and that the next simplest class is the class of problems solvable with quadratics and cubics. Even their terminology (with the exception of “linear”) is very appropriate. The terms “plane” and “solid” are meant to suggest the two-dimensional and three-dimensional natures of the solutions. Thus, a plane construction should involve equations of degree two, and a solid construction should involve equations of degree three. The modern mathematician might be tempted to partition the linear problems (a poor choice of terminology) further into algebraic and transcendental problems, but we would probably do little more. I also find it intriguing that this classification scheme does not obviously include the following trisection algorithm, due to Archimedes (287‐212 BC).
Expeditious Synthesis and Assembly of Sub-100 nm Hollow Spherical Gold Nanoparticle Superstructures

Sub-100 nm hollow gold nanoparticle superstructures were prepared in a direct one-pot reaction. A gold-binding peptide conjugate, C6-AA-PEPAu (PEPAu = AYSSGAPPMPPF), was constructed and used to direct the simultaneous synthesis and assembly of gold nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography revealed that the superstructures are uniform and consist of monodisperse gold nanoparticles arranged into a spherical monolayer shell.
Creating and sustaining a business edge using information technology: interview with Charles Darnell

Charles Darnell, Executive Vice President with Lithonia Lighting, coordinates all company operations in support of customer service. He is known around the world for the innovative and effective deployment of information technology. Darnell is a winner, along with Lithonia's CEO Jim McClung, of the prestigious "Partners in Leadership Award" presented by the Society for Information Management. The award is presented annually to the CEO/CIO partnership that has done the most to use information technology to carry out the company's business strategy.In this candid and hard-hitting interview, Darnell shares his insights and his experiences gained over the 32 years he has been with the company. You'll see the thinking he has used to create the ongoing series of innovations that have led to and sustained a family of worldclass systems.
Two-temperature radiative shocks with electron thermal conduction

The influence of electron thermal conduction on radiative shock structure is studied for both one- and two-temperature plasmas. The dimensionless ratio of the conductive length to the cooling length determines whether or not conduction is important, and shock jump conditions with conduction are established for a collisionless shock front. Approximate solutions are obtained, with the assumptions that the ionization state of the gas is constant and the cooling rate is a function of temperature alone. In the absence of magnetic fields, these solutions indicate that conduction noticeably influences normal-abundance interstellar shocks with velocities 50-100 km/s and dramatically affects metal-dominated shocks over a wide range of shock velocities.
Multiloop Analysis of a Precision Pointing Spacecraft with Controlled Flexible Appendages

This paper describes the development and application of a multiloop frequency response analysis method to determine the stability and response to disturbances of a precision pointing earth-oriented satellite with a controlled flexible appendage. Since the spacecraft control axes are not principal axes and the driven solar array represents a flexible appendage, single-loop rigid body analysis will not yield valid stability predictions. A fourloop (roll, pitch, yaw, array) frequency-domain computer program was developed, which permits the servo designer to verify openand closed-loop stability of the strongly coupled servos in the presence of multiple lowfrequency flexible body modes. Although the approach presented here was applied to a specific satellite application, its methodology can readily be adapted to other spacecraft configurations with controlled flexible appendages.
Collaboration between Marketing Students and the Library: An Experiential Learning Project to Promote Reference Services

As with most academic libraries, declining reference transactions has been a concern at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Ames Library. After grappling with the problem unsuccessfully, librarians sought input from students on how to address this issue. Collaborating with a professor in the Business Administration Department, a two-class series focusing on real-world marketing issues took on the challenge of how best to promote reference services to students. Student-generated surveys and marketing ideas proved useful for making changes to the library’s reference services and for publicizing the service, resulting in an increase in reference transactions between students and librarians.
Radiation Necrosis Secondary to Trigeminal Nerve TomoTherapy: A Cautionary Case Study

New radiation delivery modalities have recently challenged Gamma Knife surgery as the historic gold standard in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). TomoTherapy, a relative newcomer, has been approved by the U.S. FDA for various intracranial pathologies but is currently off label for the treatment of TN. A 73-year-old female presented with gait instability, intermittent headaches, and confusion. She was treated with TomoTherapy for refractory TN at an outside facility, which failed to reduce her symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a lesion in the right mesial temporal lobe. A standard right anterior temporal lobectomy was performed and the final pathological report was notable for necrosis, gliosis, and edema consistent with a remote radiation injury. The patient improved postoperatively, but at her two-year follow up, she continued to have persistent bilateral TN and new onset seizures. Imaging revealed no new mass in the resection field. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an evolving field with broadening indications, which makes it ever more important for physicians to be aware of differences between various SRS modalities. This case report highlights a cautionary example, and emphasizes the need for a more systematic evaluation of novel SRS methods before clinical application.