cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orientation and Familiarization to 1RM Strength Testing in Old and Young Women

The purpose of this study was to compare the number of testing sessions required to achieve consistent 1 repetition maximum (1RM) strength measurements in untrained old and young women. Consistency of measurement was defined as consecutive 1 RM strength measures that increased by 1 kg or less. Untrained old (n = 6, age 66 +/- 5 years) and untrained young (n = 7, age 23 +/- 4 years) women were repeatedly strength-tested for bilateral concentric knee extension 1 RM strength until consecutive measurements were increased by no more than 1 kg. At least 48 hours of rest was allowed between 1 RM measurements. The old subjects required significantly more testing sessions (8-9 sessions) compared with the young subjects (3-4 sessions) to achieve the same absolute consistency of measurement (p 0.05). The relative increase was significantly greater in the older subjects (young = 12 +/- 5%; old = 22 +/- 4%) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, older subjects require more practice and familiarization and show greater relative increases in 1RM strength when compared with younger subjects of the same experience level. This is important to consider, especially when evaluating the magnitude of strength increase in response to resistance training.
Some dissipative effects in unsteady compressible flows

Dissipative thermodynamic processes in compressible flow fields are investigated on the basis of quasistatic energy balances as prescribed by the equation of motion and the Second Law of thermodynamics. It is shown that the entropy change due to dissipation can be expressed in terms of a simple thermodynamic process equation. The resultant flow field consists of frictional disturbances whose convection velocity is not uniform. As a consequence, there is a possibility of large local entropy gradients to occur in the dissipative flow field.
Spanish Central America: A Socioeconomic History, 1520-1720

The seventeenth century has been characterized as "Latin America's forgotten century." This landmark work, originally published in 1973, attempted to fill the vacuum in knowledge by providing an account of the first great colonial cycle in Spanish Central America. The colonial Spanish society of the sixteenth century was very different from that described in the eighteenth century. What happened in the Latin American colonies between the first conquests, the seizure of long-accumulated Indian wealth, the first silver booms, and the period of modern raw material supply? How did Latin America move from one stage to the other? What were these intermediate economic stages, and what effect did they have on the peoples living in Latin America? These questions continue to resonate in Latin American studies today, making this updated edition of Murdo J. MacLeod's original work more relevant than ever.Colonial Central America was a large, populous, and always strategically significant stretch of land. With the Yucatan, it was home of the Maya, one of the great pre-Columbian cultures. MacLeod examines the long-term process it underwent of relative prosperity, depression, and then recovery, citing comparative sources on Europe to describe Central America's great economic, demographic, and social cycles. With an updated historiographical and bibliographical introduction, this fascinating study should appeal to historians, anthropologists, and all who are interested in the colonial experience of Latin America.
Pre-steady State Analysis of the Assembly of Wild Type and Mutant Circular Clamps of Escherichia coli DNA Polymerase III onto DNA

Abstract The β protein, a dimeric ring-shaped clamp essential for processive DNA replication by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, is assembled onto DNA by the γ complex. This study examines the clamp loading pathway in real time, using pre-steady state fluorescent depolarization measurements to investigate the loading reaction and ATP requirements for the assembly of β onto DNA. Two β dimer interface mutants, L273A and L108A, and a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, adenosine 5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS), have been used to show that ATP binding is required for γ complex and β to associate with DNA, but that a γ complex-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis is required for γ complex to release the β·DNA complex and complete the reaction. In the presence of ATP and γ complex, the β mutants associate with DNA as efficiently as wild type β. However, completion of the reaction is much slower with the β mutants because of decreased ATP hydrolysis by the γ complex, resulting in a much slower release of the mutants onto DNA. The effects of mutations in the dimer interface were similar to the effects of replacing ATP with ATPγS in reactions using wild type β. Thus, the assembly of β around DNA is coupled tightly to the ATPase activity of the γ complex, and completion of the assembly process requires ATP hydrolysis for turnover of the catalytic clamp loader.
Microwave spectrum, dipole moment, and internal rotation of trans-2-butanone

Abstract The microwave spectra of 2-butanone and 2-butanone-d5 have been investigated from 9 to 33 Ge. The assigned transitions are all doublets and are attributed to rotational absorption by the trans form of 2-butanone in the ground-vibrational state. Splittings are a result of coupling of overall rotation with internal torsion of the C1 methyl group, and yield barrier heights of 518 ± 1 cal/mole in the case of the common isotopic species, and 497 ± 1 cal/mole in the case of the deuterated species. Inability to make an assignment of the spectrum of the gauche form is taken as an indication that its zeropoint energy is appreciably greater (more than 1 kcal) than that of the trans form. The conformational situation in 2-butanone is compared with that of propionaldehyde. Stark effect measurements on both species give the magnitude of the dipole moment as 2.775 ± 0.015 D. These same measurements show that u makes an angle of 2°40′ ± 30′ with the CO bond direction. The negative end of the component of u perpendicular to C+O− points away from the ethyl group.
Challenges in donor care: Part 2.

This article is provided as a self-study feature on care of organ donors. Questions and possible responses are provided. Review all the responses for each question.
CIE x,y coordinates from an inexpensive projection colorimeter

The present paper reports an extension of the design for a projection colorimeter originally proposed by Riggs, 1964. A technique and the necessary calculatory formulas are presented through which the definitions of colors produced by the instrument may be defined in terms of CIE x,y coordinates of chromaticity space. Data on the accuracy of measurements obtained from a random sample of naive Os are also reported.
The phage-type PclpP-53 plastid promoter comprises sequences downstream of the transcription initiation site

The existence of a phage-type plastid transcription machinery (NEP), related to the mitochondrial RNA polymerase, has been recognized only recently. Here we report the cis sequences required for transcription initiation by the phage-type enzyme. The promoter chosen for the study, PclpP-53, is well expressed in tobacco leaves, unlike most NEP promoters. Promoter definition was carried out in vivo , in transplastomic tobacco plants expressing a uidA reporter gene from PclpP-53 promoter derivatives. We report here that sequences from -5 to +25 (relative to the transcription initiation site) are sufficient to support specific transcription initiation. Requirement of sequences downstream of the transcription initiation site contrasts with mitochondrial promoters, which have conserved sequences predominantly upstream. The promoter defined here is conserved in liverworts and conifers, indicating that the phage-type transcription machinery appeared in plastids early on during the evolution of land plants. The PclpP-53 promoter sequences are present in rice but do not function, suggesting that PclpP-53 recognition specificity is absent in some monocots.
A peer-to-peer framework for caching range queries

Peer-to-peer systems are mainly used for object sharing although they can provide the infrastructure for many other applications. We extend the idea of object sharing to data sharing on a peer-to-peer system. We propose a method, which is based on the multidimensional CAN system, for efficiently evaluating range queries. The answers of the range queries are cached at the peers and are used to answer future range queries. The scalability and efficiency of our design is shown through simulation.
The impact of hormone replacement therapy on the detection and stage of breast cancer.

Hypothesis Patients who receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and subsequently develop breast cancer are more likely to be diagnosed by palpation than mammography and have a higher stage of cancer at initial diagnosis. Design Retrospective case series. Setting University hospital. Patients Two hundred ninety-two patients with breast cancer who were postmenopausal. Interventions Clinical examination, mammography, and definitive therapy. Main Outcome Measures Hormone replacement therapy use, mode of cancer detection, tumor size, nodal status, stage, and survival. Results Patients receiving HRT prior to diagnosis had significantly more incidences of mammographically detected tumors, ductal carcinoma in situ, T1 lesions, negative nodes, and better survival rates than nonusers. Conclusions A history of HRT use had only beneficial and no discernible adverse effects on breast cancer detection and outcomes. These effects of HRT seem to be due to the development of less aggressive tumors rather than earlier detection.
Recovery of Cytokinins from Cation Exchange Resins

Cytokinins exhibit great affinity for the polystyrene matrix of Dowex-50 cation exchange resins. Model experiments showed that only c. 20% of the applied 2-methylthio-trans-zeatin and c. 70% of the trans-zeatin are eluted from AG 50W columns with six bed volumes of 1 N NH4 OH. Inclusion of 70% (v/v) ethanol in the eluant increases the recovery to c. 55 and 85% respectively. No additional recovery was obtained upon continued elution to 14 bed volumes. Similar experiments with Duolite CS-101, a weak acid cation exchange resin with acrylic matrix, showed that c. 95% of the applied 2-methylthio derivatives of isopentenyladenine and zeatin are recovered from the resin with six bed volumes of 70% (v/v) ethanol (pH 10) or 1 N NH4OH in 70% (v/v) ethanol. The less modified cytokinins, isopentenyladenosine and ribosylzeatin, are recovered completely under these conditions. Recovery of cytokinins was determined by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography of the column eluates.
Regulation of the Eleven Gene S10 Ribosomal Protein Operon by the 50S Subunit Protein L4

The S10 operon of Escherichia coli encodes 11 r-proteins. Like most other r-protein operons, it is regulated by one of its own gene products, the 50S subunit protein L4 which is encoded by the third gene of the operon (Lindahl and Zengel, 1979; Yates and Nomura, 1980; Zengel et al., 1980). However, unlike these other operons, the autogenous regulation of the S10 operon is achieved by two different regulatory circuits, both activated by L4 and each contributing about 5-fold inhibition of the expression of the S10 operon (Freedman et al., 1987). The mechanism for one of these circuits is repression of transcription by induction of premature termination in the S10 leader about 30 bases upstream from the first gene of the operon (Zengel et al., 1980; Lindahl et al., 1983; Zengel and Lindahl, 1990a; Zengel and Lindahl, 1990b). This mechanism appears to be unique among the r-protein operons. The other circuit works by repressing translation of the mRNA (Yates and Nomura, 1980; Freedman et al., 1987). Such translation control, although varying in molecular detail, is common to all r-protein operons for which autogenous regulation has been studied (Lindahl and Zengel, 1986; Jinks-Robertson and Nomura, 1987), with the exception of the trmD operon (Wikstrom et al., 1988).
Rate and extent of phagocytosis in macrophages lacking vamp3.

During phagocytosis, macrophages rapidly internalize a substantial fraction of plasma membrane without a net loss of surface area, suggesting that membranes are targeted to the cell surface from intracellular sites. Nevertheless, a requirement for mobilization of specific membrane compartments has not been demonstrated. We used bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) from wild type and vamp3 null mice to evaluate directly the requirement for this v-SNARE in phagocytosis of zymosan, IgG-beads, complement-opsonized particles, or latex microspheres. Regardless of the phagocytic receptor engaged or particle load, BMM lacking vamp3 exhibited no phagocytic defects when assayed after 1 h at 37°C, and phagosome maturation was unimpaired as judged by acquisition of lamp-1. In contrast, at early time points (5–15 min), internalization of zymosan (but not other particles tested) was significantly slower in vamp3 null BMM. These data indicate that vamp3 modulates efficient uptake of zymosan, but is not absolutely required for phagocytosis in primary macrophages.
Hippocampus Minor and Man's Place in Nature: A Case Study in the Social Construction of Neuroanatomy

In mid-19th century Britain the possibility of evolution and particularly the evolution of man from apes was vigorously contested. Among the leading antievolutionists was the celebrated anatomist and paleontologist Richard Owen and among the leading defenders of evolution was Thomas Henry Huxley. The central dispute between them on human evolution was whether or not man’s brain was fundamentally unique in having a hippocampus minor (known today as the calcar avis), a posterior horn in the lateral ventricle, and a posterior lobe. The author considers the background of this controversy, the origin and fate of the term hippocampus minor, why this structure became central to the question of human evolution, and how Huxley used it to support both Darwinism and the political ascendancy of Darwinians. The use of ventricular structures to distinguish humans from other animals appears to reflect an importance given to the ventricles that stretches back to ancient Greek medicine. This account illustrates both the extraordinary persistence of ideas in biology and the role of the political and social matrix in the study of the brain.
Determination of the Number of Errors in DFT Codes Subject to Low-Level Quantization Noise

This paper analyzes the effects of quantization or other low-level noise on the error correcting capability of a popular class of real-number Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) codes known as discrete Fourier transform (DFT) codes. In the absence of low-level noise, a modified version of the Peterson-Gorenstein-Zierler (PGZ) algorithm allows the correction of up to corrupted entries in the real-valued code vector of an DFT code. In this paper, we analyze the performance of this modified PGZ algorithm in the presence of low-level (quantization or other) noise that might affect each entry of the code vector (and not simply of them). We focus on the part of the algorithm that determines the number of errors that have corrupted the real-number codeword. Our approach for determining the number of errors is more effective than existing systematic approaches in the literature and results in an explicit lower bound on the precision needed to guarantee the correct determination of the number of errors; our simulations suggest that this bound can be tight. Finally, we prove that the optimal bit allocation for DFT codes (in terms of correctly determining the number of errors) is the uniform one.
Ethical regulations for innovative surgery: the last frontier?

Abstract Background: There are no clear federal regulations governing innovative surgery, even though general guidelines regulating research with human subjects do exist. We hypothesized that US surgeons are unaware of Department of Health and Human Services regulations, rarely seek IRB review, generally oppose outside regulation of innovative surgery, and are uncertain what constitutes innovation and research. These circumstances, if true, would pose a significant ethical problem and present potential harm to patients as unwitting subjects of research. Study Design: In a pilot study we reviewed 527 issues of US surgical and medical journals, selecting 59 articles published between 1992 and 2000, that described innovative surgery. Corresponding authors from university hospitals (71%) and other facilities (29%) were sent an anonymous questionnaire. Results: The survey was conducted between November 2000 and May 2001. Twenty-one questionnaires were returned, completed with responses, constituting a 35% overall response rate. Fourteen authors confirmed their work was research, yet only six had sought prior IRB review. The majority of authors (15 of 21) did not submit their protocol to IRB. Only seven authors had mentioned the innovative nature of the procedure in the informed consent form. Seven authors claimed familiarity with Office for Human Research Protections definitions of research and human subject. Two-thirds of the respondents stated that government regulations for the protection of human subjects of innovative surgery would not be appropriate. Conclusions: The current system of definitions, ethical theories, and voluntary professional guidelines may be inadequate to meet the challenge of surgical innovation. Further research is proposed to examine the adequacy of the existing guidelines.
Trends in Booster Seat Use Among Young Children in Crashes

Introduction. Booster seat use in the United States is extremely low among 4- to 8-year-old children, the group targeted for their use. However, more recent attention has been paid to the role of booster seats for children who have outgrown their forward-facing child safety seat. In particular, several states are currently considering upgrades to their child restraint laws to include the use of booster seats for children over 4 years of age. Objective. To examine recent trends in booster seat use among children involved in automobile crashes in 3 large regions of the United States. Design. This study was performed as part of the Partners for Child Passenger Safety project, an ongoing, child-specific crash surveillance system that links insurance claims data to telephone survey and crash investigation data. All crashes occurring between December 1, 1998, and November 30, 2000, involving a child occupant between 2 to 8 years of age riding in a model year 1990 or newer vehicle reported to State Farm Insurance Companies from 15 states and Washington, DC, were eligible for this study. A probability sample of eligible crashes was selected for a telephone survey with the driver of the vehicle using a previously validated instrument. The study sample was weighted according to each subject’s probability of selection, with analyses conducted on the weighted sample. Results. The weighted study sample consisted of 53 834 children between 2 to 8 years old, 11.5% of whom were using a booster seat at the time of the crash. Booster seat use peaked at age 3 and dropped dramatically after age 4. Over the period of study, booster seat use among 4- to 8-year-olds increased from 4% to 13%. Among 4-year-olds specifically, booster use increased from 14% to 34%. Among children using booster seats, approximately half used shield boosters and half used belt-positioning boosters. Conclusion. Although overall booster seat use among the targeted population of 4- to 8-year-old children remains low, significant increases have been noted among specific age groups of children over the past 2 years. These data may be useful to pediatricians, legislators, and educators in efforts to target interventions designed to increase appropriate booster seat use in these children.
Coastal Oil Spill Preparedness and Response: The Morris J. Berman Incident

On January 7, 1994, the disabled tank barge Morris J. Berman ran aground spilling 750,000 gallons of heavy-grade fuel oil on the beaches of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The spill impacted a variety of resources and temporarily shut down a portion of the tourist industry during the height of the winter season. The spill is noteworthy as the first major incident in U.S. coastal waters following passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). A landmark provision passed as a result of the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe. The Berman spill provides a test case for assessing the robustness of policy mandates incorporated in the OPA 90. Mandates that compelled the oil transportation and response network to assume high-reliability organization characteristics. The study finds that although high-reliability characteristics were seemingly adopted their implementation during the Berman spill evidenced a significant number of shortcomings.
Subspace expanders and matrix rank minimization

Matrix rank minimization (RM) problems recently gained extensive attention due to numerous applications in machine learning, system identification and graphical models. In RM problem, one aims to find the matrix with the lowest rank that satisfies a set of linear constraints. The existing algorithms include nuclear norm minimization (NNM) and singular value thresholding. Thus far, most of the attention has been on i.i.d. Gaussian or Bernoulli measurement operators. In this work, we introduce a new class of measurement operators, and a novel recovery algorithm, which is notably faster than NNM. The proposed operators are based on what we refer to as subspace expanders, which are inspired by the well known expander graphs based measurement matrices in compressed sensing. We show that given an n×n PSD matrix of rank r, it can be uniquely recovered from a minimal sampling of O(nr) measurements using the proposed structures, and the recovery algorithm can be cast as matrix inversion after a few initial processing steps.
Time spring layout for visualization of dynamic social networks

Common layout techniques for dynamic networks typically either keep node positions static as the graph changes, or operate by “tweening” optimized layouts between adjacent time slices. These techniques can be problematic because (in the first case) there is significant visual “noise” caused by unnecessary edge crossings, and (in the second case) the nodes change so much from one time slice to another that animation is required to display node movement. This paper describes techniques to balance the benefits of keeping node positions relatively static while allowing enough layout adjustment between slices to demonstrate the changing graph. Comparisons are provided against the common layout procedures for a graph with 20 time slices.
Fully-implicit orthogonal reconstructed Discontinuous Galerkin method for fluid dynamics with phase change

A new reconstructed Discontinuous Galerkin (rDG) method, based on orthogonal basis/test functions, is developed for fluid flows on unstructured meshes. Orthogonality of basis functions is essential for enabling robust and efficient fully-implicit Newton-Krylov based time integration. The method is designed for generic partial differential equations, including transient, hyperbolic, parabolic or elliptic operators, which are attributed to many multiphysics problems. We demonstrate the method's capabilities for solving compressible fluid-solid systems (in the low Mach number limit), with phase change (melting/solidification), as motivated by applications in Additive Manufacturing (AM). We focus on the method's accuracy (in both space and time), as well as robustness and solvability of the system of linear equations involved in the linearization steps of Newton-based methods. The performance of the developed method is investigated for highly-stiff problems with melting/solidification, emphasizing the advantages from tight coupling of mass, momentum and energy conservation equations, as well as orthogonality of basis functions, which leads to better conditioning of the underlying (approximate) Jacobian matrices, and rapid convergence of the Krylov-based linear solver.
Divergent selection for heat loss in mice: II. Correlated responses in feed intake, body mass, body composition, and number born through fifteen generations.

Divergent selection for heat loss (kcal.kg -.75 .d -1 ), measured in 9- to 11-wk-old male mice, was conducted for 15 generations. Selection for high (MH) and low (ML) heat loss and unselected control ( MC ) occurred in each of three replicates for a total of nine unique lines. Feed intake in males was measured during Generations 9 through 15. Body mass at commencement of mating in females and at time of measurement of heat loss in males was recorded. Body fat percentage at 12 wk for animals of Generations 6, 10, and 14 was predicted as a function of electrical conductivity and body mass. Litter size was recorded for all generations, and components of litter size were evaluated at Generation 11 in one replicate and Generation 12 in the other two replicates. Feed intake changed in the same direction as heat loss for the MH and ML selections; at Generation 15, the difference between MH and ML ( P <.002) was 20.6% of the MC mean. Body mass did not change with selection for heat loss. Differences in body fat percentage were not significant in earlier generations, but at Generation 14, MH and ML were significantly (P <.01) different with MH mice having the lowest fat percentage; MC was intermediate. Selection had a significant (MH vs ML; P <.01) effect on litter size, causing an increase in MH and a decrease in ML. This difference was explained by a difference (P <.01) in ovulation rate. There was no asymmetry of response in feed intake, fatness, litter size, or number of ovulations.
Epididymis and Epididymal Semen

On emerging from the efferent ducts the spermatozoa enter the epididymis, an organ consisting of a highly convoluted duct system reputed to cover a total length of about 20 metres in man, 40 in the bull and 60 in the boar; it is strictly dependent upon testicular androgen for the maintenance of its structure as well as secretory, resorptive, biosynthetic and metabolic activity. The major component parts of the epididymis are customarily referred to as head (caput), body (corpus) and tail (cauda), but in fact, each of these three regions possesses subsegments which exhibit their own distinct cell types and functional peculiarities. The structure and function of the epididymis, the histochemical differences between the various regions and subsegments, and the influence of the different zones upon the passage and function of epididymal spermatozoa have all been extensively discussed (Alsum and Hunter 1978; Bedford 1966, 1974, 1975, 1978a, 1979; Brooks 1979b; Fouquet and Guha 1969; Glover and Nicander 1971; Hamilton 1972, 1975; Martan 1969; Moniem and Glover 1972a; Nicander and Glover 1973; Nicander and Hellstrom 1967; OrgebinCrist 1969; Orgebin-Crist et al. 1975; Voglmayr 1975b; White 1973). The newer techniques evolved for the study of structure-function relationships in the epididymis (and the prostate) include certain stereological methods of quantitating three-dimensional structures from measurements of two-dimensional cross sections (Bartsch et al. 1978).
Atomic radii of noble gas elements in condensed phases

Neutral atomic radii of dissolved noble gas elements in condensed phases are obtained by treating the neutral atoms as "ions" of zero oxidation state and by interpolation from a plot of radius vs. oxidation state for isoelectronic ions. The major assumption is that the radius of an ion or a neutral atom having an electronic configuration of a noble gas element depends primarily on the interaction between the nucleus and the surrounding electrons and not on the interaction between the ion and its neighbors. As expected, the values of the new set of radii are slightly greater than the univalent radii and smaller than the radii of noble gas atoms in their crystals (in which the coordination number is 12). The neutral atomic radii (in angstroms) of noble gas elements are where CN = coordination number. Errors are given at the 20"level. Values in parentheses were determined by extrapolation and have greater errors. The larger error for the He radius is due to large uncertainty in the H - radius.
Where Is the Jet Quenching in Pb+Pb Collisions at 158A GeV?

Because of the rapidly falling particle spectrum at large $p_T$ from jet fragmentation at the CERN SPS energy, the high-$p_T$ hadron distribution should be highly sensitive to parton energy loss inside a dense medium as predicted by recent perturbative QCD (pQCD) studies. A careful analysis of recent data from CERN SPS experiments via pQCD calculation shows little evidence of energy loss. This implies that either the life-time of the dense partonic matter is very short or one has to re-think about the problem of parton energy loss in dense matter. The hadronic matter does not seem to cause jet quenching in $Pb+Pb$ collisions at the CERN SPS. High-$p_T$ two particle correlation in the azimuthal angle is proposed to further clarify this issue.
Patterns and Correlates of Serostatus Disclosure to Sexual Partners by Perinatally-Infected Adolescents and Young Adults

Similar to same-age peers, perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) youth in the US are engaging in sex, including condomless sex. Understanding decisions about serostatus disclosure to sexual partners is important to domestic and global HIV prevention efforts, since large numbers of PHIV+ children are entering adolescence and becoming sexually active. Using Social Action Theory (SAT) to inform variable selection, we examined correlates of disclosure among 98 PHIV+ adolescents/young adults in New York City. Over half of these youth reported not disclosing to any casual partners (59 %) or to any partners when using condoms (55 %). In bivariate analyses, increased disclosure was associated with older age; being female; earlier age of learning one's serostatus; and increased STD knowledge, disclosure intentions, and parent-child communication. Multiple regression analyses revealed a strong fit with the SAT model. As with adults, disclosure to sexual partners is difficult for PHIV+ youth and challenges prevention efforts. Effective interventions that help youth with disclosure decisions are needed to curb the epidemic.
The 'Non-Assessment' Assessment Project

Assessment has become headline news after the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Assessment is connected with the accountability of schools and teachers-to governments which provide funds for education, to parents (in the case of elementary and secondary schools) and to students (in the case of higher education) who want the most "bang for the buck," and to administrators who may want a basis for merit pay for faculty.Now, the assessment movement is coming to law schools. Regional college and university accrediting bodies are asking law schools about their assessment plans. Meetings of the Association of American Law Schools now regularly have programs on assessment. There is even a fairly recent book on assessment in law schools. (Of course, this development was presaged by the American Bar Association's MacCrate Task Force report in 1992.)The attached manuscript reports on an assessment experiment I conducted in my classes at the University of Baltimore School of Law. The experiment attempted to measure the effect of student assessment-extensive versus minimal-on student performance and on student satisfaction. The experiment was meant to provoke discussion about the "culture of assessment" at the law school and at the University, generally.
Obstacles to Shared Expectations in a Burn Intensive Care Unit

Critical care patients are dependent on the health care team and their family members to effect care goals that are consistent with their core values and wishes. This study aimed to identify and understand how obstacles to communication affect these two disparate groups. Ten burn intensive care unit (BICU) care team and 20 family members participated in in-depth semistructured interviews. A two-cycle coding, inductive analytical approach was used to derive three obstacle metathemes: family engagement, information exchange, and process transparency and standardization. However, care team and family members' themes within each metatheme were different. Although the thematic structure was derived inductively, our findings in retrospect appeared to be consistent with Law's four resistances associated with actor-networks. From this perspective, actor-network theory provides a plausible explanation for perceived obstacles and may, in the future, guide the development of interventions to improve shared agency across networks.
Low temperature 169 Tm Mössbauer spectrum of the TmBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ superconductor

A169Tm Mossbauer effect spectrum at 60 mK of the TmBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductor is a symmetric doublet characteristic of pure quadrupolar interaction. There is thus no evidence of Tm magnetic ordering in this material down to this temperature, in contrast to other rare-earth based “1-2-3” superconductors. The spectrum is fitted with crystal field parameters derived from those of the holmium-based superconductor, and values are found for shielding parameters.
Interactive buckling in composite cylinders

A novel and computationally effective procedure for the study of overall and local instabilities in composite ring stiffened shells subjected to hydrostatic pressure is presented. The key feature of the formulation employed is a judicious combination of the amplitude modulation technique and the asymptotic procedure for the interactive buckling analysis. A potential energy function is formulated in terms of a comparatively small number of degrees-of-freedom, viz. the degrees-of-freedom depicting the amplitude modulating function and a scaling factor of the overall buckling mode. As a result of the amplitude modulation, there arise in the potential energy function, non-vanishing cubic interactive terms which control the process of mode interaction. Imperfection-sensitivity under coincident buckling is examined. It appears that a 50% reduction of the buckling capacity must probably be allowed for as a result of modal interaction under near-coincident buckling. The optimality under interactive buckling is also examined with the total volume of the material kept constant and the critical stress ratio varied.
Experiment of closed flat box structure subjected to internal detonation

Internal detonation experiments with different charges of TNT in two types of reinforced concrete model structures were used to study the internal explosive loading on the walls of flat box structure.Blast gages were flush-mounted in the walls of the model box to record blast pressure as it arrived and propagated on the wall.The internal detonation loading on the walls of two model boxes was analysed and compared.The test result shows that the pressure on the wall of structure comes down nonlinearly with periodic macroscopic pulsation,that the pressure-time history figures are composed of one main pluse and several relatively intensive pluses,and that the value of quasi static gas pressure is very small.The two-way flexural failure of roof is the major form of model fracture.For the whole structre it is an effective way to set antidetonation walls inside the structure to reduce the damage subjected to the blast.The results offer valueable references to engineering design.
Response of Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome to Sirolimus Treatment.

Background Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare multifocal venous malformation syndrome involving predominantly the skin and gastrointestinal tract. Traditional treatment modalities include corticosteroids, interferon-α, sclerotherapy, and aggressive surgical resection. Sirolimus has been used in several single case reports. Procedure We performed a single-institution retrospective review of four children with BRBNS, who received sirolimus as part of their treatment regimens. A diagnosis of BRBNS was based on clinical, radiologic, and pathologic criteria. Results Median age was 6.5 years (range: 2–16 years). Pathologic evaluations revealed a combined malformation with venous and lymphatic components. The novel finding of a lymphatic component was confirmed with PROX-1 immunostaining. Patients received oral sirolimus with target drug levels between 10 and 13 ng/ml. Responses to treatment were defined as stabilization/decrease in size of lesions; resolution of transfusion requirements; reduction in pain, and improvement in quality of life (QOL). Median time to response was 1.5 months (SD ± 0.96 month, range: 1–3 months). Median follow-up was 21 months (range: 18–26 months). Lesion size and characteristics improved in all patients. All patients reported decrease in pain and improvement in QOL. All three patients requiring transfusions became transfusion-independent. One patient had resolution of coagulopathy. Adverse effects of sirolimus consisted of mucositis in three patients and neutropenia in one patient. Conclusions Sirolimus is safe and efficient for the treatment of BRBNS. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of this drug. This is the first report that identifies a lymphatic component as part of BRBNS.
Time-resolved imaging and optical spectroscopy of plasma plumes during pulsed laser material deposition.

We employ fast imaging photography and emission spectroscopy to study plasma plumes resulting from the 248-nm ablation of barium strontium titanate, and we utilize x-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy to characterize the deposited thin films. Hydrodynamic plume analyses yield initial velocities of approximately 20 km/s, whereas spectral simulations of the Ba I lines between 739 and 770 nm yield temperatures of approximately 17000 K at early times in vacuum. Analyses of the Stark broadened Ba II lines at 614 and 649 nm reveal an electron number density of approximately 10+18 cm−3 near the surface. Several Pa of oxygen reduces these values while improving the film quality.
Abstract 4872: Improving bioinformatic analysis pipelines for calling somatic mutations in tumors and tumor derived cell lines

The use of massively parallel sequencing data (MPS) is a common technique for identifying genetic alterations in disease. A number of tools and resources have been developed to assist in variant identification, but most are not specifically designed for somatic cancer studies. Tumor samples often suffer from admixture and heterogeneity, and tumor DNA often is derived from formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples rather than fresh samples, which introduces artificial bias. These confounders require adjustments to variant quality filtering to ensure a confident call set, but no universal guidelines exist for bioinformatics analyses. In addition, no single tool characterizes the spectrum of possible DNA-based alterations in tumors, specifically single nucleotide variants, small to medium sized indels, large genomic rearrangements and copy number alterations. To address these issues, we compared several methods of bioinformatic analysis using whole exome and targeted high-throughput sequencing data from various tumor and tumor-derived cell line studies. Using a data sets with known somatic alterations, we developed modifications to best practices guidelines for the publically available Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) for use in tumor and cell line variant calling. The haplotype score annotation was removed from all filtering consideration due to its expectance of no more than two segregating haplotypes at a given site, which, for example, caused all known BRAF V600 mutations to be removed. Scores from the read position rank sum test required a reduced filter threshold due to presence of high alternate allele fractions, which may contribute an artificial bias for this annotation value. Where applicable, we combined GATK results with calls from MuTect to increase specificity of the somatic changes identified as well as further increase sensitivity to singleton mutations. Finally, we have analyzed three methods to detect large genomic rearrangements and copy number changes (Pindel, ngCGH, and Sequenza) from MPS data, and found inconsistent results which require further scrutiny. In conclusion, we have developed a somatic variant calling pipeline which includes several modifications to the best practices in standard variant calling algorithms to enhance the sensitivity and specificity for somatic variant calling of the entire range of DNA-based alterations in tumors. Citation Format: Bradley Wubbenhorst. Improving bioinformatic analysis pipelines for calling somatic mutations in tumors and tumor derived cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4872. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4872
Purified Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Provide Superior Fat Graft Retention Compared with Unenriched Stromal Vascular Fraction.

Summary:Cell-assisted lipotransfer has shown much promise as a technique to improve fat graft retention in both mouse and human studies. However, the literature varies as to whether fresh stromal vascular fraction or culture-expanded adipose-derived stromal cells are used to augment volume retention
Contemplating Cops: A Tale of Identities – Essay 2

“It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness” (Dickens, 1859/1940, p. 1), it was an age of the emergence of some tradition...
A study to investigate pyrolysis of wood particles of various shapes and sizes

Pyrolysis of centimeter-scale wood particles of various sizes and shapes needs to be understood to determine their burning rate and life. Such particles may be thought of as firebrands, which are a major reason for spotting ignition in wildland and wildland-urban interface fires. The burning lifetime of firebrands controls the maximum distance they can travel to cause spotting. To understand and model this, experiments are done in a vertical tube furnace with wood particles of different sizes and shapes. For computations, two classes of shapes, prolate and oblate ellipsoids, were chosen to represent the arbitrary geometry of such particles. Prolate ellipsoids include shapes ranging from thin needles to spheres, whereas, oblate ellipsoids include shapes ranging from thin disks to spheres. The choice of these smooth shapes, while facilitating expedient computations also enables the coverage of wide ranges of particle shapes and surface area to volume ratios (SVR). Model simulations show satisfactory agreement with relevant literature and experimental data. Particle aspect ratio (ϵ, the ratio of minor and major axes), SVR, and equivalent radius (Re) are used to define the particle geometry. Mass loss and center temperature profiles are presented and discussed. It is shown that with the decreasing of aspect ratio, wood particle decomposes faster and the final char fraction becomes smaller. A power-law based correlation between conversion time (tcon) and SVR is derived and verified against experiments. Further, it is shown that an increase in the SVR enhances the production of tar and decreases the yield of char while leaving the yield of gas mostly unaffected.
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching in Practice: A Case Study of a Fourth-Grade Mainstream Classroom Teacher.

As a result of increases in immigration, more students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are entering K–12 classrooms in the United States. Thus, the need to study the educatio...
The Genetic Chain Rule for Probabilistic Kinship Estimation

Accurate kinship predictions using DNA forensic samples is limited to first degree relatives. High throughput sequencing of single nucleotide polymorphisms and short tandem repeats (STRs) can be used to expand DNA forensics kinship prediction capabilities. Current kinship identification models incorporate STR size profiles to statistical models that do not adequately depict genetic inheritance beyond the first degree, or machine learning algorithms that are prone to over optimization and requiring similar training data. This work presents an alternative approach using a com- putational framework that incorporates the inheritance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between specific relationships(patent pending)[1]. The impact of SNP panel size on predictions is visualized in terms of the distribution of allelic differences between individuals. The confidence of predictions is made by calculating log likelihood ratios. With a panel of 39108 SNPs evaluated on an in silico dataset, this method can resolve parents from siblings and distinguish 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree relatives from each other and unrelated individuals.
Tangibles + Programming + Audio Stories = Fun

Block-based programming languages enable novice programmers, including children, to learn the basics of programming. However, most block-based programming languages are not accessible to blind and visually impaired users because they rely upon visual drag-and-drop interaction, and because they typically create visual output. To improve access to block-based programming languages, we introduce Story Blocks, a programming toolkit that uses tangible blocks to represent story components, and which produces output in the form of accessible audio stories and games. Story Blocks provides an introductory programming environment that can be enjoyed by people of all abilities.
Single-cell membrane drug delivery using porous pen nanodeposition

Delivering molecules onto the plasma membrane of single cells is still a challenging task in profiling cell signaling pathways with single cell resolution. We demonstrated that a large quantity of molecules could be targeted and released onto the membrane of individual cells to trigger signaling responses. This is achieved by a porous pen nanodeposition (PPN) method, in which a multilayer porous structure, serving as a reservoir for a large amount of molecules, is formed on an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip using layer-by-layer assembly and post processing. To demonstrate its capability for single cell membrane drug delivery, PPN was employed to induce a calcium flux triggered by the binding of released antibodies to membrane antigens in an autoimmune skin disease model. This calcium signal propagates from the target cell to its neighbors in a matter of seconds, proving the theory of intercellular communication through cell–cell junctions. Collectively, these results demonstrated the effectiveness of PPN in membrane drug delivery for single cells; to the best of our knowledge, this is the first technique that can perform the targeted transport and delivery in single cell resolution, paving the way for probing complex signaling interactions in multicellular settings.
Some Examples of Religious Ecstasy

This chapter introduces some basic data for the study of ecstatic and mystical states. It includes some forms of ecstasy from five major world religions, and the ways that these states have been interpreted. Under Judaism, we include Biblical prophecy (ecstatic if not mystical) and the prophetic Kabbalism of Abraham Abulafia. Under Christianity, there is Catholic Mysticism (St. Augustine and St. John of the Cross), and the Orthodox ecstasy of theosis . For Islam, we have Shia ecstatic sorrow, and Mevlevi ecstatic joy. For Hinduism, we have Bengali Shaktism and Ramprasad Sen’s ecstatic poetry to Kali. For Buddhism, we have the salvific joy of Pure Land Buddhism and the Kagyu bliss of the Inner Fire.