cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Approach to Testing Mediation of the Microbiome using the LDM

Background: Understanding whether and which microbes played a mediating role between an exposure and a disease outcome are essential for researchers to develop clinical interventions to treat the disease by modulating the microbes. Existing methods for mediation analysis of the microbiome are often limited to a global test of community-level mediation or selection of mediating microbes without control of the false discovery rate (FDR). Further, while the null hypothesis of no mediation at each microbe is a composite null that consists of three types of null (no exposure-microbe association, no microbe-outcome association given the exposure, or neither), most existing methods for the global test such as MedTest and MODIMA treat the microbes as if they are all under the same type of null. Methods: We propose a new approach based on inverse regression that regresses the (possibly transformed) relative abundance of each taxon on the exposure and the exposure-adjusted outcome to assess the exposure-taxon and taxon-outcome associations simultaneously. Then the association p-values are used to test mediation at both the community and individual taxon levels. This approach fits nicely into our Linear Decomposition Model (LDM) framework, so our new method is implemented in the LDM and enjoys all the features of the LDM, i.e., allowing an arbitrary number of taxa to be tested, supporting continuous, discrete, or multivariate exposures and outcomes as well as adjustment of confounding covariates, accommodating clustered data, and offering analysis at the relative abundance or presence-absence scale. We refer to this new method as LDM-med. Results: Using extensive simulations, we showed that LDM-med always controlled the type I error of the global test and had compelling power over existing methods; LDM-med always preserved the FDR of testing individual taxa and had much better sensitivity than alternative approaches. In contrast, MedTest and MODIMA had severely inflated type I error when different taxa were under different types of null. The flexibility of LDM-med for a variety of mediation analyses is illustrated by the application to a murine microbiome dataset. Availability and Implementation: Our new method has been added to our R package LDM, which is available on GitHub at https://github.com/yijuanhu/LDM.
Epidemiological studies on the infection process and symptom expression of soybean sudden death syndrome

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by Fusarium virguliforme (Aoki, O'Donnel, Homma & Lattanzi) is one of the most important soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) diseases in the US. Management strategies currently available for this disease are not always effective, partly due to the high variability in symptom expression that occurs in field environments. To clarify the relationship between progress of root rot and foliar symptoms, soybean seedlings were inoculated at five inoculum densities and were destructively sampled over a 50 day period. Disease severity and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) increased in response to increasing inoculum density (P 0.8, P < 0.01) with foliar severity at 40 and 50 DAI, while weak correlations were found when roots and leaves were assessed simultaneously. Rate of disease progress generally increased as inoculum densities increased for both root and foliar symptoms. Root biomass was reduced by up to 80% at the three highest inoculum densities. To study the effect of plant age on symptom expression, plants were sown at intervals over a five week period to obtain plants at different stages of development at the time of inoculation. Plants were incubated in growth chambers to 17oPC for 7 days and then to 24PoPPC, and assessed for root rot and foliar severity at 18 and 38 DAI. Root rot developed on plants inoculated at all ages, but plants inoculated 0 days after planting (DAP) had the highest (P < 0.01) root rot severity compared to plants inoculated at older ages. Foliar symptoms were severe on plants inoculated 0 DAP, but never developed on plants inoculated at all other ages. Fungal colonization of the xylem was more frequent (56%) in plants inoculated 0 DAP than on plants inoculated at later stages (2-14%). These findings show that soybean roots are susceptible to infection at different vegetative growth stages but that plants become less susceptible to xylem colonization and development of foliar symptoms as they mature. The interaction between plant age at inoculation and soil temperature was studied in greenhouse conditions. Soybeans were grown at 17, 23 and 29PoPPC and inoculated at 0, 3, 7 and 13 DAP. Root rot developed in all inoculated plants, but severity decreased with increasing temperature and root age at inoculation. Foliar symptoms also became less severe at warmer soil temperatures, but severity was greatly dependent on plant age at inoculation. At 17PoPC, plants inoculated at all ages except 13 DAP developed foliar symptoms, while at 29PoPC only plants inoculated 0 DAP showed foliar symptoms for the duration of the experiment. Plants inoculated 0 DAP showed severe root rot and foliar symptoms at all temperatures. Root growth rate and root length were negatively correlated with root rot AUDPC and root rot rate, and positively correlated with root dry weight. This suggests that accelerated root growth in warm soils restricts…
The Late Roman Landscape of the Northern Levant: A view from Tell Qarqur and the lower Orontes River Valley

Summary This paper presents a review and synthesis of archaeological surveys in western Syria and southern Turkey, alongside finds from recent excavations at Tell Qarqur, Syria, revealing regional patterns of late Roman settlement and land use in the lower Orontes River Valley. Survey data show that the late Roman period witnessed a peak in settlement density, with the extension of occupation into previously unoccupied areas and widespread agricultural intensification. Excavations of a typical lowland site at Tell Qarqur reveal an opulent building complex, possibly a church, with a columned hall, elaborate mosaic floor and frescoed interior. Analysis explores the process of agricultural intensification during the late Roman period, the relationship between lowland settlements and the better-known Dead Cities of the limestone massif to the east, and the ultimate abandonment of the settlement system following the seventh century AD.
Students' Perception Of Homework Assignments And What Influences Their Ideas

Authors have researched the effects of homework, but few studies have delved into the idea of students attitude towards homework. Consequently, students perception of homework, the principal participants, remains largely unknown. Students experience in homework that started as early as elementary school has influenced their ideas of homework. Trying to get students to complete their homework is one of the most frequent and frustrating behavior problems for educators. The purpose of this study is to understand students perception of homework assignments and identify factors that influenced their ideas. The participants for this research project were 180 undergraduate students enrolled in select Principles of Finance and Corporate Finance classes (encompassing three semesters and nine classes) at Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Results of the study summarize students opinions of homework assignments while in high school, college, and for the specific course in which the questionnaire was administered. Tests of significance revealed seven (of the nine classes) significant differences between the actual number of times homework was handed in and the pre-conceived number of times students estimated homework assignments would be completed on time.
Theoretical perspectives on female sexual behaviour in Africa: a review and conceptual model.

A major drawback of research on sexual behaviour in Africa is the separation between theories and em pirical work. This paper reviews three major theoretical perspectives on female sexual behaviour in Africa, and constructs a conceptual framework in which various hypotheses deriving from these theories can be empirically tested. This framework, which draws from Coleman’s model of social capital, shows the linkages between sexual behaviour and key factors of (1) patrilineal bias, (2) rational adaptation, and (3) social disorganisation theories. It is suggested that, as a dynamic process, sexual activity and its key covariates must be measured and analysed within event history models. (Afr J Reprod Health 1997;1(2): 67—78) KEY WORDS: Sexual behaviour, social capital, kinship, event history analysis
Gender Stereotypes And Self-Perceptions Among College Students

In spite of advances made, women in general still do not achieve the same earnings or positions as men do in corporate America. Gender stereotyping has been identified as a major hurdle for women both in business and on college campuses. This study explores gender stereotypes and selfperception of 338 students enrolled in undergraduate business courses at two Western New York colleges. Using a variation of the Schein Descriptive Index, attitudes about self, same sex and the typical man and woman are compared in terms of positive personality traits of successful managers. It is hoped that such research will help students recognize their own and others’ stereotypes, which is considered an important first step in managing them.
Alcohol, Alcoholism, and the Problem of Dependence

Investigators of sleep physiology and of alcoholism have several common interests. Ethanol ingestion affects EEG sleep stages. It may also modify the metabolism of the biogenic amines, which are thought to play an important role in the regulation of sleep (see Chapters 1 and 2). Finally, there is some evidence that a disorder of sleep stage regulation may be involved in ethanol withdrawal syndromes. Each of these areas will be discussed here, in terms of knowledge gained from animal studies and effects of ethanol on sleep in normal volunteers and alcoholics.
Growth, leaf temperatures, and leaf conductances of C3 forbs and C4 grasses in a tallgrass prairie in northeastern Kansas, USA.

Summary Shoot growth, leaf temperatures, and leaf conductances to water vapor were measured for dominant C3 forbs and C4 grasses (including one sedge) in a tallgrass prairie in northeastern Kansas. Most species, regardless of photosynthetic pathway, completed their vegetative growth in July. Growth after this date was, for the most part, due to inflorescence production. Throughout the summer, leaf temperatures and conductances were similar between the forbs and grasses. There was a tendency toward lower leaf temperatures and higher conductances in the C3 forbs but such differences were not always statistically significant. Thus, dramatic ecophysiological differences expected as a result of photosynthetic pathway alone were not observed in this in situ study of C3 and C4 prairie species.
Multimodal human-computer interaction for crisis management systems

This paper presents a multimodal crisis management system (XISM). It employs processing of natural gesture and speech commands elicited by a user to efficiently manage complex dynamic emergency scenarios on a large display. The developed prototype system demonstrates the means of incorporating unconstrained free-hand gestures and speech in a real-time interactive interface. This paper provides insights into the design aspects of the XISM system. In particular, it addresses the issues of extraction and fusion of gesture and speech modalities to allow more natural interactive behavior. Performance characteristics of the current prototype and considerations for future work are discussed. A series of studies indicated positive response with respect to ease of interacting with the current system.
Ion deposition experiments as a tool for the study of the spatial distribution of analyte ions in the second vacuum stage of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

A nickel mesh was placed in the ion beam in the second vacuum stage of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Deposits on the mesh from the beam were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy in an effort to measure element-specific ion distributions in the beam. The experiments suggest that the distribution of material in the deposit depends on factors other than the spatial distributions of atomic ions in the ion beam. Neutral atoms can affect the formation of the deposit, as can either charged or neutral microparticulates. Caution is urged in the use of deposition experiments of this type to study ion beam behavior.
Antistaphylococcal activity of CG400549, a new experimental FabI inhibitor, compared with that of other agents.

Among 203 strains of Staphylococcus aureus , the MICs of CG400549 were 0.06 to 1.0 μg/ml, with MIC 50 and MIC 90 values of 0.25 μg/ml each. All strains were susceptible to linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin (MICs, 0.25 to 2.0 μg/ml). The daptomycin MICs were 0.25 to 2.0 μg/ml for methicillin-susceptible and 0.25 to 4.0 μg/ml against methicillin-resistant strains (including vancomycin-intermediate strains). Single-passage selection testing showed low resistance frequencies with CG400549, but multistep analysis showed that CG400549 yielded resistant mutants after 14 to 17 days in all strains tested.
The Pseudo-Maxwell Equations Revisited

The so-called pseudo-Maxwell are a set of partial differential eauations that strongly resemble the Maxwell equations, yet are based only on Fermat's principle, the idea of an orthotomic system of rays, and certain theorems from differential gecmetry. From Fermat's principle, applying the Euler equation from the variational calculus, one obtains the ray equation whose solutions describe ray paths in an inhomogeneous medium. We define an aggregate of such rays as an orthotomic system if it is possible to find a sur-face orthogonal to all rays in the aggregate. Making use of the Frenet equations from differential geometry, one may derive relationships between certain geometrical vectors and their derivatives. These are the pseudo-Maxwell equations. Their existence is' paradoxical. Are they merely a mathematical artifact, an accidental quirk of the notation we are accustomed to use? Or do they indicate that there is more geometry lurking in the physics of electricity and magnetism than we ever dreamed of in our philosophies?© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Lax-Friedrichs fast sweeping methods for steady state problems for hyperbolic conservation laws

Fast sweeping methods are efficient iterative numerical schemes originally designed for solving stationary Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Their efficiency relies on Gauss-Seidel type nonlinear iterations, and a finite number of sweeping directions. In this paper, we generalize the fast sweeping methods to hyperbolic conservation laws with source terms. The algorithm is obtained through finite difference discretization, with the numerical fluxes evaluated in WENO (Weighted Essentially Non-oscillatory) fashion, coupled with Gauss-Seidel iterations. In particular, we consider mainly the Lax-Friedrichs numerical fluxes. Extensive numerical examples in both scalar and system test problems in one and two dimensions demonstrate the efficiency, high order accuracy and the capability of resolving shocks of the proposed methods.
A framework for prediction of densification and liquefaction of sand in cyclic shearing

When subjected to cyclic shearing, loose dry sand densifies, and undrained saturated sand may liquefy. These phenomena have to be described in terms of the complete loading history. An effective procedure for such a description would be to utilize the concept of “internal state variable.” In this work, relative void ratio (i.e. the difference in void ratio and its minimum value) and pore water pressure are considered as internal variables for densification and liquefaction phenomena, respectively. Incorporating these quantities into a thermodynamic framework and in conjunction with evolutionary equations, a unified theory for densification and liquefaction of a macroscopically homogeneous sample of isotropic cohesionless sand is proposed, and the corresponding stress-strain relation is then developed. The basic observation underlying the theory is that these phenomena involve a rearrangement of grains at microlevel, that requires expenditure of a certain amount of energy which increases as the void ratio approaches its minimum value, and decreases as the excess pore water pressure increases. Based on this energy consideration the evolutionary equations are developed in such a manner that when combined with stress-strain relation, they yield expressions relating stress (or strain) to the number of cycles and other relevant parameters. On the basis of rather rough estimates these relations are then rendered explicit and the results are applied to predict some of the existing experimental data.
Iron oxide MR contrast agents for molecular and cellular imaging.

Molecular and cellular MR imaging is a rapidly growing field that aims to visualize targeted macromolecules or cells in living organisms. In order to provide a different signal intensity of the target, gadolinium-based MR contrast agents can be employed although they suffer from an inherent high threshold of detectability. Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles can be detected at micromolar concentrations of iron, and offer sufficient sensitivity for T2(*)-weighted imaging. Over the past two decades, biocompatible particles have been linked to specific ligands for molecular imaging. However, due to their relatively large size and clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), widespread biomedical molecular applications have yet to be implemented and few studies have been reproduced between different laboratories. SPIO-based cellular imaging, on the other hand, has now become an established technique to label and detect the cells of interest. Imaging of macrophage activity was the initial and still is the most significant application, in particular for tumor staging of the liver and lymph nodes, with several products either approved or in clinical trials. The ability to now also label non-phagocytic cells in culture using derivatized particles, followed by transplantation or transfusion in living organisms, has led to an active research interest to monitor the cellular biodistribution in vivo including cell migration and trafficking. While most of these studies to date have been mere of the ‘proof-of-principle’ type, further exploitation of this technique will be aimed at obtaining a deeper insight into the dynamics of in vivo cell biology, including lymphocyte trafficking, and at monitoring therapies that are based on the use of stem cells and progenitors. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Expression of three osmotin-like protein genes in response to osmotic stress and fungal infection in potato.

We have characterized three cDNAs encoding osmotin-like proteins from potato (Solanum commersonii) cell cultures. These cDNAs (pA13, pA35, and pA81) have extensive nucleotide identity in the coding regions but low homology in the 3′ non-coding sequences, and may encode three isoforms of potato pathogenesis-related (PR) type 5 proteins. Using gene-specific probes, RNA gel blot analyses showed constitutive accumulation of osmotin-like protein mRNAs in cell cultures, leaves, stems, roots and flowers, with high abundance in the roots and mature flowers. Treatments with abscisic acid (ABA), low temperature, and NaCl increased the accumulation of all three mRNAs in S. commersonii cell cultures and plants grown in vitro. Salicylic acid (SA), and wounding resulted in a moderate increase in the levels of pA13 and pA81 but not pA35 mRNAs. Infection with the fungus Phytophthora infestans activated strong and non-systemic expression of all three osmotin-like protein genes. The accumulation of osmotin-like proteins, however, was detected only in P. infestans-infected tissues but not in plants treated with ABA, SA, NaCl, low temperature, or wounding.
Age and growth of lake sturgeon in the upper St. Lawrence River

Abstract The growth of lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ) over time in the upper St. Lawrence River was examined. Growth of lake sturgeon collected during 1993 and 1994 below Robert Moses Dam near Massena, New York, was compared to that reported for the same population almost 25 years earlier. The data suggest that lake sturgeon growth was similar to that reported in the previous study. However, significant differences in the elevations of regression models between males and fish of unknown sex in both data sets suggest possible sexual dimorphism in growth at younger ages.
An Evaluation of Waspaloy Expander Blade Tip Weld Repairs

The abrasive wear of blade tips in fluid catalytic cracking unit power recovery turbines is one of the principal ‘failure’ mechanisms for the parts. The occurrence of tip wear considerably shortens the effective life of the blade: generally well below the anticipated mechanical life of the component. This paper details the evaluation of mechanical properties and metallographic characteristics of a fully re-heat treated, Waspaloy on Waspaloy weldment for blade tip repair that will allow re-utilization of the blades.Copyright © 1990 by ASME
Toward development of interleukin-11 as a medical countermeasure for use in radiological/nuclear emergencies.

Since nuclear attacks and acts of radiological terrorism have emerged over the past decade as serious civilian and military security risks, medical countermeasures for use in radiological or nuclear emergencies are urgently needed.
Measurement of the local compressive characteristics of polymeric film and web structures using micro-indentation

Abstract The local compressive properties of paper influence its printing, calendering and friction characteristics. A continuous indentation instrument was developed to evaluate the local compressive characteristics of the paper sheet. A description of the instrumentation is presented. A method for determining the area of contact between the probe tip and the material surface from the load vs displacement data is implemented. This method provides a significant experimental simplification when compared to imaging of the individual indentations. A novel data analysis technique was developed to evaluate the continuous indentation data of thin materials. The technique was shown to be valid when the ratio of thickness to contact radius is less than two. This technique was compared with the traditional Hertzian analysis. The compressive elastic characteristics of a variety of films and fibrous webs were determined. The measured values were compared with results obtained from other methods. For paper samples, the ~ 10:1 ratio of the in-plane modulus to out-of-plane modulus observed with sonic measurements was also observed with the continuous indentation.
Two Atmospheric Effects in the Orbital Acceleration of Artificial Satellites

As I first pointed out1, the orbital acceleration of artificial Earth satellites shows fluctuations which cannot be explained on gravitational grounds. In satellite 1957 β 1, these oscillations were rather irregular, although cycles of 19 and 37 days could be discerned2,3. According to E. C. Cornford4, a periodicity of about 25 days was indicated, and this gave rise to speculations about possible tidal effects from the Moon. The same hypothesis was tentatively advanced by D. G. King-Hele5 to explain oscillations with a period of 27 days in satellite 1958 δ 1. Earlier3, in collaboration with R. E. Briggs, I had found oscillations with a period of about 30 days in satellite 1958 β 2, but had rejected the tidal hypothesis in view of the many observed irregularities and also because lunar tides should result in oscillations with about half the observed period. It was suggested, rather, that the rotation of the Sun, which has a synodic period of 27 days, could be responsible for changes in upper-atmosphere densities through variable radiation.
Prediction of L-band signal attenuation in forests using 3D vegetation structure from airborne LiDAR

Abstract In this study, we propose a novel method to predict microwave attenuation in forested areas by using airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). While propagating through a vegetative medium, microwave signals suffer from reflection, absorption, and scattering within vegetation, which cause signal attenuation and, consequently, deteriorate signal reception and information interpretation. A Fresnel zone enveloping the radio frequency line-of-sight is applied to segment vegetation structure occluding signal propagation. Return parameters and the spatial distribution of vegetation from the airborne LiDAR inside Fresnel zones are used to weight the laser points to estimate directional vegetation structure. A Directional Vegetation Density (DVD) model is developed through regression that links the vegetation structure to the signal attenuation at the L-band using GPS observations in a mixed forest in North Central Florida. The DVD model is compared with currently-used empirical models and obtained better R 2 values of 0.54 than the slab-based models. Finally, the model is evaluated by comparing with GPS observations of signal attenuation. An overall root mean square error of 3.51 dB and a maximum absolute error of 9.38 dB are found. Sophisticated classification algorithms and full-waveform LiDAR systems may significantly improve the estimation of signal attenuation.
Effect of dietary phenylalanine and tryptophan on brain serotonin.

Abstract Dietary phenylalanine lowers the concentration of serotonin in rat brain and liver, probably resulting from in vivo inhibition of the decarboxylation of serotonin. No such effect was obtained in animals fed a high tyrosine diet. A high tryptophan diet increased the serotonin concentration in liver and brain as expected, while combined feeding of phenylalanine and tryptophan showed a significant increase in the brain serotonin content.
Functional reach: Does it really measure dynamic balance?

Abstract Background: Functional reach (FR) is a new clinical measurement intended to assess dynamic balance. The purposes of this study were (1) to measure the mean FR distance in healthy elders compared with individuals with known balance impairments, (2) to analyze the extent to which FR measures dynamic balance, and (3) to describe movement strategies used during FR. Methods: Thirteen healthy elders and 15 individuals with vestibular hypofunction (VH) were tested during FR and free gait. Whole body kinematic and kinetic data including the center of gravity (CG) and center of pressure (CP) using 11 body segments and two force plates, respectively, were collected. Results: There was no difference in FR distance between healthy elders and individuals with VH. FR distance was not correlated to lateral stability measures, but was related to anterior-posterior postural control measures of FR ( r = .69 to .84) in both groups. Although FR distance strongly correlated with maximum moment arm during FR in both groups, the correlations were not as strong when the subjects were then classified by movement strategy. The mean moment arm during FR was significantly less than that of free gait. Conclusions: These data suggest FR does not measure dynamic balance; healthy elders and balance-impaired individuals with vestibular dysfunction attained the same FR distance and did so without increasing the moment arm during or at the end of FR. Recording the strategy used during FR, however, may provide other valuable information necessary in addressing balance control. Clinical implications of assessing movement strategy are discussed.
Small vessel constriction in the rat cremaster during the early phase of moderate hemorrhagic hypotension

Abstract Diameters of small vessels (89 ± 3 (SEM) μm arteries and 135 ± 8 μm veins) in the cremaster muscle of six experimental and seven control Wistar male rats (weight, 119 ± 5 g) were measured with a microscope eyepiece micrometer. After induction of anesthesia with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/kg, ip), the femoral artery was cannulated to allow pressure measurement and to control hemorrhage with a servo-syringe. The experimental protocol was a 30-min control period, a 30-min hemorrhage period during which the arterial pressure was lowered to and maintained at 30 mmHg, and a 30-min recovery period which followed reinfusion of the hemorrhaged blood. The average hemorrhage volume was 25 ± 2.6 ml/kg of body wt. The principal responses were small artery and vein constriction to 78 ± 3 and 88 ± 3% of their control values respectively, and a pronounced bradycardia. All variables returned to their prehemorrhage control values during the recovery period and all of the animals survived a 48-hr postexperimental period. Observations of initial venoconstriction in the rat cremaster were considerably different than our previous observations of initial venodilatation in the wing of unanesthetized bats. The arterial responses to hemorrhage were very similar in both preparations. Presently, we do not have an adequate explanation for the lack of venoconstriction in similar experiments by Hutchins et al. ( Microvas. Res. 5, 131–140, 1973) .
Performance of the APEX free-electron laser at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Abstract The APEX (APLE Prototype Experiment) FEL (free-electron laser) is an advanced technology test-bed for the Average Power Laser Experiment (APLE). APEX is a photoinjector-driven FEL that is currently operated as an oscillator with untapered wigglers. Photocathodes are rapidly becoming the source of choice for high-brightness electron beams to drive high-efficiency FELs. The electron accelerator is a 40-MeV L-band rf linac with a 6-MeV photoinjector. Since the commissioning of the FEL in 1991, we have been engaged in accelerator and laser experiments. We have demonstrated that the accelerator is capable of providing a high-brightness electron beam at high current. Initial lasing has been at wavelengths near 3 μm, and our electron-beam brightness is such that harmonic lasing at much shorter wavelengths is possible. We have recently lased on the third harmonic at 0.83 μm. In this paper, we report the results of the accelerator and FEL performance in the oscillator mode. The results show that a photoinjector can be integrated into an FEL system to produce stable and reliable operation.
ARE THERE “CONTRA‐MORAL VIRTUES”?*

L'A. retrouve le sens aristotelicien d'«excellence» pour le terme de vertu en se demandant si, comme l'affirme Slote, il existe des vertus immorales. A travers l'exemple de Gauguin qui a «failli a ses devoirs familiaux» pour partir vivre sa passion, l'A. met en relief l'importance du concept d'admiration pour une vertu et ses rapports avec la morale
The Role of Attitudes about Languages in the Learning of Foreign Languages

coping with the mistakes. The single cause of error most widely accepted is interference, the transfer (or interaction) of the learner's native structures to the target language. Contrastive analysis has as one of its major goals the pointing out of those areas where such interference is most likely and there is a tacit assumption that if both teacher and student are aware of the pitfalls caused by interference, these pitfalls can be avoided. While there can be little doubt as to the reality of interference on the level of phonology, we believe that its significance has been seriously overrated on the level of grammar (i.e., morphology and syntax). On this level the major cause of error seems to be improperly formulated or improperly ordered rules. In the case of improperly formulated rules the student who makes an error can actually be viewed as not having made an error at all. He rather has correctly applied an incorrect rule. For example, the student of French who has been taught about "reflexive verbs" and surfeited with examples of "je me lave," "tu t'habilles," "il se rase," etc. is very likely to write or say *La porte ouvre for La porte s'ouvre. This is not because of "interference" from English so much as it is because of the failure to teach the student a function of the "reflexive verbs" that is much
Strontium in milk. II. Removal by batch ion exchange methods.

Summary Skimmilk containing Sr 89 and Ca 45 was left in contact with Dowex 50W-X12 in the calcium form for periods of 1, 10, 60, and 120min. Apparent equilibrium was reached between the 1- and 10-min. periods. A dosed milk-resin ratio study showed that as the ratio increased, the percentage of removal of Sr 89 and Ca 45 decreased. The percentage removal ranged from a high of 94 and 93 for Sr 89 and Ca 45 , respectively, at a milk-resin ratio of 2, to a low of 21% Sr 89 and 16% Ca 45 at a milk-resin ratio of 200. At a milk-resin ratio of 2, 4.27% of the resin capacity was utilized and at a ratio of 200, 73.6% was utilized for exchange of Sr and Ca.
Occupational Rhinosinusitis and Upper Airway Disease: The World Trade Center Experience

The World Trade Center disaster and its recovery work involved a range of hazardous occupational exposures that have not been fully characterized but that can be reasonably assumed to have the potential to cause mucosal inflammation, preferentially (but not exclusively) in the upper airway. A high prevalence of rhinosinusitis and upper airway disease (UAD) symptoms was reported by several early surveys. Clinical studies demonstrated objective, clinically significant, and persistent chronic perennial rhinosinusitis and UAD—with or without seasonal exacerbation—in a large proportion of patients. Demonstration of an association between UAD and available exposure indicators has been limited. Atopy seemed to be associated with increased UAD symptom severity and to be a risk factor for upper, but not lower, airway disease. World Trade Center-related UAD is considered an irritant-induced disease but not, in many cases, of acute onset. No data thus far suggest an increased upper airway cancer incidence.
Autophagy in Antarctica: combating dehydration stress in the world's southernmost insect.

The midge Belgica antarctica is the only insect endemic to Antarctica and has the southernmost range of any insect. In its natural environment, B. antarctica frequently faces desiccating conditions, as environmental water is frozen for up to 9 months annually. The molecular mechanisms by which B. antarctica tolerates extreme dehydration are poorly understood, but recent work from our laboratory reports genome-wide expression changes in response to extreme dehydration (~40% water loss), the first genome-scale transcriptome reported for an Antarctic animal. Among transcripts differentially regulated during dehydration, there is coordinated upregulation of numerous genes involved in autophagy, including genes responsible for autophagosome synthesis and autophagy-associated transcription factors. Also, several genes and pathways that interact with and regulate autophagy, e.g., sestrins and proteasomal genes, are concurrently upregulated. This suggests that autophagy and related processes are key elements regu...
Determination of tissue UDP-glucuronic acid levels by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Abstract A new and sensitive method to measure UDP-glucuronic acid extracted from as little as 25 mg wet weight tissue has been developed. This procedure employs high-pressure liquid chromatography and liquid scintillation spectrophotometry to measure p -[ 14 C]nitrophenylglucuronide generated enzymatically from p -[ 14 C]nitrophenol and UDP-glucuronic acid. The reaction was catalyzed by UDP-glucuronyltransferase obtained from rat liver microsomes. The tissue levels of UDP-glucuronic acid assayed were 2 to 20 μmol/100 g wet wt, which are well below the levels detectable by the widely used spectrophotometric method.
Forewarning of a Husband's Death: Does it Make a Difference for Older Widows?:

To date, studies of spousal anticipatory grief have resulted in equivocal results. One complicating factor is that a variety of events are apt to occur concomitantly with forewarning of a spouse's death; these events may facilitate faster recovery from grief. It was hypothesized that being forewarned, being a caregiver, and having had discussions with the husband on various topics before his death contribute to faster psychological adjustment for an older widow. Results provide evidence that both forewarning of the spouse's death and the couple's discussion of the wife's future financial circumstances are related to higher levels of positive affect in widowhood but do not relate to negative affect.
Preclinical models for translational research should maintain pace with modern clinical practice.

The technical evolution of radiation therapy for brain cancer has improved both the efficacy of individual radiation treatments and patient safety. The advent of computed tomography (CT)-based planning marked an important initial shift toward target-directed treatment (1). Treatment planning accuracy was further increased by fusing CT planning images with positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans (2, 3). Additionally, cone beam CT images acquired before each fraction were added to compensate for any deviations from the simulation CT (4). These innovations, both in target delineation and in image guidance, have translated into better tumor control and fewer treatment related toxicities (5). Future advances are likely to come from emerging pharmaceutical approaches (6) or direct targeting of biological mechanisms that drive tumor radiation resistance (7). To best facilitate the rapid translation of this new radiobiology, novel approaches need to be validated in preclinical animal models using established clinical procedures. Cell culture experiments provide basic radiobiological information, such as defining the time course of radiation damage processing and repair. However, the translational relevance of in vitro data to the clinical practice of radiation oncology is limited. Preclinical animal models offer greater potential, particularly when the conditions of clinical practice are mimicked by the use of an orthotopic tumor model or target-directed radiation therapy using a relevant treatment regimen. Innovative radiation therapy devices specifically developed for preclinical models are making this type of research approach now possible (8-10), along with noninvasive methods to define in situ tumor response such as bioluminescence (10-12), use of reporter transgenes (13), optical imaging (14), and microMR/PET/CT imaging (15-18). For example, Baumann and colleagues (10) developed a genetically modified tumor cell line for a bioimageable intracranial tumor,
Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) Due to Silver Colloids on a Planar Surface: Potential Applications of Indocyanine Green to in Vivo Imaging†

We examined the effects of metallic silver colloids on the fluorescence spectral properties of indocyanine green (ICG), which is a dye widely used for in vivo medical testing. Silver colloids from a suspension bind spontaneously to amine-coated surfaces. These colloid-coated surfaces were found to cause a 30-fold increase in the intensity of ICG, which was held close to the metal surface by adsorbed albumin. The increased intensities of ICG were also associated with decreased lifetimes and increased photostability, which are indicative of modifying the fluorophores radiative decay rate. These results suggest the use of metal colloid-enhanced ICG for applications to retinal angiography and vascular imaging and as a contrast agent for optical tomography.
Brain metabolite concentration ratios in vivo: multisite reproducibility by single-voxel 1H MR spectroscopy.

Ten normal subjects were scanned identically at three separate sites (Little Rock, Houston, and New Orleans) to evaluate the reproducibility of brain metabolite ratios in single-voxel 1H point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (PRESS) magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy in vivo. All scans were processed by a single individual at a single site. Coefficients of variation of the measured metabolite ratios generally were in the range found for previous single-voxel, single-site reproducibility studies. No differences were found among the sites for ratios of N-acetylaspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr) or choline to Cr (Cho/Cr) in left thalamus by multivariate ANOVA. Metabolite ratios of Cr or Cho relative to local brain H2O did not vary among the sites. However, by multivariate ANOVA, NAA/H2O differed between Little Rock and New Orleans, but not between those sites and Houston. Intraclass correlation coefficients suggested reasonable reproducibility between Little Rock and New Orleans, but not between those sites and Houston.
Summary of the NASA-SRI Round Robin Ablation Program

NASA-SRI Round Robin Ablation Program summary, discussing dimensional analysis, Teflon, nylon and surface temperature
The Politics of Home: Postcolonial Relocations and Twentieth-Century Fiction

The Politics of Home examines the changing representations of "home" in twentieth-century English literature. Examining imperial fiction, contemporary literary and cultural theory, and postcolonial narratives on belonging, exile and immigration, Rosemary Marangoly George argues that literary allegiances are always more complicated than expected and yet curiously visible in textual reformulations of "home." She reads English women's narration of their success in the empire against Joseph Conrad's accounts of colonial masculine failure, R. K. Narayan alongside Frederic Jameson, contemporary Indian women writers as they recycle the rhetoric of the British Romantic poets, Edward Said next to M. G. Vassanji and Jamaica Kincaid, and Conrad through Naipaul and Ishiguro.
The importance of examples for moral education: An Aristotelian perspective

The paper develops and contrasts two views about the role of examples in moral education — one based on R.M. Hare's recent “two-level” conception of moral reasoning and one based on Aristotle's conception ofphronesis. It concludes that a Harean view leads to a harmful and impoverished form of moral education by encouraging children to ignore or distort the complexity of particular moral judgments. It also concludes that an Aristotelian view, by emphasizing the importance of rich examples such as those found in literature, enables children to develop and exercise a capacity for moral judgment that is sensitive to the complexities of particular moral judgments. Finally, the role of examples in public moral education in liberal pluralist societies is examined.
Cloacal evaporative cooling: a previously undescribed means of increasing evaporative water loss at higher temperatures in a desert ectotherm, the Gila monster Heloderma suspectum.

SUMMARY The Gila monster Heloderma suspectum is an active forager in an environment that, at times, can be extremely hot and arid. Thus, Gila monsters face extreme thermostatic and hydrostatic demands. For a desert ectotherm routinely risking dehydration, evaporative water loss (EWL) is typically viewed as detrimental. Yet evaporation simultaneously dehydrates and cools an animal. We explored EWL in Gila monsters by measuring cutaneous, ventilatory and cloacal EWL at five ambient temperatures between 20.5°C and 40°C. Our results show that Gila monsters have high EWL rates relative to body mass. Cutaneous EWL underwent a consistent, temperature-dependent increase over the entire range of test temperatures (Q 10 =1.61, with EWL ranging from 0.378 to 0.954 mg g –1 h –1 ). Ventilatory EWL did not show a significant temperature-dependent response, but ranged from 0.304 to 0.663 mg g –1 h –1 . Cloacal EWL was extremely low and relatively constant between 20.5°C and 35°C, but rose dramatically above 35°C (Q 10 >8.3×10 7 , from 0.0008 at 35°C to 7.30 mg g –1 h –1 at 40°C). This steep rise in cloacal EWL coincided with an increasing suppression of body temperature relative to ambient temperature. Dehydration to 80% of initial body mass led to a delay in the onset and an attenuation of the dramatic increase in cloacal EWL. These results emphasize the potential value of EWL for thermoregulation in ectotherms and demonstrate for the first time the role of the cloaca in this process.
Estradiol benzoate delays new follicular wave emergence in a dose-dependent manner after ablation of the dominant ovarian follicle in cattle

Administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) induces atresia of the dominant follicle (DF) in the ovaries of cattle within 36 h but emergence of a new wave of follicular development is delayed by 3-5 days. The present study investigated the role of EB in determining timing of emergence of a new follicular wave after removing the influence of the DF. At 6.4+/-0.2 days after ovulation in Angus and Angus/Simmental cattle (n=26), aged 4.9+/-0.6 years and weighing 634+/-20 kg, all ovarian follicles > or =5mm in diameter were aspirated with a 17-gauge needle using an ultrasound-guided transvaginal approach (Day 0 or Hour 0) and animals immediately received 0 (0EB), 1 (1EB), 2 (2EB) or 4 (4EB) mg EB i.m./500 kg body weight (n=6 or 7 per treatment). Ovarian structures were monitored by ultrasonography on a daily basis until emergence of a new wave of follicular development. Concentrations of estradiol (E2) were different among all treatments between Hours 24 and 72, increasing (P 0.1) among the 1EB and 2EB treatments, and most delayed (P<0.05) in the 4EB treatment when compared to the 0EB or 1EB treatments. The overall mean interval from peak FSH to emergence of a new wave of follicular development was 15.7+/-3.3 h and was not affected by treatment. Concentrations of E2 at 24 h before new emergence were not different among EB-treated animals (20.2+/-5.5 pg/ml), but lower (P<0.01) in the 0EB treatment (1.6+/-0.2 pg/ml). In a dose-dependent manner, EB delayed the pre-emergence surge in FSH that stimulates new follicular development after the DF has ceased to be functional. The importance of using an 'optimal' dose of EB in hormonal regimens using this agent to strategically regulate follicular development is emphasized by the outcomes of this study.
A Regularized Combined Field Integral Equation for Scattering from 2-D Perfect Electrically Conducting Objects

A novel regularized combined field integral equation pertinent to the analysis of scattering from 2-D perfect electrically conducting objects is presented. The equation is immune from ill-conditioning due to dense spatial discretizations and appears free from internal resonances. The regularization is achieved via analytical inversion of the hypersingular part of the combined field integral equation, without negative repercussions on computational complexity. Numerical results are presented that show the effectiveness of the proposed formulation.
The Food and Drug Administration Office of Compliance's Role in the Preapproval Process

FDA's preapproval inspection program focuses on the integration of field efforts in support of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research's (CDER) approval of NDAs and ANDAs. Preapproval inspectio...