cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shifting the paradigm of music instruction: Implications of embodiment stemming from an augmented reality guitar learning system

Musical instruction often includes materials that can act as a barrier to learning. New technologies using augmented reality may aid in reducing the initial difficulties involved in learning music by lowering these barriers characteristic of traditional instructional materials. Therefore, this set of studies examined a novel augmented reality guitar learning system (i.e., the Fretlight® guitar) in regards to current theories of embodied music cognition. Specifically, we examined the effects of using this system in comparison to a standard instructional material (i.e. diagrams). First, we review major theories related to musical embodiment and specify a niche within this research space we call embodied music technology for learning. Following, we explicate two parallel experiments that were conducted to address the learning effects of this system. Experiment 1 examined short-term learning effects within one experimental session, while Experiment 2 examined both short-term and long-term effects across two sessions spaced at a two-week interval. Analyses demonstrated that, for many of our dependent variables, all participants increased in performance across time. Further, the Fretlight® condition consistently led to significantly better outcomes via interactive effects, including significantly better long term retention for the learned information across a two week time interval. These results are discussed in the context of embodied cognition theory as it relates to music. Potential limitations and avenues for future research are described.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Older Men

Context: Vitamin D deficiency is not adequately evaluated in older men. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and identify risk factors for its occurrence. Design and Setting: We conducted a cross-sectional evaluation of 1606 older men in the general community who were enrolled in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study. Participants: A randomly selected subcohort of a large population of men from six U.S. communities participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures: Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 [25(OH)D2] and 25(OH)D3 were measured using mass spectrometry. Results: Deficiency [25(OH)D 80 yr old, did not engage in lawn/garden work, and had a body mass index greater than 25 kg/m2 and vitamin D intake below 400 IU/d, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 86%. 25(OH)D2 levels were present in a small fraction of men and accounted for a low proportion of total 25(OH)D levels. The use of vitamin D supplements was reported by 58% of men, but supplement use had a small effect on total 25(OH)D levels and, despite supplement use, low levels remained frequent. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in older men and is especially prevalent in obese, sedentary men living at higher latitudes. Use of vitamin D supplements at levels reported here did not result in adequate vitamin D nutrition.
Special Considerations for Endoscopy in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Pediatric endoscopy and colonoscopy are essential for the accurate diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These procedures, when performed in children and adolescents, do not significantly differ in technical aspects compared with endoscopy in adult patients. However, important nuances unique to the pediatric population, like sedation, preparation for endoscopy, instruments, and technique remain and may warrant special attention. Preparation for endoscopic procedures involves appropriate bowel cleansing, adequate anticipation of the psychological needs, and sedation of the patient. All of these aspects of preparation should be individualized to allow for a successful and safe procedure. Upper endoscopy performed as part of the initial evaluation helps to distinguish between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis early in disease presentation and commonly demonstrates upper tract disease, even in asymptomatic individuals. New endoscopic technologies, once evaluated in clinical trials, may offer improved comfort and safety leading to faster and more complete procedures in the pediatric age group.
Decadal change of the surface water pCO2 in the North Pacific: A synthesis of 35 years of observations

[1] Surface water pCO2 data observed over the 3 decades between 1970 and 2004 are analyzed for space and time (mean decadal) variability in thirty-two 10° × 10° box areas over the North Pacific Ocean north of 10°N. During this period, the pCO2 values at SST increased at a mean decadal rate of 12.0 ± 4.8 μatm decade−1 in all but four areas located in the vicinity of the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, where they decreased at a mean rate of −11.1 ± 5.7 μatm decade−1. The mean rate of increase for the open ocean areas is indistinguishable from the mean atmospheric CO2 increase rate of 15 μatm decade−1 (or 1.5 ppm yr−1) suggesting that the North Pacific surface waters as a whole have been following the atmospheric CO2 increase. However, the rate of increase varies geographically, reflecting differences in local oceanographic processes including lateral mixing of waters from marginal seas, upwelling of subsurface waters and biological activities. The decrease observed in the southern Bering Sea and the peripheries of the Okhotsk Sea may be accounted for by the combined effects of intensified biological production and changes in lateral and vertical mixing in these areas. The natural logarithm of wintertime pCO2 values normalized to a constant temperature and salinity of 14.3°C and 34.0 (the basin mean values, respectively) is correlated with winter SST. Using this relationship, the wintertime TCO2 in mixed layer can be expressed as a function of winter SST with a standard error of ±5 μmol kg−1.
Multi-regional evaluation of the U.S. electricity sector under technology and policy uncertainties: Findings from MARKAL EPA9rUS modeling

Abstract The concern of the environmental impacts of electricity generation from fossil fuels and the desire for the country to be less dependent on fossil fuels have resulted in the U.S. Government offering various incentives to promote electricity from renewable sources. The U.S. electricity generation sector faces uncertainties that include future demand, the costs of supply, and the effects of regulation policies. National policies that aim to promote “clean” energy sources may have different impacts for different areas of the country, so it is important to understand the regional effects in addition to the larger national picture. The primary purpose of this paper is to shed some light on the uncertainties associated with the outcomes of possible regulations. The study does not intend to make predictions of the probability or direction of environmental policy in the U.S. Rather, we examine a number of different scenarios and explore their possible impacts on the future of energy system. We focus on future projections for electricity generation mix, electricity costs, emissions and emissions abatement costs under different scenarios. We have examined the key regulations through analyzing various assumptions using the MARKet ALlocation (MARKAL) model and the Environmental Protection Agency's Nine Region MARKAL Database (EPAUS9r). We have analyzed how command-and-control regulations and market-based environmental policy approaches could change the mix of fuels used for electricity generation, the amount of CO 2 emissions, and the cost of electricity in different parts of the U.S. In particular, we explore how some proposed features of different policies designs affect those outcomes and identify underlying causes of uncertainty about such outcomes. The analyzed policies lead to 6–25% reduction in total CO 2 emissions by 2035. The policies also result in modest increases on electricity costs nationally, but this masks a wide variety of effects across regions. The relationship between the policy's effects on costs depends on the design of the policy, regional resource endowments, and the existing generation mix of the region. Generally, the regions with existing high electricity marginal costs would tend to see only minor costs increases and the regions with low electricity marginal costs would see substantial costs increases. Modeling results illustrate that different regions have different preferences in environmental regulations policies and design.
Project Quality and Change Performance Differences Associated with the Use of Building Information Modeling in Design and Construction Projects: Univariate and Multivariate Analyses

AbstractBuilding information modeling (BIM) has garnered significant attention in the past several years as a process that can positively impact the performance of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects. This paper builds upon previous research to investigate the effect of BIM on two key measures of AEC project performance: project change metrics and facility quality metrics. The research methodology includes conducting univariate and multivariate analyses on quantitative performance data from more than 30 completed vertical construction projects. Thirty-six BIM input variables were measured, summarized, and analyzed against project performance. Interesting results and contributions emerge from the analysis, including the lack of a relationship between BIM use and the extent of total project change; instead, the projects saw a transformation in the initiator of these changes. As BIM use increased, projects exhibited fewer design changes and more owner-initiated changes, arguably due to...
Hysteresis in activity of microporous lean NOx catalysts in the presence of water vapor

Increasingly stringent ambient air quality standards coupled with the need to improve fuel economy has drawn significant attention to the search for emission control systems for lean burn engine vehicles. Much of the focus has been on zeolite-based catalysts for the conversion of NO x to N 2 for automotive exhaust emission control. Under certain conditions, these catalysts are highly active catalysts for the reduction of NO x using hydrocarbons as the reductant. However, many of these catalysts suffer from a variety of deactivation processes such as irreversible poisoning by SO x or hydrothermal dealumination. In addition to these deactivation processes, a recent focus of our research has been on the influence of water vapor on the activity of zeolite-based catalysts at low operating temperatures. We observe a hysteresis in catalytic activity of lean NO x reduction (NO feed concentrations < 100 ppm) upon increasing and decreasing temperature ramps at the low end of the operating window, that being from 100 to 300 °C using hydrocarbons as reductants. We describe these reversible influences of water vapor and the implications for this hysteresis in catalytic activity for the application of zeolite-based catalysts in lean NO x catalysis, and compare these results to the instance of using ammonia as reductant.
An Investigation of X-ray Luminosity versus Crystalline Powder Granularity

At the High-throughput Discovery of Scintillator Materials Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, scintillators are synthesized by solid-state reaction or melt mixing, forming crystalline powders. These powders are formed in various granularity and the crystal grain size affects the apparent luminosity of the scintillator. To accurately predict a ?full-size? scintillator?s crystal luminosity, the crystal luminosity as a function of crystal granularity size has to be known. In this study, we examine Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO), Lu2SiO5:Ce (LSO), YAlO3:Ce (YAP:Ce), and CsBa2I5:Eu2+ (CBI) luminosities as a function of crystalline grain size. The highest luminosities were measured for 600- to 1000-?m crystal grain sizes for BGO and LSO, for 310- to 600-?m crystal grain sizes for CBI, and for crystal grains larger than 165?m for YAP:Ce. Crystal grains that were larger than 1 mm had a lower packing fraction, and smaller grains were affected by internal scattering. We measured a 34percent decrease in luminosity for BGO when decreasing from the 600- to 1000- ?m crystal grain size range down to the 20- to 36-?m range. The corresponding luminosity decrease for LSO was 44percent for the same grain size decrease. YAP:Ce exhibited a luminosity decrease of 47percent when the grain size decreased from the 165- to 310-?m crystal grains to the 20- to 36-?m range, and CBI exhibited a luminosity decrease of 98percent when the grain size decreased from the 310- to 600-?m crystal grain range to the 36- to 50-?m range. We were able to very accurately estimate full-size crystal luminosities from crystalline grains that are larger than 90 ?m.
Nonlinear vibration of orthotropic elliptical plates with attention to shear and rotatory inertia

Abstract A nonlinear vibration theory which includes the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia is formulated in this paper for orthotropic elliptical plates using the well-known Berger approximation. With the aid of these equations solutions are obtained for isotropic and composite plates by the Galerkin technique and numerical Runge-Kutta procedure. Present results are as good as those obtained by using more accurate theories. It is interesting to note that the present approach to the solution of the title problem is a simplification which results in a substantial saving in the analytical and computational efforts.
Inhibition of food deprivation induced hypovolemia by saline consumption in rats

Abstract Food deprivation hypovolemia has been observed in a variety of mesic and desert adapted rodents. Xeric adapted rodent species appear to lose intravascular volume in proportion with body weight loss during food restriction, while mesically adapted rodent species lose intravascular volume at a rate much in excess to body weight loss. The laboratory rat was chosen as a representative mesically adapted rodent species for the purpose of investigating this phenomenon. Acute isotonic saline stomach loads had no appreciable influence upon intravascular volume reparation induced by either 2 or 4 days of food deprivation. Free and forced choice saline solutions presented during starvation were noted to significantly inhibit hypovolemia, however, there was no evidence for reparation of carcass water losses. It is suggested that the availability of only water during fasting results in the premature termination of drinking due to cellular over-hydration. When water and a source of sodium are available the food deprived rat can more adequately maintain ad lib intravascular volume. There is presently no explanation for the absence of repaired carcass water.
Multiplicative Invalidity and Its Application to Complex Correlational Models

An ever-increasing proportion of social psychology researchers use various versions of complex correlational models such as path analyses or structural equation models and others to draw causal conclusions from correlational data. Critics of complex correlational models have pointed out that (a) misspecification errors are the rule rather than the exception, (b) one cannot draw causal conclusions from a set of correlations, (c) most researchers fail to adjust their correlations for attenuation due to unreliability, and (d) the measures researchers use may actually be measures of outside variables that are correlated with other variables in one's model. Rather than rehash the debates that go along with these criticisms, the author makes some assumptions that are extremely favorable to the complex correlational modeler in that all of these criticisms are disallowed. Nevertheless, even with these assumptions, the author shows how spurious direct and indirect effects are likely to be created by moderately val...
Pars plana tube insertion of glaucoma drainage implants and penetrating keratoplasty in patients with coexisting glaucoma and corneal disease.

Abstract Purpose To determine the efficacy and associated complications of glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgery with pars plana tube insertion and penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in eyes with glaucoma and corneal disease. Design Retrospective, interventional case series. Participants All patients who underwent both GDI surgery with pars plana tube insertion and PK before September 1997 were included. Methods The medical records of 34 consecutive patients (34 eyes) who had undergone GDI (Baerveldt, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI; Molteno, IOP Inc., Costa Mesa, CA; Krupin, Hood Laboratories, Pembroke, MA; or Ahmed, New World Medical, Rancho Cucamonga, CA) insertion before, concurrent with, or after PK were reviewed retrospectively. All corneal grafts were clear before GDI surgery for patients who underwent glaucoma surgery after PK. Outcomes were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier life-table analysis. Main outcome measures Clinical outcome assessment included corneal graft clarity, intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, and identification of complications. Results Mean follow-up after completion of both GDI surgery and PK was 12.1 ± 8.4 months (range, 0–31.8 months). Twelve- and 24-month life-table rates for complete success after both GDI and PK were 63% and 33%, respectively. Twelve- and 24-month life-table success rates for IOP control and corneal graft clarity were 85% and 62%, and 64% and 41%, respectively. Final postoperative visual acuity was the same as or better than (≥2 Snellen lines) the preoperative level in 29 patients (85%). One or more posterior segment complications occurred in 15 (44%) patients. Conclusions Pars plana tube insertion of GDIs is a reasonable option for patients who have undergone PK or in whom PK is anticipated, despite the need for a complete pars plana vitrectomy. Although complications related to limbal tube placement are avoided, the incidence of posterior segment complications may be higher for pars plana insertion. The potential for enhanced corneal graft survival with pars plana versus anterior segment tube placement warrants further investigation.
Recent National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III update: adjustments and options.

In the summer of 2004, an evidence-based update of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines for management of hypercholesterolemia was published. This detailed assessment of 5 major clinical trials, published since the ATP III report in 2001, was designed to provide guidance for physicians in decision making for patients at high risk and very high risk. We have tried to summarize this assessment by suggesting the following to clinicians: (1) Calculate global risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) to determine an overall strategy for cholesterol management. (2) Emphasize the benefits of diet, exercise, and weight control or therapeutic lifestyle change, especially in those with lifestyle risk factors. (3) Use 3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) as first-line drugs to reduce risk of CAD and stroke in those at moderate to high risk. (4) If statins are prescribed, use moderate doses that reduce plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by ≥30% to 40%. (5) Strongly consider statin therapy in those with diabetes (with the exception of severe hypertriglyceridemia). (6) Consider LDL cholesterol-lowering drug therapy for lipids in older patients at risk. (7) Consider adding either a fibrate or nicotinic acid in high-risk patients with elevated plasma triglyceride values or low levels of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol after statin therapy has achieved the LDL cholesterol goal. (8) Continue to treat those at low risk in similar fashion as before. This update is to inform current physician judgment in this area. Further clinical trial data that may modify or extend these recommendations are eagerly awaited.
Statistical properties of counting distributions for intensity-modulated sources

Statistical properties such as the cumulants, and the central, factorial, and ordinary moments are obtained for photocounting distributions when the incident radiation is intensity-modulated with arbitrary statistics. The results are applied in some detail to the cases of triangular, sinusoidal, and square-wave modulation of multimode superposed coherent and chaotic radiation. The coefficient of variation, skewness, and kurtosis are obtained as a function of modulation depth. Comparison is made with experimental data in the cases of triangular and sinusoidal modulation of a laser source.
Syntheses of Soluble, π-Stacking Tetracene Derivatives

The syntheses of a series of fluorine- and alkyl/alkoxy-functionalized tetracenes are reported. These functional groups are found to improve the solubility in common organic solvents and tune molecular arrangement in solids. The crystal packing, electrochemical behavior, and UV−vis absorbance spectroscopy of these materials are discussed.
Seedling Growth as Affected by Seed Weight in Common Vetch

Growth pattern of seedlings is important for any species to achieve successful establishment. Growth chamber experiments were conducted to study the relationships between seed weight and usage of cotyledonary reserves and growth rates of major seedling components and to determine the changes in relative importance of cotyledonary reserves and newly developed photosynthetic tissues on seedling growth in common vetch (Vicia sativa L.). Seedlings from three seed-weight groups of 'Warrior'; PI 284563 and 'Cahaba White' were grown in growth chambers at a temperature of 28/12°C under complete darkness and light-dark cycle (13/11 h) conditions. Seedlings from heavier seeds utilized cotyledonary reserves (UCR) at a faster rate; however, conversion efficiency of cotyledonary reserves (CECR) into plant tissue was the same regardless of seed weight [...]
Ethical Considerations in Pediatric Critical Care Research

Pediatric critical care nurses are exposed to research in the critical care environment on a routine basis and should be knowledgeable about the ethical considerations inherent in this process. The following discussion includes information that centers on the ethical issues of conducting research with children. First, children as a vulnerable population is explored, followed by selected ethical principles that pertain to research, the role of the technological imperative in research, the process of informed consent, and finally, nursing considerations.
Teasing history, onset of obesity, current eating disorder psychopathology, body dissatisfaction, and psychological functioning in binge eating disorder.

Objective: The primary goal of this study was to examine associations among teasing history, onset of obesity, current eating disorder psychopathology, body dissatisfaction, and psychological functioning in women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Research Methods and Procedures: Subjects were 115 female adults who met DSM-IV criteria for BED. Measurements assessing teasing history (general appearance [GAT] and weight and size [WST] teasing), current eating disorder psychopathology (binge frequency, eating restraint, and concerns regarding eating, shape, and weight), body dissatisfaction, and psychological functioning (depression and self-esteem) were obtained. Results: History of GAT, but not WST, was associated with current weight concerns and body dissatisfaction, whereas both GAT and WST were significantly associated with current psychological functioning. Patients with earlier onset of obesity reported more WST than patients with later onset of obesity, but the groups did not differ significantly in GAT, current eating disorder psychopathology, body dissatisfaction, or psychological functioning. Obese women reported more WST than non-obese women, but no differences in GAT or the other outcome variables were observed. Higher frequency of GAT was associated with greater binge frequency in obese women, and with greater eating restraint in non-obese women. Discussion: Although physical appearance teasing history is not associated with variability in most eating disorder psychopathology, it is associated with related functioning, most notably body dissatisfaction, depression, and self-esteem. Our findings also suggest that the age of onset of obesity and current body mass index status in isolation are not associated with eating psychopathology or associated psychological functioning in adult patients with BED.
Effects of perceptual training on children's human figure drawings.

(1971). Effects of Perceptual Training on Children's Human Figure Drawings. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 119, No. 2, pp. 281-287.
Progress and challenges for next-generation high-efficiency multijunction solar cells

Multijunction solar cells are the most efficient solar cells ever developed with demonstrated efficiencies above 40%, far in excess of the performance of any conventional single-junction cell. This paper describes paths toward next-generation multijunction cells with even higher performance. Starting from fundamental multijunction concepts, the paper describes the desired characteristics of semiconductor materials for multijunction cells; the corresponding challenges in obtaining these characteristics in actual materials; and materials and device architectures to overcome these challenges.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with amantadine.

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection withinterferon has been disappointing, with less than onethird of patients achieving a sustained response andmost experiencing significant side effects. For these reasons, an open-labeled prospectivepilot study was conducted to test the safety andefficacy of the antiviral drug, amantadine, in patientswith chronic hepatitis C infection who had previously failed therapy withinterferon-αb. Twenty-two patients withchronic hepatitis C were enrolled into the study andtreated with amantadine 100 mg orally twice daily forsix months. Control groups included the same cohort followed off therapy for 29-36months or during therapy with interferon. Serum alanineaminotransferase (ALT) values decreased in 64% (P =0.01) of patients with amantadine therapy compared to intervals without therapy or to interferontherapy. Twenty-seven percent of patients treated withamantadine had normalization of ALT values and loss ofHCV RNA after six months while 18% achieved a sustained response with loss of HCV RNA by PCRsix months after discontinuation of amantadine. Therapywith amantadine improved both biochemical andvirological markers in patients with hepatitis C who had previously not responded to treatment withinterferon.
Metal pollutants and cardiovascular disease: mechanisms and consequences of exposure.

Introduction There is epidemiological evidence that metal contaminants may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. Moreover, a recent clinical trial of a metal chelator had a surprisingly positive result in reducing cardiovascular events in a secondary prevention population, strengthening the link between metal exposure and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is, therefore, an opportune moment to review evidence that exposure to metal pollutants, such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury, is a significant risk factor for CVD. Methods We reviewed the English-speaking medical literature to assess and present the epidemiological evidence that 4 metals having no role in the human body (xenobiotic), mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic, have epidemiologic and mechanistic links to atherosclerosis and CVD. Moreover, we briefly review how the results of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) strengthen the link between atherosclerosis and xenobiotic metal contamination in humans. Conclusions There is strong evidence that xenobiotic metal contamination is linked to atherosclerotic disease and is a modifiable risk factor.
The piercing-sucking herbivores Lygus hesperus and Nezara viridula induce volatile emissions in plants †‡

Plant volatiles induced by herbivory are often used as olfactory cues by foraging herbivores and their natural enemies, and thus have potential for control of agricultural pests. Compared to chewing insects and mites, little is known about plant volatile production following herbivory by insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Here, we studied factors (insect life stage, gender, the role of salivary glands, and type of bioassay used for volatile induction) that influence the induction of plant volatiles by two agriculturally important hemipterans, Lygus hesperus and Nezara viridula. Feeding on intact cotton by virgin females of L. hesperus induced 2.6-fold greater volatile response compared to that induced by mated females, possibly due to increased feeding activity by virgin females. This plant volatile response was associated with elicitors present in the insect's salivary glands as well as to the degree of mechanical injury. Feeding injury by N. viridula females also increased volatile emissions in intact maize by approximately 2-fold compared to control plants. Maize seedlings injured by N. viridula emitted higher amounts of the monoterpene linalool, the sesquiterpenes (E)-β-caryophyllene, α-trans-bergamotene, and (E,E)-β- farnesene, and the homoterpene (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene, but not amounts of green leaf volatiles, compared to uninjured plants. Emissions from intact maize injured by adult males were lower than those emitted by adult females of the same age and did not differ from those emitted by uninjured plants. Similarly, feeding by virgin female N. viridula followed by excision led to 64% higher quantities of volatiles compared to untreated plants. Volatile emission in excised plants, however, was considerably greater than in intact plants, suggesting that careful consideration must be given to bioassay design in studies of herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Salivary gland extracts of N. viridula led to sesquiterpene emissions approximately 2.5-fold higher than for controls, although no significant differences were observed for green leaf volatiles, monoterpenes, and homoterpenes. These results indicate that L. hesperus and female N. viridula feeding induce volatile produc- tion in plants, and that volatile production is affected by gender and life stage of the bug. Although oviposition and mechanical injury by stylets may increase release of volatiles, elicitors from salivary glands of L. hesperus and N. viridula also seem to play a role in the emission of plant volatiles. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 58:84-96, 2005. Published 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. †
Evaluation of a quantitative H2S MPN test for fecal microbes analysis of water using biochemical and molecular identification

The sensitivity and specificity of the H(2)S test to detect fecal bacteria in water has been variable and uncertain in previous studies, partly due to its presence-absence results. Furthermore, in groundwater samples false-positive results have been reported, with H(2)S-positive samples containing no fecal coliforms or Escherichia coli. False-negative results also have been reported in other studies, with H(2)S-negative samples found to contain E. coli. Using biochemical and molecular methods and a novel quantitative test format, this research identified the types and numbers of microbial community members present in natural water samples, including fecal indicators and pathogens as well as other bacteria. Representative water sources tested in this study included cistern rainwater, a protected lake, and wells in agricultural and forest settings. Samples from quantitative H(2)S tests of water were further cultured for fecal bacteria by spread plating onto the selective media for detection and isolation of Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Clostridium spp., H(2)S-producers, and species of Salmonella and Shigella. Isolates were then tested for H(2)S production, and identified to the genus and species level using biochemical methods. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (TRFLP) was the molecular method employed to quantitatively characterize microbial community diversity. Overall, it was shown that water samples testing positive for H(2)S bacteria also had bacteria of likely fecal origin and waters containing fecal pathogens also were positive for H(2)S bacteria. Of the microorganisms isolated from natural water, greater than 70 percent were identified using TRFLP analysis to reveal a relatively stable group of organisms whose community composition differed with water source and over time. These results further document the validity of the H(2)S test for detecting and quantifying fecal contamination of water.
The Procession of Identity and Ecology in Contemporary Literature

Taking Ranjan Ghosh’s provocative remark that “The earth is more a process than an object” as my starting point, I want to discuss the ways in which some contemporary literature attempts to help readers realize this awareness through the thought experiments and experiential scenarios that they relate. It is important in this regard to consider how such aesthetic texts must necessarily be not only forward thinking in their concepts but also in their imagery. Plot, character, rhetoric, style, structure all necessarily have to be engaged in order to immerse the reader in a potential reality and a reality filled with potential. In like manner, plot itself must not be Aristotelian and while we may not want a work to end on a note of irresolution, neither can we afford a resolution that wraps it all up, so that readers may remain passive spectators and trust to the heroic actions of others or technological fixes to return the world to some false impression of a secure, static state of being, rather than the flux and instability of evolutionary and anthropogenic environmental changes, which may include sudden shifts, mutations, and alterations. One might think of these literary engagements as furnishing the study for performing the household by resolving static cling. “Household” places the emphasis on the activities and functions rather than the building as an object, while “performing” comes from the Latin root “to furnish.” “Resolve” means both “to solve” and “to remove,” as well as to make visible parts of an image, and to separate out constituents. As for my title, “procession” comes from the Latin procedere, to advance. But, an ecological advance should not be confused with either the capitalist or Marxist concept of progress, which is founded on illusions of unlimited expansion and assumes that past practices invariably become obsolete and must give way to new practices. In late capitalism and market socialism these new practices are driven by a faith in technological fixes and denials of resource scarcity and finite biospheric carrying capacity. It is both extremely difficult and urgently necessary to work against reification and discreteness in wielding English; participles and definitionally multiplicitous words can help with thinking processionally. In what follows, I will combine these concepts, practices, and behaviors to emphasize how contemporary environmental novels question
Digoxin-like and digitoxin-like immunoreactive substances in elderly people: Impact on therapeutic drug monitoring of digoxin and digitoxin concentrations

We compared digoxin-like (DLIS) and digitoxin-like (DTLIS) immunoreactive substance concentrations for 30 people older than 65 years with those for 25 people younger than 50. None received digoxin or had liver disease, uremia, or volume expansion. We found no DTLIS in any specimen, and only 1 specimen from an elderly person demonstrated a low DLIS concentration. In addition, for 22 non–volume expanded patients (8 younger than 50 years and 14 older than 65) receiving digoxin, the fluorescence polarization (FPIA) and the microparticle enzyme (MEIA) immunoassays revealed comparable serum digoxin concentrations, indicating an insufficient DLIS concentration to interfere with digoxin immunoassay results. Therefore, elderly people who are not volume expanded do not have elevated DLIS or DTLIS concentrations. Furthermore, for patients with liver disease or uremia (18 older than 65 years and 20 younger than 50), the DLIS and DTLIS concentrations were elevated. Finally, for 5 patients with liver disease who received digoxin, serum digoxin concentrations were lower by MEIA and higher by FPIA, indicating the patients had elevated DLIS levels that interfered with the assays. Elevated DLIS and DTLIS concentrations are associated with volume expansion and not age.
Stereologic analysis of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression in rat hypothalamus and its regulation by aging and estrogen

The estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in the hypothalamus plays important roles in the regulation of reproductive development, physiology, and behavior. However, the expression of the ERalpha may change during aging or in response to varying estrogen levels. The present study measured changes in the numbers of ERalpha-expressing cells in specific hypothalamic and preoptic nuclei of ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats at three ages (young [3-4 months], middle-aged [10-12 months], or old [24-26 months]) and with or without estrogen replacement. Numbers of ERalpha-immunoreactive neurons were quantified in four regions relevant to reproductive function: the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), arcuate nucleus (ARH), and ventromedial nucleus (VMN), using an unbiased stereologic approach. In the AVPV and VMN, significant age-related increases in the numbers of ERalpha-expressing cells from the middle-aged to the old group were detected, and no differences were observed in the MPN and ARH, indicating that ERalpha neuron number is maintained or even elevated during aging. No significant effects of estrogen on ERalpha cell number were detected in any of the four regions studied. Therefore, ERalpha cell number in the rat hypothalamus and preoptic area changes with aging in a region-specific manner.
Biquartic C1-surface splines over irregular meshes

Abstract C1-surface splines define tangent continuous surfaces from control points in the manner of tensor-product (B-)splines, but allow a wider class of control meshes capable of outlining arbitrary free-form surfaces with or without boundary. In particular, irregular meshes with non-quadrilateral cells and more or fewer than four cells meeting at a point can be input and are treated in the same conceptual frame work as tensor-product B-splines; that is, the mesh points serve as control points of a smooth piecewise polynomial surface representation that is local and evaluates by averaging. Biquartic surface splines extend and complement the definition of C1-surface splines in a previous paper (Peters, J SLAM J. Numer. Anal. Vol 32 No 2 (1993) 645–666) improving continuity and shape properties in the case where the user chooses to model entirely with four-sided patches. While tangent continuity is guaranteed, it is shown that no polynomial, symmetry-preserving construction with adjustable blends can guarantee its surfaces to lie in the local convex hull of the control mesh for very sharp blends where three patches join. Biquartic C1-surface splines do as well as possible by guaranteeing the property whenever more than three patches join and whenever the blend exceeds a certain small threshold.
Asynchronous versus Synchronous Learning in Pharmacy Education.

Objective: To better understand the technology being used today in pharmacy education through a review of thecurrent methodologies being employed at various institutions. Also, to discuss the benefits and difficulties ofasynchronous and synchronous methodologies, which are being utilized at both traditional and distance educationcampuses.Setting: Colleges of Pharmacy across the countrySummary: Pharmacy education has seen dramatic changes over the past decade. With the explosion of newtechnologies come new methods for teaching practitioners. This article describes the various methods being usedtoday to teach our practitioners and the advantages and disadvantages of each method.Conclusion: The authors conclude that using a blended method of teaching through both asynchronous andsynchronous learning produces practitioners ready to take on the new challenges experienced by today’s pharmacists.
Revisioning Information and Communication Technology (ICT4D) at Comparative & International Education Society (CIES): A five-year account (2009 ~ 2013)

The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has evolved as a key topic and research area at the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) conference. The past five years’ CIES conference papers with an ICT component are reviewed for common development trends, opportunities, and challenges. The findings include: 1) ICT has a strong presence at CIES; 2) Countries from Asia, Africa and Northern America regions have been the major contributors to CIES; 3) Educational institutions, private and professional organizations and companies have been the key ICT4D players at CIES; 4) The interaction between ICT and other areas has been established; 5) ICT4D SIG is suggested to further claim its role of connecting, building, and strengthening ICT4D community of practice at CIES. Recommendations are also made for the development of a broad research agenda for the field to grow and mature in this connected global ICT context.
Current gain-Early voltage products in graded-base Si/Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x//Si heterojunction bipolar transistors

Summary form only given. An examination is made of the current-gain-Early-voltage ( beta -V/sub A/) tradeoff for graded base Si/Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x//Si heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). A two-layer stepped-based structure was used to achieve a beta V/sub A/ product greater than 100000 V at room temperature for a device predicted to have a cutoff frequency in excess of 10 GHz. This is an improvement of this figure of merit by a factor greater than 20. It is shown that the Early voltage in a bipolar transistor can be improved dramatically by inserting a thin heavily doped p/sup +/-SiGe layer at the collector side of the base, without any reduction in gain. >
Two-channel data telemetry with remote RF powering for high-performance wireless MEMS strain sensing applications

A reliable two-channel data telemetry system with remote RF powering capability is developed for high-performance industrial wireless MEMS strain sensing applications. The prototype system is insensitive to mechanical rotation and can simultaneously transmit and receive digital Manchester-coded sensors data at 2.5 Mbps and 50 kbps by employing phase shift keying (PSK) and load shift keying (LSK) modulation schemes, respectively, over the same wireless link used for remotely RF powering the strain sensing microsystem. The remote RF powering system can produce a stable DC voltage of 2.8 V with a 2 mA of current supply capability from a 50 MHz RF operation. The demonstrated performance is adequate for realizing a wireless strain sensing microsystem providing a high resolution (high data rate) strain information together with a low data rate temperature information for real-time calibration and intelligent system control
Instrumentation for Aerospace Applications: Electronic-Based Technologies

AbstractThroughout the 70-year history of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC), instrumentation engineers have provided measurement methods and devices necessary to support ongoing and future aeropropulsion research and development efforts. On occasion, routine instrumentation approaches are perfectly suited for the task at hand. However, as propulsion components and systems become more complex through the incorporation of new materials and higher temperature operation, modifications to traditional instrumentation methods or entirely new methods are necessary. This paper provides a glimpse of the core electronic-based instrumentation methods developed throughout the years to measure temperature, strain, pressure, heat flux, and chemical gas species and describes how these methods are evolving to meet the instrumentation challenges of high-performance propulsion systems. It is clear that future aeropropulsion systems will operate at higher temperatures and re...
Sterile Nodular Dermatitis in Dogs

The forms of canine sterile, inflammatory nodular dermatoses discussed in this article include sterile nodular panniculitis, cutaneous sterile pyogranuloma/granuloma syndrome, cutaneous histiocytosis, eosinophilic granuloma, and systemic histiocytosis of the Bernese Mountain dog. A common feature of these disorders is their unknown etiopathogenesis. A better understanding of the etiopathogenesis of each of these interesting skin conditions will necessitate comprehensive and systematic diagnostic approaches.
The Fractal Nature of the Semantic Web

In the past, many knowledge representation systems failed because they were too monolithic and didn’t scale well, whereas other systems failed to have an impact because they were small and isolated. Along with this trade-off in size, there is also a constant tension between the cost involved in building a larger community that can interoperate through common terms and the cost of the lack of interoperability. The semantic web offers a good compromise between these approaches as it achieves wide-scale communication and interoperability using finite effort and cost. The semantic web is a set of standards for knowledge representation and exchange that is aimed at providing interoperability across applications and organizations. We believe that the gathering success of this technology is not derived from the particular choice of syntax or of logic. Its main contribution is in recognizing and supporting the fractal patterns of scalable web systems. These systems will be composed of many overlapping communities of all sizes, ranging from one individual to the entire population that have internal (but not global) consistency. The information in these systems, including documents and messages, will contain some terms that are understood and accepted globally, some that are understood within certain communities, and some that are understood locally within the system. The amount of interoperability between interacting agents (software or human) will depend on how many communities they have in common and how many ontologies (groups of consistent and related terms) they share. In this article we discuss why fractal patterns are an appropriate model for web systems and how semantic web technologies can be used to design scalable and interoperable systems.
EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTED ALGORITHMS FOR TOPOLOGY CONTROL PROBLEM WITH SHORTEST PATH CONSTRAINTS

A Connected Dominating Set (CDS) can be used to construct a virtual backbone for wireless and mobile ad-hoc networks to make the system hierarchical and efficient. A virtual backbone can significantly improve network throughput, optimize broadband utilization, extend network lifetime, and reduce interference as well as packet retransmissions. Calculating a minimum backbone for a network is critical to reduce routing computation and energy consumption. This problem is a well-known NP-hard optimization problem, which has various applications in practice. In this paper, we propose a new problem based on customer fairness, which looks for a minimum CDS in a given communication model with shortest path constraints. It guarantees that any two clients can communicate with each other through this CDS with hop counts the same as the best path from the original graph, which means that routing on such a CDS will not bring additional traffic for every client. We name this problem as shortest path connected dominating set (SPCDS) and prove its NP-hardness by reduction from Hitting Set .T hen we propose a centralized greedy algorithm and an efficient distributed approximation algorithm with approximation ratio ∆ to solve SPCDS, where ∆ is the maximum vertex degree in the given topology. We also analyze the time complexity, message complexity, and evaluate the efficiency of our distributed heuristic by several numerical experiments and comparisons with previous literatures.