cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Millimeter Scale Flexural Testing System for Measuring the Mechanical Properties of Marine Sponge Spicules.

Many load bearing biological structures (LBBSs)—such as feather rachises and spicules—are small (<1 mm) but not microscopic. Measuring the flexural behavior of these LBBSs is important for understanding the origins of their remarkable mechanical functions. We describe a protocol for performing three-point bending tests using a custom-built mechanical testing device that can measure forces ranging from 10-5 to 101 N and displacements ranging from 10-7 to 10-2 m. The primary advantage of this mechanical testing device is that the force and displacement capacities can be easily adjusted for different LBBSs. The device's operating principle is similar to that of an atomic force microscope. Namely, force is applied to the LBBS by a load point that is attached to the end of a cantilever. The load point displacement is measured by a fiber optic displacement sensor and converted into a force using the measured cantilever stiffness. The device's force range can be adjusted by using cantilevers of different stiffnesses. The device's capabilities are demonstrated by performing three-point bending tests on the skeletal elements of the marine sponge Euplectella aspergillum. The skeletal elements—known as spicules—are silica fibers that are approximately 50 µm in diameter. We describe the procedures for calibrating the mechanical testing device, mounting the spicules on a three-point bending fixture with a ≈1.3 mm span, and performing a bending test. The force applied to the spicule and its deflection at the location of the applied force are measured.
Transforming Good Intentions into Social Impact: A Case on the Creation and Evolution of a Social Enterprise

Process models are valuable conceptual tools to help in understanding the approaches to value creation in social enterprises. This teaching case illustrates the application of a process model about creating, building, and sustaining a social enterprise with a mission to provide clean water to communities in need. The social enterprise generates revenue in support of community water projects and works with community stakeholders in different locations throughout the world to provide sustainable clean water solutions. The case study uses primary data from semi-structured interviews, direct observations of a community project, and archival sources to demonstrate application of the process model. The study shows how the social enterprise developed as a promising idea; was implemented through an operating model with resources to support social impact; and continues to build and evolve while guided by the social mission. The paper concludes with a discussion and teaching note on ways to use the case for educational purposes to enhance learning about the social value creation process.
Design of a high temperature (1350 °C) solar receiver based on a liquid metal heat transfer fluid: Sensitivity analysis

Abstract One approach to reducing the cost of concentrated solar power is to improve the heat engine efficiency by increasing its maximum operating temperature. To achieve higher operating temperatures, we have studied using a liquid metal heat transfer fluid in conjunction with a receiver made from a ceramic/refractory material. As a first step in the design of such a receiver, we conducted sensitivity analyses of several receivers, allowing us to determine what factors most significantly affect receiver performance. Material properties, natural convection from the receiver cavity, and the location of hot spots within the cavity were found to have the largest effect on receiver efficiency. It was also determined that stresses due to thermal expansion can exceed the fracture strength of the receiver material if care is not taken to minimize these stresses. Interestingly, the stress as opposed to performance considerations, set the most important constraints on the receiver geometry.
Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1 Regulates Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube–induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice via Suppression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Production and Signaling

Rationale: Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are a potential risk for pulmonary fibrosis because of their fiber-like shape; other physicochemical features, such as rigidity, could also confer f...
A Cell Size Theory of Aging.

The factors determining longevity of different animals are incompletely defined. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Anzi et al. (2018) show that distinct strategies for postnatal pancreatic growth operate in different mammals and correlate with lifespan, with short-lived species exhibiting increasing pancreatic cell size and long-lived animals increasing cell number.
Growth and Pattern Formation for Thin Films

Epitaxy is the growth of a thin film by attachment to an existing substrate in which the crystalline properties of the film are determined by those of the substrate. In heteroepitaxy, the substrate and film are of different materials, and the resulting mismatch between lattice constants can introduce stress into the system. We have developed an island dynamics model for epitaxial growth that is solved using a level set method. This model uses both atomistic and continuum scaling, since it includes island boundaries that are of atomistic height, but describes these boundaries as smooth curves. The strain in the system is computed using an atomistic strain model that is solved using an algebraic multigrid method and an artificial boundary condition. Using the growth model together with the strain model, we simulate pattern formation on an epitaxial surface.
Exploring Performative Authoring as a Story Creation Approach for Children

We propose performative authoring, an approach for children to author digital animated stories using pretend play or story enactment. Using a systematic methodology, we designed and developed DiME, a prototype system to explore how children may make use of performative authoring to create stories. Findings showed that children greatly enjoyed the authoring approach, and that DiME supported the child’s imagination of characters, objects and environments during enactment. However, enactment for authoring lacked narrative structuring and the affordance for rapid iterative editing that is critical to creativity. We conclude that performative authoring has great potential to facilitate and even improve children’s storytelling.
The role of external reference price in pay-what-you-want pricing: An empirical investigation across product types

Abstract This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the adoption of external reference price (ERP) in influencing consumers' pay-what-you-want (PWYW) final payments across different product types. Results from two experiments show the effectiveness of using ERP as an anchor heavily depends on the nature of the product category. For hedonic products, the absence of an ERP, compared to the presence of one, leads to higher perceived quality and PWYW payments. The results are the opposite for utilitarian products. This study contributes to PWYW literature by investigating how product types affect consumers’ perceived quality of the product offered and their PWYW payments.
Preparation of Thin Amorphous Films by E-Beam Evaporation from Multiple Sources

E-beam codeposition was used to produce thin films in the system ZrO 2 -SiO 2 . Bk-7 glass, heated to 325 °C was used as substrate material for these depositions. The films, thus produced were studied by X-ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy Techniques. These studies yielded information on the dependence of film crystallinity on composition and substrate temperature. Particular attention was paid to the compositional range in which the structure of the film changes from polycrystalline to amorphous. The change in film structure is easily determined from the change in the XRD patterns. Different film structures were observed using SEM methods.
Topological local-valley interface in ordinary photonic crystal waveguide

Valley-contrasting physics is gaining growing attraction for its potentials as a promising information carrier in electric and classical systems. In this work, we present a new realization of topological edge states based on locally defined valley-Hall effect, which enables direction-locked polarizations and robust transmission through sharp corners. Unlike existing photonic topological insulators (PTIs), the proposed implementation does not strictly demand distinct claddings (domains) across the waveguide interface. In fact, the interfaced bulks (slabs) are identical -away from the interface- and have a triangular lattice of circular air holes as in common photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides. Here, the interface is defined along a one-dimensional line created by opposite shifts of the centers of the respective unit cells on the two sides, which result in a glide-symmetric holes arrangement. The region near the interface locally lacks mirror inversion symmetry, and electromagnetic fields exhibit opposite orbital-angular-momentum states on the two sides of the interface. These observations are known to be responsible for the distinct topological phases in typical valley PTIs. In our proposed structure, it is clear that the topological modes can be understood as a result of discontinuity in the fields at the interface. Intuitively, one may also regard the proposed structure as a typical valley PhC, which is based on graphene-like lattice but with either A or B site being vanishingly small (i.e. missing). Advantageously, our proposed approach can enable robust waveguiding in a simpler implementation than current PTI designs, thus benefiting practical applications and fabrication at optical frequencies.
Coaching to teach: Preservice social studies teachers’ experiences with a hiring contingency

Abstract Social studies teachers are frequently athletic coaches who are often criticized for prioritizing coaching over teaching. The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of preservice social studies teachers regarding the relationship between coaching and teaching with respect to hiring in middle and secondary schools. The researchers employed phenomenological research methods to investigate the hiring experiences of social studies teacher candidates. Survey and interview data were collected from social studies teacher candidates at the three largest universities in a southeastern state. Results illuminate a pervasive coaching contingency that many social studies teacher candidates face. Social studies teacher candidates perceived that willingness to coach a sport is the most important factor, other than teaching, to be hired to teach—particularly at the high school level.
Impulsivity in Mexican Adolescent Sexuality

This study broadens our understanding of the role of impulsivity in Mexican adolescent sexuality by examining how impulsivity constructs (i.e., positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) were associated with Mexican adolescent normative sexual behaviors and intentions. We also examined the role of gender and age in these associations. We administered measures of impulsivity, sexual intentions, and sexual behaviors to a sample of 563 Mexican adolescents, aged 12 to 16. The results indicated several associations between impulsivity and sexual outcomes. For instance, adolescents who exhibited lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance were more likely to expect to have sex (sexual intentions) and to engage in heavy petting. Age and gender moderated a few associations. Female adolescents (but not males) who reported more sensation seeking were more likely to expect to have sex (sexual intentions). Older adolescents (but not younger) who reported higher levels of positive urgency were more likely to engage in heavy petting. The current study expands the understanding of how a variety of impulsivity constructs are associated with the sexual intentions and behaviors of Mexican adolescents.
Kinesthetic Empathy in Remote Interactive Performance: Research into Platforms and Strategies for Performing Online

In interactive performance, kinesthetic empathy refers to the ability of performers to read, decode, and react to one another’s physical input. To develop kinesthetic empathy, performers rely on sonic, visual, and other sensory cues. Remote and interactive performance oftentimes limits these cues due to deficiencies of the virtual environment. In this case, performers must develop connections between alternate sensory modes to achieve kinesthetic empathy. This paper explores alternative systems for remote performance and investigates the ways in which human players creatively exploit these platforms as well as defining pre-requisite sensory connections needed to achieve kinesthetic empathy between remote participants. We present three examples of technologies and performance techniques used to achieve this connection. We then present a new system modified for remote performance and propose a strategy for demonstrating it to peers in order to discern its effectiveness in facilitating kinesthetic empathy between multiple players as well as players and audience. We use current research data in cognitive psychology as a baseline for our own inquiry and hope our experiences will inspire future research in that field.
Current Challenges and Solutions to Tissue Engineering of Large-scale Cardiac Constructs

Large-scale tissue engineering of cardiac constructs is a rapidly advancing field; however, there are several barriers still associated with the creation and clinical application of large-scale engineered cardiac tissues. We provide an overview of the current challenges and recently (within the last 5 years) described promising solutions to overcoming said challenges. The five major criteria yet to be met for clinical application of engineered cardiac tissues are successful electrochemical/mechanical cell coupling, efficient maturation of cardiomyocytes, functional vascularization of large tissues, balancing appropriate immune response, and large-scale generation of constructs. Promising solutions include the use of carbon/graphene in conjunction with existing scaffold designs, utilization of biological hormones, 3D bioprinting, and gene editing. While some of the described barriers to generation of large-scale cardiac tissue have seen encouraging advancements, there is no solution that yet achieves all 5 described criteria. It is vital then to consider a combination of techniques to achieve the optimal construct. Critically, following the demonstration of a viable construct, there remain important considerations to address associated with good manufacturing practices and establishing a standard for clinical trials.
Political violence and child health: Results from Zimbabwe.

Abstract This paper examines how the health of Zimbabwean children was affected by political and election-related violence and land reform in Zimbabwe during the period from 2000 to 2005. These events impacted Zimbabwean livelihoods and increased food insecurity in the country. Our study combines individual child data from the Demographic and Health Surveys that bracket these violent events with information on the location and date of violence from the Armed Conflict Location and Event dataset. To understand how the increase in violence impacted children’s health, the empirical analysis exploits temporal and spatial variation in child height across birth cohorts. Children born after the spike in violence in 2000 had lower height-for-age z-scores than children from earlier cohorts. The results are robust to a placebo test for parallel trends, alternative control groups, selective mortality, and migration. The paper adds to the literature on election-related violence, armed conflict, and land reform. Additionally, it provides guidance on differentiating between timing of violence during multiple political and electoral events, and estimating the impact on rural communities.
Perioperative Outcomes of Thymectomy in Myasthenia Gravis: A Thoracic Surgery Database Analysis

ABSTRACT Background There is clinical equipoise regarding the perioperative and long-term outcomes of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) patients undergoing open vs minimally invasive thymectomy, particularly for non-thymomatous MG. This analysis utilizes multicenter, real-world clinical evidence to assess perioperative complications of open and minimally invasive thymectomy techniques in MG patients. Methods Thymectomy cases 2009-2019 in MG patients were identified in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database. Thymectomies were grouped by surgical technique: transthoracic (TT), transcervical (TC), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), or Robotic VATS (RVATS). Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association between surgical technique and perioperative complications. Results Analysis of non-thymomatous cases (n=1,725) revealed VATS (OR 0.44, CI 0.23-0.83), RVATS (0.73, 0.48-1.26) and TC (0.19, 0.06-0.62) had lower odds of perioperative complications than TT thymectomies. VATS (2.29, 0.63-8.30) and RVATS (4.08, 1.21-3.78) thymectomies had higher odds of perioperative complications than TC. Analysis of thymomatous cases (n=311) found no significant difference in the odds of perioperative complications in TT vs minimally invasive (VATS/RVATS) procedures. The proportion of RVATS procedures increased from 6.43% to 44.27% while TT (56.43% to 34.35%) and TC (19.29% to 6.87%) thymectomies decreased. Conclusions Minimally invasive and TC thymectomies have fewer perioperative complications than TT when performed for non-thymomatous MG. Minimally invasive procedures are increasingly performed for both non-thymomatous and thymomatous disease. There is a nationwide shift towards minimally invasive procedures, even for thymoma resections. Long-term neurological outcome data are needed to determine whether a reduced perioperative risk for minimally invasive thymectomies translates to improved MG outcomes.
Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair with Adjunctive Stenting.

Abstract Objective : Endovascular aneurysm repair is the standard of care for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, however data regarding adjunctive stenting at the time of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) are limited. The study aims to evaluate outcomes of patients undergoing EVAR with and without adjunctive stenting. Methods : Patients undergoing EVAR with stenting (EVAR-S) and without stenting (EVAR) (2008 to 2017) were selected from Cerner HealthFacts® database using ICD-9 diagnosis and procedure codes. Chi-square analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to evaluate the association of patient characteristics with medical and vascular outcomes. Results : 4,957 patients undergoing EVAR procedures were identified (3,816 EVAR and 1,141 EVAR-S). Demographic analysis revealed that patients who underwent EVAR-S had higher Charlson comorbidity scores (2.35 vs. 2.13, p = .0001). EVAR-S was associated with a greater frequency of vascular complications such as thrombolysis/percutaneous thrombectomy (0.9% vs. 0.2%; p Conclusions : Endovascular aneurysm repair with adjunctive stenting (EVAR-S) was associated with vascular complications requiring reintervention, although the overall rate was very low. As well, readmission within 30 days, cardiac complications, respiratory problems and renal failure were more likely when compared to standard EVAR. The need for adjunctive stenting acts as a marker for an overall sicker and more complex population, not just in terms of vascular complications but across all medical complications as well. Staging the procedure may be helpful in terms of spreading out the operative risk into smaller portions. Furthermore, consideration of a non-operative strategy should be discussed with the patient if the risk of the procedure outweighs the risk of aneurysm rupture in high-risk groups.
Fat Loads: Exploiting Locality Amongst Contemporaneous Load Operations to Optimize Cache Accesses

This paper considers locality among load instructions that are in processing contemporaneously within a processor to optimize the number of accesses to the memory hierarchy. A simple technique is used to learn and predict the number of contemporaneous accesses to a region of memory and classify a particular dynamic load into a normal or a fat load. Fat loads bring in additional data into Contemporaneous Load Access Registers (CLARs), from where other contemporaneous loads could be serviced without accessing the L1 cache. Experimental results indicate that with fat loads, along with 4 or 8 cache line size CLARs (256 or 512 bytes), the number of L1 cache accesses could be reduced by 50-60%, resulting in significant energy savings for the L1 cache operations. Further, in several cases the reduced latency for loads serviced from a CLAR results in an earlier resolution of some mispredicted branches, and a reduction in the number of wrong-path instructions, especially loads.
Enhancement of Function

There is good evidence that height is socially and economically beneficial to males. Consider two parents with otherwise healthy sons. One wants to obtain medical treatment to change her son’s ultimate projected height from 150 (4′11′) to 160 cm (5′3″). The other would give similar medication to increase her son’s projected final height from 190 (6′3′) to 200 cm (6′7″). This chapter explores some of the theoretical and practical considerations in (1) using biomedical technology to change a characteristic of a child from socially disfavored to typical; or (2) to change a characteristic from excellent to outstanding (in terms of societal norms). Prospects are poor for changing norms themselves with regard to important features of interpersonal competition such as mating desirability or markers of social dominance. It is necessary to directly confront the question of when (if ever) it should be permissible to change the child’s body, or even the child’s genotype, to allow him to better succeed within his culture. This leads to interesting ways to frame problems that do not necessary lend themselves to definitive recommendations.
Consolidation on Aisle Five: Effects of Mergers in Consumer Packaged Goods

We study the effects of mergers in the consumer packaged goods industry, a sector that comprises approximately one-tenth of GDP in the United States. We match data on all recorded mergers between 2006 and 2017 with retail scanner data. In comparison to prior work, which focuses on case studies of large mergers, our approach allows us to estimate the effect of a typical merger. Most mergers we study are highly asymmetric (a large firm acquires a much smaller firm) and rarely challenged. By studying these mergers, we provide new evidence on the effects of mergers on prices, quantities, product availability, and exit. On average, mergers lead to a short-run price effect at the target of 1% and declines in total revenue of 7%. These average effects hide substantial heterogeneity across different groups of mergers. Our results highlight the importance of effects not captured in the canonical model, such as effects on consumer surplus through changes in product availability, and through inefficient firms' capital being repurposed by more productive acquirors.
Lateral posterior fossa encephalocele with associated migrational disorder of the cerebellum in an infant

Encephaloceles are acquired or congenital defects in which intracranial contents protrude through a defect in the calvaria. The embryogenesis of these lesions is incompletely understood. The vast majority of lesions occur at or near the anatomical midline. The authors present an extremely rare case of a laterally oriented, pathologically proven encephalocele associated with a posterior fossa cyst and cerebellar migrational defect in an infant. The authors review past and current theories of encephalocele formation as it relates to this case.
3D Geometric Databases For Mechanical Engineering

3D geometric data bases for mechanical parts and assemblies are a new and promising development in mechanical engineering. 3D data bases for sculptured surfaces of airplanes and automobiles have been used for many years, but the possibility of a data base containing the complete 3D description of all the parts of an airplane, car, printer or typewriter, and the impact it could have on the entire design / develop / manufacture / maintain product cycle is motivation for an increasing amount of work in 3D geometric data base applications, both inside and outside IBM. This paper examines 1) uses of these data bases in the 4 above mentioned product cycle areas and the benefits (reduction of duplication of effort, shorter lead times, better communication and understanding, etc.) resulting from the data base, 2) information content, file structure, file size and the integration of geometric and non-geometric data and 3) ways people want to access the data.
Emission Patterns of Diesel-Powered Passenger Cars - Part II

An experimental program was conducted to characterize the gaseous and particulate emissions from a 1975 Peugeot 504D light duty diesel-powered vehicle. The vehicle was tested over the 1975 Federal Test Procedure, Highway Fuel Economy Test, and Sulfate Emissions Test driving cycles using four different fuels covering a fair range of composition, density, and sulfur content. In addition to fuel economy and regulated gaseous emission measurements of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen, emission measurements were also obtained for non-regulated pollutants including sulfur dioxide, surfates, aldehydes, benzo(a)pyrene, carbonyl sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, nonreactive hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. The results are discussed in terms of emission trends due to either fuel type or driving cycle influence. /GMRL/
Validated prediction model for severe groin wound infection after lower extremity revascularization procedures.

Background Groin wound infection is a costly and morbid event after lower extremity revascularization. To date, a comprehensive and validated method for identifying patients who are at greatest risk for this complication has yet to be developed. Methods Our retrospective analysis included all patients at a single institution who underwent lower extremity revascularization using a groin incision from 2009 through 2012. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a test group, which was used to develop a predictive model for our primary outcome; and a validation group, which was used to test that model. The primary outcome for our analysis was severe groin wound infection, which we defined as postoperative groin infection that required operative intervention. Multimodel inference methods were used to evaluate all possible combinations, interactions, and transformations of potential predictor variables from the test group of patients. The resulting model that exhibited the lowest Akaike information criterion was then selected for testing with the validation group of patients. Results A total of 284 patients who underwent lower extremity revascularization procedures were included in our study (140 in the test group, 144 in the validation group). In the test group, 17 patients (12.1%) developed severe groin wound infection requiring operative intervention. The best-fit predictive model developed from this group identified the following independent risk factors for severe groin wound infection: prior ipsilateral groin incision, female gender, body mass index, end-stage renal disease, malnutrition, and urgent or emergency procedure status. The correct classification rate of this model in the test group was 88.6%. The incidence of severe groin wound infection in the validation group was 13.9%, and application of our predictive model to this group yielded a correct classification rate of 86.1%. Conclusions We have developed and validated a statistical model that accurately predicts those patients who are likely to sustain severe groin wound infection after lower extremity revascularization.
Characterization of an Ultra-Hard CMOS 64K Static RAM

We have irradiated radiation-hard 64K CMOS Static RAMs in a 60Co pool at dose rates of 3 and 70 Rads-(SiO2)/sec to simulate a space radiation environment. The devices failed due to write-failure at a total gamma dose in some cases greater than 50 MRads(SiO2). Test Transistors were also irradiated and measured.
Dietary supplementation with fresh pineapple juice decreases inflammation and colonic neoplasia in IL-10-deficient mice with colitis.

Background Bromelain, a mixture of proteolytic enzymes typically derived from pineapple stem, decreases production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and leukocyte homing to sites of inflammation. We previously showed that short-term oral treatment with bromelain purified from pineapple stem decreased the severity of colonic inflammation in C57BL/6 Il10−/− mice with chronic colitis. Since fresh pineapple fruit contains similar bromelain enzymes but at different proportions, this study aimed to determine whether long-term dietary supplementation with pineapple (supplied as juice) could decrease colon inflammation and neoplasia in Il10−/− mice with chronic colitis as compared with bromelain derived from stem.
Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources in Nearby Galaxies from ROSAT High Resolution Imager Observations I. Data Analysis

X-ray observations have revealed in other galaxies a class of extranuclear X-ray point sources with X-ray luminosities of 1039-1041 ergs s-1, exceeding the Eddington luminosity for stellar mass X-ray binaries. These ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) may be powered by intermediate-mass black holes of a few thousand M☉ or stellar mass black holes with special radiation processes. In this paper, we present a survey of ULXs in 313 nearby galaxies with D25 > 1' within 40 Mpc with 467 ROSAT High Resolution Imager (HRI) archival observations. The HRI observations are reduced with uniform procedures, refined by simulations that help define the point source detection algorithm employed in this survey. A sample of 562 extragalactic X-ray point sources with LX = 1038-1043 ergs s-1 is extracted from 173 survey galaxies, including 106 ULX candidates within the D25 isophotes of 63 galaxies and 110 ULX candidates between 1D25 and 2D25 of 64 galaxies, from which a clean sample of 109 ULXs is constructed to minimize the contamination from foreground or background objects. The strong connection between ULXs and star formation is confirmed based on the striking preference of ULXs to occur in late-type galaxies, especially in star-forming regions such as spiral arms. ULXs are variable on timescales over days to years and exhibit a variety of long term variability patterns. The identifications of ULXs in the clean sample show some ULXs identified as supernovae (remnants), H II regions/nebulae, or young massive stars in star-forming regions, and a few other ULXs identified as old globular clusters. In a subsequent paper, the statistic properties of the survey will be studied to calculate the occurrence frequencies and luminosity functions for ULXs in different types of galaxies to shed light on the nature of these enigmatic sources.
Developing Reflective Practice in Pre-Service Student Teachers: What Does Art Have to Do with It?.

Abstract Developing reflective practice in pre-service student teachers is a goal of many teacher education programs. This article describes three activities used in a graduate teacher education program that were designed to use an arts focus to provoke deeper reflection about teaching and learning. Clay tiles were used for illustrating personal metaphors about teaching and learning; a clay landscape was designed by students to illustrate a group metaphor and mixed media was used by a third group to illustrate personal timelines with direct connections for teaching social studies to elementary students. Each activity had opportunities for extending pre-service students' thinking about what it means to be a teacher.
293 Evaluating Serum Phosphorous Across Differing Levels of Renal Function within a Large Ethnically Diverse Population

EVALUATING SERUM PHOSPHOROUS ACROSS DIFFERING LEVELS OF RENAL FUNCTION WITHIN A LARGE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE POPULATION John J. Sim, Ning Smith, Joanie Chung, Eric Yan, Simran Bhandari, Scott Rasgon, Kam Kalantar-Zadeh Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medicial Center We sought to examine the relationship of serum phosphorous across declining levels of eGFR.Retrospective cohort study within KPSC of those with valid measurement of serum phosphorous 01/01/1998 05/31/2010. Comparisons of cohort characteristics among population based quartiles of phosphorous with ANOVA and chi-square tests. Generalized additive models with cubic smoothing splines were used to determine the relationship btwn phosphorous and eGFR. Subgroup analyses were performed stratified by age group, gender and race. Calcium, PTH, and vitamin D levels were also analyzed for their relationship with eGFR. A total 325,357 patients had a valid serum phosphorous measurement and 159,535 (49%) had concurrent eGFR. Average phosphorous began to increase at eGFR 50. This trend holds among different age groups, genders and races. We observed similar trend for PTH in relation to eGFR. But the average vitamin D and calcium levels seem to be independent of the eGFR values. Males, older age, and black race had lower phosphorous levels. While hyperphosphatemia is a manifestation of advanced renal failure, our observational cohort demonstrates rising serum phosphorous levels earlier in CKD at an eGFR of 50 mL/min/1.73 m which was consistent across different ages, gender, and races.
Code sharing among states for stack-caching interpreter

Interpretation has salient merits of simplicity, portability and small footprint but comes with a price of poor performance. Stack caching is a technique to build a high-performance interpreter by keeping source and destination operands of instructions in registers so as to reduce memory accesses involved during interpretation. One drawback of stack caching is that an instruction may have multiple ways to perform interpretation depending on which registers source operands reside in, resulting in code explosion as well as deterioration of code maintainability. This paper presents a code sharing mechanism that achieves performance as efficient as the stack-caching interpreter and in the meantime keeps the code size as compact as general threaded interpreters. Our results show that our approach outperforms a threaded interpreter by an average of 13.6% and the code size increases by only 1KB (~3%).
Regulation of adenylate cyclase from Leucophaea maderae by calcium, calmodulin and forskolin☆

Abstract 1. Adenylate cyclase was assayed in homogenates ofhindgut tissue from Leucophaea maderae (L.). The 10,000 g supernatant enzyme was stimulated by calmodulin. 2. Trifluoperazine inhibited calmodulin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. 3. Elevated calcium levels (> 100 μ M) inhibited natural and calmodulin-stimulated enzymic activity. 4. Forskolin (1 mM) stimulated adenylate cyclase activity by approximately 10-fold.
Estimators with Nondecreasing Risk: Application of a Chi-Squared Identity

Abstract By using an apparently little known fact about concave functions together with a new expectation identity for noncentral chi-squared random variables, a characterization of risk functions of Stein-type estimators is obtained. In particular, concavity of the function appearing in the shrinkage factor is related to the estimator's risk function being nondecreasing.
cDNA cloning and expression of UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase T1 from Toxoplasma gondii

We report the cloning, expression, and characterization of the first UDP-GalNAc:polypetide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (ppGalNAc-T) from the human disease-causing parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. This enzyme is also the first characterized ppGalNAc-T of protozoan origin. This type of enzyme catalyzes the initial step of mucin-type O-glycosylation, that is, the transfer of GalNAc in O-glycosidic linkage to serine and threonine residues in polypeptides. We used polymerase chain reaction amplification with degenerate primers and hybridization screening of a T. gondii cDNA library to identify this enzyme. The resulting 84-kDa type II membrane protein contains a 49-amino acid N-terminal cytoplasmic domain, a 22-amino acid hydrophobic transmembrane domain, and a 680-amino acid C-terminal lumenal domain. Conceptual translation of the cDNA sequence reveals a relatively long (i.e. 135 amino acids) stem region and the presence of several important sequence motifs. The latter include a glycosyltransferase 1 (GT1) motif containing a DXH sequence, a Gal/GalNAc-T motif, and a region homologous to ricin lectin. Northern blot analysis identified a single 5.5-kb ppGalNAc-T transcript. Comparison of the cDNA and genomic DNA sequences reveals that this transferase is encoded by 10 exons in a 10 kb region. When the recombinant construct was expressed in stably transfected Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells, the purified protein exhibited transferase activity in vitro. The identification of this enzyme in T. gondii demonstrates that this human parasite has its own enzymatic machinery for the O-glycosylation of toxoplasmal proteins.
Magnesium deficiency anemia in the rat fetus.

Summary: Magnesium-deficient fetuses exhibited malformations (44%), anemia, and edema. Maternal plasma magnesium levels at day 21 of pregnancy reflected the level of dietary magnesium (2.43 ± 0.09 mg Mg/100 ml, control; 0.74 ± 0.02 mg Mg/100 ml, deficient). Plasma magnesium levels of deficient fetuses showed similar decreases although all fetal magnesium values at term were higher than maternal values from the same group (3.29 ± 0.22 mg Mg/100 ml, control; 1.78 ± 0.07 mg Mg/100 ml, deficient). Magnesium deficiency did not appear to affect the maternal blood parameters. However, when fetal blood was examined, all of the parameters measured were altered in magnesium-deficient fetuses (Table 2). No abnormalities in hemoglobin bands or plasma proteins were seen between any groups by electrophoresis. Measurement of total protein showed no differences between maternal blood protein contents, but total plasma protein from magnesium-deficient fetuses was significantly lower than controls (2.00 ± 0.14 versus 2.62 ± 0.13 g/100 ml), thus establishing a factor in fetal edema production. Morphologic data showed that in magnesium-deficient fetuses, fetal erythropoiesis was significantly greater in liver, adrenal glands, and spleen than in controls and that maturation was normoblastic. Stained and unstained peripheral blood smears of magnesium-deficient fetuses showed an obvious macrocytosis and at least 50% of the red cells stained abnormally, exhibiting pale areas. Erythrocytic morphology seen in fetal magnesium deficiency is consistent with inadequate filling of the cell by hemoglobin as suggested by Cohlan el al. (5), a probable cause of membrane collapse. The inadequate filling of magnesium-deficient red blood cells (RBC) with hemoglobin might be explained by a reduction in hemoglobin synthesis which is consistent with the reduced mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and MCH concentration (MCHC) of the deficient fetal red cells. The role of magnesium in protein synthesis is also compatible with a reduction in hemoglobin synthesis, yet may not completely explain the abnormalities and resultant shortened lifespan of the red cells. Speculation: The present studies show the effects of magnesium deficiency during pregnancy in the rat to be severe, producing congenital malformations and fetal anemia. Very little is understood about magnesium deficiency in humans, although it is generally agreed that there is depression in plasma magnesium levels toward the end of pregnancy and a possible relationship between magnesium and pregnancy toxemia. The question of whether or not magnesium deficiency is a contributing factor to fetal anemia in humans remains. Magnesium deficiency in rats, however, provides an experimental model to study fetal anemia and its subsequent effects during the perinatal period.
Syndrome de défaillance des barorécepteurs après chirurgie bilatérale pour tumeurs glomiques carotidiennes

Un homme en bonne sante de 41 ans avait des tumeurs bilaterales du glomus carotidien. Le patient avait eu une ablation chirurgicale successive des tumeurs a environ 8 mois d’ecart. Les suites postoperatoires avaient ete simples apres l’ablation de la premiere et plus grosse tumeur ; cependant, apres l’ablation de la deuxieme tumeur, le patient a developpe une tachycardie et une hypertension. Il a ete diagnostique un syndrome de defaillance des barorecepteurs apres avoir elimine d’autres causes possibles. Le syndrome de defaillance des barorecepteurs est une complication rare et grave connue pour etre associe a beaucoup de circonstances, l’une d’entre elles etant la denervation des barorecepteurs pendant la resection bilaterale des tumeurs glomiques. La gestion medicale de cette condition est necessaire pour empecher des evenements cerebrovasculaires ; ainsi, il est important que le chirurgien et l’interniste l’identifient pour un traitement agressif.
A new species of Simaba (Simaroubaceae) from Pará, Brazil, with a key to the species north of the Amazon River

A new species,Simaba cavalcantei, is described and illustrated. It is considered to be intermediate between sectionsGrandiflorae andFloribundae and is distinguished from potentially sympatric species in a key to the species occurring north of the Amazon River.
Propagation of LP 01 and LP 11 modes in kilometer lengths of optical fibers

We have studied the propagation of subnanosecond light pulses in two different single-mode optical fibers, each being of 1-km nominal length. By operating at a slightly shorter wavelength, from a semiconductor laser (λ = 0.9 μm), compared to the cutoff wavelength (λ c ≈ 1.2 μm) for single-mode operation, we have observed the propagation of the fundamental LP 01 , mode and a few higher order modes, namely, LP 11 and LP 21 . Calculations made, of the temporal separation between the pulses, after propagation in the kilometer length, agree well with experimentally measured values. The effect of a mode mixer at the input end is studied in individual fibers and also when the two fibers are butt-coupled. In the latter case we have also studied the effect of lateral misalignment at the junction of the coupled fibers, and explain the results in terms of mode excitation.
Angle-of-Arrival Estimation Using an Adaptive Antenna Array

A direction-finding technique is presented that is capable of simultaneously estimating the arrival angles of multiple signals. Pulsed as well as continuous signals can be handled with the signal form only approximately specified. An adaptive antenna array is used as a processing device in the estimation technique. The effect of input signal and feedback loop parameters upon estimate bias is discussed.
Models for survival data from cancer prevention studies

Summary. We propose a new parametric survival model for cancer prevention studies. The formulation of the model is in the spirit of stochastic modelling of the occurrences of tumours through two stages: initiation of an undetected tumour and promotion of the tumour to a detectable cancer. Several novel properties of the model proposed are derived. In addition, we examine the relationship of our model with the existing lagged regression model of Zucker and Lakatos. Also, we bridge the difference between two distinct stochastic modelling methods for cancer data, one used primarily for cancer therapeutic trials and the other used for cancer prevention trials.
Thermal and Resonance Neutron Capture in Copper, Nickel, and Manganese

The high-energy $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays following low-energy (${E}_{n}l10$ keV) neutron capture in copper, nickel, and manganese have been observed with a NaI(Tl) anticoincidence spectrometer. Large fluctuations in the intensities of ground-state transitions of the two copper isotopes were observed. The relative intensities of the high-energy transitions in both nickel and copper decrease significantly with neutron energy at only \ensuremath{\sim}1 keV. The variations of the twelve highest energy transitions for the three lowest energy resonances in manganese were measured. The 7.04-MeV transition varied by a factor of 25, while the rest showed much less fluctuation. None of the twelve transitions is appreciably correlated with the reduced neutron width.
Lanthanide complexes as nuclear magnetic resonance structural probes: paramagnetic anisotropy of shift reagent adducts.

Magnetic anisotropy measurements on single crystals of a series of paramagnetic 8-coordinate lanthanide shift reagent adducts of the type Ln[(CH3)3CCOCHCOC(CH3)3(4-CH3C5H1N)2 have been made for the following lanthanides: praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium. The susceptibility tensors are highly anisotropic and nonaxial. Dipolar nuclear magnetic resonance shifts evaluated from the solid-state date are in satisfactory agreement with the solution results.
Epidemiology of insomnia: what we know and what we still need to learn

Summary Epidemiologists have published more than 50 studies of insomnia based on data collected in various representative community-dwelling samples or populations. These surveys provide estimates of the prevalence of insomnia according to four definitions: insomnia symptoms, insomnia symptoms with daytime consequences, sleep dissatisfaction and insomnia diagnoses. The first definition, based on insomnia criteria as defined by the DSM-IV, recognizes that about one-third of a general population presents at least one of them. The second definition shows that, when daytime consequences of insomnia are taken into account, the prevalence is between 9% and 15%. The third definition represents 8–18% of the general population. The last definition, more precise and corresponding to a decision-making diagnosis, sets the prevalence at 6% of insomnia diagnoses according to the DSM-IV classification. These four definitions of insomnia have higher prevalence rates in women than in men. The prevalence of insomnia symptoms generally increases with age, while the rates of sleep dissatisfaction and diagnoses have little variation with age. Numerous factors can initiate or maintain insomnia. Mental disorders and organic diseases are the factors that have been the most frequently studied. The association between insomnia and major depressive episodes has been constantly reported: individuals with insomnia are more likely to have a major depressive illness. Longitudinal studies have shown that the persistence of insomnia is associated with the appearance of a new depressive episode. Future epidemiological studies should focus on the natural evolution of insomnia. Epidemiological genetic links of insomnia are yet to be studied.  2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
Effect of activation of 5-HT1A receptors at the ventral medulla on phrenic nerve activity.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the 5-HT 1A receptor agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di- N -propylamino)tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT), on respiratory activity (phrenic nerve activity) following application to the ventral medullary surface in the cat. In addition, in order to determine if the action of 8-OH-DPAT was localized to structures at the ventral medulla, we examined the distribution of [ 3 H]8-OH-DPAT to other brain regions and to the peripheral circulation. 8-OH-DPAT (0.0625–0.0628 μg) produced a dose-related increase in respiratory rate when applied at either the intermediate or caudal areas on the ventral surface of the medulla. The maximal change in respiratory rate was 9 ± 2 and 8 ± 1 breaths/min at the intermediate and caudal areas, respectively. Integrated phrenic nerve amplitude was not significantly affected at these sites except at the 8 μg dose where it was decreased. No change in phrenic nerve activity was observed with 8-OH-DPAT application at the rostral area. [ 3 H]8-OH-DPAT was not found to distribute to other brain regions or to the peripheral circulation following application to the ventral medullary surface. The results of this study suggest that 8-OH-DPAT causes changes in respiratory activity, primarily respiratory rate, by acting on neuronal structures at the ventral surface of the medulla.