cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Trenchless Construction Methods in Mainland China to Sustain Urban Infrastructure

Traditional methods of underground utility installation and replacement generally employ conventional open cut methods. These trenching methods in most urbanized settings typically create road closures, traffic delays, unnecessary detours, loss of access to homes and business, unsightliness, noise, and general disruption. Faced with population growth and an aging underground utility system, China has looked to emerging technologies to assist in providing sustainable solutions to addressing this situation. Three trenchless construction methods that have currently been adopted in China are horizontal directional drilling (HDD), pipe bursting, and pipe ramming. HDD is a technique that enables the installation of conduits and pipelines with minimum need for open-cut surface excavation. Pipe bursting is an accepted method for trenchless pipe replacement where an existing sewer or utility pipeline is replaced with a totally new structural pipe of equal or greater inside diameter. Pipe ramming is an established technology that provides a cost efficient alternative for placing steel casings under roads, railroads, finished landscapes, and structures. This paper describes each of the three trenchless construction methods and discusses several applications for sustaining underground utility networks through case histories of successful projects in China.
Pharmacogenetic and Metabolic Differences Between Dog Breeds: Their Impact on Canine Medicine and the Use of the Dog as a Preclinical Animal Model

There is limited information describing species related pharmacogenetic differences in animals. Despite the lack of genetic information in veterinary medicine, breed specific responses to endogenous and exogenous substances have been reported across many species. This finding underscores the importance of obtaining insight into the genotypic and phenotypic variation present across breeds. This article provides a summary of the literature pertaining to canine breed differences in physiology, drug response, drug pharmacokinetics, and metabolic idiosyncrasies. The existing knowledge of pedigrees and the known phenotypes and genotypes of dogs provides important information for determining mode of inheritance, penetration, and other major characteristics of heritable traits. Understanding these breed differences will improve canine population predictions (for canine drug products) and may be of value when extrapolating toxicology data from dogs to humans.
Stability of stationary and rotating discs under edge load

Abstract The dominant dynamic instability mechanism in circular cutters, grinding wheels and the like is a moving load resonance excited by a constant transverse load at the “critical rotation speed.” The critical speed theory is extended here to include the effects of concentrated in-plane edge loads similar to loading occurring in engineering processes. The theoretical analysis shows the critical speed is only sensitive to edge load when the resonance mode and the mode of static edge load buckling are identical. This always occurs with large edge load, but it is not the case with the smaller edge loads typical of engineering processes. These analyses are confirmed through prediction and measurement of static buckling loads for centrally clamped discs with in-plane, concentrated loads inclined between 0° and 80° to the edge normal.
Lysophosphatidic acid regulates the proliferation and migration of olfactory ensheathing cells in vitro

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are a unique type of macroglia with axonal growth-promoting properties. However, our understanding of the factors that regulate OECs is at early stages. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid that influences diverse functions in the nervous system. Recent studies suggest that glial cells, including astrocytes and Schwann cells, are important targets of LPA. However, the influences of LPA on OECs are not known. To address if LPA can influence OECs, we examined effects of LPA on the proliferation and migration of OECs and intracellular effector events. Initially, we observed that OECs expressed the genes for LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3 receptors. When OECs were treated with LPA, we observed stimulated proliferation and migration of OECs. Treatment of OECs with LPA also induced actin cytoskeleton reorganization and focal adhesion assembly. These effects of LPA were blocked by treatment with C3 exoenzyme or Y-27632, which inhibit Rho-GTPase and Rho-associated kinase, respectively. Effects of LPA on OEC proliferation were blocked by the MEK inhibitors PD098059 and U0126 and by the phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) inhibitors LY0294002 and wortmannin. These results show that LPA acts via Rho-GTPase, MAPK, and PI 3-K signaling cascades to influence OEC proliferation, migration, and cytoskeleton assembly.
The extinction of within-compound flavor associations.

Abstract Three experiments studied extinction of the associations which are formed between two flavors presented in a simultaneous compound. In Experiment 1 those associations were identified by a sensory preconditioning procedure in which the poisoning of one element of the compound led to the rejection of the other element. Separate presentation of either element between their joint occurence and the poisoning of one element sharply attenuated the rejection of the other element. That attenuation was interpreted in terms of the extinction of within-compound associations. Experiment 2 obtained similar results with an alternative extinction procedure in which the elements of the original compound were presented in other compounds. Experiment 3 obtained similar results when the existence of the within-compound associations was determined by an alternative assessment procedure in which one element of the compound was made more attractive by the induction of a specific hunger. These experiments suggest that within-compound associations can be extinguished when the elements are separately presented outside of the compound. Experiments 2 and 3 make less plausible an alternative interpretation of the effects of separate element presentation in terms of reduction of the novelty of the element. The findings may be taken as implying that the elements of a simultaneously presented compound are joined by a single symmetrical association which acts at various points during a sensory preconditioning experiment.
Agricultural Research Institutions and Priorities in an Era of Resource Scarcity: Discussion

The three papers by Norton, Pardey, and Alston (NPA), McCalla and Ryan (MR), and Just and Huffman (JH) address very different topics; therefore, any discussion of them should probably be mainly on an individual basis. There is, nonetheless, some common underlying perspective. NPA and MR acknowledge the difficulty in research priority setting when there are multiple objectives at stake. This gives rise to multiple trade-offs between economic efficiency, value of total output, equity, and sustainability. MR, addressing the research priority issue for the CGIAR system in a global context, add as another trade-off the consideration of the strengths of the national partners who collaborate with the CGIAR system. NPA add the complexity of setting research priorities across commodities, disciplines, geographical entities, and individual projects. JH point out the complex layering of modem science and technology which ranges from basic work in the so-called mother sciences, to pretechnology science, to applied sciences and, finally, to technology development and commercialization. Thus, there is a real danger in oversimplifying the R&D process and in overgeneralizing recommendations about research organization and priority setting. All three papers acknowledge the problem of shrinking real research funds. In the latter regard, some recent personal work has reminded me that in the U.S., for example, a 1975 agricultural research dollar was worth only about 37 cents in 1990. And over the last several years federal, and in some cases state, appropriations for agricultural research have been virtually constant in nominal dollars.
Analysis of Urban Teachers' 1st Year Experiences in an Alternative Certification Program

Abstract The demand to prepare increased numbers of qualified teachers for urban schools continues to represent a major challenge nationwide. In Michigan, Wayne State University, the Detroit Public Schools, the Michigan Department of Education, and the Detroit Federation of Teachers have collaborated to design and implement an alternative certification program—the Limited License to Instruct (LLI). Similar to other alternative certification programs nationally, the LLI includes the use of cohort groups, mentors, alternative course work scheduling, and induction activities. The LLI also provides 10 credit hours of online instruction. LLI teachers are hired by the Detroit Public Schools to teach full-time in an assigned classroom while enrolled in the program. This study assessed LLI Teachers' 1st-year experiences in the program. Through group interviews, 178 LLI teachers responded to questions concerning their experiences in the cohort groups, working with group leaders, support received in the schools, an...
Public Capital Investment and Economic Growth in Forth Worth: The Implications for Public Budgeting and Infrastructure Management

There is a common assumption that local government investment in infrastructure stimulates private development. This article examines relationships in one southwestern city between public capital spending and city infrastructure assets and private economic activity as measured by building permit activity, permit values, and assessed property valuations. Two research questions are examined: (1) Is public investment in new capital associated with private capital formation? and (2) Is public investment associated with improvements in the property tax base? The findings hold implications for infrastructure planning, budgeting, and management. First, public and private capital spending patterns varied in tandem across several cycles, and tracking such cycles may help public managers predict short- and mid-term infrastructure needs. Second, utility capital spending is critically related to private capital formation, and may offer higher fiscal returns than other public infrastructure. Third, infrastructure capital had a strong significant effect on the assessed value of urban property, and will therefore influence the property tax base.
Electronic structure and magnetism in Bi 2 Te 3 , Bi 2 Se 3 , and Sb 2 Te 3 doped with transition metals (Ti–Zn)

A less studied class of magnetic semiconductors based on the tetradymite structure compounds, which include ${\text{Bi}}_{2}{\text{Te}}_{3}$, ${\text{Bi}}_{2}{\text{Se}}_{3}$, and ${\text{Sb}}_{2}{\text{Te}}_{3}$, doped with $3d$ transition-metal $(T)$ elements is investigated using the full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital method in the local spin-density approximation (LSDA). The small size of the $T$ atoms (Ti\char21{}Zn) relative to the larger Bi/Sb atom site leads to a strong lattice relaxation, which primarily affects the atoms close to the defect in neighboring layers but has less impact within the layer containing the $T$ ion. Even with the relaxation, the size difference leads to quite localized $3d$ states and hence a high-spin state with large magnetic moments. The valence is $3+$ for the first half of the series but reduces closer to $2+$ (Co) or $1+$ (Ni) for the latter half of the series. This reduction is due to hybridization in the transition-metal $3d$ state with the $\text{Se}/\text{Te}\text{ }p$ state of the atom in the layer closest to the $T$ site which reduces the amount of charge transfer between these two atoms. It corresponds to a competition between the stabilization by the exchange energy dominating for the early $T$ ions and the covalent bonding effects for the later ones. For Cu and Zn the trend reverses and the valency is between $2+$ and $3+$ with a small magnetic moment remaining for Cu but a negligible moment for Zn. $\text{LSDA}+U$ calculations for the Fe-Ni atoms slightly change this balance of the two effects and promote higher valency and larger magnetic moment.
Reading Jean-Luc Marion: Exceeding Metaphysics

Contents Preface List of Abbreviations Part 1. The Constraints of Metaphysics Introduction: "This Theological Veering Which Is Too Obvious" 1. Descartes and Metaphysics: "Metaphysics Opens upon Its Modernity" 2. Theology and Metaphysics: "With Respect to Being Does God Have to Behave like Hamlet?" 3. Phenomenology and Metaphysics: "Unfolding the Fold of the Given" Part 2. A God of Excess Introduction: "To Pass Over to God's Point of View" 4. Descartes and God: "A Solitary... Abandoned on a Field in Ruins" 5. Theology and God: "The Glory of the Divine Befalls Us Only Obliquely" 6. Phenomenology and God: "It Is Impossible for God to Be Impossible" Part 3. A Self Open to the Other Introduction: "The Sole Master and Servant of the Given" 7. Descartes and the Self: "The Ego and the God of the Philosopher Evaluate Each Other from a Distance" 8. Phenomenology and the Self: "The Self That Comes after the Subject" 9. Charity and Eros: "One Must Substitute Erotic Meditations for the Metaphysical Meditations" Conclusion: "Between Evidence and Charity One Must Choose" Notes Bibliography Index
Phased Narrowing: A New Process Tracing Method for Decision Making

A new process tracing technique is presented which combines elements of traditional process tracing methods and methods designed to study the pre-screening of choice options and the formation of consideration sets. To demonstrate its usefulness, we provide data from a consumer decision making task in which subjects were asked to narrow the number of options over three successive decision stages from 18 to 6 to 3, and finally to 1. By examining the attribute values of the options selected at each stage, unique insights were gained into how both decision strategies and the impact of each attribute changed during the decision process and how these changes were related to measurable individual difference factors. The method, which we refer to as phased narrowing, is compared to and offered as a supplement to traditional process tracing approaches.
Identification and Characterization of Novel Adeno-Associated Virus Isolates in ATCC Virus Stocks

Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) depend on a helper virus for efficient replication. To identify novel AAV isolates, we screened a diverse set of virus isolates for the presence of AAV DNA. AAVs found in 10 simian adenovirus isolates showed greater than 96% homology to AAV1 and AAV6 but had distinct biological properties. Two representatives of this group, AAV(VR-195) and AAV(VR-355), were studied in more detail. While the novel AAVs had high sequence homologies and required sialic acid for cell binding and transduction, differences were observed in lectin competition, resulting in distinct tropisms in human cancer cell lines.
Tachycardia, contractility and volume loading alter conventional indexes of coronary flow reserve, but not the instantaneous hyperemic flow versus pressure slope index.

AbstractObjectives and Background. Because measurements of flow reserve are often made in the selling of fluctuating hemodynamic variables that cause alterations in basal or hyperemic coronary bloo...
Indentation of shape memory polymers: Characterization of thermomechanical and shape recovery properties

Abstract A framework for understanding the structure (shape memory and thermomechanical)–property relationships in shape memory polymers (which could be reasonably modeled as comprising of a soft phase and a hard phase) using indentation is developed. A finite element model is developed to predict the complete stress–strain–temperature characteristics of shape memory polymers under uniaxial and indentation loading conditions. By invoking the indentation load–depth response characteristics for a range of temperatures, it is demonstrated that the indentation method predicts the variation of the mechanical properties of shape memory polymers (i.e., elastic modulus) as a function of temperature and microstructural state (i.e., ‘glassy’ vs. ‘rubbery’) for materials that exhibit a wide range of transitions (i.e., gradual and sharp). By invoking the indentation deformation characteristics of shape memory polymers for a range of indenter geometries and temperatures, it is demonstrated that the extent of shape recovery is strongly dependent on temperature, microstructural state and constraint loads. By invoking the spatial evolution of stresses during the indentation deformation process and the subsequent recovery process, it is demonstrated that the increase in the internal stresses during the deformation process and the rate of dissipation of the internal stresses during the recovery process is dependent on the indenter geometry and temperature. The predictions of the finite element model for the variations of the mechanical properties and shape recovery characteristics of shape memory polymers with temperature are in reasonable agreement with the trends observed in experiments.
Negative inotropic and relaxant effects of cocaine on myopathic human ventricular myocardium and epicardial coronary arteries in vitro

Objective: Cocaine produces both vascular and myocardial effects that can lead to serious cardiovascular complications in man. Tissue catecholamine stores are known to be depleted in the advanced stages of heart failure. The effects of cocaine on cardiac and coronary smooth muscle isolated from patients with end stage heart failure was tested in order to evaluate the direct actions of this drug on human tissue. Methods: Effects of cocaine HC1 were studied on cardiac ventricular trabeculae carneae and epicardial coronary artery segments obtained at heart transplantation from patients with end stage heart failure. Muscles were placed in organ baths under physiological conditions for recording isometric tension; a subset of muscles was loaded intracellularly with the bioluminescent calcium indicator, aequorin. Cardiac muscles were stimulated with threshold pulses delivered via a punctate electrode at 0.33 Hz. Coronary segments were studied under basal conditions and after contraction with 60 mM KC1. Results: In both cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle preparations, cocaine (10−6-10−3 M) produced dose related negative inotropic and relaxant effects, respectively; positive inotropic actions and vasoconstriction were not seen. In cardiac muscle, the negative inotropic actions were associated with a simultaneous decrease in peak intracellular calcium levels. In contrast, cocaine induced relaxation of potassium contracted vascular smooth muscle was not associated with a fall in peak intracellular calcium levels, a result consistent with decreased myofilament calcium responsiveness. Conclusions: These results indicate that the depressant effects of cocaine on cardiac versus vascular smooth muscle occur by different mechanisms and suggest the need for specific therapeutic approaches to managing cardiac depression versus vasodilatation when these occur in cocaine intoxicated patients. Cardiovascular Research 1993; 27 :262-268
Isolation and mapping of ribosomal RNA genes of Caulobacter crescentus

Ribosomal DNA fragments of 1.0, 3.4, 3.7 and 6.1 kb† produced by EcoRI digestion of the Caulobacter crescentus genome were identified by hybridization to a labeled ribosomal RNA probe. These genomic sequences were further characterized by the isolation of 13 hybrid λ Charon 4 phages with rDNA inserts, and two of the recombinant phages, Ch4Cc773 and Ch4Cc1880, were examined extensively. The Cc773 insert contains EcoRI fragments of 1.0 kb, 3.4 kb and 3.7 kb and the Cc1880 insert contains EcoRI fragments of 1.0 kb, 3.4 kb and 6.1 kb that hybridized to 32P-labeled rRNA. Thus, the two clones contain different DNA inserts which together account for all of the rDNA fragments detected in digests of the C. crescentus genome. Hybridization with isolated transfer RNA and individual rRNA species indicated that the arrangement of genes in both units is 16 S-spacer tRNA(s)-23 S-5 S, tRNA(s). Homology between the DNA inserts is largely restricted to the rRNA coding regions, which suggests that the two rDNA units are located in different regions of the chromosome. Results of quantitative hybridization experiments are most consistent with a single Cc1880 and Cc773 unit per genome equivalent of 2.7 × 109 daltons. The relatively simple organization of rDNA sequences in the C. crescentus chromosome compared to Escherichia coli is discussed.
Effects of response elimination procedures upon the subsequent reacquisition of autoshaping

In Experiment 1, three groups of pigeons were autoshaped and then administered one of three different response-elimination procedures. Group TRC (truly random control) and Group Backward (backward conditioning) ceased responding more rapidly than Group CS-only. In a subsequent reacquisition test with a novel CS, Groups TRC and Backward were retarded relative to Group CS-only. In Experiment 2, the CS-only and TRC response-elimination treatments were not differentially effective in extinguishing the response. The treatments were followed either by five sessions of unpredictable US presentations (US-only) or by five sessions of remaining in their home cages (hold) prior to the reacquisition test. The TRC treatment retarded reacquisition relative to the CS-only treatment; the US-only posttreatment manipulation failed to reliably retard reacquisition relative to Hold, although retarding effects of US-only are discernible in a block-by-block analysis. Applications and limitations of a context-blocking account of these results are discussed.
Epiphenomenology and the gallbladder: Several examples

It has been suggested that gallbladder removal may protect against subsequent development of myocardial infarction because of increased gastrointestinal cholesterol excretion resulting from increased enterohepatic cycling. To test this hypothesis, the authors used data from two large case-control studies of myocardial infarction–-one conducted in 1976–1979 in 155 US hospitals and one conducted in 1980–1983 in 78 US hospitals. First, 550 female myocardial infarction cases were compared to 1,658 controls. Simultaneously adjusting for possible confounding variables using logistic regression, the odds ratio for development of a myocardial infarction subsequent to cholecystectomy was 0.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.5–1.1). Second, 1,511 male myocardial infarction cases were compared to 3,837 controls. With similar adjustments, the odds ratio was 0.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.5–1.2). The risk did not decline as the interval following cholecystectomy increased. The present data are compatible with a protective effect of cholecystectomy on the risk of subsequent myocardial infarction, but they are not conclusive. This study was undertaken to assess possible modifications of the proliferative activity of co-Ionic mucosa, which could be related to a suggested cancer-promoting role of cholecystectomy. The mitotic index (number of mitoses per 1000 gland cells) was evaluated in the colonic mucosa of 14 healthy subjects, 11 patients with cholelithiasis, before and 6 months after surgery, and 10 patients who had undergone cholecystectomy 2 or more years previously. The mitotic index of cholecystectomized patients was significantly higher than controls. It rose significantly within 6 months of cholecystectomy. The mitotic index of patients with cholelithiasis before surgery was similar to controls. These data suggest that cholecystectomy is followed by an enhancement in the proliferative activity of the colonic mucosa, which could play a cancer-promoting role.
Season-Depth Relations in Subtidal Meiofauna of Cape Cod Bay

Subtidal sands (mean phi ≤4) of Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts were censused for meiofauna (metazoans ≤2 mm length) by analyzing 72 sediment cores collected from 1966 to 1969 by the Systematics Ecology Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, during its Biotic Census of the Cape Cod Bay benthos. Highest density was 17,085 per 10 cm2, found at 26 m water depth in winter. Groups showing significant seasonal, fluctuation in density at given depth interval(s) were: total meiofauna 0–7 m; Harpacticoida 0–7 m, 21–41 m; nauplii 0–7 m; Turbellaria 0–7 m, 14–21 m; Kinorhyncha 14–21 m, 21–41 m; Polychaeta 0–7 m, 14–21 m; Pelecypoda 0–7 m. Generally, density peaks showed a time lag at greater depths.
Complex Marital Histories and Economic Well-being: The Continuing Legacy of Divorce and Widowhood as the HRS Cohort Approaches Retirement

We use data from the first wave of the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) to examine the marital histories of this cohort of women and men on the verge of retirement. The legacy of past increases in divorce rates is evident in the complex marital histories of HRS households and the relationship between those histories and current economic status. Couples in a first marriage now make up only one-quarter of black households and fewer than half of all white and Hispanic households. In over one-third of all married-couple households, at least one spouse had a previous marriage that ended in divorce or widowhood. These couples have significantly lower incomes and assets than couples in first marriages. Contrary to the popular notion that private and public insurance better provide for the security of widows than divorced persons, currently widowed households and couples in which the prior marriage of one spouse had ended in widowhood are no better off than are their divorced peers. This holds true for both black and white households. From a single cross-section, one cannot tell what caused these differences in income and wealth across marital status groups although it is clear that women and blacks spend a higher percentage of their lifetime outside of marriage than do men and whites. We also speculate from estimates of widowhood expectations for a subset of married respondents that underestimating the chances of widowhood--because both men and women overestimate their chances of joint survival--may be a factor in the relatively low economic status of widows. Because couples in life-long marriages have been the traditional standard upon which marital property reform and the survivorship rules of private and public programs are based, their diminishing importance among all households raises concern about the protection provided by these institutions against the long-term economic consequences of past and future marital dissolution.
Characterization of the American Put Option Using Convexity

Abstract Understanding the behaviour of the American put option is one of the classic problems in mathematical finance. Considerable efforts have been made to understand the asymptotic expansion of the optimal early exercise boundary for small time near expiry. Here we focus on the large-time expansion of the boundary. Based on a recent development of the convexity property, we are able to establish two integral identities pertaining to the boundary, from which the upper bound of its large-time expansion is derived. The bound includes parameter dependence in the exponential decay to its limiting value. In addition, these time explicit identities provide very efficient numerical approximations to the true solution to the problem.
Point: Left ventricular volume during diastasis is the physiological in vivo equilibrium volume and is related to diastolic suction.

> “ Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” (Sherlock Holmes; Ref. [6a][1]) The truth regarding ventricular equilibrium and diastolic suction has been elusive since Galen ([26][2]) observed blood moving into the ventricle with a force
Whither pharmacometrics?: present state and future choices.

The theme of this month's issue of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics is pharmacometrics. When looking back at the early days of pharmacometrics, current contributions to the drug development process look impressive. The questions are whether the original promise is being kept and how the impact can become even greater. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2014); 95 6, 567–571. doi:10.1038/clpt.2014.72
Home-field advantage: native signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) out consume newly introduced crayfishes for invasive Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis)

The introduction of non-indigenous plants, animals and pathogens is one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Freshwater ecologists are challenged to predict the potential consequences of species invasions because many ecosystems increasingly support novel assemblages of native and non-native species that are likely to interact in complex ways. In this study we evaluated how native signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and non-native red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and northern crayfish (Orconectes virilis) utilize a novel prey resource: the non-native Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis). All species are widespread in the United States, as well as globally, and recent surveys have discovered them co-occurring in lakes of Washington State. A series of mesocosm experiments revealed that crayfish are able to consume B. chinensis, despite the snail’s large size, thick outer shell and trapdoor defense behaviour. Crayfish exhibited size-selective predation whereby consumption levels decreased with increasing snail size; a common pattern among decapod predators. Comparison of prey profitability curves—defined as the yield of food (weight of snail tissue) per second of feeding time (the time taken to crack the shell and consume the contents)—suggests that small and very large snails may represent the most profitable prey choice. By contrast, previous studies have reported the opposite pattern for crayfish consumption on thin-shelled snails. For all snail size classes, we found that native P. leniusculus and invasive O. virilis consumed greater numbers of snails than invasive P. clarkii. Moreover, P. leniusculus consistently handled and consumed snails at a faster pace compared to both invasive crayfishes across the range of snail sizes examined in our study. These results suggest not only that B. chinensis is a suitable food source for crayfish, but also that native P. leniusculus may ultimately out-consume invasive crayfishes for this new prey resource.
Shop Class for the Next Millenium: Education through Computer-Enriched Handicrafts

In this paper we use our experiences with the HyperGami program as a springboard for a broader look at the future of computationally-enriched handicrafts. HyperGami is an educational application for the design and construction of mathematical models and sculptures in paper; as such, it serves as a source of examples and insights for the more general problem of how to integrate the "high-tech" features of computation with the "low-tech" features of traditional craft materials in education. We begin by describing the HyperGami program, focusing on those features that were designed in response to problems encountered by papercrafters; we illustrate the program's capabilities by presenting some of our own and our students' papercraft designs; and we describe our initial steps in implementing elements of HyperGami on the World Wide Web. In the closing sections of the paper, we explore the broader educational issues involved in integrating computation and handicrafts; and we conclude with a discussion of how physical objects could play a role in a future "educational object economy." Reviewers: Timothy Koschmann (U. Illinois), Agnes Kukulska-Hulme (Open. U.), Henry Lieberman (MIT) Interactive elements: The HyperGami website includes Java applets for rotating and constructing polyhedra, plus video clips of an animated sculpture, included with this article. HyperGami is available free of charge, and JavaGami will be released soon. Interactive demonstrations: The authors' HyperGami website includes Java applets for rotating and constructing polyhedra http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~eisenbea/hypergami , plus two QuickTime videos of an animated HyperGami sculpture, included with this article . HyperGami is available free of charge, and runs on any color Macintosh with at least 12 MB of free RAM. Email nishioka@cs.colorado.edu for further information. A Java version called JavaGami will be released soon. Subscribe to the article's commentaries area to receive this announcement. ).
Situating Texas School Finance Policy in a CRT Framework: How “Substantially Equal” Yields Racial Inequity

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to conduct a critical race policy analysis of Texas school finance policy. This empirical article examines three chapters of the Texas education code (TEC) and identifies the racial effects that the school funding system has on seven majority-Mexican American school districts.Methodology: Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latina/o Critical (LatCrit) theoretical frameworks are employed in this article in which race and property are highlighted as concepts central to the analysis. The methodology allows for a critical perspective on history and the racial effects of policy to be outlined. First, a historical analysis of race and racism, schooling, and politics in Texas contextualizes the debate over school finance equity. Second, an analysis of the effects that the school finance system has on communities of color is completed.Analysis and Findings:An examination of primarily 2002—2003 school finance data, Texas Supreme Court opinions, and TEC indicates that majority-Mex...
Transitioning to the next generation (nextgen) defense training environment (DTE)

Department of Defense (DoD) closed architectures and proprietary solutions limit the ability to provide the warfighter gaming, semantic reasoning and social networking capabilities employed by industry and readily available in the open source community. Exorbitant sustainment costs of legacy solutions are unjustifiable and significantly inhibit transition to enhanced solutions. Additionally, legacy solutions leave a dependence on an aging workforce of static-centric modeling & simulation (M&S) subject matter expertise (SME) to promote reuse, while budget cuts increase attrition among junior-level technical staff. This paper describes challenges and recommendations for changing the DoD M&S training paradigm to facilitate interoperability, incorporate emerging semantic web technologies, and provide a knowledge base to promote reuse. Two ongoing R&D projects will be used to illustrate innovative strategies and their potential to alleviate many legacy system interoperability issues while transitioning to a Defense Training Environment (DTE) where US and Coalition Command and Control (C2) and M&S systems seamlessly interoperate to train as we fight.
Magnetic Resonance Criteria for Future Trials of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Current patient selection criteria for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT), an efficacious treatment for heart failure, include no measure of disconjugate cardiac contractility other than prolonged QRS on electrocardiogram. Using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the roles of cardiac asymmetry, asynchrony, and circumferential strain in DCC with the principal aim of generating a robust numerical index for use in future trials of CRT. Standard cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was done on a GE 1.5 Tesla Signa LX MRI clinical scanner (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA) and analyzed by MASS Analysis (MEDIS, Leiden, The Netherlands). The methods were evaluated in eleven patients with advanced heart failure due to ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, who did not qualify under current criteria for CRT, five CRT candidates pre-op and eleven normal subjects. Using t-test and standardized differences (SD = sd/diff, Power (N) = number of patients to reach p < .05) we determined efficacy. Indi...
Longitudinal Outcomes of a Comprehensive, Incentivized Worksite Wellness Program

This study evaluated health benefits of long-term participation in an employer-based wellness program, focusing on selected chronic disease risk factors. A repeated measures longitudinal time-series study was conducted of 8 years of existing prospectively collected annual data, including clinical measures of weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat percent. Participants were divided into their risk levels at baseline. Outcomes were compared to level of participation, for which annual points earned was a surrogate. Participants had lower increases in body mass index (BMI) than the general population had during the same time period. Greatest improvements in BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol were seen in those at highest risk levels at baseline and in those whose physical activity increased over time. It was found that long-term participation in this program improved BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Most benefits
High CW power with multi-octave bandwidth from power-combined mini-TWTs

Several mini-TWTs (traveling-wave tubes) were recently power-combined in the band 2.0 to 8.0 GHz to achieve 250 W of continuous-wave (CW) power at better than 90% combining efficiency. Graceful degradation was demonstrated by successively turning off each of the TWTs. The combining device, known as the spatial field power combiner, is especially suited for high-average-power applications. This approach has the potential for achieving CW powers in excess of 1 kW over multioctave frequency bands up to 20 GHz. This work focuses on a four-way combiner, and the results obtained in combining mini-TWTs are discussed. >
Propagation errors in elastic‐constant inversion

Physical-property tensors obtained through matrix inversion may inherit large errors, which may be asymmetric. Analysis of the cubic-symmetry elastic-constant case where stiffnesses (Cij's) are converted to compliances (Sij's), and vice versa, shows dramatic error-propagation, depending on the C12/C11 ratio. Tensoren physikalischer Eigenschaften, die durch Matrixinversion erhalten werden, konnen grose Fehler enthalten, die asymmetrisch sind. Eine Analyse des Falls elastischer Konstanten mit kubischer Symmetrie, wobei die Steifigkeiten (Cij) zu den (Sij) und umgekehrt konvertiert werden, zeigt das Auftreten dramatischer Fehler in Abhangigkeit vom C12/C11-Verhaltnis.
Cell types within the medial forebrain bundle: a Golgi study of preoptic and hypothalamic neurons in the rat.

The morphology of lateral preoptic (POL) and lateral hypothalamic (HLA) neurons was studied in 14- to 200-day-old rats with the chlorate-formaldehyde modification of the Golgi method. Drawings of 91 POL and HLA neurons revealed three distinct neuronal types within the MFB based on somatic size and shape and dendritic morphology. Class I neurons, which accounted for 75-80% of the neurons in the MFB, has fusiform or multipolar somata averaging 21 X 14 micron and 2-5 sparsely branched dendrites with a moderate number of sticklike spines. The extensive dendritic domains of Class I neurons ranged from 700 to 1,500 micron and were usually oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal fibers of the MFB. Both nonoriented and oriented Class I neurons were encountered. Nonoriented Class I neurons had expansive dendritic arbors which reached nearly all regions of the MFB in the coronal plane. Oriented Class I neurons had dendritic domains which were confined to specific regions (e.g., ventral-lateral) of the MFB. Class II neurons, which made up approximately 10% of the MFB neurons, had large multipolar somata averaging 30 X 17 micron and 2-5 stout dendrites which were densely covered with hairlike spines. Class II neurons also exhibited spines on their somata and proximal dendritic trunks and had dendritic domains of 700-1,000 micron. Class III neurons had small somata averaging 15 X 12 micron and restricted dendritic arbors of 500-700 micron in diameter. Class III neurons exhibited both spiny and spine-free dendrites and made up 10% of MFB neurons. Because of the parcellation of chemically coded fiber systems within the MFB, individual POL and HLA neurons may not be homogeneous in the type of afferents they receive from other brain areas.
Recurrent Episodes of Weak Spells in a 15-Year-Old Boy

A 15-year-old boy was referred for evaluation of “weak spells” since early childhood. The frequency of these episodes was on an average once a month, and their duration was variable from 4-6 hours to 1-2 days. There was no correlation to dietary intake, prior physical activity, or time of the day. During these spells, there was no reported pain. He experienced difficulty in standing, walking, climbing stairs, and raising his arms over his head. There were no associated cardiac or respiratory symptoms and no reported speech or swallowing difficulties during these spells. These spells would abort spontaneously, and he would always return to his baseline. The examination during the spells was significant for decreased tone and absent reflexes.
Early Colony Establishment in Neurospora crassa Requires a MAP Kinase Regulatory Network

Vegetative fusion is essential for the development of an interconnected colony in many filamentous fungi. In the ascomycete fungus Neurospora crassa, vegetative fusion occurs between germinated conidia (germlings) via specialized structures termed "conidial anastomosis tubes" (CATs) and between hyphae within a mature colony. In N. crassa, both CAT and hyphal fusion are under the regulation of a conserved MAP kinase cascade (NRC1, MEK2, and MAK2). Here we show that the predicted downstream target of the MAK2 kinase pathway, a Ste12-like transcription factor known as PP1, regulates elements required for CAT and hyphal fusion. The PP1 regulatory network was revealed by expression profiling of wild type and the Δpp-1 mutant during conidial germination and colony establishment. To identify targets required for cell fusion more specifically, expression-profiling differences were assessed via inhibition of MAK2 kinase activity during chemotropic interactions and cell fusion. These approaches led to the identification of new targets of the cell fusion pathway that, when mutated, showed alterations in chemotropic signaling and cell fusion. In particular, conidial germlings carrying a deletion of NCU04732 (Δham-11) failed to show chemotropic interactions and cell fusion. However, signaling (as shown by oscillation of MAK2 and SO to CAT tips), chemotropism, and cell fusion were restored in Δham-11 germlings when matched with wild-type partner germlings. These data reveal novel insights into the complex process of self-signaling, germling fusion, and colony establishment in filamentous fungi.
Effect of thermocouple insertion depth in multiple directions on temperature measurements

Detailed computational fluid dynamics models of mineral insulated metal sheath thermocouples are discussed, and thermocouple readings in clean flames are verified against experimental thermocouple data for a Hencken burner flame available in the literature. Computational results present thermocouple temperature readings as a function of thermocouple insertion depth in three-dimensional directions. Computational temperature correlations are plotted against nondimensional insertion depth and insertion height above the burner. Overall predictions showed excellent agreement with experimental data. Deviations occurred as the thermocouple tip was moved further away from burner edges due to axial heat losses. Language: en
Spatiotemporal Patterns of Fish Assemblage Structure in a River Impounded by Low-Head Dams

Abstract We studied spatiotemporal patterns of fish assemblage structure in the Neosho River, Kansas, a system impounded by low-head dams. Spatial variation in the fish assemblage was related to the location of dams that created alternating lotic and lentic stream reaches with differing fish assemblages. At upstream sites close to dams, assemblages were characterized by species associated with deeper, slower-flowing habitat. Assemblages at sites immediately downstream from dams had higher abundance of species common to shallow, swift-flowing habitat. Temporal variation in assemblage structure was stronger than spatial variation, and was associated with fish life history events such as spawning and recruitment, as well as seasonal changes in environmental conditions. Our results suggest that low-head dams can influence spatial patterns of fish assemblage structure in systems such as the Neosho River and that such assemblages also vary seasonally.
Hole Motion in Anthracene Crystals

If a photoconductive crystal such as CdS is excited in a thin layer adjacent to one of the electrodes a rectifying effect is observed. When the electrode adjacent to the excited layer is made negative, larger currents are observed than with the reverse polarity [1]. Such an inhomogeneous excitation can be obtained from a beam of alpha particles or ultraviolet light ; both of which are almost completely absorbed in a region very close to the surface. This rectifier effect was explained by assuming the electrons are the more mobile carrier in CdS and that the excited charges will move into the remaining unexcited region of the crystal. A similar effect was observed in ZnCdS [2] powders. However, with organic photoconductive crystals the reverse behavior was observed [3]. The larger current was obtained when the excited layer was adjacent to the positive electrode. For all the organic crystals investigated, Sentner [4] finds large differences in currents for powders as well as single crystals. The ratio of the currents obtained when the excited layer is adjacent to the positive to when it is to the negative electrode, is almost 100. The conclusion drawn from these results is that the positive holes are the predominant carriers of photoconductivity in organic crystals. It is still an open question whether the weak current observed with negative polarity at the excited layer is due to a small mobility of negative charges or due to a weak excitation of the whole crystal by the fluorescent light emitted from the excited layer. That this light is partially absorbed by the crystal has been shown previously [5]. Further Sentner [4] has shown that visible light in a wavelength range of the fluorescent light produced photoconductivity but without differences due to polarity because of the homogeneous excitation throughout the crystal.
Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of polyhexanide for topical decolonization of MRSA carriers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of polyhexanide (Prontoderm(®)) in eliminating MRSA carriage.